Artist: The Wombats
Album: This Modern Glitch
Genre: Synth Rock

This second studio album by cheerful indie stalwarts The Wombats is an easygoing, groove-laden collection of songs. As would be their trademark, it’s full of sunny, lighthearted poppy tunes designed to exhilarate and endear in equal measure, with plenty of thumping rhythms to power dance floors the world over.

“Our Perfect Disease” is a fun and catchy start, taking flight with a jingling whirl of instrumentation. It strikes a neat balance, managing to be minimalist enough to engage but hint enticingly at grandiose intentions. As a result, it sounds bigger than it is; a fine achievement for the band but more importantly a thorough and absorbing opener. “Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)” sports a title plucked straight from the zeitgeist (or so it seems) and a gorgeous, sturdy bass line that anchors it throughout. It’s groovy, infectious, and rousing. “Jump Into the Fog” toys with a gentler, more assured sound. It’s less urgent than the others, taking a more easygoing and suave approach. As elsewhere on the album, the streamlined vocals drive the music, radiating depth and warmth. There are little asides where the percussion or accompaniments are allowed a more central role but mostly it’s vocal, and it works exceedingly well – especially during the chorus where a backing vocal layer adds a touch of the exquisite to the song.

“Anti-D” unfortunately hits a dud note with an ill-advised classical sample, which just feels horribly out of place. This becomes less peculiar as the song continues, though never quite gels with the rest of the instruments, detracting from the hitherto exemplary sound and lacking fluidity. Later, “Techno Fan” reinvigorates matters – a mischievous, rugged tune, it opens with a gorgeously innocent vibe, developing a nice tongue-in-cheek sentiment as it progresses. Content with the simplistic vocal-percussive set up for the verse, it flourishes during the chorus with an elated whooping refrain.

“1996” and its corrosive synth opening makes for a much fuller sound than most of the foregoing, charging the album with loud, intensive energy. This probably makes it one of the more memorable songs, as it feels a tad more conventional and accessible. Further, there’s a charmingly nostalgic tone to the lyrics that almost effortlessly endears – a feature keenly evident throughout the record, and one of its more appealing qualities. “Walking Disasters” is a colourful, upbeat tune, matching this lyrical vitality with musical fervor. The hooks and vocal thrills that link verse and chorus are tight and well-moulded, and the whole thing beams with youthful vibrancy as even the latter segment fades into a light, reveling note that ushers in the next song.

“Girls/Fast Cars’” slightly off-kilter opening peaks with a fine, resounding chorus brimming with vocal interplays. The second verse adds some spark and vigor with an exhilarating guitar riff, while the bridge is vividly realized, catchy and inventive. The ending, further, surges with ambition, injecting a nice sense of urgency to round things out. “Schumacher the Champagne” aims to end the album on a high, using a curiously cinematic intro. A chugging guitar and strange brass band combine for an intriguingly pleasant sound, lending the song a distinctive character. The loud rasping guitar in the closing notes further ekes out the unique appeal of this track, as the song grows into itself and gains a clearer sense of direction. A brief interlude of silence makes way for the final flourish, in the form of a lithe, delicate two-tone instrumental, the pensive flutter of which ends the record in style.

This Modern Glitch is a kaleidoscope of off-indie synthesized beats that prove to be enjoyable listening, if not entirely unique or absorbing. As a brand of fun-loving, colourful floor fillers it certainly exceeds, the nostalgic undertones in the lyrics endlessly loveable and with universal allure. It may not always appeal if you’re not into the indie mould, but it should at least leave you whistling along and with a spring in your step – and it will most definitely make for enthusiastic singalongs on a night out.

Score: 7/10
Review written by: Grace Duffe

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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