Eyethought: Suburbia (Original Mix) Review

The Sonic Music Review is proud to feature once again music submitted by an unsigned artist to the blog. Eyethought is an electronic music producer from Mississauga, Ontario who according to their bio has been "producing beats for the last 5 years," also performing at a variety of events across Ontario as a beatboxer. The track here featured is entitled 'Suburbia,' a recent composition of the artist.

As noted by the brief description which accompanies the YouTube upload, the track here featured is constructed around a single highly syncopated riff, which sees a clear initial exposition at the track's beginning, which is quickly superposed onto a steady rhythmic backing of programmed beats and modulating string textures which steadily rise and fall within the arrangement by virtue of side chaining.

The arrangement later develops to introduce additional synthetic timbres and, at 1:46, the character of the piece takes on an altogether more sinister tone which is, to an extent, also purposefully disorientating, contributing well to the music as a whole and particularly apt for this style of writing. The synthetic chords introduced at this point provide much stronger functioning harmony to the section. Small variations in the rhythmic elements add further interest, although the use of stutter editing circa BT or Daft Punk's 'Derezzed,' part of their electronic house soundtrack to Tron: Legacy, reviewed here, could add to the effect.

As the piece reaches its conclusion, the original riff returns, along with the most overt melodic material seen in the arrangement. As the off beat synth idea reappears and various elements drop from the musical texture, the piece ends, running at a 5:36 runtime in total. The music benefits from an interesting arrangement with several subtle variations throughout though the production of a radio edit may make the track more accessible to new listeners. In any case, this is a very welcome addition to the features seen on The Sonic Music Review and we would like to wish Eyethought the greatest success in the future.

If you represent an unsigned electronic music act and would like to submit your music to be featured, please get in touch with The Sonic Music Review.

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The Pet Shop Boys: 'The Clock 10/11/12'

The Pet Shop Boys are well known as early proponents of the 80’s synthpop movement who throughout their career have released a number of charting records largely in their inimitable disco influenced synthpop style. ‘The Most Incredible Thing’ is arguably the duo’s most unusual project - a musical soundtrack choreographed to a ballet. As such, the release combines more contemporary Pet Shop Boys writing with orchestral elements previously alluded to in passing reference from their popular music throughout the years.

The Pet Shop Boys: The Most Incredible Thing

Of the tracks on the album, ‘The Clock 10/11/12’ proves to be one of the most interesting and so is focussed upon here. This particular track aptly combines the contemporary dance-influenced electronic writing with the pompous orchestral writing which are both seen throughout this album, beginning with purely electronic elements and after approximately three minutes segueing into a large ‘oom-pah’ score. Without viewing the ballet choreography, one cannot comment on the interplay between the music and dance at this point, however it is not unreasonable to suggest that this point depicts a more rural setting. At any rate, the music suggests very clear imagery and is commendable as such.

The track opens with sustained harmonies from some of the several synth lines which feature in this track, accompanied by several samples manufactured for their electronic connotations. At this point, the samples is question, given their prominence, could benefit from more advanced sonic processing akin to Tangerine Dream’s notable proficiency in this area. While considerations of timbre take place, the drum sequencing and timbre proves a noteworthy mention, being unlike most of the duo’s previous output.

Following the introduction comes the addition of additional musical elements, including a sequenced bassline and an accompanied off-beat synthesiser line which features very accomplished rhythmic interplay. The arrangement also is a testament to the expertise garnered by Tennant and Lowe throughout their career, bringing great variety to the arrangement through the variation of instrumentation which takes place.

Of the 21 tracks available on ‘The Most Incredible Thing,’ this certainly proves well worth a listen.

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Tangerine Dream: Under Cover Chapter 1

Tangerine Dream are of course best known for their typically instrumental Electronica and New Age compositions. Over their several decades of activity, the group have released a great number of original works, with brief forays into songwriting. This particular release is unusual being the first release of only cover versions of various rock/pop songs by artists including REM and The Goo Goo Dolls.

