After a hiatus of three years since their biggest selling album ‘Viva La Vida’, the Grammy winners are back with their fifth album. A Coldplay album is eagerly awaited by pop - rock who just can’t get enough of the band who gave massive hits right from their humble beginnings with ‘Speed of sound’ until ‘Viva La Vida’.

Even though the band has Brian Eno by their side on all 14 songs, Chris Martin’s well timed vocals and crisp sound is the hallmark of the album. This time besides rock, the band has dabbled into pop, R & B and heavy electronica. The album opens with ‘Mylo Xyloto’ a 43-second childlike xylophone intro that waxes its way into the foot tapping ‘Hurts like Heaven’ as if it's part of one track.

Jumping a few places, we have Martin's soaring refrain on ‘Paradise’ which is remarkable; the swaying beat is compact, backed by his band members Guy Berryman, guitarist Jonny Buckland, Will Champion who collectively gives an amazing show of talent. ‘Charlie Brown’ comes close to being an anthem and resembles their ‘Viva La Vida’ song. There’s also the balladic – electro infused ‘Princess of China’ that talks about loss of a loved one and features Rihaana. In the same vein you have the R & B fused ‘Up in flames’, wherein Martin croons about how breakups can mean the end of the world to someone. Don’t miss out on slow jam piano work.

The two sided cover inlay, one with the words Mylo Xyloto and the other main inlay with the cut out of the letters M and X, is an inspiration by 1970s New York graffiti art and the Nazi-­resistance movement known as the White Rose. In the same way Coldplay make their music colorful by other standouts like ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall’ and the peppy ‘Don’t let it break your heart’. The album title is based on two characters Mylo and Xyloto.

- Reviewed by Verus Ferreira