Kosheen - Damage

Band name: Kosheen
Title: Damage
Genre: Electro Pop
Release date: 16th March 2007
Record Company / Label: Moksha / Island / Universal

DJ Markee Substance and former skater and Punk guitarist Darren decoder met in a time at the beginning of the nineties, when Raves were celebrated, Techno and Drum’n’Bass were hits within the young generation. They started producing exciting tracks, opened a records shop and rocked the clubs in and around Bristol. But something was mussing to their happiness which was finally found in the person and voice of Sian Evans who tasted the Rave life to all excesses until the birth of her first child. With only an acoustic guitar, she was writing songs and great melodies in the loneliness of Wales. Out of all these elements, the sound of KOSHEEN was formed and found its first output in the 2001 album ‘Resist’ which contained hits like ‘Hide U’ or the club track ‘Catch’. Second album ‘Kokopelli’ was released in 2003. The trio from British Bristol is releasing its third album now, being available in the shops in March 2007. The first single ‘Overkill’ will be released in February.


Line Up

Markee Substance
Darren Decoder
Sian Evans


Website

http://www.kosheen.com/
www.myspace.com/kosheen1


Song Review

01. Damage
The title track of the album starts with a spherical intro before the chant starts. It is a quite calm album opener with wide synth layers and an intense refrain with string elements. The topic of the song is about mistaking and the damages caused to a relationship. 

02. Overkill
‘Overkill’ is the current single which precedes the album release. This mid-tempo track about relationship troubles and the ending of it starts right away with the strophe. It has a very strong refrain which makes you move your feet immediately.

03. Like a book
This is a real Synth pop gem which starts with a quite long intro that leads over to the vocal part. The beginning of the song reminds me very much of KRAFTWERK sounds. Lots of different electronic elements are used which you find all over the current Synth pop releases. The real highlight of the song is its catchy and danceable refrain.

04. Same Ground Again
Do you know that feeling of running in circles? Doing same mistakes again? This is the topic here. ‘Same Ground again’ starts very experimental and calm. Then, drums are appearing. In the flow, the song – and especially the refrain – gets more intense and very swinging. Lots of elements remind me of DEPECHE MODE. But never, KOSHEEN are really copying this band. After the refrain, a coltish bridge leads to the next strophe.

05. Guilty
‘Guilty’ is full of metaphors – i.e. “Once upon a time a spider ate a fly” – what makes the lyrics very interesting – at least as far you can say from listening to a faded out version. There are lots of twisted electronic sound gadgets at the beginning. With the start of the chant, also drums are appearing. ‘Guilty’ is a very danceable and catchy up-tempo track – especially the refrain makes you move while the strophe is slightly set back. Great song which immediately goes into ones ear!

06. Chances
This song is marked by a kittenish intro and a rhythmic start. It is a mid-tempo track that nevertheless is quite danceable. The strophe has break-beat influences. A special mark of ‘Chances’ it the high pitched voice during the refrain.

07. Out of this World
First, some drum beats appear. Than they are filled up with spheric frisky synth sounds. The strophe starts very calm with elements of acoustic guitars as well as distinctive synth layers. ‘Out of this world’ is a very moony song.

08. Wish you were here
No; this is not a cover of the REDNEX song. KOSHEEN’s ‘Wish you were here’ is a great electro pop pearl which also could have appeared on DEPECHE MODE’s latest album with its electronic elements. The drums within this sing are strong. How the acoustic guitar is played reminds me of DEPECHE MODE from the ‘Exciter’ period.

09. Thief
After a calmer song, the speed it pumped up again with the beginning of ‘Thief’. With start of the strophe, the song loses some tempo and develops to a wonderful light and playful electro pop jewel. For the refrain, the song gets faster again. You can only guess that this alternation of tempos leads you through the whole song.

10. Under Fire
Back to low-tempo. With a rhythmic start, ‘Under Fire’ develops to a dreamy song where gentle piano lines are mixed with synth layers. The refrain is again very intense. The lyrics attest to a certain melancholy about fading nature and lost love.

11. Not enough Love
Contained guitars are mixing up with electronic elements. The vocals are much more present than the instrumental lines. The lyrics are very intense where “There’s not enough love” is repeated over and over again.

12. Cruel Heart
‘Cruel heart’ is a real ballad where acoustic guitars are forming the leading melody. In-between, piano sounds appear before even string arrangements set in. This song lives from pure instrumentation and not from electronic gimmicks.

13. Marching Orders
Name of this song is motto! Marsh rhythms mark this song with its bombastic start and the long intro with string elements. Compared to the vocals, the instrumentation is set back. Different drum and percussion elements care for the great rhythms. Besides that, this song contains lots of frisky electronic elements.

14. Your Life
At the end with a spheric and calm song, all the stops are put out when it comes to electronic music – there are extended synth layers and different kittenish electronic elements. Everywhere it cheeps and bleeps. Sian presents a very special style of singing here… which even makes the lyrics a bit hard to understand. But nevertheless, this is a great finish of a great album!


Cover Artwork




Technical Information (Promo CD)

Total Playing Time: no info, because pre-listening version with faded out songs
Total Tracks: 14


Conclusion

About three years were passed until KOSHEEN are back now with a new album. ‘Damage’ is advancement in the band’s sound but never the typical elements of the previous albums are left out. In my opinion, ‘Damage’ is the best KOSHEEN album so far. Fans of modern Electronica but also Electro and Synth Pop will love it. Electronic elements and melodic song structures are combined in an exceptional way. The band presents futuristic, powerful and energetic songs for the 21st century. Pushing beats meet Morricone guitar riffs and a world full of new wide landscapes. The title of the album reflects the central emotional topic of the whole album. ‘Damage’ tells stories about emotional and psychic damages you can suffer from, about changes and difficulties in a relationship or simply about the destruction of things. But also social topics like climatic changes, war, emotional dulling and the loss of communication inspired KOSHEEN in song writing. This album is a musical and lyrical jewel that should not be missed out in anyone’s CD collection!


Rating

Music: 9 (no 10 just because I cannot fully judge from a faded out version of the album)
Sound: 9
Total: 9

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