Category: Reviews (Page 152 of 206)

TRENTEMØLLER Fixion

18 September 2016 /

trentemoller-fixion‘Fixion’ is the fourth album from Copenhagen-based producer Anders Trentemøller and rather than being an overtly electronic work, it draws from the gigging band sound of the artist with live bass and guitar at times prominent in the overall mix.

To even a casual listener, ‘Fixion’ would simply not exist if it weren’t for the template laid down by Manchester legends JOY DIVISION.

The sound which latterly went on to inform that of THE CURE with their magnum opus ‘Disintegration’ is omnipresent here alongside distant echoes of Gary Numan.

What TRENTEMØLLER has done though is infuse the distinctive guitar/bass sound of these artists with electronics and overlay them with a selection of female vocalist including Jehnny Beth from UK post punk act SAVAGES and longtime collaborators Marie Fisker and Lizbet Friske.

Opening track ‘One Eye Open’ has a bassline which is a slowed-down dead-ringer for JOY DIVISION’s ‘Shadowplay’, even the key is the same. In an era where an artist can potentially face major legal action for just templating the overall vibe and sound of a song (see the ‘Blurred Lines’/ Marvin Gaye case), it will be interesting to see if the lawyers come knocking regarding this work.

The brooding majestic sound and production of the backing track (including some nifty Linn Drum programming) isn’t however quite matched by the vocal melody, with Marie Fisker’s contribution never quite holding the listener’s attention throughout.

‘Never Fade’ is based around a “Never fade, never look down” vocal refrain; added to this are appropriately epic synth strings which are combined with a Robert Smith sound-a-like guitar sound. What takes the song away from being a straight pastiche are the downtempo electronic house drums, 4/4 kick and outro closed/open hi-hat pattern.

First single ‘River In Me’ is pretty sprightly in comparison with much of the material here, an interesting hybrid of uptempo drum machine mixed with live bass and the sort of hollow sampled synth riff that wouldn’t have been out of place on DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Construction Time Again’. Jehnny Beth from SAVAGES contributes vocals and the song is an undoubted highlight here if only because it raises the BPM and energy level.

‘Redefine’ has some great synth sounds and production touches, but again melodically isn’t a strong enough song to make you want to especially revisit it. ‘November’ is the longest track here, a beautifully atmospheric instrumental, full of washy synths, stereo-panned sound effects and reverbed guitars; whilst ‘Circuits’ is the only other track apart from ‘River In Me’ to break out of the overall downtempo sound of the album.

With TRENTEMØLLER providing the theme music to the AMC series ‘Halt & Catch Fire’, it is no surprise that in many places, ‘Fixion’ comes across as a soundtrack to a dark, imaginary thriller – the music is often textural rather than melodic and tends to feel like it should lurk sinisterly in the background rather than demanding your full attention.

Trentemoller-press-photo-2016It’s hard not to compare ‘Fixion’ with THE CURE’s ‘Disintegration’; both consist of mainly downtempo songs but whereas the latter had the soul-bearing mid-life crisis lyrics and vocals of Robert Smith as a focal point, the former lacks a comparable cohesion. Despite sounding appropriately epic and using all the right frames of reference, ‘Fixion’ never hits the heights of Smith and Co’s acclaimed career highlight despite being enjoyable as a late-night listening soundscape-based piece of work.

TRENTEMØLLER is undoubtedly highly talented as a producer/remixer and in many circles is seen as THE musician to produce a future work by DEPECHE MODE, but here it is nigh on impossible to listen to ‘Fixion’ without referencing the ghosts of other works and musicians.

‘Fixion’ is released by In My Room in CD, vinyl and download formats

http://www.anderstrentemoller.com/

https://www.facebook.com/trentemoller/

https://trentemoller.lnk.to/Fixion

Text by Paul Boddy
Photo by Sofie Nørregaard
18th September 2016

VILE ELECTRODES In The Shadows Of Monuments

16 September 2016 /

vile-electrodes-in-the-shadows-of-monuments

Larger than life on and off stage, the Hastings based duo VILE ELECTRODES are out to make it big with their second album ‘In The Shadows Of Monuments’.

