Category: Reviews (Page 87 of 199)

LLOYD COLE Violins

7 June 2019 /


LLOYD COLE & THE COMMOTIONS were the kings of Glum Rock.

But for a 2015 German tour,  Lloyd Cole announced: “I’m calling these shows LIVE ELECTRONICS, and I should be clear here – there will be none of my songs performed, I will not be singing at all, or playing guitar. My instrument will be my modular synthesizer, along with some effects units and maybe a keyboard.”

Despite being a purveyor of jangling poetic indie tunes like ‘Perfect Skin’, ‘Rattlesnakes’, ‘Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?’ and ‘Brand New Friend’, Cole had actually been experimenting with electronics since 2001’s ‘Plastic Wood’ and recorded an album ‘Selected Studies Vol 1’ with Hans-Joachim Roedelius of CLUSTER in 2013. Released by Bureau B, custodians of the Sky Records back catalogue including works by Michael Rother, Conny Plank and Harald Grosskopf amongst others, there was also a solo instrumental collection entitled ‘1D Electronics 2012-2014’.

But Cole has been putting that modular knowhow into a song based format with a charming new synthy single ‘Violins’ in which he seems to have turned into OMD! However, not totally alienating his main fan base, guitars make their presence felt amongst all the machinery about two thirds of the way through.

‘Violins’ is from Lloyd Cole’s new album ‘Guesswork’ which has been self-produced in Massachusetts and mixed by German producer Olaf Opal. Despite reuniting with two former bandmates Neil Clark and Blair Cowan for the first time since 1987’s ‘Mainstream’ long player, ‘Guesswork’ credits ‘synthesizers’ and ‘programming’ rather a lot while the man himself has recently talked of his guitar as “going, going but not quite gone”.

As well as referencing CHINA CRISIS and PREFAB SPROUT, Cole has also expressed a love of SUICIDE, ULTRAVOX, PET SHOP BOYS and LCD SOUNDSYSYTEM, while stating that ‘Guesswork’ is predominantly an electronic album, fashioned from classic and modern keyboard, modular and drum synthesizers with occasional guitar.

Asked whether the remaining songs on ‘Guesswork’ would be of a similar vein to ‘Violins’, he replied on Twitter: “No. The instrumentation is similar. Hopefully the songs go together nicely.”

While some will not necessarily appreciate Cole’s new direction, he has no qualms about the joy of his artistic diversion: “When I was 27, the concept of the washed up older guy seemed very entertaining. Now I’m starting to think that old age could be a lot more fun. Because really what have we got to lose?” 

‘Violins’ is from the new album ‘Guesswork’ released on 26th July 2019 by earMUSIC in CD, vinyl LP and digital formats

http://www.lloydcole.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Lloyd.Cole.1961

https://twitter.com/Lloyd_Cole

Text by Chi Ming Lai
7th June 2019

IONNALEE Remember The Future

4 June 2019 /


Jonna Lee aka IONNALEE aka IAMAMIWHOAMI has made a curious comeback with a follow up to her first solo outing of ‘Everyone Afraid To Be Forgotten’.

Unlike her works with IAMAMIWHOAMI, which were mysteriously messy and unsettling, the music of IONNALEE simplified matters, adding a romantic feel to her otherwise unusual disposition and ‘Remember The Future’ maintains that minimal approach.

“What will the future bring?” has been the most commonly asked question amongst electronic artists of today. But Jonna Lee’s take on things is most likely to be compared to her Swedish compatriots of THE KNIFE or KITE, only far more musical. The album cover sees Lee and her own metal creation of a “retro space-age symbol” lurking amongst not the most comfortable of landscapes, illustrating the inhospitable feel of the opus.

Whether or not the ‘Open Sea’ has the power to suck one in with its powerful waves, Lee is prepared to fight using the medium of melodic pop, building up into an explosion of newly found positivity in the otherwise gloomy outlook. Perhaps becoming somewhat delirious, raising up to higher heights is induced by the “meds (that are) wearing off” on ‘Wipe It Off’, where the scratch is only bleeding and bleeding.

