2015 FALL MUSIC PREVIEW

DISCLOSURE BR I NGS IN THE B I G GUNS

Dance’s critical-darling brother duo crank up the soul with got singers and choruses, as opposed in London. “I don’t think we knew The Weeknd, Miguel, Lorde and Sam Smith to just instrumental club tracks.” how much of a great writer she The album kicks off with a six- was, or how involved she would THE LAST TIME U.K. HOUSE DUO of garage and house that spawned minute Michael Jackson-inspired be,” says Guy. “Every little detail Disclosure was inside The Standard dozens of imitators and helped jam featuring The Weeknd called was covered, down to the drums High Line hotel’s rooftop club Le launch the career of Sam Smith “Nocturnal,” written with the singer and even the volume levels.” Adds Bain in Manhattan in 2013, a baby- with the single “Latch,” which hit at Jungle City studios, where the Howard: “She’s got a lot of strong faced Howard Lawrence had to be No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. On pair were once again met by vistas of opinions, especially for someone escorted in and out for the pair’s sophomore LP Caracal, the year’s Manhattan. “We had this amazing so young.” DJ set. (The act was promoting its most-anticipated EDM album, view of New York, and the sun was There also is a repeat performance 2013 debut, Settle.) He’s now of legal Disclosure’s sound relies more going down as we were writing,” from Smith, on the soaring garage age stateside, which allows for less on pop and soul vocals — from an recalls Guy, explaining that the song single “Omen,” which is No. 7 on the hassle at the twosome’s many gigs. all-star lineup that includes Smith, ties into the album’s title, which Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. “I don’t drink anyway,” says the Lorde, The Weeknd, Miguel and the refers to a wildcat that hunts its prey “We’re like family — we’re always 21-year-old, taking in the view of the Lawrence brothers themselves — at night. bouncing ideas off each other,” Hudson River alongside his older than on dance beats. “We don’t want Lorde, who co-wrote “Magnets” says Guy of the singer. But Smith is brother and bandmate Guy, 25. to be bottled in with everyone else with the brothers and their more than a friend and collaborator; But that’s not the only change as a house music duo,” says Howard. songwriting partner Jimmy Napes, his evolution from dance topline from then to now. Settle was 2013’s “There’s as much if not more R&B was added to the album at the last to pop-soul superstar is a huge best electronic/dance album, tempos as house on this album. All minute, after she surprised them inspiration. Says Guy, “All you need introducing a sophisticated blend of our songs are ‘songs’ now; they’ve with a phone call saying she was is the songs.” —R.R.

46 BILLBOARD | SEPTEMBER 5, 2015