The Adversary

Review: There are obvious and not-so-obvious comparisons to call on when trying to capture The Adversary on paper.  They might come on when you put in “The xx” into your Pandora, but that line is not to be drawn. If anything, they are more like a retro- M83-meets a male-fronted Polica. Yet, some underlying 80’s influences such as Erasure and New Order appear in their poppier moments. In their darker depths, the moments that I really connected with in the new release. “Starry Night” has all the promise to be brave enough to go their own direction, while “Top of the World” just begins to scrape at the dangerously infectious electronic hooks that a less-depressed and trouble-free Trent Reznor would have been proud of. If Bono was going to do an electronic project in 2014, it might sound a lot like this, and if The Matrix (or the Twilight Saga for that matter) was going to make another release in their respective franchises, The Adversary would find a perfect niche in that movie. But Bono is not sitting around playing with synths and programming, and as far as I know there is no new Matrix… and thank God no new Twilight… So, where does that leave The Adversary?

Up to the fates of a soundtrack-producer that would be wise to include these up-and-comers.  In a world of electrorock, EDM, and chic indie bands with guitars and computers, it is more important to say what this group is not:  They are not Toro y Moi, The Naked and Famous, or Home Video.  They have chosen their name wisely, it suits them, and they should embrace it fully and dive into these moments where they sound like no one else… because they have them. Even though the lyrics are typical and searching romantically, it doesn’t change the fact that  James Saint James and Tony Wilson would be happy to turn up to a club playing “We Need”, and Ben Gibbard would (at least claim to) enjoy “Yoshimi” for its Postal Service-qualities.  Don’t judge Andrew Mistier by his first single. I was lukewarm to “Ritual Dream”, and very pleasantly surprised that just because he could do very poppy and inviting music, this release is no one-trick pony. Self-proclaimed “music for aliens & cavemen”, and endorsed by my Oasis-and-Verve loving friend Umaar, The Adversary at least deserves a listen where most electronic projects these days really don’t. 

Chapter 2: Ritual Dream is out now and available HERE

To hear and learn more about The Adversary go to:
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The Adversary
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PA. Correspondent
Johnny Saint - Lethal