By Dean Emerson ’14

Three years after the successful release of “A Different Kind of Fix,” British indie-rock quartet Bombay Bicycle Club has yet again proved their excellence to their ever-growing audience with the release of their fourth LP, “So Long, See You Tomorrow.” The album extends off their sound from their prior album, including many electronic elements combined with the usual guitar, bass and drums of a rock band.

“So Long” is certainly experimental; however, long-time fans of the band should expect a different sound for each album by now (2009’s “I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose” was typical indie-rock, while 2010’s “Flaws” was heavily folk-inspired). Fortunately, Jack Steadman, lead singer/guitarist and creator of most of the music, figures out how to retain the similar Bombay Bicycle Club sound audiences have grown to love.

The album kicks off with “Overdone,” a spacey, yet funky lament to a broken relationship. Singer/songwriter Rae Morris lends a hand on vocals for this song (and many others on the album), proving a good combination with Steadman’s shaky yet aggressive voice. Veteran Lucy Rose alternates with Morris throughout the album, lending support on “Feel” and “Carry Me,” the latter of which initiates the dubbing of this album to be considered “experimental” by pushing boundaries with syncopated drum rhythms and synth textures resembling that of indie-pop icon James Murphy, formerly of LCD Soundsystem. “Feel” adds on to the experimental approach with much success, reflecting the cultural influences on Steadman during his travels through India, Turkey and Japan through use of 8-bit Bollywood loops and Middle Eastern strings and beats. Steadman’s solo EDM (electronic dance music) work is additionally leaked into these songs, highlighting synthesizers, drum machines and remixed string parts more than the prior guitar-heavy albums, as well as more danceable rhythms and textures. The track “Luna,” which again features Rae Morris on background vocals, is the best example of this, with more of a dance-pop feel (think The Naked and The Famous) than most other tracks.

However, the album does have mellow moments to prevent listeners from running out of breath from the more upbeat tracks. “Home By Now” yet again features more electronic elements, such as an 808 drum kit and instrumental samples, but does so in a more low-key, relaxed fashion. Steadman and Rose once again team up, providing soft harmonies and textures most akin to “Lights Out, Words Gone” off of “A Different Kind of Fix.” The album concludes with its title-track, a six-minute ambient pop ballad utilizing the same synth-bell loop mostly throughout the song to create a dense wall of rhythmic tension, ultimately resolving into a indie dance club jam that epitomizes the classic Bombay Bicycle Club sound. “So Long, See You Tomorrow” should be considered Bombay Bicycle Club’s finest soundtrack yet, greatly extending the band’s sound while still retaining the overall Bombay Bicycle Club feel audiences have grown to cherish.

Top 3 Tracks (in no particular order):

-”Overdone”

-”Luna”

-“Feel”