Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: We discovered 808 Dot Pop –side project of Metroland’s ‘Passenger S’ with the successful debut album “The Colour Temperature”. One year later the Belgian artist strikes back with a new album entitled “The Cubic Temperature”, which is a collaboration with Cubic. And Cubic is another Belgian project driven by Franky Deblomme (previously involved with the EBM project Darkmen) and recently signed to Alfa Matrix. “Ultraviolet” is featuring three separate although connected releases: “Phototonic”, “Pentatonic” and “Diatonic”.
Content: “Ultraviolet Phototonic” features the title song plus 3 remixes. “Ultraviolet Pentatonic” is a single featuring 2 songs and “Ultraviolet Diatonic” is the final production revealing 3 more tracks.
The music remains in the line of 808 Dot Pop’s debut album; pure robotic Electro-Pop, which sounds catchy and full of bleeping sequences and some computer vocals. Remixes have been made by Implant and the German artist My.Cosmo while 808 Dot Pop accomplished alternative edits as well. The most surprising work is “Ultraviolet Diatonic” featuring a piano edit by My.Cosmo plus 2 surprising cover versions from classical pieces. First Erik Satie’s famous “Gymnopedie” and next Johan Pachelbel’s “Canon In D”. Both tracks have been transposed into robotic-pop.
+ + + : The title song has been masterly reworked by Cubic and will appeal for all lovers of 808 Dot Pop and Metroland. This is catchy, robotic music featuring sophisticated passages, but especially entertaining, danceable Electro. Among the remixes I especially want to mention the harder version by Implant and the more elaborated “Suntanned”-version. From the 3 productions I especially recommend the “Phototonic”-one. The reworked of “Gymnopedie”-theme from Erik Satie is cool and original.
– – – : I know Passenger S likes releasing different edits from the same title-song, but I personally prefer one great piece with consistence instead of different digital formats. The classical covers are cool and original, but not exactly adding a true bonus to the work.
Conclusion: These works –but especially “Ultraviolet –Phototonic” only confirm the potential of 808 Dot Pop and the talent of Cubic.
Best songs: “Ultraviolet – Photonic”, “Ultraviolet – Implant Remix”, “Ultraviolet – Suntanned”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop
