Category: Reviews (Page 140 of 201)

RATIONAL YOUTH Future Past Tense

21 January 2017 /

RATIONAL YOUTH originated in Montreal in 1980 and to this day, the band is hailed as the first proper Canadian synth operation.

The self-confessed lovers of anything KRAFTWERK, Tracy Howe and Bill Vorn quickly became the leaders of the, up to then, fairly unknown electronic scene, opening for OMD in Montreal in only their second professional engagement.

Joined by Kevin Komoda on keyboards, the combo released ‘Cold War Night Life’, which is considered to be the very first Canadian full-on synth opus.

Following few hiatuses and member changes, Howe remained the only original member of Rational Youth, but the growing European interest in the band’s productions resulted, not only in ‘Cold War Night Life’ being reissued in Europe, but also a long touring stint throughout Scandinavia.

Still active, RATIONAL YOUTH released a 10 inch vinyl EP ‘Future Past Tense’ last year, which has now been reissued on CD format, together with bonus tracks, remixed by assorted artist, including the brilliant Swedes JOHAN BAECKSTRÖM and DISKODIKTATOR.

The EPs six tracks journey through the synth perfection of RY’s knowhow, with the KRAFTWERK-esque ‘Here It Comes Again’ and candied ‘Prison Of Flesh’. ‘This Side Of The Border’ opens with futuristic sci-fi electronica, with a depressingly gloomy lyric characteristic to Howe.

‘Western Man’ is an ironic poppy number glossing over serious subjects of war, politics and power, while ‘In The Future’ “we’re imagining the past”; yet another classic in RATIONAL YOUTH’s catalogue.

The closing ‘Unveiling The Secret (The Word Made Flesh)’ is a reincarnated version of PSYCHE’s hit and a shrine to electronic music and its influence worldwide.

A couple of the songs from ‘Future Past Tense’ have found their way into the additional, remixed versions such as ‘Western Man’, skilfully reworked by MX CARISMA into a minimalistic gem and ‘This Side of the Border’ by DECODED FEEDBACK, a rawer, almost EBM version of the track.

‘Here It Comes Again’ is showcased in multiple remixes by MARS TV and DISKODIKTATOR, giving the tune a factory feel. JOHAN BAECKSTRÖM features twice on the remix addendum, firstly on ‘The Face Of Dorian Gray’; a YAZOO blueprinted diamond originally recorded by Robert Marlow and a version of ‘Prison Of Flesh’.

Meanwhile, ‘Dancing To The Fall Of The Berlin Wall’ is an uptempo cover of TECHNIQUES BERLIN commemorating the poignant events leading to the fall of communism in the Eastern Block.

Being a cult enterprise, RATIONAL YOUTH tracks have been recently revamped by artists from UK, Sweden, Australia, Norway, Germany and Canada on ‘Heresy: a Tribute To RATIONAL YOUTH’, curated by the online electronic magazine Cold War Night Life.

Ever popular, even given the comparatively small back catalogue, RATIONAL YOUTH is still very much alive.

‘Future Past Tense’ is available as a CD and download direct from
https://rationalyouth.bandcamp.com/

https://rational-youth.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RationalYouth/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
21st January 2017

KATJA VON KASSEL EP

17 January 2017 /

The captivating German songstress KATJA VON KASSEL finally brings out her first EP.

First making her name in London club nights like ‘Synthetic’ and ‘Bedsitland’, this 4 track release is the first opportunity for potential audiences to evaluate KATJA VON KASSEL and her Electro Weimer Cabaret as a body of work in one sitting. Singing in English, ‘Lili Marlene’ affirms her charismatic presence and singing in an alluring Marlene Dietrich tone with a sultry yet technostalgic quality.

Co-written with Alex Gray, the songwriter / producer who co-wrote ‘My Delirium’ and ‘Dusk ‘Til Dawn’ with LADYHAWKE, it really is like the ‘1930s meets the future’. Along similar lines and also sung primarily in English, ‘Lies’ is a marvellous synth friendly number with a strong traditional European flavour, laced with accordions and set to a tango template.

A song which actually made ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 Songs of 2010, the Germanic GRACE JONES flavour is melancholically enticing and straight from the heart. If she was to ever cover a ROXY MUSIC number, then it would have to be Song For Europe’ with its neo-Piaf pastiche and nouveau sophistication.

