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homofutura_derneuemensch
Artist: Homo~Futura
Title: Der neue Mensch
Genre: Electro / Gothic
Release Date: 20th May 2011
Label: Synthetic Symphony/SPV


Album Review

HOMO~FUTURA is a side-project of the renowned German band WELLE: ERDBALL, that was formed with the aim of creating the new human, as the band states. It took Dr. Georg Linde (aka Honey from WELLE: ERDBALL), Frl Plastique (also from WELLE: ERDBALL), Frank Enstein and Kevin Gross 7 years from the establishing of the band in 2004 to finally release the debut album ‘Der neue Mensch’, although several songs have already been published on compilations and performed on concerts.

As it becomes clear from the title, which means ‘The new human’ (Der neue Mensch) from German, the leading idea of the album is creation of the new human being. But to avoid inconsequence the band starts from the present, describing it in the opener song ‘Die Welt von Heute’ (The world of today) in a form of a duo of Dr. Georg Linde and Plastique, who are giving an apt description of the modern consumer-society in single words, underlined by straight beat and retro-sounding spherical sequences with dreamy carrying away chorus sung in gentle full of hope voice. ‘Klaustrophobie’ is a totally club oriented track, entirely based on pulsating electronic beats that back Plastique’s vocals. The next ‘Nemesis’ comes up with sharp disquieting, creating tension sounds, dry hissing beat and emotional male vocals with female voice joining in the desperate cry in the chorus, which all together resembles the early works of DAS ICH.

Insinuating sounds arise and the title track ‘Der neue Mensch’ begins to manifest the idea of the new human. Much more energy brings vigorous ‘Links-Rechts’ - a 100%-club hit with pleasantly unusual message, expressed by Plastique from the squirrel’s point of view, and drawing attention to the problem of animals knocked down to death on the roads. The band produced a video for this song, rather cruel, but true. In contrast to the previous song, a stand-out, a highlight, and my personal favourite ‘Unbewegt’ is a beautiful romantic mid-tempo track, very tender, atmospheric and sounding as if it came right from the eighties. With ‘Wir schreien’ (we scream) HOMO~FUTURA comes back to more typical sound presenting passionate and full of protest song with catchy melody. In ‘ICH-Komplex’ Plastique’s voice processed nearly beyond recognition declaims quite questionable lyrics, while in ‘Die Mann-Maschine’ (The Man-Machine) she declares the features of her ideal man in clear voice to the accompaniment of pounding crispy beat and ringing sequences.

‘A.M.O.K.’, composed of intertwined layers of news reports samples, sequencer lines and mid-pace rhythm, deals with rather provocative subject - Winnenden school shooting in 2009, as woman’s voice in the news report fragment tells. With ‘Komm in mein Labor’, which is an obvious tribute to the Frankenstein stories, the time comes for Honey to state his recipe for perfect human: “Von Einstein das Gehirn Und von Dali die Inspiration Von Chaplin den Humor Und von Jesus Christus die Vision Von Bette Davis die Augen Und von Adam die Potenz Von Adolf Hitler den Ehrgeiz Und von Mahatma Gandhi die Konsequenz“. The catchy synths will make this weird mixture echo in the listener’s head for a long time. Disturbing sounds and sinister mood of ‘Isidor’ reminds those of ‘Nemesis’.

The next ‘Das Tourette-Syndrom’ is a nice surprise for every experimental industrial lover, as it’s an avant-garde instrumental track that quite well sets to music the essence of this syndrome and refreshes the album. The final ‘Geile Tiere’ is a successful highly danceable ardent cover of an old hit of the eighties band’s of the same name. ‘Der neue Mensch’ is surely worth listening to, it offers interesting and versatile material both with dance-floor capability and thought-provoking message. But it still sounds a lot like WELLE: ERDBALL, which is not desirable for an independent project.


Tracklist

01. Die Welt von heute
02. Klaustrophobie
03. Nemesis
04. Der neue Mensch
05. Links-Rechts
06. Unbewegt
07. Wir schreien
08. ICH-Komplex
09. Die Mann-Maschine
10. A.M.O.K.
11. Komm in mein Labor
12. Isidor
13. Das Tourette-Syndrom
14. Geile Tiere


Line-up

Dr. Georg Linde (aka. Honey)
Frl. Plastique
Kevin Gross
Frank Enstein


Website

www.homo-futura.de / www.myspace.com/homofutura


Cover Picture

homofutura_derneuemensch


Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8 / 10


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