For those of you who haven’t grown up with fathers who have subscriptions to multiple railway magazines, let me begin by explaining that a ‘Pendolino’ is an incredibly popular type of high speed tilting train that operates all throughout the UK and mainland Europe. Let me also explain that the only reason I can see as to why Everything Everything would name their first instrumental after this train is because the track is intended as an homage to Kraftwerk. Indeed, with its transport related title, arpeggiated synths, and minimal development, ‘+Pendolino’ has got Kraftwerk’s stark krauty-electronica vibe down to a tee. I’m kind of glad to learn that the track was actually written a few years ago though, and that the restrained sound came as a result of the band limiting themselves to recording with the instruments available in the studio. It’s an interesting compositional technique, and has certainly elicited a wildly contrasting result, but ultimately, the rather inconsequential ‘+Pendolino’ will always just be a B-side. A self-confessedly ”antithetical” (and hopefully flippant) variation, it’s fun to hear the band play around with electronics and try something new, just as long as they don’t abandon the A-sides too hastily.
