EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL

Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly/Virgin)

When Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt returned to making music as Everything But The Girl for the first time in over two decades, it was more as an experiment than anything, with no initial pressure for these tentative creations to be for public consumption. All, though, went swimmingly well, and when Nothing Left To Lose – an immaculately spacey deep bass bliss-filled banger, the first new EBTG track in 24 years – aired in January, it was like that interim period had never happened.

On subsequent album Fuse, Thorn’s voice is as richly moving as ever, while Watt’s fingers remain on the pulse of experimental electronica and dance beats. It’s a journey through a dark urban night of the soul to move heart and feet alike. Lost is hauntingly devastating as When You Mess Up is revealing, and Run A Red Light is proof that the sound of NLTL was no fluke. Sounding incredibly fresh and breathtakingly soulful, Fuse should prove as timeless as 1996’s Walking Wounded: it’s great to have Everything But The Girl back to soundtrack our emotional trials and tribulations. 

words DAVID NOBAKHT