With two quality songs already on offer, the purer pulsating electro of ‘In Little Rooms (Show Me Love)’ steals the show. It’s an aesthetic which closely resembles that of RONNY, a protégé of Rusty Egan who made several imaginative singles with luminaries such as Midge Ure, Peter Godwin and Vangelis. Alex Gray’s intricate filmic electronics on ‘In Little Rooms (Show Me Love)’ are a delight while Fraulein von Kassel’s detachment is art cool sexy.

The elegiac Deutsche waltz of ‘Himmel Brennt’ strips things down with hints of ‘Deer Stop’ or ‘Horse Tears’ from GOLDFRAPP’s cinematic debut ‘Felt Mountain’ and the influence of Berthold Brecht. Revealing KATJA VON KASSEL’s moody dramatic side, the title translates as ‘Heaven Burns’. “The tragedy of life is always a good inspiration to me” she once said.

KATJA VON KASSEL’s first EP is a refreshing musical antidote to the influx of hollow electronic acts that have appeared in the last two years. These are timeless, escapist songs and with their futuristic twist, they are very much needed in this current culture of tension.

The 4 track ‘Katja von Kassel’ EP is available now as a download from
https://katjavonkassel.bandcamp.com/album/katja-von-kassel-ep

https://www.facebook.com/KatjavKassel/

https://www.facebook.com/katja.vonkassel

https://www.youtube.com/user/vonKassel

https://twitter.com/katjavonkassel

Text by Chi Ming Lai
17th January 2017

BLACK NAIL CABARET Dichromat

23 December 2016 /

With their brooding form of electro, the Hungarian duo BLACK NAIL CABARET impressed the fans of darker synthpopia while previously supporting established acts such as COVENANT, CAMOUFLAGE and DE/VISION.

Straight from the Hungarian capital Budapest, Emese Arvai-Illes on vocals and Sophie Tarr in charge of keyboards, came into existence in 2008 with a surprising darkwave cover of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’. Their debut album ‘Emerald City’ was aired in 2012, with a twisted gothic trance pop of ‘Hangman’ and the single ‘Veronica’.

The follow-up to the first opus was ‘Harry Me, Marry Me, Bury Me, Bite Me’, showcasing the pair’s sonic leap forward into darkness with a synth noir gem ‘Satisfaction’. And now, just in time for the New Year, comes the third long player, the pigment missing ‘Dichromat’. Tarr departed earlier in 2016 so this could be considered Emese Illes-Arvai’s first solo record, partnered by Krisztian Arvai on keyboards and production.

‘Dichromat’, which is a term transcending a two-dimensional colour defect, describes the band’s intention to avoid colour and view the subject of the songs in a more matter-of-fact manner.

With this in mind, BNC go back to analogue equipment and champion the use of hardware over soft synths, with the opening ‘Sister Sister’ being a true testament to the theory of musical rawness being best depicted, when created on analogue. Continuing with the vintage sounding ‘CO’, it is harsh and very monochromatic, especially when accompanied by the almost vintage voice of Arvai-Illes.

‘Comfort Zone’ is everything but; punctuated with piercing electronica and nearly shouted out lyrics, while ‘Decay Avenue’ screams with the decapitation of human existence. Perhaps ‘Therapy’ is the answer, transcending the aura to a dance induced pluripotent mechanism. ‘Session’ enters with minimal synth fluctuations a la KRAFTWERK, developing into a GAZELLE TWIN-like concoction of sounds; the vocal, periodically laced with the tonality similar to that of FIFI RONG’s during “breathe in, breathe out”, is as marked as ever.

‘Freak Of Fancy’ underlines the black and white feel and ‘Lower The Shutters’ plays within the boundaries of hardware. ‘Orgasm’ is monogamously analogue, à la the latest outing from APOPTYGMA BERZERK, but with words. While everyone experiences ‘Minor Panics’, BLACK NAIL CABARET float above the hard beats with a soft, ballad-like melody, arpeggiated to perfection. ‘We Like To Suffer’ has a notion of masochistic existence in mind, powered by interesting bass and Mode-esque sequences.

