The album starts off as it means to continue with a well-produced electro sound.  With its interesting opening the first song does its job and pulls you into the album with a great beat and smooth synth sounds building to a rewarding crescendo that is the chorus. The lead vocals fit well with an almost falsetto sound. This theme is carried throughout with big sound walls that only on a few occasions get a touch muddy and unclear.

Ecstatics International has a good rhythm that changes gears from slower more dreamy songs like ‘I Do’ to the faster paced  licks of songs like ‘Sun in the Island’ never allowing the listener to get bored with the same sound constantly.

However the final quarter of the album falls a little flatter than the others feeling as if the band lost some direction with these. They are by no means bad songs however when compared with the others, songs like ‘Beat Beat of your Heartbeat’ just feel not as well crafted. With the final song ‘Team Jetstream’ showing so much promise by building up beautifully but never paying off with a big finish leaving a funny feeling at the end of the album like it should not end there.

As you continue through the album you can hear some influences such as Kasabian in the track ‘Mining for Diamonds’ and Placebo like sound in the song ‘Sun in the Island’, this however is only adds to the album showing some of the versatility of the band.

The production of this album is a high point here. There are many songs that are just filled to the brim with different synths and guitars and if not done properly the whole thing could just sound like a mess. This gladly is not the case with on the most part each sound having its own space in the sound wall. The synths used within each song are all interesting to the ear with a great variety from the low distorted bass that pushes the song forward in a satisfying way, to the high sweeping sounds that can easily wash over you.

Overall this album is an enjoyable listen with many interesting ideas throughout all held together with a solid sound. Even with hints of other bands influences this band easily cuts a sound like no other that is satisfying to hear. The lead singers’ vocals are a high point all the way through the album fitting well. However with a weaker last quarter to the album this lets it down meaning that some may get turned off towards the end, and with no real payoff at the end this album goes out with more of a whimper than a bang. This is a shame because of such a strong start. This band have a lot to offer I feel and this album could be fantastic platform for them to raise up in the world of music.

Our Rating
7/10