There are no half-measures in the do-or-die world of VLURE, whose uncompromising first two singles (‘Shattered Faith’, ‘Show Me How To Live Again’) set this precedent back in 2021. Blurring the lines between jagged post-punk, euphoric synth melodies and an industrial heart, the intensity of the Glasgow five-piece is a product of the catharsis that shapes it, spearheaded by Hamish Hutcheson’s thick, tough vocals.
Four years later, their debut album ‘Escalate’ supercharges those founding principles to the maximum. After touring non-stop until 2023, the band took most of last year off to write, a sign of their extreme dedication to this body of work. Nosediving further into electronic soundscapes, ‘Escalate’ still retains the core fact that VLURE are a live band, dragging these opposing worlds together in the spirit of The Prodigy.
When two tectonic plates collide, it can create an earthquake. Opener ‘I Want It Euphoric’ simmers towards such an explosion, while a roaring Hutcheson begs for euphoria, as if it’s a higher power that VLURE worship. Their key has always been statement lyrics, be it the demand to “Give me a release” in ‘Heartbeat’, or ‘This Is Not The End’, a rave-rock storm of emotion that revolves around that one line. Repetition breeds belief, and provides the clarity of a focal point for both VLURE and their audience to cling onto.
‘Escalate’ is not just about hanging on, but climbing the ladder towards something higher. Techno sprint race ‘Between Dreams’ mirrors the cascade of thoughts that often rush through our brains. ‘Let It Escalate’ invites you to ride that wave and completely submit to the present, arguably the pinnacle of transcendence that dance music is built on. These thrilling flashpoints paint an irresistible image of momentum, transporting you live and direct to the escapist nights out that shaped ‘Escalate’ and its authors.
What ironically lifts ‘Escalate’ to another stratosphere is its snapshots of reality. ‘Something Real’ brings VLURE’s quest for utopia back to earth (“Lives life on the highs / Before the lows crash down”). We are nothing without our humanity, which VLURE allow themselves to display, be it Hutcheson’s outpouring of grief in ‘How To Say Goodbye’ or the Bobby Gillespie-assisted closer ‘A Clear Tide’, a meditative and coherent poem of acceptance that the night is over.
Because VLURE have spent years honing their sound, the sonic underbelly of ‘Escalate’ feels effortless – and almost subconscious. The togetherness with which dense guitars, electronic mayhem and shifts in pace intertwine enables the messages of ‘Escalate’ to take centre stage. The result is an inspiring, brutally honest album that matches the lofty standards to which VLURE hold themselves. They want it euphoric, and nothing can stand in their way.
