Arcade Fire - Reflektor Track-By-Track Review

Afterlife The familiar Rara beats are back for the penultimate track, and compliment the electronic rhythms perfectly. Butler€™s brooding lyrics are fantastic, and, with these excellent beats and rhythms give joy to an otherwise bleak subject. The overall effect is one of Arcade Fire€™s most touching, moving, incredible songs. Regine€™s vocals are at their best, the bass line is catchy, and the chorus has the potential to be a massive sing-a-long chant-athon. That final line of €˜Is this the Afterlife?€™ will touch your soul.

rating: 5

Supersymmetry The final track in this epic album, €˜Supersymmetry€™ opens with light vocals and swooing synths. We€™re then treated to those classic Arcade Fire string sections, while the electronic drum beat grows. However, the song doesn€™t go much further than that; quite the quiet ending for such an epic album as Reflektor. It€™s like €˜Motion Picture Soundtrack€™, from Radiohead€™s Kid A; a totally calm track to finish such a diverse album. Even with the €˜secret€™ track, there is no massive ending, just a melancholy meld of strings and electronics. In a way, it€™s kind of fitting to finish of such a quiet, peaceful note, and while it€™s obviously not the most exciting ending, it€™s satisfying.

rating: 3.5

'Reflektor' is a great album, there's no denying it. Is it better than previous releases? In comparison to 'Funeral' and 'The Suburbs', it's too early to tell, as it's an album that reveals its secrets over time. There are moments of absolute genius on 'Reflektor', and the album as a whole is an important part of Arcade Fire's discography and history. In short, this album is great, and time will reveal its place it their overall canon.
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3rd year student at Aberystwyth University, studying Fine Art and English Literature, music enthusiast, multi-instrumentalist and member of the Art Rock band Kopár.