Glaswegian quartet AMOR channel their various backgrounds and influences into a surprisingly cohesive, focused form of avant-disco. The group is led by the prolific
Richard Youngs and includes
Franz Ferdinand drummer
Paul Thomson, double bassist Michael Francis Duch, and experimental artist Luke Fowler. AMOR made their debut with two singles in 2017, both containing sprawling jams with locked-in rhythms and an unwavering sense of pure optimism. Sinking into a Miracle is the act's first full-length, and while the basic premise is the same, the album seems more geared toward home listening than the discotheque-ready 12"s. None of the tracks are longer than ten minutes, and the group experiment more in terms of the production, with a few dubby effects and abstract elements popping up, including the faint vocals moaning in the background of "Full Fathom Future," or the trumpet blurts and low-in-the-mix frazzled synths during "Glimpses Across Thunder." The rhythms don't seem quite as bass-heavy, and they slightly deviate from the standard disco shuffle. There's a bit more of an urgent electronic tick to "Heaven Among the Days," which has trippier production than the rest of the album.
Youngs' confident singing still leads the pack, and his lyrics still search for transcendence; he's "drawn to the full truth of life," as he sings on the final song. As with before, AMOR use disco as a way to look beyond the obvious and search for a deeper meaning to life, but in a way that seems like a joyful release instead of something heavy and ponderous. They take more risks this time around, but not in a way that alienates the listener. The result is a sublime collection of freely expressive grooves which uplift and inspire. ~ Paul Simpson