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Title: The Summer of Santa Muerte (4 EPs)
Artist: Goteki
Genre: Electro-Industrial
Release Date: 2009
Label: Self-Released



Album Review

SNEAKY BAT MACHINE were a fun breath of fresh air in the late 90's Industrial scene with their insane clash of styles underlined with a strong sense of humour. And when GOTEKI rose from the ashes of SBM they kept this attitude very much at the forefront of the band's ethos. In a world of pouting-dance-floor-poseurs and brooding cyber men they stood out in a scene where neon make-up and woolly extensions tend to make the club scene faithful collectively look like an undulating post-apocalyptic sheep's corpse. Then they were gone.

Cue three years in limbo and one 'Best of' album, and GOTEKI have returned with their genre mixing beeps and individual sense of humour. Though with the release of 'The Summer of Santa Muerte' over the course of four digital only EPs this summer, (through their own digital imprint - nice to see them sticking to their guns on that), the band could be described as having a more mature sound with a darker sense of humour, more befitting our current times perhaps.

The first EP, ‘Session 1: Shoot Me Dead’; starts out with the title track (inspired by the death of John Lennon) - a mature and subtle, toe tapping electro single that employs the band's best electro-pop prowess to great effect. This is immediately followed by a more up-tempo remix courtesy of Gentleman Distortionist that breaks down the track and reconstructs it as a glitchy and dizzyingly catchy assault. 'Floored' is a minimalistic and yet playful feeling slice of pop that utilises some very recognizable GOTEKI sounds. Another 'Shoot Me Dead' remix from the band follows in typical industrial club style, giving another face to the track. The EP then finishes on 'Nevada Dawn' that takes the path of the dark pop of early SOFT CELL as re-imagined by a group like THE FAINT for a NICK CAVE tribute album, to create a nice electro-bluesy murder ballad.

The second EP, ‘Session 2: Journey to Storyville’, opens with a cover of the JOHHNY CASH classic 'Folsom Prison Blues' that, whether done consciously or not, creates a nice bridge between the end of the first EP and this one with its up-beat “electro-billy” style. The title track 'Journey to Storyville' has a classic EBM feel to it reminiscent of early APOPTYGMA BERZERK with a nice almost “Southern Gothic” edge. All electronics are abandoned for the live acoustic version of the title track that highlights the bluesy-country lyrics nicely. A near psychedelic electro remix of the track follows suit and gives it a further nightmarish twist. 'Loose Cannon' closes this EP with another slice of dance floor orientated glitchy EBM in a typical GOTEKI style ode to cop shows / movies.

The third EP, ‘Session 3: Atlantic Pacific’, opens with the title track in Numanesque style dark synth-pop to create another great dance floor anthem with its rousing chorus. A remix courtesy of LOGAN SKY gives the track a sleek European Discotheque over-hall for added dance floor compatibility. An unexpected electro KASABIAN cover in the form of 'L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever)' crops up next - I can't say I'm a fan in anyway of KASABIAN, but this track has been very well re-imagined by the band here. The 'Lost Disco of Atlantis' remix of the title track is a classic touch of the classic GOTEKI sound that ups the beat. 'Song about a Girl' is reminiscent of “Dance Macabre” era THE FAINT with some female vocals added for extra pop-harmony effect.

The final EP in the quadrille of releases, ‘Session 4: Take me to your Lover’, is more of a single than an EP with only one original track and four remixes. 'Take me to your Lover' is probably the most well rounded and catchy track over the four EPs and possibly in the band's career - a great EBM track that should be a club hit for years to come. Vi Rez's 'Dark Matter' remix takes the track, ups the tempo, hardens the beat, and transforms it into a mainstream tickling drum 'n' bass piece CODE 64 give the track an APOP style working over that should have plenty of continental DJ's drooling. Band member Crash breaks out the stripped down beats and vintage synth sounds for the 'Cure for Vertigo' remix to create a nice laid back version - in sharp comparison though it is followed by a glitchy skull-fucking mix courtesy of Coloured - who are just plain showing off.

I'd say this was a return to form for GOTEKI, but it's more of an evolution. The song writing has improved ten fold in the years between ‘Revolution’ and ‘...Santa Muerte’, the confidence in the performances is strong, and the humour has darkened as times have. It is going to be interesting to see where GOTEKI head from here as this is a very promising re-birth.


Tracklist

Session 1: Shoot Me Dead
1. Shoot Me Dead
2. Shoot Me Dead (Gentleman Distortionist Remix)
3. Floored
4. Shoot Me Dead (Goteki's Zombie Lennon Remix)
5. Nevada Dawn (Version)

Session 2: Journey to Storyville
1. Folsom Prison Blues
2. Journey to Storyville
3. Journey to Storyville (Dual Acoustic Live @ Interzone)
4. Journey to Storyville (Goteki's 77 Firebird Remix)
5. Loose Cannon

Session 3: Atlantic Pacific
1. Atlantic Pacific
2. Atlantic Pacific (Logan Sky Synthesised Remix)
3. L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever)
4. Atlantic Pacific (Goteki's Lost Disco of Atlantis Remix)
5. Song about a Girl

Session 4: Take me to your Lover
1. Take me to your Lover
2. Take me to your Lover (Vi Rez's Dark Matter Remix)
3. Take me to your Lover (Code 64 Remix)
4. Take me to your Lover (Crash's Cure For Vertigo Remix)
5. Take me to your Lover (Coloured's Remix)


Line-up

Ali Star
Banda
Tregenza
Crash


Websites

http://www.goteki.co.uk/ / www.myspace.com/goteki


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 7
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10


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