Knight$ – Dollars & Cents (CD Album – Cargo Records)
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, Italo-disco.
Background/Info: James Knights (Scarlet Soho, Boytronic) is back on track unleashing the debut full length of his electro-pop/Italo-disco sonic brainchild Knight$. The album comes after the previously released singles “What’s Your Poison?” and “Alligator”
Content: “Dollard & Cents” moves on there where the singles stopped. The album takes off with the first single “What’s Your Poison?”, which reveals the 80s inspiration of this artist. But the songs are also inspired by Italo-disco and Hi-NRG. “Gellato” is the ultimate experience in the genre (and the newest single). James Knights doesn’t take himself serious; the album being pure fun and driven by dance vibes. It brings me back to the golden years of Hi-NRG music and bands such as Divine and Trans-X might be seen as sources of inspiration. Among the tracklist you also will re-discover the second single-track “Alligator” and a song together with Holger Wobker (Boytronic). This is old-styled electronics that will clearly appeal for 80s lovers.
+ + + : This album made me happy! It’s great nostalgia, getting us back to early electronic music and pure kitsch! The songs are well-crafted and the global sound production is ultra-professional. The newest single “Galato” is a master piece; especially the final part featuring an Italian female voice enumerating all different ice cream flavors is absolutely hilarious, but great! The good-old effects and melodies sound like a relief.
– – – : If you don’t like ‘kitsch’ or you think that Italo-disco was the music of your parents, you better avoid listening to Knight$!
Conclusion: I can’t really say that there’s a revival of the Italo-disco and Hi-NRG genre, but Knight$ is clearly influenced by this early electro-club sensation! I’m totally devoted!
Best songs: “Gelato”, “Dollars & Cents”, “Alligator”, “Playin’ It Cool”, “Hijack My Heart”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.knights101.com / www.facebook.com/Knights101
Label: www.cargorecords.co.uk / www.facebook.com/CargoRecordsUK
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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.
