“I don’t like country & western, I don’t like rock music… I don’t like rockabilly! I don’t like much really do I? But what I do like, I love passionately!!”: CHRIS LOWE
CELLULOIDE are the enigmatic synth trio from Marseille who have been a cult favourite with discerning electronic music enthusiasts since their formation in 2000.
Adopting mysterious pseudonyms, they are fronted by the feminine stereo vocal presence of Darkleti while on the left is Member U-0176 and to his right is the more conventionally named Patryck Holdwem. CELLULOIDE’s reputation was built in their Synthélabo via ‘Naive Heart’, their debut long player issued in 2002; it is now remastered and reissued for 2022 by French indie label BOREDOMproduct.
While CELLUIODE are now veterans of seven albums, it seems unusual to look back to see that their first body of work was lyrically lamenting the passage of time and fearing the future, as many young acts did back in the pioneering days of synth.
‘Naive Heart’ did as the album title suggested and there was an innocent bleepy charm about it that appealed with listeners who would have tired of grunge and indie but were buoyed by the promise of a new dawn, thanks to the new generation of song based electronic acts such as LADYTRON.
The catchy opening number ‘A Lie’ initiated CELLUIODE’s aural manifesto with buzzy percolating minimal synthpop and detached but wonderfully appealing European Female vocals.
‘Someone Like Me’ upped the tempo and the iciness and as octave shifting moods and primitive rhythm boxes provided the backbone, the dispassion conveyed proved to be incongruously emotive.
Ramping up the mood with a harder drive verging on Goth Italo, ‘Pretty Girl’ could be mistaken for an EMMON track today although the more nostalgic ‘Wounds Of Love’ made the most of a throbbing engine room as a string machine cut through, effectively enhanced by responsive Gore-like backing vocals by the male contingent of the trio.
The cold wave of ‘Blessed Charms’ proved to be wonderfully mechanical and simplistic thanks to its hypnotic bleeping motif while ‘Sixth Sense’ was an infectiously eerie concoction based around absorbing synth bass and strings… and yes, Bruce Willis was a ghost all along!! 👻
‘Seven & Forever’ made interesting use of a cooker alarm within its backing and as the Clarkean ‘Missing Words’ displayed crossover potential despite its Sci-Fi synthetic texturing, ‘In Contempt Of Common Sense’ partied like it was 1980 and went into Gallic FAD GADGET mode with a distorted male lead.
Rumbling on the triplets, ‘The Reed’ took on a more dramatic darkwave approach but the girly vocals maintained the wider sonic spectrum while ‘The Paradox Of The Mirror Girl’ came over like CLIENT and eerily would have been birthed around the same time as Client A and Client B were working on their debut. To close, ‘It Needed An End’ provided just that in its nonchalant resignation.
One of the joys of today’s more open online market for music consumption is the opportunity to hear lesser known works as new several decades on.
Having been an album originally released before social media was ever a thing, CELLULOIDE’s ‘Naive Heart’ is one of those records deservedly reset for discovery by an electronic pop audience that the internet already has in place.
The Scottish Swedish pairing of Andrew Montgomery and Leo Josefsson released their debut album ‘First Contact’ in 2019 under the two letter moniker of US.
Extending their name to UNIFY SEPARATE, their excellent second album ‘Music Since Tomorrow’ looks at the future in an uncertain world, shaped by Montgomery’s own relationship breakdown and the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
A record of conflicting emotions, other topics include environmental issues, social media and the disconnects of life. Augmented by more guitars than heard on ‘First Contact’, a denser sound is presented on ‘Music Since Tomorrow’ to document a period of personal struggle that many can relate to. Josefsson’s machines battle with six string contributions from Christian Persson and SUEDE’s Richard Oakes while Montgomery tests his vocal range with lots of emotive falsetto.
A darker, more indie sounding album than their US debut, despite the midlife sorrows, UNIFY SEPARATE have provided a collection of glorious pandemic pop to savour. Andrew Montgomery and Leo Josefsson chatted with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK and reflected about their ‘Music Since Tomorrow’…
‘Music Since Tomorrow’ documents a period of personal and existential upheaval, this can’t have been an easy album to make?
Andrew: It really wasn’t! Like everyone in the world, we struggled with the strangeness and sadness of the pandemic, even though Sweden didn’t go into actual lockdown and we were both lucky not to lose anyone due to it. But there were also personal things in the background which cast a bit of shadow over the album process. It’s fair to say that coming to the studio to work with Leo was personally a bit of a refuge for me at a time when I was wee bit lost, and to know that we were creating something special was a bit of a light in the darkness.
