Category: Reviews (Page 17 of 200)

NNHMN Circle of Doom

2 June 2023 /

Berlin-based couple NNHMN released their debut album ‘Church Of No Religion’ in 2019.

Since then, there have been a number of EPs including most recently ‘For The Comfort Of Your Exstazy’ which featured the strong body breakthrough of ‘Omen’ and its poignant anti-war message stating the true nature of evil.

Continuing that encapsulation of these unsettling times, “non-humans” Lee Margot and Michal Laudarg present their new album ‘Circle of Doom’ where they adapt their dark electronic body style with more varied dance elements.

Making use of a trance laden backbone and icy futurepop hooks, the German language ‘Hungrige Liebe’ embodies a Mittel Europa detachment in its spoken word, chosen as it “fits best to the theme of love and death”. Much more techno in construction and “a meditation on love, evil, sin and redemption”, ‘Gloomy Heart’ throbs in triplicate but adds an eerie choral vibe over the enticing club friendly action.

The wonderful glory of ‘Soldier of Beauty’ is more serene but no less danceable with a particularly hypnotic bassline and the viewpoint that the only honest thing to fight for is peace. Meanwhile, the tension on ‘NRL’ can be cut with a knife, described by NNHMN as “the pursuit of a vision, both personal and musical. The transmission of a cosmic solitude opera station”; the voice manipulations and wobbling electronic bass boost what comes over like BOY HARSHER invading Gatecrasher.

Photo by Cristina Del Barco

At a more steadfast pace, if it wasn’t for the airy lead vocals and cavernous reverb treatment, ‘Tiger’ could be mistaken for TECHNOTRONIC and that is not meant in a negative way. The minimally structured ‘Lush Longing’ could be Miss Kittin fresh out of carbon freeze, but the syncopated stomp of ‘Schizophrenic Vitamine’ retains the mystery if not the standard of its preceding tracks. However, ‘Unreal’ cuts an exotic if unsettling tone as it manoeuvres into classic body mode.

In its existential commentary’, ‘Circle Of Doom’ “mirrors the state of the world we are living in” and does it with a haunted enigmatic sound. With a widened electronic palette, it acts as enjoyable and engaging dance music for the party where the enemy at the door could well be scarily knocking soon…

‘Circle of Doom’ is released by Young and Cold Records and available as a CD, black vinyl LP + download from https://nnhmn.bandcamp.com/album/circle-of-doom

NNHMN 2023 live shows include:

Geneva La Makhno (17 June), Bolków Castle Party Festival (15 July), Cologne Amphi Festival (30 July), Prague Gothic Treffen (25 August), Oostende W-Festival (26 August)

https://www.nnhmn.com

https://www.facebook.com/nonhuman.duo

https://www.instagram.com/nnhmn_

https://www.patreon.com/NNHMN

https://open.spotify.com/album/0X9WIFpXDJdVEDP6tJrR6r

Text by Chi Ming Lai
2 June 2023, updated 16 June 2023

BUNNY X Love Minus 80

25 May 2023 /

Unashamedly embracing high school nostalgia and John Hughes movies, BUNNY X’s 2021 debut album ‘Young & In Love’ was a straightforward pop statement that wouldn’t have been out of place on classic MTV.

But the duo comprising of Abigail Gordon and Mary Hanley are now sophomores and for the follow-up ‘Love Minus 80’, their thoughts have become more dystopian as Sci-Fi novels, films, television shows and interstellar romances take over as inspiration. BUNNY X have been here before with the 2018 single ‘Unknown Places’, so the second album presented an opportunity to delve deeper within a whole body of work.

“We knew pretty much at the outset that we wanted our next release to be much darker and more introspective than the debut record” said Abigail Gordon about the genesis of the second BUNNY X album, “but we honestly didn’t realize until we had a few songs done that we wanted to take things in a Sci-Fi themed direction.”

