Heroes

by The Midnight

Overview

Having honed their atmospheric, '80s-inspired synth pop to a neon-tipped knife's edge, Los Angeles' the Midnight shake things up with their fourth album, 2022's Heroes. Much of this shaking has to do with the duo's transformation into a full band. Here, they augment their own synths and programming with addition of bassist Lelia Broussard, guitarist Royce Whittaker, and saxophonist/keyboardist Justin Klunk. Consequently, Heroes is one of the group's warmest albums to date, with a sound that shimmers like the glint of an early morning L.A. city skyline. There's certainly a bigger sound to their work here, with more air and breathing room inside the arrangements of the expanded lineup. Still, the core of the album's sound comes from the pastel-tinged intimacy and creative spark between singer Tyler Lyle and producer/instrumentalist Tim McEwan. While still retaining the same icy sophistication of their previous work, cuts like "Change Your Heart or Die," "Heartbeat," and the yearning "Heart Worth Breaking," have a more relaxed vibe, evoking the classic work of bands like Mr. Mister and even Hold Out-era Jackson Browne. Elsewhere, we get tracks like "A Place of Her Own" and "Souvenir," laid-back anthems that nicely straddle the Giorgio Moroder-esque '80s new wave style of France's Phoenix and the California adult-contemporary pop of Dawes. Heroes is the sound of the Midnight maturing and letting their style develop. They are still driving their hyper-colored pop Ferrari through the alien soundscapes and city-pop atmospheres that initially inspired them, but the windows are rolled way down to let the air in. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	09/09/2022
Label:	Counter
UPC:	5054429155983

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Golden Gate
2. Brooklyn. Friday. Love.
3. Heartbeat
4. A Place of Her Own
5. Heroes
6. Heart Worth Breaking
7. Loved by You

Disc 2

8. Aerostar
9. Change Your Heart or Die
10. Avalanche
11. Souvenir
12. Photograph
13. Energy Never Dies, It Just Transforms

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Midnight   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Lelia Broussard   Composer
Nikki Flores   Composer
Tim McEwan   Composer,Producer
Tyler Lyle   Composer
Jessie Frye   Composer
Royce Whittaker   Composer