Dark-O-Matic – New Hope (Album – SkyQode)

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Dark-O-Matic duo was set up in 2017 by Greg Dovas and later on joined by singer Piero Delux. After a few singles Dark-O-Matic has released its debut album featuring ten songs plus four remixes (featured on the CD edit).
Content: I’m used to hearing electro-pop releases on the Russian label SkyQode. Dark-O-Matic is for sure a new formation dealing with good-old synth-pop music, but it’s only the basis of their work. The production has been something different, which sometimes reminds me of Moloko. The vocals have something charismatic while the music brings melancholic tunes.
Remixes were created by Unity One, Requiem4FM, People Theatre and Purple Fog Side.
+ + + : Globally speaking, this album features a well-crafted song production. The songs are accomplished and mixed with a clean, but great vocals’ production. The three previously released singles have been featured, but my favorite song is “All We Do Is Wait” featuring great sequences. Among the remixes I have to mention the great job done by Unity One and People Theatre both with a remix of “Zugzwang”.
– – – : If you already know the previously released singles, the bonus part of the CD edit will be a little bit disappointing as the remixes are familiar ones, and the singles’ title songs unfortunately aren’t my favorite ones.
Conclusion: I can’t say this debut album left me unmoved, I am however missing a few elements in the global production to speak about a complete success.
Best songs: “All We Do Is Wait”, “Authentic?”, “Rather Be”, “Zugzwang – Unity One Remix”, “Zugzwang – People Theatre’s Drifting Remix”.
Rate: (6½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/wearedarkomatic
Label: http://skyqode.com / www.facebook.com/skyqode Read the news on ‘New Hope’.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.

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.