VILE ELECTRODES are the fabulously quirky, alternative fetish fashion lover Anais Neon, whose nonchalant vocals can drill holes in listeners’ heads, joined by the self-confessed analogue synth geek Martin Swan, who is at his best while surrounded by a hundred vintage synthesisers. Having started their musical journey by supporting OMD on their German tour in 2013, as well as appearances alongside JOHN FOXX, MICHAEL ROTHER and MESH, VILE ELECTRODES managed to scoop two Schallwelle awards for their first opus ‘The future through a lens’.

Actively focusing on their craft, Martin and Anais have taken time to contribute on various BBC Radio3 recordings, as well as providing an impromptu performance using an advanced pre-release version of the new budget Deepmind12 analogue polysynth by Behringer at ‘Modular Meets Leeds’.

Punctuating their growing prowess with carefully produced EPs and limiting their life performances during 2016, the pair have now unleashed the long awaited follow-up to their award winning debut.

vile-electrodes-shadows-in-svenska

‘In The Shadows Of Monuments Part One’ opens the epic, with exquisite vocals by Neon, at times sounding like a younger, hungrier version of BJÖRK. A darker, less poppy than anything previously created, the song creates an art form à la GAZELLE TWIN.

Announcing the grown-up era for VILE ELECTRODES, it is a marvellous opening with immaculate analogue synths, stimulating a multitude of senses.

‘The Red Bead’ follows, accented by haunted vocals and a plethora of electronic soundscapes. ‘As Gravity Ends’, a sci-fi inspired track shifts the tension slightly, before ‘Evidence’ enters with an off-beat rhythm and urgency of the synthesis. Martin Swan’s superiority of production beams through this mid-tempo track, sharply descending onto dramatic, heavily arpeggiated ‘As We Turn To Rust’.

vile-arrival-tunnel-square

For those into their minimalism, ‘Into Great Silence’ offers the perfect solitary retreat, lyrically accented with religious connotations and loaded with peculiar-sounding effects, making the production unusually atmospheric, without being overpowering and brutal.

‘Like Satellites’ continues the stripped feel, proving that less is more and urging the listener to stretch their imagination, just like a good book would. Strategically placed instrumentation and dainty sounds represent the greatness of this piece, which would lend itself beautifully as a film score.

The “sharp” ‘Incision’ injects tempo into proceeding, “sharpening your senses” to oblivion, incrementally inducing mantra like connotations. ‘Stranger To Myself’ follows its predecessors footsteps, including further feeling of necessity, leading onto ‘Last Of The Lovers’, where Anais Neon is joined by choirs and chants, with Martin Swan’s provision of capable synth to break through the track’s cathedral textures.

The closing ‘The Vanished Past’ wraps up the opus, with scarce lyrics underlying the monochromatic minimalist feel of the album. Calming electronica of cinematic quality cannot escape the drama of this piece. It’s as soothing as it is alarming. “Not everything is as it seems” cries Neon, amongst the unnerving electronica of Swan’s masterdom. As a forlorn stranger joins in, it all starts to sound like a lost OMD epic; but this is not entirely surprising when that stranger appears to be a certain George Andrew McCluskey!

vile-halo-stairwell

If having to take a break from gigging and concentrating on writing has meant achieving greatness, then VILE ELECTRODES have definitely done it with ‘In The Shadows Of Monuments’. The second album syndrome certainly doesn’t apply here. Anais Neon and Martin Swan have elevated their band into an art form, which raises them well above the sea of mediocrity that is the UK’s hit-and-miss electronica scene.

Any self-respecting (analogue) synth lover needs to have this piece in their collection. The only problem is that you may, simply, love it too much.

‘In The Shadows Of Monuments’ is released as a 2CD set with tracks + remixes from the ‘Captive In Symmetry’, ‘Stark White’ and ‘Black Light’ EPs in regular and special edition hand cast concrete sleeved formats as well as a standard single CD, all available from http://vileelectrodes.bigcartel.com/

Download version available via http://vileelectrodes.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-shadows-of-monuments

http://www.vileelectrodes.com/

http://www.facebook.com/vileelectrodes

http://vileelectrodes.blogspot.com/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
16th September 2016

KID KASIO Full Moon Blue

15 September 2016 /

Formerly of THE MODERN and later MATINEE CLUB, Nathan Cooper debuted as KID KASIO with the long player ‘Kasiotone’ in 2012. And with his latest single ‘Full Moon Blue’, he simply couldn’t get any Wilder…

Performing alongside MARSHEAUX and RODNEY CROMWELL on SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2016 in Norwich, Cooper is a man who is plainly honest about where his influences lie. His love of electronic acts such as HOWARD JONES and OMD permeates throughout his work. His most recent album ‘Sit & Wait’ is a fine collection of playful synthpop that is unafraid to nails its colours to the mast in a totally unpretentious manner.

