Category: Reviews (Page 71 of 201)

JENNIFER TOUCH Behind The Wall

1 June 2020 /

Jennifer Touch, the Dresden-born / Berlin-based producer and DJ makes her long-awaited album debut with ‘Behind The Wall’, having presented her first recordings in 2014.

Wearing a coat of many colours, Jennifer Touch is a developing talent who as happy with techno and industrial as she is with synthpop. It has been over 30 years since the fall of The Berlin Wall and it is not surprising that she has looked back to her time growing up in Communist East Germany as the catalyst for this long player released on the Brighton independent label Fatcat Records.

The daughter of DDR flower-power children, she was introduced to synthpop and new wave via her father’s extensive record collection which included THE HUMAN LEAGUE and DURAN DURAN. The joyful image of ‘Deutschland 83’ agent hero Kolibri hearing ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ for the first time on a Sony Walkman is perhaps symbolic of how many young East Germans like her became enthralled and curious about life and culture on the other side of The Iron Curtain.

Taking in DAF, THE KLF and PJ Harvey along the way on the route to adulthood, this melting pot of tastes inspired her early music productions. The excellent ‘Chemistry’ was the track that launched it all to a wider listenership outside of club circles and it appears on ‘Behind The Wall’ in remixed form. Cleaner and tighter but still retaining the essence of the original, Touch conceived her baby while in a state of depression. “I knew I had the music inside me” she explained, “but it felt like I was stuck,”

But ‘Behind The Wall’ begins in a more abstract manner with ‘Imaginary Boys’, an art piece that acts as a building soundtrack to Touch’s commute through Berlin to the studio each day. While much of the city has been rebuilt, many aspects of its distinctive architecture remain and loom with a dark and powerful resonance.

The album’s emotional centre point is ‘Attic’, where stark electronics and metronomic beats echo EMIKA but built around a rigid if much colder foundation. A fight against a system of restricted surroundings, its feelings are relevant in the lockdown of today as they were more than three decades ago in Eastern Europe.

With a hypnotic DAF-like sequencer hook and a brooding metronomic mood, ‘Daria’ is sombre electro-punk, while the depressed aural symbolism of ‘The Wall’ sees Touch expressing her pain of confinement both physically or mentally.

The unsettling adrenaline rush ‘Teflon’ is a non-stick statement of resilience but also an adventure in industrial techno cabaret, with Touch’s role as a chanteuse veering between deadpan and distress also sharpening the Götterdämmerung austere.

The rhythmically dominant ‘I Love You, Let’s Go’ harbours thoughts of escape as the electronics throb and veer towards psychedelia, but ‘Iggy’s Slight’ does what it says on the tin and pays electro homage to Iggy Pop, in particular ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ via the retention in spirit of its iconic bassline.

Meanwhile, ‘Flatlands’ beautifully takes a leaf from the songbook of fellow Berlin resident ZANIAS aka Alison Lewis of LINEA ASPERA both vocally and musically with its immersive minimal darkwave to provide an album highlight. With a gritty gothic resonance, ‘Supersize’ is the least electronic number of the collection although this is offset by radio signal swoops and a percussive noise rattle.

However, the mantric ‘Your Dawn’ takes the record down ohne schlagzeug with drones encapsulating a stark subterranean atmosphere which Touch says is “A rescue boat I wrote for a very close friend who was experiencing some dark and sad times. It’s an invitation to dance with me, a lullaby, a consolation”.

While there are stand-out tracks, overall ‘Behind The Wall’ does not quite reach the heights of more recent releases by EMIKA and ZANIAS, enough promise is revealed to indicate that Jennifer Touch could join their ranks in a few years. Whether she decides to expand on her song-based vision or ventures back to the purer techno-oriented productions of 2019’s ‘Seven’ EP remains to be seen.

‘Behind The Wall’ is released by FATCAT Records on 5th June 2020 in CD, red vinyl LP and digital formats, available from https://jennifertouch.bandcamp.com/

http://www.jennifertouch.com/

https://www.facebook.com/touch.jennifer/

https://www.instagram.com/jennifertouch/

https://soundcloud.com/jennifertouch

Text by Chi Ming Lai
1st June 2020

NINA Synthian

31 May 2020 /

German born NINA took the synthpop world by storm, releasing her debut ‘Sleepwalking’ in 2018.

She lent one of her early songs ‘My Mistake’ to a Mercedes-Benz advert, alongside landing support slots with DE/VISION, ERASURE and others. Clubbing together with Canada’s PARALLELS, she toured America, creating a wild audience eager to hear more from the gifted Berliner.

