Rear Window - 'Happiness By Design'

On their highly-anticipated debut album 'Happiness By Design', Rear Window—comprised of sardonic wordsmith JJ Sterry and sonic sculptor Santi Arribas—have crafted something strangely magnetic: an alt-pop opus that never loses sight of its introspective soul, even while dressed up in kraut-grooves, bossa beats, and synth-driven sparkle.

This record isn’t interested in fitting neat little boxes. Instead, it darts between glum humour and hopeful reflection, pairing sardonic lyricism with production that’s slick yet always slightly off-kilter. Think Raymond Carver as told by a drum machine. Or a rainy-day cab ride scored by Talk Talk and an anxious David Byrne.

Opener 'Multi-Coloured Skies' feels like the morning after a particularly existential night out—hopeful, but hungover. 'Head Above Water' then dives into life’s unpredictability with punchy precision, wrapping Sterry’s dry delivery in pulsing synths and angular guitar jabs. It’s that push-pull of melody and melancholy that defines the album, where moments of levity are tucked within layers of resigned wisdom.

But there’s plenty of heart here too. 'Give My Regards' and 'The Price I Pay' feel like memory-haunted postcards from past selves, navigating the fallout of connection and disconnection without melodrama. Even 'Running Away' carries a subtle ache, reflecting on the tendency to retreat before something has the chance to break you.

Arribas’ production is consistently inventive, giving each track a distinct flavour while keeping the whole thing cohesive and succinct. 'Rocket Men' grooves with spaced-out elegance, while 'It’s Raining Again (In Soho)' adds a literary weight, like a misty-eyed wander through memories and missed chances.

Sterry, best known for fronting Gang of Four, brings a seasoned charm to the lyrics. There’s a clear-eyed weariness to his writing that never feels dramatic for its own sake, but is always rooted in real feeling. Tracks like 'Too Much To Lose' and 'Strike Me Down' dance with disillusionment, flirt with resignation, then flip it on its head with a shrug and a smirk.

And yet, despite its themes of uncertainty and inertia, 'Happiness By Design' feels strangely invigorating. Maybe it’s the constant interplay of melancholy and melody, or maybe it’s the reminder that even when life feels like a cruel joke, the best way through is to laugh at it, and then put it to a beat.

Rear Window have delivered a debut that’s clever without being cold, introspective without wallowing, and hook-laden without feeling calculated. It’s a soundtrack for late-night trains, low-stakes breakdowns, and quiet revelations. It’s the sound of two artists meeting in the middle of life’s mess and making it sing.