| Artist |
| Erotic Elk |
| Title |
| Design With Circuitry |
| Format/Cat |
| CD |
| Label |
| Major Records |
| Style |
| Synthpop |
| Date of review |
| 6th February 2011 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 7/10 |
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Hard-Wired Synthpop Reviews |
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| Home | |
| Review ratings: | |
| 1. Avoid | 6. Not Bad |
| 2. Poor | 7. Good |
| 3. Weak | 8. Very Good |
| 4. Worth The Effort | 9. Excellent |
| 5. Shows Promise | 10. Must Have |
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And the award for the worse-named band of 2010 goes to.....this lot! I mean, Erotic Elk? Pur-lease, they're not going to do themselves any favours with a name like that which is a shame as there's some potential in this trio's synthpop sound that could appeal to fans of Iris or Mesh. That's not to say they really reach anything like the same heights but the promise is their & the manner in which the opening 'New Hope' builds into its exciting chorus proves their compositional skills are well up to standard; it's certainly a good way to kick off proceedings while the vocals remind me of The Charlatans' Tim Burgess, strangely enough. This is a similarity that pops up on some tracks, most notably the atmospheric offering that is 'Suffer In Silence' & the lively albeit slightly reflective version of Tears For Fears' 'Memories Fade' while elsewhere they're more of the standard European melodic style that, whilst being pleasant & not without appeal, doesn't quite have anything that makes them really stand out although there's no doubt that they work well enough on tracks such as the solidly rhythmic 'Syrinx', the stronger 'Change' which is sure to have a widespread appeal & the excellent 'Released (From Chains)' which, with its immediately memorable main hook, is a fine piece by anyone's standards. It's certainly a modern-sounding affair with the punchy rhythms of 'Reality' being the only reminder of the 80s & this is soon offset by the soaring strings that give the song a real lift while the cheerful lighter mood of 'Room Of Hearts' provides something of a lift from the rather earnest feel of the rest of the album. So, although this isn't a great album it's an enjoyable one & a promising debut to boot so if you can find room in your heart for another synthpop band then this could well fit the bill as long as you don't let that name put you off!! | |||||||||||||||||||
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I don't know about you but this new Tenek album has been one of my most eagerly-awaited releases of the year &, as good as Stateless was, it's a blast that this is so much better as the duo hone their skills still further to deliver a totally spellbinding release with not one poor track to be found. If you've seen the duo live at all over the past year or so you'll no doubt have already fallen in love with 'Losing 'Something' which kicks proceedings off in a typically infectious manner as well as the excellent single 'Blinded By You' which, for me, is a strong contender for track of the year & you can hardly have avoided the surging 'No Time For Fighting', the album version of which doesn't really make any drastic changes to the versions heard elsewhere, partly because it was already so good it didn't need to! What's even more exciting is that the rest of the tracks are just as good, bringing a vibe that, while it incorporates more 80s influences than ever still sounds totally up to date. No way is this any sort of retro trip, though, instead Brighton's own dynamic duo bring both sides of their musical influences together in a perfect mixture of old & new in their own unique style; witness the Numan-like synths that crop up on the excellent 'Loose Connection' or 'Higher Ground' which features some guitar work reminscent of Ultravox circa Systems Of Romance or the closing 'Under My Skin' where, aided by Michael Steer's bass work, the guitars & synths mix to create a more organic feel than they've done before. The effect so created is not totally dissimilar to bands such as The Killers but these two do it so much better with a melancholic edge that is sure to give you goosebumps (yes, I am talking from experience here!) & makes this a fitting closer. The excellence of 'Visions', with its unforgettable synthleads, makes for another outstanding track & even the analogue rhythms that grace 'Field Of View' manage to sound contemporary as they pave the way for a slice of accessible electronica, indicating that they're well able to absorb their labelmates' more eclectic leanings into their pop world. Add to this the touches of class that graces the soaring title track & the understated bittersweet work of art that is 'The Art Of Evasion' & what you've got is an absolute corker of an album that is surely the album of the year. | |||||||||||||||||||
