The Rapture: Luke Jenner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion); Mattie Safer (vocals, keyboards, bass, percussion); Gabriel Andruzzi (saxophone, percussion); Vito Roccoforte (drums, percussion).

Recorded at Plantain Recording House, New York, New York.

If you're so inclined, it's easy to play spot-the-influence with the Rapture, one of the best of New York City's neo-punk-funk crop. One track suggests Robert Smith fronting the Pop Group, another evokes a collision between A Certain Ratio and New Order, etc. But that approach would entail missing the forest for the trees. Like millions of bands before them, the Rapture leaves a trail of its musical inspirations, but this isn't 1981, and ECHOES is very much of its own time.

The band started out as a more abrasive, jagged, Wire/Fall-like outfit without much of a groove, but starting with their world-beating single "House of Jealous Lovers," they began turning toward a danceable, atmospheric sound (with the help of the DFA production crew). Accordingly, ECHOES is a smorgasbord of funky, elastic basslines, percolating synthesizers, and angular guitar riffs, all artfully arranged for maximum bite. Atop it all, Luke Jenner's angst-ridden yelp insures that no matter how self-assured the framework, an aura of emotional upheaval will always skew the Rapture's balance toward the unpredictable.

What the critics say...

Rolling Stone (10/30/03, p.88) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...The Rapture go for lean, jagged beats, all forward momentum and nervous aggression. Their long-awaited ECHOES is the big payback, fusing mean guitars and disco trance for a ferocious new breed of punk funk..."
Q (01/01/04, p.79) - Ranked #27 in Q's "The 50 Best Albums of 2003"
Q (10/03, p.114) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...It's a party worth attending....Singer Luke Jenner remains a bracing presence..."
Uncut (01/04, pp.84-7) - Ranked #50 in Uncut's "Albums Of The Year 2003" - "This album drifts seamlessly from track to track..."