Released: 10 September 2021
Steps deliver wall-to-wall pop precision on their latest release ‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’.
Arriving less than a year after the group’s triumphant sixth album, the 11-track collection follows the “one foot in the past, one foot in the future” formula of its predecessor, with classic pop melodies laced with up-to-date production.
The retro influence is apparent from the extended intro of Take Me For a Ride, which reunites the group with Topham & Twigg, the duo behind classic hits like One For Sorrow, Deeper Shade of Blue and Stomp.
Two decades on, it’s a match made in pop heaven, incorporating ‘80s synths and counter melodies, lush harmonies and an instant Steps singalong chorus.
The record also sees the group reteam with Thomas G:son, the writer behind 2020 smash Something in Your Eyes, who contributes two tracks: a cover of Mariette’s A Million Years and new cut Living in a Lie.
Referencing ABBA’s Me and I, it’s an instant standout and, clocking in at just over three minutes, proof that Steps remain Britain’s best hope of bringing the Eurovision trophy home.
Fans of 2017 comeback LP ‘Tears on the Dancefloor’ will be appeased by the array of bangers on offer; thematically, Wasted Tears is a sequel to should’ve-been-single Happy, while Kiss of Life picks up where Firefly left off.
Darren Hayes, who penned the title track from that album, contributes A Hundred Years of Winter, the most mature offering and a sure-fire radio hit.
Closer The Slightest Touch – a cover of the Five Star classic – perfectly embodies the ‘What The Future Holds’ era and paves the way for the band’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 2022.
‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’ is available on CD, LP and Cassette.
