Category: Reviews (Page 30 of 206)

ZANIAS Simulation

16 January 2023 /

Following one of the most traumatic years of her life, Alison Lewis is back as ZANIAS to present more of her emotional catharsis to music.

The first fruit of labours is the excellent ‘Simulation’ which is a bittersweet ode to the Australian’s adopted home of Berlin where she “landed here at twenty-three”.

“This city is a fable, nowhere else to go. This city has enabled us all and it’s breaking my soul” she sighs. But as her vulnerable soul is bared, she counters with the view that “in a world so f*cking awry, let’s talk about our favourite ways to get high…”

From the forthcoming album ‘Chrysalis’, out soon on Lewis’ own Fleisch Records, ‘Simulation’ itself while is typically introspective and moody in that ZANIAS vein with a hauntingly contralto vocal. However it is also eminently danceable and occasionally sparkles instrumentally in a manner that is more akin to Lewis’ other project LINEA ASPERA with Ryan Ambridge.

All these contrasting feelings are captured on the superb visual accompaniment directed by Janis Reichert who was found by ZANIAS live bandmate Laura Bailey aka NEU-ROMANCER on an Italo party boat!

Accurately capturing the feeling expressed that “In a broken reality, everything’s shattering”, the eerie slo-mo effect was achieved by all concerned filming to ‘Simulation’ being speeded up to 138BPM. The end result captures a joyful escapist euphoria with the rave angels at the Untertage club cast as extras.

Alison Lewis has said she has made more music in a single period that any other time of her life and as well as the ‘Chrysalis’ album, there will be ZANIAS live dates which will include Europe, the UK and Canada. “I have soooo much to share” she said on her social media, “this is just the beginning…”

‘Simulation’ is available as a digital single on the usual online platforms and direct from https://zanias.bandcamp.com/

ZANIAS 2023 UK live dates include:

Southampton 1865 (14th February), Liverpool Quarry (15th February), Glasgow Ivory Blacks (16th February), Manchester Rebellion Club (18th February), London Lexington (19th February), London Camden Assembly Hall (17th March) – further information on these and other shows at https://swampbooking.com/zanias/

http://www.zanias-music.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
16th January 2023

КЛЕТ Privet… Salam

9 January 2023 /


The music vehicle of Bohemian-born producer Michal Trávníček, КЛЕТ is back with ‘Privet… Salam’, his third album in less than three years.

The first КЛЕТ album ‘Alconaut’ was a weightless synth-laden celebration of the 20th Century Soviet space programme and the best instrumental release of 2021. The more melancholic appendix ‘1984? No!’ followed swiftly and was a worthy if less immediate follow-up. Featuring 14 new instrumentals inspired by life, love, space and nostalgia, ‘Privet… Salam’ (“п​р​и​в​е​т​.​.​.​с​а​л​а​м” in cryllic scrpt) has been dedicated to good souls and kind hearts.

The album begins with ‘КЛЕТ FM’, a short nostalgic radio montage that includes two ‘Alconaut’ segments ‘Gagarin’s Start’ and ‘Sputnik’ before heading into the dynamic rhythmic passages of ‘Caspian Sea Monster’ which add a new dimension to the КЛЕТ template.

‘Grandmothers’ provides a beautiful crystalline set piece that has much in common with CIRCUIT3’s ‘In Your Shoes’ and continuing on the family tree theme, ‘Mother Love’ is development of the serene atmospheres that float on ‘Alconaut’.

Meanwhile, the surreally titled ‘Gulag Pelé’ adds glassy textures to the wavey moods and the sparser ‘Ideal Speed’ brings digital slap bass simulations into the equation. Reminiscences of ‘Childhood’ maintain the КЛЕТ aural ethos while despite its title, ‘We Are All Born To Suffer’ is brightly lit and concludes the main act with an optimistic melodic tone.

However, ‘Privet… Salam’ then encores with a bonus alternative 2.0 version of ‘Gagarin’s Start’ featuring a whistling Yuri Gagarin; even in reworked form, this wonderful tribute to the first man in space still stands out and highlights what a hard act it has been for КЛЕТ to follow the brilliance of the ‘Alconaut’ opus.

If you have enjoyed ‘Alconaut’ and ‘1984? No!’, then ‘Privet… Salam’ follows in their tradition and with Michal Trávníček’s aim to make his music “available to synth music lovers regardless of their financial situation”, there is no reason to not continue the КЛЕТ sonic exploration.

‘Privet… Salam’ is available via the usual online platforms and can be obtained as a free download from https://claat.bandcamp.com/

https://twitter.com/aestheticKLET

https://www.instagram.com/kletwave/

https://soundcloud.com/aestheticclaat

https://open.spotify.com/album/5mKH2N05lQAS9ymLowpB4O

Text by Chi Ming Lai
9th January 2022

BEBORN BETON Dancer In The Dark

7 January 2023 /

Post-KRAFTWERK, following the international success of ALPHAVILLE with ‘Big In Japan’, a number of German electronic acts followed their lead with songs in English that could crossover into wider markets such as CAMOUFLAGE, WOLFSHEIM, DE/VISION and BEBORN BETON.

