Rewiev Syntetic Vision
Artist: Compilation
Title: Vågform Volume 1
Label: Vågform Records
Date: 2008
Aside from the cute, and somewhat misleading toy-town style cover, this compilation features a full 19-tracks of a variety of different Electronic styles, from the Synth Pop of Chinese Theatre & Northern Electric too the minimal-Electro of Adolf Filter and the straight-EBM of Prototyp too the harsh Industrial sounds of Liquid G and the sparse experimental-edge of Audiosscope combining to provide something of a diverse snapshot of part of the present Electronic scene.
From the seven-acts featured both Chinese Theatre & Northern Electric should easily draw the attention of every-Synthpopper with both providing three-tracks with all three later appearing as album-versions on the second Chinese Theatre album due in either March or April. The tracks themselves are all excellent pieces of Synth Pop with female vocals with the sturdy mid-pace of "Bit By Bit" standing above both the more rigid EBM-influenced "Now And Ever" and the more simplistic rhythms and familiar blips-n-bleeps of "Minimal Horror" that collectively show the forthcoming promise of that second-album, while Northern Electric also deliver three excellent-tracks with a style of Synth Pop that's not too dissimilar to Chinese Theatre, but with male-vocals on the steady-pace of "The Captain" too the more up-tempo feel of both "The Modern Mannequin" and with female backing-vocals "Fashion".
The non-Synth Pop tracks include the old-school Industrial feel of Prototyp who draw on past-masters Front Line Assembly & Skinny Puppy with Front 242 like vocals for their sound, while both Adolf Filter & Audioscope provide a more simplistic rhythm-based minimal-Electro sound with again Front 242 style-vocals, while at times Audioscope add a more expermential feel while both Liquid G & MaxxImpact provide Industrial-based instrumentals with at times Liquid G adding a more harsh expermential-edge on this somewhat interesting and different look at one-side of the present Electronic scene.
Despite the fact that there is really little here that will appeal to your average Synthpopper along with the limited-numbers and availability of the actual compilation itself, but, the excellent Chinese Theatre and the somewhat less familiar Northern Electric are very-much two Swedish-acts more than worthy of looking at for their own releases.
Review by: DK