While not quite ‘Star Wars’ related, opener ‘Love Is An Empire’ sees BUNNY X continue their alliance with Don Dellpiero; derived from ‘Lights in the Sky’ on his first album ‘Born 1981’, it appears to indicate that the popwave vibes that flavoured ‘Young & In Love’ mean it’s business as usual for BUNNY X. However, ‘The Forever War’ is more mysterious; inspired by the military science fiction novel of the same name by Joe Haldeman, its subject matter tracing a love story between two soldiers attempting to find each other again after being separated in battle could be applied to current world events, adding further poignancy and tension.

Inspired by cyberpunk godfather William Gibson’s ‘Bridge’ trilogy, the narrative of ‘Breaking Away’ is presented as a “Song for Chevette & Rydell”, two recurring characters who navigate a desolate post-earthquake California. Based on another previously issued instrumental, this one was originated by the oddly monikered SELLOREKT / LA DREAMS.

Taking its lead from the ‘San Junipero’ episode of ‘Black Mirror’, the uptempo ‘Daydreaming’ offers thrust and drive akin to Robyn ‘Dancing On My Own’, all while haunted by the reality of unrequited love. Continuing the escapist rhythmic thrust and taking BUNNY X into another system, ‘The Darkest Place’ could be considered as a metaphor for more personal matters despite being themed around ‘The Expanse’ book series by James SA Corey.

Definitely not sci-fi inspired, ‘Something To Rely On’ touches on toxic relationships and the cacophony of percussive noise shows how such a palette can be utilised without having to bow down to painful overblown distortion. Meanwhile the ‘Love Minus 80’ title song explores futuristic sounds and bass rumbles in a catchy duet with THOUGHT BEINGS.

Heartfelt and emotive in its acceptance of defeat, the contrast with its icier textures gives ‘Good Love Gone Bad’ an otherworldy resonance in its themes of love, loss, betrayal and regret.

Concluding with ‘Chiba City Blues’ based on a second previously released SELLOREKT / LA DREAMS work titled ‘Without You’, this is a sister song to ‘Breaking Away (Song for Chevette & Rydell)’ as it returns to the writings of William Gibson. And just as the neo-metal guitar solo takes hold, everything just fades into cyberspace…

In ‘Love Minus 80’, the underlying sentiment is coping with the emotions and anxieties caused by confronting the many paths that can be taken. With producer GOSTEFFECTS providing the sonic continuity as he did on ‘Young & In Love’, BUNNY X’s second album is a satisfying listen that despite the darkness, points to love still being the key to everything.

‘Love Minus 80’ is released by Aztec Records, available as a CD, magenta neon vinyl LP, cassette + download from https://bunnyx.bandcamp.com/album/

https://www.facebook.com/BunnyXmusic

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
25th May 2023

SPARKS The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte

22 May 2023 /

It’s still a Mael, Mael, Mael, Mael World!

Russell and Ron Mael have been plying their trade as SPARKS for over 50 years now and since the release of their 2021 documentary ‘The SPARKS Brothers’, their stock is as high as it has ever been with their film musical ‘Annette’ winning a César at France’s national film awards for best original music.

Always clever but never impenetrable, the sibling duo have surmised their new long player ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ as being “as bold and uncompromising as anything we did back then or, for that matter, anytime throughout our career.”

The 26th studio album in the SPARKS discography, ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ sees a homecoming of sorts to Island Records, the label that released their breakthrough 1974 hit single ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us’ and its iconic parent album ‘Kimono My House’.

As if to affirm the historic significance, the art rock of ‘Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is’ recalls SPARKS’ previous Island sojourn with the surreal but poignant narrative of a 22-hour-old baby asking to be readmitted to the womb having had sight of the real world! But it all begins with the catchy title track commentary on First World problems which is rugged and enjoyable if a bit repetitive.

Named after the actress who inspired Phil Oakey’s lop-sided hairdo, ‘Veronica Lake’ has an exotic technologically-derived sequence while with a drumless electronica vibe, ‘Escalator’ could be OMD. Within a percussive glam rock cocoon, ‘The Mona Lisa’s Packing, Leaving Late Tonight’ is an avant-fling that delights in its oddness with synths, virtual brass and organ all competing for top billing.