Formed in 1989, BEBORN BETON released their first album proper ‘Tybalt’ in 1993 having issued three cassettes independently. After the US only compilation album ‘Tales From Another World’ in 2002, the trio of Stefan Netschio (vocals), Stefan Tillmann (keyboards + drums) and Michael B Wagner (keyboards) went on hiatus but returned in 2015 with ‘A Worthy Compensation’ featuring the excellent songs ‘I Believe’, ‘She Cried’, ‘Last Day On Earth’ and ‘Was Immer’.

With a brand new long player ‘Darkness Falls Again’ pencilled in just before the likely release of the cheerful new DEPECHE MODE opus ‘Memento Mori’, BEBORN BETON strike first with the brilliant ‘Dancer In The Dark’; not a rework of Bruce Springsteen, the song manages to out-Camouflage CAMOUFLAGE with an infectious pop sensibility that more than likely comes from front man and lyric writer Stefan Netschio’s love of DURAN DURAN.

Leaving nothing to spare, the video for ‘Dancer In The Dark’ sees the Essen threesome in a bowling alley, testing each other’s precision and wits over ten frames. The image is reminiscent of Dave Gahan, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher when they made one of their first TV interview appearances as DEPECHE MODE on ITV’s youth magazine show ‘20th Century Box’ in Summer 1981.

With current world events and another Cold War looming as if The Berlin Wall never fell, ‘Dancer In The Dark’ is a message to remain positive in the face of adversity; “don’t let what now feels like the end of the world sweep you off your dancing feet” says Netschio on behalf of BEBORN BETON. Their ninth album, Darkness Falls Again’ promises catchy leg twitching tunes and mature songwriting to form a sonic joyride as racists, demagogues, preachers of hate and those who destroy the planet are called out.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Olaf Wollschläger whose credits include MESH, YELLO, S.P.O.C.K, PSYCHE and MINERVE, ‘Darkness Falls Again’ features artwork by Volker Maass who presents the ‘Operating//Generating’ series of radio shows on laut.fm – so forget “that you must die!” and be a ‘Dancer In The Dark’ as ‘Darkness Falls Again’.

‘Dancer in the Dark’ is available now on the usual digital platforms

The album ‘Darkness Falls Again’ is released on 17th March 2023 by Dependent Records as a 48-page artbook with bonus CD, digisleeve CD, black vinyl LP and limited edition white vinyl LP as well as on the usual digital platforms, pre-order via http://lnk.spkr.media/beborn-beton-darkness

https://www.bebornbeton.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bebornbeton

https://www.instagram.com/bebornbeton/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1DsA0Dbq7WvsNkZZlrRZuz

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photo by Chris Ruiz
7th January 2023

STOLEN Eroded Creation

19 December 2022 /

A well-thought out, well-crafted album with plenty of adventure, space and mystery within its multi-genre cocoon, STOLEN’s ‘Fragment’ appealed to electronic, techno, prog and alternative rock enthusiasts alike.

Comprising of five Chinese musicians and a French VJ, STOLEN were founded in 2009 when three of their number were studying at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Their second album but the first with the Berlin-based production partnership of Mark Reeder and Micha Adam, the acclaim for ‘Fragment’ led to STOLEN opening for NEW ORDER on a six date European tour in 2019.

Further 2020 dates in Japan with the Mancunians were arranged but then the worldwide pandemic hit. While STOLEN have recovered to maintain their position as one of the most popular alternative bands in China, international momentum has stalled somewhat but now they present their ‘Eroded Creation’.

In circumstances that were very different to the making of ’Fragment’, the versatile sextet of Liang-Yi (vocals + synths), Duan-Xuan (piano, keyboards, sequencers + guitar), Fangde: (guitars + synths), Wu Jun Yang (bass Guitars + iPhone), Yu Yuan Feng Xiao Yuan (drums + percussion) and Formol (visuals + atmospheres) recorded the tracks in Chengdu but they were produced and mixed by Reeder and Adam in Berlin.

Opening with a song released earlier in 2022 by Alanas Chosnau and Mark Reeder on their ‘Life Everywhere’ album, STOLEN get to offer their vision of ‘The Void Empire’ with a deeper interpretation echoing ‘Ultra’ era DEPECHE MODE in its percussive loops and denser austere.

But making a mighty 11 minute statement, the segue of ‘Capture The Star’ into ‘Space Intruders’ is sonically magnificent: every element has its place from drums to guitar solos in this progressive Sinographic adventure. More sedate and sung in Mandarin with bubbling arpeggiators, chilling strings and melodic guitar, ‘Hibernation Pod’ could be a Chinese MUSE, especially when Liang-Yi hits some quasi-operatic falsetto tones.