The break comes on ‘Some Body’, which stands out as an irregular synthwave track, a true example of Novelty Synthpop. The “good times” are wholesome and things are looking up, forgetting the threats and dropping the otherwise dystopian themes.

The lofty mood is brought down on ‘Matters’, a noteworthy collaboration with Zola Jesus. This lengthy track calls for unity against the impending disaster, floatingly leading into the heart of what’s important, gathering allies and warning against narrowmindedness. Lee’s voice plays around Zola Jesus’ powerful vocal bringing deeper meaning to the lyric “raise our voices”.

The eponymous track represents the easier listening qualities of IONNALEE’s propositions bridging the romantic past with uncertain future, while ‘Race Against’ stacks the Tetris gravitating between the gentile and harsh, outwardly and terrifying.

Jennie Abrahamson joins Lee on ‘Crystal’, a punctuated romance in a bottle, where the slower pace strokes senses with delicate rhythms like vintage Janet Jackson ballads. ‘Silence My Drum’ with its Celtic qualities graduates into a blistering extravaganza of pure pop, while ‘I Keep’ distorts with sci-fi elements and futuristic plug-ins.

The biggest surprise comes in the form of the cover of ‘Mysteries Of Love’, the iconic Angelo Badalamenti ‘Blue Velvet’ song with lyrics penned by David Lynch, originally performed by Julee Cruise and later brought back to life by Kid Moxie. Supported by RÖYKSOPP, Lee shows off a different side of her femininity, stealing the moment with angelic voices and big synth leads.

Jonna Lee has made herself a little masterpiece: “It’s a hopeful visionary album of daring to dream, and shooting for the stars, despite the paradoxical underlying chafing knowledge that we are destroying our planet. To me, the album has a kinetic energy. I felt much more confident and free when producing it, both as an artist, person and a producer.”

‘Remember The Future’ is released by To Whom It May Concern in CD, vinyl LP and digital formats

https://ionnalee.com

https://www.facebook.com/iamionnalee/

https://twitter.com/ionnalee

https://www.instagram.com/ionnalee/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photos by John Strandh
4th June 2019

GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS Transmissions From The Glass Factory

3 June 2019 /


With no publicity photos, no gigs, and only one interview, the mysteriously anonymous combo GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS provoked intrigue and head scratching in equal measures.

Were they a collaboration between LUSH and SLEAFORD MODS or actually NEW ORDER offshoots THE OTHER TWO doing Spector-flavoured post-punk instead of electronic disco? Whatever, since 2013, GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS have issued a sporadic number of singles as collected on ‘The Strange Little Lines That Humans Draw In the Dust’ and even released a full length album ‘Night Of The Living Electrical Appliances’ in 2017.

In 2018, their most powerfully overt electronic pop single yet in ‘Good Morning, Mr X’ signalled a planned series of limited edition, white label, hand-stamped, one side only releases under the concept of ‘Transmissions From The Glass Factory’. But in 2019 with nothing left to say or do, the remaining recordings from the sessions have now been issued as a six track mini-album as an adieu to GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS.

Best of the bunch are the unorthodox ‘(It’s A) Warning Sign (Blue Lights)’ and the more immediate ‘Noise & Fury’, both epitomising what has been great about GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS. The former is a brilliant squelching electronic number, while the latter is a cover of THE BLANCHE HUDSON WEEKEND sounding like THE PIPETTES doing NEW ORDER’s ‘The Age Of Consent’; both delightfully equal GIRL ONE & THE GREASE GUNS’ best singles like ‘Jessica 6’ and ‘No Longer Spellbound’.

Continuing with that classic but spacey girl group vibe with chills that are multiplying, ‘The Multiplex (Is No Good For Me)’ and ‘Turn It Around Again’ transport the Wall Of Sound into the winter of discontent.

Meanwhile ‘Destination Yesterday’ exploits metallic sequencers, detuned synths and those characteristic nonchalant off-key female vocals.

Less successful though is ‘Run Scared From Eyeballs’ with an over-complex drum mantra that smothers a song that doesn’t quite hit the spot.

