#033 - Collide

Gothic female vocals are something that are not that compelling to me at least (of course there's always exceptions). And that's the reason why Collide is not waking up any true feelings in me. A male/female duo consisting of Statik and kaRIN (even the names are little stupid as so often with gothic stuff). Their sound is quite nice, but still this ambient incluenced synthpop is not hot enough.

Born early 90s, they have released already eight albums (couple of those are remixes though), so they do know what to do in the studio. You can clearly hear that also while listening at least their newer stuff. Older material is actually little bit harder, and sounds even better compared to their more ambient sound. BTW, they have been tagged also as darkwave at least with their older albums.

They definately must have some real following. Unfortunately I won't join that movement (at least not yet). Here's a bit more mellow track from their 2003 released Some Kind of Strange album.



Some links:
http://www.collide.net
http://www.myspace.com/collide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collide_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/collide
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2ybEnEKYd8hw5Mag7uieQa

#019 - Ayria

Last artist starting with letter A on my list at the moment that can be found from Spotify (doesn't mean that I'm done with these, I just come back to these later).

Again interesting sounds from Canada. This country seem to have some real issues with this kind of music, since so many good artist in industrial scene comes from Canada. Ayria (pronounced area) is a futurepop project formed by it's vocalist Jennifer Parkin.Signed to Belgian label Alfa Matrix they've released three albums and two EPs since formation 2003.

Ayrias sound is quite minimal but i have to say I like the combination of real simple backgrounds and Parkins melodic vocals. I can't say that this is something that would rock my world in any way, but I definately check these later if I somewhere crash to them. Here's a video trackMy Device from their Flicker album released 2005.


Have to mention also that they've made also Deftones cover Change. I've liked Deftones many many year and I have to say that cover version was a total waste of time. No new ideas inserted there and it was just boring interpretation, there was no sound of Ayria in that. Don't do those kind of version anymore.

Some links: 
http://www.ayria.com
http://www.myspace.com/ayria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayria
http://www.last.fm/music/Ayria
http://open.spotify.com/artist/4BTJnYa0TMqVLjAJ0yFoOE

#016 - Assemblage 23

Founded already 1988 in Seattle, USA Assemblage 23 represents a little bit different seattle sound compared to grunge. This "band" is a brain child of it's sole member Tom Shear. It started when he was experimenting with electronic music when he was the opening act for Depeche Mode late 80s. Depeche Mode must be also one of the key influence for Assemblage 23.

I like his soudn quite a lot. Really poppy sound and reminds quite a lot about Depeche Mode as mentioned. Since starting his label career (surprise surprise he's on Metropolis also nowadays) the sound hasn't changed that much. If you compare the 2001 released Failure to Compass released last year, of course there's some changes since especially this kind of music has had quite a big jumps soundwise. But the overall feeling is quite similar. Have to get more familiar with this guys also in the future. I definately recommend to check this one.

Here's a sample from 2007 released Meta album, a song called Damaged.






Some links:
http://www.assemblage23.com
http://www.myspace.com/officialassemblage23
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assemblage_23
http://www.last.fm/music/Assemblage%252023
http://open.spotify.com/artist/7pwThElmrxl0pjTwXMojCx

#015 - Asmodeus X

This electro-indu-goth due from USA sounds surprisingly lot like those German counterparts. Lead vocalist Paul Fredric has some really strange accent, he must have some German roots. The band has said to be influenced by the music of Laibach, Kraftwerk, Death in June and Front 242 so that might explaind that vocal works orientation. Band was founded by Fredric with Brad Marshal when their old goth band Morphine Angel disbanded.

I have to admit that I don't like the vocals at all, it just sounds stoopid. Maybe I should have been born little bit earlier so I would have got into this 80s kinda industrial/synth/electro sound. Asmodeus X is a strange group in that sence also that even thought their sound is straight from the Eighties its roots go only back to 1999. Well they must like that sound then, well I don't.

But you judge yourself. Here's a track called MuZ. Don't know from which album this is taken, but you get the idea.






Some links:
http://www.asmodeusx.com
http://www.myspace.com/asmodeusx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asmodeus_X
http://www.last.fm/music/Asmodeus%2520X
http://open.spotify.com/artist/40aXgEzU7Hyhuvb7tOLb8d

#009 - And One

Wow, this rocks (or should I say pops). German synthpop group And One has a long history behind then starting already 1989. The band formed after Steve Naghavi and Chris Ruiz met in 1989 at a Berlin club and since that they've released nine albums. For some reason I hear some traces of former The Smiths vocalist Morrissey in these songs (and I have to say I like Morrissey quite a lot). I don't know why i get that image constantly since the music has more or less nothing to do with the gloomy world of Morrissey. But works for me.

Using both English and German in their lyrics creates nice variations in their songs. Especially I've been listening their latest original album Bodypop (what a nice name and maybe even genre of their own). Released in 2006 this album just sound really really good. They have released a cover album (Bodypop 1 1/2) in 2009 covering for example Depeche Mode and The Cure and it includes also live versions of various synthpop hits like New Order's Blue Monday and Pet Shop Boys' It's a Sin.

Here's one sample from that Bodypop album, Military Fashion Show.






Some links:
http://www.andone.de
http://www.myspace.com/andoneofficial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_one
http://www.last.fm/music/And+One
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6OAueBADydAjR5lP5NqTvv