Album Review: Hercules and Love Affair, In Amber

Many artists have spent these increasingly chaotic last few years serving up escapism, or sugar-coated nostalgia. Hercules and Love Affair, however, are – true to form – opting for something decidedly more dangerous.

The new chapter in Andy Butler’s constantly evolving musical journey feels like a rejection of every established norm of electronic music. Embracing a defiant punk ethos, In Amber takes us to an emotional space that dance music typically only alludes to – wading through anger, terror, desolation, and hopelessness, with an approach that’s both darkly textured and frighteningly raw.

Unlike their guest-heavy last album, 2017’s Omnion, In Amber finds its unsettling power in a more straightforward direction – with Butler and his collaborator ANOHNI largely splitting lead vocalist duties between them from song to song, creating an a sense of overarching dialogue across the project. It’s a moving reunion, particularly given that the pair last joined forces for Hercules and Love Affair’s 2008 self-titled album.

With ANOHNI and Icelandic artist Elín Ey’s assistance, there’s countless moments of unexpected beauty embedded throughout the album, as Butler once again puts his personal lived experience, as well as the collective trauma of these past few years, at the centre of his work. Diving headfirst into the darkness is a daunting prospect – but as In Amber proves, it can also be absolutely liberating.