Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The name of this project clearly refers to the legendary rhythm box TR 808 from Roland. This project set up by Metroland’s ‘Passenger S (aka Sven Lauwers) assisted on the title track by Helalyn Flowers’ singer Noemi Aurora, resulted from the artist’s passion for electronic-pop music. “Blackbodies” is the first take from the announced debut album “The Colour Temperature”. It has been released in two different versions, the “Pulsation”-edit is more a single revealing two songs.  

Content: The title track has this typical ‘Kraftwerk-ian’ touch, but the song also comes close to Metroland, but with an extra poppy touch on top and featuring the vocals of Noemi. She sings a less powerful way than what we’re used to hearing from Helalyn Flowers.

The B-side cut sounds a bit harder, but still into the retro electro-pop vein. This song is an instrumental edit.

+ + + : “Blackbodies” is a cool song and the right title-track for an EP or single. I like the vintage format of the song, which will clearly appeal to lovers of80s electro-pop. “Cie 1960 (Color Space)” is much more than simply a B-side track; it’s an efficient piece confirming there’s a real potential hiding behind 808 Dot Pop.

– – – : Even if it’s retro-like and for this reason totally matching with the approach of this project, I don’t like fade outs! 808 Dot Pop sounds a bit different from Metroland, but there are much more links than only the presence of ‘Passenger S’. I personally prefer the B-side song instead of the title track.

Conclusion: This is an honest debut for a new project, which doesn’t sound that new at all…

Best songs: “Cie 1960 – Color Space”, “Blackbodies – Pulsation”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix