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Communion is the debut studio album by English synth-pop trio Years & Years. It was released on 10 July 2015 through Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and other countries, and Interscope Records in the United States.
"Real" was released as the album's first single on 17 February 2014. Lead singer Olly Alexander said that some of the track's lyrics were inspired by experiences he had with a former boyfriend: "When I met him, I was really wasted and I fell off a bin and had to go A&E because I sprained my wrist, so I put in the line, 'Broke my bones playing games with you'. And then I got this rash… That's where the line, 'I itch all night, I itch for you' comes from."
"Take Shelter" was released as the album's second single on 18 August 2014 and peaked at number 140 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Desire" was released on 23 November 2014 as the album's third single and peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.
"King" was released as the album's fourth single on 27 February 2015. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, with a combined sales-streaming figure of 101,000 copies, and reached number three on the Irish Singles Chart. Alexander has stated many times that the hit song has a much darker meaning. “I was going out with a guy that was kind of a douche bag, but I still really liked him,” explains Olly. “I know lots of people can relate to this. It’s a song about how it feels good to be treated badly by someone.”
"Shine" was released as the album's fifth single on 5 July 2015 and debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart.
"Eyes Shut" was released as the album's sixth single on 13 November 2015. A slower song, Alexander has stated that he wrote it whilst going through a period of depression. He has frequently spoken about his Mental Health, particularly that he struggles with depression, anxiety, and when he was younger, an eating disorder and self-harm. He has confirmed that he sees a private therapist and takes medication.
The album received numerous positive reviews. Communion received a score of 68 on Metacritic based on 18 professional reviews. In an enthusiastic review, AllMusic rated the album 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting the group's ability to skillfully bridge the "ambient '80s style synth-pop of M83 with the funky dancefloor grooves of Justin Timberlake" and transform their influences into something new. In another 4 out of 5 review, DIY praised singer Olly Alexander for managing to avoid cliché while tackling well-tread subjects such as heartbreak and loneliness, and remarks that the group adds a human touch to powerful pop anthems. Pitchfork, which rated the album 7.4/10, addressed potential critiques by remarking that while much of the album may seem familiar, Years & Years distills rather than dilutes the formula of "reimagined '80s and '90s club pop".
Multiple reviews, however, commented on the derivativity of the songs, with The Independent calling the album a "slick amalgamation of 2014's sounds". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the group doesn't "seem to have an original idea in their collective heads", but still acknowledged that the album's "watertight" pop songwriting made it enjoyable. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times made a similar critique of the album, in which he referred to it as "diet-club music", but again praised the songwriting as excellent and effective. In an overall positive review, Billboard noted that the group has a "skill set, not a sound", particularly pointing out the album's strong melodies, emotional honesty and broad tastes. In mixed reviews, NME rated the album 2/5 lamenting that the album had little to say and took no risks, while Drowned in Sound gave the album a 5/10, writing that while many elements of the album were pleasant, overall it did not command listeners' attention.
Communion debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, outselling the rest of the top five combined in its first week of release. In the United States, the album debuted at number 47, selling 8,841 copies in its first week. Communion has sold over one million copies worldwide and was the fastest-selling debut in 2015 from a UK-signed band.
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