Genre/Influences: Electro-pop. Content: I’m really pleased with the 3rd full length album by Swedish electro-pop…
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.
Content: I’m really pleased with the 3rd full length album by Swedish electro-pop duo Ashbury Heights. It also is their first album in 5 years. Anders Hagström and Yasmine Uhlin went through hard times and especially Anders had to face several losses.
Sound-wise Ashbury Heights remain rather faithful to their well-crafted and efficient electro-pop sound. I always have loved this band for their great writing and production skills, which is an essential element that hasn’t changed. The work reflects maturity and the secret formula from ‘how to compose great pop music’.
I now and then can hear some passages reminding me of Depeche Mode, but it’s more in the details. Globally speaking this album is carried by an own electro-pop sound, which is mixing elements of dance-music, a few technoid arrangements and some irresistible vintage-like electronic ideas. Most of the tracks are excellent stuff for dancefloors. A last essential element, which even makes the magic of the band, consists of the vocal production featuring Tea Thimé who replaced Yasmine Uhlin.
There’s a perfect alternation and symbiosis between male and female vocals. They’re really complementary while adding a nice sexy touch (especially the half spoken passages) to the work. Both members are in perfect fusion with each other.
“The Looking Glass Society” was inspired by the work and fascination of the band for Lewis Caroll. It’s an interesting source of inspiration reflecting some magic universe although a song like “Ghost Spirit Mother” reveals a deeper and more intimate lyrical content. This song is a poignant testimony of a son who has lost his mother and an artistic expression of Anders to remember his mother who passed away.
But this album first of all is a nice collection of alluring songs. “Phantasmagoria” and “Left Off At Seven” both are potential hits while the work also reveals multiple cool songs. Ashbury Heights has this knowledge to create songs, which directly catch your attention for their efficient sound sculptures and exploding choruses.
Conclusion: Ashbury Heights strikes back with grace and probably with their most intimate and successful work to date.
Best songs: “Phantasmagoria”, “Left Off At Seven”, “Gravitational Man”, “Starlight”, “Piano”.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.