“Ambient,” “atmospheric,” “ambitious” - these words have often been used to describe Blackpool natives Boston Manor, and the first half of their latest album Datura demonstrates perfectly why the band is described in this way. The five-piece has also become known for their distinct storytelling aspects of their albums and Datura adds another notch to the band’s acclaimed repertoire. The album’s overall dark, gritty tone imparts a sense that not everything in life is quite what it seems, but welcomes listeners wanting to dive deeper into that uneasy feeling. 

The opening track “Datura (Dusk)” uses a simple, but distinguished synth lead that sets precedent for what the rest of the album entails. The setting of the album is an off-putting neighborhood just outside - where fires burn, the air is chilling, and there’s a darkness hanging overhead. The song continually adds dynamic layers as it progresses, which leads into a perfect build up that transitions into the next track. 

“Floodlights on the Square” knocks the audience off their feet by luring them in with a brief, but powerful electronic introduction that then cascades into punchy guitars and textured percussive hits. A lyric such as “I don’t know what to do, cause I still rely on you,” as a chorus adds a layer of vulnerability against such a dark sonic landscape. This track is a perfect example of how a song can still be hard-hitting while also making use of intentional dynamic space.

The first single off of Datura, “Foxglove”, starts off right away with an almost maniacal cadence that feels like Alice in Wonderland - as the song progresses, the more deranged and desperate the vocalist becomes. There’s something very primal about how desire is described in this song, especially with lyrics like “I’m a sucker for original sin” and “We do what we must to be good.” The single peaks with a brief lull followed by intense screaming vocals that adds to the slightly deranged feel of this song.

“Passenger”, the second and final single from Datura, is a slight tonal shift that moves on from the gritty tone previously seen in the album and leans more into an upbeat sound. There’s almost an underground club feel with how drums and synth leads are the focal points for a majority of the track. However, Boston Manor does a good job of making sure that this song, while probably the most “out of place” on the album, still utilizes some of the intense vocals and guitar tones seen throughout the album to tie everything together.

“Crocus” feels like moving through a dark alley with a switchblade knife. The song starts with layered vocals, a low distorted bass line and gated drums that leads the listener right into danger.  The lyrical content of this song, with lines like “We fight for everything that we have” and “I’m not the one that you wanted, I’m the one that you got”, is reminiscent of (cynically) fighting back against an antagonizing world. Piano melodies used sporadically throughout the song become more twisted and distorted as the outro guides listeners into the next song.

“Shelter from the Rain” is purely an instrumental track. Little bits of hopeful synths are contrasted against more distorted ones, laying together over a backtrack of an actual rainshower that serves as the actual backbone of the song. Vocal samples of indistinguishable conversations are scattered throughout the track, which dredges up an uneasy emotion despite the initial uplifting feeling.

“Inertia”, the final track on Datura, may not be the most hard-hitting on the album, but it is the most emotional. A simple picked guitar riff, along with some overlapping ambient tones and soloed vocals evokes a feeling of desperate yearning; the lyric of “You are still my home” is the main focal point of this song, which ebbs and flows perfectly with the composition of the song.  Although still dynamically interesting, the band lets this song be the most straightforward compositionally. “Inertia” is a perfect end point for this half of the album until part two is released next year. 

Overall, Boston Manor uses Datura as a catharsis for showcasing their true strengths as a band. Their signature dark, ambient alternative sound continues to grow and evolve in a way that speaks volumes to how far they have come and how far they will continue to go. 

9/10