Tangerine Dream: Under Cover Chapter 1


The release begins with the cover of ‘Cry Little Sister’ from the soundtrack to the 1987 film The Lost Boys, with a suitably brooding beginning which is idiomatic of the band’s style, developing into a 5:40 ballad which combines synths with layered guitars and typical backing vocals suitable for this setting. The later track ‘Precious,’ first performed by Depeche Mose is particularly notable for its clean production and accomplished alternative setting of the original.

Comparing the upbeat styles of say ‘Wicked Game,’ as made popular by Chris Isaak, with the Tangerine Dream cover of Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’ reveals a vast difference between styles. The setting of ‘The Model’ is very influenced by the attempts of jazz performers to provide an ambient style of lounge music in years gone by. For readers familiar with the original, the great deviation from Kraftwerk’s version may alienate listeners, due to the great deviation from the mechanical-sounding and heavily programmed nature of the original. Meanwhile ‘Wicked Game’ employs a reinterpretation of the original in a similar style but with a clear influence from Tangerine Dream’s own music.

Having attended the band’s ‘Zeitgeist’ concert at the Royal Albert Hall, UK in April 2010, this reviewer did note the conspicuous conclusion to the concert with a cover of ‘Norwegian Wood’ by The Beatles. The recording from the concert appears as track 12 of this album, without doubt, one of the album’s highlights.

Despite professing to being a ‘Just For Fun’ release, originally conceived as the result of a bet placed by the band, several tracks from this release are particularly well executed and are a welcome addition to one’s musical library. With that said, the vast range of styles seen in this album may prove too different to the original releases for some listeners. Either way, this landmark Tangerine Dream release will remain an interesting side-note in the bands history for many years to come.

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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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Various Artists: Ministry Of Sound 'Anthems - Electronic 80's 2'

Following the success of the previous 'Anthems Electronic 80's' compilation, reviewed last week, available here, a 2010 followup was soon in the works. Once again containing some of the biggest names in the synth pop scene, this compilation offers another 60 tracks of electronic music.

Various Artists: Ministry Of Sound 'Anthems - Electronic 80's 2'

The release begins with 'Don't You Want Me' by The Human League, soon followed with tracks from Eurythmics, Kraftwerk, OMD and Yazoo. Unlike the first in the Ministry Of Sound's 'Electronic 80's' series, this volume contains a more varied selection of material. The inclusion of 'Love On A Real Train,' a New Age/Ambient track by the German groupTangerine Dream and tracks like 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers add an extra dimension to the compilation, going beyond purely synth pop, which comprised the majority of the first volume.

This volume in the series also includes several tracks which were conspicuous in their absence in the previous release. Tracks such as 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)' by Dead Or Alive and the classic 'She Blinded Me With Science,' so deserving that the track received it's own review here, shine in amongst this collection which once again proves a very appealing purchase for the new romantics among The Sonic Music Review's readers.

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Yazoo: Only Yazoo - The Best Of Yazoo

Despite creating some of the most definitive 80's synthpop tracks, the British Duo Yazoo, or 'Yaz' in America, had a sadly short lived career with only two studio releases. After these two releases, the lead singer Alison Moyet sought her own solo career, while keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously chief writer with Depeche Mode, went on to form the group Erasure.

Yazoo: Only Yazoo - The Best Of Yazoo

This charming retrospective of the duo's fine output begins with their debut single, 'Only You.' Forgoing complex musical textures, this track, like most of the tracks featured in this compilation, consist of a few primary synthetic textures with Moyet's strong Soul influenced vocals. It is this approach which set the duo apart from their contemporaries and gave their music its distinctive naive charm. The next track, 'Ode To Boy,' illustrates a more experimental approach to sampling which was seen in the output of several bands at the time, given the rise in affordable sampling units.

Dispersed throughout the album are the bands best known work, 'Don't Go,' 'Situation,' 'Nobody's Diary,' the list goes on. It is truly to the duo's credit that just two studio releases spawned such a formidable portfolio of tracks in the days where record Companies were far less restrictive on musical content and merit.

The final 5 tracks in the album consist of remixes and alternative mixes of 'Situation,' 'Don't Go' and 'Only You.' This offers more material although some more contemporary remixes could benefit this tracklisting. Overall however, this is a fine example of synth pop at its best.

