Category: Reviews (Page 136 of 200)

ADULT. Detroit House Guests

18 March 2017 /

A rather elaborate manifesto from the Michigan duo ADULT. sums up the artistic undertaking that is ‘Detroit House Guests’ – “Let us explore new modes of music making” they said…

“Let us take the intensity of the studio session and drop it into the home. If the ‘avant-garde’ is thought to be un-domestic then what impact does this domestic situation have on the shape and sound of our project? Can the radical even exist inside the domestic? It’s so private in the home. How vulnerable are we? Are the shades down and the curtains drawn? Can we become out of order? A rug turned at a slight angle, resisting not to straighten it as you pass by. The merger of soft and dark sides, melodic voices and angular jabs, organic and pre-programmed, dinner parties and carry out. A dislocated and disjointed dance.”

ADULT. are Detroit duo Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller. They played their first live show together in Germany in 1997 as ARTIFICIAL MATERIAL. Using the moniker PLASMA CO. they released their first undertakings, following by further releases under the name ADULT.

Apart from numerous albums and EPs, the pair has remixed the likes of PET SHOP BOYS, TUXEDO MOON, JOHN FOXX, DEATH IN VEGAS and THE FAINT amongst and others. But music isn’t their primary source of fulfilment. Both being acclaimed artists, Kuperus and Miller also make sculpture, paintings, films, photographs, performances, videos and installations.

The general idea behind ‘Detroit House Guests’ was to invite various artists to reside in ADULT’s studio for the duration of three weeks, to live, work and collaborate together in order to achieve “a total anthropological sound experiment and a full length album.”

The finished product features collaborations with a whole host of musicians and artists.

They include Douglas J McCarthy from NITZER EBB, Michael Gira from SWANS, Shannon Funchess from LIGHT ASYLUM, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe aka LICHENS, Austrian thereminist Dorit Chrysler and multidisciplinary artist Lun*na Menoh.

The two Doug McCarthy tracks are a true highlight of this production. ‘We Are A Mirror’ and ‘They’re Just Words’ are artistic masterpieces a la endeavours by GAZELLE TWIN. Doris Chrysler is ‘Inexhaustible’ in a very much a typical Mute track, filled with simplistic synth and tribal accents.

A bit of guitar is introduced on ‘Breathe On’ featuring Michael Gira and die-hard fans of vintage NIRVANA are bound to intercept the obvious connotations, with the addition of the female vocal nodding towards some good old grunge.

‘Into The Drum’ floats in and out of consciousness over COCTEAU TWINS-like noises and ‘This Situation’ undergoes magic shifts to achieve the status of a supreme art form, leading onto ‘As You Dream’. The closing track multiplies the emotion by the manifestation of eclectic sounds catalysing interesting vocals and chant-esque sequences.

‘We Chase The Sound’ brings back the minimalistic bass synth and brave voice overlays, sounding uncannily like NITZER EBB sans McCarthy, but with the snarl of Shannon Funchess.

‘Uncomfortable Positions’ are “uncomfortably cosy”, while ‘Stop (and Start Again)’ hit with the bass guitar and Siouxie inspired vocal.

The ‘Detroit House Guests’ project concept was conceived in the early 2000s and became a reality in 2014 after receiving a John S and James L Knight Foundation grant. The eclectic choice of vocalists, musicians and artists shapes this album into a concoction which will particularly lure the lovers of arty electronica.

It’s not your melodic, well behaved synth; it’s gritty, disjointed and cultured… it’s a very different kind of aesthetic, yet very in keeping with classic Mute offerings.

‘Detroit House Guests’ is released by Mute Artists in double vinyl, download and CD formats

http://www.adultperiod.com/

https://www.facebook.com/adultperiod/

http://mute.com/artists/adult

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photos by Nicola Kuperus
18th March 2017

MARC ALMOND + SOFT CELL Hits & Pieces

17 March 2017 /

‘Hits & Pieces’ celebrates the career of MARC ALMOND, one of the most prolific and subversive artists of the last four decades.

Almond once said that for an artist to be “truly subversive”, they had to have “access to the mainstream”. Making his name in SOFT CELL with Dave Ball, the duo were undoubtedly ahead of their time and set the blueprint for acts such as PET SHOP BOYS and ERASURE.

With their stark synthesizer driven pop, Almond and Ball became Top 40 chart regulars between 1981-84 and the double CD contains no less than nine SOFT CELL singles including the hypnotic proto-house of ‘Memorabilia’ and the emotive brilliance of ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’.

