Dragons - Here Are The Roses

The entire ethos of Dragons' debut album, Here Are The Roses, can be fairly succinctly summed up: it's a tribute to Joy Division, basically. Okay, so you could pick a worse band to sound like. And anyway, so dense are the waves of electronica that the likes of Covenant and Depeche Mode hold as much sway over the record as the early-80s post-punk isolation that is worn with obvious pride. It's a sound that may be distinctly lacking in ambition and one that never really explores much beyond an exclusive set of influences and connections, but it is nonetheless a fine example of cold pop electronics and dark rock resonance. Familiar enough to fit into the furrows already ploughed by Interpol, The Editors et al, the deep-rooted infusions of synths and keys do, on occasion, add a different timbre and a slightly rawer edge that is all too seldom explored by their peers. [Neil Ferguson]