Kicking off with the gloriously euphoric Have A Good Time, New Era is everything that you want in these dark and difficult times. Music has always been a means of escape for many and particularly through the recent isolations and social distancing people have used it as something to lean on to get them through and perhaps realised just how important a medium it is. To misquote a wise man, “music is not a matter of life and death. It’s much more important than that.”
And, if ever there was going to be a party to celebrate the end being in sight, Ender Bender would be the main attraction. His music natural exudes good time vibes, it is escapist and expansive, it is infectious and accessible, it is fresh and fun but also loaded with familiarity.
There are slick instrumentals such as Reconnect which seem to take over where 80’s early New Romantics left off and update the vibe for the modern listener, Talk To Me is a slow grooving message of solidarity and the title track is a luxurious and liquid sonic exploration.
Sometimes you need music that is deep and meaningful, sometimes you need music that is emotive and reflective or which triggers anger or sadness and sometimes you just want music to immerse yourself in, have fun with and leave the real world behind, if only for a short time. When you find yourself hankering for the latter, then Ender Bender is your man.