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Various Artists: Ministry Of Sound 'Anthems - Electronic 80's'

To celebrate some of the finest electronic music from the 1980's, this Ministry Of Sound compilation, released in 2009, features some of the biggest names in the bygone synthpop era, including Ultravox, Soft Cell, Orchestral Manouvers In The Dark (OMD), and many more.

Various Artists: Ministry Of Sound 'Anthems Electronic 80's'

The compilation, which contains a total of 60 tracks running 16 seconds shy of a four hour runtime, begins with 'Vienna' by Ultravox. Some of the most favourable output of the era soon follows, including 'Cars,' 'Tainted Love,' 'Fade To Grey' and 'Don't Go' all within the first five tracks.

Among the highlights are some of the lesser known works, such as Thomas Dolby's 'Hyperactive' and The Human League's rendition of 'Being Boiled.' As such, the compilation does well to document some of the most successful releases of the 80s alongside lesser known works equally worthy of praise. Unfortunately there remains some tracks which would be expected on such a compilation. Thankfully, a second volume followed later to include a further number of tracks.

Through the inclusion of such varied works, this compilation is given far greater depth than the typical synthpop compilations which draw from largely the same material. For any children of the 80's, this compilation serves as a charming retrospective of the era where synthesisers got sexy. For volume 2, released in 2010, click here.

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Tangerine Dream: Tangram

Released in 1980, 'Tangram' came at a pivotal point in the German band Tangerine Dream's career, meeting at the crossroads of their previous extended form sequencer-based compositions and their decidedly New Age material which was yet to come. It also came as the band introduced a new member Johannes Schmoelling to the group, but despite turbulent circumstances for the band, 'Tangram' went on to become the fifth best selling release from the band, unsurprising when one listens to the album.

Tangerine Dream: Tangram

The album itself consists of simply two tracks: 'Tangram Set 1' and 'Tangram Set 2,' overall lasting an approximate duration of 40 minutes. In the later release, 'Tangram 2008,' these two tracks are divided into seven in total and many of the timbres have been altered.

Track one begins with a moderate paced sequence which underpins the initial section, embellished with an emphatic descending bass partern, later developing harmonically and progressing to include the defining antiphonal analogue brass melody which defines that part of the set. What is notable about the first set is the apparent influence which progressive rock has given, leading to a slightly experimental application of metre and form. This influence from progressive rock contrasts heavily with the final section of the set, which sees a much more subtle and calming quality.

The second track of the album begins with synthesised strings which undergo various suspensions, drawing some similarity in writing to some of Jean Michel Jarre's output in the late 1970's. As the piece develops, sequencers provide a more upbeat underpinning to the music and a strong melody is soon added. A bridge between the two distinct tracks in set 2 revisits the band's much earlier Krautrock begins in its experimental use of noise and non-musical sound. This also occurs later while the synthetic drones which end the set fade in and gradually take the primary focus.

A later compilation, 'Booster,' features a rather fine excerpt from Tangram and is reviewed here.

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The Prodigy: Invaders Must Die

Since forming in 1990, The Prodigy have divided critical opinion a great deal, while establishing a highly faithful fanbase in the mean time. 'Invaders Must Die' is the fifth studio album offering by the musical project and includes some of their most impressive material to date for fans of their music.

The Prodigy: Invaders Must Die

The album begins with the title track, 'Invaders Must Die,' also the first single to be released from the album. This track sees The Prodigy's typical DnB House method of composition with commendable interplay between bass line and synthetic overtones. The following track, 'Omen' continues with this unrelenting yet rather commercial style, later released as another single from the album.

Interestingly, later tracks, such as 'Take Me To The Hospital,' reference the more surreal earlier compositions by the band. 'Take Me To The Hospital' for instance is somewhat reminiscent of the duo's earlier track 'Out Of Space.' Such tracks lie alongside the much heavier offerings, such as 'Warrior Dance,' which presents a much harsher and distorted sound.

In this reviewer's opinion, some of the finest material lies in 'Omen Reprise' and the particularly notable remix of 'Invader's Must Die' by Chase And Status. This album presents a great refinement of the bands style, its sequel will be dearly anticipated.