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If you're familar with Ashbury Heights' synthpop style then the guitar riff that opens this long-awaited follow-up will certainly come as something as a shock; is this going to be a pop/rock album? Are they trying to be the new Apop? The guitar-heavy stance of the opening 'Anti Ordinary' certainly seems to promise that this will be the case & while it is a good enjoyable track & Anders' vocals retain their characteristally cultured style, I can imagine a good few fans of their previous works quaking in their New Rocks at this point!! Once the following 'Beautiful Scum' gets into its stride it becomes clear that, while synthpop is still alive & kicking in Ashbury Heights land, this is still a very different album from its predecessor, eschewing the mix of 80s & now in favour of a more contemporary, solidly rhythmic style that has been described in the promo blurb as 'New Wave 2.0!! And while this probably wasn't the intention anyone who enjoys the current batch of popular chart bands could do worse than check out the more easy-going numbers such as the unexpectedly bright 'I Can Kill You So Easily' but it's the tracks that retain the band's established sense of drama that provide the highlights, among them the infectious 'Hope' & the punchy, surging 'Crescendo' which lives up to its title with a powerful, almost anthemic feel while new co-vocalist Kari makes her mark by adding a feisty shoutyness to the equally infectious 'Shades Of Black'. These three tracks come as a tasty mid-section trio of highlights but then, just as you might think you're getting into the album along comes the surprisingly bright & cheeky 'The Ashes Of Her Breath' with its bouncey bass chords & playful leads making for a most commercial number & you're confused again & then, a little later, the swaggering 'Dancer's Nocturne' with its glam rock-inspired bassline again underlines the fact that this is a very different Ashbury Heights from the fresh-faced duo who delighted us back in 2007. In fact, you have to wait until the tail-end of the album for a reminder of their past as 'Unbearable Beauty' & 'Invisible Man' come closest to the purer synthpop sound of yore & make for a satisfying conclusion. For me this lacks that indefinable magic that made '3 Cheers...' one of the top albums of 2007 but you have to admire any artist who's prepared not to repeat a successful formula like this. It certainly needs a couple of listens to get one's head around the album but there are enough good tunes here to ensure that it's well worth persevering with. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Synthpoppers, behold your new idols! The German/Swedish duo of Plastique & Deadbeat are here to save your synthetic souls with an album packed to the gunnels with 12 tracks of electropop goodness! The preceeding single 'Flowers/Whole' (which features a couple of fine tracks not on here, just so you know!) gave a potent taster of their style that is bleepy & melancholic & full of emotion but this is a full-on banquet for synthetic souls. The excellence is such that you can't help but fall in love with tracks such as the jaunty 'I Will Always Be With You', the funkier 'Another Love' or 'Prayer', which is propelled by a chunky sequential base as well as the slow but moving 'I Lost Control', where the bassy backing acts like the track's heartbeat. And, of course, it's impossible not to mention the utterly superb 'Crash Course In Hate' where Plastique's understated & melancholic yet totally expressive voice sits atop a mass of sequencers that link together like a complex tapestry, each stitch adding to the duo's musical magic! In fact, every single track is an absolute winner, the brilliance never letting up for a second. Better yet, Plastique's vocals are of such high quality, packing such a mighty emotional punch, that only briefly on 'The Isle' do the usual robot vocals make an appearance & even then they add a definite something to proceedings. As enjoyable as this is, however, it's that wonderful voice in unison with Deadbeat's excellent synthwork make this surely one of the finest synthpop albums ever & if the synthpop revival that seems to be on the cards for 2010 does come to fruition this duo are certain to be in the vanguard of it. To put it in a nutshell if you have even the slightest interest in electronic pop you simply MUST own this album!! | |||||||||||||||||||
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Munich Syndrome is US-based musician David B. Roundsley & this is his third release of retro-modern synthpop that resurrects the spirit of the late 70s (with Giorgio Moroder being a key influence, I'd guess) while still sounding totally up-to-date. The colourful cover ensures the album will catch your eye & make you curious as to what lies within & it's well worth satisfying that curiosity here with its 16 tracks (13 originals, 3 mixes) & a running time of well over 70 minutes ensuring it's a good value for money offering. The aforementioned Moroder influence is immediately felt during the opening seconds of the title track as those sequences kick in, being joined by the vocodered vocals that, well-used staple that they are, still sound so right. And it's just as well they do as they pop up throughout, proving their worth equally on the more assertive tracks such as 'Dream Sequence 3' & 'Dreams (Or Memories?) which also features some attention-grabbing lead synths & the decidedly infectious 'Watching You', as they do on the more restrained 'Anywhere (But Here) where some faux sax makes for a seriously loungey vibe & the decidedly wistful '2 Whom' where the combination of obviously synthetic vocals & emotive music is evocative of a machine that's experienced the negative side of human emotions (which I still think is cool!). The instrumental 'Metro' does push its luck a bit due to the slightly jazzy piano that has a whiff of Shakatak-style wine bar chic to it which is tolerable in this small dose as long as it doesn't become a habit although 'Random' provides a safer instrumental experience that leads into the remixes which add more elements to various tracks whilst retaining the essential feel of the album before 'Signals' closes the album on a more downbeat instrumental note. Overall, then, this is another fine release from an independent artist that is following very much his own musical path & the fact it is again a self-release from Syndrome Sounds is heartening in that there are still artists who still feel releasing bona fide CDs is still a worthwhile venture & are prepared to put in the hard work to make this happen so if you're looking for a unique synthpop sound that's surely got to be worth supporting, right? | |||||||||||||||||||