And so comes ‘Synthian’, not only superbly titled but also delivering a more mature, darker tone to NINA’s repertoire. The songstress shares the achievement with her collaborator, Laura Fares aka LAU and producers of note such as Oscillian, Richard X, Till Wild and Ricky Wilde. As described by NINA, “‘Synthian’ is the bigger and bolder sister of ‘Sleepwalking’. It’s more mature and daring”.

Indeed the title track is very deep and brooding, with catchy poppy synth line, eloquently dispersed with acute guitar and a longing vocal, preparing the listener to be taken onto a retro journey with a difference. The following ‘Automatic Call’ picks up the tempo quite stunningly, arpeggiating away while carrying the wonderfully produced vocals, to achieve a perfect synth gem.

‘Runaway’ glides over the scales, entering the retro world with ease, showcasing that NINA at her best with some gentle help from Ricky Wilde. A big fan of Wilde’s sister, NINA loved collaborating with her talented brother: “Ricky comes up with the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. I loved working with him. He’s humble and patient”. ‘Unnoticed’ is a romantic cry for love from a lost soul, wrapped in a cosy electronic blanket of greatness, showcasing the German synthpop queen as the owner of the most incredible voice as well as one that can write mesmerising tunes.

‘The Calm Before The Storm’ continues the serene tempo, while ‘The Wire’ brings out those darker, harsher tones; it’s deliciously deep and expresses deeper thoughts. “It’s about feeling disconnected from the world” she said, “Losing a sense of being human and having a deep desire for the human touch”. One may say the track was written to describe the world of today, where that loss of connection has become more apparent than ever; the synthy pandemic anthem, you could say.

The cute ‘Love Is Blind’ meanders around the retro musicality and layered vocals, while ‘Never Enough’ ushers further nostalgia leading into ‘Gave Up On Us’, whose mesmerising arpeggios are deliciously uplifting; it’s like going back in time, roller-skating along the promenade with a Walkman and pink bubble gum.

The closing and very apt ‘The Distance’, delves into NINA’s personal life, describing her experiences with a long distance relationship. “‘The Distance’ is about a long distance relationship and how true love can span miles and beyond. It has a more cinematic approach; heavily inspired by the likes of M83 and WOODKID. It’s a very personal song. A lot of people are being apart from their loved ones right now and can probably relate”.

Indeed the later than anticipated release of the opus, couldn’t have landed at a better time. More placed than it ever would be, NINA wishes to bring some light and hope into the uncertainty of current situation, so difficult for many.

And if your wish was to “make people feel better through music and offer some kind of hope”, then you certainly did just that. A superb album.

‘Synthian’ is released by Aztec Records on 5th June 2020 in CD, magenta neon vinyl LP and digital formats, pre-order from https://ninasounduk.bandcamp.com/

https://www.iloveninamusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/iloveninamusic

https://twitter.com/iloveninamusic

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

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
31st May 2020

GEISTE Utopia EP

29 May 2020 /


GEISTE is the musical vehicle of Marie Chabrelie from near St Tropez who probably would have been a product of JRR Tolkien had he manufactured pop stars.

Haunting, captivating and endearing, she invites you into her moody world of escapist pop on her debut EP ‘Utopia’. Like something that could have come off the soundtrack ‘Killing Eve’, the haunting opener ‘Omen’ is simultaneously bewitching yet sinister, beautiful yet unsettling, built around a repeating ivory motif, sinister humming and the emotive air of Nordic songstress Susanne Sundfør.

Beginning in a layered neo-acapella fashion, ‘Dither’ becomes mighty once the majestic vocal refrains and multi-coloured percussive fervour kick in alongside the penetrating deep drone of synthbass. Capturing the cut and thrust of a city walk, it’s a determined train of thought that GEISTE expresses despite the inherent forlorn melancholy.

The expansive ‘Ocean’ is perhaps GEISTE’s signature song, an environmentally conscious battlecry that showcases her widescreen cinematics and impressive vocals that capture the angst of Zola Jesus within a melodic fantasia.

The angst takes a breather for the shorter but dreamier ‘Fetish’ which plays around with some glassy sound design. But GEISTE belts it all out again on ‘Anthems’, a dramatic number swathed in a building rhythmic drama that recalls NIKI & THE DOVE while also throwing in a swooping dubstep drop.

The hypnotic ‘Moonchild’ has perhaps the unifying essence of everything on this EP thrown into a singular track, providing not only the EP’s crystalline highlight but one that shows ‘Ocean’ was no fluke. It’s that progressive successor to the initial breakthrough which all aspiring artists need in their developing repertoire.

Painting pictures in light and shade, ‘Utopia’ has the French youngster articulating over a collage of rumbling bass, synthetic orchestrations and ritualistic rattles before a staccato virtual choir provides a wonderful textural statement to close.

