Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Solarrio is a new solo-project from a French artist living in Berlin (Germany). This self-titled debut EP features 5 songs, which have been introduced as a ‘radiant mix of synth-pop, electronic, hip-hop and house that blends warm analog sounds of retro-80’s music and modern electronic sounds’.

Content: The main influence running though the composition clearly appears to be electro-pop like. It’s a sweet and somewhat fragile format with clear vocal parts on top. Some tracks are moving on the edge of ‘commercial’ pop music creating a kind of ‘Summer’-feeling.

+ + + : Solarrio reveals a mature and professional production in sound. I was impressed by the production on “Head Over Feet”, confirming the great composing and production skills of this artist. It’s an enjoyable work with a ‘warm’ feeling. I also like this kind of EP featuring 5 different songs. There are no remixes and/or alternative versions, which I think is a more appropriated way to discover a new band.

– – – : The sweet format of the songs creates a kind of ‘easy’ listening modus, but without real highlights and that’s precisely what this work is missing. Speaking for myself some passages are a bit too much in the ‘commercial’-direction.

Conclusion: I have to mention the professional production of this release although it sounds a bit like an artist who’s still in search of his own sound.

Best songs: “Head Over Feet”.

Rate: (6½).

Band: www.solarrio.com / www.facebook.com/Solarrio

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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