Album Review: Delorean - Apar

There’s nothing left of the dark melancholic disco punk from the beginnings of this band settle in Zarautz (Spain) back in 2000. After their Ayrton Senna EP, a confusing evolution for most of their fans, came the sublime Subiza where they get rid of all the shadows to immerse into the brightly electronic sounds close to the (sometimes reviled) Balearic House scene. From that point, the band turn from having difficulties to get into Spanish summer festivals, to be praised on worldwide media such as Pitchfork, NME and Allmusic , getting exceptional reviews for the album and their powerful and joyful live performances.

APAR is the next step on the way of that transmutation into light, as an album that follows this precious and exultant way with every song to song punching us with this upbeat rhythm . The cover inspired by the crosses of the Basque sculptor Jorge Oteiza is related to lyrical part of the album as a metaphor of “a broken relationship" and "the contradiction between being finite as human individuals and the need of unconditionally commitment”.

Despite this emotional concept, the music couldn't be further away from this deathly symbolism. From the start with Spirit, we notice that while the atmospheres keep on following this shining path, there is a clear slow down on the “bpm’s” compare to their previous releases but without ever losing the punch in every song. Without time to relax or lose our “summer morning smile” there it goes Destitute Time, a tremendous hit-single, with this melody through the chorus that could be the next big hit during the upcoming European festivals, brighten the winter as a never ending party. Dominion closes this first triangle that makes you think sometimes that this is an electronic session instead of an album, with a resulting set that makes impossible to stop shaking your hips not even for an instant.

The album flows following the same powerful straight line with "Unhold" and "You Know It’s Right", which far from getting monotonous, recreates that optimistic warm feeling that only goes down with "Keep Up", a song that brings them closer to the sounds of synth pop revival bands like M83 or College.

And then, another hit with Walk High, a perfect tune that has this aftertaste like a Flaming Lips holidays in Ibiza. These angel voices goes through this song that is always about to explode but remains on this line that gets under your skin and where instead of makes you think of this “revival sounds”, it actually sound like it has been made 20 years ago.

"Your Face" opens the final stretch of the album and with Inspire, the pace goes down again, approaching the more leisurely ambiance of Subiza but not as inspired as this album was, making these the two only moments where the quality is lower compared to the rest of the album. But there is always an ace up the sleeve, Still You closes the circle gradually ascending to a wonderful ending, as a day in September when you remember how great was your summer vacation, with the subtle difference that here, you can always push they play button and get the party started once again.

There’s this feeling of the album like a reminder that raves are not just playlists of simply tiresome and overwhelming loops. As a return to the early 90’s electronic English scene, everything here is based on organic instrumentation overrides synthesizers and escapes the electronic "tricks” wrapping APAR with this human touch that is missing today in most of the electronic productions.