Christabel Dreams – Our Kind Of Place (Album – Wave Records)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Christabel Dreams were originally set up in Rome (Italy) as a trio. They released an album (cf. “Broken Toy”) in 2009. They’re now back on track as a duo featuring Emmanuele Viola (bass, synth) and Christian Gatti (vocals). They left the guitar behind to release their new opus.
Content: Christabel Dreams are clearly driven by 80s elements reminding bands like The Cure and The Danse Society. Their work is harmoniously built up between low bass lines and synthesizer playing. The vocals inject emotion in the production.
+ + + : The main strength of this composition emerges of the typical 80s reminding bass lines. It works well at the debut part of the album where you’ll find the best songs. “Dead Dance” reminds me a bit of The Danse Society. Another interesting cut is “The Broken Toy” revealing a more emotive approach.
– – – : The songs are pretty similar and I’m missing diversity. It’s a pity there’s no longer guitar featured in the writing, which could have injected some extra power and variation.
Conclusion: I’ve mixed feelings about the come-back of this band; I like the vintage style, but the work lacks elaboration and power.
Best songs: “Dead Dance”, “The Broken Toy”, “Praia Do Rei”.
Rate: 6.
Listen to “Our Kind Of Place”:
Artist: www.christabeldreams.com / www.facebook.com/christabeldreams
Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / www.facebook.com/waverecords
About Christabel Dreams
Christabel Dreams formed in Rome (Italy) at the end of 2005 around Christian Gatti on vocals, Federico Viola on guitar and Emmanuele Viola on bass and programming. The band set out to work in the gothic, darkwave and new wave idiom of the early 1980s.
A self-titled promo CDr appeared in 2007, the CD EP “The Broken Toy” in 2009 and the promo CDr “Promo Für Deutschland” in 2010. Tracks from that period turned up on compilations issued by Crawling Tunes, Geisterwelt and Batbeliever Releases.
The band returned as the duo of Emmanuele Viola and Christian Gatti for “Our Kind Of Place”, released by Wave Records in 2021 and followed by an appearance on the label’s “Wave + Reversa Compilation 2022”. The limited CD album “Flowers For Ghosts” followed on Swiss Dark Nights in 2024.
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