Described by Q Magazine as “ New Order for the 21st century”, Delphic certainly have a great deal of expectation weighing on their shoulders. Would the three-piece from Manchester have slotted is nicely with the legendary Factory Records? Probably, but I think it is all too easy to generalise the artistic sounds that come out of the legendary Northern UK city. How can they escape such comparisons, and more importantly does any artist ever want to be compared?

Nonetheless, here we have the beginnings of something special. Delphic’s debut album Acolyte is released in Australia through Modular. Dubbed as dance rock, my mind automatically assumes awkwardly skewed electronics with a deep desire to be remixed. The only way out of such a subdued and limited assumption is to just sit back and let it all sink in, which this album truly deserves. The first listen didn’t do much to inspire me, but pretty soon its distinctive characteristics shone through.

The 2009 single releases Counterpoint and This Momentary were the foundation of their tours through UK, giving them the momentum they needed for the success of this release. Producer Ewan Pearson, who has dealt with the likes of Gwen Stefani and Tracy Thorn, deserves much of the praise for the overall sound. His blend of rock with electronic detailing was rather masterfully executed. Subtle but definitely effective on tracks such as Doubt, getting relatively good air play here in Australia, and my personal favourite Submission.

It’s almost as if Delphic knew what expectations they would face with the direction of their sound; however they stuck to their guns and the end result is something they can be proud of. It is not brilliant, but Delphic have shown they are capable enough to keep an eye on.

Tracklist:

01 Clarion Call
02 Doubt
03 This Momentary
04 Red Lights
05 Acolyte
06 Halcyon
07 Submission
08 Counterpoint
09 Ephemera
10 Remain