Synapsyche – In Praise Of Folly (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.
Background/Info: Stefano ‘Mannequinetik’ and Marco ‘Katatronik’ (vocals) better known as the Italian formation Synapsyche joined Alfa Matrix last year to unleash the EP “Mirror Terror” as an appetizer to this new album. It’s the band’s third full length, which has been released as a limited edition as well.
Content: Synapsyche remains faithful to their sound exposed at the previous album “The Abyss Effect” released in 2016 on SkyQode. The songs are driven by pumping dance kicks, harsh vocals and the unavoidable cold-trance like leads. It’s an ultra danceable piece of music, which however contains a few ‘softer’ cuts such as “Diva Paranoia” sung in Italian and featuring guest vocals by ‘Noemi Aurora’ (Helalyn Flowers).
The second disc is the remix section. We get 13 remixes by Venal Flesh, Nano Infect, Complex Mind, Technoid, Neikka RPM, Pax Sono, Marcoda, H.O.W., Aiboforcen, Shades Of Hell, UCNX, Tolchock and Avarice In Audio.
+ + + : If you like ‘dark’ dance music Synapsyche will be a perfect company to get you on the dancefloor. Hard and pumping, but still elevating and well-produced. This is the perfect dark-electro cliché without any pretension to innovate, but just to give people fun on the dancefloor. I’ve been impressed by the list of remixers featured on the bonus disc. I here especially like the somewhat surprising remix of “Mirror Terror” by Venal Flesh, which has something psy-trance driven. Last, but not least, I also have to say a word about the cool, artistic digipak.
– – – : Alfa Matrix definitely pushes Synapsyche to the forefront, releasing a double disc for their debut album on the label. I’m sure this is the perfect ‘dancefloor’-album, but the songs all sound pretty similar and are just as on their previous album dominated by the same kind of easy-trance leads. The work becomes rapidly predictable and that’s why I definitely prefer the bonus disc.
Conclusion: “In Praise Of Folly” would have been a possible class-act 10 years ago, but ano 2019 I’ve heard too much similar albums.
Best songs: “Mirror Terror”, “Paraphiliac”, “Diva Paranoia feat. Noemi Aurora” + “Mirror Terror – Venal Flesh Remix”, “Who The Fuck Are You? – Complex Mind Remix”.
Rate: (6½).
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