808 Dot Pop – Pop Radio FM 88.2 (Album – Alfa Matrix)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.
Format: CD.
Background/Info: Nearly three years after the promising debut album “The Colour Temperature”, Metroland’s ‘Passenger S” strikes back with a new album of his solo-project 808 Dot Pop. It’s a conceptual work devoted to the magic of crystal radio and related themes. But there’s a kind of concept behind the concept as three album have been released; two on CD format and one as digital work. Each album is related to a frequency, FM, AM and MW.A few songs have been written together with Gary Hunter (Kraftman).
Content: 808 Dot Pop remains driven by the retro robotic style of Metroland although this project sounds ‘poppier’ and more accessible. The songs are carried by low, dark, bass lines mixed with melodic tunes and the unavoidable computer voices dealing with the concept. All songs have been mixed like a true radio broadcasting. Two songs are featuring real vocals by Lis Van Den Akker -who already contributed to the single “Suncatcher”.
+ + + : The concept is great and I salute the intelligence it has been transposed into this album. The booklet gives us brief, but essential information about topics related to the concept. It has a strong retro-like feeling which also comes back in the sound treatments. The robotic music becomes pretty accessible by its melodic side and danceable rhythms. I personally prefer 808 Dot Pop to the latest Metroland’s releases for being more polished, poppy and globally more accessible.
– – – : I like the music and I like the heavenly voice of Lis Van Den Akker but I’m not totally convinced both are matching. I would have liked a more sterile timbre of voice.
Conclusion: 808 Dot Pop strikes back in style dealing with a fascinating concept and simply good Electro-Pop.
Best songs: “Heinrich Hertz”, “RCA AR-812”, “Capacitor”, “Österreich 3”.
Rate: 7½.
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