Emotions Run High as Erasure Fuses Social Commentary With Synth Pop on ‘World Be Gone’

Stephanie Hernandez

It seems British dance floor legends Erasure are still the masters of surprise we’ve grown to love them for being. In their 30-plus year career, we have never seen the duo express such emotional acuity. The social, political and raw personal confessions laid out in the ten tracks of “World Be Gone” are truly inspiring. Modern in both sound and content, Erasure uses their iconic and innovative sound to provide perspective on everything from the refugee crisis to victims of the AIDS epidemic—even the passing of a lover. Trading rave-worthy bangers for melodic and lush soundscapes, Andy Bell’s vocals have never sounded so poignantly earnest. Vince Clarke’s signature synths still command attention but are noticeably restrained here, allowing for the group’s lyrics to take center stage. “World Be Gone” is the highly unexpected but much-needed successor to their previous blissfully energetic “The Violent Flame.” Leaving the dance floor behind for something more melancholy, the duo’s 17th album is worried about our future, but not willing to lose hope so quickly.

Split in two–something their American fans will be able to readily relate to given our nation’s political climate—“World Be Gone” is essentially dual-sided. On one side we’ve got Erasure’s signature rollicking beats and uplifting melodies; on the other, taut political and social commentary. This record reconciles both worlds beautifully. With hope as the central theme and essential thread holding the entire project together, you find yourself meditating on solutions to the issues presented instead of a bleak state of affairs. Relevant and topical meets cutting emotional discourse, “World Be Gone” is nothing if not attention-holding. Saving the most hopeful tracks to open and close the record with, the elated romantic anthem, “Love You To The Sky” starts us on a high. Eventually making its way to the record’s title track, this slow-burning ballad is drenched in mournful yearning, its steady thumping helping pull you through the mud until you can reach the other side with a sense of lightness.

From here the political commentary begins to emerge. “Lousy Some Of Nothing” points out the hypocrisy behind the current refugee crisis and the lack of empathy for our fellow man with direct lines like, “the world has lost its loving”—a statement which, at the moment, is hard to disagree with. Escapism becomes a proposed short-term solution on the coldly industrial “Oh What a World,” meanwhile “Still It’s Not Over” uses chilling nursery style rhymes to honor victims of AIDS: “like a ring of roses, everyone was falling down.” The LGBTQ community continues to garner support on “Still It’s Not Over.” Acknowledging how far we have come in the fight for gay rights but also understanding just how far we still have to go, this uplifting anthem validates the struggle while voicing a push for further change. The final standout track is also one of the most personal. “Sweet Summer Love” is honest and profound, and here Bell can express the joy and commitment he has found in his new relationship following the unexpected passing of his partner. The track is beautifully haunting, as is the whole record.  

Confronting darkness with self-reflection and understanding, Erasure have effectively served up their darkest record yet. That being said, Bell and Clarke were mindful to incorporate messages of pure love and hope throughout the record. Never allowing you to plunge too deep without a breath of fresh air, “World Be Gone” lays everything out on the table, with no sugarcoating or hiding behind false idols to save us. Instead, the duo presents the issues matter-of-factly, then the solutions as they see fit. A definite departure from their usual straightforward synthpop, Erasure have managed to create a much more important dialogue here. The instrumental minimalism makes it possible to focus on the serious lyrical and thematic messages at hand—ones that really ought not to be ignored, but rather prompt empathy and inspire action.

“World Be Gone” is available on Apple Music May 19.