Stay + - Fever

Manchester’s Stay+ are a rather strange group. Formerly known as Christian Aids, they’re shrouded in mystery. Not much is known about the group but what is clear is that their first single under their new moniker is a deeply compelling piece of dark electro.

Stay+ specialize in dark and brooding electronic music, high on atmospherics and dynamics. ‘Fever’ begins slowly, featuring nothing more than some pulsing beats and a vocal sample which sounds like the work of a huge lunged disco diva. The sample echoes late eighties dance music’s use of soul vocals and is reminiscent of, say, Black Box’s ‘Ride On Time’, but the enveloping sense of darkness that Stay+ create give it a real menacing quality.

About half way through the track explodes in a burst of beats and synthesised strings and it really is a thrilling moment. The juxtaposition between the darkly atmospheric intro and the euphoric ending works extremely well. Stay+ may favour the darker end of electro pop but they certainly have a good grasp of dance floor dynamics as well.

The band’s use of oblique imagery might make them hard to work out, but all the best pop music has a degree of mystery to it. ‘Fever’ is certainly a very interesting and, indeed, very good single that indicates that it could be very worthwhile investigating just who Stay+ are.