Everything needs to end well, except it doesn’t: the closing ‘Soon’ depicts the drama of emotional distress, over haunting cries and the uncertain instability of human survival. Still, deceptively uplifting and loaded with a surprising danceability factor, the tracks on ‘Dichromat’ remain dark and capably soulful.

So “BLACK NAIL CABARET deliver another round of refreshingly contemporary dark pop music, intertwined with a smattering of 80s gothic, and electronic nostalgia” – the avoidance of colour has certainly achieved the desired effect of rawness, yet roundness.

‘Dichromat’ is released by Basic Unit Productions and available as a CD or download from https://basicunitproductions.bandcamp.com/album/dichromat

http://www.blacknailcabaret.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bncband/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photo by Raphael Preston
23rd December 2016

EMBRACE THE CRISIS Black Heart

14 December 2016 /

embrace-the-crisis-black-heartEMBRACE THE CRISIS are three Philpott brothers, Gerry, Rob and Ray with Mark Plunkett. Originating from Dublin, they describe their style as ambient synthpop.

‘Black Heart’ is their debut outing and the band have showcased their material during various gigs and DEPECHE MODE parties. Indeed, if you fancy listening to something that sounds like a capable continuation of DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’, the opening track, ‘Fool For You’, which is gritty, sleazy, filthy and wholesome, is bound to hit the spot.

‘Never Look Back’ continues the legacy of the greatest synthpop era with more of a YAZOO feel to it, with excellent vocals at times reminiscing those of Marc Almond. The title track emerges accompanied with sparse beats and adequately placed sounds, showcasing the capable knowhow of the synth meanders, while ‘Bite The Hand That Feeds’ picks up that dirty concept again, with a simple bassline and melodic vocal in that Dave Gahan singing style.

‘Liar’, with its fantastic use of electronica, slows the tempo somewhat with ear pleasing lines and eerie lyrics a la Martin Gore. ‘A New Departure’ showcases that melancholic feel, accented by the opening piano and haunting choir; it’s a mixture of ‘St Jarna’ and ‘Moonlight Sonata’; the additional beefy synth, intertwined with mysterious vocal manipulations procures a semi-instrumental with high capabilities.

‘Looking’ Around’ is an instant departure from the previous sorrowfulness, with ERASURE-esque, almost Euro trance beats and Love Parade elements, all that canvassing that superb vocal. Vince Clarke wouldn’t be ashamed to sign his name under that one!

embrace-the-crisis-dmThe instrumental ‘Driven Away’ momentarily brings the fast tempo to a halt with ‘Fire In My Blood’ returning to the topic in mind, and that is a proficient extravaganza of synth; another dance gem with efficient electronica and haunting vocal. ‘Living In Sin’ sounds like a perfectly camp club outing, with similarities to ERASURE, concocted with a dash of quirkiness and a spoonful of decadence.

The whole package is wrapped up with ‘Intimacy’, which reminisces Depeche’s ‘Shame’ with its idiosyncratic sounds and sparse vocals. Full of melody and drama, however, the track is a rather beautiful ending to this highly capable long player.

While the inevitable comparisons with DEPECHE MODE will be unavoidable with EMBRACE THE CRISIS, it has to be said that their debut album blows out many an established electronic musicians out of the water. The tracks are rounded, well executed and finished off with an apt vocal, which collectively adds up to a great electronic album. Well done Ireland!

‘Black Heart is available as a CD or download from https://embracethecrisis.bandcamp.com/album/black-heart

https://www.facebook.com/EmbraceTheCrisisOfficial/

https://soundcloud.com/embracethecrisis

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
15th December 2016

JEAN-MICHEL JARRE Oxygène 3

5 December 2016 /

When ‘Oxygène’ was released on 2nd December 1976, its hearty combination of pop melodies, technological experimentation and classical structures became a landmark in electronic music.

It made Jean-Michel Jarre a household name and 40 years on, the six part synthony still stands up. A second volume was released in 1997 and several parts captured the essence of the original opus, although like many sequels, it was not entirely successful. Releasing his third album in the space of 14 months, ‘Oxygène 3’ is an addition to a tradition that now expands the series into a trilogy. Composed after his two volume ‘Electronica’ project, Jarre’s aim was “keeping the dogma of embarking listeners on a journey from beginning to end with different chapters, all linked to each other”.

