YEARS & YEARS
NIGHT CALL
POLYDOR
★★★★
Years & Years’ third album arrives at a crucial time for Olly Alexander, now its sole member after bandmates Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen were casually dispensed with.
Their departure was no surprise – there was much intrigue about the pair’s absence from the credits for previous album Palo Santo – but it officially signposted a ruthlessness in Alexander’s approach. The singer’s public profile is so high after his heartbreaking performance in Russell T Davies’ award-winning AIDS drama It’s A Sin that he’s anchoring BBC1’s New Year’s Eve coverage with Kylie Minogue.