Album Review: Hayden Thorpe, Diviner

Wild Beasts – whose fearless ability to embrace their vulnerabilities marked them out as as one of the most important British indie bands of recent years – broke more than their fair share of hearts when they parted ways. With Diviner, his quietly powerful solo debut, the Beasts’ erstwhile frontman Hayden Thorpe has re-directed the pulsing heart of the Wild Beasts sound into a stunning new direction, which deals primarily in restraint – making major statements with awe-inspiring subtly.

Thorpe has stripped away all familiar surroundings, allowing his iconic falsetto, simple piano instrumentation, new wave drum machine, and cinematic synths to take centre stage. The understated synth-pop sound plays clear homage to the likes of Mark Hollis and Talk Talk, although it’s paired with a rawness that’s unmistakably current. Nowhere is this clearer than on ‘Earthly Needs’, one of the most compelling tracks on the album. Elsewhere, ‘Straight Lines’, another standout, incorporates subtle R&B touches and an irresistibly laidback bassline.

Diviner is minimalist in the extreme, and despite their brilliance, the ambient compositions might have you falling asleep on the bus if you’re not careful. The title track may make repeated references to “living a fever dream, lost control”, but there’s no real fear of such an occurrence on Diviner: Thorpe’s much more interested in mindful spacing than in letting his hair down.

Building quiet suspense throughout, Diviner is a deeply moving journey that never seems to find a conclusive resolution. But as the beginning of a brand new chapter for Thorpe, that’s probably the point.

Out now.

https://open.spotify.com/album/4sAEj8Vh2BLGkcZ3cZ1vfA