From the dawning of title track Synrise, an arpeggiated electropop behemoth destined to aurally accompany many a shoddy ident, to the expansive, cinematic synths of closer Staring, Goose hurtle through more genres than there are languages utilised in their native Belgium, the abrasive bravado of Can't Stop Me Now reminiscent of DFA nonchalance mediated primarily by James Murphy. Bruised and abused hi-hats rough and tumble with stilted English accents last droned by Naïve New Beaters, before the Depeche Mode crunch of After intervenes. Slightly more accessible, more attuned to the monotonous hum of Radio 1 is As Good As It Gets, akin to Stardust engrained with emo vocal screech, whilst Words unites a glimmering synth refrain redolent of DJ Shadow's Organ Donor, chants evocative of automated machine message and an underlying influence of everything 80s. Bend is electronically arranged as faultlessly as any Clint Mansell orchestration, simultaneously bettering the entirety of the Pop Will Eat Itself discography, whilst Hunt provides a rather more heartfelt listen and wouldn't be altogether out of its tolerance levels in the comedowns and K-holes of those more subdued Screamadelica moments. If your ears can cope with nonsensical lyricisms obfuscated by eloquent Belgian pronunciation, beneath lies a rather resplendent album, often capable of transcending genre and emotion, flying towards the sun from its 'Pop' pigeonhole.