For her opening body of work, GEISTE has impressed by collecting her best seven tracks to date to offer to a potentially wider audience. You only get to make a first impression once and her ‘Utopia’ makes a rather enthralling otherworldly one.

‘Utopia’ is available as digital EP via the usual online platforms

GEISTE presents a ‘Utopia’ live stream party on Friday 29th May 2020 at 2100 UK time, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GERXHW0QXFU

https://www.geistemusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/geistefromashes/

https://twitter.com/geistefromashes

https://www.instagram.com/geistefromashes/

https://open.spotify.com/album/5kCW1qSqn95h9TmpZGcxyU

Text by Chi Ming Lai
29th May 2020

ALANAS CHOSNAU & MARK REEDER Children of Nature

26 May 2020 /

Mark Reeder first met Alanas Chosnau at the Lithuanian International Film Festival in 2015.

Chosnau was born to a Lithuanian mother and Iraqi-Kurdish father, growing up in Baghdad before returning to Lithuania to be raised by his grandparents in what was then part of the Soviet Union. When The Iron Curtain came down, he became the singer of the DEPECHE MODE influenced duo NAKTINĖS PERSONOS before embarking on a successful solo career and becoming a national celebrity.

Meanwhile Reeder’s musical past of bringing JOY DIVISION to perform at Kant-Kino in Berlin, introducing NEW ORDER to electronic dance music, co-managing DIE TOTEN HOSEN and establishing the MFS label which introduced Paul Van Dyk to the club masses is well documented. Attending the screening of Reeder’s documentary film about his life before the fall of the wall ‘B-Movie (Lust & Sound in West Berlin)’, Chosnau connected with what he saw and sharing some common ground, the two discussed working together.

Reeder remembered: “Alanas wanted to make an album in English, an album that reflected upon a time when he was a kid growing up in the Soviet Union, and not able to absorb the sounds of synthpop coming from the West”. So the pair conceived to make a retro-modern sounding album evoking an illusion of a creative music era that was initially denied to Soviet citizens, while simultaneously presenting a record for today. That record being ‘Children of Nature’.

‘How Do You Feel?’ is a fine start, with cimbalom samples amongst the steadfast programmed electronics for an authentic Eastern European flavour. Hinting at a circus of death with its stark rhythmic swing punctuated by white noise, ‘Fade On’ comes over as more texturally resonant than much of DEPCEHE MODE’s output in the 21st Century.

Reflecting the worldwide lockdown, ‘All Alone’ uses a classic four chord progression shaped by sequencers, chilling string synth and a midtempo Compurhythm. And when Chosnau emotively asks “Does anybody feel the same way like me?” in a chillingly forlorn manner recalling Peter Heppner of WOLFSHEIM, it captures the physical and mental emptiness of solitude.

Raising the tempo, the ‘Children of Nature’ title song uses a lively percussive lattice for some appealing Europop with a spy drama edge bolted on, thanks to some NEW ORDER derived six string and trancey keyboard stabs.

Meanwhile, bathing in an atmospheric lake of OMD allows Chosnau to provide what can only be described as a heroic start to ‘Drowning in You’. As the Synare lightning crashes point south of Berlin to Vienna, it all paces up with a splendidly uplifting second half that vocally recalls ‘I Feel It’ by LORRAINE, a lost Norwegian band whose artwork was designed by Peter Saville.

The guitar based intro to ‘Stand Up’ provides a chromatic spin and Chosnau’s diction suits the dark but rousing backdrop that could be interpreted as a call to arms for resistance. Despite some sparkling synths, ‘Tonight’ though doesn’t quite hit the heights of the impressive run of tunes gathered in the first half of the album.

But Reeder revisits his SHARK VEGAS past by dusting off ‘I Can’t Share This Feeling’, a previously unreleased number from a period when his combo opened for NEW ORDER; with a solemn electronic bassline and minimal fretwork, it rings with a nostalgic air of longing despite a wall blocking the passage of love.

‘It’s Who You Are’ sees Chosnau in a spiritually majestic mood with Reeder’s sparse synth and guitar backing not that far off Brian Eno-produced U2 numbers such as ‘With Or Without You’ or ‘Promenade’.

Hypnotically rigid, ‘Love of My life’ is perhaps more typical of Mark Reeder’s ‘Reordered’ restylings for BLANK & JONES and perfect for a European dancefloor. Continuing the club friendly vein, ‘Heavy Rainfall’ could be a grooving NEW ORDER disco number with Reeder’s rhythm guitar syncopating off an exquisite range of electronic patterns while some spacey magic flies within the soundspace.

