Meet…Anteros

Those of you that have visited London might be familiar with the Shaftesbury Memorial fountain in Piccadilly, a fountain that features a statue of the Greek god Anteros and the inspiration behind the international band of the same name. 

London might be credited as the place that bought the band together but since their formation their reach has extended far beyond the capital. From performances at Download Festival and supporting fan favourite Two Door Cinema Club to features on various Netflix shows, Anteros has made waves internationally with their quintessentially British indie rock sound. 

Formed in 2014, the female-fronted band have been putting out a steady stream of singles and EP’s since 2015 and last year had their debut album land in the top 100 of the British iTunes Charts. They have been touted by many as “the next biggest thing for indie” and frontwoman Laura Hayden has solicited comparisons to Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Alison Goldfrapp. The subject matter of their music ranges from songs about alcoholism to toxic and broken relationships, exactly the kind of half-anecdotal half-dramatised lyrics you would come to expect from a band of attractive, young, 20-something musicians. 

However this success has not come without its fair share of critics and they have simultaneously been criticised by some for being too boring and by others for being too dramatic which is the fine line that you expect any decent indie-pop band to toe. While their appeal and sound might be too ‘mainstream’ and ‘edgeless’ for those of you that spend your days contemplating which essential post-avant jazzcore albums you like best, the value in Anteros’ music is the simple joy of having something upbeat to dance along to. They are fun and in a world where the mere word ‘dancefloor’ fills me with nostalgia I know that I can put on one of their songs, close my eyes and dance to forget. That is the beauty of good pop and Anteros are, in the words of Richard Bowes, “nothing if not good pop”. 

All this is to say that if you are expecting something entirely new and groundbreaking, you won’t find it with Anteros. But if you, like me, are tired of being on edge in this coronapocolyptic world and appreciate the comfort of a good synth, catchy hook and some moments of understatedly profound lyricism then I think you’ll find a place for yourself in Anteros’ fanbase. 

Dilara Ball