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La Roux: La Roux

La Roux are a British pop duo who first found success following their debut 'La Roux' album released in 2009 which brought to the fray a form of popular music notably reminiscent of 80's synth pop with a more refined production methodology. The voice of Elly Jackson, often mistaken as an independent artist as her collaborator Ben Langmaid rarely appears in PR documents and does not join Elly in live performances, leads each piece on the album accompanied by synths and drum machines to provide the rest of the instrumentation.

La Roux: La Roux

The album begins with 'In For The Kill,' also the second single to be released from the album, also known for an alternative version featuring Kanye West which was released later. 'In For The Kill' is commercially the duo's biggest hit, containing one of the most memorable hooks from 2009. This is followed by 'Tigerlily' which sees a much darker theme compared to most other tracks from the album. 

'Tigerlily' later resolves into the opening of 'Quicksand,' the duo's debut single and a highlight of the album. Like many of the other tracks on the album, the instrumentation in 'Quicksand' is restricted but a large musical texture is created through subtle timbral variations between sections and the doubling of vocal parts. While clear in its synth pop origins, the album takes on a much clearer mix and slightly harsher timbres than would be seen in the 80's, when the synthpop movement began, congruent with the production values in the contemporary popular music industry.

The album contains plenty of high quality material, the second half however sees a change in style to a smoother and less upbeat writing style on the whole, ultimately giving more variety but potentially dividing its audience. Regardless, this album is evidentiary of great talent from the duo, with a followup album greatly anticipated.

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Tiesto: Elements Of Life

The dutch trance producer Tiesto became active in 1997 as the producer of several series of compilation albums. Following several remixes, he released his first solo album in 2001 and continues to do so today. The album here reviewed, 'Elements Of Life' is the producer's third studio album, released in 2007, reportedly selling an impressive 73,000 units in the first month of release.

Tiesto: Elements Of Life

The album begins with the largely instrumental trance 'Ten Seconds Before Sunrise' track, which throughout its 7 minute runtime evolves through typical trance writing to extended sustained chords which would also serve in an ambient music context. This is followed by 'Everything' featuring Jes which, after an extended drum oriented introduction exhibits a more uptempo trance style which would be welcomed on the dancefloor.

While this album is by no means short of commendable material, the highlights certainly appear in the second half of the album, including all five of the singles released from the album. Tracks such as 'Dance4Life,' which is the most overtly commercial with a note worthy hook and 'Sweet Things' are among some of the finest trance tracks contained within this reviewer's library. 

The album closes with a remix of 'He's A Pirate' from the Disney Film 'Pirates Of The Caribbean,' also released as the first single from the album. This particular track is interesting given its roots in orchestral film music, and very popular film music at that. The track combines elements of Tiesto's signature trance aesthetic with an extended section of orchestral music, creating a very interesting take on the music origionally written by Klaus Badelt. This album comes highly recommended for readers of The Sonic Music Review who are partial to trance music.

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Thomas Dolby: She Blinded Me With Science

Thomas Dolby saw his first commercial release in 1982 with his debut album 'The Golden Age Of Wireless.' Lacking a great initial commercial success, Dolby did not become known until the release of 'She Blinded Me With Science' as a single later that year. Following the success of the track, which became synonymous with Dolby, his debut album was rereleased to include it and Dolby subsequently was able to continue his aspirations for a musical career, which is still active today.

Thomas Dolby: She Blinded Me With Science

The track is typical of 80's music with the adoption of electronic instruments alongside a popular music writing style. For the time, the mixing of this track is truly admirable, something Dolby himself notes in an interview from his later 'The Sole Inhabitant' live DVD/Live Album. Some may consider the track rather gimmicky due to the playful setting and various interjections by Magnus Pyke, a TV presenter and scientist well known at the time, however the writing style is sound and rewards academic study.

The piece features great variety when one listens carefully, each verse and chorus introducing new elements which make a brief cameo appearance. The further use of layering throughout is also notable. While this is common to much of the commercial output of the 1980's, the application of layering in this track is highly accomplished and composers in this genre would do well to study for instance the interaction of the string and low synth which precedes "I can smell the chemicals" or the vocal doubling throughout.