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If you're interested in checking out the full range of modern electropop styles then you'll not do much better than this 2CD, 29-track sampler from Major Records. It covers pretty much every style you could think of, from the traditional 90s stylings of Eden, Celluloide, Foretaste (with Sylvie Billy in typically sexy voice!!), Antilles (whose 'You And Me' is one of the best tracks on the album) & the typical German style of P24 through the chilled-out electrolounge sound of Onetwo (which brings together the talents of OMD's Paul Humphreys & Propaganda's Claudia Brucken, of course) & the infectious modern pop of Dragons (as remixed by Danny Saber) & on to the acoustic-pop stylings of Mesh's 'So Important' & Aerophonics' lively 'My Space' as well as Northern Kind's laidback but rather twee 'Into The Blue'. As you might have already noticed, there's a good mix of well- & lesser-known names which makes it all the more exciting, of course, with such luminaries as Ladytron, who are represented by a very chilled-out remix of 'Destroy Everything You Touch' & IAMX, whose 'Nightlife' is given a minimalistic danceable makeover by People Theatre, being counterbalanced by the newer talents of The Attery Squash's 'Devo Was Right About Everything' (remixed by Devo themselves-if you like Client then check this out) with its very English vocals & Ultima Bleep whose 'X The I's & Dot The T's' is turned into a dynamic dancefloor pleaser by none other than Funker Vogt while Mink's 'I Don't Care', with its sassy vocals & melodics, has the potential to be one of the year's trendiest tracks if it gets marketed in the right way! Elsewhere Loic Rathscheck make their mark with the instrumental 'Robots In Love' while Lavantgarde's mix of electronica cleverness & poppy catchiness should make them a few friends & fans of The Cure will no doubt be pleased to see Mechanical Cabaret covering 'Let's Go To Bed' & if you like what he's done here then be sure to make his new album your next purchase! In a similar manner to the 'Elektrisch!' sampler there's a good chance that this could achieve some level of mainstream club crossover &, if that ever happens, the tracks from Empire State Human, Tenek & Polaroid Kiss as well as Razormaid's danceable remix of 'Blue Velvet' from Boytronic that stand to benefit from this. That this is on the label's mind is perhaps a reason why there's very few 80s influences to be found, the only obvious one being Scarlet Soho's totally analogue 'Modern Radio' which, in resurrecting the spirit of John Foxx's 'Metamatic' is totally atypical of their most recent work although it's a very welcome addition while the inclusion of The Strand's 'You Make Me Crazy' was a surprise but, with its spikey synthetics & almost vocals, it shows they're not scared to take chances! Other artists worthy of note include Nono & Die Loge, the latter ending the collection on a nicely sumptuous, slightly melancholic note. What this fine compilation does prove is that synthpop is alive & well & that there are a number of promising artists with the potential to give the established names a run for their money; now, isn't that something to smile about? | |||||||||||||||||||
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No, I've never heard of them either but the duo of 2RT+tb & Igor 404 have obviously been going for 20 years now & so could be called Hungary's No.1 synth band. That's mainly down to lack of competiton, of course, but this is a curious insight into a band that, while hardly setting the world on fire, deserve this wider recognition, even if only as a reward for sticking with it for so long! That they're signed to Electric Tremor pretty much tells you all you need to know about the music herein, yup, it's another dose of old-skool EBM but it does have a more individual edge to it, partly down to the analogue rhythms that gives the music an almost synthpop-like edge, along with the infectious elements that grace 'Andromeda' with its fine vocodered vox & the quirky 'M.V.K.V.' as well as the highlight that is 'Hvom A Multat'. A catchy little ditty with a simple but effective riff which any 80s synthpoppers would be proud to put their name to, it's obviously an old favourite as it appears in three difference versions! Of the three it's a toss-up I suppose whether you prefer the minimalist 'Archiv' version with its odd opening or the more polished later version; the live version sounds as if it were played in front of a small but enthusiastic audience & at least proves they had a following somewhere! Elsewhere 'Idozitett Bomba' benefits from some excellent chord works while the contrast that is provided by the abstract noisecore of 'Error' gives the album a slightly more unpredictable feel that makes most of their labelmates sound all too safe & obvious- a few could do worse than listen to this duo's sense of adventure & apply it to their own output. It just goes to show that no matter how much you think you know about music there will always be something obscure that you've missed & it's discoveries like this that keeps me excited about electro music. This duo's individual take on EBM deserves to be recognised & applauded by the fans & learned from by electro musicians. | |||||||||||||||||||
