darkwave / alternative
I've always been rather fascinated by male/female duos working on music together. Here in our little country, there are the electronic couples of Vive La Fète and Nid & Sancy. English duo The KVB have been delivering high quality new wave tunes for quite some time now, and let's never forget about Eurythmics.
For the record, I do not know if these duos are real life couples or not, but you have to admit, sometimes something magical can come forth from the chemistry between a man and a woman. Let's just be glad that they mostly deliver music, not babies.
Tempers is a duo from New York. 'Private Life' is their third album already, and I can imagine how it came to life, especially if I look at the album cover. Jasmine Golestaneh and Eddie Cooper, hanging out in their living room, bored with their day jobs and superficial friends. They remember having a bunch of synths, guitars and whatnot standing there so the just start jamming. Shortly into their jam session, the entire neighborhood is drenched into a gloomy atmosphere but everybody is simply dancing. First and foremost those who grew up with the synth pop and dark wave from the eighties.
Because that is exactly where 'Private Life' is heading to. From opener 'Capital Pains' to the gnawing ambient tune at the end, 'Exit', this album is a tribute to the dark eighties. We do not have to wait long to find a first highlight, by the way. That is 'Leonard Cohen Afterworld', a slowly meandering dance tune that will wake up the goth in many forty year olds. That being said. Most of the music here is perfectly suited for the dark dancefloor, but if you're one of those people who like to drown in nostalgia and melancholy, these songs work just a well. I mean, if 'Piece Of Mind' doesn't bring back those black dyed tears, nothing will.
I mentioned a couple of acts in the beginning of this review, mostly to compare Tempers with other man/woman acts, but as far as influences are concerned, I need to add bands like Tubeway Army, Suicide, Joy Division and so on. In the more recent regions of dark electronic music, Tempers would fit right next to acts like Austra. 'Daydreams' is my personal favorite, perhaps also one of the speediest tunes here. I love this repetitive hammering and the emotive vocals, which even bring some old 4AD bands to mind. Follower 'Guidance' seems to take some DAF electronics into the mix, along with dance elements from the nineties. Again, a splendid idea.
Well, I guess by now you should know if this is an album to add to your collection. If you're a dark eighties addict, the answer is a resounding "yes". If you are one of those people who feel that modern day electronic music is just too unimaginative, emotionless and stale, allow Tempers to change your mind. This album is a pleasure to listen to, to shake your ass to and to reminisce about those good old days of dancing to the darkest of beats.
Serge
For the record, I do not know if these duos are real life couples or not, but you have to admit, sometimes something magical can come forth from the chemistry between a man and a woman. Let's just be glad that they mostly deliver music, not babies.
Tempers is a duo from New York. 'Private Life' is their third album already, and I can imagine how it came to life, especially if I look at the album cover. Jasmine Golestaneh and Eddie Cooper, hanging out in their living room, bored with their day jobs and superficial friends. They remember having a bunch of synths, guitars and whatnot standing there so the just start jamming. Shortly into their jam session, the entire neighborhood is drenched into a gloomy atmosphere but everybody is simply dancing. First and foremost those who grew up with the synth pop and dark wave from the eighties.
Because that is exactly where 'Private Life' is heading to. From opener 'Capital Pains' to the gnawing ambient tune at the end, 'Exit', this album is a tribute to the dark eighties. We do not have to wait long to find a first highlight, by the way. That is 'Leonard Cohen Afterworld', a slowly meandering dance tune that will wake up the goth in many forty year olds. That being said. Most of the music here is perfectly suited for the dark dancefloor, but if you're one of those people who like to drown in nostalgia and melancholy, these songs work just a well. I mean, if 'Piece Of Mind' doesn't bring back those black dyed tears, nothing will.
I mentioned a couple of acts in the beginning of this review, mostly to compare Tempers with other man/woman acts, but as far as influences are concerned, I need to add bands like Tubeway Army, Suicide, Joy Division and so on. In the more recent regions of dark electronic music, Tempers would fit right next to acts like Austra. 'Daydreams' is my personal favorite, perhaps also one of the speediest tunes here. I love this repetitive hammering and the emotive vocals, which even bring some old 4AD bands to mind. Follower 'Guidance' seems to take some DAF electronics into the mix, along with dance elements from the nineties. Again, a splendid idea.
Well, I guess by now you should know if this is an album to add to your collection. If you're a dark eighties addict, the answer is a resounding "yes". If you are one of those people who feel that modern day electronic music is just too unimaginative, emotionless and stale, allow Tempers to change your mind. This album is a pleasure to listen to, to shake your ass to and to reminisce about those good old days of dancing to the darkest of beats.
Serge
