Category: Reviews (Page 147 of 200)

NIGHT CLUB Bad Girl

13 August 2016 /

LA based duo NIGHT CLUB launch their forthcoming debut album ‘Requiem For Romance’ with their most provocative musical offering yet.

Entitled ‘Bad Girl’, it is perhaps less Britney and more Gaga in its approach with the use of vocal pitch shift adding a particularly sinister air to proceedings.

The duo of Emily Kavanaugh and Mark Brooks said: “‘Bad Girl’ is the first single from our upcoming full length debut. Our live sound has always been more bombastic and aggressive than our recordings so this time around we wanted to fully capture that sound”.

Following their best body of work so far in 2014’s ‘Black Leather Heart’, ‘Bad Girl’ is a startling progression that harks back to Brooks’ rock roots and his love of bands like SLAYER. The monochromatic visual accompaniment to the single sees the duo out in the desert, with Brooks running his synth on solar power while Kavanaugh ably takes on the role of leather clad rock chick.

As well as the new NIGHT CLUB album landing this Autumn, Kavanaugh will be lending her voice to ‘Evermore’, a song for Rusty Egan’s upcoming ‘Welcome To The Dancefloor’ project co-written with Chris Payne, best known for his work with GARY NUMAN and his compositional role in VISAGE’s ‘Fade To Grey’.

Last year, NIGHT CLUB contributed music to the soundtrack of acclaimed Comedy Central animation series ‘Moonbeam City’ which featured the voice of one-time Brat Packer Rob Lowe.

‘Bad Girl’ is available as a download single via Bandcamp, iTunes and Amazon.

NIGHT CLUB’s other EP releases ‘Night Club’, ‘Love Casualty’ and ‘Black Leather heart’ are available from their Bandcamp at http://nightclubband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nightclubband

https://soundcloud.com/nightclubband

Text by Chi Ming Lai
13th August 2016

SHELTER Ascend

8 August 2016 /


So SHELTER “ascend” on the listener for the second time in their career.

Even before they “emerged” in 2014, the electropop duo did well with writing, producing and releasing the Andy Bell solo album ‘iPop’, amongst their other collaborations. With the flamboyant Mark R Bebb on vocals and Rob Bradley in charge of programming and musical direction, ERASURE chose the guys as support for ‘The Violet Flame’ tour. SHELTER have since gigged extensively, backed by enthusiasts of catchy synthpop tunes.

‘Ascend’ promises to be more grown up and fuller, with a rounder sound and a plentitude of cheerful numbers to please synth loving girls and boys to oblivion. The opening ‘Breathless’ pleasantly builds up to flourish into a gentle-sounding electronic sparkle. The Love Parade laced synth line bumps up the melody, which is difficult not to be compared to the Bell / Clarke enterprise.

‘In The Dark’ is a pumped up, Hi-NRG number, well suited for a club environment. The enhanced vocals, while feeling forced, work adequately within the musical canvass, while ‘Do You Remember’, featuring PEOPLE THEATRE, spells a more atmospheric approach to synthpopia.

‘Lost In The 80s’ is fast, dancey and energetic enough to drag one into the dance floor. Meanwhile DURAN DURAN’s ‘Save The Prayer’ loop ominously opens ‘Home’; a slower paced track that is pleasant to the ear, it’s a perfect chill-out piece. But the voice seems to get lost in the melody at times; it works well nevertheless as a dreamy ERASURE-esque piece.

SHELTER 2015

‘Figaro’ follows the ballad pattern, with added guitar a la ‘La Isla Bonita’, while the title track returns to the synth pattern of a gentler paced love song. ‘Ascend’ is the song to listen on this production. It’s varied, textured and mature. The vocal, although not strong, fits within the mix, floating seamlessly onto ‘Icon’; this time SHELTER collaborate with BREATHE OF MY LEAVES and it’s a throbbing track for Europop advocates.

‘Wot U Said’ features JIPSTA, an ultra-club track which follows the recipe from the previous number, while the closing ‘This Must Be Love’ could be a Eurovision entry in a can. This first single from ‘Ascend’ is larger than life and grandiose in its execution, including ABBA-esque piano and catchy hooks.

SHELTER have stayed true to themselves, even if the songs on ‘Ascend’ are more grown up in their feel and execution than their previous work. Bebb’s vocal remains on the weak side, prompting the question as to whether production is what the band do most aptly? Perhaps this album is best served in a live environment, where the candied pop tunes can be enjoyed as prescribed.

While ERASURE type synthpop is probably done better by Johan Baeckström and retro-styled tunes sound more desirable when produced by KID KASIO, SHELTER definitely have a valid response to the needs of hungry synthpop fanatics who like a bit of fun.

‘Ascend’ is released by Ministry Of Pop in CD and download formats

http://www.shelterofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Shelterofficialmusic/

Text by Monika Izabela Goss
8th August 2016

KID MOXIE Perfect Shadow

1 August 2016 /

KID MOXIE is Elena Charbila, the Greek born singer and actress who likes to make music with friends.

Working best in collaboration, with her well-received album ‘1888’, Charbila effectively blossomed and displayed an inventive maturity on both electronic and organic sides of her work after the gutter pop of her early releases.