Now imagine if DEPECHE MODE were fronted by Nik Kershaw instead of Dave Gahan? With ‘Full Moon Blue’, this musical fantasy is fully realised with a clever interpolation of ‘Two Minute Warning’, one of the songwriting contributions from Alan Wilder on ‘Construction Time Again’. The recording had originally started life as a cover version, but mutated into its own entity.

‘Full Moon Blue’ comes accompanied with a promo video sourced from home movie footage; “It’s compiled from footage of an old VHS tape a friend found in a box in his mum’s attic. It’s a film we made on camcorder when we were 18. A kung fu film” said Cooper, “I’ve just kind of thrown it together, but it kind of works. It’s certainly not a video I would have planned for the song, but I think that’s better sometimes. I was keen not to spend 2 years making a video this time around, like I did with ‘The Kodo Song’ and this came with a ready-made back story, so I thought ‘why not?’”.

Having previously worked with the likes of Stephen Hague who produced ERASURE, NEW ORDER and PET SHOP BOYS, KID KASIO has a quality background.

He said to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK in 2015: “Whether I release it in 2013 or 2016, it’s still going to sound like 1985!” – in the case of ‘Full Moon Blue’, KID KASIO parties like its 1983!

KID KASIO Full Moon Blue‘Full Moon Blue’ is released as a download single and also available on the album ‘Sit & Wait’

KID KASIO plays Epic Studios, 114 Magdalen Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 1JD on SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2016

http://www.kidkasio.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kidkasio/

https://twitter.com/KidKasio

Text by Chi Ming Lai
15th September 2016

VILLA NAH Ultima

13 September 2016 /

Having released one of the best electronic pop albums of 2010 in their debut ‘Origin’, Helsinki’s VILLA NAH went quiet after a well-received UK tour supporting OMD.

But childhood friends Juho Paalosmaa and Tomi Hyyppä are now back after a five-year hiatus. During that break, Paalosmaa formed SIN COS TAN with ‘Origin’ co-producer Jori Hulkkonen and their three albums to date filled the void left by VILLA NAH. ‘Ultima’ sees the duo and Hulkkonen present an escapist soundtrack for a Nordic summer, swathed in dreamy synthesizers.

While Paalosmaa’s vocals are as forlorn as ever, there is a cautious air of optimism too. Beginning the album in earnest, the ‘Ultima’ title instrumental is a gently atmospheric waltz that would make a fine theme to a romantic art movie.

A sweet pizzicato movement shapes ‘Vortex’ with its marvellous synthscape retaining the filmic characteristics of the album’s intro before the beat kicks in. ‘Mistakes’ takes things more uptempo as gorgeous synth vibrato and some harp-like runs sit over an inventive rhythm construction. It all proves that modern electronica doesn’t have to be set to the retarded 4/4 monotony of most generic club music; the song’s uplifting choral qualities and soaring chorus make this an early album highlight.

While VILLA NAH’s debut showcased an affinity with OMD, both ‘Life is Short’ and ‘Love Chance’ echo another Merseyside act CHINA CRISIS; the former is punctuated with synthetic brass tones while the latter exudes a distinctly exotic flavour with plenty of wistful melodies in keeping with the song’s title. The wonderful “new romance” of ‘Love Chance’ also sees prominent but subtle use of rhythmic guitar in the vein of Messrs Daly and Lundon.

A gentle piano motif introduces ‘Heaven’ before more downcast overtones and guitar textures make their presence felt. Meanwhile things get darker on ‘Clockwork’, a mood piece that is possibly the most sombre offering on the album.

‘Spy’ takes on a nostalgic feel by borrowing the theme music for the vintage computer game ‘Spy Vs. Spy’ with the blessing of its composer Nicholas Scarim. This clever interpolation for the song’s lead melody is a perfect fit for VILLA NAH’s template, harking back to ‘Ways To Be’ from ‘Origin’. As the layers build, Paalosmaa even starts to sound like Robert Smith of THE CURE guesting on a fantasy track for JEAN-MICHEL JARRE’s ‘Electronica 3’!

