Tantalizing New Editors Release: ‘Kiss’ Keeps Listeners Wanting More

The ‘80s are having a renaissance period. Between fashion, pop culture and music, it’s no wonder that UK band Editors have embraced this sound in their newest single ‘Kiss’. This comes ahead of their seventh album ‘EBM’, to be released on September 23^rd.

For fans of true ‘80s artists such as Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry or The Human League, this track is without a doubt in their wheelhouse. From the offset one is transported back to a time where neon was the colour of choice and teen heartthrobs held boom boxes over their heads to win back the girls of their dreams. 

Between gated reverb on the drums and the dripping synths, Editors have created a sonic time capsule.

That being said - this song isn’t old fashioned. The vocals echo The 1975 in their more experimental album ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’. Their lyrics as well dance the line between being relatable and conceptual. The imagery used in lines such as“How do I look tonight?/Lit by mobile phone light” has both literal facets and figurative ones. Yes, one sees a half lit face but this theme of light is ever present throughout the single. It is a track of dualities – light and darkness, hope and desperation, comfort and loss, all encompassed in something as elusive as a kiss. This style has come with years of practice and is one of the reasons why Editors are such an accomplished band.

The production on ‘Kiss’ is heavily saturated and creates at times more of a soundscape, with the vocals blending almost entirely into the background. While this would, in other instances, lose some of the meaning, it works in this song.

Sitting at almost eight minutes, this track defies becoming tiresome. This is partly due to the catchy nature of the main riff and melody. However it is also to do with the almost complete tonal shift in the song at the halfway mark. It’s practically a two-for-one deal one gets in this single; the first half of the song is noticeably more upbeat, belying the darker nature of the lyrics which the second half brings to light.

‘Kiss’ is full of interest and if this single gives any indication, upcoming album ‘EBM’ should be one to look out for.

 Chloe Boehm

@chlojo98

Image: ‘Kiss’ Official Single Cover