Almond excelled at reinterpretation and covers of Northern Soul favourites like ‘Tainted Love’, ‘Where Did Our Love Go?’, ‘What’ and ‘Down In The Subway’ set the tone for some ambitious projects like French chanson and Russian folk in later years.

But despite having hits with their own compositions like ‘Bedsitter’ and ‘Torch’, all was not well in the SOFT CELL camp. As their art school ethos clashed with commercial success, the pair imploded and this state of mind was suitably documented by the frantic percussive paranoia of ‘Soul Inside’.

Even before this, Almond was tiring of the electronic pop sound that made him famous. He began to embrace a classic European cabaret style, and this move was highlighted by ‘Black Heart’, a tremendously passionate single by his side project MARC & THE MAMBAS.

It eventually led to Almond’s first solo record ‘Vermin in Ermine’ in 1984 but perhaps surprisingly, none of this album is represented on Hits & Pieces’, with ‘Tenderness Is A Weakness’ the most missed. This was a period when Almond was losing sales momentum, but with a move to Virgin Records in 1985, ‘Stories Of Johnny’ became an unexpected Top 30 hit.

And so began a mainstream renaissance for Almond with ‘Tears Run Rings’ getting him back onto ‘Top Of The Pops’ , followed by a No1 in ‘Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart’ with the late Gene Pitney. This paved the way for the brilliance of ‘A Lover Spurned’ and ‘The Desperate Hours’, both songs showing Almond was more than well-suited to the grand overtures of hi-tech production.

And so it was that with Trevor Horn at the helm, that another imperial phase began with more electro-orchestrated covers in ‘Jacky’ and ‘The Days Of Pearly Spencer’ plus a reunion with Dave Ball on the wonderfully over-the-top ‘My Hand Over My Heart’ on which Almond demonstrated his fabulously forlorn romanticism.

However, just as it looked like Almond was to consolidate his position as a commercially successful but credible artist, he stole defeat from the jaws of victory with the schizophrenic ‘Fantastic Star’ album in 1996. ‘Hits & Pieces’ features far too many singles from this period, although ‘Child Star’ is a classic Almond ballad, while ‘The Idol’ is a fun glam rock tribute to Bowie and Bolan.

But as the boy who came back, Almond got back on track with new management and one very welcome inclusion on ‘Hits & Misses’ is 2001’s ‘Glorious’. An appropriately titled electronic torch song, it combined his distinctive vocal histrionics with a big sounding production. Around this time, Almond reunited with Dave Ball as SOFT CELL for the ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ album, but with Almond now declaring this reunion “a terrible mistake”, neither of the two singles ‘Monoculture’ or ‘The Night’ make the tracklisting which is a shame, but understandable.

However, one of the joys of ‘Hits & Pieces’ is that it provides a platform for Almond’s most recent material. Proving he still has that endearing quality, 2014’s ‘The Dancing Marquis’ in particular, produced by Tony Visconti, is like a more fully realised version of ‘The Idol’. Developing its thumping Schaffel motif on ‘Bad To Me’ co–written with Chris Braide, Almond is fully reinvigorated as the flamboyant tattooed pop diva. Bringing things fully up to date, the new single ‘A Kind Of Love’ is a wonderful optimistic statement that romantic liaisons don’t have to be tainted after all and that we can all be nice to each other, whatever our desires.

There are no quibbles with the track selection, maybe preferences for Almond’s work with SYSTEM F, T-TOTAL and STARCLUSTER to substitute inclusions such as the big band live rendition of ‘Tainted Love’ with Jools Holland and the over representation of ‘Fantastic Star’. But otherwise, this collection does what it says on the tin.

Marc Almond and his fabulous career of ups and downs and ups and downs and ups has become engrained into the fabric of popular culture. Spanning a period of 36 years, ‘Hits & Misses’ is testament that he remains vital as ever and as important as Jacques Brel, Scott Walker or Lou Reed.

With thanks to Stuart Kirkham at Hall Or Nothing

‘Hits & Pieces’ is released by Universal Music as a single CD, double CD and download

MARC ALMOND’s ‘Hits & Pieces’ 2017 tour includes: London Roundhouse (22nd March), Perth Concert Hall (25th March), York Barbican Centre (26th March), Buxton Opera House (27th March), Warrington Pyramid & Parr Hall (28th March)

http://www.marcalmond.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/MarcAlmondOfficial

http://www.softcell.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/softcellband/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
17th March 2017

LOST IN STARS Lost In Stars

16 March 2017 /


Dylan Willoughby is the LA based producer, poet and composer behind the LOST IN STARS project.

