Ever wondered what it would sound like if you were to play Human League, New Order and David Bowie records at the same time? No, me neither, but if you’re intrigued, Cold Cave may have your answer. The Philadelphian’s release their first full-length album Love Comes Close in November, and the 80s influences are more than apparent from the outset. Opener Cebe and Me sets the tone for the rest of the album, weaving an almost industrial synth around a dark vocal, setting up the 80’s ideals that shape the rest of the album.

Life Magazine has got future-indie disco classic written all over it, with a hook just too damn catchy to not dance to, and female vocals that ensure it sounds completely different to the really rather similar track that precedes it. Youth and Lust too has a hook that sounds more 80s than some of the decade’s own songs themselves, whilst closing track I.C.D.K crosses the border into a more dancey territory, sounding even Daft Punk-y at times. However, the album highlight comes in the form of the title track. Vocalist Wesley Eisold, former member of hardcore band Some Girls, does his best Ian Curtis impression whilst a tranquil guitar riff manages to keep the track feeling fresh and ensuring it sounds, particularly on second and third listen, really quite beautiful. The use of two vocalists, male and female, keep the entire album interesting as Cold Cave perfectly straddle the line between pop and dance.

If you think most of the 80’s inspired music dominating the charts of late borrow too heavily from 21st century pop, then Cold Cave make sure this isn’t the case. They claim, “I’m not going back”, but to be honest you don’t really need to with this album. Sounding easily like a lost recording Peter Hook could have found in his attic, these nine tracks don’t do “80’s inspiration” at all, just merely sounds like the real deal.

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