The track establishes Dolby as a very able synthpop/new wave musician and composer, unafraid of a 'zany' and lighthearted style of composition. For this reviewer, this track remains a definitive track of the 1980's.

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The Scissor Sisters: Night Work

The Scissor Sisters first rose to fame with the 2004 release of 'Scissor Sisters,' an electroclash album which went on to achieve great commercial success. With further refinements to their style with a notable influence from the synthpop aesthetic, the third studio album, 'Night Work,' is the result of a collabaration between the band and the producer Stuart Price.

The Scissor Sisters: Night Work

The album begins with the title track 'Night Work,' telling the possibly autobiographical tale of a night worker in the band's inimitable style which throughout this album combines multiple synthetic elements alongside electric guitars and other reminders of the group's past output. Soon after comes 'Fire With Fire,' the shamelessly repetitive first single of the album.

Following 'Fire With Fire' comes the second track of the album to be released as a single, 'Any Which Way.' This number in particular exemplifies the upbeat style which the band rarely deviates from. An interesting component of this track in particular is the apparent influence from Funk music which is best seen in the basslines during the choruses. The mood of this track contrasts pleasantly with the dark, and verging on fetishistic, 'Harder You Get' which follows it.

An album of highs and lows, 'Skin This Cat' proves to be one of the poorest example of 'popular' music in this reviewers library, memorable but sadly for the wrong reasons. This track appears alongside some of the most phenomenal tracks of the album and indeed the band's entire output: 'Sex And Violence' and 'Invisible Light,' both of which employ a very interesting style of composition, achieved purely through synthetic instrumentation (with exception of the vocal parts). Also of note is 'Something Like This,' a homage to the band's influences, actually going as far as to sample Kraftwerk's 'Radio-Activity' (reviewed here) and Kylie Minogue.

This album, with the omission of some brief slips, is one of the band's most remarkable work and is evidentiary of the way in which electronic compositional styles influenced by previous groups can be applied to popular music.

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Kraftwerk: Radio-Activity

Following the breakthrough success of 'Autobahn' in 1974, reviewed here, the next Kraftwerk album, 'Radio-Activity' was released in October 1975. Despite being released so soon after the band's first major record, this album shows a significant progression in style and is to be commended thus. This progression between albums is particularly significant in the case of Kraftwerk, which noticeably progress stylistically with every release.

Kraftwerk: Radio-Activity

The album begins with a short introductory track, 'Geiger Counter' before the title track 'Radio-Activity' marks the first musical material of the album. This title track was the only track from the album to be subsequently released from the album and has since been incorporated in the band's contemporary live performances, also appearing in their 'Minimum-Maximum' live album, reviewed here. This is followed up with the highly bleak 'Radioland.'

Kraftwerk are noted as a major influence by many of the big names of the 80's synthpop movement, including Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD). When listening to a later track from the album, 'Antenna,' the clear parallels to synthpop music which was soon to become mainstream are clear. To a lesser extent, the band's use of the vocoder within their musical setting in tracks such as 'The Voice Of Energy' and 'Radio Stars' could be seen as popularising the musical effect into mainstream music, again this was used extensively later by a number of acts.

While the allusions to synthpop are clear throughout the album, the penultimate track 'Transistor' illustrates a musical style akin to the musical style of Vangelis. While this album lacks the same degree of an impact which the band's previous album 'Autobahn' did, the album remains a critical historic release which was highly influential on the subsequent development of western popular music. The album was of critical importance to the development of Kraftwerk's own music, bridging the gap between the experimental days of Krautrock and their later sequence based offerings such as the later 'Computer World' album which greatly influenced the development of techno music.

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Jean Michel Jarre: Hong Kong

The French electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre, who rose to fame in the 1970's following his releases of Oxygene, reviewed here, and Equinoxe, reviewed here, among his performance credits owns the title of the first western musician to be allowed to perform in the People's Republic of China. Later in his career, during March 1994, Jarre performed in Hong Kong, subsequently releasing a live album documenting the performance.

