More about: The 1975

At the start of 2013, The 1975 were one of many bands tipped for great things. Their unique brand of indie-pop even saw them touted as the pioneers of the new guitar music scene. With a string of excellent EPs and huge festival appearances under their belt, The 1975 have now delivered quite possibly the best indie LP of the year.

Listen to The 1975's self-titled debut album in full below

The Manchester quartet’s self-titled album is refreshingly laced with an upbeat 80s-style pop sound which supports lead singer Matt Healy’s energetic vocals perfectly. It’s easy to miss that Healy is actually singing about some pretty sinister subjects in upbeat tracks such as the drug-themed ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Heart Out’. At times as you’ll often find yourself too busy nodding your head to the groove or even dancing around your room to notice just how personal the lyrics are.

The record also has so much more to offer than just the three Radio 1 top 40 hits, ‘Sex’, ‘Chocolate’ and ‘The City’. Other highlights include the instantly addictive ‘Heart Out‘ which soars along an 80s electro beat before hitting you with some extremely sexy saxophone whilst ‘Girls’ and ‘Settle Down’ will have your joints gyrating in no time thanks to their happy synth sounds.

If you want a break from the upbeat, then the emotional ‘Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You’ - a song written after Healy’s parents split, leaving him worried about not being there for his little brother - will sooth your danced-out feet with its beautifully crafted piano and yearning Healy vocals. Citing the likes of Prince and Michael Jackson as their influences, The 1975 have crafted a 16-track album that is a joy to wrap your ears around.

Their rise to the top of the indie scene may have been quick, but these four Manchester lads have been together, fine-tuning their sound for ten years now - something that comes across in the production and cohesion of this brilliant debut record.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: The 1975