East India Youth, Village Underground

TOTAL STRIFE FOREVER, William Doyle’s first album under the name East India Youth, was one of last year’s most exciting releases. Whilst the title might suggest an exercise in sustained melancholy, what makes it such a rewarding work is Doyle’s ability to interweave despair and optimism. His synth-pop arrangements are rich, symphonic and deeply ambivalent. This is an album in which soundscapes of anxiety and desolation give way to moments of unexpected euphoria and relief.
For the most part, Doyle is sparing with vocal parts. There are certain tracks, most memorably ‘Dripping Down’ and ‘Heaven, How Long’ which are graced with soaring choral lines, but generally the focus is on the careful instrumentation. With an ear for minutiae and close attention to the fabric of his sound, Doyle has created a record of astounding density.
Doyle is due to release the second East India Youth album Culture of Volume on April 6^th ahead of which he has already shared two tracks. The first, ‘Carousel’, is perhaps his most grandiose and dramatic work to date, a delicate wash of plaintive organs, swooping synth lines and mournful lyricism. ‘Turn Away’, meanwhile, is more upbeat, but no less intense or lyrically reflective. Evidently the creativity and sense of grandeur which made TOTAL STRIFE FOREVER so compelling is yet unabated. East India Youth plays Village Underground on June 4^th, a chance to hear pop music at its most urgent and spectacular.