Proyecto Mirage – Reptilians Are Watching Us (Album – Hands)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Industrial, Industrial, EBM.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Spanish duo Alicia H. Willen – Francisco Planellas have been active under the Proyecto Mirage moniker since the late 90s. This album marks the return of the band as it’s their first new album since “Steam Tech” (2013).
Content: This is probably one of the most unique releases from the Hands roster. The songs aren’t typically Industrial, but clearly driven by harsh Electronics mixed with Industrial elements and the familiar minimalism of this band. You’ll also notice a few EBM orientated bass lines. Another reason why this work is unique is the addition of vocals on nearly every single cut. Alicia is mainly singing in English –with a lovely Spanish accent, but there also is a song sung in Spanish and another one in German. This is a raw and unpolished production driven by a nearly constant cadence.
+ + + : This album is first of all a nice surprise as it marks the return of Proyecto Mirage, which is a band I’ve always considered as something ‘apart’ from the rest. This work is a very efficient mix between different influences so in the end it’s not that easy to define the style of the album, but it definitely sounds as a raw and unpolished Electro/Industrial opus with some EBM elements and featuring a few melody lines. The rough, danceable beats together with icy sequences and commanding vocals will for sure ravish the fans of the band.
– – – : This work sounds like a sonic trip that takes you away for 13 songs; there’s less diversity so I can imagine it will become hard to endure if you’re not a fan of the band.
Conclusion: Proyecto Mirage strikes back with power and a new successful album. This is the industrial sound of today!
Best songs: “War For Dreams”, “The Envoy”, “Walk In The Light”, “Prediger”, “Evil Eyes – Reptile Disco”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.facebook.com/proyectomirage
Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official
About Proyecto Mirage
Proyecto Mirage is the Madrid-based duo of Alicia H. Willen and Francisco Planellas, active since the late 1990s. The pair debuted with a self-titled album on HANDS in 1999, later released “Turn It On” (2008) and “Slaves Of Capital” (2011) on Ant-Zen, and returned to HANDS for “Steam Tech” in 2013. “Reptilians Are Watching Us” is their first new album since then.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