The magnificent ‘Stranger’ can be held up as an example as to why Paalosmaa’s melancholic songwriting prowess and Hyyppä’s technical knowhow gained VILLA NAH so many new fans when they opened for OMD in 2010; the detuned synths provide drama and tension while still retaining a vital sense of melody.

To finish ‘Ultima’, the serene ‘Proxima’ canters along and beautifully rings like a grown-up lullaby.

‘Ultima’ is a welcome return for VILLA NAH as a mature successor to ‘Origin’. While there are fewer uptempo, dance friendly songs compared to its predecessor, the passing years have naturally provoked a more sophisticated outlook that will appeal to all generations of classic synthpop aficionados.

Hienoa että olette palanneet…

With thanks to Tom Riski at Solina Records and Tapio Normall

‘Ultima’ is released by Solina Records in vinyl LP and digital formats

https://www.facebook.com/villanah/

https://twitter.com/villanah

http://solinarecords.com/villa-nah-ultima/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photo by Kimmo Virtanen
13th September 2016

IAMX Everything Is Burning

5 September 2016 /

Since Chris Corner aka IAMX has made sunny Los Angeles his home and has showcased his sixth studio album ‘Metanoia’ extensively throughout Europe and the US, his public therapy seems to be working extremely well.

The troubled artist, having suffered streaks of depression which accompanied him throughout his seven year love affair with Berlin, nearly said goodbye to music altogether. Only later had he realised that “it wasn’t the music that was hurting me, it was just that I had to reprogram myself to approach things in a different way, and it became very clear to me that I still wanted to make music more than ever”.

‘Metanoia’ was a culmination of the act of bringing together many ideas to create a laid back, no pressure record and turned out to be an immense success on both sides of the Atlantic, gaining Corner many a new fan.

This month sees a further seven new tracks being released under the umbrella of ‘Everything Is Burning’, as an ‘Addendum’ to ‘Metanoia’, together with new remixes of songs featured on the original 2015 release.

The title track heralds the outing, with an outstanding metallic sound of non-conformist synth, buzzing guitar and that longing vocal, which never adjusts to the norm. The freshness, yet deepened nostalgia weaves itself through the peculiarity of the production, leading into ‘Dead In This House’. The surprising change of rhythm ushers a new era of IAMX’s rule; silky, smooth and ragged and rough at the same time.

Now enters ‘Triggers’, acting as Corner’s reflection on the reality of life. “You may lock your doors but you’ll never keep them out” offers a pessimistic outlook onto the everyday. The howling strings mark the entrance of ‘Scars’; a poignant autobiography with a tear jerking element to it, thanks to the filigree musical additions and honesty of the lyrics.

‘The Void’ continues the notion of melancholia, while ‘Eternity’ bears self-scars from Corner’s existence, where he begs to be completed. The closing ‘Turning Crimson’ sees the X ponder the modern world once more, all disguised as a gentle ballad, but the uncertainty and pain remains.

The rest of the production consists of remixes of few ‘Metanoia’ tracks, such as three mixes of ‘North Star’, triple dose of ‘Oh Cruel Darkness Embrace Me’, a ‘Marat Sad Remix’ of ‘Look Outside’ and two remixes of ‘Happiness’ including a take by Gary Numan.

Although IAMX claims to have become cleansed since living in America, his acute perception of reality and cutting observations of human psyche are still prevalent in the lyrical content if his works. Musically, he’s on top form, and his production towers above most. Although the “becoming X” is complete, Corner has far more to showcase and does so without remorse. It’s a superb addition to an already superb album.

‘Everything Is Burning (Metanoia Addendum)’ is released in 2CD and digital formats, available from https://www.musicglue.com/iamx/products/everything-is-burning-metanoia-addendum-cds-2/

IAMX plays London Shepherds Bush Empire on Saturday 29th October 2016

https://iamxmusic.com/

http://www.facebook.com/IAMXOFFICIAL

https://twitter.com/IAMX

https://www.instagram.com/iamx/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
5th September 2016

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2017 ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK | Email: theelectricityclub@googlemail.com
Privacy Policy

Up ↑