Jean Michel Jarre: Hong Kong

The 1994 tour celebrated the recent release of Jarre's 'Chronologie' album. Unsurprisingly therefore, five of the eighteen tracks on the album are from the 'Chronologie' release, with 'Chronologie Part 2' being the first musical track on the album after 'Countdown' which records the audience and a countdown to the show's opening. The album is commendable for its warm sound and highly exciting feel musically, quickly seen from the start.

Later in the album comes 'Souvenir De Chine' and 'Oxygene 4,' which are both to be expected among a typical performance from the artist. One of the interesting curios of the album is 'Digisequencer' which is not found on any studio album by Jarre. The performance of 'Les Chantes Magnetiques Part 2' which features on this album is also of merit, showing Jarre's exuberance quite audibly.

Unfortunately, this album has neglected to receive critical acclaim, a great shame considering that this is one of Jarre's finest live albums that captures very well the excitement of a live electronica performance from the comfort of your living room.  

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Tangerine Dream: Booster Volume II

Following the success of the 2008 compilation 'Booster,' reviewed here, a second volume, 'Booster Volume II' was added in 2010 to the series which at time of writing includes four volumes in total. This new collection of works again comprise of a combination of live recordings and studio work and also includes some tracks from the group's Five Atomic Seasons series.

Tangerine Dream: Booster Volume II

The album begins with two contemporary reflections of works released several years ago by the group: 'Cloudburst Flight 2008' and 'Scrapyard 2008.' Compared to the original versions, released some thirty years previous, it is evident that both tracks have greatly benefited from modern synthesis and mixing technology. Being typical of Tangerine Dream's Independent Years, the sonic quality of the tracks in the album are a fine example to many electronic musicians.

The album contains in total 20 tracks across two CDs. Of note is the penultimate track 'Beyond The Cottage And The Lake,' which cannot easily be found on any other release. This particular track exemplifies sequence based composition and while it contains largely repetitive material from a musical standpoint, there is great variety in the track which generates great interest for the ear. This track is then followed with 'Trauma' which has become one of the iconic pieces of the group's Five Atomic Seasons series. This track could be considered in some respect to be an electronic application of the contemporary classical music tradition. From its intimidating pseudo-bell introduction to the emphatic musical textures which occur later, this piece is one of the best crafted tracks to be seen in the band's contemporary output.

For the avid collector, this compilation serves as a great accompaniment to the previous 'Booster' volume and showcases a further number of fine compositions by Tangerine Dream.

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Camel: The Snow Goose

The band Camel are well known for their prolific output of progressive rock compositions during the 1970's. 'The Snow Goose' continues their trend at the time of creating concept albums, albums which express a story through its music. In this case, the album tells the story of 'The Snow Goose' by Paul Gallico, having previously found success of their material based on Tolkien's 'Lord Of The Rings.'

Camel: The Snow Goose

The album begins with the sombre and highly brooding musical illustration of 'The Great Marsh.' This lasts little over two minutes and uses repetitive synth dissonances to create its dark mood. Coming next is  the more upbeat exposition of the main character, Rhyader. The track 'Rhyader' goes to town is unashamedly typical of progressive rock in its style and features a very interesting second section.

The later track 'Sanctuary' echoes the brooding mood seen earlier in 'The Great Marsh,' the alternative harmonic setting and use of an acoustic guitar however give it a sense of optimism as 'Fritha' opens. One of the album's notable characteristics is the expression which is achieved through purely instrumental music. One could go as far as to draw links between this and output from Tangerine Dream due to the instrumentation and instrumental nature of composition.

This album is not short on accomplished composition. One of the highlights is 'Dunkirk,' which evolves into a frantic illustration of progressive rock at one of its finest moments. To its credit, this album is one of Camel's most accessible works which fans of many musical styles will enjoy and the composers' skill at illustrating the story of the snow goose is admirable. Such a wide varieties of character and moods are rarely seen in albums today and that is just one reason why this reviewer is proud to have this album in their musical library.

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Deadmau5: For Lack Of A Better Name

Joel Zimmerman, better known by his stage name Deadmau5, began his musical career in 2005 with the release of his debut album 'Get Scraped.' Since, he has released four further studio albums, with 'For Lack Of A Better Name' being the fourth studio Deadmau5 album, released in 2009.

