One band has burst into the spotlight in the last few months and is currently dominating the indie rock genre; their success and popularity shows no signs of slowing down, especially since the release of their debut album Prelude to Ecstacy, on 2nd February 2024. All female/non-binary British band The Last Dinner Party, even before the release of their first album, have proven a hit; they already have a unique sound and image as a band which sets them apart. And their record thus far has been glowing: opening for Hozier on his tour, being awarded the 2023 Rising Star BRIT Award and winning the BBC Sound of 2024 Poll. With their first released single ‘Nothing Matters’ reaching top 25 in the UK charts, their debut album was highly anticipated.

Prelude to Ecstasy is a baroque-pop display of theatrical extravagance from the very first note

Prelude to Ecstasy is a baroque-pop display of theatrical extravagance from the very first note. It is unsurprising that the band have been compared to Queen, ABBA, Kate Bush and David Bowie, who they cite as an influence. To me, this album sounds like it could have stepped straight out of an underground concert in a 1970s club while also stirring up images of a vampiresque 19th century castle, exaggerated by the Victorian-Gothic aesthetic they are known for. The band have stated that their name was ‘inspired by the idea of a huge debauched dinner party where people came together to celebrate with a hedonistic banquet’. This album is exactly what I would imagine to be playing during this hedonistic banquet.

The album begins with an introductory song of the same title, ‘Prelude to Ecstacy’, a fitting name. The track is a striking orchestral overture piece which makes you feel like you are about to listen to a piece of opera rather than a rock album, with epic cymbals and bombastic tempo changes which almost create butterflies in your stomach. This beginning may be unexpected for new listeners, although perhaps less so for those familiar with The Last Dinner Party’s eclectic style. The fact that some of the band members are classically trained is obvious and this is a unique asset utilised well by the band to their advantage.

Abigail Morris’ vocals are as alluring as the poetic lyricism used throughout…

This album is, in my opinion, a non-skip classic. While each track maintains a recognisable style, each is unique and has something different to offer. Abigail Morris’ vocals are as alluring as the poetic lyricism used throughout, accompanied by a plethora of instruments to create something truly special. The lyrics are dark, gothic and beautiful, telling a story in each track which the listener has to open apart and interpret for themselves. Each song seemingly tells something about the female experience, notably ‘Caeser on a TV Screen’, with the thought-provoking lyric ‘When I put on that suit, I don’t have to stay mute’ and ‘The Feminine Urge’, which asks, ‘Do you feel like a man when I can’t talk back?’ The lyrics are also littered with references to religion, speaking of religious turmoil and the religious experience of love, particularly the song ‘Sinners’, which instructs ‘turn and face me, turn to the altar of lust’. There are no dull love songs to be found here, rather poetry which will have you rewinding the song to hear it for a second time.

The musical styles in the album are extremely varied, ensuring that you do not get bored even once while listening

The guitar solos are epic, notably in ‘My Lady of Mercy’, ‘Burn Alive’ and ‘Caeser on a TV Screen’, while the use of drums controls the tempo of each track giving each song an element of euphoria. However, the slower tracks, such as ‘Beautiful Boy’, ‘On Your Side’ and ‘Portrait of a Dead Girl’ benefit from the focus on piano so that the vocals can truly shine and allow for tension and release which keep you captivated throughout. The musical styles in the album are extremely varied, ensuring that you do not get bored even once while listening. The songs are broken up by another operatic piece ‘Gjuha’ in the middle which has an almost church-like quality. The album ends with the song ‘Mirror’ which is an understated yet cathartic resolution to the album. I find each song to be a masterpiece, so much that I have been unable to pick out any favourites, despite my best efforts.

The Last Dinner Party have quickly taken a spot as one of my favourite bands and with a debut album so extraordinary, I am itching to see what more is to come from them, particularly with their tour coming in October of this year. That is one dinner party I truly would love to attend.

Rating 10/10

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