Cold Beat
Chaos by Invitation
Crime on the Moon
May 22, 2017
Web Exclusive
After her previous band Grass Widow’s breakup, Hannah Lew formed Cold Beat in 2014. With two albums and several singles already under their belt, Chaos by Invitation is their third full-length and it’s an absolute stunner. Their earlier material only hinted at this—fine noise-pop records with only flourishes of the synth and cold wave sound that dominates this record. Like a warmer Gary Numan for the modern era, Lew and her bandmates have constructed a near masterpiece along the lines of Frankie Rose’s excellent and somewhat similarly-minded Interstellar and Herein Wild albums from 2012 and 2013. Lovely pop melodies are combined with these influences, particularly on the absolutely addictive “62 Moons,” which sounds like a future classic on each play. Penultimate track “Strawberry Moon” hints at Modern English’s beloved “I Melt with You.” Don’t miss the harder-edged cuts like the Wire-ish “Thin Ice” or the oddly spelled “Chainmaille,” either. This is easily one of the year’s finest albums so far and the best Cold Beat record to date. (www.coldbeatsf.tumblr.com)
Author rating: 8/10
Average reader rating: 8/10
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