Prelude to Ecstasy

The Last Supper

Prelude to Ecstasy

Island

February 02, 2024
By Andy Von Pip

Web Exclusive

Here's the thing: I'm not particularly interested in the details of the brilliant management team that spotted the potential that was evident when London-based band The Last Dinner Party (formerly The Dinner Party) started playing at venues like The Moth Club and London's Windmill a few years ago. Nothing matters except if they are good at actual music? Ultimately, it's the sonic connection with the listener that makes or breaks a band. While conversations about class and industry access are vital, making accusations of privilege or nepotism without any evidence and then completely refusing to evaluate the music seems reductive and dismissive and, let's be honest, makes you look like a button-head. Of course, the whiff of misogyny is never far away, as the tiresome “industrial factory” narrative has undeniably been aimed at young women in recent years.

It's safe to say that anyone who caught the band's early shows knew there was something special about the band and in singer Abigail Morris they have a frontwoman who positively oozes charisma and star quality. The band proved that buzz was built on substance when they released their debut single “Nothing Matters” in April 2023, and it remains one of the most accomplished and impressive debut singles of recent years.

Their first full length album, Prelude to Ecstasy, produced by the legendary James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine), is a body of work that conjures up a swirling maelstrom of emotion, beautifully hidden theatrical flourishes and songs that oscillate between euphoria, rage, passion and frustration. There's an air of faded glamour, which might make you think it's the fall of the Roman Empire meets the decline of pre-war Berlin, yet it never sounds flashy, bombastic or over-the-top. It's also an album that leaves you in no doubt that these young women are highly accomplished musicians. Take for example the stunning guitar of Emily Roberts, who provided the engine and tone of the album with her perfectly hidden riffs and dramatic solos.

After opening with a fittingly cinematic instrumental, the band launch into a live favourite, the brilliantly brooding 'Burn Alive' – featuring striking lyrics like 'There is candle wax melting in my veins/So I keep myself standing in your flames. ” Throughout, The Last Dinner Party display a huge range of styles, from the anthemic brilliance of their aforementioned debut single, “Nothing Matters,” to the fragile beauty of “On Your Side,” to the mini-goth rock opera which is “Portrait of a dead girl.” They even slip into an evocative Albanian-language song in the shape of “Gjuha,” beautifully sung by keyboardist Aurora Nishevci as a tribute to her native tongue.

Ford's production is subtle but never overwhelming weaving guitars that roar and soar, orchestral swells that add epic grandeur and electronic flourishes that hint at something darker and more introspective. Perhaps it doesn't capture the magical energy of the band's live shows, but then again, this is a completely different experience that would be hard to replicate. album of the year? Without a doubt, he will be a strong contender. (www.thelastdinnerparty.co.uk)

Author Rating: 9/10