Editors - In Dream Album Review

When Stafford outfit Editors unleashed their debut album a decade ago, their brand of atmospheric indie tracks saw them just fall shy of an album chart topper - a feat managed by their following two records. This, 'In Dream', is now their fifth release and will be supported with an imminent UK tour, with shows on mainland Europe following in the lead up to Christmas.

Quickly showing an intention to build on the synthesised approach of more recent work, 'No Harm' is a brooding introduction to this collection. It builds solidly if not spectacularly, leaving a feeling of an elongated prefix to the main event. 'Ocean Of Night' provides something of an upbeat backdrop to the distinctive vocals of Tom Smith, while 'Forgiveness' is a reminder of their indie capabilities. Demanding attention with a thumping hook, 'Salvation' is a powerful piece, but also the signal for momentum to drop. 'Life Is A Fear' is dated electro-rock that, much like a number of tracks from the second half of 'In Dream', suffers from being uninspired and thus forgettable. The closing 'Marching Orders' clocks in at over seven minutes and aims for the epic, but instead labours through to a dull conclusion. It is symptomatic of an act who want to broaden their horizons - with which there is nothing wrong - but desperately forgetting where their qualities lay.

2/5

Alex Lai