ALBUM REVIEW: Love & Heartbreak – Missio
Dark-electronic duo, MISSIO, have put out their newest record, Love & Heartbreak. According to the duo, this release is their most sonically ambitious, yet devastatingly raw, music to date with one of the main focuses being that this is a complete emotional reckoning of feelings sounds. A fact that proves to be true across the record.
Opening things up is Dreams, where we’re greeted by low, moody keyboard before being joined by synths and drum and bass, setting the scene as being an underground club where the lights come in and out with each beat as bodies surge and move, following the tempo. We’re also introduced to some sci-fi elements where twinkly noises come in. This is then all tied together with stunning vocals.
An ongoing factor of this record is picturing a scenes from the underground club scene thanks to the dark-electronic pop meets industrial beats. There are only three exceptions that go against this style though. Going My Way that consists mainly of plucky, acoustic guitar strumming and gentler dance beats, The Moment, the closing track on the record that brings in the sounds of nature and acoustic instruments that, while still retaining familiar dance beats, is uplifting and sweet, heading into ethereal territory at points, and Superpower that, while could maybe still suit a nightclub scene, brings in dungeoncore elements with distorted harp strumming.
And of course we have the odd moment where, despite the darker sounds, we hear lyrics that one would expect to hear on more mainstream radio, (we’re looking at you Bleed) so maybe it’s fair to say it’s an anti-pop love song. There’s also You Are My Love, featuring KENT OSBORNE, that features rather cheesy lyrics during the verses, yet it gets better during the chorus, and the rap section also stands out nicely.
Other tracks that stand out on the record are Self Deprecation, featuring lyrics accurately summed up by the title that go even darker still with a certain section referencing a gun (just a small warning if you’re not prepared), the deep, industrial clubhouse beats of Gotta Let Me Know that features the howling of a wolf which, on paper sounds ridiculously silly and at risk of being cringe, but it works perfectly with the track, especially with the dark pop beats. Where’d You Go, featuring LIONSTORM, can only be summed up as being a dance music take on a dystopian world where the mood shifts between fast, upbeat sections to slower melancholy that we’ve heard littered throughout the record.
A solid dark take on the clubhouse meets industrial blend from MISSIO that is memorable, will hold your attention, and is likely the perfect soundtrack if you’re wanting to host a late night party.
Rating: 7/10
Love & Heartbreak is out now via Nettwerk Music Group.
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