It's probably something of an understatement to describe Mystery Jets as unpredictable. Having meandered from their initial messy prog jams all the way through to pastel-hued pop, few could have guessed with any kind of accuracy which direction their third record would take. So then, probably the most surprising thing the band could have done is make a direct follow-on from its predecessor, taking the 80s-flecked pop blueprint and running even further with it. And while part of Twenty One’s appeal was the huge contrast to the sound of Making Dens, Serotonin’s perverse logicalness is equally thrilling.
Twenty One covered youthful romance pretty extensively, focusing on both the joy of being young in love, and also the pain of things not going completely to plan. This time out though, the spotlight is squarely on the latter, because Serotonin is undoubtedly a lovelorn record. However, the way the downbeat lyrical content is handled is further proof of Mystery Jets’ sheer contrariness, because the giddy headrush of pop which accompanies it makes the whole thing feel like a celebration of having the shit kicked out of your heart.
Take these snapshots from Alice Springs for instance – “Freedom is an illusion generated by your brain... Better to have loved and lost than to have lived and never loved anyone”. The maudlin gives way to the hopeful, and the blast of powerful pop energy blows away any sense of resentment which might have still been lingering when the lyrics were written. The result of this is that you get the impression that Mystery Jets would be great people to have around you if you were ever ditched by a loved one. (Who knows, perhaps supporting the recently dumped might be a handy sideline for them to explore if this fickle industry ever leaves them strapped for cash)
Serotonin is one of those records which feels like more than the sum of its parts, because it contains some of the simplest pieces of music Mystery Jets have put to record, yet it is probably more invigorating than anything they have ever done too. There is a lot on here which would make fantastic singles, songs which are radio-friendly in the most positive sense of the expression. Dreaming of Another World is the ultimate lead single, because it is difficult to imagine a more perfect three minutes of pop being released this year. It’s a beautifully buoyant hymn to escape and feels unimaginably fresh and youthful, the sort of song which can soothe aching limbs and iron out the dents in your psyche.
In a record built almost exclusively of highlights and gigantic choruses (the most ecstatic of which, by the way, can be found on Lady Grey), it is difficult to single out individual moments. The songs all hang together nicely, complementing each other and making for a record which is a million times more coherent than you would have expected from the band they were when they first started out. One song which stands apart from the rest, however, is Melt, primarily because it feels Christmassy where the rest of the record feels unmistakably summery. It’s a gorgeous, waltzing piece of music, which calls to mind Flakes from the last album, mainly because it shares the same wide-eyed sense of wonder, something which characterises a lot of the songs on which Blaine takes lead vocals.
The release of Serotonin will hopefully strengthen Mystery Jets’ reputation as our premier purveyors of eccentric pop music. In a year when two of their most prominent contemporaries Foals and Los Campsinos! have returned with records far darker in their execution than their previous efforts, Mystery Jets have, typically, gone against the grain with this boisterous surge of pop. Having shown their aptitude for surprising us with both change and then the lack of it, I guess it makes most sense for us to expect even more finely honed pop next time out, but knowing Mystery Jets, it’s probably more likely that album number four will be a nine hour suite of jazz-drone.
5/5
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