by: Zero Sharp
If this is what we're in for in terms of this decade of European pop idols, I don't think I have much to complain about. For those of you who don't read your CD jacket liner notes, Erland Oye is one half of the Kings of Convenience and has also done vocal work with Royksopp. Unrest represents his first solo album, and to make it, he travelled across Europe and the US working with 10 different electronica artists to make the 10 songs on the album. At times, I can't say that I can really tell much of a style difference between some of the tracks, but that's not really a bad thing. The style here is leftfield dance with a somewhat dark, sublime, lonely feeling to it complete with the en vogue 80s synths. Sound like the Pet Shop Boys? Well, possibly. The synth use and 80s sounds are unoffensive, and are used well with little of the bandstanding for the sake of bandstanding that makes the 80s revival somewhat revolting at times. Moreover, his voice sounds if he might have been born to sing this style had he not proven himself in other genres already. The lonely, dark, drifting song that is Ghost Trains is an excellent opener, and the other songs that follow this pattern are beautiful with A While Ago and Recently the best of the bunch. In just sheer weirdness, Every Party Has a Winner and a Loser also pleases. There's a bit of filler, and it doesn't engage the listener as much as his other stuff has, but as an album, it flows very well. If you're looking for a good chill vocal album, I'd check this out. I'd also reccommend this to anyone looking for music to drive at night by as that is mostly what I've pictured as I listen to this rather addictive album.
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