First appeared on Never Enough Notes on May 22 2010

Released on 24.05.10 on Back Yard Recordings

Although most of the band met ten years ago, in high school, it’s taken them until now to release their first full album. Hyped since their self titled EP in 2008, this trendy electro outfit hail from Australia, but since being signed to a UK label have relocated to our shores.

Packed full of energy, “Sacrifice” is a prime example of the UK’s rapidly expanding indie electro scene, simmering with brooding attitude. Recorded in the depths of the Welsh countryside, it is easy to imagine some angry storms and dark drizzle going on while these tracks were penned.

The industry is all over female-fronted electro-pop at the moment, but Teenagersintokyo have a retro edge to their sound, similar to the new wave bands that came out of America in the 1970s, although tracks like “Long Walk Home” have a catchy 60s girl group vibe.

“Sacrifice” gets off to a sleepy start with “3046”, which could throw the less keen beans off the scent, but it is worth sticking through to “Robocat” which is more of a grabber and sets the tone for the rest of the album, full of angst with a strong beat, as is the single “End It Tonight”.

The band recorded with David Kosten, who has produced Bat For Lashes, and his stamp can definitely be heard on the album; the music is achingly cool. The band would be worth checking out live though if they manage to blow away any pretence and stuffiness but the mechanical sound is hard to escape on the recording; the drum machine sounding beats and perfectly formulated songs don’t have have that raw edginess that can be possible with this type of music. It just doesn’t sound dirty enough.

6/10