The Element of Surprise is subtle proof of the still-ongoing romance between local indie rock and Arctic Monkeys (ie. Nanay Mo, Rusty Machines, etc.). Subtle is the keyword here. Amidst the wave of conventionality within the circle of bands that swoon over Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, Devices has carved out a sonic space of their own that sets them apart from the rest.

The opening track, Conquistador, encapsulates the band’s gradual but steady evolution. Conquistador opens with the sultry murmur of the synth, then follows with an onslaught by the rhythm section that chugs along in an anchored pace for the rest of the track. From here, the band is just relentless. Through careful arrangement, the band builds a tension that is almost cinematic. The fluidity with which each instrument enters and leaves the mix lends a sense of pantomime to the track. No guitar lick or drum fill is out of place, providing ample space for lead singer Austin Tan’s exuberant vocals and candid lyrics to shine. The dramatic effect of the instrumentation parallels much of the themes in the release. Conquistador speaks of love as a harrowing journey akin to a grand quest, with all its twists and turns (“I chased your name in towns from Spain/ the best I held, the worst remains”).

In Enjoi, the band is unapologetically frank (“Have I the right to reconcile? / whenever I go, you wanna stay”). Scattered yet potent, the lyrics are attached to infectious vocal melodies that coax listeners into singing along eventually. Arik Gatchalian and Andrea Ramos’s guitar and synth-work intertwine wonderfully to create a cathartic jangle that complements the seedy desperation in Tan’s vocal delivery. The combination of all these elements build up to a euphoric conclusion, with Tan valiantly admitting defeat (“Rarin’ to go/and leave this world behind, you know”).

Without dropping pace, the guitar then takes the lead in Keep Me In Mind with its steady, reverb-laden line that hums along with the twinkling synth stabs. In this track, the band explores resentment over the mistakes committed towards a past lover (“Love, I tried my best/so keep me in mind”). Much like Enjoi and Conquistador, the songwriting is concise and measured. One can look at Arik’s descending guitar line before the chorus or the weighted synth-licks that simply sing in response to Tan’s voice as signs of a band whose focus is crafting well-refined songs—not just mindless jamming.

This urgency in writing is a bit lost in the final tracks, TEOS and Settle. TEOS flutters about in languid fashion, with its simple programmed beat and Tan’s slightly distorted vocals that hark back to old She’s Only Sixteen jams—albeit, a bit too much. Settle plays much to the same tune, particularly, Tan’s vocals that uncannily recall SOS frontman Seña’s signature croon. A band will always wear their influences on their sleeve, but ideally not to the point of being derivative. While a commendable effort, Tan’s vocal performance here leaves one wondering where the unique flavor of the previous tracks had gone (which may explain why Settle was named a bonus track in the first place).

It must be said that any reservations mentioned for the final two tracks border on nitpicking. The whole release is drenched with finesse, while still maintaining its raw, emotive quality. This vein of indie rock has been met with scrutiny by a good chunk of the underground community in the past few years, with local critics lambasting any efforts of sounding like the popular indie rock bands of the mid-2000s.

Devices, however, has shown that sounding cliché isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sounding derivative will always threaten to be a hollow argument against a piece of work; all artists have influences. Barring the occasional moments of mimicry in the record, The Element of Surprise conjures up enough personality and charisma to make up for it. Devices—in scintillating fashion—has shown how concise, candid songwriting can make or break a project. To break it all down, The Element of Surprise is a riveting invitation to risk your heart to the perils of love and while it may be painful in the process, you can at least get some amazing tunes out of it all.

Photo sourced from Devices’ Facebook page