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Label: Columbia
Released: 22nd March 2024
Most people will know Gossip as the scrappy, gnarly indie band who produced seminal track ‘Standing in the Way of Control’, as featured on the formative and age-inappropriate Skins soundtrack. 18 years after that breakthrough and 12 years since their last record, they’re back with their seventh album. And boy, is it worth the wait.
‘Real Power’ is ostensibly a pop album, which probably isn’t a surprise for anyone who’s been keeping up with Gossip’s ever-evolving discography since their 2001 debut. Predominantly channelling the feel-good forces of 70s and 80s funk and soul, the trio also bring classic Gossip DIY indie-rock, moments of electrifying synth-pop, and edifying vulnerability on the record’s softer tracks.
Anthemic opener ‘Act of God’ is a throwback to the late-noughties grit that catapulted Gossip into the public eye, while title-track ‘Real Power’ and toe-tapper ‘Give It Up For Love’ would be at home in Nile Rodgers’ discography. ‘Tell Me Something’ transports us to post-punk dark electronica, whilst closer ‘Peace and Quiet’ is an ethereal journey into Beth Ditto’s soul. That the band can so easily transition between genres, almost imperceptibly, is a sign that this band are the real deal.
There are two constants throughout the LP. The first is the masterful control of instruments, whether in the form of jangling, shiny guitar lines, crisp yet understated percussion, or seamlessly incorporated synth work. The other is Beth Ditto’s unmistakable vocal. She remains a force of nature, hitting seemingly unreachable falsetto, delivering searing power, but also being able to pare it back when the moment needs it.
‘Real Power’ is just delectable. After twelve years away, they’re back with a vengeance. Welcome back, gang; we missed you.
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