Bright Light Bright Light - Cinematography (EP)

Buy Cinematography here (Amazon UK)
Read my review of Choreography here

One of the most exciting things about being a fan of Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas) is that the man has mad marketing skills that are only rivaled by the likes of RuPaul Charles. He not only has a clear vision for how he wants his songs to sound (leading to such cohesive rewarding albums such as Make Me Believe In Hope and Choreography), he knows what he wants for the accompanying visuals and all the different ways to wrap the songs for his increasingly adoring posse of fans (both audibly, through remixes and alternate version, and all the different physical products you can buy). It is the halcyon days of late 80s and 90s all over again - and no-one, but no-one, currently does it better than BLBL. Although his latest album, Choreography (review above), could easily be mined, Jackson style, for seven singles, the Gremlins loving pop guru has released an EP of songs from the movies that inspired said album. Called Cinematography (very Pet Shop Boys-esque), it is the greatest addition to an album since Girls Aloud added that magnificent Christmas set onto Chemistry. As you would expect, it is an eclectic selection, exquisitely produced to be a beautifully natural extension to the parent album yet also sparkles brightly in its own right. Words won't do it justice, but that has never stopped me before so here are some thoughts and observations...

The EP starts vanquishing any doubts that these indelible classics won't sound exactly like they were meant for BLBL all along. Do You Dream About Me is a cavalcade of punchy synths, a percolating percussion and enough 80s influenced rhythmic grooves for you to be donning your leg warmers and shimmying around the dancefloor before Rod has even sung a note. And when he does, he proves that these songs really were gifts for him that just arrived in the universe a little too early. He is enthusiastically probing as he sings the lyrical refrain with a mellifluous magic that cocoons the listener like an aural hug. It's a giddy start to the EP that gives you So Emotional style feels. These don't let up when he launches into the seductive pulsations of Touch Me (All Night Long). The keyboard riff gives 90s house piano realness while that delirious sax addition takes you all the way down Baker Street and back. Through the vivid images of nightclub swirling lights, BLBL paints a yearning picture that is saturated with longing and allure. When he sings "you know how to love me", there is a knowing tell that sends a shiver of excitement down your spine - it is provocative pop and I am loving it. He then takes us to the Pure Shores made famous by All Saints. This quite literally glistens like the sun bouncing off still waters on a scorching day. Piano chords dance elegantly alongside the cantering beat, swathing Rod's voice with a wall of sound that elevates every emotion he sings of. Add in a key change and it takes you soaring past cloud nine...

Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time is next and even though it is taken from a comedic dance scene in Romy & Michelle, Rod performs it with a tender fragility and exquisite aching. He brings out every poignant second of the song with his beautiful voice, whilst letting the music breathe and fill in the gaps in the narrative. It is perfectly done - and if given the right platform it would easily be a contender for this year's Christmas number one. It is a truly breathtaking moment and one that needs to be savoured. Take a moment to appreciate because next up you are plunged into the thrilling world of Maniac. Dark electro effects and a pulsing beat accentuate the more malevolent nature of the lyrics of this song, and BLBL gives a rousing vocal that is imbued with that frisson of danger and excitement (which often makes venturing into the unknown so enticing). It's doused in intoxicating rhythmic grooves that compel you to the dancefloor as if possessed by the spirit of the song. Brilliantly put together, it encapsulates the musical horror movie vibe of Thriller mixed with the terror of Abba's The Visitors by way of Pet Shop Boys' beguiling It's A Sin. Could you ask for more? Well yes - and you get it with the final track of the EP, Wicked Little Town. Piano is definitely the MVP of this collection of song and makes for a lovely, languorous partner to Rod's voice on this mesmerising tune. Rod has always had the ability to command attention with a ballad and this stands shoulder to shoulder with his own, fine compositions. It is a masterclass in how to make a song your own - something X Factor contestants should be forced to sit down and study. Add all 6 songs to your Choreography playlist on shuffle and you will be in pop-synth utopia.