Boasting a name of distinction (for younger listeners it’s a reference to the Midwich Cuckoos, an excellent film based on the excellent book by John Wyndham) I am slightly familiar with one of their affiliated projects Jerk Test. That takes care of the opening paragraph.
I had no idea what to expect of this album and was quite intrigued to be presented with instrumental synth pop. There isn’t a huge amount of synth pop in my collection, and what there is of it is usually bedecked with vocals (Air, Depeche Mode) because for the most part it’s aimed at a pop audience and the proles love vocals.
It’s well produced with a smattering of sounds and ideas ranging from 70’s synth prog to 8 bit. This isn’t craven nostalgia, more like a chimera of good ideas from the whole scene as conceived by a connoisseur. Sadly I don’t have the song titles but “Foam”, ”Do The Zombie” and track 4 are a really excellent opening salvo for the album with number 4 being a firm favourite. Think Moroder soundtracking The Evil Dead while Jan Hammer and Air dance on a podium in the background. The album is bristling with ideas and Allan Murphy (the singular mind behind this strange jaunt) is obviously a clever chap because he has firm grip on all the aspects of programming that this album requires (drums/bass/synth) but also a great ear for the hooks and stuff that make pop “poppy” for example track 5 is like Blondie playing a new theme tune for Grandstand while track 6 is like David Bowie jamming with Kraftwerk.
I reviewed the Human Don’t Be Angry album earlier this year, which was kind of like synth pop but this is much better and a much more fun album and I urge you to indulge yourself in its eccentricities. It’s a shame there isn’t some sort of monthly music podcast where two people (maybe with initial names beginning with K) can play cool music they’re discovered recently.
http://midwichyouthclub.bandcamp.com/album/we-swim-in-the-neon-sea
Kim Monaghan
