Technophobia – Some Of Us Are Looking At the Stars (Album – Working Order Records)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Electro-Wave.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Based in Washington D.C (USA) Technophobia is driven by the duo Katie & Stephen Petix. They at the end of 2020 released their second album, which appeared four years after the debut full length “Flicker Out”. Notice by the way they’re both still running Working Order Records.
Content: The sound of this formation remained driven by an own interpretation of Electro/Wave-Pop. It has something dark, sometimes revealing a kind of Industrial-Pop sound, but still experience with wafting songs with astral bleeps on top. Most of the songs feel like a voyage guided by the vocals of Katie Petix. One of the songs “Dear Reader” is a cover version of the American Rock formation Skeleton Key.
+ + + : I especially like the Electro-Pop approach of this formation, which clear avoids emulating famous ‘idols’ in the genre. The sound has something personal, contemporary and still features a few retro elements. The songs are well-crafted and mixed by the powerful vocals of Katie. One of my favorite songs is the somewhat ‘harder’ bouncing “One Spark”. I especially like the darker and rougher style of the song.
– – – : I sometimes miss an explicit and carrying melody line in the songs, which often leads to cool electro-Pop songs.
Conclusion: I can’t say to be totally convinced by this album although it’s a fully enjoyable work.
Best songs: “One Spark”, “The Origin”, “Unsettled”.
Rate: (6½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/Technophobiamusic
Label: www.workingorderrecords.org /
About Technophobia
Technophobia is the Washington, D.C. dark-pop duo of Katie Petix and Stephen Petix, who also run Working Order Records, a nonprofit label that channels its proceeds to local charities. Side-Line reviewed the duo’s debut album “Flicker Out” in 2016.
“Some Of Us Are Looking At The Stars” was preceded by the single “Rattle In Your Chest” and released on 4 December 2020 on 12″ purple/red marble vinyl, CD and digital download. It was recorded at Lavabed Recording, engineered by Mike Fanuele and mastered by Geoff Pesche at Abbey Road Studios.
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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.
