Real Lies
We Will Annihilate Our Enemies


4.5
superb

Review

by doofy USER (43 Reviews)
April 24th, 2025 | 47 replies


Release Date: 04/16/2025 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Real Eyes realise Real Lies

I was highly dubious that Real Lies could capture lightning in a bottle for a second time after the brilliant breakthrough 'Lad Ash', but blow me down and call me Doofarelli, they've somehow bettered it. Before I had them pegged as a mix of the laddish wit and nostalgic cues of The Streets with the pumping retro grab bag approach of Disclosure but here I'm also hearing an upbeat pop appeal that hints at the Pet Shop Boys at times, though always a bit more scuffed and grimy.

The weakness with 'Lad Ash' was it had a tendency to wander, especially around the middle section of the tracklist; there's 'world building' and then there's dropping the listener on an admittedly scenic mountaintop far away from the action. Here this is rectified with fewer and better worked interludes and by generally tightening up the track lengths (five songs over 5 minutes has been reduced to two this time). 'We Will Annihilate Our Enemies' really motors and is so consistent it feels like it could have been a 'Greatest Hits' in itself, with only the overstretched 'Wild Sign' and the short interludes breaking that notion.

With that in mind it's perhaps not surprising that the picks for singles are the strongest offerings here, with each of these an undeniable genuine hit, and impressively each boasts a unique appeal; you have the propulsive shot of adrenaline that's 'Towards Horses', the otherworldly elegance of 'I Could Join the Birds', the buzzing semi-ballad 'Arielle' and the well crafted atmospheric bookends that really tie the album together. If another band deliver five stronger singles from the same release this year that'll be some album.

So if at the start of the year you'd have said the next Real Lies album would be more pop, more upbeat, with a strong Pet Shop Boys influence I'd have prepared for the worst; I had always considered the downcast vibe of 'Lad Ash' as maybe its most important element. The truth is that part of their sound is still present, it's just been better balanced with some extra light in the mix, and as a result this feels like an ideal representation of their rave culture nostalgia.



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user ratings (11)
3.5
great
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Real Life


Comments:Add a Comment 
DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This sober world just breaks my heart....

zakalwe
April 24th 2025


41931 Comments


Nice one Doof.
Album is refreshing.

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Cheers zak, definitely the best 'full listen' they've released so far, goes down nice and easy (ooh er)

zakalwe
April 24th 2025


41931 Comments


Yeah I agree mate, it’s a very good old school dance album
Love Shulgin

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Shulgin is quality, could have been the sixth single easily. As the review hinted at, the only tune I'm less sold on is the third one, 'Wild Sign', that's not only a shade weaker but is also given the longest track length. It's still decent enough though.

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

‘Where E-Girls Dare’ for most (intentionally?) terrible song title of the year

zakalwe
April 24th 2025


41931 Comments


The song titles are fucking abysmal
Loverdrink
Loverboy
Loverworld
Towards Horses



DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Sums up the band in that a lot of choices they make you feel could be irredeemably cheesy but it still works - having actresses come in and be the female perspective counterpoint on a lot of their songs could have been a disaster but I like the end results . In particular the closer here has grown on me a lot.

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Zak - did you ever check the new Benefits album? He went more dance, an improvement, but still all over the place results for me

zakalwe
April 24th 2025


41931 Comments


A very tepid initial skim over it, certainly not enough to judge it by.



SteakByrnes
April 24th 2025


31061 Comments


Been hearing good things about this, gonna hit this at some point

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Go for it Steak 🥩

Gyromania
Contributing Reviewer
April 24th 2025


38334 Comments


Brilliant summary. Will check this!

DoofDoof
April 24th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Gyro - I can imagine this being a love or hate deal but hopefully you dig

Dedes
Contributing Reviewer
April 25th 2025


11970 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

https://youtu.be/rNBfBSStzD4?si=qNhr5lZ3qAowYbLv

I never knew you were such a Machine Head fan!

DoofDoof
April 25th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Think it’s attributed to Tupac first but yeah I know it best from ‘Burn My Eyes’

keaton_86
April 25th 2025


1343 Comments


Didn't know these guys had a new album. Its been crazy hearing their production improve with each release. I find the singer/speakers voice gets a bit annoying after a while though.

DoofDoof
April 25th 2025


17293 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I agree about his voice to the extent I wouldn't maybe put on more Real Lies straight after listening to one of their albums in full...but his voice is great over an album length. They have instrumental sections and guest vocalists so I think there's an acknowledgement they need some space/variety across an album.

KevinKC
April 25th 2025


1598 Comments


Plastic eyes believe lies.

keaton_86
April 25th 2025


1343 Comments


"I agree about his voice to the extent I wouldn't maybe put on more Real Lies straight after listening to one of their albums in full...but his voice is great over an album length. They have instrumental sections and guest vocalists so I think there's an acknowledgement they need some space/variety across an album."

Oh sick. I'll check this out today. Sounds great.



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