Rochester musicians James Tabbi and Thomas Ferrara continue their fruitful partnership as The Heroic Enthusiasts with the new album “Illuminate,” which releases digitally and on vinyl on Apr. 11 via ECR Music Group’s Meridian label.
Initially a quartet, The Heroic Enthusiasts’ current form as an electro-pop duo began in 2022; “Illuminate” is the first proper full-length album with this lineup.
The fresh batch of 10 tracks picks up right where The Heroic Enthusiasts’ pair of EPs — “Fits and Fashions” and “Crimes and Passions” — left its listeners. The band’s sound is indebted to New Wave artists such as New Order and Depeche Mode, whose anthems came in the wake of the post-punk explosion in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
Because of its sources of inspiration, The Heroic Enthusiasts’ music inevitably ushers in waves of wistfulness for the atmospheric romance that is vintage synth-pop’s calling card. Reverberating keyboard hooks and propulsive rhythms provide the soundtrack for ardent singers stuck between past regrets and the promise of liberation — particularly in matters of love.
Poignant vocals are often needed to cut through the mix to complement the dreamy hooks and danceable rhythms and transcend being mere background music. “Illuminate” doesn’t achieve this delicate balance on every track, but some songs stand out.
“Jaded” boasts a gradual build with vocal melodies and synth lines that subtly evolve above the locomotive beat and bassline. “Wake Me When It’s Over” showcases the complementary relationship between Tabbi’s sensitive singing and Ferrara’s always thoughtful, sometimes striking guitar hooks.
Throughout the album, Ferrara’s musical choices are considered and economical, lending added poignancy to Tabbi’s vocal sincerity in key moments and allowing the singer’s lines to expand and dominate the soundscape in other moments.
“Illuminate” gets a release party at Record Archive from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, April 25.
Daniel J. Kushner is a contributor to CITY.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
