Praise To The Machine: Everything Is Noise

The Sonic Music Review is glad to once again feature an unsigned act who have submitted music for review, in this case, the swedish electronica group Praise To The Machine. As described in their brief bio which accompanied the group's submission, the group first started as a duo in 2009, later adding a third member in 2010, also contextualising their creative practice within the aesthetics of the late 80's/early 90's synth pop scene.



The heavily influence of the 80's synthpop movement on Praise To The Machine's output is notable, rendering a musical style which is particularly comparable to Depeche Mode due to the synthetic instrumentation, style of writing and strong baritone lead vocals. The piece begins with the various synthetic elements which underpin the majority of the track - electronic percussive elements and gated bassline.

The track proves particularly interesting as it develops into the chorus section which adds several more synth parts. The heavily sequenced impression given by the various gated synth parts draws further reference to various examples of Depeche Mode or New Order's output which epitomised 80's synthpop writing to a large degree. The use of instrumental sections later add interest, breaking up a verse-chorus based structure which forms the basis for the track's structure.

In terms of quality of production, this piece once more references the techniques and values seen in much of the musical repertoire of the 80's. Each of the track's elements are clearly audible amid the thick synthetic orchestration and the use of the stereo field is accomplished, as is the depth of field seen between the vocals and synthetic elements. The application of reverb and use of vocal backing harmonies further suggests a heavy influence of the 80's production style on this track.

This track is a welcome throwback to the music of yesteryear and, to the faithful children of the 80's, many will prefer the band's compositional and production values to that of contemporary synthpop artists such as La Roux or Little Boots, who draw heavy influence from the same repertoire while writing and producing in a style which panders more to the popular music audience of today. The band's output is well worth a listen and further releases are very eagerly anticipated. For more information and to listen to the band's music, visit the band's official page here.

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