Title: Electric One
Artist: Slave Republic
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 12th March 2010
Label: Accession Records
Album Review
The seeds of what would be growing up to the duo SLAVE REPUBLIC in the end have been sown many years ago as a four-piece centring on New Wave music. The next thing heard is that the quarter has become a duo and now is focusing on what they're calling Alternative Pop. This is a stylistic description obviously making some people at the Accession Records office prick up their ears. The end of the story we now have with SLAVE REPUBLIC being the newest signing to the label and them releasing the duo's debut album 'Electric One'.
With 'The Driver' as the opener we're already getting introduced to a trademark attribute of the SLAVE REPUBLIC sound: A clean, straight-structured rhythm that in the case of this track takes on a very forceful and disco-ish shape with elements of the past and present united. The chorus adds the element of analogue warmth to the electronics, getting enhanced there with a distinctive bass line as well. A bit faster now, the beat carousel revolves with the second tune 'Hadron Collider' where sub cooled synth particles fly freely and lap around Alec's clean voice radiating a brittle melancholy all through the track which is being infused with waving guitars, spherically layering over the immersive atmospheres. Quite aptly titled 'Number Three', the next song comes with a slightly more organic vibe and a bass, apparently jumping atop the beats just to be merged completely with the electronics later. Albeit having an undeniable melancholic feel to it, it's interchanging frequently with a lighter, fluffy melodic style.
More than anything else on 'Electric', it's the at times overwrought way of singing that makes the song stand out and which lends it something edgy that blends with a spherical fluid of indie guitars, wrapped around a fleeting cloud of fuzzy elegy ultimately. Up for a ballad now? Of course you are! All that dancing the other stuff simply provoked must have been exhausting, and 'Less of Me' is the best way to get some rest and fall into the depths the slow-motion beats and the plaintive synth build are offering you. The only disturbing thing I can pinpoint is the vintage fade-out technique applied while Alec is still singing. I guess there would've been a more elegant and smoother way to end the song. The sweaty atmosphere of a night club, dark flashing lights and a bit of glamour expect the listener on 'Minimum Regret'. It's captured inside the song in a fascinating way that makes you want to be at that club yourself right away.
Neither the pervasive power behind the beat of '(I'm Your) Slave' nor the occasionally flaring guitar accentuations can hide the fact the album's closer is a genuine ballad. In fact, the guitars even reinforce the impression the track leaves. The HAUJOBB take on 'My Maker', other than the original, exactly matches my tastes. Spindly threats of electronic dexterity form complex yet always transparent constructs, so this song becomes an ambitious but not an overexerting composition. A greatly advanced set of songs and sounds gathers up on the duo's debut record. You can easily sense they gave every track a lot of thought while always aiming not to make it too complicated. It's a good balance they found I'd say which should make it pretty easy for them to exploit a big circle of listeners. Be sure to lend this one at best 3 ears.
Tracklist
01. The Driver - 3:41
02. Hadron Collider - 3:47
03. Number Three - 4:17
04. My Maker - 3:41
05. Electric - 3:33
06. Less of me - 3:49
07. Truth or Dare - 4:22
08. Choking/Drowning - 3:21
09. Minimum Regret - 3:04
10. Destiny - 3:28
11. (I'm your) Slave - 3:53
12. My Maker (Haujobb Mix) - 4:27
13. Less of me (Olaf Wollschläger Remix) - 4:04
Line-Up
Alec Fu
Alex Alice
Website
http://www.slave-republic.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/slaverepublic
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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