Form Follows Function – Arsenic (CD Album – E-Noxe Records)

Genre/Influences: Electro-wave, wave-pop.

Background/Info: Form Follows Function (FFF) is a German duo set up in 2017 by Bianca Stücker (lyrics and vocals) and Winus Rilinger (music). “Arsenic” is the band’s debut album, which has been introduced as ‘alchemical electro’.

Content: I didn’t have any idea how ‘alchemical electro’ sound like, but it clearly mixes elements of electro-pop, new-wave and EBM together. The vocal of Bianca Stücker is an essential element of the album. The songs have been sung in English, but you also will discover 2 cuts sung in Spanish. Some of the songs are danceable and melodic, now and then reinforced by heavier EBM bass lines, but you also will hear more evasive passages.

+ + + : Bianca Stücker who got previously released in other formations such as Dead Turns Alive clearly appears to be the main strength of this new band. She injects a truly spirit to the music and I especially like to hear her singing on the title song where the pitch of her voice is higher. Sound-wise I’ve a preference for the few harder cuts of the album, which are carried by solid bass lines. “Entierro En Campana” is a cool song illustrating this body-pop flavor, but I also have to mention “Dance Of The Dead”, “Compete/Fail” and “The First Matter”.

– – – : The songs are pretty similar to each other, the band abusing of the same sound formula.

Conclusion: This debut work reveals interesting ideas, but is missing a climax.

Best songs: “Entierro En Campana”, “Dance Of The Dead”, “Compete/Fail”, “The First Matter”, “Arsenic”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www .formfollowsfunction –hq .com / www .facebook .com /formfollowsfunctionhq

Label: www .e –noxe .de / www .facebook .com /enoxeRecords

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.