Title: Hope
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Gothic
Release Date: 22nd May 2010
Label: Stay Indie
Album Review
The savage murder of Sophie Lancaster in 2007 sent shock waves through the alternative community. A young girl that was brutally kicked to death, simply because of the way she dressed. From this tragic death the Sophie Lancaster Foundation was founded to promote awareness and try to amend the UK’s hate crime laws.
It was a casual conversation between legendary SEX GANG CHILDREN founder Andi Sex Gang and one of the UK’s foremost Gothic Djs Martin Oldgoth that led to the creation of this charity compilation. Some of the biggest names in the Gothic scene quickly signed up and before long Andi and Martin had a fifteen track album. Launched on World Goth Day (22nd May 2010), this download-only album features a mix of classic, brand new, and previously unreleased tracks from artists such as ANNE MARIE HURST, THE EDEN HOUSE, ALIEN SEX FIEND, COLLIDE and GENE LOVES JEZEBEL.
Opening with the spoken-word ‘The Prophet of Calgary’ by JOOLZ, the album’s mood is firmly set. Followed by ANDI SEX GANG’s ‘Salamun Child’ with its dark foreboding, cinematic score, it makes for a solid and beckoning start to the compilation. AUTUMN CANNIBAL’s ‘Monument to Shame’ was specially written for the album - its mix of atmospheric electronics and hard guitar work making it a definite stand-out track. GENE LOVES JEZEBEL contributes the beautiful and understated ‘Who Wants To Go To Heaven?’ which feels very fitting. ‘All My Love’ is a sumptuous ambient/trip-hop style track from THE EDEN HOUSE that is as mournful as it is beautiful. COLLIDE’s ‘Euphoria’ follows on nicely with its multi-layered synths and distinctive velvety vocals.
ALIEN SEX FIEND inject a bit of fun into the track list with the synth-bass-heavy ‘Gotta Have It (Sliced and Diced Mix)’. The classic ANDI SEX GANG & MARC ALMOND duet ‘The Hungry Years’ with its playful vocals and cheeky sounding electronics is as light-hearted and groovy as it was when the song was first released. UK DECAY contribute a previously unreleased track in the form of ‘Battle of the Elements (club mix)’, adding some Post Punk grit to the proceedings. The Darkwave of THE LAST DANCE’s ‘Cages’ adds a little dance floor friendliness to the track listing. Another exclusive for the album comes in the form of ANNE MARIE HURST’s previously unreleased ‘I Have Changed’ that adds a bit of Punk to the album’s sphere. NEW MODEL ARMY contribute the excellent ‘Dawn’ with its layers of acoustic and electric guitars and strong drum style.
THE MISSION offer up their previously unreleased ‘She’s Gone Away’, which brings out the psychedelic guitars and synths for a dramatic and intimate sound! The penultimate track ‘Death of an Angel’ by UNINVITED GUEST is a dark piano-driven ballad that perfectly sums up many people’s feelings about the horrific event of August 2007. The final track is the cinematic ‘To Be Continued’ by FAITH AND THE MUSE, which brings the album to a rousing close.
This album is a touching memorial which shows just how wide the ripples of this tragic death have spread. All proceeds from the album will go directly to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation - the album is worth owning for that reason alone. But considering the calibre of the tracks on here, any fan of Gothic music will be able to take to this.
Tracklist
01. Joolz - The Prophet of Calgary
02. Andi Sex Gang - Salamun Child
03. Autumn Cannibals - Monument to Shame *
04. Gene Loves Jezebel - Who Wants To Go To Heaven?
05. The Eden House - All My Love
06. Collide – Euphoria
07. Alien Sex Fiend - Gotta Have It (Sliced and Diced mix)
08. Andi Sex Gang & Marc Almond - The Hungry Years
09. UK Decay - Battle of the Elements (club mix) **
10. The Last Dance – Cages
11. Anne Marie Hurst - I Have Changed **
12. New Model Army – Dawn
13. The Mission - She's Gone Away **
14. Uninvited Guest - Death of an Angel *
15. Faith and the Muse - To Be Continued
* Written for, and inspired by, the charity
** Previously unreleased
Websites
http://www.martinoldgoth.co.uk/hope.htm / www.stayindie.com/hope / http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Sound: 10
Extras: -
Total: 10 / 10
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