Hard-Wired Electronica Review
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Out Of Line have done a good job in raising UnterArt's profile prior to the release of their second album which will no doubt be good news to those of you who missed their debut 'Noise And Grace' (a mistake you should all rectify pronto) & the even better news is that they've come up with a fine follow-up that might lack the genuine sense of adventure that graced their debut but more than makes up for this with a consistently strong package that show their compositional skills are as good (if not better) than ever, particularly on the twin highlights that are the infectious-as-hell 'Pariah' which swaggers along in an almost funky manner & the bittersweet title track which, with its instantly memorable chorus & angst-filled lyrics more than justifies the label's tag of 'a versatile dancefloor filler'. The combination of smooth melodic vocals & harsh, EBM-style voices, which is a constant element here, add a good dose of grit to proceedings although they're never overpowering, even when, as in the case of the infectious 'Exit', the main voice bears a resemblance to Chris L of Agonoize! It certainly rewards repeated listens as it ably engages the heart & mind & should prove a hit both in the clubs & at home, aside from the hardfloor & power noise flavourings of the 'Novalis' pieces which, like any of their kind, sound a tad anonymous although they should go down a storm at Infest & Slimelight. A far better demonstration of their skills comes in the form of 'Atrophied' which closes the album in a laidback manner that quite bluesy with some authentic-sounding double bass (if it's a sample it's a bloody good one!) although the chorus is atmospheric, full-sounding & shows them stretching their wings further in a manner that implies anything can happen with the violin adding to the imaginative feel of the track still further. On paper, this might sound like an easy-on-the-ear synthpop release but, thanks to the excellent songwriting, it's much more than that, boasting plenty of depth & soul throughout & only repeated listenings can really do it justice. So, this is one excellent album, not much more to add, really! | |||||||||||||||||||