With ominous bass pulses and Middle Eastern overtones, ‘Secret Agenda’ offers something more gothic as virtual orchestrations enhance the drama while ‘Shirt Of Darkness’ offers absolution in its chilly disposition that grows with every listen.

Much rockier though is ‘Never Believe’ although Liang Yi is himself vocally restrained to provide an interesting contrast to the tension.

However, the growly frontman lets rip on the techno rock of ‘Pay’ where the backdrop unexpectedly twists and turns and thrusts with a pulsing synth middle section suddenly interrupted by a burst of jagged metal!

With a prominent mechanised stomp, ‘Why We Follow’ comes in Mark Reeder’s Follow Me Remix and angrily makes its point, augmented by a blasting guest rap from PSY.P who made his breakthrough a member of the Chinese hip-hop collective HIGHER BROTHERS.

To a slight offbeat, ‘Pressure’ features some impeccable live elements in the drum breaks and enticing ivory runs reminiscent of David Bowie’s ‘I’m Deranged’. But as ‘Eroded Creation’ concludes, the sparse backdrop of ‘Waiting’ moves to the unexpected with a piano shaped ballad supported by understated embellishments from all of the band.

Developing on the propulsive grit and mystical cinematics of ‘Fragment’, STOLEN have made a fine and worthy follow-up in ‘Eroded Creation’. They continue not to be tied down to any particular style, using an amalgam of influences to create a cerebral elation in its mix of psychedelic-tinged rock and electronics. ‘Eroded Creation’ puts STOLEN back on track and is a reminder as to why NEW ORDER were so supportive of their endeavours.

‘Eroded Creation’ is released in digital formats and available from https://stolenstolen.bandcamp.com/album/eroded-creation

https://mfsberlin.com/stolen/

https://www.facebook.com/STOLENfromChina

https://www.instagram.com/stolen_official/

https://open.spotify.com/album/30HYYg8IbkFLNcC43aU8wy

Text by Chi Ming Lai
19th December 2022

BIRMINGHAM ELECTRIC Communication

9 December 2022 /

For BIRMINGHAM ELECTRIC, communication is as good today as it’s always been.

The musical vehicle of Dutch-based American Andy Evans, his debut album ‘Communication’ captures the spirit of the classic synth era. But then, that is not entirely surprising as the songs which form it began as 4-track cassette demos written back in the day. Aided and abetted by Berlin-based producer Mark Reeder whose remix credits have included NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE and PET SHOP BOYS alongside his studio partner Micha Adam, new life has been breathed into those demos to provide a clean electronic pop sound.

The songs reflect the ups and downs of modern life but throughout, melodies and counterpoints are omnipresent, pointing to OMD, YAZOO and early DEPECHE MODE. The sombre moods of ‘Your Greatest Fear’ start proceedings but it is ‘Moving Target’ that provides the bouncy melodicism, sounding as if KID KASIO had signed to Vince Clarke’s Reset Records, with Evans’ polarising vocal style working well alongside some discordant synths.

With rich synth hooks over a classic electro-machine beat, ‘Stateless’ follows the same appealing path as ‘Moving Target’, although the lyrics could be viewed as trite in their rhyming strategy while the track could probably do with an edit. Imagining THE RONETTES reworked by OMD, ‘Circles’ has potential but is limited vocally and lyrically while ‘Television Hill’ offers that typical Reeder rhythmic thrust but suffers from repetition.

Pacing down slightly but gently pulsating, ‘How Do We End Up Here’ benefits from the robotised voice treatments. Despite sounding as if it is about to morph into ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, ‘Radio Kootwijk’ makes use of wonderful symphonic strings but the flat vocal delivery lets down its possibilities. Similarly ‘The Jungle’ is a bit all over the place vocally despite its obvious enthusiasm.

A lament about industrialisation, ‘Light of The World’ utilises a Euro-triplet drive in Mark Reeder’s Illuminating Remix that differs from the earlier and looser single version while on the escape themed ‘Wall of Fire’, youngsters might refer to the template as synthwave.

‘Miss 4Chan’ echoes ‘Black Celebration’ with this interpolation highlighting how infectious and appealing DEPECHE MODE once were while ‘Remains Of The Day’ closes ‘Communication’ with a mournful ballad.

‘Communication’ is instrumentally strong and the production work by Mark Reeder with Micha Adam cannot be faulted. Although the album is mostly joyous, uplifting and rhythmic, Andy Evans’ vocal delivery may not be to everyone’s taste and although it is not that much different from other synth exponents of the past, his voice is left exposed in the cleaner and tighter sonic environment of today.

The advice then is to try before you buy…

‘Communication’ is released by Conzoom Records, available via https://linktr.ee/birminghamelectric

http://www.b-electric.live/

https://www.facebook.com/birminghamelectric

https://twitter.com/belectricband

https://www.instagram.com/birminghamelectric/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
9th December 2022

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