(Single from album, “The Bones Of What You Believe”)
To be totally honest, “Tether” wasn’t my choice fourth single from Chvrches’ new album, out last week – it’s a very good song, but it doesn’t have the initial impact of “The Mother We Share”, the bassy in-yer-face factor of “Gun” or the knife-edge mixing of “Recover”. If it were up to me, I would probably have chosen the synthetically spellbinding and ‘80s throwback-like “We Sink”, or perhaps even “Lungs”, with its odd drum timings in the opening and catchy, toe-tapping electric chorus. In fairness though, this track is still great at showcasing the band’s modern/vintage edge, demonstrating incredibly deep, shiny production alongside a wistfully ageing aesthetic, echoing ’81 Depeche Mode, New Order, and even glimmers of the Pet Shop Boys.
One of only two tracks on the album to list production credited solely to the band, “Tether” opens with out-of-character, ethereal guitar chords that hang ominously behind the glitter of Lauren Mayberry’s oil-slick vocals, carried along after around 30 seconds by a heightened consistency of drum machine thumps and atmospheric synth-bass. At 2:15, the narrative is ‘feeling capable of seeing the end’ and, with that, the song launches into an ecstatic flare-up of incredible, bellowing keyboards, shrill and wildly flailing – it’s a beautiful sound, unparalleled by conventional dance music in its design, as such so as to enrich a proper song as opposed to provide the basis for little more than a floor-filler. I admire Chvrches most for being able to make music you can dance to that isn’t dance music, and whilst “Tether” isn’t their absolute magnum-opus in this field, its inclement tirades of dazzling digital dots and dashes titillates the senses regardless.
★★★★
Versions of "Tether"
Album/Single Version - 4:46