Signal Aout 42 – Ex Voto (Album – Out Of Line)
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Genre/Influences: EBM.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Four years after the last album “Insurrection” Jacky Meurisse strikes back with a new opus of his EBM-project Signal Aout 42. The work was preceded by three singles and features twelve songs.
Content: “Ex Voto” sounds for good-old EBM and in the purest tradition of the band. Dry and sharp bass lines, icy cold treatments, danceable kicks and Meurisse’s deep timbre of voice. You’ll also notice New-Beat -but less than on “Insurrection”, and even Acid influences in the background of the production.
+ + + : Jacky Meurisse didn’t really change the familiar sound formula of his project. I like the cutting and aggressive bass lines and retro, icy, string parts. Songs like “Let Drop Your Mask” and “Man Woman” are some of the greatest pieces of this album illustrating the retro-approach of Signal Aout 42. The writing sounds simple but remains fully efficient while empowered by great production skills. I also enjoyed the minimalism-sounding “Haunted Souls”.
– – – : Signal Aout 42 avoids any trace of innovation but simply achieved what the fans are waiting for. No surprises here.
Conclusion: It’s always a pleasure when one of the EBM pioneers is unleashing new work and Signal Aout 42 remains one of the very few to move on composing and releasing new stuff.
Best songs: “Let Drop Your Mask”, “Man Woman”, “Haunted Souls”, “Lucky Star Ex Voto”, “Flagellation”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: https://signalaout42.wixsite.com/sa42
Label: www.outofline.de / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel
About Signal Aout 42
Signal Aout 42 is the long-running EBM project of Belgian musician Jacky Meurisse, formed in 1981 under the name Signal as an improvisation project with schoolmates Damien Vandamme and Luc Vandamme. Over four decades the project has moved through EBM, New Beat, techno and acid influences while keeping its core industrial-dance sound. “Ex Voto” is Meurisse’s eighth Signal Aout 42 album, released via Out Of Line on 13 October 2023 as a 12-track CD and double LP.
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