SPECTRA*paris – Modernism (Album – Dependent Records)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Wave-Pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Kirlian Camera singer Elena Alice Fossi strikes back with the fifth album of her SPECTRA*paris sonic alter ego. Her partner in crime Angelo Bergamini contributed to the work while other famous names like Project Pitchfork, John Fryer and Seasurfer ao contributed as well.
Content: The sound universe of SPECTRA*paris is clearly driven by Electro-Pop elements but also feature other sources of inspiration. Retro passages have been alternated with heavier, dramatic, parts while there’s also space for evasive, Cinematic, tracks and last, but not least a great club-driven cut with sensual, Eastern, atmospheres on top.
+ + + : The main strength of the album is its diversity. But I also salute the way this artist -and her guests, achieved a reinterpretation of Electro-Pop music. On top of it all you get Elena’s magic, sensual, fragile timbre of voice. “MoRoDERN” clearly sounds as a potential hit; it sounds clubby and driven by a hot, Eastern sound atmosphere. Another noticeable cut is the “Doctor Phibes Mix” of “Poison Fresh” which sounds much more club-driven than the original, drama-sounding, edit.
– – – : I was less convinced by the softer, Cinematic passages of the album.
Conclusion: SPECTRA*paris remains a very unique formation and definitely more than simply a side-project. It sounds like the ‘sonic boudoir’ of Elena Alice Fossi.
Best songs: “MoRoDERN”, “Poison Fresh – Doctor Phibes Mix”, “Graphic Music 1.0”, “Moondrops”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/spectraparis.official
Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records Read the news on ‘Modernism’.
About SPECTRA*paris
Spectra*Paris is the electronic rock project led by Italian singer, composer and producer Elena Alice Fossi, who also fronts Kirlian Camera. Discogs describes the project as having grown out of Fossi’s earlier Siderartica work. Kirlian Camera’s Angelo Bergamini contributed to “Modernism”.
The first album, “Dead Models Society (Young Ladies Homicide Club)”, came out on Trisol in 2007. “Christmas Ghouls” and “License To Kill” followed on Out Of Line in 2010, and “Retromachine Betty” appeared on Dependent Records in 2017. “Modernism” is the fifth album and the project’s second for that label.
The album was preceded by a second single, “Poison Fresh”. Fossi has also recorded outside the project with Beauty In Chaos and with Solitary Experiments.
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