Hurts

Donning dapper eveningwear and swanning on stage like the scene of a murder in '40s Chicago, Hurts – Manchester's Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson – promise a dramatic night of theatricality, pop and emotion. In live shows, Hutchcraft croons his lungs halfway up his throat, his operatic baritone coalescing beautifully with Anderson's '80s new romantic electronics.
Songs like “Wonderful Life” and “Stay” ignited uproarious cheers upon release, and the duo drew comparisons to the '80s balladeers Spandau Ballet, amongst other icons of the decade. More influenced, apparently, by the Italian genre Disco Lento, the pair are adroit purveyors of heartfelt, perhaps a tad melodramatic (though, surely, that's part of their appeal at this stage) synthpop gold. Imbued with ambition and stricken with abyssal despair, Hutchcraft and Anderson were relentless in their devastation in the early days, but their sophomore LP – Exile – saw they delve into stadium-sized explosions of glamour. Arguably not happier, per se, there was definitely more pace, and more proactive gumption driving the record.
Watching them perform, you'll struggle to hold back tears during their early material, and you'll struggle to keep your feet and hips from moving during their later stuff.