ALBUM REVIEW: Music For Working Out – Aiming for Enrike

January 13, 2020 Emily Kyne

AIMING FOR ENRIKE have been a notable force in European alternative scenes for several years, their live shows earning the Norwegian duo a reputation for energetic, powerful chemistry. Their three albums to date have spanned a wide spread of genres layered over a framework of electronic loops, lending the excitement of unpredictability to every new musical offering.

Dance and electronica themes were not far from the surface on previous release Las Napalams, but Music for Working Out opener Christmas Eve takes this one leap further. Immediately transporting you to the dance floor and bathing you in a neon glow, AIMING FOR ENRIKE waste no time illustrating how far you can go with two instrumentalists, a solid set of pedals and buckets of technical ability.

Lead single Don’t Hassle The Hoff continues the dance session, interplaying melodies daring the listener to stay seated. Infinity Rider oozes slick confidence, infectious riffs melding with a throbbing bass line to create a track of pure pop fun, massive chorus to boot. The latter half of the album sees the duo moving away from the solid synthpop hits to still-club-influenced but pared back tracks. The waterfall of Diving Within soothes after the heart-pumping energy of Hard Dance Brania, while Flat Beats clocks in at the longest track with over seven minutes of minimalist riffing.

Undead Horse of Thunder and Metal doesn’t quite live up to the excitement promised by its title but a delightfully fat punchy bass underwrites an intriguing set of synth tones that seem to mimic a set of strings. The brilliant Ponzo Saiko is built on frantic, spikey pulses of noise, an erratic heartbeat throbbing in your head. An almost terrifying drum-powered breakdown twice sends the listener spiralling into an adrenaline rush of furious noise – but closer Spice Girls is soon along to bring the workout to a cool down, with glimmers of post rock returning to the mix.

Music For Working Out is a joyous release, expertly showcasing the duo’s technical prowess and the absence of genre barriers to their sound. Maintaining their eccentricities while pushing on yet again with a new, arguably more commercial sound, on Music for Working Out, AIMING FOR ENRIKE open their (presumably sweaty) arms to all.

Rating: 9/10

Music For Working Out is out now via Pekula Records.

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