To also see just how much artistry Leo put into the production and song composition inspired me to give my utmost and rise to the standards he was setting. But ultimately, like so many other artists, there’s also the situation of being a band that needs to do other jobs to get by – that’s not always easy either, as many musicians know. We made it to the finishing line, though, and we’re lucky that we are both blessed with good health and good people around us.
Did the creative dynamic between the two of you become affected as a result?
Andrew: Sometimes it got a little tense, but Leo, in common with most Swedes I know, seems to have a very long fuse! I’m much more inclined to get het up over things. He is better at just getting on with it, I think. But we’re still friends. Right, Leo? … Leo????
Leo: Andrew has days where I simply just have to drink even more coffee and everything will be ok.
Have you managed to get your ‘Closure’? Where did the trancier influences on that track come from?
Leo: 🙂 We see what you did there! Actually it’s a result of Andrew introducing me to loads of current electronic music such as MODERAT and FLOATING POINTS, as well as Kelly Lee Owens, Nicolas Jaar and Jon Hopkins. It also re-awakened my previous fascination for EBM and darker-tinged club music such as NITZER EBB, UNDERWORLD and FRONT 242. There was also some inspiration from the ’28 Days Later’ theme in there.
‘Solitude & I’ can be appreciated on a number of relatable levels…
Leo: We hope so! That’s a song about staying the course despite everything that’s being thrown at you. It works as a personal anthem and a collective one, especially in this day and age…
‘Embrace The Fear’ can be considered a product of lockdown but nearly a year and a half on from its single release, it still stands up and is a cornerstone of the album…
Andrew: That’s great to hear, thanks. We’re really proud of that one and it was indeed an important step forward in the way that we were expanding our soundworld. It builds on some of our shared musical foundations and influences, such as NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE and indie-dance music from the late 80s / early 90s, but it also has its own particular flavour that belongs to us. It’s a strong message allied to a strong and memorable tune. And who hasn’t wondered about embracing the fear in the last few years, if only just to get through the bloody madness we are being faced with on a daily basis…
Andrew: Yeah, okay, the Swedish guy was right. Again… 🙂
The vocals on ‘Way To Love’ capture an emotive weariness, what had been your mindset at the time of recording?
Andrew: Oh, you know, relationships… 🙂 Like, why the f*ck do I get myself into these situations when I know it’ll end in tears?!
There are more prominent guitars than on ‘First Contact’ with ‘The Void’ and ‘Waiting Game’ featuring the talents of Richard Oakes Of SUEDE, how did his involvement come about?
Andrew: Richard is an old friend of mine from the days when the band I was in, GENEVA, was on the same record label as SUEDE. We reconnected about a decade ago when I was working on my solo album with Sean McGhee, who is in the band ARTMAGIC along with Richard. Richard is in Sweden quite often and it was a natural step to invite him to Leo’s studio to play him some tunes and drink a few beers. He was really happy to play on a couple of tracks, and so I guess that confirmed the guitar direction, though we’d already been going there because both Leo and I wanted to broaden the reach of the record and our sound.
As a song, ‘The Void’ really hits a nerve… what was its genesis?
Leo: It began as a sort of soul-inspired track that Andrew was convinced was a winner from the off, whereas I felt it needed more work (I’m usually right 😉 ). I had a vision for it based on Giorgio Moroder-meets-Morricone, with a bit of Phil Spector Wall of Sound too. I had this flash of inspiration and decided to record the voice of one of my daughters, and it led me to produce the track in the way you hear it now.
It’s a sort of angsty, new wave track that was just begging for guitar. Luckily enough Richard loved it and was happy to contribute. He elevated it onto a different plane and it was a brilliant experience watching him play along to it.
Technologically, how has your sound developed since ‘First Contact’? Have there been any new toys brought in?
Leo: During the pandemic I went a bit mad and became obsessed with technical perfection in the studio, and upgraded both my equipment and recording, mixing and mastering skills. I learned a lot, but it was an extremely intense experience (and expensive too!). But I had to go through that process to capture the sorts of sounds I was hearing in my head – more instrumentation, bigger production, a more in-your-face approach that left nothing out. I invested in the Dangerous Music ecosystem (that was a hallelujah! moment) and high-end equipment from Wes Audio and Tegeler Audio. It was crazy, but it was worth it! I’m happy now 🙂
Andrew: I don’t think Leo’s bank manager is very happy, though…
What is ‘Dying On The Vine’ referring to?
