Northern Loner – The Paper City Conspiracy (Album – Northern Loner)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Minimal-Electro, EBM.
Format: Digital, CDR.
Background/Info: Manus Norr (The Girl And The Robot, Deadbeat, Le Volt) is back on track unleashing a new work as Northern Loner.
The project’s previous release under that name was “Odd Man Out”, a limited cassette album issued by Repartiseraren and Invisible Guy in 2018.
Content: The album features 8 songs and sounds a bit different from what I’ve heard before. The songs are inspired by elements of EBM, Electro-Wave and Minimal-Electro. The sound production is retro-driven featuring icy sound treatments. There still is a poppy touch on top.
+ + + : This new work reveals a little metamorphosis. Northern Loner has improved most facets of the production resulting in a fascinating and vintage-like Electro sound. “Safe Room” is a genius cut which might appeal to lovers of Fad Gadget. Northern Loner never convinced me before but I deeply respect the new work which opens new perspectives.
– – – : I think the production of the vocals might be a bit ‘harsher’ or ‘colder’.
Conclusion: “The Paper City Conspiracy” is an album to discover if you like retro-Electronics.
Best songs: “Safe Room”, “Transition”, “Tunnel 57”, “A Spy Called Charlene”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100019057216619
About Northern Loner
Northern Loner is the solo project of the Swedish musician listed on Discogs as Magnus Norr. The music mixes minimal electro, electro-wave and EBM with a retro-leaning production.
Norr has been a member of the groups Le Volt and The Girl & The Robot, and also records as Deadbeat. Under that name he self-released the CDr album “Reflektioner” in 2017 and the single-sided 7″ single “Under Solen” on Radio Virus in 2019, issued as a numbered and limited clear square record. He appeared under his own name on the 2019 remix collection “Night City Remixes (The Songs Of Secret Service)” on Pbh Media.
The first Northern Loner album, “Odd Man Out”, appeared in 2018 as a limited cassette on Repartiseraren and Invisible Guy. “The Paper City Conspiracy” followed in 2022 as a self-released digital and CDR album holding eight songs.
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