X-O-Planet – Passengers (CD Album – Danse Macabre)
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, wave-pop.
Background/Info: German duo Goderic Northstar – Manja Kaletka set up X-O-Planet. Their work is inspired by science-fiction and “Passengers” is their debut work revealing 11 songs.
Content: X-O-Planet invites us to embark for an astral space-pop voyage. The electronic sound is clearly inspired by pop music, but recovered with numerous space-like atmospheres and bleeps. It’s a somewhat dark and therefore electro-wave format revealing beautiful female vocal parts. A few songs are featuring male backings.
The work is not exactly into the ‘usual’ electro-pop standards although it’s not exactly innovative. “Passengers” is an enjoyable trip revealing melodic passages, but not too explicit.
+ + + : One of the main strengths of this debut album is the vocal performance of Manja Kaletka. I’m not affirming she’s a genius singer, but she has this power to put an elegant stamp on the production. I especially like her passionate style running through the title song, which also is one of the best cuts. This work is an easy listening piece of music revealing an elegant wafting pop style.
– – – : The songs are pleasant and enjoyable nevertheless there’s no real climax at “Passengers”. The sound formula becomes rapidly repetitive and there’s less difference between verses and choruses. That’s for sure an aspect of the production that has to be improved.
Conclusion: “Passengers” is an honest debut production, which however has to be polished and globally improved.
Best songs: “Anyway”, “Passengers”, “Exoplanet”.
Rate: (6)
Band: www.x–o–planet.de / www.facebook.com/XOPlanet
Label: www.dansemacabre–group.de / www.facebook.com/dansemacabrerec
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