Andrew: It’s about social media addiction and people who solely derive their worth from likes and comments online. There’s a bit of a play on words because Vine was that short-lived video promo tool that got swallowed up Twitter and (essentially) spat out again, a bit like people who play the social media game. It’s a mixture of anger and pity and ends up trying to be compassionate for the SoMe obsessive, who’s really the victim at the end of it all. And let’s face it, we’ve all been there…
If you don’t mind me saying, ‘Radio Waves’ has echoes of GENEVA with its chopping strings… coincidental?
Leo: We don’t mind you saying that at all! No, we just wanted to go for a big arena sound that suited the epic nature of the song’s subject matter. And who doesn’t love a good string section?
‘In Over My Head’ eerily has elements of Philip Glass and Jean-Michel Jarre?
Andrew: Thanks. Both of those guys are musical touchstones for us so we’re delighted that you think so! And yes, it’s a bit of an eerie subject matter, I guess, so hopefully it all fits together.
‘Music Since Tomorrow’ works very well as an album experience but do you have any particular favourite tracks for any particular reasons?
Andrew: Thank you! My favourite is ‘In Over My Head’ as it was fun to create, despite the dark subject matter. And I really, really love Leo’s production on it.
Leo: Hey! Now you’re asking me to choose my favourite child and in Sweden that is illegal!! But, if I may divide it into songwriting and production, I am very proud of my production on ‘In Over My Head’ and that I dared to stay with my original idea for the arrangement. ’Closure’, ‘Embrace The Fear’, ‘Visitors’ and ‘Dying On The Vine’ are other personal favourites.
What’s next for UNIFY SEPARATE, will you take this record onto the live stage? Did opening for SUEDE fire you up to do more gigs?
Andrew: Supporting SUEDE was an honour for us, and we have had some interesting enquiries since then. We love playing live and what the SUEDE gig confirmed for us is that we and our music belong on big stages in front of big audiences. We are absolutely ready for taking this album out on the road and we’re always happy to hear from promoters wherever in the world they are.
ELECTRICITY CLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to UNIFY SEPARATE
The phenomenon of the New Romantics can be said to have begun in Autumn 1978 with the foundation of a “Bowie Night” by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan at Billy’s nightclub in London’s Soho.
The youth movement that emerged aimed to find something new and colourful to escape the oncoming drabness in The Winter Of Discontent. Like Edwardian dandies meeting the Weimar Cabaret with extras from ‘Barbarella’ in between, they did a strange swaying arms dance, so as to not mess up their theatrical bouffanted hair. But after a disagreement with the owners of Billy’s, the pair moved their venture to The Blitz Club in Holborn.
Despite names such as Futurists, The Blitz Kids and The Movement With No Name, it was the term “New Romantics” coined by producer Richard James Burgess that became the widely used press description for this flamboyant group of outsiders. It was to eventually stick on anything from synthpop, art rock and peacock punk to Latin grooves, jazz funk and cod reggae provided the artist wore make-up, zoot suits, frilly blouses, smocks, headbands or kilts. Parallel club scenes developed at The Rum Runner in Birmingham, Crocs in Rayleigh near Southend and The Warehouse in Leeds from which DURAN DURAN, DEPECHE MODE and SOFT CELL respectively emerged.
To celebrate this era in popular culture, Cherry Red Records release an eclectic boxed set entitled ‘Music For New Romantics’. But while it contains some fantastic music, the tracklisting is a confused affair, having been originally conceived around comings and goings of The Blitz Club. It was here that Steve Strange acted as doorman and fashion policeman, while Rusty Egan was its resident DJ providing the soundtrack for a scene which became the catalyst for several bands including SPANDAU BALLET, CULTURE CLUB and VISAGE as well as assorted fashion designers, visual artists and writers.
Everything was centred around fashion-obsessed and some would say self-obsessed individuals; while the story about turning away Mick Jagger is well documented, one of the ironies of Steve Strange’s gatekeeping antics was that he refused entry to Chris Payne, then a member of Gary Numan’s band in 1979; Strange was to have his biggest hit with a song that Payne co-wrote entitled ‘Fade To Grey’ while another refused entry that evening was Ced Sharpley who played the drums on it!
