White Lies’ bleak-yet-infectious riff on ‘80s synth-pop stood out among their late ‘00s indie-rock peers. The trio's cinematic gloss and euphoric energy felt nostalgic and fresh at the same time, propelling their 2009 debut ‘To Lose My Life…’ to number one on the UK albums chart.
Now seven albums in, the Londoners continue to evolve and remain relevant. ‘Night Light’ stays true to the band’s template while revealing subtle, polished progression that leans into ‘70s synth textures. Recorded at the Church in London with producer Riley McIntyre and mixed by Chris Coady, it is typically hooky and packed with big choruses. Better yet, it’s their most diverse and cohesive work in years.
Nothing On Me offers a high energy opener, matching ominous synths with propulsive bass and almost a punchy air of hysteria.
The temperature then cools on the smooth All The Best, with its big guitar licks and saxophone solos reaching into glam-rock territory.
As always, the band’s main weapon is Harry McVeigh’s baritone. The frontman reaches sensitive new depths on piano ballad Everything Is OK, its simple arrangement and delicate keys amounting to a mid-album highlight that displays a whole new side to a band we thought we had figured out.
Not everything lands with this sort of force, though. I Just Wanna Win One Time is bogged down by an overly repetitive chorus and, similarly, Juice lacks inspiration, its cheerier tone and deliberately soaring chorus missing out on creating a defined mood or capturing genuine emotion. They save it at the death. In The Middle is a six-minute epic to get lost in, its build-up of shimmering synths and delicate guitar tones climaxing in a meandering second half soundscape that’s spine-tingling and infectious to the bitter end.
McVeigh recently reflected that White Lies “finally know what we’re doing.” And, duly, there’s a lot to admire in these confident and accomplished sounds. Admittedly, the record suffers by being less raw and more refined than earlier successes — the quality is more consistent, but the ceiling is not quite as high.
White Lies Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat January 24 2026 - DUBLIN Academy
Sun January 25 2026 - BELFAST Limelight
Tue January 27 2026 - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Wed January 28 2026 - GLASGOW SWG3
Thu January 29 2026 - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Sat January 31 2026 - LONDON Roundhouse
Sun February 01 2026 - LONDON Roundhouse
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