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Acolyte

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Dangerbird/Polydor
Release Date: 29 June 2010
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Dance
Summary
The British trio from Manchester releases their debut album of dance rock.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
BBC Music
From a palette of familiar reference points, they’ve created a fresh, vital sound that could prove to be the basis of an impressive career.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
Acolyte certainly won’t be 2010’s most adventurous album, but it’s not trying to be. Instead, it’s almost certain to be one of the year’s most immediate and assured records, particularly for a debut, boasting any number of potential hit singles.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
Delphic have started 2010 as we all hope it will go on - with superb music.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express (NME)
While there are a couple of tracks here that are close to filler, Delphic have proved that they are adept at This Kind Of Thing, which is cause for celebration alone.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
On the downside, Acolyte certainly has its derivative moments, although it could be reasonably argued that there are infinitely worse people to sound like than New Order. On the plus side, they've certainly gleaned how to pull off New Order's most celebrated trick: melding dancefloor electronics and rock.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
This lean, adrenal debut fors one better, blurring the boundaries between dance and rock with a flair not seen since Hooky and co plugged in their keyboards in the early '80s. [Feb 2010, p.113]
cokemachineglow
It is during this fifteen-minute stretch that the album transcends its familiar, blokey, mad-for-it Mancunian template and, though you’ve heard all these tricks before, achieves something charming, familiar, fucking good—and this is the level on which Delphic needs to operate more often if they’re going to wring a lasting impression from this sound.
Read Full Review >Clash Music
Acolyte may infuriate dance purists with its naive inflections but for more pop orientated people it’s a fun, if somewhat formulaic start to the decade.
Read Full Review >Rock Sound
There’s enough originality to warrant a second look, though, evoking the epic soul of the infamous The Haçienda club with percussive clatter overseen by techno producer Ewan Pearson.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
No question about it, though, Delphic are at their best when they're in the studio with Pearson. His production wizardry is a joy to behold on Acolyte.
Read Full Review >Uncut
There are flashes of brilliance here, but you do long for a wink or a flicker of wit. [Feb 2010, p.88]
Alternative Press
Though the album gets too repetitive, the uniformity of Acolyte still serves the band's purpose: Make the floor move.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
A likeable fusion though it is, there's none of the innovation of the much groovier The XX, nor are there the soaring peaks and chilly troughs, bonkers FX or even the gauche emotion that propels most dance music.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Mark B. gave it a7:
Acolyte is a good album with plenty to get excited about. Opening track of Clarion Call is energetic and with the album featuring fan favourites such as Counterpoint and Doubt; They wont be disappointed with the album! A few other stand out tracks are Halcyon and Submission. Acolyte may not grab you on your first listen but after a few times you will enjoy. A solid debut album.
