Considering all the shrewd alliances and its polished attack, Settle seems like it was designed to be 2013's acceptable dance album. That said, any purist who denies its pleasures is a crank.
The Surrey duo have not only made 2013's best dance record so far-- they've also concocted one of the most assured, confident debuts from any genre in recent memory.
We don’t always need the best dance record of the year to push the genre forward into unseen territory; it’s hard to see anyone besting Settle for the title in 2013
Slinky enough for the club, down-tempo enough for a rooftop soiree, Settle traverses boundaries and expectations.
They're still more interested in presenting exhilarating dance music than trying to analyze its power.
Settle is nearly impossible not to like. It nonchalantly surpasses expectations at nearly every turn.
Settle is the aural fruits of Disclosure’s mission to reinvigorate dance and pop by annexing and consolidating their favourite sounds from the sonic side-streets of house music’s sprawling musical past.
Guy and Howard make few slip-ups, ensuring the fire burns, and will continue to do so until this house revival is less a sudden resurrection, more a fad of the past.
In a period where we’ve reached EDM saturation and electronic music regularly argued, and threatened to eat itself, Disclosure’s retro deference strikes a joyous crisp balance that plays out in the club, in the chart, and in headphones.
Settle is a rare animal: an EDM album that actually flows like an album should.
It’s on tracks like ‘Latch’ that we see exactly why Disclosure have crept to the top of the charts, yet remain on the setlists of top selectors – it’s their ability to solder emotion and soul onto hyperactive dance riddims.
It's better to concentrate on what Settle is than what it isn't, because what it is is laudable.
Their debut album, Settle, further delivers on that boundary-busting promise with a perfect mix of sample-driven techno and deep house minimalism, soulful and snappy vocal bangers and left-field mid-tempo jams. It’s a pop record, a history lesson and – for those uninitiated in the funky UK house tradition – a gateway drug all in one.
It's the fact that Disclosure make bookish, aurally factual electronica sound so carefree that makes Settle such an artistic success.
Though their brand of dance music is indeed a squeaky clean one, Settle doesn't feel like it's trying to be an underground dance music record.
It’s not perfect ... but it’s a consistently thrilling debut.
At the frighteningly young ages of only 22 and 19 respectively, they have given us a bold, thoughtful dance record that works from beginning to end. Settle has the rare distinction of moving the body, the mind and the heart in equal measure.
Fortunately, Settle doesn't settle; each new track finds them testing their own formulas.
Settle is a soulful, accomplished and versatile record.
On Settle, the fresh electronic music duo known as Disclosure brings a series of house and garage-inspired dance numbers that groove excitingly. Some of the vocal guests are pretty spectacular as well. Even if you're not nutty about dance music, give it a try.
Throughout, ‘Settle’ will blind you with so much sheen you’ll want to tile your bathroom in it.
If anything prevents it from being an instant classic, it’s that it’s simply not risky enough to be a game changer.
Settle is by no means a terrible record, but it is far from a great one ... in terms of both quality and innovation it has become painfully obvious they’ve lost their way.
Disclosure are still young, and in terms of its aims – combining house music and pop for a young British audience currently captivated with the idea of the former but reliant on the hooks of the latter – Settle succeeds.
Disclosure have found an erratic blend of deep house and pop that, while not entirely original, has moments of greatness.
Settle ends up being a wonderful compilation of other famous voices. There's the occasional flicker of real promise outside of the star power, but aside from that, it's a record carried by other people.
This group could make an album of fartcore and I’d still call them one of the best electronic acts to ever hit the mainstream
In terms of modern edm this is definitely the cream of the crop. Extraordinarily slick, funky, and most importantly of all danceable, there’s a lot here for both pop and electronic fans alike. Now I’m not gonna claim that this is “deep” or “profound” or “revolutionary” but honestly for what they’re trying to do here disclosure sorta nail it. Highly recommend.
UK electronic duo Disclosure's widely praised debut album, Settle, just doesn't do much for me. Given the appreciation I have for Disclosure's more modern outputs, as well as their talents in general, I expected this listening experience to be fun, funky, and some of the best house music of the 2010s. Instead, what I got were a few highlight tracks scattered among disorganized, repetitive 4/4 drum loops sorely lacking in finish and finesse. The usual smooth integration of diverse vocalists from ... read more
This is a fantastic house albums, one of my favorite of the 2010's. The grooves and tunes are consistently great, and Disclosure upholds the energy for a long time here.
Fav Songs: When a Fire Starts to Burn, Latch, F for You, White Noise, Stimulation, Voices
1 | Intro 0:59 | 74 |
2 | When a Fire Starts to Burn 4:43 | 80 |
3 | Latch 4:16 feat. Sam Smith | 89 |
4 | F for You 4:29 | 78 |
5 | White Noise 4:38 feat. AlunaGeorge | 83 |
6 | Defeated No More 6:09 feat. Edward Macfarlane | 83 |
7 | Stimulation 5:22 | 80 |
8 | Voices 4:05 feat. Sasha Keable | 83 |
9 | Second Chance 2:22 | 73 |
10 | Grab Her! 5:15 | 79 |
11 | You & Me 4:29 feat. Eliza Doolittle | 81 |
12 | January 5:55 feat. Jamie Woon | 78 |
13 | Confess to Me 4:11 feat. Jessie Ware | 82 |
14 | Help Me Lose My Mind 4:06 feat. London Grammar | 83 |
#1 | / | Time Out London |
#2 | / | Urban Outfitters |
#3 | / | Billboard |
#3 | / | Pitchfork |
#3 | / | Red Bull |
#4 | / | Gigwise |
#4 | / | PopMatters |
#4 | / | Pretty Much Amazing |
#4 | / | Stereogum |
#5 | / | Slant |