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This is Scarlet Soho's second album (following on from 2004's Divisions Of Decency-a couple of tracks from which are tacked on as extras here & demonstrate how they've progressed in the meantime) & it's clear right from the off that James, Scarlet & Stuart are intent on resurrecting the polished style & spirit of such 80s bands as The Associates & the like (whilst being a little less earnest & po-faced, these guys sound like they're having fun!) whilst maintaining a decidedly modern outlook . Indeed, while listening to the opening duo of 'I Dare' & 'Model Of Control', with its fine synth work on the chorus & later tracks such as 'Speak Your Mind', I couldn't help thinking of The Killers, a band who are constantly mentioned as evoking the spirit of the 80s in a modern style &, given the right exposure, there's no reason why this trio shouldn't be able to achieve a similar level of success. But while some older listeners will find plenty to get all nostalgic about I'd lay good money that an equal, if not greater, number of younger fans for whom the 80s are merely a time their parents remember so fondly, will just enjoy this just for the fact that it is a very good electro/pop album, no matter how much the sequences that form the backbone of 'Analogue Dialogue (Kill The Beat)' resemble Giorgio Moroder & despite that fact that the rampant synths that lead the line on the exhuberant highlight track that is 'Is Growing Up The Best That We Can Do?' are a dead ringer for classic Gary Numan (something which works for me every time!!). Elsewhere the slower 'Satellites' possesses a kind of melancholy grandeur with some fine bass work much in evidence while 'Under Strict Surveillance' impresses through the interplay of bass, piano & synths that sets an effectively moody atmosphere that's only spoilt by its brevity, I'm sure it could have been developed into an excellent full length number but hey ho! To sum up, this is an album that's bound to have a wide appeal, both among children of the 80s looking for a nostalgic fix & lovers of modern pop who just like what they hear!!!! | |||||||||||||||||||
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As the sleevenotes remind us, it's been 5 years since Seize's last album so it's good to see Sandrine, Stephen & Rosie's latest effort finally seeing the light of day. As we all know they've not been idle in the intervening period, what with OVNI & an ill-fated turn backing Steve Strange as Visage but they've also used the time to transform their music into a more organic blend of pop electronica that mixes acoustic sounds (Rosie's bass guitar notwithstanding) with the ever-present synthetic ones. In this regard it's not totally dissimilar to some of Mesh's recent works but as soon as Sandrine's exotic, husky vocals make their entrance, there's no doubt who you are listening to. I don't know if it's just my fevered imagination but I'm sure the French accent has been emphasised throughout the album but she certainly sounds better than ever, adding a touch of class throughout, not least on the superb 'One Second Hallucination' which is quite possibly the best song the band have ever written, being utterly infectious & excellent while the trance-flavoured 'Craving For More' provides a welcome adrenaline boost. However, the track that is sure to gain the most attention is the unbelievable 'Who's Your Teacher?' which is probably the sexiest song you'll ever hear with lyrics like 'moving between my hips/breathing between my lips' opening up all sorts of delicious visions & how many fantasies do the lines 'Please do not reject me/I will be your teacher' bring to mind? (the video's a good laugh, too!). At times, the overtly poppy elements do at times make for 'OK' tracks rather than excellent one (in my humble opinion!) such as during 'Travelling' which starts with a harder edge but loses it a bit on the less than inspiring chorus while 'Am I Just Like You' is a varied but somewhat lightweight opener, although it does set the scene for the goodies that follow. Actually, it's the tracks where they take more chances that work out best such as the (sampled?) twangy guitar riffs that for the basis of 'Troubled Minds', making for a decidedly gritty feel while the orchestral elements add to the already dramatic mood; likewise, some effective rhythmic cascades provide a punchy counterpoint to the typically sensuous vocals of 'Fight For Your Constant Sun' while 'Is There Another Way?' reintroduces the drum n bass rhythms that marked their earlier works in unison with some lounge-like elements before 'Sick In The Head' ends the album with a slab of dynamic trance with Sandrine's vocals emerging from & melting into the atmospheric electronic soundscape. It feels freeform (but probably isn't) & is the sort of track you can get totally lost in, in fact a 12" vinyl mix of this will, I'm sure, go down a storm in clubs across the globe, even mainstream ones! With this album under their belts Seize prove they've got what it takes to join the top echelons of modern electronica, with a potential appeal that far outstrips any gothic/industrial/dark music audiences, hopefully the organisers of more eclectic festivals such as Lovebox will take notice of what they've done here, now, wouldn't that be something? | |||||||||||||||||||
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Silly. Disposable. Depressing. Those are just three words people use to describe the 1980s. The question is, do these words also describe Femme Fatality?
