The Heroic Enthusiasts - Illuminate (2025) [Hi-Res]

The Heroic Enthusiasts’ highly-anticipated sophomore album Illuminate arrives April 11th on Meridian (ECR Music Group). Remarkably, the album is co-written and co-produced by Stephen Hague, one of Pop Music’s foundational producers of the last half-century thanks to his work with New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Pet Shop Boys, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Erasure, and Depeche Mode. Illuminate’s stand-alone singles have received multiple nods from Apple Music (four adds to their coveted New In Alternative playlist), over 800,000 streams across platforms, and press coverage on five continents. Unsurprisingly, the band has enjoyed explosive audience growth.

The band’s duo—singer James Tabbi and guitarist Thomas Ferrara—initially bonded over a shared love of Brit-pop, New Wave, and Post-Punk, following solo efforts and as founding members of bands Eleven Pond (Tabbi) and Bullseye (Ferrara). Their almost two-year working relationship with Hague has grown into one of mutual respect and friendship, and the duo now finds themselves collaborating with the visionary music maker whose sound defines not only the duo’s own influences, but Pop Music’s past five decades.

When The Heroic Enthusiasts initially presented Hague with song sketches and the concept for Illuminate, he was immediately intrigued and offered several additional song seeds for the band to consider. The co-production and co-writing process began in early 2023 with songs “Left A Light On,” “Come Find Me Inside,” “Play The Part,” and “Euro Star,” leading to sixteen songs being sketched, demoed, recorded, and sent back and forth from New York to London over the ensuing months. Ten tracks were eventually selected to make up the final album—five songs with Tabbi and Ferrara as co-writers, and five co-written with Stephen Hague. The entire album, however, is a true collaboration of these three devoted musicians.

Illuminate continues a meteoric rise for The Heroic Enthusiasts over the past two years. They’ve amassed a fervent fanbase with the release of the album’s previous singles “Jaded,” “All I Want,” “Wake Me When It’s Over,” and “Clear,” along with two critically-acclaimed EPs, two groundbreaking covers of 80s classics “It’s A Sin” (Pet Shop Boys) and “Tears Run Rings” (Marc Almond) and two stunning remixes of Lesley Gore’s classic “You Don’t Own Me.” The band’s ascent is as remarkable as it is refreshing—evidence that musicianship, songwriting, and studio expertise still matter in today’s all-too-often jaded music world.

Tabbi addresses the dichotomy of their success coming during a time of global upheaval and uncertainty. “It’s been striking to experience our rise during such a dark time. I’ve wanted to make it clear that we can’t give up, in fact, that we must make our own light.” Indeed, Illuminate acknowledges the darkness Tabbi describes, and offers a ray of hope in a world on fire. Ferrara adds, “I’m incredibly proud that Illuminate will finally be shared with the world. This album is a reflection of my journey and the emotions that were inspirational to me in the collaboration of creating this record. Each song holds a special place in my heart, having poured every bit of myself into the composition of these songs.”

The UK’s Clash Magazine hails The Heroic Enthusiasts as “Challenging yet innovative… a sound that feels equally nostalgic yet future-facing.” Post Punk calls the duo’s work “Striking, cinematic… creative collaborations [that] deftly merge the intellectual and emotional.” Earmilk adds, “A rich and textured soundscape… with layers of synths and driving drum beats that toe the line between classic and refreshing.”