‘Fire or Fire’, the second EP of Oxford-formed Suspire, is a seven-track throwback to days long gone, combining ambiguity with nostalgia and capturing the feel of modern existence. The record appropriately opens with ‘Intro’, a track of suspense and a prelude to the bulk of the EP, demonstrating their sound and playing the ball through to the first full-length track.
The first real insight to their sound, ‘You’re Eternity’, takes the instrumentation from the Britpop era and paints over it with modern vocals, almost as if DMA’s were a bit older and less Australian. A classic blend of mellow riffing and punchy chords, Suspire introduce themselves emphatically. Strong vocals. Great structure. A very solid opening to the main body of work.
Track three comes in the shape of ‘Good Luck, No Goodbye’, a noticeably slower number in comparison to the last, striking further similarities to DMA’s but this time in a more traditional fashion. Slow but steady, with pretty-sounding harmonies between the vocals and lead guitar, this track has it’s desired effect. Nothing that jumps out, but a song that’s happy being dormant.
Up next is ‘Sea to the Quay’, bringing the energy back to the surface and reintroducing that nostalgic feel from before. Though the sound is familiar, it seems simultaneously foreign and makes you question what year it is. An introduction to female backing vocals and a higher pace does wonders for the EP’s listenability, whilst also demonstrating why it was awarded the role of lead single. The first non-single, ‘The Intervention’, brings the vibes back down and establishes a pattern, alternating tracks between uppers and downers. The most lyrically striking of the songs so far, Suspire discuss loneliness and tackling issues, balancing emotional expression with beautifully arranged instrumentation.
The penultimate track, ‘Deepstate Dive’, kicks off with a dirty bass tone, hinting at a punkier approach to this track but swiftly reverting to the established sound. A safe decision, however a standout head banger could have provided a balance to the melancholy of previous tracks. Nonetheless, ‘Deepstate Dive’ is evidence of what Suspire have been building towards throughout the EP, balancing soft and punchy sounds but not quite capitalising on the song’s intro.
To conclude the experience, ‘Whatever Else Comes With’ ensures the pattern of alternating tracks is fulfilled. A predominantly instrumental track, the elements are constructed perfectly and the harmonising female / male vocals have the potential to make this a standout, however something just feels flat. On paper, it’s an outright favourite, but something just sounds a little off on the recording. It feels unfair to critique the song, though some extra care would have really benefitted the end result.
Seven tracks of mixed emotion, ‘Fire or Fire’ is complete with star moments, what-ifs and a solid glimpse into the talent of Suspire. Strong singles. Necessary emotional balancers. Everything works together, it just needs a bit of TLC to make it something great.
So close to something special, keep an eye out because this won’t be the last you hear of Suspire.
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