Category: Reviews (Page 1 of 199)

MARIE DAVIDSON City Of Clowns

28 February 2025 /

First a member of the duo LES MOMIES DE PALERME but becoming more widely known in ESSAIE PAS with her husband Pierre Guerineau and issuing her first solo album ‘Perte D’Identité’ in 2014, Montreal’s Marie Davidson has returned to electronics and clubland.

Following her last two albums, the “egotistical” techno of ‘Working Class Woman’ and the exploration of different musical styles on the largely conventionally flavoured ‘Renegade Breakdown’ with L’ŒIL NU both on Ninja Tune, ‘City Of Clowns’ is her first on SOULWAX’s DEEWEE imprint following a chance meeting with the Belgian brothers at Sónar 2017 that led to a remix of ‘Work It’.

Co-written and co-produced with SOULWAX and Guerineau, the album is Marie Davidson’s first in over 4 years. Inspired by Shoshana Zuboff’s book ‘The Age of Surveillance Capitalism’ and reflecting on how big tech is changing the way everyone lives, ‘City Of Clowns’ is not only more English than French but also more song-based, although her characteristic spoken word allure remains. A feisty and energetic live performer, her pre-album release showcase at London’s Hackney Oslo was a sell-out.

Davidson’s might first single for DEEWEE was ‘Y.A.A.M.’ and standing for “Your Asses Are Mine”, it expletively punches down at the music business in a cathartic response to a condescending email she was sent. Poetry in techno motion, our heroine wants “all your asses on the floor” as she decides she is happier to “stick with the weirdos”.

With a stark dynamic tension and a repeated French-Canadian deadpan of “DAMAGE”, ‘Demolition’ is absorbing dark electro centred around repetition with a synth tom break. Much fiercer and in direct reaction to her past declaration that she would stop making dance music, ‘Contrarian’ is less song based as a raw barrage of bleeps, squelch and faulty circuitry to a mighty breakbeat thump. Meanwhile the oddball minimal synth disco of ‘Sexy Clown’ has Davison embracing her inner clown, in a delightful exploration of her conflicted feelings around her treatment as an outsider.

But ‘Validations Weight’ provides the ominous conceptual introduction to the album, using real and computer generated speech but by its conclusion, it is the latter that has taken over.

With expletive laden attitude, ‘Push Me F*ckhead’ gets the snappy electro-funk while in English and French, Davidson has some ‘Fun Times’ on a spiky vibrant number about not having children and challenging the now-prevalent far right view that a woman’s only meaningful role in society is reproducing… why bother with all that when her babies can be her art and her fun? The superb electro instrumental ‘Statistical Modelling’ provides an interlude from all the lyrical concerns before ending with the stuttering rhythmic collage of ‘Unknowing’.

‘City Of Clowns’ is an album for people who don’t fit in by someone who herself doesn’t fit in and is happy about that. Rather like her persona, the music of Marie Davidson won’t be for everyone but despite some important existential questions, for those who get it, this is a joyous and sexy collection of club-friendly avant-pop.

‘City Of Clowns’ is released by DEEWEE as a transparent vinyl LP, CD and download and available from https://mariedavidson.bandcamp.com/album/city-of-clowns

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
28 February 2025

CAUSEWAY Anywhere

14 February 2025 /

If THE BLUE NILE captured the image of cold rainy pavements and blurred headlights passing by, then CAUSEWAY are “In a reality where the sun is neon and the streets are lit with lasers…”

Following their well-received debut album ‘We Were Never Lost’ released on Italians Do It Better in 2022, American noir synth duo CAUSEWAY are back although there have been a few changes. The new album ‘Anywhere’ is issued on Sprechen Music, a British label based in Manchester while they have been exploring some different sonic territory.

Having evolved as a collaborative team, vocalist Allison Rae and synthesist Marshall Watson have streamlined their writing process and kept it remote, allowing a more vulnerable creative mindset with space to reflect, for a work that is authentic and deeply personal.