Her latest release ‘Perfect Shadow’ is a six track EP, bolstered by five remixes from an assortment of contributors including MARSHEAUX and TAREQ. The opening song ‘4AM’ is both lovely and haunting, oozing a nocturnal electro folk atmosphere. Meanwhile, the sumptuous ‘Dirty Air’ adds little piano flourishes over the driven synthwave soundtrack as a new element to the KID MOXIE sound. Enigmatic and sexy, Charbila comes over as a fine electro femme fatale.

But ‘Still High’ is mighty, with Charbila’s voice as seductive as ever. Co-written and co-produced by our heroine with Darren Burgos and Dylan Willoughby, this is gloriously cinematic synthpop with a touch of maiden iciness.

With guitar and string machine sitting in unison, ‘Under This New Light’ sees some aggression by recent Moxie standards, courtesy of a hard percussive backdrop and a chunky lead synth riff.

Percolating synths and meditative vocals dominate on the two minute interlude ‘Girl Without A Secret’ before the closing title instrumental helmed by regular collaborator THE GASLAMP KILLER. Utilising filmic orchestrated textures and VANGELIS type sweeps, it echoes early GOLDFRAPP by adding echoing whistles in that classic Morricone style over the arpeggiated bliss.

Of the five track appendix, the MARSHEAUX rework of ‘Dirty Air’ is superb, with a sprinkling of metallic DM fairy dust added to proceedings while TAREQ adds a faster house tempo to ‘Still High’.

The dPEN remix of ‘Girl Without A Secret’ will work well in those club DJ sets that feature no vocals, but the other remixes won’t be missed once the final playlists are assembled.

‘Perfect Shadow’ is a natural progression for KID MOXIE following the artistic leap from 2009’s ‘Selector’ to ‘1888’, and reflects how Elena Charbila has finally found her voice and style, “in and out of sight”. Remixes aside, this six song sequence of dreamy elegance is KID MOXIE’s best body of work to date.

‘Perfect Shadow’ is released on CD by Amour Records, available via https://kidmoxie.bandcamp.com/album/perfect-shadow

http://www.facebook.com/kidmoxie

http://soundcloud.com/kidmoxie

https://twitter.com/KIDMOXIEMUSIC

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photo by George Geranios
1st August 2016, updated 30th December 2017

SARAH P. Golden Deer

28 July 2016 /

Sarah-P-Golden-Deer-Still

Greek songstress SARAH P. recently said that her debut release ‘Free’ was a love letter to her inner psyche.

Varied and enticing, ‘Free’ is a vivid commentary on relationships and politics, combining pop and leftfield aspirations in a similar vein to SANTIGOLD or GOLDFRAPP.

And with her latest single ‘Golden Deer’, subtle GOLDFRAPP references adorn this great slice of dreamy electronic disco. Indeed, dreamy is an apt description as SARAH P. explained: “’Golden Deer’ was inspired by a dream I had about this deer leading me to a magical forest where everything was possible. I guess, following the deer symbolized tearing down the fences I’ve built around me because of my fears”. For her, the end result is “like an excited heart that’s pumping for the new beginnings”.

This enthused spirit is reflected in the visual presentation of ‘Golden Deer’ which comprises of not one, but three music videos directed by the Berlin based visual artists Schall & Schnabel. With instructions to “Decide how deep you want to dive into the dream…”, ‘ACT 1’ is charming and playful. But things get more cerebral for ‘ACT 2’, before the kaleidoscopic intensity of ‘ACT 3’.

Following first starting out in 2010 as the singer of KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS, there is still more to come from SARAH P. and her spooky yet captivating voice. She told ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK earlier this year: “My LP is already in the making. There is a whole concept behind it and I am very much looking forward to sharing it, although I’ve got to hold back and wait!”

And good things come to those who wait.

With thanks to Robert Helbig at Hellbig Music.

‘Golden Deer’ is from the mini-album ‘Free’ released by EraseRestart, available as a download via the usual digital outlets

The 12 inch vinyl edition is available from http://eraserestart.bigcartel.com/product/sarah-p-free-vinyl

http://sarahpofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sarahpofficial/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
28th July 2016

SILENT WAVE War

26 July 2016 /

SILENT WAVE WarGothenburg combo SILENT WAVE played their first UK gig in March as part of ‘The Swedes Are Coming’ showcase at The Lexington in London.

It was an unusual performance as singer Tildeh Hjelm was absent due to illness, but the remaining pair of Hans Olsson Brookes and Martin Öhman soldiered on.

And thanks to the wonders of modern technology, there was a virtual vocal presence and the undoubted highlight of SILENT WAVE’s set was ‘War’.

With the obvious hauntronica hallmarks of fellow Swedes THE KNIFE looming, ‘War’ is a reminder of how the sibling duo once combined tunes with their uncompromising experimentation. The abstract promo video exudes a suitably dark Nordic vibe with sad faces and naked flames in abundance.

‘War’ could easily have come off ‘Silent Shout’ and nicely fills a gap in the market while also affirming what’s so special about Sweden. While the template is derivative, it is extremely well executed.

SILENT WAVETheir 2014 debut single ‘Dream On Dream On’ was a slice of intriguingly moody, dark electropop that was mixed by RECOIL cohort Paul Kendall while the follow-up ‘Only Love, Nothing More’ expanded on its predecessor’s template with a dreamier demeanour.

The trio are presently making headway recording their debut album at Svenska Grammofonstudion.

‘War’ is available on a selection of digital music platforms

https://www.facebook.com/silentwaveofficial/

https://soundcloud.com/silentwave

Text by Chi Ming Lai
26th July 2016

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