The early signs are not good. "Lucky Lover" features shouted vocals, halfway between Perry Farrell and Fred Durst. The music is urgent and synth-based, which earns points in my book. "Bullet Train" is an improvement, due to the less hysterical singing tone. The attitude expressed is juvenile and snotty. One lyric reads: 'All the money that I'm makin/I spend it on the 'caine'. One suspects the band aren't treating the actor made famous for his roles in Alfie and The Italian Job to a night on the town. Behind all the shouting on "Come On, Come Out" there are some moody synths, which beguile the listener. I've never been a fan of whiny vocals, which makes me wish this song was an instrumental. New Order-flavoured guitars and keyboards usher in "Still Alive". This song has a catchy melody. The vocals during "Connections" remind me of early Faith No More, i.e. before they got someone who could sing in tune. "One's Not Enough" is fast and furious. There's an ambient instrumental coda to this song, which is enjoyable. "Pretty Mess" features some surging guitars, which make up for the basic keyboard sound. 'We're all poison machines!' assert the band. I'm relieved when this song is over. The synths during "Yay & Alize" are good. "Don't Kill For Me" is a pleasant relief from the too-many-additives energy on display elsewhere. When the band do slow things down and amp up the menace they are much more interesting. Musically "Bar Fly" is superior synthpop, but is once again let down by the vocals. "Win, Loose, Die" (sic) sounds like Voltaire, without the jokes. It's acoustic guitar and voice - and it's the most moving thing on the album. There are elements of the Femme Fatality sound I like. Both the synths and guitars (when used) show a strong 80s influence. Sadly they are drowned out by the vocals, which have nothing interesting say and fail to communicate this paucity of message in an arresting manner. Maybe I'm too old to understand the band's interests - or connect with the way they express them. The kids of today eh? Someone pass my pipe and slippers... |
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After enjoying ABOD's previous album On The Road To Wisdom (released on A Different Drum) so much & then discovering the earlier self-release Electric was no less enjoyable I was definately looking forward to hearing what Swedish musician Owe Emfestav (for it is he) had come up with on his latest, again self-released offering. In a nutshell, if you like simple-sounding yet astoundingly excellent analogue synthpop then Owe's your man & the eight tracks here (it's a download CD so the less than epic playing time is more understandable) do not disappoint in the slightest. The simple but punchy & effective rhythms that grace tracks such as 'The World Today' & 'Retroboy', appropriately enough, add a real 80s vibe to proceedings while the infectious melodics work their magic on pretty much every track, especially when combined with some excellent on 'Do You Remember?'. However, this isn't just music to dance to or get all nostalgic to as the heartfelt lyrics of the title track, which will resonate with anyone who has lost a parent & the romantic, sunny mood of 'In Your Garden' make this an album capable of also touching your heart when it wants to. 'United States' is another slow piece where the soft chords & vocodered voice prove a worthwhile combination although 'Romantic' might surprise a few people as it's the only number to bring forth the oft-commented on Kraftwerk influence with a feel not unlike Computer Love, particularly in the leadlines which definately bring the Dusseldorfers' classic to mind. It's a surprise in as much as it takes the premise of its title in an unexpected but welcome direction, proving once again that even the most obviously synthetic music can touch your heart & that Owe knows what makes analogue synthpop so great. | |||||||||||||||||||
