Album Review: Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon

What sounds like a malfunctioning electronic toy running away down the street opens Next Year, the first track on Two Door Cinema Club's second album. And then Alex Trimble sings, ever so sweetly as if he's serenading you one-on-one in a gazebo: “I don't know where I am going to rest my head tonight/So I won't promise that I'll speak to you today.” Trimble's vocals exude confidence these days, and he's further developed that charmingly recognisable lilt with perfect diction that pulls your focus toward romantic lyrics.

It's the unexpected orchestral elements that are incorporated throughout Beacon that really make it glow; a bike bell sounds throughout Wake Up (if it's supposed to be an alarm, it's way less annoying), brass elevates Sun and windchimes dance in the breeze to close out Settle. Standout track The World Is Watching (a duet with Valentina) will wind up on many wooing mixtapes. Once strings and effervescent keys ambush the arrangement, it becomes a fluttering, memorable love song that will make you wanna skip around in circles holding hands with your chosen one. Do yourself the favour of a headphone listen to pick up these intricacies and nuances that prove Jacknife Lee was manning the knobs.

Beacon is a much more mature offering than its predecessor, Tourist History, but shimmering guitars and jaunty, almost military-precision drumming ensure this Irish trio always remain true to their established sound. Don't be thrown by the somewhat racey album artwork (and I'm not just speaking of the suggestive lighting fixture on the cover), this music bottles the sweetness of high school crushes and also sprinkles disappointment with hope. There's something so pure and classy about Two Door Cinema Club, no foul language just exultant melodies to capture our hearts.