Kirlian Camera – Cold Pills / Scarlet Gate Of Toxic Daybreak (Album – Dependent Records)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Electro, Experimental-Pop.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Active under the Kirlian Camera moniker since 1980, the Italian formation driven by the creative spirit of Angelo Bergamini and the bewitching vocals of Elena Alice Fossi no longer has anything to prove. They now release albums on an irregular basis, but each new production reveals little surprises. This album has been released as a double album, but there also is a box for the fans featuring an extra disc with songs. Notice by the way the album is also available through Metropolis in the US.
Content: The first disc features 8 songs, which are mainly driven by dark electronic moods mixing a kind of ballad style together with Experimental/Wave-Pop. The angelic and sensual vocals are now driven by a psychedelic lead, but then by a more menacing, dark sphere with male backings. In the background. I also noticed the pretty Kraftwerk-ian debut of “Not True”.
The second disc reveals 8 more songs and similar influences, but sounds more into a kind of dreamy and beautiful Electro-Pop interpretation. I also noticed more Cinematographic passages. The song “Apophenia” features Blank and that’s interesting as Blank also released this song last year on its own album “Drifting Slowly”.
+ + + : Kirlian Camera is a band I’ve always linked to a kind of ‘freestyle’; disconnected from established genres and trends. A pure creative process resulting in a sound, which is hard to label, but definitely related with Dark-Wave and Electro-Pop. The first disc sounds softer and also more space-like accentuated with some Psychedelic touches. You however can feel a dark sphere hanging over the songs, which is more accentuated on the second disc. And I personally prefer this second album. Especially the second part of the disc is absolutely magic. The songs are refined and blessed by a dark, artistic touch creating an ultimate match between music and vocals. The song “Apophenia” featuring Blank is a little sonic jewel, but I also have to mention “LSDay” and “Dusk Religion”.
– – – : The first disc is an easy listening experience, but not exactly the kind of music getting me wild. It has a relaxing effect, but with a soporific touch on top while the second disc has a similar relaxing, but elevating effect.
Conclusion: Kirlian Camera remains a unique experience in sound, a kind of sonic poetry with dark notes and sexy vocals.
Best songs: “Apophenia”, “LSDay”, “Dusk Religion”, “Dreamlex”, “Not True”, “I Became Alice”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.kirliancamera.com / www.facebook.com/kirliancamera.official
Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records
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