Artist: Felix Marc
Title: Parallel Worlds
Genre: Dark Wave
Release Date: 10th June 2011
Label: Infacted Recordings
Album Review
FELIX MARC may be known to many from DIORAMA or FROZEN PLASMA, alongside these bands he has started on a solo project, which saw a release of ‘Pathways’ in 2008, a collection of song material that he’s composed alongside his work for the previously mentioned bands. Not only to follow on its successful reception, but also possessing wide musical as well as poetic and visual arts inspirations of course his creativity would give birth to another solo album ‘Parallel Worlds’ was released earlier this month...
FELIX MARC has set out to reflect on his “double” life, reconciling his experiences of being a musician and on the other having to pursue the mundane day-job life. The album doesn’t only touch his own life though. In the third song ‘Collector’ he’s taken up inspiration from John Fowles’s book ‘The Collector’. Having read that book in the past myself, I had high expectations for it. I have to say that it fits his overall theme brilliantly. The two characters of the book after all reflect both worlds also, the cold, anti-social corporatism and the more artistic counterpart with full inner rich life, the former imprisoning the latter. Whilst the book is fitting for the album’s focus, it works vice versa, the book is written from the points of views of both protagonists and expresses the vast contrast of their ways of perceiving (feeling or unfeeling) life (or lack of it), it’s a duet also, MyLucina sings to ‘Stand in’ for the female protagonist/side of the story.
The song hasn’t got a tragic ending like the book, but I won’t be any more of a spoiler, check it out how they end.... Both book and the song are certainly attention-worthy. Considering that I skipped talking about first two song, my impression were that the stress on English was an interesting point, certainly gives away that this is no native speaker, but all the more quirky for it. Both songs, ‘Repair’ and ‘Moscow Paris’ are great, the second one, boasts some dance features, which make it of course a possible hit on the dance floor. Several influences do show throughout his work, such as PET SHOP BOYS and CAMOUFLAGE, being the more obvious ones in this album, for me anyway. To name yet some more outstanding tracks from here, let’s touch on ‘Ghost’ which in fact is probably the most favourite song from the album. It changes from a dark, futuristic feel into a catchy refrain, there are many different facets and of course, his lyrics are to be thoroughly enjoyed.
I was also curious about the cover of ‘Mystify’ by INXS, it’s just a fine cover, not exactly great, the original’s more stripped down nature and its more pronounced rawness of energy and stronger attitude approach suited the song more, but nevertheless, MARC’s version is still quite enjoyable. The last one, album titled track, closes it on a softer, calmer, slightly nostalgic note, concluding the theme of the album wonderfully, the piano complements it with its “goodbye, this is the last song” equivalent to a feeling you have after leaving a place after a critical time of loaded incidents. The album is certainly captivating, inviting the listener not only for a great listening experience, but a worthy introspection, especially if you’re struggling with the dualities of life, confrontations of it with your personality and longings. It’s an hour of music of time well spent if you give it a chance, please do, you won’t regret it!
Tracklist
01. Repair – 4.15
02. Moscow Paris – 4.39
03. Collector – 7.10
04. Opposite Sides – 4.08
05. Life Is Porn – 3.32
06. Fields Of Grey – 4.47
07. The Muse – 3.48
08. Modern Talking – 5.28
09. The Garden Of Light – 6.04
10. Ghost – 3.58
11. Mystify – 3.25
12. Parallel Worlds – 5.33
Line-up
Felix Marc
Guests (female vocals) MyLucina and Liz van den Akker
Websites
http://www.felixmarc.de/ / https://www.facebook.com/pages/felix-marc/184231984968
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 10
Total: 9.5 /10
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