After forging a name for themselves as a formidable live presence within the confines of Glasgow, Euphoria EP sees VLURE make their first attempt at capturing their raucous live performances in an extended collection of tracks.
As with a whole class of fledgling British artists, VLURE’s initiation into the broader musical landscape was a stuttered one. With the pandemic forever moving the goalposts in regards to how – and indeed if – gigs could go ahead, the 5-piece chose instead to focus their energies on realigning their musical direction.
Fusing their growling post-punk with industrial rave sensibilities alongside a smorgasbord of additional influences, VLURE spent lockdown coiled like a spring, awaiting freedom and the subsequent reopening of the musical floodgates across the UK.
The first of three singles from the 5-track EP, ‘Show Me How To Live Again’ sees this energy reach fever pitch. Euphoric highs throughout are accentuated with industrialised keyboard chords and juxtaposed with short interludes of muted drums. Whilst single number two, ‘Heartbeat’, storms forth with intent. “Breathe it in. Then let it out” Pearson commands over the piling march of tom drums, before verses give way for a hi-hat heavy dance chorus to take the reins.
The opening four fifths of Euphoria EP finds a theme in striking a satisfying balance within sonic chaos. Aggression is paired with lively electronica in a series of build-ups and releases, in a manor akin to contingents of the 2000s electronicore scene which birthed the likes of Enter Shikari, albeit with a lyrical substance that brings VLURE firmly into the year 2022.
As in-your-face angst threatens to cast a shadow over the tenderness in Alex Pearson’s songwriting, EP closer ‘Euphoria’ restores a sense of balance to proceedings. A rare moment of musical sparsity provides some grounding, as piano chords are performed unaccompanied throughout the track’s introduction.
In keeping with the rest of the EP, ‘Euphoria’ builds to a grandiose crescendo throughout it’s 5:44 runtime. The conviction and wholeheartedness, however, with which these arena-rock sensibilities are adopted eradicates any whiff of cheese to be found, even from the most cynical of listeners.
In a flourishing British post-punk scene where the most minute sonic variation is cause for celebration, VLURE have created something that sounds wholly their own. As the Glaswegians pool the most palatable components from a range of scenes and eras to form a formidable tripod of raw emotion, bubbling theatricality and grizzled Glaswegian punk.
Photo credit: Oli Erskine
Euphoria EP is out now via So Young Records
