Five years is a long time in pop, but CHVRCHES are finally back. The Glasgow trio of Lauren Mayberry, Martin Doherty and Iain Cook return today with ‘Roses’, their first new music after an extended break and the opening move in what promises to be a markedly different chapter for the band.
Premiering as BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record, ‘Roses’ wastes little time dismantling expectations. The gleaming synth-pop architecture that has defined much of CHVRCHES’ career gives way to something tougher and more abrasive, with the band pushing towards a caustic rock sound without entirely severing the electronic pulse underneath.
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There is bite in the subject matter too. Mayberry turns her attention towards the darker currents running through contemporary Britain, taking aim at romanticised versions of the past and the uncomfortable realities lurking beneath them. The track closes with an Orwellian announcement demanding the listener’s attention, a neat curtain-raiser for whatever CHVRCHES have planned next.
The change in direction comes after the longest gap between albums in the band’s career. Rather than returning to familiar territory, Mayberry, Doherty and Cook have used the time apart to reconsider what CHVRCHES should sound like now. ‘Roses’ suggests the answer will not simply be another lap around the sound that first carried them out of Glasgow and onto international stages.
The comeback will also move quickly from headphones to the stage. CHVRCHES have announced two intimate secret shows, playing their hometown of Glasgow on October 26 before heading to London on October 29, with tickets available through a competition on the band’s website.
