Young Galaxy
Shapeshifting

Young Galaxy are a Canadian band whose latest record is the result of a collaboration with Swedish producer Dan Lissvik.

If neither of those names ring a bell, don't worry – they're new to me too, but I'm glad to have discovered them because I can probably already say there won't be a better synth-pop record out this year than Shapeshifting.

According to Pitchfork, the trio were a "mostly stagnant indie rock band" bound to the dream-pop template, before deciding to send their already-recorded third album to Lissvik, asking him to work his magic on it. The result is as far from a self-conscious, navel-gazing or 'ironic' indie record we're likely to get from a Pitchfork-approved band this year.

For starters, they've got a proper singer in Catherine McCandless, whose vocal chops would overwhelm bands of lesser ambition – and guitarist Stephen Ramsey's no slouch either. His more detached singing style helps 'The Angels Are Surely Weeping' give the album a dreamy, floating start, before McCandless takes over on the incredible 'Blown Minded', a track that shows modern synth-pop doesn't need to be full of fiddly tricks and flourishes to captivate.

Its pace is languid, yet perfectly so, and consists of barely more than a three-chord verse and a chorus that's no more than a single line repeated: "I was born blown minded / With an eye on oblivion". It sounds pretentious, but it's in fact, brilliant in its simple ambiguity.

'We Have Everything' picks up the tempo just when it's needed, riding an Edge-style arpeggio and swirling synthesisers into a New Order bassline, like much of the Killers' last record.

Some might find the record, particularly in its second half, a little po-faced and oppressively serious, even on songs like 'Cover Your Tracks' when the band are throwing in silly steel drums. (Synthesised steel drums are a blight on synth-pop we have the Knife to thank for. Thanks for nothing, the Knife).

Thankfully it's saved by a snaky little Moog line, which sees us through to the follow-up 'B.S.E', which is much better (the title stands for 'Black Swan Effect', so perhaps its sunny, jaunty rhythms are to be taken with a grain of salt).

Another criticism should be levelled at the record's somewhat muted, heavy production. It's nice to hear modern synthpop with a bit of aural depth, no doubt, but a little clarity wouldn't go amiss. The recent Duran Duran record struck a nice balance, if a little on the overcompressed side – I guess what I'm saying is a little sparkle at the top end could have helped lift the shaded, bleak aura that surrounds even the lightest songs.

On the whole though, an impressive record from a band that ought to be a lot bigger than they are.

Try it if you like: Blonde Redhead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Depeche Mode
Buy Shapeshifting from iTunes