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Archived Reviews
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The cybermilitary squadron known as Funker Vogt are back with Navigator. While their constant theme of soldiers and war remains grounded in some not-too-distant future, the music here has been refreshingly invigorated since their last effort - Survivor. As the disc progresses, each track seems better than the last. "Killing Ground" flanges in to begin Navigator, hailing in another round of Funker Vogt . A rattling bass drum and familiar synths bring this industrial march to life, the vocoded vocals casting some stoicism upon the slow trudge of rave-edged electro. They then progress into the sequel to their biggest hit, "Tragic Hero", aptly titled "Fallen Hero". The drum programming is subtly accented with trip hop funk in its trudge, and the bridge adds some rap elements to the lyrical flow, but this single lacks the trumpet-laced hooks of their classic track. From there, "No Tomorrow" delivers Navigator a shot of adrenaline. Driven by a light rapid synth, it features winding guitar riffs and nicely metered lyrics over a frenetic, snare-heavy clockwork of rhythm. "Thoughts of a Soldier" is a dizzying excursion into strobing arpeggios set to a trance-friendly, thumping rhythm; while "Starfighters" features chunky metal guitar riffs, and steam blasts of snare beneath shouted vocals that veer into a sing-a-long chorus. Echoing anvils clangs, choir-like ambience, sci-fi computer burbles, stuttering synths, and drum machines beat to a kettle-drum pace paint the club-friendly, "The End". "Für Dich" is majestic and haunting; book-ended by echoes of children at play, this orchestral piece features pensive singing over harp-like synths and a deep backing choir is intermittently interrupted by lighting strikes of cymbal. The disc concludes with the commanding "Vorwärts!". The track screams out commands through gravel-laced vocals, the heavy stomp of its music coated with chugging guitar, pummelled hi-hat, and fuzzy synth riffs. While their style and structure is immediately recognisable, FV seem somewhat reluctant to explore new grounds. The musicians behind this project are involved in several other projects (Fictional, Ravenous, Fusspils 11), which could account for this rut. Regardless, this German battalion have improved their refined formula, aggrandising their well-defined songs with more guitar, a bit more sophisticated drum programming, and concluding the affair with some of their best songs to date. |
