Venn

Runes

Moody, textural pop from London duo’s early ’80s-infused debut album.

In 1964, Gestalt psychology was introduced to the world at California’s Esalen Institute. Esalen 64 is title of the fourth track on London duo Ben Leverock and Stuart Gardham’s debut album as Venn. Writing a song marking the arrival of a philosophy stressing that social interactions are key to the human experience smacks of Tears For Fears drawing inspiration from the John Lennon-approved primal therapy. Fittingly, the ’80s are never far from Runes. Faith-era Cure, Liverpool’s Modern Eon and Blackpool’s Section 25 come to mind as the album unfolds. So do Brighton’s more-recent Fujiya & Miyagi. Venn have an edge though. Lyrics with thematic substance are complemented by fine tunes: Bigger Fiction is driving, Kraut-rhythmed pop and album closer Waxen Palm is as memorable as – indeed – a Tears For Fears gem. For Venn, the past and the present inhabit the same continuum.