With a further reflection on the worldwide lockdown, ‘Losing My Mind’ is the cinematic number that Chosnau and Reeder contributed to the French Cold War movie ‘Le Chant Du Loup’. Its sonic arrangement wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a Bond film soundtrack, especially with the virtual brass ensemble and string cascades. And when the cimbalom solo kicks in, a widescreen vision of Maurice Binder’s iconic title sequences cannot be avoided.

After Chosnau announces “Everybody wants to feel love”, ‘A Loving Touch’ has looming vocal topline references to Shannon’s ‘Give Me Tonight’, while its catchy tech-house template is not unlike the work of the Hungarian DJ Corvin Dalek, a past collaborator and close associate of Reeder.

Chosnau offers some confessional yearning on ‘Heartburn’ to close and the entry of piano motifs over a minimal arpeggio and sparing guitar before synthetic strings sweep towards the horizon with the sombre demeanour of a less apocalyptic take on Gary Numan’s ‘My Last Day’.

As Mark Reeder and Alanas Chosnau have outlined, ‘Children of Nature’ is a reflection of their personal experiences and hopes for the future. But while the album has a melancholic air, it is optimistic and hopeful. It is a record that does not hide its multi-generational influences, but uses them to present quality songs with superlative vocals and sympathetic instrumentation, marrying East and West European approaches.

Surmising the context, Reeder concludes that: “Over the decades, solitary dancing in a club has become the norm. After months of isolation, to be dancing and the desire to hold and touch each other is probably even greater than before. Dancing on your own is no longer an attractive prospect and that will change once the clubs reopen again. Maybe people will appreciate what that feeling is like to actually hold someone in your arms on the dancefloor?”

Because this album has been made by two people who personally experienced the divisive spectre of the Cold War head on, ‘Children Of Nature’ symbolically captures that emotion of desiring love and intimacy in isolation, something that is very relevant in these strange times.

‘Children of Nature’ is released by MFS on the usual digital platforms including direct from Bandcamp at https://markreeder.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-nature

https://alanaschosnau.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alanaschosnau/

https://www.instagram.com/alanaschosnau/

https://www.facebook.com/markreeder.mfs/

https://twitter.com/markreedermfs

https://www.instagram.com/markreeder.mfs/

https://mfsberlin.com/

https://open.spotify.com/album/6QinQBH8STYT86s59YRO8t

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Martyn Goodacre
26th May 2020

808 DOT POP The Colour Temperature

24 May 2020 /


One thing that Belgian duo METROLAND never disappoint with is a finely tuned concept.

For his first solo album as 808 DOT POP, Passenger S has ventured towards the science of physics for ‘The Colour Temperature’. Defined as a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, manufacturing, astrophysics and horticulture, colour temperature is part of everyday life and measured in units of kelvins.

In tribute to his eponymous constant, the opening ‘Planck’s H’ is electromagnetic action expressed musically for that very intellectual topic of quantum mechanics, although the absence of elektronisches schlagzeug might confuse some. ‘Illuminants’ really wouldn’t sound of place on a METROLAND album, while ‘Radiaton Laws’ chordially appears to be a clean mechanised reworking of NEW ORDER’s ’Temptation’.

The sequence-laden overtures of ‘The Tungsten Filament’ naturally glow but ‘Blackbodies’ is melodic robopop with a feminine twist featuring vocals from Noemi Aurora of goth electro duo HELALYN FLOWERS. Now imagine if KRAFTWERK fronted by a girl and we are not talking about Kylie in the ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ video here.

The bubbling ambience of ‘Kelvin (2700)’ acts an interlude before the perky ‘Thermal Contact’ provides rhythmic relief with its clattering drum machine and snaps of synthesized noise, as does ‘Ultraviolet’.

‘The White Tone Of Lamps’ provides another lecture over an electronic backdrop, but much better is ‘Incandescent (Iridium)’ which delightfully expresses itself in a manner of a Vince Clarke and OMD collaboration with the virtual vox humana lady oddly providing both the science talk and the alluring heat.

‘Thermodynamica’ takes on a shadier approach into aurally illustrating the properties of matter with its knowledge essential to the generation of nuclear power; the late Florian Schneider once said “nuclear power is like a knife; it can be used for slicing bread or to stab you in the back”. Therefore, it is fitting that ‘Inside The Light Bulb’ closes ‘The Colour Temperature’ utilising the synthesised speech sound design reminiscent of the KRAFTWERK legend.

While not a radical departure from the template of METROLAND, ‘The Colour Temperature’ will satisfy the ears of their fans as well as those who might like a bit of ORBITAL or KOMPUTER.

So until Passenger S and Passenger A come back together to consider their next thematic concept, it’s time to 808 DOT POP.

‘The Colour Temperature’ is released on 5th June 2020 by Alfa Matrix in CD and digital formats

https://808dotpop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/808dotpop/

https://www.instagram.com/808dotpop/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
24th May 2020

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