The Joke Jay – Awaken (Album – Echozone)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Rock-Pop, Electro-Wave.
Format: Digital, 2CD, 2Vinyl.
Background/Info: Joke Jay will always be connected with And One, but he also started his own project, releasing the debut album “Fiasko Deluxe” in 2004. Now he’s back on track unleashing twenty-one songs.He changed the name to The Joke Jay and got some help from Olaf Wollschläger and Hilton Theissen.
Content: “Awaken” has less in common with “Fiasko Deluxe” , revealing a more diversified work. The songs are moving from pure electro-Pop to explicit Rock-Pop. Some passages are a little bit harder and spiced with EBM elements while other songs are clearly exploring the Cinematographic path. Joke Jay’s particular timbre of voice sometimes reminds me of early David Bowie.
+ + + : Releasing 21 songs is a true tour de force. I’m sure everyone will find some cool songs. I prefer the last part of the work, which sounds a bit more into Electro/Dark-Wave and especially recommend listening to “Day: One” and “War Of The Words”. In a different style “All The Pigs” sounds to me as a soft version of Marylin Manson. I also have to say a word about the great production of the vocals; this guy has a great timbre of voice.
– – – : The eclecticism of the album is interesting -especially when you’re listening to a double album, but it sometimes sounds a bit like a compilation or a band in search of its own style.
Conclusion: A versatile piece of Electro-Rock music.
Best songs: “War Of The Words”, “Day: One”, “All The Pigs”, “I Know”.
Rate: 7.
Artist: www.facebook.com/TheJokeJay
Label: www.echozone.de / www.facebook.com/EchozoneMusic
About The Joke Jay
The Joke Jay is the project of the German musician Joke Jay, a name associated with the electronic act And One. He released a first solo album, “Fiasko Deluxe”, in 2004 and adopted the extended project name for his return.
“Awaken” was released on October 29, 2021 by Echozone, on CD with the catalogue reference EZ21C3186, on double vinyl and in digital format. The album was produced by Olaf Wollschläger, who also performs on the record together with Hilton Theissen, while Johannes Knechtges added guitars. Recording work was carried out at Cottonbeat Studio and Wide Noise Studio.
Echozone issued the single “Most Of The Tears” from the album in 2021 as well. “Awaken” is the first full-length under The Joke Jay name and the project’s first release for the label.
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