So farewell Sissy Space Echo, Warren Betamax, Charles Bronson Burner and Bruce LeeFax, you really did “thrive on causing confusion with a mixture of pure synthpop and more experimental electronic sounds” and shared some dysfunctional fun in the process.

‘Transmissions From The Glass Factory’ is released by Next Phase: Normal Records as a CD, available from Rough Trade in London, Jumbo Records and Norman Records in Leeds, as well as the Squirrel Records website at http://www.squirrelrecords.co.uk/girl-one-and-the-grease-guns/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Girl-One-And-The-Grease-Guns/440754999339179

https://girloneandthegreaseguns.bandcamp.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
3rd June 2019

MACHINISTA Anthropocene

1 June 2019 /


Like a cross between THE CURE and ALPHAVILLE, Swedish duo MACHINISTA are back with their third full-length album ‘Anthropocene’.

Vocalist John Lindqwister and instrumentalist Richard Flow have taken their time with this record and it’s all the better with a refinement of their anthemic signature sound plus the addition of some conventionally flavoured twists. In the album’s opening statement, ‘Seconds Minutes Hours’ offers a Eurodance triplet beefed up with guitars by BRD for more of that synthpop with a rock n roll edge which MACHINISTA have always prided themselves in.

Featuring a guest vocal appearance from PROJECT PITCHFORK’s Scheuber, ‘Let Darkness In’ is brilliant, taking its leaf from the dark electronic pop of Norway’s APOPTYGMA BERZERK; their main man Stephan Groth happily remixed 2015’s ‘Dark Heart Of Me’ and the APOP force looms even stronger on the album’s glorious ‘Anthropocene’ title song which owes more than a debt to the haunting riff of ‘Burning Heretic’ in the ultimate sorcerer’s apprentice spell.

‘Angel’ takes things down to scarf waving pace and adds piano to the counter melodies but it suddenly speeds up, aesthetic reinforced by percussive six string for some chantalong gothic disco. ‘Black Tide’ continues the mood but with a solemn disposition as per the title with Lindqwister giving his all with the Robert Smith stakes.

Singing of “darkness, despairs” and a “child of the golden age”, the chilling orchestrated cinematics of ‘Astrid’ are authentically supported by Karin My on cello while on ‘Universe Is Here’, the aesthetics can’t but help recall ‘The Policy Of Truth’ from the days when DEPECHE MODE combined their darkness with tuneful instrumental elements.

A stark observation on the human condition, ‘Pain Of Every Day’ with its poignant lyrics like “dying is certain… we die the same death” is probably one of the most poetically unsettling if danceable tracks of recent years, a sentiment also expressed in ‘The Scare’.

Back in 2013, MACHINISTA opened their account with a rousing cover of Bowie’s “Heroes”; and it is back to the Thin White Duke with a cover of THE BEATLES ‘Across The Universe’ which was covered on the ‘Young Americans’ album for the closer; it does sound exactly how you might imagine, like ALPHAVILLE doing John Lennon.

On ‘Anthropocene’, MACHINISTA have successfully integrated more traditional elements like guitar, piano and cello without throwing away their gloomy but club-friendly template. Their past EPs and albums have always had terrific highlights, but ‘Anthropocene’ is their most consistent body of work to date.

Reflecting darker times, listeners will however need to choose which songs to hear carefully dependent on their moods as much of the personal expression on this album is very heavy if realistic.

‘Anthropocene’ is released by Infacted Recordings on 7th June 2019, pre-order CD from Poponaut at
http://www.poponaut.de/machinista-anthropocene-p-18504.html or download from Bandcamp at https://infactedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/anthropocene

MACHINISTA open for HOCICO at London Electrowerkz on Saturday 3rd August 2019

http://www.machinistamusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/machinistamusic

https://twitter.com/machinistamusic

https://www.instagram.com/machinistamusic/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Jorg Seiche
1st June 2019

US First Contact

29 May 2019 /


Let’s talk about US.

The number of Scottish connected indie personalities who have gone electronic can literally be counted on one hand. Lloyd Cole took the plunge and started twiddling with modulars after the first decade of the 21st Century, collaborating with German legend Hans-Joachim Roedelius of CLUSTER along the way.

