a-ha Analogue Review

A-ha burst on the British scene in 1985 with their comic-book video'd "Take On Me", and they're one of the most internationally loved bands in pop, years later.

Analogue is a mature collection of songs, carefully produced and arranged. They're at their best at their darkest: the title track is the standout with its steady guitar-piano riff breaking out into uplifting choruses. Strings feature across the board: "A Fine Blue Line" blends them with electronics and "Over the Treetops" with vocal harmonies, incorporating fuzz guitar... The trick they have mastered is balancing all synthetic and acoustic elements within dramatic structures.

Bonus track "The Summers of Our Youth" begins with Magne Furuholmen almost cocking a snook to Chris Martin by taking on a rather similar singing style, before returning to Morten's familiar falsetto. A-ha must realise they're the original, and the finest. Keane and Coldplay, get your coats.