CD Review: Suffocating Minds - In A Different Life

Written by JeeJay Tuesday, 05 March 2013 14:29

Artist: Suffocating Minds
Title: In A Different Life
Genre: Synth-Pop
Release Date: 7th December 2012
Label: Self Released

Album Review

Seems we have a newcomer from Belgium with the act SUFFOCATING MINDS. They claimed being influenced by IAMX, NINE INCH NAILS, NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE and all the New Wave era. Unsigned as we speak, their debut album is available only on their site, but it's definitely worth it! Opening track is their new single (the band already released couple of EPs before), ‘Far Away’. The real drum and bass bring something energetic compared to usual synth acts. Very well build and instant pop melody. A track that would certainly deserve some nice remixes. Second track, ‘Heal Me’, follow at the same rhythm. ‘Something Wrong’, ‘A Hole In Your Minds’ (slow tempo), ‘Times Runs Out’, ‘Nothing Left To Fear’ are decent track, pleasing but ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Soulmates’ raise the level. Darker, more interesting in the sound and atmosphere. We can hear the IAMX and DEPECHE MODE references here.

The album ends on a piano/voice song, ‘Different Life’, that I find a bit boring, but it's just me... I'm not really in the vocal/piano stuffs! Overall, some tracks sounds a bit the same sometimes, like an attempt to reproduce the ‘Far Away’ formula and this album would deserve maybe a more professional mix, especially when you mix real live instruments and electronic, but as per a debut album, self-recorded, self-released and having really 3-4 strong tracks is already a great effort that deserve support from Synth-Pop fans. Surely after a lot of touring and hopefully if some tracks can be remixed by artists like People Theatre, Foretaste (who remain some excellent producers) or WAITING FOR WORDS, SUFFOCATING MINDS will elevate themselves in the bigger league.


Tracklist

01. Far Away
02. Heal Me
03. Slow Down
04. Something Wrong
05. A Hole In Your Mind
06. Time Runs Out
07. Anxiety
08. Nothing Left To Fear
09. Soulmates
10. Different Life


Line-up

Vincent Lemineur – Vocals, Keyboards
David Ninane – Bass
Alain de Beck – Drums


Website

http://www.suffocatingminds.com


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 7.5
Sound: 6.5
Extras: -
Total: 7 / 10