Now Andrew Montgomery, former vocalist of GENEVA who scored hits with ‘Into The Blue’, ‘Tranquilizer’ and ‘Best Regrets’ in 1997, has teamed up with Leo Josefsson of Stockholm trio LOWE to form US. Label mates of SUEDE, GENEVA were characterised by Montgomery’s passionate vocals not far from a doomed romantic version of James Dean Bradfield. But despite their jangling guitars, their string assisted backing gave them a sublime cinematic quality.

That voice is carried over into US and combined with LOWE’s electronic Nordic noir, this unusual hybrid has been described as “a soundtrack for your dreams”. Now if Jeff Buckley had dumped his Fender Telecaster for a Korg MS20, then that is the dark anthemic sound of US.

The pair started writing together in 2015, with Josefsson stepping back to a musician role having been the front man of LOWE; “It took us four years to put together this album” said Montgomery, “but it’s been an absolute blast. I feel as if Leo’s synths and my vocals are a match made in musical heaven”.

‘First Contact’ is a curious mix of GENEVA and LOWE, with ‘Till the Dying of the Light’ their haunting debut offering. Released in 2017, it signalled US’ artistic intentions, exploiting the spirited choir boy range of Montgomery within an elegiac electronic soundscape; it recalled the anguished qualities of Jay-Jay Johanson who notably collaborated with THE KNIFE on ‘Marble House’.

But ‘First Contact’ begins with ‘Mute’, a track which starts in neo-acapella fashion before Josefsson constructs a cinematic percussive lattice around Montgomery’s distinctive melancholic tones, climaxing into something more militaristic. The lyrical couplet of “I will be mute, only silence speaks the truth” adds tension to the drama.

Meanwhile, ‘Voyager’ goes all spacey avant trance in a wonderful cross-pollination of styles that comes over something like MUSE at Gatecrasher. The glorious ‘The Stars That Arc Across the Sky’ will appeal to GENEVA fans, although its building metronomic beat might confuse those more used to hearing a full drum kit. While the guitar work of Mats Jönsson isn’t that far off classic U2, it’s a great song all the same.

The rousing poignancy of ‘In Denial’ is cut from a similar cloth. Interestingly, GENEVA’s second album ‘Weather Underground’ was half produced by Howie B who worked on the Irish quartet’s polarising ‘Pop’ long player. The Schaffel laden ‘Technicolor’ also provides some more indie colours albeit with pulsing bass synths, but ‘Never Get Over’ brings back the Nordic moodiness before the intensity rises with a cacophony of guitars and live drums.

‘Flow My Tears’ also ventures into more indie rock territory and while it cannot be denied that Montgomery is a master of the uplifting topline, this track may be the one that will alienate regular enthusiasts of Swedish synth music the most. An epic diversion is provided on ‘As a Child’ with the utilisation of a string section and again, Montgomery’s emotive high register expression is impressive.

Without the aid of a safety net and Josefsson providing only subtle but widescreen backing for the first two thirds, the downtempo ‘My Heart’s Desire’ is all Montgomery and verging on operatic before the album closes with the brooding Celtic blues of ‘The Healer’ where the electronically treated vocals generate an even greater bleakness to taunt the soul.

An album of two halves with much promise, ‘First Contact’ is a well-crafted debut record, expressing broken dreams and midlife sorrows. The template of contrast might confuse some, but indie and electronic can mix effectively and the results certainly have more melodic accessibility than say, a modern day RADIOHEAD or DEPECHE MODE long player. It really is all about US.

‘First Contact’ is available as a CD or download album direct from https://usmusicspace.bandcamp.com/

http//www.unifyseparate.com

https://www.facebook.com/usmusicspace

https://twitter.com/andrewmonty

https://twitter.com/lazyeyesthlm

https://www.instagram.com/usmusicspace/

https://open.spotify.com/album/6TJVcOONy9LHAm9ceMbZ0I

Text by Chi Ming Lai
29th May 2019

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