Contrary to legend, the playlists of the various New Romantic establishments did not comprise exclusively of electronic music as those types of tracks were comparatively scarce at the time. So international synthworks from the likes of KRAFTWERK, YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA, SPARKS, SPACE and TELEX sat alongside soundtracks, punk, disco and relatable glam rock tunes by David Bowie, Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry.
Rusty Egan declined to be involved in the collection after initial discussions led to conceptual differences. In the absence of The Blitz Club’s resident DJ who is now planning his own curated collection, one of the regulars Chris Sullivan, who himself ran a similar but less electronically focussed night at Le Kilt in Soho, steps in to provide commentary while the set was put together by the team behind Cherry Red’s ‘Musik Music Musique’ synthpop series and ‘Electrical Language’ boxed set.
‘Music For New Romantics’ comes with three loosely themed discs with CD1 focussing on glam, art rock and early electronic disco while CD2 covers Synth Britannia and new wave. CD3 though is a hotch-potch of soul, funk and electro with SISTER SLEDGE and LIPPS INC being rather incongruous inclusions; with their hit songs being readily available on any ‘Night Fever’ type compilation, there were many more suitable alternatives that could have been considered.
But it is CD2 that most will revel in and the tracklist has no fault as a listening experience. Standards such as the eponymous song by VISAGE, SIMPLE MINDS ‘Changeling’, OMD’s ‘Electricity’, ‘Moskow Diskow’ from TELEX, THE NORMAL’s ‘Warm Leatherette’, JAPAN’s Giorgio Moroder produced ‘Life In Tokyo’, ‘Bostich’ by YELLO, ‘Being Boiled’ from THE HUMAN LEAGUE and THROBBING GRISTLE’s ‘Hot On The Heels Of Love’ are present and correct. But it was SPANDAU BALLET’s ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ and LANDSCAPE’s ‘Einstein A-Go-Go’ that were to confirm that the New Romantics were able to hit the charts in their own right after Steve Strange’s cameo in Bowie’s ‘Ashes To Ashes’ video.
CD1 features scene heroes such as Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Mick Ronson, but heroines come in the avant cabaret glamour of Nina Hagen with ‘TV-Glotzer’ and Grace Jones’ reinterpretation of Édith Piaf’s ‘La Vie En Rose’. The most welcome track on this disc though is RAH BAND’s ‘The Crunch’ which all but invented the sexy electro-Schaffel of GOLDFRAPP, while one obscure jewel is ‘The Ultimate Warlord’ by THE WARLORD. And when today’s synthwave fanboys go on and on ad nauseam about how influential the ‘Drive’ soundtrack is, then just throw ‘Chase’ by Giorgio Moroder from ‘Midnight Express’ at them!
Despite being a mess of styles, the highlights of CD3 are Marianne Faithfull’s terrorism commentary ‘Broken English’ and Gina X with the Quentin Crisp tribute ‘No GDM’ which both fit into the avant cabaret category. Although ‘M Factor’, the B-side of M’s ‘Pop Muzik’ was regularly played at The Blitz Club, ‘Everything’s Gone Green’ by NEW ORDER sticks out like a sore thumb… Peter Hook would likely scoff at being considered a New Romantic!
The move towards funk in the New Pop of late 1981 is reflected in ABC with ‘Tears Are Not Enough’ (full marks for using the CORRECT Steve Brown produced single version), HEAVEN 17’s ‘We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang’ (in a rare radio version with the lyric “fascist god” changed to “cowboy god”) and TOM TOM CLUB’s ‘Genius Of Love’. But those who consider New Romantics to be discerning studious types into synth and new wave will find the likes of Coati Mundi and Don Armando extremely alienating; after all, it was THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s Phil Oakey who said to Smash Hits around this time “I hate all trends like all this Ze Stuff”!
When the New Romantic magazine ‘New Sounds, New Styles’ launched as a monthly publication in Summer 1981 after a promising launch edition, its content was confused with one angry punter later exclaiming via letter: “You’re meant to be a Futurist mag so leave all this Latin and jazz funk sh*t out of it!” – with the embarrassing novelty party act MODERN ROMANCE also being lumped in with the New Romantics, it was obvious the rot had now set in. Tellingly within a year, ‘New Sounds, New Styles’ folded…
From 1982, ‘Club Country’ by ASSOCIATES which notably highlighted the observations of Billy MacKenzie on what he saw as the posey vapid nature of The Blitz Club is a fitting inclusion. Meanwhile as the ‘Music For New Romantics’ essay writer, Chris Sullivan gets to include his own style over substance combo BLUE RONDO À LA TURK with ‘Klactoveesedstein’, a single that came in with a blank at No50 that same year!
