The Prophecy, Pt. 1

WithThe Prophesy, Pt. 1, the Icelandic trio Steed Lord deviates from its avant-electro beginnings to create an album where '80s-flavored synthscapes meet intelligent dance music. The opening instrumental, “Another World,” sets an elegant mood before “Precognition” puts wheels in motion as hammering beats and a vintage keyboard bass pulse under chilling drones and chanteuse Kali singing with an alluringly mechanical and androgynous voice. As the album title suggests, this is the first chapter of a concept album. The theme of The Prophesy involves what the band describes as "an electric love story full of obsession, lust, heartbreak, and cosmic religion.” Steed Lord smoothly segues into a future-disco gem with the stylish and sophisticated “Precognition” before the soulful, house-dappled “Secret Love” and the sultry “Emotional Machinery” delve deeper into the album’s complex storyline. Both songs feature Kali singing in a higher register, with parts that arch up to sound like glossy R&B from the early '80s. “One on One” infuses the trio’s glowing-neon IDM disco with a rhythm section steeped in bygone New York City dance-funk.