Having debuted in 2015 with the ‘Once You Were Fire’ EP, which was regularly charted in the US on various independent radio stations, Willoughby was hailed as “essential new music”.

The London born boy, whose love of electronic genre flourished in England, dabbled with various bands while growing up, having been classically trained to play the piano.

His break from sounds involved creative writing and poetry, but his innate musicality took precedence and a wonderful mixture of synth pop and dubstep-type concoctions have been delivered since.

These days, many producers choose to work with talented vocalists; it’s a trait heavily popular with big names like John Fryer or DELERIUM. Willoughby also chose his preferred voices, which he found in Elena Charbila aka KID MOXIE and Alysa Lobo.

Charbila said to TEC after the release of her ‘Perfect Shadow’ EP: “Dylan Willoughby from LOST IN STARS and my other producer Darren Burgos, those two guys have a lot of that synth mentality and were instrumental in getting that production value you’d get from an electronic record”.

The ‘Lost In Stars’ album features the man himself on synths and drums, Darren Burgos in charge of vocals, backing vocals, drums and synths, KID MOXIE also on vocals and bass guitar, Alysa Lobo on vocals and Gaku Murata with his guitars.

‘Once You Were Fire’ consisted of all four tracks now appearing on the album, with its title number being an elegy to HYPERDUB’s poet and MC, The Spaceape, who was a key player in the discographies of artists like KODE9, BURIAL and MARTYN before his untimely demise.

With beautiful vocals by KID MOXIE over heavily punctuated synth and an urgent melody, this feel continues on ‘Elephant and Castle’, which reminisces about Willoughby London childhood and his late father.

Another track from the EP which has found itself on the album is ‘Flown’ performed by Alysa Lobo. It’s a perfect synthpop dance tune, just like the Lobo vocalled ‘Disappear’. ‘Light’ combines dance and dubstep-like sequences and ‘Sky’ invites with a warm male vocal, slowing the tempo down first, just to flourish into a slice of gentle German rave, with added guitar and drum elements.

A version of the stark BAUHAUS favourite ‘All We Ever Wanted Was Everything’ from ‘The Sky’s Gone Out’ hauntingly invites in with an airy ethereal vocal from KID MOXIE, while ‘Take It All’ is a perfect pop love song.

The long player closes with a cover of THE BEE GEES ‘Holiday’; a more subdued, delicate melody and a perfect way to close the opus, it’s another serene vocal from KID MOXIE.

LOST IN STARS may not have millions behind them, or may not be up there with the big names, but this music ticks all the right boxes for a fan of synthpop.

KID MOXIE’s tracks are as always, done in her very style and ooze sophistication, which adds to the overall experience. This is an excellent effort from Dylan Willoughby.

‘Lost In Stars’ is released by Dark Sky Covenant Records as a CD and download, available via https://lostinstars.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-stars

https://www.lostinstars.space/

https://www.facebook.com/LostInStarsMusic/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
16th March 2017

iEUROPEAN Into The Unknown

13 March 2017 /

The claim that DEPECHE MODE are the flag bearers for electro-blues becomes somewhat redundant with ‘Into The Unknown’, the debut album from iEUROPEAN.

Originally the solo project of Dublin musician Seán Barron, a one-time member of EMPIRE STATE HUMAN, the idea had initially been to feature guest singers or contributors on each track.

The first track to be unleashed in late 2014 was the wonderful ‘Activity of Sound’ featuring Wolfgang Flür, formally of KRAFTWERK.

But it was when Ruth Lalor was asked to contribute vocals for one of Barron’s tunes that iEUROPEAN morphed into becoming an electronic duo with a unique twist. Coupled to Barron’s Mittel Europa synths are Lalor’s soulful, bluesy vocals, schooled under the influence of Billie Holliday and Lena Horne. Thus this long player really is a musical journey ‘Into The Unknown’.

Layered with classic synth strings, Lalor makes a grand entrance on ‘Sweet Paranoia’ augmented by Barron’s bass sequences before a faithfully devoted drum loop kicks in. A worthy variation on the theme of DEPECHE MODE’s ‘In Your Room’? You bet!

A solo Ruth Lalor composition ‘Falling’ sees the lady sing the blues over an enticingly minimal but technological framework including some digital guitar in the latter stages; incidentally, the track is co-arranged by Robert Arkins who also played aspiring band manager Jimmy Rabbitte in ‘The Commitments’ movie. Meanwhile ‘Fire Out’ ups the pace for a brooding slice of stark electronic pop that bubbles into something very hot!

