Three Colours Dark's 'Love's Lost Property' - Album Review

Each year usually throws up one or two musical surprises that come out of nowhere and make an impact. Whether this takes the form of a veteran act releasing their first new album for a number of years, a brand new band breaking through with a stellar debut, or an interesting side-project/collaboration it does not seem to matter - as the enjoyment that surrounds anything new and unexpected certainly shines through no matter what form the music takes. I have learnt over the years to expect the unexpected, but I am not sure even that mindset prepared me the formation of Three Colours Dark and the release of their debut album The Science of Goodbye (which I reviewed here) which came out in March 2020. To recap, Three Colours Dark is the brainchild of two of the founding members of the Welsh progressive/symphonic rock act Karnataka: vocalist Rachel Cohen and keyboardist Jonathan Edwards. The two helped to form Karnataka back in 1997, and became two of the band's three main songwriters. Via three studio albums and an expansive live album, Cohen and Edwards showcased their talents in a big way. Cohen's ethereal voice and razor sharp lyricisms, and Edwards' sweeping soundscapes and subtle synth playing were both big elements of the original Karnataka line-up's sound; but sadly the initial incarnation of the band came to an end in 2004. Karnataka eventually carried on without Cohen and Edwards, who both ventured out on their own - Cohen with The Reasoning and Edwards with Panic Room. Given the seemingly messy break-up of the original Karnataka line-up, I had not expected to see partial reunion of it - even a number of years down the line. Even with The Reasoning coming to an end in 2015 and Panic Room's unofficial indefinite hiatus I did not foresee Cohen and Edwards working together again - which is what made The Science of Goodbye such a pleasant surprise. It is an album that I listened to a lot last year, and it did such a good job at combining a sound akin to those early Karnataka albums with something more modern. The Science of Goodbye was not purely a pastiche of what had come before, but it certainly had flavours of the past - which this Karnataka fan appreciated. I had wondered if the collaboration was going to be a one-off, but 18 months later that question has been answered - as the duo's second album Love's Lost Property is due to be released at the end of the week. Love's Lost Property picks up where The Science of Goodbye left off, with that aforementioned hybrid sound still present. The duo's second album has a feel of pushing things to the next level however, with a denser overall sound that places much more emphasis on prominent lead guitar playing than previously. The album certainly has a slightly more progressive feel than the duo's previous outing - with the overall songwriting style feeling more expansive than last time.

The album consists of nine tracks in total: seven new songs, an excellent cover, and a closing reprise. Things kick off with one of my favourite cuts, the album's expansive, sprawling title track that showcases the progressive nature of the album from the off. Shimmering keyboards and some mournful violin lines courtesy of Kate Ronconi (who made significant contributions to The Science of Goodbye) open the song slowly; but this feeling is relatively short-lived, as Cohen's delicate voice soon replaces the violin. A subtle guitar backing joins the fray, and it is not long before the first of the album's many guitar solo sections takes over. The increase in lead guitar, and the presence of more significant solos, is easily one of the biggest difference between Love's Lost Property and The Science of Goodbye - and the emphasis on lead guitar playing can, at times, give the album more of a 'rock' feel. The overall sound is similar however, but the lead guitar presence certainly helps to recall that early Karnataka sound at times in a big way - as Cohen's voice would often share the stage with lengthy guitar workouts. As a result of this balancing of the vocals and the guitar, Love's Lost Property is the song on the album that sounds the most like Karnataka. If you told me that it was a long-lost Karnataka song then I would believe you, and the mix of delicate vocals and soaring guitar leads really opens the album in style. Another guest in the form of vocalist Steve Balsamo (The Storys), another alumnus of The Science of Goodbye, adds his talents to the track too - with his vocal contributions coming in towards the end of the song. Cohen and Balsamo's voices work well together, and the interplay between them sometimes brings to mind the triple vocal attack of the early line-ups of The Reasoning. There is certainly a lot of Cohen's past throughout the song as a result - which is probably why it is one of my favourite tracks here. Dark Before Dawn segues nicely from the album's title track, and it opens organically with some acoustic guitar chords and some warm synth leads. The song, overall, however is a bit of a mix of styles. While some of the synth sounds are quite old-school in texture, drum loops and a pulsing bassline root the song in the modern day. The song is not as progressive in make-up as the album's opening cut, but as a result it sounds more like the band's previous album. The lead guitar is less dominant too, despite the presence of a few choice leads, with the focus once again being placed on Cohen's vocals and Edwards' numerous keyboard textures. The synths used throughout are great, and the subtle use of organ also stands out - and the song has a real depth to it as a result.

