Listen: Strangers – “Fires”

Happy October everyone. With Norwich Sound and Vision just a couple of weeks away it is gearing up to be a huge month for us at Alphabet Bands and what better way to kick things off than with another free download from one of the bands playing our stage, Strangers.

The fourth in their series of six free downloads (one per month until Christmas), new track “Fires” continues their ascent towards the top of the synth-pop mountain. Seemingly written with the intent that it be sung back by a crowd of thousands, it is appropriately big, hook heavy and very easy on the ear. It’s less abrasive than predecessor, “Don’t Lie To Me”, less in-your-face and more euphoric-arm-round-the-shoulder-as-you-bounce-and-sing-joyously, but still defiant, proud and ambitious.

There’s always been a hint of the shoulder-bopping-boyband-pop to Strangers but this is a bit more grown up, Las Vegas rather than Blackpool, all lights and pizazz and then some. Their ‘oh oh a whoa’ sing-along moments are cooler, more brooding-older-brother-like than anything the New Kids on The Block had done while they were hangin’ tough. Cool synths and harmonies, beats and big choruses and all without standing up for the key change and fist clenching, it’s what man-band electro-pop ought to sound like.

Don’t forget, Strangers will be playing the Norwich Sound and Vision Festival on Sat 12 October on the amazingly wonderful and exciting Alphabet Bands Stage. We can’t wait, see you there.

“Fires” continues Strangers’ super six-month giveaway of free downloads and is available from Strangersmusic.co.uk. Previous freebies were; “No Longer Lost”, ”Sense Of Liberty” and ”Don’t Lie To Me.

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Watch: Strangers – “No Longer Lost”

Just the other day we mentioned how Strangers have been spoiling us recently. The London based synth-pop threesome has been giving us freebie after freebie with their monthly free download day (which occurs on the first of every month until Christmas), and they even gave us a bonus download with their recent Arctic Moneys cover. The goodies don’t stop either as they have today released a brand new, and fantastic, video to accompany August’s free download, “No Longer Lost”.

The track, we said, is full of “compulsive and groovy synth sounds with infectious beats and a stirring chorus” and likened it to a really tasty choc-ice. Strangers said it is ”a haunting tale of lust and obsession”.

The video was produced, directed and filmed by Leo Neelands, Jim Parsons and Mark Curl; a trio who have collectively worked on mega-movies including 28 Days Later, Harry Potter and Zero Dark Thirty. This is their first ever music video and the collaboration with Strangers came about after they heard the song and wanted to get involved. Yep, it was as simple as that.

If we were the British Film Board, we’d tell you that the video contains ‘moments of mild peril’ but we’re not, so you’ll have to find that out for yourselves.

We can tell you that the video matches the urgency of the tune brilliantly and while, sadly, there are no choc-ices in the video, there is a little bit of lust, a fair amount of sinister creepiness, a femme fatale, a mysterious figure in the shadows, a cameo from the boys themselves and a club scene that features people not so much getting legless as, well, you’ll see…

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Premiere: Strangers – “Don’t Lie To Me”

It’s the first of the month and for music lovers, and lovers of synth-poppery at its finest in particular, that can only mean one thing. It’s Strangers free download day and we are delighted to bring you the first play of their brand new track, “Don’t Lie To Me”.

We did say it was Strangers’ free download-day today, which technically it isn’t. You may have noticed that those generous lads from London gave us all another free download a couple of days ago, a suitably dark and broody cover of the Arctic Monkeys’ “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?, (which you can also stream below). So this means that, while you can stream “Don’t Lie To Me” to your heart’s content, it won’t be available for download for a couple of days.

It’s worth waiting for and here the guys are showcasing something of a different side, a ‘don’t fuck with me coz I’m on to your game’ side. “Don’t Lie To Me” is much more aggressive than any of their previous tunes, it’s big and brassy (in the Northern sense, not that it features a legion of Tuba’s) and full of attitude. It’s a giant sneer of contempt of a track; a Jerry Springer confrontation of a song complete with scornful laughter and a finger snapping, heel turning beat.

The synth sound and oh-so-slightly bluesy rhythm is made for a dark, sweaty club of dancers to lose their collective shit over as they groove and jump to the beat. Electronic swooshes and otherworldly echo effects give “Don’t Lie To Me” another layer of darkness to the already moody, soap-opera tone but the main aspect is, as with all Strangers tunes, just how damn infectious and compulsive it is. The hook will stay with you for days and heaven help anyone who dares mislead you in the near future as you will probably find yourself singing the chorus in their face. Still, if all telling-off’s sounded this good, we’d misbehave more often.

“Don’t Lie To Me” continues Strangers’ super six-month giveaway following previous two freebies, “No Longer Lost” and ”Sense Of Liberty”. Their Arctic Monkeys cover is below and it can be downloaded for free here.

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