‘Don’t Lose Control’ sees the rhythm construction harden as Lalor’s voice is laid bare, with a particularly raw edge to the larynx in the chorus.

While the vocal is coloured in shades of blues, the backing turns distinctly European grey in the final minute and a half as it unexpectedly journeys east towards Der Rhein.

‘I Will Follow’ is not a cover of the U2 song but follows the template of the moodier numbers that CAMOUFLAGE do so well, although Lalor’s presence offsets the chill. Meanwhile, some eerie electric ivories and detuned sonar shape the solemn ‘Requiem’ as steadfast marching drums and percolating arpeggios punctuate the lonely atmosphere.

Another song written by Ruth Lalor, ‘Sweet Dreams’ appears it might have been of a more traditional conception, but Barron’s synth interventions take it into another world, territory that perhaps YAZOO might have entered had they got to their fifth album. The filmic drama of ‘Bring On The Rain’ is perhaps the most trip-hop derived number of the album, with the muted trumpet and cimbalom textures usually associated with the genre.

‘We Are Brothers’ starts as the being most conventional sounding song on the album with elements of THE CURE before it gets more obscure, with some twisty turns in its chordial structure. Written by Barron with his former EMPIRE STATE HUMAN bandmate Aidan Casserly and Alan Arkins, Barron takes a turn at a duet with Lalor, while Clive Pierce from HARD CORPS joins in on the middle eight.

After all the digital six string on ‘Into The Unknown’, real guitar makes an appearance on ‘World Of Fantasy’ courtesy of Mark Joseph Healy, the sweeping synths and organic counter-melodies adding an almost folk laden resonance for a fitting closer. A hidden track sees Lalor’s vocals totally isolated for a spirited acapella of ‘Sweet Paranoia’; it is nothing short of mesmerising…

Overall, ‘Into the Unknown’ is a fine showcase of an Emerald Isle blues voice alongside authentic Eurocentric electronics. It’s quite a contrast, but the end result is rather wonderful.

‘Into The Unknown’ uses the following hardware and virtual instrumentation: Ekosynth, Roland TB303, Yamaha CS1X, Korg PolySix, Roland JX305, Roland Jupiter-8, Korg DW-8000, Korg DV-800, Arturia Minimoog, Steinberg Hypersonic, Steinberg Virtual Guitarist, ARP 2600V, Native Instruments Absynth 5, Native Instruments Battery, Stereophonics Stylus rmx, Stereophonics Omnisphere 2, Edirol Orchestral, Edirol Super Quartet, Waves Element Stereo, Broomstick Bass, Fabfilter Twin2, Jupiter 8V2, PRO-52, PRO-53, RealStrat, Rob Papen – Real Guitar, Rob Papen – Blue, Rob Pagen – SubBoomBass, LinPlug Albino 2, Arturia Analog Factory, Surge, Cakewalk Z3TA+2, Poly-ANA

‘Into the Unknown’ is released on CD by The People’s Electric on 21st April 2017, pre-order now from http://www.thepeopleselectric.com/shop/products/bfa2cc74-81b7-4905-a7ed-88c4afc25596

https://www.facebook.com/iEuropean-149564838461817/

http://thepeopleselectric.com/ieuropean

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Ruth Maria Murphy
13th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE Spirit

8 March 2017 /

So, the Camaraderie of Black Swarm have awaited four years to receive their gift of a new DEPECHE MODE album.

Following in the footsteps of ‘Delta Machine’ which paired with ‘Sounds Of The Universe’, did not cause a stir and failed to impress. With lacklustre productions on both, the general feeling was that the Basildon boys were either bored or burnt out. The obvious question was the choice of the producer on both records, with Ben Hillier seeming not to quite get what DM are about, the results being, in both cases, flat and soulless, even though a commendable dose of blues was introduced on ‘Delta Machine’.

As Gore, Gahan and Fletch drifted towards Columbia as their chosen record label, that move inevitably furthered the non-niche perception of the band. That’s not to say that Martin Gore had passed his expiry date, with as good writing as he always had done, and Gahan’s own songs having proven better and better with each opus, in particular a very vintage DM sounding ‘Happens All The Time’, which sadly, was not included on the standard release.

Still, the devoted and ever hopeful fans of one of the biggest UK exports since THE BEATLES, have been as anxious as ever to put their hands on the newest release entitled ‘Spirit’, which together with Anton Corbijn’s artwork, suggests a clear political statement.

