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Empire State Human - Cycles

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  • 28-03-2006 5:43pm
    #1
    cubase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 28 ✭


    Empire State Human - Cycles

    www.empirestatehuman.com


    Easy Colour
    Stars Shine Bright
    The Witch
    Hi - Fi
    Devil In The Detail
    Chase The Ace
    This Is How You Disappear
    Sonic Prophet
    Young Lions
    Signals And Noise
    Sigh Of The City
    They Live By Night

    The fifth album for Empire State Human was released in 2005 on Kiss My Asterix Records, and finds the Irish band sounding more mature and focused than ever before. The album features "The Witch", which was also on the "Elektrokuted" compilation, and "Signals And Noise", from the "Listen To The Future" compilation/book that was released by A Different Drum. Also on this disc is "This Is How You Disappear", the track the band wrote in memory of Mark Reynolds of Red Flag and Billy Mackenzie of The Associates.

    "Easy Colour" opens the album, a extremely smooth and catchy 6 minute pop track that includes some very atmospheric instrumental portions as well as the more poppy sections of the track. A track that manages to balance the elements well, and comes out sounding extremely impressive, and a great lead-in track. "Stars Shine Bright" is a straight-on electropop/funk track that opens with a groovy bassline to serve as the foundation for a excellent dance track. It might be a little thin lyrically, but overall it's a very catchy track.

    "Chase The Ace" is among the 3 tracks on this album that were also featured on the first volume of the 4x4 multi-band single compilation series, but to my ear, all three songs ("Chase The Ace", "Easy Colour", Sonic Prophet") sound like they've been re-recorded or refined since that release. "This Is How You Disappear" is a track that comes loaded with expectations and meaning, what with it's dedication to the memory of Red Flag & The Associates lead singers. Rather than coming off as cheesy or light-weight, the track is both sincere and moving without over exaggerating any of the emotions in the song. A spot-on track, and a worthy tribute.

    While "Young Lions" is overall a solid track, the heavy, heavy use of vocal processing really makes it hard to get into the track. The closing two tracks, "Sigh Of The City" and "They Live By Night", are enjoyable, if not as impressive, tracks as those that have preceded it. But, all in all, this is easily the most solid and memorable album from ESH yet. Highly recommended album that I'm sure you won't regret at all picking up!



    Added: Monday, January 16, 2006
    Reviewer: Jason Baker
    Score:
    Related web link: Official Site


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