Philophobia is the fear of love, Nottingham trio Amber Run explore this idea throughout their third album. It starts beautifully, then chaotic and sudden from Leader Countdown into Neon Circus and it’s these juxtapositions that drive the whole album.
All within Neon Circus there are big chorus’ being carried by earthy and heavy bridges into crazy, abrupt and boisterous sounds, a true multitude of sound and emotion. No One Gets Out Alive follows; it explores what we give up for love and how far we go to save it, to define the emotion at its core as passionate, fiery and dangerous.
Another sound again shows itself in What Could Be As Lonely As Love, a gritty bassline with punchy lyrics – something entirely euphoric to sing and shout in unison live I imagine, and also the perfect song to pull you out of a rut of these emotions. Powerful sounds and vocals continue into Carousel, as it delves deeper into the gripping and captivating desire to want someone even when you know they’re bad for you.
Amber Run – Neon Circus
To contrast entirely, Affection is much slower and sultry in its message – pure lyrics of falling for someone even when you can’t explain why, very angelic and soul-bearing. To continue this theme, of the extreme highs and lows of love, Medicine deals with loneliness and its power. As the pace in Medicine builds it feels and sound uplifting, raise the spirit of the album back up to reflect on the feeling of safety, whole and happy with someone.
Faint wedding bells open I Dare You, which then subsides into deep, mysterious singing making it deep and truly engaging. Essentially, the album follows a twisting and turning road of the mental and emotional journey of love, as a fear and as a desire. Although beautiful, it’s also so interesting to listen too, and something I can tell I will reach to and enjoy.