The choice of the producer in James Ford of SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, who worked with FLORENCE & THE MACHINE, MUMFORD & SONS and LITTLE BOOTS caused a stir from the onset and prompted doubts in the direction which the band was heading.

As with everything DM, most of the hardcore fans will forever defend anything the trio may release; indeed the first single, ‘Where’s The Revolution’ certainly proves to be a head scratcher.

This politically charged number suits the general feeling of living in the times of real change, but the message conveyed appears somewhat naive and not very refined for Gore. Talking about politically directed songs, PET SHOP BOYS sure did a better job on their last album ‘Super’ with ‘The Dictator Decides’ and that’s not just on lyrical level.

Musically, the long awaited surprise seems to fade upon the very first verses. A tedious bass line with few dull droning sounds and a chorus, which comes in unexpectedly and has a rather irksome off beat repeat, followed by a middle eight, as far detached from the rest of the song as it possibly could be, with a pleading communist message to jump on board of the revolution train, by which time most listeners probably pressed the pause button to wonder which song from ‘Delta Machine’ or ‘SOTU’ this sounds most like. Oh, here it is: ‘Corrupt’!

Furthermore, audiences worldwide are seemingly sickened with the prevailing politics talk and yearn for some escape, as opposed to more drama. As Depeche’s album announcing singles haven’t been all that great since ‘Barrel Of A Gun’, the hope was for the rest of the long player to pick up where DM left off a long time ago.

From the onset, ‘Going Backwards’ sets the tone of the record, with sombre tones, which develop into a metallic cacophony a la Dave’s solo projects. Lyrically continuing the political pleas, but musically leaving one to wish DM were “going backwards”. Gentle guitar riffs on ‘The Worst Crime’ are pleasantly calming; however, and that feeling filters through to ‘Poorman’, it’s a minimalistic synth sensation with a rather interesting build-up to the abrupt halt, if not a little disrupted by unnecessary added noises.

‘Fail’ isn’t at all what it says on the tin, maybe mainly to that angelic voice of Gore, but also unusual instrumentation and likeable sequences, especially right at the end; it is a little gem. Gahan had been “up all night”, unable to breathe in ‘Cover Me’. This bluesy number marries dreamy guitar Badalamenti style and synth a la vintage DM, which equals success and goes down quite smoothly.

‘So Much Love’ snaps back to reality. However, it’s too much like ‘Soft Touch/Raw Nerve’ from ‘Delta Machine’, with Gahan shouting out lyrics over a pumping rhythm that’s nearly impossible to swallow. ‘Poison Heart’ marks another slice of subdued content, describing failed friendship and what many would describe, a classic “depressed” DM track.

What remains to move one is ‘You Move’, which is dirty and sleazy, but with added gritty synth and an adequate amount of electronic goodness to satisfy the devoted. ‘No More’ is unlikely to go on repeat, while ‘Eternal’ cannot be saved, even with the angelic Gore vocal, which on this one fails to magnetise.

The trigger is pulled on ‘Scum’, which would have been an interesting track, if it wasn’t for its messiness. The content is there, but it’s so confusingly disjointed, that it never really comes together, but maybe that’s the allure of it. Some will laugh, some will ignore, some will bow, some will love…

‘Spirit’, for certain, won’t be THE album a DEPECHE MODE weathered fan will reach out for readily in the backdrop of their back catalogue. If you didn’t like anything post-Wilder, you’re certainly unlikely to appreciate this one. If you thought ‘SOTU’ and ‘Delta Machine’ weren’t your thing, ‘Spirit’ is even less likely to satisfy.

But this is what DM are now; bass synth heavy, calmer, mid-tempo and sombre. James Ford brings very little to the table, the agenda is clearly pre-set by the band themselves, and the forever devoted will inevitably muse over what this album would sound like with the magic touch of Alan.

Millions will still flock to the immense tour, further millions will buy the release and any possible add-ons, but the few disgruntled will criticise and hate, a standard to be expected within the DM crowd. The question remains: is this really what Gahan and co wanted, or are we all caught up in the cogs of the greedy corporate machinery? Everyone will have their own response, so (try to) enjoy ‘Spirit’, as it may as well be the last…

‘Spirit’ is released by Columbia Records in CD, deluxe 2CD, double vinyl LP and digital formats on 17th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE play London Stadium on Saturday 3rd June 2017

http://www.depechemode.com/

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photos by Anton Corbijn
8th March 2017

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