Maintaining their cinematic dreamwave sound, although the classic slow mo CAUSEWAY is prevalent on ‘Anywhere’, the title track is a key statement that goes all Motorik and minimal with the guitar of Dale Hiscock from ENDLESS ATLAS contributing the West Coast meets Düsseldorf flavour; eschewing the density of most of the tracks on the album, “To me it feels very ‘out of the box’ for CAUSEWAY but it fits in our universe” said Marshall Watson in an interview with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK

Photo by Khoa Nguyen

Opener ‘Love Me Like Your Last Time’ punches through with a determined power not previously heard on of their debut album ‘We Were Never Lost’ although elements such as the string machine textures and ominous basslines, along with Allison Rae’s resigned vocals remain. Elsewhere, ‘Human’ sees Hannah Lew of COLD BEAT guesting on vocals and its feisty rhythmic propulsion shapes some dark disco as the question is asked “what does it feel to be human?”

But not rocking the boat and not veering too much away from the CAUSEWAY template, the single ‘Dancing With Shadows’ reflects the shady mystery fitting of its title, throbbing and biting in a wonderful hook laden slice of popwave.

Not a cover of THE CURE, ‘It’s Never Enough’ is moodier but shuffles along percussively with various offbeats and obscure timing points which puts it in an intriguing sonic capsule with recollections of Moby. Meanwhile ‘Criminal’ takes on a more funereal pace and almost shoegaze in its wall of harsher frequencies.

Photo by Khoa Nguyen

Adopting a hypnotic triple bass drive and sparkling crystalline figures, the superb ‘Lightyears’ offers Allison Rae’s alluring feminine melancholy as someone “doesn’t want to change”… yes “maybe we’ll be alright in another life” but why carry on? But as she said to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “Having to leave someone that I loved was the hardest thing I have ever done.”

‘Put Up A Fight’ recalls the sound of ‘We Were Never Lost’ in its floaty melodramatic aura although the gothic resonances of THE CURE appear in its guitar interventions which reinforce the paranoia that “they’re coming for me…”

Although the droning gloom is offset by shinier pulses, ‘Ruin Me’ soundtracks an impending submission for better or worse that fittingly acts as what appears to be the closing number. However, the final act comes with a cover of ‘Nobody’s Diary’ that will polarise… the YAZOO classic beloved of many and written by Alison Moyet at the age of 18 will be seen as sacred to some but to their credit, CAUSEWAY go for a different percussive synth rock arrangement with everything thrown in.

Although CAUSEWAY had been originally intending to make a “Mean dirty break up album”, while ‘Anywhere’ is anguished and melancholic, it is also hopeful with a message of love. “It captures the complexity of moving through pain toward something brighter” said Allison Rae; certainly it’s an enjoyable reverb-laden one at that and a more than worthy follow-up to ‘We Were Never Lost’.

‘Anywhere’ is released by Sprechen Music, available in vinyl LP and digital formats from https://sprechen.bandcamp.com/

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
14 February 2025

LEVENTE The Ray Bradbury Chronicles

3 February 2025 /

The writings of Ray Bradbury encapsulated “the art of the possible” while never shying away from mankind’s penchant for self-destruction.

On ‘The Ray Bradbury Chronicles’, Transylvanian Hungarian musician Levente Toth has attempted to capture the American author’s surrealist and visionary spirit. Back in the days when Romania was under communist rule and led by the notorious dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, Levente main escapism was electronic music. After the Iron Curtain fell, he settled in the UK and built a home studio, releasing his first album ‘Places’ in 2000.

Using synthesizers and technology as its tools of expression, ‘The Ray Bradbury Chronicles’ is quite classical in its approach with assigned sounds representing its characters. Featuring 10 compositions inspired by 10 Ray Bradbury works, ‘The Ray Bradbury Chronicles’ indulges in some deep musical storytelling in the vein of Vangelis in particular.

Levente describes Bradbury as “A master of writing, who often used sci-fi and fantasy settings to tell us something deeply human about ordinary people like us”. The ultimate Cold War angst opener, ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’ is understandably unsettling as it captures an automated house outliving its inhabitants following a nuclear holocaust until fire breaks out and the house itself dies with a last message from its failing computer vox humana.

‘The Lake’ is fittingly ghostly and mournful as the building of sandcastles leads to a drowning but ‘The Golden Kite, The Silver Wind (War / Realization)’ offers rousing hope in the face of war as peaceful collaboration benefits all. ‘The Messiah (Apparition / Exaltation / Sorrow)’ encapsulates freedom away from specific religions to focus on true values as ‘A Miracle Of Rare Device (Vision / Sceptic / Child)’ brings in gentle pulses and a sweeping optimistic grandeur to celebrate this parable about imagination and open mindedness.