Requiem is more piano-based, and as such the song opens up in a more low-key manner than much of the rest of the album. Edwards' keyboard style is usually based around soundscapes and synths rather than more traditional piano melodies; but his forays behind the piano are always well received - and help to set the songs that feature them apart. His rolling piano melodies drive the song, while Cohen's voice fills in the gaps. Her voice really is one of a kind - there is no other singer out there that can hold a note quite like her. Hearing Cohen singing again was one of the reasons that The Science of Goodbye made such an impact last year, and she has delivered another stellar performance throughout Love's Lost Property. The relative simplicity of Requiem, with its piano and accompanying acoustic guitar melodies, gives her real space to breathe - and the song is another winner as a result. Last Day on Earth takes something of a darker turn, with a strange-sounding percussion loop that has been paired with a real feast of keyboard textures. Dark-sounding synths form the basis of the track, but there are keyboard chimes that sound a little like tubular bells that dominate early on. Cohen's voice and this cutting keyboard sound vie for dominance during the song's opening section - but it is a piece that subtly expands as it moves along. Guitar leads occasionally join the fray, which add melodies that recall the style of the album's title track, while a meatier drum groove eventually kicks in to expand the scope of the song future - adding some subtle relative heaviness and more opportunity for squealing guitar leads as the song comes to a close. Wish I Wished You Well is another piano-based piece; but it takes the form of a more traditional ballad than the denser Requiem. Edwards' piano is the main instrument throughout, which Cohen sings atop beautifully, but there are occasionally bursts of violin from Ronconi that fill the song with aching melodies during their time in the spotlight. The violin melodies counter Cohen's vocal lines perfectly - the two sounds complimenting each other well - and they add just enough depth to give the song an edge without taking anything away from its deliberately sparse arrangement. The Circus has something of a more raw, organic sound throughout, which helps it to stand out following a couple of piano-led pieces and a darker song. While it opens with shimmering synths, the bulk of the song is backed by upbeat acoustic guitar chords and relatively jaunty organ stabs. There is a bit of a folky vibe throughout as a result, which is helped by some more violin leads, but the song is still rooted in the band's core sound. It does not sound significantly different from anything else of the album, but the subtle folk edge and a more prominent drum groove certainly helps it to stand out and have a little more energy.

I mentioned earlier that the album contains a strong cover, and I think that it is fair to say that Three Colours Dark have taken Duran Duran's 1993 single Ordinary World and made it their own. This is not Cohen's first time tackling a Duran Duran classic however, as The Reasoning released a memorable version of The Chauffeur a number of years ago, but Ordinary World has been morphed from its spiky ballad-esque feel into a soaring track that is very reminiscent of the wider sound of the album. Ronconi adds plenty more excellent violin throughout, while occasional dramatic keyboard stabs from Edwards recall the style that Duran Duran's own Nick Rhodes made famous. The pair have given the song a twist however, and have included a snippet from Karnataka's The Right Time in the middle. This certainly took me aback when I first heard the song, but the transition is so seamless that it works really well. There is also more excellent guitar work throughout the song, courtesy of Dave Gregory (XTC; Big Big Train; Tin Spirits) - as well an excellent old-school sounding prog keyboard solo from Edwards. A mash up of Ordinary World and The Right Time should not work on paper, but the pairing works well and the cover is a memorable addition to the album as a result. Eye for an Eye returns to the darker tones of Last Day on Earth with more drum loops and a strong bass presence throughout. What makes the song for me however is the excellent keyboard variation throughout. Occasional dark piano melodies are mixed with swirling synths - and then the band throw in some saxophone courtesy of Steve Simmons to mix things up further. The band have traditionally used violin as their general 'go to' lead instrument, but Simmons' saxophone works well here. Its grittier sound works well within the darker tones of the song overall, and its powerful presence makes it mark on the album - before Edwards takes back the spotlight with an understated, Floydian keyboard solo. Balsamo once again adds his voice to the song, but he is used more sparingly this time. His harmonies and occasional counter melodies to Cohen's lead vocals work well however, and add further depth to a track that is already brimming with surprises and progressive arrangements. The album then comes to a close with a reprise of the expansive title track. Some of the song's key phrases have been boiled down into a short acoustic guitar-led piece - albeit with a mournful violin intro. Finishing the album in a similar way to how it started works well however, and it gives the album as a whole a sense of being a complete piece of work rather than just a collection of good songs - and that is certainly a good way to look at Love's Lost Property. There is a real sense of journey and discovery when listening to the album, so as a result it is one that rewards repeated listens. It is an album that needs a bit of time to be spent with it, but the investment is worth it as the depth of songwriting and the progressive arrangements are a big part of what makes the album a joy to listen to. Time will tell if the album tops The Science of Goodbye or not, but quality shines throughout the album's nine tracks and those who love their atmospheric, melodic prog will certainly find a lot to enjoy here.

The album is due to be released on 10th September 2021 via Firefly Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Ordinary World.