The emotional electronic pop duo Hurts have been steadily working on a follow up to their impressive debut album Happiness. The 2010 release came coupled with extensive promotional work with headlining festivals, that catapulted Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson from low income mates (Adam openly admits to being homeless before the record, living on Theo’s couch) to sharply dressed, adored musical forces. March 11th, 2013 will bring an anticipated sophomore record entitled Exile and we’re just now getting a taste of two tracks that will be apart of this continuation of the two’s signature melancholic confessions.

Exile is currently demonstrated as a wild departure from the melodramatic productions of Hurts’ freshman release. “The Road” hints at delicacy, but quickly morphs into an industrial warfare at the chorus. Complete with a loud, intentionally distorted vocal line, this December 21st, 2012 promotional track references cold, penetrating metal and being alone in this world. Backed with a live, heavily reverberated drum section, the two bring the compositional obscurity of their “Judas” by Lady Gaga remix (YouTube) to the next level by incorporating destructive sounding synthesizer lines, programmed with vengeance and total rage. [YouTube]

Alongside the first offering off Exile, BBC Radio 1 premiered lead single “Miracle,” but where “The Road” built a brilliant gasp with concentrated anger, Hurts recalls the uptempo brooding that made them, on this follow up. Advancing toward rock influenced ground, the first proper single from Hutchcraft and Anderson throws a curveball that undeniably swings its way into Coldplay’s  Mylo Xyloto sonics. However, the track swiftly dips from becoming to close to their musical colleagues thanks to a positive open bridge/chorus, and a wonderful reverberated drum sample that abruptly ends due to being cut up, most likely through the mixing process or a uniquely programmed sample. [YouTube]

Hurts preservers wonderfully in these two samples of what’s to come from Exile. While Theo and Adam seem to have possibly taken a more tortured, treacherous route as a sophomore follow up, so far the appreciable humanistic pop image that made them and handsome, dapper image still illuminates and remains as the foundation upon the pavement of what comes next.