The local trio (now in Berlin) continue to cull from templates set out in the British post-punk era. Namely, Siouxie & The Banshees, Bauhaus, Tones On Tail, and The Cure (especially the bass playing on the slow songs). Where they succeed is how they put all of these inspirations (whether intentional or not) and use them for something of their own.
There is a downside of this and that would be the penchant for the occasionally uninspired moments where they drag parts on too long (see “Your Image”, track 9).
(((1))) Catchy, groovey beat, repeated, 1-note beams of synth and some solid sax work.
(FCC “shit” -2:34 & -2:06 She also says “give off my tit” but it’s sung too fast)
((((2)))) Mid-tempo to slow “death-rock dub” with distorted vocals that are almost completely undescripherable. This one eventually works despite the “huh?” effect on the lister.
(((((3))))) Big, slow & creeping synth, then a faster & throbbing bass-heavy tempo. Some solid drum work and synths and guitar or guitar-like parts. Excellent!
((((4)))) Big bass, random news samples from Iraq and G.W. Bush. Plus, some great lyrics “I want to rise from the metropolis and revel in rage.” Sometimes political songs hit their target without being specifc and this is a good example.
(((((5))))) Fantastic, trippy instrumental of just pure electro-psych. In the realms of early Tangerine Dream or Legendary Pink Dots. I wish they dragged this out longer.
(((((6))))) Up tempo, hypnotic electro-beat and a guitar tuned to a fine sharpened point. It gets a tad too repetitive but detours quick enough than to become annoying. Later fades into low-lying fuzz and sax bits.
((7)) Robotic synth piece that’s repetitve as G.W. Bush saying the word “terrorism". Avoid!
((((8)))) Some old movie sample then trance-y synths & drums cycling about. All punctated with an “X-Ray Spex crossed with Spacemen 3 jammin’ on Sun Ra’s Saturn cruiser” vibe.
((9)) 4-note tempo cycling over & over and mostly whispered vocals. Nothing much going on here.
((10)) Distorted electro neo-new-wave/techno/EBM. The vocals are good & catchy but mostly “just there” & too dance-laden.
(((11))) Click-track beat with early 80’s video game styled synths and some randomly placed sax parts. The beat gets progressively louder & faster after about a minute & 1/2.
((((12)))) This is the Hanin Elias re-mix of track #6. She made the beats distorted and the vocals cleaner. The beats have sound odd effect that tend to sound like microwave popcorn on occasion. (-2:52-2:47). Hanin & Jesse do a great duet in the chorus as well.