Title: Polarity
Band: Cue to Recall
Genre: Electro
Release Date: 15th September 2007
Label: Prussia Digital
Introduction
The project CUE TO RECALL was founded at the beginning of 2000. The band’s name is inspired by a book of learning theory. The first songs mostly appeared on compilations. Five years passed till the debut album ‘Mainland’ was released by the German label Electro Schock Records in 2005 followed by several contributions to samplers and a 4-Track EP entitled ‘Doublehead’. After the band left Electro Schock Records at the beginning of 2007 they found a new label with Prussia Digital and released their latest album called ‘Polarity’.
Members
Terje E. Vangbo - lyrics & vocals
Bernd Lohse - music & production
Website
http://www.cuetorecall.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/cuetorecall
Track Review
01. An Endless Case - 4:07
The album starts right away with a highly beat-driven and danceable song. It has many influences of EBM and 80s Synth pop. Spherical synths are used in a restrained way during the verses but swell up in the chorus.
02. Strip the Light - 3:07
This mid-tempo track is dominated by its pounding beats and industrial-like sounds. Some distortion effects are used on parts of the chant and we have the spherical synths again which only appear in the chorus, while the focus in the verses lies mainly on the rhythm and the chant.
03. In Affect - 3:43
And we slow down a little bit more. It starts out with a sequencer line and the spherical synths (again). The drums are lightly processed with a little bit of distortion and the beat itself is quite massive.
04. Doublehead - 4:12
The next one is a little bit more beat-driven and therefore another club compatible track. The sequencer and bass lines are dominating the songs very clearly. Some pads are audible in the background.
05. To walk the distance - 3:29
'To walk a distance' has a little 80s touch to it due to the use of some retro synth sounds. The vocal style has changed quite a bit. It is rather a spoken-word performance than singing, except for the chorus.
06. Pure Addiction - 3:48
Another song that will probably work out well in clubs with its danceable and pumping beats. The meanwhile well-known synths appear once more in the chorus, but not too dominant this time. A little bit more diversion would be great.
07. Consuming Hearts - 4:13
The song works with a different pad sound, what brings a little bit more diversion into the game. The drum arrangement is ok but nothing really groundbreaking, but there's at least a little change in the drumming in some parts of the song.
08. The Unseen - 4:44
Just further with another more club-oriented song. The drums are a little bit processed with distortion again and the spherical synths appear once again to accentuate the chorus, while the strophe belongs to the minimalism.
09. Psychomatic Hearts - 2:40
The by far shortest song on the album comes up with a little surprise. The beats are limited to a minimum and only appear here and there. The most part of the song there's only some bass lines and Terje's voice. Not bad at all.
10. Tuesday - 5:05
The drums in this song are much better and a little bit more layered than in the other songs on the album. Also are the wide synths, what makes the song something special. A nice melody appears as the song is closing in on the end. The chant is pretty good as well.
11. Conceal it - 4:52
Another song for the clubs. The beats and the synth lines are quite similar to the ones used in many of the other songs on the album. No spherical sounds were used this time.
12. Peaceful Delusion - 3:51
This is the song where the heaviest 80s influences on the album. It reminds me a little bit of some of the older Depeche Mode songs, but just a little bit. The lyrics are about the retreat of a person into their own little world and the run away from several problems by doing that.
13. Pieces - 4:11
The last song on 'Polarity' is again very danceable, but has a much denser atmosphere due to the use of wider and more layered synth sounds.
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 4
Sound: 4
Extras:-
Total: 4
Conclusion
What CUE TO RECALL delivered with ‘Polarity’ is a standard Future Pop album with EBM and 80s influences. Some songs have a good approach, but nothing more. This is due to the extensive use of standard sounds and rhythms. A few more experiments could have made the sound more versatile and not so monotonous. I could hardly understand the lyrics because the English was not the best, to be honest. But you get some plus points for the voice, which I really like and some songs that are really likeable to listen to. Maybe the next album will have some more diversity, but till then, there's much work to do.
{jos_sb_discuss:19}
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