Luzid - Urban Echoes [Part One]

Written by Petra Whiteley Tuesday, 21 September 2010 17:46

Artist: Luzid
Title: Urban Echoes [Part One]
Genre: Alternative / Indie / Rock
Release Date: 1st October 2010
Label: Unsigned

Album Review

LUZIG are mostly known in Berlin club scene, they’ve also played few small festivals. After releasing demo ‘Spirit of a Day’ they have created (what appears to be self-produced) first part of an album, ‘Urban Echoes’. The combination of Rock, Metal and Pop and melancholic atmosphere are the waters in which they are trying to swim.

The first song ‘Shining’ is echoing in places of THEATRE OF TRAGEDY, minus Goth metal plus Goth rock, yet as the album goes on, there is a sense of their unique budding musical identity here and there and where it occurs - it shows a promise. I can only wish them that they will find their footing very soon. The problem with most Indie bands is that unless they absolutely stand out, develop different aspects to the music, they fade from the memory and disappear into the slipstream of all the others. The female singer’s voice is expressive, beautiful, clean and captivating; the band has enough skill to play - no need to walk in the footsteps of anyone else, follow anything but their own vision and instincts.

What shows a promise is a feel of their shy intensity lending itself to cinematic comparison, which may just as well be that their direction is to explore the impressions of the many faces that Berlin life has for them, universal enough for others to identify with. The third song ‘Malice’ even if it is reminiscent of Tori Amos is absolutely stamped as theirs, they really get to ‘own’ it here. It’s a wonderfully structured song, atmospheric, the gentle guitar compliments the softness of voice and as the voice pick up more texture so do the accompanying instruments with great intuition, strong and beautiful. If only they could match this and more, the album would have been better.

Their music needs more definition, more experimentation, and more confidence, and to catch with the intensity that the lyrics and lead vocal strive for, but LUZID only just began indeed. Given time, if they will find themselves and define themselves stronger then they’ll make their mark. I’m not so sure this will be in the second part of the album that they are presently working on, but if not - hopefully the next.

Tracklist

01. Shining (4.12)
02. Just You (.22)
03. Malice (5.16)
04. Betrayed (4.22)
05. Scars (4.12)
06. Volunteer (4.39)

Websites

http://www.luzid-berlin.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/luzid

Cover Picture

Rating

Music: 5
Sound: 6
Total: 5.5 / 10

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