Of course, Sullivan went on to establish Le Beat Route and The Wag Club because he loved salsa and was less than enthused about synthpop, highlighting that despite the New Romantics seeming to be a united voice of expression, like any movement, it had its factions. Not featuring in the set, it was another scene regular Marilyn who said on the recent ‘Blitzed’ Sky Arts documentary that “I hated the music, all that electronic crap” while Steve Strange imposed a ban on Gary Numan being played at The Blitz Club, thus prompting Mr Webb’s lines “These New Romantics are oh so boring” in the 1981’s ‘Moral’ and “I like romantics but I don’t like Steven” in 1982’s ‘War Songs’.
A range of key New Romantic godfathers are missing from Bowie to Eno although MOTT THE HOOPLE’s hit take on ‘All The Young Dudes’ makes up for the former while ROXY MUSIC’s ‘Do The Stand’ effectively covers off the latter. KRAFTWERK, YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA and SPARKS are also absent and of the lesser known cult figures, Wolfgang Riechmann undoubtedly deserved inclusion, while New Romantic staples such as ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’, ‘RERB’ and ‘Magic Fly’ are more preferable to the likes of ‘Funky Town’ or ‘Ai No Corrida’.
Although only a single disc, 2006’s ‘Only After Dark’ compiled by Nick Rhodes and John Taylor of DURAN DURAN based around the music played at The Rum Runner, managed to feature Bowie and Eno as well as YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA and KRAFTWERK so did more with less. While ‘Music For New Romantics’ is flawed and will cause some head scratching, this set is a reminder of those more innocent aspirational times and a scene that DID actually play its part in changing the world.
The Blitz Club’s tenure was short and after vacating it, Steve Strange and Rusty Egan started Club For Heroes and then in 1982 came The Camden Palace; it was the UK’s first modern superclub; music and clubbing were never the same again, and it was not for the better. However, the New Romantics had made their mark.
An elitist movement that was exclusive at its core despite the protestations of some, one amusing modern day legacy of the New Romantics and the Blitz generation in particular is how some try to ride on the scene’s trenchcoat tails, despite the fact that even if they had been old enough to visit licenced premises back in 1980, they almost certainly would have not been allowed in, thanks to the door policy of the man born Stephen John Harrington.
Taylor Swift did a song in 2014 called ‘New Romantics’ and when you google “New Romantics” these days, it’s what often springs up at the top of the searches… but that’s another story 😉
‘Music For New Romantics’ is released by Cherry Red as a 3CD Clamshell Box Set on 25th November 2022
MURMURS OF EARTH began as a vehicle for Richard Sinclair who had already released two solo albums.
But keen to collaborate, he teamed up with TENEK front man Geoff Pinckney in 2015 who had also had stints as a member of the MESH live band and GLASSHOUSE who opened for Gary Numan on several tours. The collaborative dynamic is perhaps unusual but very modern; Sinclair writes the music and lyrics while Pinckney sings as well as providing his notable production ear and multi-instrumental skills honed from composing for film, television and games.
In previous incarnations, Pinckney may have occasionally prioritised chanted hooks and power but songs such as ‘The Art Of Evasion’ and ‘What Have You Done For Me?’ showed he was adept at the refined melodic styles of TEARS FOR FEARS, ULTRAVOX and A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS. Working with a kindred spirit like Sinclair in MURMURS OF EARTH has allowed Pinckney to explore those directions further.
Opening ‘Fragments Of Stolen Light’, the dynamic ‘Edge of My Dreams’ captures the melodic chill and pomp of ULTRAVOX and even the drops in an unexpected spark of brass like ‘U-Vox’ gone right. Following on, the pulsing overtures of ‘The Girl With The Turquoise Eyes’ recall VITAMIN Z who themselves opened for Midge Ure in 1985 and whose lead singer Geoff Barradale now manages ARCTIC MONKEYS…
With a synth and a strum, ‘Unwind’ enjoyably echoes German duo TxT and their 1985 European hit ‘Girls Got A Brand New Toy’ while ‘Someone Who Sees Me’ comes over like the 1993 version of ULTRAVOX fronted by Tony Fenelle, but that is not an insult as the track is a musically strong slice of atmospheric synth rock.
