Album Review: Indians - Somewhere Else

Indians, the recording name of Denmark native Søren Løkke Juul, has had a relatively quick explosion of a career. It was only early last year that his first demos under the Indians name surfaced online and now his debut record drops. So how successful is this electronica wunderkind's first long-player?

Opening a record titled Somewhere Else with a tune called New certainly evokes an uncharted, ideally otherworldly landscape, and the song does manage to fulfil that idea to a certain degree. Poppy, lush and very spaciously mixed, the high-pitched vocals croon with a totally genuine and heartfelt immediacy that is beguiled by the truly modern pop sensibilities of the songwriting.

This is an approach that Juul carries throughout the album, in idea if not sonic practicality. The songs are varied, with highlights Lip Lips Lips and Cakelakers showing two sides of a beautiful and talented musician – propulsive and house music-influenced though ultimately both beyond standard classification and, yes, terrifically poppy. Lyrically, Juul's writing is sincere and endearing – take Magic Kids' line “I like to see your eyes/But your eyes do not see any longer” – this is un-ironic and believable anguish for modern ears.

Fans of Sigur Rós will find love in the atmospheric Bird, as will Arcade Fire lovers in the acoustic guitar-driven I Am Haunted. Somewhere Else never quite delivers on its idealistic promise, but it's still a stellar indie pop debut. Like a more withdrawn and perhaps morose M83, Indians' Somewhere Else is more than a sign of things to come; it's a very good record on its own merits, just one that will hopefully be eclipsed by future efforts.