Strangers: Safe/Pain 20th August 2012

Fresh off the back of ‘Shine On You’ released earlier in the year as a collaboration between Killing Moon Ltd and Beatwolf Records, dark synth pop alchemists [strangers] come with a huge sounding follow up, SAFE/PAIN showcasing a heavier, refined and more euphoric sound.

Forming in late 2010 Strangers compromise of songwriter David Maddox-Jones, formerly of The Departure, producer Glen Nicholls (The Prodigy, Depeche Mode, Everything Everything) and band mates Raife Hacking and Piers Sherwood-Roberts.

After a year that saw the band release three EPs, pick up heat from the likes of Mixmag, Music Week and Artrocker, run a monthly club night, smash their way onto the XFM playlist and win support right across the BBC from Radio 1 to sound tracking the F1 Grand Prix coverage the rest of 2012 shows no signs of slowing down.

A sold out single launch party at Hoxton Bar and Grill led to the band taking to the road with Niki and the Dove for their UK tour and Strangers return to London in August to play Club NME at Koko. Further UK and Europe tour dates will be announced in July.

SAFE/PAIN packs an immediate vocal hook in the chorus and a synth break that shifts the track into it’s uplifting pulse, contra to the dark and personal message of Maddox-Jones’ vocals which portray a sense of numbness and disconnection from the emotions of life experience.

Taking this to a new level is the twisted remix ( Track 2 ) from dubstep antagonist REDNEK that smashes a disarming 90’s feel synth intro into a warped drop focussing more on the PAIN than the SAFE which is already finding it’s own cult following on festival soundsystems and specialist radio.

In stern contrast to this the release also features a blissed out liquid reworking ( Track 3 ) from YOUAN much more evocative of sunsets and Ibiza terraces than the gritty harmonics of Rednek’s imagining…

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