With Energy, Disclosure appear to be aiming to bring back the frenetic groove of their debut album Settle. While occasionally missing the mark, it generally reminds us just how talented they are. The first half, depending on your mood, is either a non-stop workout playlist or an ode to the still-closed nightclubs. With that, the lyrics call for unity and motivation throughout, while Disclosure’s trademark pulsing garage beats and high-quality production abound. On ‘Lavender’, vocalist Channel Tres implores “get closer, baby”, while follower ‘My High’ contains a constant refrain of “please don’t fuck up my high”. 

The quality dips slightly in the second half, due partially to the reduced pace, with both the slow-jam interludes ‘Fractal’ and ‘Thinking ‘Bout You’ being pleasant, but an unnecessary change in tone. ‘Birthday’, with its lyrics about calling an ex-partner, feels out of place and can be skipped, while ‘Reverie’ feels unfinished and ends the album too abruptly.

However, while there are certainly a few missteps, Energy showcases not only the talents of Disclosure but a diverse array of collaborators. Fatoumata Diawara provides a superb Bambara vocal performance on ‘Douha (Mali Mali); over a funky bassline, and Blick Bassy sings several dialects on ‘Ce n’est pas’. Overall, it is clear that Disclosure have not lost their touch, and hopefully they continue to improve.

Header image: DJMag