Artist: Various Artists
Title: Electropop 9
Genre: Electro Pop
Release Date: 29th November 2013
Label: Conzoom Records
Album Review
I must confess to a slight quiver of fear when asked to review something containing the word “Electropop”. That it also had a 9 attached, further added to my sense of grumpy alienation as I realised just how left-behind I must now be in this great tradition. 9! How did I miss the other 8?! My phobia of phrases such as ‘Extended Mix’ and ‘Dance Version’ was also kicking in by this point. I was a mess, I’ll be honest with you. Luckily, this is actually quite good. When everyone isn’t desperately trying to sound like COVENANT or DEPECHE MODE, there’s still some mileage left in the genre. BLUME manage to sound like both on ‘Western Rust’, but it’s such a good song I suppose redemption should be instantly forthcoming. COLD IN MAY icily build ‘Kill Yourself With Pain’ layer upon layer into something compelling and convincing. And there is the much needed female presence on THE ELECTROBELLES’ ‘Mirrorball’, which sounds like a cross between ‘Ray Of Light’ era MADONNA and SWITCHBLADE SYMPHONY. It’s not good enough to justify its seven minutes of existence, but is still infectious and coldly pretty.
Elsewhere, IN GOOD FAITH disappointingly present something Martin L Gore could knock out in five minutes while taking a bath, and MACHINISTA at least lift the lid on things by singing in a higher register. It’s a shaky melody, but there’s a synth riff that will delight and annoy in equal measures and it stands out here because of it. SCARLET SOHO decide to pilfer NEW ORDER for the extended version of ‘When The Lights Go Out’. The chorus is a belter, but the reek of mouldy cheddar is never too far away. Pity. Equally unimpressive is the over-rated THE FLOOD. A lousy vocalist at best, this is too lightweight despite its inexplicable success. And it’s made to look all the more bland when followed by the immensely cavernous dance throb of ‘Infrared’ by UNITY ONE. This monster wants to be played in the biggest clubs in Europe, and it deserves to be, all swirling synths and an urgent liquid energy. Equally vast of sound and scope is final track WANTED’s ‘Future Rhythm’, which fades away nicely just as the sun is coming up.
There’s plenty of variation on offer on ‘Electropop 9’ but still a nagging doubt about the relevancy of some of the music. Whereas once synth bands offered glimpses of dark dystopian futures, always forward thinking and inventive, it now finds itself trapped too strongly in nostalgia, lazily and desperately hoping to grab a piece of glories past. But when it’s good, this genre can still shine and embrace new ideas while continuing to successfully fill dance-floors. So perhaps should Elecropop 10 come knocking one day in the future, I’ll not feel quite so queasy. I hope so. Always good to confront your fears.
Tracklist
01. Blume – Western Rust
02. Cold In May – Kill Yourself With Pain
03. The Electrobelles – Mirrorball
04. Fedora Heap – Roses Fade Away
05. In Good Faith – Under The Surface
06. Kiss The Panther – Your Voice (Extended Mix)
07. Machinista – Molecules And Carbon
08. My Killing Game – Over You
09. Scarlet Soho – When The Lights Go Out (Extended Version)
10. Sound Science – Hydrodome (Full Length Version)
11. The Flood – The Right Time (Had A Dream Remix)
12. Unity One – Infrared (Extended Dance Version)
13. Wanted – Future Rhythm (People Theatre’s Electropop Edit)
Website
http://www.conzoomrecords.com/index.php/en/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 6
Total: 6 / 10
Comments powered by CComment