Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Four years after the debut album “Electrometric” (2018) we get the second album of Jörgen Erixon’s sonic alter ego Unisonlab. The work is again released by Russian label Razgrom Music.

Content: If you’re familiar with the sound of this Swedish project you immediately will recognize the connection with Kraftwerk music. Deep bass lines, space-like bleeps, typical Kraftwerk arrangements and robotic vocals moving from danceable songs towards more evasive, space-like, passages. You’ll also find 4 remixes including one by Maschine Brennt. 

+ + + : The main strength of the project also remains its weakness. The shadow of Kraftwerk is hanging over the production which is a good news if you like this ‘robotic-pop’ style. I must say Unisonlab stands for true sound intelligence. I highly recommend “Single Box Frame” for its danceable style, “Page In Page Out” for the outstanding, deep, resonating sound sculptures and “The Call” for being a bit harder. The “Modulation Remix” of “Page In Page Out” is another great piece of music.

– – – : I think this band definitely deserves a wider recognition. The main point that might hurt is the strong influence of Kraftwerk.

Conclusion: There’s nothing that new at all but this kind of music stands for the most achieved and intelligent Electro-Pop format.

Best songs: “Page In Page Out”, “Single Box Frame”, “The Call”, “Page In Page Out – Modulation Remix”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/unisonlabsounds / www.facebook.com/unisonlabsounds

Label: www.razgrommusic.ru / www.facebook.com/pages/Razgrom-Music/218060094876247

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Swedish duo Mikael Larsson – Anders Wilhelm have been active for a couple of years and don’t hide their devotion to Kraftwerk. “Pop” is their debut album, which was originally released on Plonk. The album has been re-released in 2017 (!) on Razgrom Music featuring an extra track. Notice by the way that just as other Plonk bands (cf. Maschine Brennt and Unisonlab) this work is also driven by the Kraftwerk inspiration.

Content: From the very first note you immediately recognize the Kraftwerk touch, which is clearly everywhere. The songs and influences avoid any kind of innovation, but the songs have been meticulously crafted. This work will bring you back to the golden years of Kraftwerk, but I for sure also can mention contemporary bands –and especially Metroland. Driven by dry bass lines and great melody lines plus robotic –mainly spoken, vocals this album has something magic.

+ + + : The vintage sound approach remains something apart from the other electro-pop bands. The link with Kraftwerk emerges on every song, but the composition however reflects a real maturity and artistic approach. I like the space-like sweeps and analogue effects while songs such as “Europa – Stern” and “Rhythmus” are driven by impressive bass lines. One of the best cuts probably also is the most personal one (cf. “Berlin“).

– – – : This album was originally released in 2016 and re-released in 2017 so it already is an ‘old’ item, but there are great releases I simply have to support –even a long time after their original release date. It speaks for itself that Datapop doesn’t bring anything new, but who cares when the sound is greatly produced.

Conclusion: Datapop is one of the contemporary Kraftwerk disciples with a real huge potential. I’m really looking forward to hear more music from Datapop!

Best songs: “Berlin”, “Human Music”, “Europa – Stern”, “Rhythmus”, “Electronic Music”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.erwe.se/datapop / www.facebook.com/datapopmusic

Label: www.razgrom.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Razgrom–Music/218060094876247

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Unisonlab is a Swedish project set up and driven by Jörgen Erixon. His sonic brainchild Unisonlab is part of the so-called Plonk Community, which ‘produce high quality electronic music in the machine-pop’. The debut album “Electrometric” has been released as digital work on Plonk and licensed to Razgrom Music to get released on CD.

Content: “Electrometric” is what I commonly call ‘Kraftwerk-pop music’. You directly will recognize the main source of inspiration, which brings us back to the early years of the German ‘robots’. The vocals have been produced with the unavoidable vocoder effect. The music is next to multiple Kraftwerk-sequences accomplished by deep, resonating bass lines, numerous little bleeps and electronic effects. The somewhat darker “The One You Seek” sounds a bit more personal in sound. The last songs are remixes made by Unisonlab himself, but also by Maschine Brennt and Kevin Lux.

+ + + : “Electrometric” sometimes sounds like an ode to Kraftwerk. There’s a growing number of electro-pop bands devoted to Kraftwerk. If the originality is far to find, I must say I enjoy this new project. The songs are well-crafted and achieved with alluring vintage sound treatments. The songs are meticulously built up and featuring multiple attention grabbers. There are also a few cool remixes featured and I especially want to mention both remixes by this other ‘Plonk’-formation Maschine Brentt.

– – – : The Kraftwerk die-hard fans and especially ‘purists’ will maybe the only ones to have some criticism about this album. One thing is for sure, there’s only one Kraftwerk and Unisonlab is just one of their countless followers and emulators.

Conclusion: If you’re not into clichés and sound emulation, you better forget Unisonlab, but if you consider there’s a kind of ‘Kraftwerk-pop’ music existing, this new formation really has some nice surprises to reveal.

Best songs: “Electro Life”, “Television”, “The One You Seek”, “Elements”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/unisonlabsounds

Label: www.razgrom.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Razgrom–Music/218060094876247

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.

www.side-line.com