Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Dance-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Danish Electro-Pop duo Softwave has been active since 2014. Catrine Christensen and Jerry Olsen released several singles and the debut album “Game On” in 2019. They also self-released “Game On 1Up” featuring remixes. Electro Shock Records now re-released this remix album, which originally released only in a  digital format. The CD version features twelve songs plus a live bonus track.

Content: The work features 8 songs from the original album. The remixes have been accomplished by Chris Hurts, Antilles, Daysound, Dany Comaro, Till Wild, Ian Burden, Projekt Ich, Circuit3, Reflection, Nature Of Wires, Cosaquitos En Globo and Tri-Mihn. There’s a real diversity, mixing pure Electro-Pop music with a strong 80s touch together with Dance-Pop orientated songs. I also noticed a ballad-inspired track –which is the remix by Ian Burden (previously involved with The Human League), but also a somewhat Trip-Hop driven remix by Tri-Mihn (artist hailing from Vietnam). You’ll also notice the Erasure inspiration of Softwave, which has been kept by some of the remixers.

+ + + : This album is more diversified than the original edit of “Game On”. There are some great contributions like the remix of “No Need To Hide” by Antilles, the classical, but cool Synth-Pop remix of “I Need Love” by Projekt Ich and the somewhat darker remix of “Human Beings” by Nature Of Wires. The album is also an opportunity to discover some less familiar names from the Electronic scene. I already mentioned Tri-Mihn, but Cosaquitos en Globo (Argentina), Till Wild (Germany), Dany Comaro (Denmark) and a few others were totally unknown to me. I was impressed by the great vocal skills of Catrine Christensen who has a powerful but emotional timbre of voice. 

– – – : I’m less convinced by the sometimes too commercial Dance-Pop remixes of a few bands.The live/bonus song doesn’t really add any bonus.

Conclusion: This album reveals more influences than the original work, but that’s part of the game when releasing remixes.

Best songs: “Human Beings – Nature Of Wires Remix”, “No Need To Hide – Antilles Mix”, “
I Need Love – Projekt Ich Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.softwavemusic.com / www.facebook.com/SoftWaveMusic

Label: www.electro-shock-records.mozello.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Electro-Shock-Records/105471026168220

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

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Out on May 25th via the Rutland Artspace Limited label is the new solo album from Ian Burden, titled “Hey Hey Hom Hum”. The track will have 10 tracks.

Ian Charles Burden is an English musician who played keyboards and bass guitar with The Human League, initially as a session musician covering for Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh’s keyboards after their departure. He later on joined full-time, between 1981 and 1987. Burden co-wrote “Do Or Die”, “The Sound Of The Crowd” and “Love Action” on the “Dare” album, as well as “Mirror Man” amongst others.

Burden already recorded a solo album, “Loot”, in 1990 and in 1995 released a CD through Inertia Records entitled “A Swim in the Ocean” which was a collaboration with Human League session player and contributor Russell Dennett. The band called themselves Deep Down Crazy, and consisted of Dan Boulton on vocals, Chris Broadhead on drums, Russell Dennett on guitar/keyboards/vocals and Burden on bass/keyboards.

For now, you can watch the video for “Let The Devil Drown” below:

You can order “Hey Hey Ho Hum” on Amazon UK as a download or on CD.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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