Over a driving electronic bass motif, ‘The Day the World Stood Still’ presents a midtempo groove and some choppy stringiness while using snakey vintage mechanisation, ‘The Travelling Man’ is a wonderful filmic instrumental that begins like CLUSTER but then morphs into something more strident and percussive before throwing in its own synth odyssey.
Throbbing alongside synthesized orchestrations, ‘Boryaku’ is another cinematic instrumental adventure that some would call synthwave but actually isn’t. With an uplifting pop refrain that slips into ‘Slip Away’, ‘A Trick of the Light’ sees Pinckey’s rousing vocals return as acoustic six strings sit comfortably with bubbling sequencers. The moody but glistening instrumental set piece ‘Hiraeth’ reflects the deep longing for home of its Welsh title and acts as a fine closer as the water waves drift away.
Eschewing total darkness, as the album title suggests, ‘Fragments Of Stolen Light’ allows some sparkle while retaining an emotional centre. This is not an album that appeases the dark festival audiences of Europe but one that will appeal to more sophisticated song-based tastes. With rousing vocals, thoughtful musicality and room to breathe, this is “syntherapy” for the maturer listener who believes electronic music shouldn’t have to involve shouting.
Anglo-French singer-songwriter Julia-Sophie Walker first tasted near-mainstream fame as a member of rock band LITTLE FISH.
Signed to Island Records, this came in a time before social media and streaming took over the world. When LITTLE FISH disbanded as 2012 concluded, they evolved into the cerebral independent dreampop combo CANDY SAYS and it saw Julia-Sophie reconnecting with her Gallic roots.
But with the disillusionment of Brexit and her musical past, the Oxford-based musician began working independently and adopting modern-day DIY production techniques.
The end result has been music of an artier electronic bent with a Franco-driven focus to make music for the sake of making music to attain her artistic fulfilment. With an IAMAMWHOAMI style of cryptic hushed engagement, her first EPs 2020’s ‘y?’ (‘why?’) and 2021’s ‘</3’ (‘heartbroken’) issued respectively in 2020 and 2021 have now been compiled as the debut Julia-Sophie album by Third Kind Records who were also the label behind the release of the debut long player by Hattie Cooke.
Composed while in a state of personal crisis, the ‘y?’ half is full of depth, hazy but emotional and dark yet strangely spirited. In asking the question “why?”, ‘breathe’ is shaped by a sparse backdrop of percussive noise and drones, as Julia-Sophie allows her voice to shine before a sumptuous arpeggio kicks in and the remainder of the song expands.
Utilising a frenetic off-kilter set of pulses as a rhythmic centre, ‘x0x’ is an emotive avant pop statement as a forlorn Julia-Sophie declares “nobody wants me here”; and when it changes pace and takes a Gallic turn, its obscure mantra makes for compelling listening.
With a wonderful cacophony of delightfully odd sequences, ‘i told you everything’ acts as an instrumental interlude while in some ways a conventional break-up song, ‘i left you’ is arranged as an absorbing slice of folktronica, with scattered synthesis running in and out of the aural spectrum.
Into the ‘</3’ half, the confessional continues the evolution. Themed around heartbreak, ‘and you know it’ asks “are you happy?” before proceedings move into an unexpected exercise in electro-jazzy two step.
Playing with glitch and an icy variant of mutant bossa nova, the lengthy ‘cctv’ is beautiful yet unsettling, but it then diverts into an experimental arpeggio that mesmerises in its layered weirdness. Utilising a speedy machine beat, ‘i wish’ is an eerie showcase for Julia-Sophie’s airy vocals asking “what do you want from me?” as the kaleidoscopic setting of synths and voice samples hypnotise.
Pitched up and at various frequencies, more vocal samples and manipulations shape the start of ‘love let you down’ before Julia-Sophie emotes her vulnerability and tearful heartbreak; “I want to see us love again” she pleads before the voices slowly melt into the backdrop.
By experimenting with song structures, synthetic beats and widescreen atmospheres to soundtrack her fear of rejection, Julia-Sophie has presented an intricate and intriguing collection of elegant avant pop in ‘y? + </3 //’.
The recently issued ‘it feels like thunder’ EP begins a new trilogy and another journey but for now, here is an opportunity to hear how it all began.
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