Although sharp and buzzy, ‘You Were Meant For Me’ is classic SPARKS with a characteristically histrionic delivery from Russell and even throws in violin for good measure. Meanwhile ‘Not That Well-Defined’ takes a more orchestrated route to provide a dose of cinematic drama. Continuing on the orchestrated thinking, the Baroque overtures of ‘We Go Dancing’ recall the ‘Lil Beethoven’ album and ‘Take Me For A Ride’ takes an exhilarating tongue twisting journey into dramatic virtual strings, cascading woodwinds and timpanic romps before the rocking up half way.

‘When You Leave’ echoes the Anglophile influences that got The Mael Brothers into music in the first place but is less convincing compared to other material. “What should we do?” asks Russell and in a contradiction of its title, ‘It’s Sunny Today’ offers a more solemn string quartet shaped presentation.

Utilising a machine beat backbone, ‘A Love Story’ reveals more gothic overtones in its ominous austere and as ‘It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way’ strums its way towards the closing straight, ‘Gee, That Was Fun’ presents an amusing bittersweet lament to declare “still it was grand” as multiple harmonies in a wide spectrum of vocal ranges penetrate the psyche to reflect the confusion of relationship breakdown.

While not entering the disco territory of their Giorgio Moroder-produced days, ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ is more electronic than recent SPARKS albums. Squeezing a lot in lyrically and musically, the backing band of Evan Weiss (guitar), Eli Pearl (guitar), Max Whipple (bass) and Stevie Nistor (drums) cope admirably for the variety of styles incorporated on this record.

SPARKS have doggedly continued their pursuit of the unconventional and remain as eccentric and fun as ever; their long standing supporters will be more than happy with this new offering.

‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ is released on 26 May 2023 via Island Records as a CD, cassette, black vinyl LP, clear vinyl LP and picture disc

SPARKS 2023 UK + European live dates include:

Oxford New Theatre (23 May), Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (24 May), Glasgow SEC Armadillo (26 May), Manchester Bridgewater Hall (27 May), London Royal Albert Hall (29 – 30 May), Barcelona, Primavera Sound (2 June), Nimes La Paloma (4 June), Marseille Espace Julien (5 June), Madrid Primavera Sound (8 June), Primavera Sound (10 June), Paris Le Grand Rex (13 June), Utrecht Tivoli Vredenburg Grote Zaal (14 June), Copenhagen Store Vega (16 June), Berlin Tempodrom (18 June), Brussels Cirque Royal (20 June), Wolverhampton Civic Hall (22 June), Glastonbury Festival (23 June)

http://allsparks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sparksofficial/

https://twitter.com/sparksofficial

https://www.instagram.com/sparks_official/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Munachi Osegbu
22nd May 2023

KID MOXIE & NINA Devotion

11 May 2023 /

Despite being thousands of miles apart, KID MOXIE & NINA bonded online over ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Drive’; the respective musical monikers of Elena Charbila and Nina Boldt, their debut collaborative EP ‘Lust’ released on Italians Do It Better was a sexy and sultry concoction that explored themes of erotica with a dark yet playful demeanour.

While ‘Electric Kiss’ was the carefree ride that presented the light on the EP, ‘Devotion’ represented the darkness and something altogether more sinister. In a new mini-movie for the latter filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Joe Rubenstein whose credits also include the saucy visual presentation for the KID MOXIE single ‘Shine’, the mini-movie sees the infamous DURAN DURAN video ‘The Chauffeur’ meeting ‘Blade Runner’ within an array of vivid colours

With bendy synth sounds provided by producer Hristos Lainas and driving metaphors pointing to forbidden liaisons, in a joint KID MOXIE & NINA interview with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK, Nina Boldt said of ‘Devotion’: “I really love that spoken word mixing with the sensual vocals and it’s a bit more playful and there’s anticipation there…”

In a car chase backstory with a twist providing a sexy mystique, Elena Charbila admitted about the video’s inspiration: “It’s probably the most ‘Blade Runner’ influenced because of the location amongst the tall buildings. There’s a chase and as our most dangerous sounding song, it has some Theremin in there as well. There’s a universe where ‘Devotion’ is the track of being chased, but whoever is chasing us doesn’t want to do anything bad to us!”

