Model1 – The Vocoders Strikes Back (CD Album – Razgrom Music)
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.
Background/Info: Isak Rypdal is a name that will immediately ring a bell for numerous electro-pop lovers. Rypdal of course is one of the members of the famous Norwegian formation Electro Spectre. Model1 is a new side-project by this producer.
Content: The album takes off with an alluring space-pop cut, which reminds me to Mind.In.A.Box. The robotic vocals inject a good-old vintage touch to the work. This song however is not entirely representative for the rest of the work. Model1 deals with a rather soft, but fully evasive electro-pop format, which is carried by an outstanding production. The addiction of a few female vocals makes it even a bit transcendental. The clear and captivating male vocals totally fit the music.
Model1 brings pop music that will make you feel happy. Some hopping sequences and rhythms both inject some dynamics although the songs remain very sweet-like.
+ + + : “The Vocoders Strikes Back” is a beautiful piece of music carried by a real professional production. It sounds clean and accomplished revealing a few highlights on the second part of the album. The final (bonus) song featuring Kist (female singer singing on a few cuts) is the real apotheosis to this opus.
– – – : I honestly expected a bit more from this album. It for sure is an entertaining composition, but I’m missing elements like a carrying melody and other catchy ingredients. I sincerely get the impression there’s more potential inside this artist than what came out on this debut-album.
Conclusion: Isak Rypdal is an artist who no longer needs to prove anything, which doesn’t mean that all his work is successful. This is an entertaining album, but not exactly one that will enter into history.
Best songs: “River Of Men”, “I Need To be Found”, “Let Me Fly Away”, “If The Machines Comes Back”.
Rate: (6½).
Band: www.facebook.com/Model1Official
Label: www.razgrom.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Razgrom–Music/218060094876247
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.
