Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, dark-pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Two of the Out Of Line flag holders were supposed touring together and surprise their fans with a common single. The tour has been postponed, but the single “Obscured” has been released as a collaboration between both artists.
Content: “Obscured” is a surprising song, which has been clearly composed to hit the dancefloors. It’s also crazy to hear a perfect mix between the harshness of Hocico and the refinement of Blutengel. Both bands appear to be fully complementary and even for the vocals. Chris Pohl and Erk Aicrag both have different styles of singing, but a kind of chemistry happened while backing vocals by Ulrike Goldmann just inject an elevating sensation during the chorus.
The song has been transformed by Hocico and then by Blutengel while the last cut of the CD is a remix by Dulce Liquido (side-project of Rasco Agroyam). The digital version features an extra remix by [:SITD:] .
+ + + : “Obscured” simply sounds like a real great hit; it also is a great mix between the harshness and power of Hocico on one side and the melodic, wave-pop refinement of Blutengel on the other. I like the duo between both vocalists while the female backing brings something heavenly on top. All the remixes are worthy of examination, but I here have a preference for the Blutengel version. It seems that this song has been composed in two days so I can only say it’s a lucky shot, but a damned good single/EP.
– – – : It would have been cool to get another remix by one of the artist’s side-projects instead of the [:SITD:] remix.
Conclusion: I didn’t know what to expect, but this work is absolutely great. This is a truly sonic symbiosis between dark-electro and dark wave-pop music.
Best songs: “Obscured”, “Obscured – Into The Void Version by Blutengel”, “Obscured – Dark Dance Version by Dulce Liquido”.
Rate: (9).
Artists: www.blutengel.de / www.facebook.com/BlutengelOfficial / www.facebook.com/hocicoofficial