While not going as far as using an 8 track tape recorder, he has taken a minimalist approach and restricted each track to 8 instrumental elements. Recreating the restrictions of the era, Jarre challenged himself to record the album over a period of 6 weeks and deliver it by the 40th anniversary of ‘Oxygène’.

Sleeved in Michel Granger’s 3D reimaging of his iconic ecological warning, the continuation of the ‘Oxygène’ journey comprises of two distinct moods, a bright and a dark side as with the original. However, it is not an exclusively analogue work with many softsynths amongst all the vintage hardware.

jean-michel-jarre-oxygene-3-2016

The electric piano laden ‘Oxygène Part 14’ is an AIR-like introduction to the dark side that pulses away inconsequentially with little relation to the parent concept other than being composed and performed by Jarre; it’s a less than auspicious start.

Slightly better though is ‘Oxygène Part 15’ where the familiar tones of an Eminent 310 and Korg Polyphonic Ensemble penetrate through alongside the snakey rhythmic clicks of a Keio Mini Pops.

With its cocoon of bleeps, it’s easy to hear how Jarre was such a big influence on acts such as THE FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON. It all builds towards the more vibrant soundscapes of ‘Oxygène Part 16’. Here, the 21st Century spirit of ‘Oxygène’ really kicks in with beautiful layers of string synths resonating around a palette of hypnotic drum machine enhanced arpeggios; a relative of ‘Oxygène Part 8’, it is certainly one of the album’s highlights as the doom of ‘Oxygène Part 3’ lingers towards the piece’s conclusion.

The brighter side of volume 3 begins with ‘Oxygène Part 17’ which was premiered on the ‘Electronica’ tour. Like ‘Oxygène Part 4’, it adds more prominent melody within the wavey sweeps and uptempo percussive structure, but with references more akin to the second volume of the ‘Oxygène’ series.

The pretty ambience of ‘Oxygène Part 18’ paints the picture of a beautiful sunrise and sets an optimistic tone for the planet before ‘Oxygène Part 19’. This has a promising start as it aims towards a tuneful but dancefloor friendly trance anthem. Relying purely on bassline programming and gated synths as the basis of its rhythm, this could be Ferry Corsten without the beat. But despite Jarre’s deep responsive synth tones, it doesn’t really take off…

Closing with ‘Oxygène Part 20’, the organ driven intro plays with some stop/start varispeed tuning before a burst of ‘Oxygène Part 6’ interrupts the transmission… sadly it’s a moment which perhaps highlights what is missing from this third volume.

oxygene-trilogy

Arthur C Clarke once remarked to Jarre about how any sequel to ‘Oxygène’ needed a return to earth following the original’s fantasy journey into outer space.

And as the mournful Moby-esquse textures of ‘Oxygène Part 20’ soundtrack the foreboding drama of re-entry that ultimately burns up, the overall feeling of this album is it is slightly underwhelming and even unfinished. Perhaps there was too much expectation, but ‘Oxygène 3’ is a disappointment.

Does this matter? At 68 years of age, Jarre is at the top of his live game with the ‘Electronica’ concert spectacular and his contribution to electronic music is a huge legacy. He has taken a risk which perhaps hasn’t been as artistically successful as he had hoped, but at least he made the move. It’s certainly one more risk than say KRAFTWERK have managed in the last decade.

‘Oxygène 3’ uses the following electronic instruments: Eminent 310, EMS Synthi AKS, EMS VCS3, ARP2600, ARP2500, Electro-Harmonix Small Stone, Electric Mistress, Moog Sub37, Oberheim OB5, Mellotron D4000, Korg Polyphonic Ensemble, Philicorda, Keio Mini Pops, Metasonic S-1000, DigiSequencer, Roland TR8, Teenage Engineering OP1, Teenage Engineering PO12, Teenage Engineering PO24, Suzuki Qchord, Clavia Nord Lead 1, Access Virus, Moog Taurus 1, Animoog, Audiothingies Micromonsta, Synapse Audio Dune, Native Instruments Monark, Hollow Sun Cognosphere, Reveal Sound Spire, Xfer Records Serum

‘Oxygène 3’ is released by Columbia / Sony Music on CD, vinyl and download. An ‘Oxygène Trilogy’ triple pack is also available

http://jeanmicheljarre.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jeanmicheljarre

http://aerojarre.blogspot.co.uk/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
5th December 2016

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