The Heroic Enthusiasts return with Illuminate, their highly anticipated second album, released April 11 via Meridian (ECR Music Group). This time around, they’ve teamed up with none other than pop production legend Stephen Hague—whose resume reads like a Hall of Fame lineup: New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and more. That collaboration alone makes Illuminate a must-hear.

Singer James Tabbi and guitarist Thomas Ferrara, both veterans of past projects (Eleven Pond and Bullseye, respectively), blend Brit-pop, New Wave, and Post-Punk influences into a shimmering, cinematic sound. But this isn’t just retro revivalism—it’s evolution. The duo brings a fresh energy to the genres they love, and Hague’s signature polish gives every track an edge that’s both classic and current.

The numbers back it up. Illuminate’s singles have racked up over 800,000 streams across platforms and landed on Apple Music’s New in Alternative playlist not once, but four times. Not to mention media buzz on five continents and a rapidly growing global fanbase.

Critics are in full agreement: Clash Magazine calls the band “nostalgic yet future-facing,” Post Punk describes the music as “striking, cinematic,” and Earmilk hails the album’s “rich and textured soundscape.”

What’s clear is that Illuminate is more than just a follow-up—it’s a full realization of the band’s potential. Tabbi and Ferrara’s creative chemistry with Hague doesn’t just sparkle, it shines. From lush synths to tight grooves, the album feels like a love letter to the past that’s ready to soundtrack the present—and maybe even the future.

In short: The Heroic Enthusiasts didn’t just raise the bar with Illuminate. They lit it up.