‘Fahrenheit 451 (City / Escape / Exile)’ could only be represented by a dystopian soundscape as the books are burned in an eerie parallel to what is happening around the world today; so it is down those with a memory of previously documented knowledge, lessons and mistakes who need to stand up to fight the inept ignorance that abounds. With more supernatural exploration, ‘On The Orient, North (Romance / Death / Together)’ captures a gothic romanticism as sombre virtual cellos cross the paths of harps and pipes while on ‘The Scythe (Lives / Cuts / Madness)’, the atonal atmospheres of early TANGERINE DREAM creep in.

‘The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh’ has something of a folk quality as it captures the tension of upcoming battle before closing proceedings, ‘Kaleidoscope (Scattered / Last Emotions / Earth)’ soundtracks the spectre of imminent death as astronauts get ejected into space after their craft explodes and drift to face their fate with a fading heartbeat…

The relaxing ambience of ‘ASHRA’s New Age Of Earth’ or the excited cultural discovery of Vangelis’ ‘China’ this is not, but if you enjoy cerebral instrumental concept albums lingering in darkness, then ‘The Ray Bradbury Chronicles’ is worthy of investigation.

‘The Ray Bradbury Chronicles’ is available digitally from https://levente.bandcamp.com/album/the-ray-bradbury-chronicles

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
3 February 2025

SLEEP FOREVER Alter Ego

31 January 2025 /

SLEEP FOREVER is the solo venture of Zurich-based musician Markus Weber who is a member of post-punk electro duo VEIL OF LIGHT with Michael Hofstetter and have opening for THE SOFT MOON in Switzerland on their curriculum vitae.

However with VEIL OF LIGHT set to release a new album ‘Hymns Of Faith & Trust’ in the middle of February, as occasionally with Sweden’s DAILY PLANET and their instrumentalist Johan Baeckström, the musical and productions lines do blur.

Following up 2022’s full length debut ‘Boyhood’, Weber continues to fuse classic synthpop sounds with house-influences, with the appropriately titled ‘Alter Ego’ all drenched in a reverbed introspection. The words “wistful” and “escapist” are obvious descriptions for SLEEP FOREVER but with lyrics relating to personal experience, the songs are immediately accessible and THROBBING GRISTLE this is not…

It’s with this wholehearted sincerity that the album’s opening song ‘Shine A Light’ offers a slice of bouncy and breezy synthpop that recalls PET SHOP BOYS, complete with glissando string effects although SLEEP FOREVER achieves this with a dreamier disposition. ‘Pacific Wild’ follows a not dissimilar path for that melancholic but ultimately joyous feeling filled with the sorts of melodies and counter-melodies that wouldn’t have been out of place on the MTV European Top 20 in 1988.

The ‘Alter Ego’ title song perhaps doesn’t soar to such heights but is pleasant enough with its layered tuning while ‘Indifference’ plays with a moodier metallic dressing. ‘Head Over Heels’ though is not a TEARS FOR FEARS cover but a rhythmic sophistipop number recalling WHITE DOOR. Sung in Deutsch, ‘Augen Zu’ takes the sophistipop direction further and actually sounds like JOHNNY HATES JAZZ in the 21st Century.

With an intro sounding as if it is about to burst into ‘Dreamland’ by PET SHOP BOYS, ‘Pillar To Post’ chugs along with digital slap bass in an accessible Italo disco fashion and sparkles in the instrumental break while ‘Undertow’ is uptempo without being disco and although reminiscent of A-HA, it comes over as slightly less accomplished than the Norwegian trio.

‘Keep On Pretending’ is another slice of synthy sophistipop but the vocal stylings grate over 12 songs and this album is perhaps a bit too long, losing steam in its second half. However the opening two numbers ‘Shine A Light’ and ‘Pacific Wild’ highlight the capabilities Markus Weber and are certainly worthy of playlisting.