Deadmau5: For Lack Of A Better Name

The album begins with 'FML,' which features possibly the most furious and incessant minute of snare drum playing ever to occur outside of rock music. This is soon relegated as house-style synths dominate, eventually subsiding to the famed funeral march at the beginning of 'Moar Ghosts 'n' Stuff,' an instrumental version of 'Ghosts 'n' Stuff,' which follows as a separate track. Given that no large passages of vocal material enter until the third track, Deadmau5 shows great skill in creating such interesting house arrangements from largely synthesisers.

The fourth track, 'Hi Friend!,' which features MC Flipside, also released as the first single of the album, shows a greater influence from electro music. This electro style continues into 'Bot,' which combines lowfi drums and additional elements which make it reminiscent to Daft Punk's output, in particular their soundtrack to 'Tron: Legacy,' reviewed here.

Among the later tracks in the album are the title track 'Lack Of A Better Name,' as well as the audibly trance influenced '16th Hour' and 'Strobe,' both over ten minutes long. This album illustrates clearly Deadmau5's versatility as an artist and its critical acclaim is by no means surprising. 

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Lady Gaga: Judas (Hurts Remix)

Over the past few years, Lady Gaga has established herself as one of the biggest pop sensations of the decade. With her most recent release, 'Born This Way,' she stunned onlookers while delighting her fans with a great development of her dance-based singer songwriter style to a darker method of writing. Of note is a remix from the second single to be released from the album.

Lady Gaga: Judas - The Remixes

This single was specifically chosen due to its deviation from Gaga's more pop-oriented offerings, remixing her hit with a clear low-fi aesthetic comparable in a way to some of Soulwax's output. The track is adorned with groans, distorted bass lines and electronic processing to create a highly unique work.

The Remix begins with the groans which underpin the entire track, accompanied by Gaga's own vocals, processed even more than in her own albums. As is the norm for a remix, harmony has been embellished along with instrumentation, the chorus proving to be particularly interesting due to the noticeable warbling and variable speed of the accompaniment. As the piece progresses, the drum programming becomes frantic and all instrumentation builds to a climax at 3:10 in which the piece deteriorates into a pulsing drone, accompanied later by processed guitar which ends the piece. 

While this is without doubt a great remix which develops Gaga's sound into a new setting, given the great deviation from the type of writing in her 'Born This Way' album, it is curious why such a remix could be conceived. Thankfully, this remix made it out and greatly diversifies the repertoire from this pop phenomenon, bringing it to a new audience of Electronic music lovers.

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Subsonic Winter: Scorched Ice

As part of ongoing reviews of works by independent artists alongside established stalwarts of the electronic music tradition, The Sonic Music Review presents a trio of works by Subsonic Winter. Effectively defenestrating any notion of impartiality with great aplomb but satisfying a desire for full disclosure, the artist here featured, Subsonic Winter, is an alias of The Sonic Music Review's cheif writer, Alex Harden.


CMC CW2 by Subsonic Winter

This trio of compositions begins with 'Scorched Ice,' a track which makes no secret of its influence from Tangerine Dream's output from their Independent years. The track begins with an exposition of a recurring theme, set in a dark and breathy timbre which immediately introduces the overriding brooding mood to this track. As the piece develops, additional musical material is added alongside development of the first section. Later, the piece becomes led by harmonic and sequenced material in place of melodic counterpoint, before returning for a final exposition of the primary theme which slowly crossfades into the following track, 'Wind Of Change.'

This second track takes on a more ambient style, taking a lead from Jean Michel Jarre's 'Geometry Of Love Album' (reviewed here). This track fuses a much slower rate of harmonic change and the extended use of sampled strings alongside various synthetic timbres which create a soothing atmosphere which contrasts against its predecessor. Another key element is the soundscape of singing birds and crickets which underpin the majority of the piece.

The third and final track, 'Aquamarine' exhibits a highly optimistic mood in comparison to the other tracks featured. This track also incorporates elements from trance music which is previously unseen. This short portfolio, lasting just over 13 minutes, was created as part of coursework for a degree in Creative Music Technology. If anyone has any comments or questions regarding this work or its conception, please contact the blog.

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