Mechanimal – Crux (Album – Inner Ear Records)
Genre/Influences: goth-pop, ambient-pop, experimental, minimal-electro.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Greek artist Giannis Papaioannou and singer Freddie Faulkenberry have accomplished the fourth full length album of Mechanimal. This opus was preceded by the great “White Flag”-7”. “Crux” has been introduced as ‘an in-depth exploration of the past, present, and (possible) future of everyday life with the aim of personal awakening’.
Content: It simply is impossible to define this album as one specific music genre. Mechanimal brings an endless number of influences together, creating a rather harmonious and dark music. One of the main characteristics are the spoken-like vocals revealing a deep, sensual and also frightening timbre of voice.
Sometimes dark and sensual, but on other tracks more danceable and even clubby; now into pure reverie and next into electronic minimalism, “Crux” is ultra diversified.
+ + + : I already liked the “White Flag”-single. Both songs “Easy Dead” and “Red Mirror” are featured on the album, but there’s much more to discover. “Easy Dead” remains a phenomenal track; it has something transcendental while the charismatic, commanding vocals only accentuate the magic of this song. Mechanimal has an own and creative style mixing different influences together. The result is worth discovering, but I like the minimal electro sequences and other ‘harder’ cuts such as “Scavengers” and “Vanquish” featuring a cool, icy tune.
– – – : The album features 10 songs and there’s maybe just one cut (cf. “Hospital Of The Storm”), which couldn’t totally convince me.
Conclusion: This album appears to be a kind of challenge as it’s hard to label Mechanimal, but if you’re open-minded you can only, but love “Crux”. This is truly a masterpiece!
Best songs: “Easy Dead”, “Razor Tube”, “Scavengers”, “Vanquish”, “Sharon”, “Ghetto Level”.
Rate: (9).
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