‘Alter Ego’ is available as a digital release and a limited-edition cassette from https://sleep4evr.bandcamp.com/album/alter-ego

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
31 January 2025

KIM WILDE Closer

29 January 2025 /

Kim Wilde needs no introduction and has been a celebrated pop artist since her debut single ‘Kids In America’ reached No2 in 1981. Other hits such as ‘Chequered Love’, ‘Cambodia’, ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’, ‘You Came’ and ‘Four Letter Word’ followed.

Part of a British rock ‘n’ roll dynasty, her father Marty was a highly respected star in his own right while her brother Ricky had his own flirtation with teen pop stardom before settling to become a record producer with the late Mickey Most acting as his mentor.

The new album ‘Closer’ is Kim Wilde’s first studio album since 2018’s ‘Here Come The Aliens’ but perhaps more important conceptually, it is Intended as a companion record to her 1988 album ‘Close’ from which came ‘You Came’ and ‘Four Letter Word’.

Produced as usual by Ricky Wilde and featuring several songwriting contributions from his daughter and her niece Scarlett, ‘Closer’ is another family affair with regular live band members Paul Cooper (bass) and Neil Jones (guitar) also on board. With Kim, Ricky and Scarlett writing lyrics across the record, the introspective themes are both personal and universal.

The enjoyable first single ‘Trail Of Destruction’ highlights parental concerns about the environment and political discourse, acting a throbbing synth-laden anthem with Euro-rock vibes seeping in to makes a powerful fist-pumping statement.

But ‘Closer’ begins proper with ‘Midnight Train’, a vibrant slice of cutting synthesizer-driven rock in the vein of ULTRAVOX complete with wailing solos and as a result, recalls imperial phase BERLIN. And as if by magic in response, Midge Ure appears and duets on the orchestrated filmic drama of ‘Sorrow Replaced’.

A quick calendar check confirms it is not 1981 but composed by Ricky and Scarlett, ‘Scorpio’ sounds as if could be from that year’s self-titled Kim Wilde debut and is a highly enjoyable new wave throwback to when she was ready to take on Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde and Hazel O’Connor. A Kim and Ricky co-write, the mightily heartfelt ‘Lighthouse’ sees our heroine proving she is still in fine voice after 44 years in music, recalling the up-and-coming German popwave songstress NINA who Ricky Wilde recorded an excellent album with in 2023 called ‘Scala Hearts’.

Bristling with a soaring fervour, ‘Love Is Love’ can be best described as a sizzling dance stomper which hits the highs and would make a fitting entry for Eurovision. Meanwhile ‘Rocket To The Moon’ hits the energetic Schaffel button to take on Alison Goldfrapp at her own game and even adds a bit of Suzi Quatro along the way.

With layered synthetic hooks and a smothering of chunky six string interventions, ‘Hourglass Human’ sees Kim in a spirited duet with Scarlett while the electronically pumped ‘Stones & Bones’ provides a further rousing character to the album as it heads into the home straight. Closing ‘Closer’, the gorgeous ‘Savasana’ intros as a moody ballad before a percolating bass acts as the hypnotic engine room to a cinematic backdrop of synths, piano, guitars and layered vocals.

Kim has said of this album: “’Closer’ has truly been an absolute joy to make… it feels like the natural companion to ‘Close’ from 1988, and I believe it serves as a perfect reflection of where I find myself today, musically speaking.”

There is something of a heartwarming nostalgia to ‘Closer’ while it is also fresh and uplifting despite the sadness in some of its lyrical gists. Immediate but never sounding tiresome in the way some albums by artists of past eras can and have sounded, this is an album that will make long standing fans very happy. But with its classic blend of new wave, synth, pop, rock and dance, it may also see the return of those who bought Kim Wilde records in the past but may not have done so for over 30 years 😉🎶

‘Closer’ is released by Cherry Red Records on 31 January 2025 as a CD, black vinyl LP, limited edition white vinyl LP and download

Kim Wilde 2025 UK Tour:

Birmingham Symphony Hall (14 March), Manchester Academy (15 March), Bristol Beacon (16 March), Cambridge Corn Exchange (18 March), London IndigO2 (19 March), Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (21 March), Sheffield City Hall (22 March), York Barbican (23 March), Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (25 March)

For more information on European tour dates and how to purchase tickets, visit https://www.kimwilde.com/tour-dates

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
29 January 2025

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