Title: A smile in the Crowd
Artist: Pleasant Fiction
Genre: Synth Pop
Release Date: 19th May 2006
Label: Koi Records
Introduction
PLEASANT FICTION is synth pop in its purest form. The duo from Germany wants to take you back to the 80s with their songs. The lyrics are both in German and English on top of their compositions akin to the sounds of bands like DEPECHE MODE, CAMOUFLAGE or ERASURE. The release of the album was already in 2006 but the guys are busy right now working on a new one planned for a release sometime in 2008.
Members
Niels Piesker - Vocals
Alan Howells - Music
Website
http://www.myspace.com/pleasantfiction
Track Review
01. I see it in your eyes - 4:31
They promised synth pop that reminds you of the 80s and what can I say? They kept their promise. The overall sound takes you back to that time. A rather simple danceable beat is the basis for a variety of bleeping synths, pad sounds and here and there some piano chords appear in the song accompanying Niels clean chant slightly processed with reverberation effects.
02. Feed the Fire - 4:09
Just go your own way and don’t be afraid of what’s to come. Just listen to your heart and everything will be fine. I guess this is the bottom line of the lyrics. The song itself begins with a freaky intro sounds and then turns into a danceable tune using a combination of modern and retro sounds sounding like they were taken from an Atari computer.
03. Nimm mich - 4:32
A song about hope. Life can be cold and lonely sometimes, but there’s always a shimmer of hope that it might get better. The song build around this topic reflects the mood of the lyrics, the melancholy and sometime the loneliness. A slow beat is only the foundation for a gentle guitar and wider synth layers.
04. Did you ever want - 4:27
Your life consists of pain for so long now but someday you have to leave it all behind and let the sun in your heart again. You can’t live like this forever. Very minimal yet danceable this song comes along the way. It bleeps and burps all the time, while the beat guides you through the song. A feeling of melancholy comes up, when sustained synth appear on the scenery.
05. Fly with me - 3:25
A man who loves a woman so badly but she never sees him but he never gives up on the dream he has that hey would fly through time and she would see the world through his eyes. This whole topic is underlined by a not too dominant beat, airy synth lines and a melancholic layer in the back.
06. Sieh die Tränen - 3:34
‘Sieh die Tränen’ tells the story of a relationship that’s close to the end but he wished he could make all the things undone that happened because after all he still loves her. Slow and balladry, this song floats forward with spherical synth sounds and a restrained chant.
07. Someday - 3:33
The song again follows the agenda of the band to provide purest synth pop reminding of the 8ßs using sounds that could easily be descended from that period of time. A little danceable beat, some melodic riffs and a new song is born. The vocals are in my opinion much too low in the mix sometimes.
08. Vote - 4:13
Similar to the last song, this one relies on the enhanced use of 80s elements. Not too complex drum programming and fluffy and airy synth sounds oh and of course the clean chant.
09. Agenda - 4:16
Trust is something you can’t force, you have o earn it. That is just one of the things; this song tries to tell you. The song starts with a short intro sequence before the beats and melodic riffs appear. A spherical synth layer in the background spreads some melancholy.
10. Cross the Ocean - 3:54
‘Cross the Ocean’ is a more melancholic balladry type of song that has a little similarity to ‘Love is a Shield’ from CAMOUFLAGE. The wide synth layers are clearly dominating this tune giving the song this already mentioned melancholic ambience in addition an acoustic guitar was also integrated into the track.
11. When the Nightfall comes - 4:47
“When the nightfall comes I want to be with you.” Sounds like a love over a certain distance and every time it gets dark the longing to be with the person he loves gets stronger. The song starts right away with light beats and alienated guitar sounds as well as some synth layers. The vocals are clean as always.
12. I can’t get enough from you - 3:10
A guy is totally in love with a woman and would do anything for her but she obviously ignores his feelings. This issue is wrapped inside a very minimal composition consisting of retro melody riffs a tiny fast beat and clean chant.
13. Küsse - 3:59
Love, Lust and Passion is what the song is about. The ingredients are guitars combined with a simple beat and varying synth layers. The chorus consists only of “la la la laa lala”. Not really my cup of tea and I think it’s a bit shiftless. I guess some people will like it anyway
14. Until the end of time - 4:12
The album concludes with ‘Until the end of time’ which is again a song about love. Starting with some bleeping and happy sounding synth riff the song develops into a more melancholic song accentuated by a quite danceable beat some layers in the background and the typical clean chant of Niels.
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 5
Sound: 5
Extras: -
Total: 5
Conclusion
The songs on this album really got a similarity to CAMOUFLAGE, DEPECHE MODE or ERASURE but what I miss in the songs is an own identity. The songs sound like back in the 80s, that is unquestionable and if that’s what the guys wanted to achieve then I have to say: Mission Accomplished I like the use of the acoustic guitar in some songs which adds an organic note but in most cases it is pure synth pop. I guess there are a lot of people who will like it but it’s not my cup of tea.
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