This latest seven song EP from the Dusseldorf combo comes across assomewhat of a well-preserved study in 80s symphonic synth popcomposition and European-type soundtrack scores. While they may havegone a touch more electronic between 1998's "Appearance and the Park"and their 2000 self-titled disc, this time around it's all aboutworking the strings, synth patches and samples, with the odd tubularbell now and then. The gloomy "La Casa I" opens the disc with somethingreminiscent of the Art of Noise, with its plucked strings, synth dronesand trickles and underlying 4/4 pulse. You can almost see the creditsrolling over a fuzzy ballroom scene. "L'autre Main" is a dark march ofthick low-end chords, trumpet blasts and marimba sounds propelled by arepetitive snare drum that could be related to "Bolero," only moredriving. "Circulus" chatters away comfortably with what sounds to be asampled thumb piano, synth marimba and surdo rhythm with a melodyplayed with the same synth-chime sound that begged the question "DoThey Know It's Christmas?" While this disc is overall not my cup oftea, Kreidler has managed to honestly reproduce the 80s style pop andnot have it dripping with irony.
Read More
