Niki N. Phaser

With only two albums, British indie band Editors have managed to… get noticed, to say at least. Their second album, 2007′s An End Has a Start, confirmed them as an important new name and left plenty of people curious about what’s coming next. But, now, in the two-month eve of their new album’s release, entitled In This Light and On This Evening, let’s remember one of their non-single masterpieces, The Weight of the World. Built on a slow beat, reminding us of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Just Like Honey, and on a repetitive guitar riff, this is a calmer moment in the usually urgent Editors’ rock. Songs like Munich and An End Has a Start are more like their trademark sound. Still, The Weight of the World might just be their best song so far, with Tom Smith’s voice sounding as affected as ever, especially singing reflective lyrics, that masterfully avoid becoming corny in any way. The song begins with the line “Keep a light on those you love, They will be there when you die”, the chorus goes like “Every little piece in your life, Will add up to one, Every little piece in your life, It will mean something to someone”. It would be a good soundtrack to both moments of joy and those of sorrow. Even though it wasn’t released as a single, The Weight of the World was included in the live setlist of Editors’ shows, supposedly being written especially to be played at Glastonbury ’07.

LISTEN TO THE SONG HERE

“Victory, not Vengeance” is the motto behind VNV Nation’s name, a British futurepop band that has been around for quite some time, now. Still, they are mainly a niche “product”, being highly respected in the world of electronica. Their 2007 album, Judgement, was more of an incursion in pop, than future. The results might have been a slight disappointment for their hardcore fans, but sure enough won them a bunch of new ones. And it’s no wonder, with a song like Illusion. There isn’t a lot in it that would make you guess VNV Nation as a trancey-electro band. It is, basically, a piano-driven ballad, that focuses lyrically on words of solace. It brings peace, but it also reminds of a former pain. The few piano keys composing the chorus hook will remain in your mind longer than many voices. Illusion reaches that special place that Depeche Mode seems to miss (if they are indeed trying to reach it), that balance between dark and moody and luminous sadness. As a bonus, you can also feast your ears on the instrumental Prelude, that opens Judgement. That, too, will find a cozy place in your memory and will not leave anytime soon.

LISTEN TO Illusion HERE