‘Devotion’ is from the ‘Lust’ EP released by Italians Do It Better, listen via https://idib.ffm.to/lustep

http://www.facebook.com/kidmoxie

https://twitter.com/KIDMOXIEMUSIC

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https://www.iloveninamusic.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/ninasounduk/

https://open.spotify.com/album/5COlcln5e8yUqKKPInZ5Rp

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photo by George Tripodakis
11th May 2023

ZANIAS Chrysalis

1 May 2023 /

Following one of the most traumatic periods of her life which also led to one of her most artistically prolific, Alison Lewis is back as her solo alter-ego Zoe Zanias to present ‘Chrysalis’.

As the title of the album suggests, ‘Chrysalis’ is a rebirth. Her emotional catharsis to music is ever present, but there is also an emergent avant-pop sensibility providing hope, despite the dark times that the world finds itself with a new Cold War and environmental catastrophe looming.

Alison Lewis made her name as a member of the acclaimed minimal synth duo LINEA ASPERA with Ryan Ambridge. While they delivered an excellent comeback album ‘LPII’ in 2020, her focus has since been as ZANIAS with the most recent album ‘Unearthed’ emerging in 2021.

‘Chrysalis’ was seeded by a number of unfortunate events in Lewis’ life but using her own music as therapy, she has weaved a cocoon of hope from the despair. Song topics include the human condition, burnout, disillusionment, bereavement and the toxicity of capitalism. Written and recorded between her adopted home of Berlin and the rainforest of Queensland in Australia, despite the various foods for thought, this is the possibly the most accessible ZANIAS album yet.

The excellent ‘Simulation’ opens and is a bittersweet ode to Berlin where “This city is a fable, nowhere else to go. This city has enabled us all and it’s breaking my soul”. Despite the introspection as expressed by a hauntingly contralto vocal, the backdrop glistens. Capturing “a broken reality” where “everything’s shattering”, a joyful escapist euphoria counters those feelings.

The swaying avant pop of ‘Metrics’ is beat-centric, ghostly yet danceable with a catchy buzz. Meanwhile if Madonna had more gothic tendencies around her ‘Bedroom Stories’ period, the dark and ethereal ‘Burial’ might have been the end result. Its lush synth strings and voiced-derived layers points towards the “Global Pop” of PRAISE but is much deeper.

With glorious arpeggios and lush synth strings, ‘Lovelife’ is wonderfully trance, bolstered with bass guitar by live bandmate Laura Bailey aka NEU-ROMANCER while an array of pitch-shifted voice samples act as an abstract lead vocal before the actual one kicks in. With ominous tones reminiscent of THE CURE’s ‘A Forest’, ‘Closing’ uses a number of interesting vocal treatments which provide intensity over the snappy rhythmics.

In a departure, ‘Teatree’ features virtual strums and could be considered an eerie ZANIAS folk ballad while also taking a more sedate approach, ‘Departure’ projects a more atmospheric tone with rung textures and a white noise backbone. To close, the ‘Chrysalis’ title song goes for a full acoustic intro before beats and electronics make their presence felt as our heroine emerges from her sheltered state into her next stage of growth.

Evocative and captivating, ‘Chrysalis’ is the best Zoe Zanias long player to date. Alison Lewis remains independent and true to her art while providing a new found immersive immediacy that will help her music reach a wider audience. That balance is no easy feat to achieve but with some new approaches, she has managed it.

‘Chrysalis’ is released by Fleisch as a limited edition black/blue or blue/green vinyl LP, CD + digital release, available direct from https://zanias.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/zoe.zanias/

https://twitter.com/Zanias__

https://www.instagram.com/zoe_zanias/

https://www.patreon.com/zanias

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Hidrico Rubens
1st May 2023

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