Tenek, one of the most consistently excellent acts on the synthpop scene, recently released a new EP that contains two new songs, a radio-friendly version of one of them and two remixes of songs from its stellar last album, On the Wire. The magic continues on this new disc, named EP2.

EP2 opens with What Do You Want, a likeable mid-tempo number that features tight vocal harmony between Peter Steer and Geoff Pinckney atop a rollicking mix of synths, violin, cello and a driving drum track. The string instruments bring a strong organic feel to this excellent song, and form the perfect counterpoint to the rest of the song’s tight arrangement. The violin part was played by the legendary Chris Payne, who was part in the original line-up of Gary Numan’s band from 1979 to 1989. There’s also a bit of cello in this mix. Nicely done!

The other new track on EP2 is next, Elusive, a dance floor filler that balances the duo’s awesome vocal harmony with a driving, echoing synth line. If God is in the details, then that explains why this is a divine track. Little synth bits drift in and out of the headphones, adding that extra element of aural appeal to an already solid track.

Next up is an alternative mix of The Art of Evasion, one of my favorite tracks from On the Wire. I think I like the album track a bit better, which was just a little bit punchier than this version.

After The Art of Evasion, the next track on EP2 is an alternative mix of Higher Ground, the last single from On the Wire. This track has a style similar to the last one- just a slightly different take on another excellent track that is hard to improve upon. Again, give me the album version over this one.

Elusive (Radio Edit) closes EP2. Its arrangement has been altered slightly to reduce its length and make it more radio-friendly. If someone asks you, “Tenek? Who’s that?” then have them listen to this track. If they don’t go, “Wow! These guys are awsome!” then call for an ambulance, because it’s obvious they don’t have a pulse!

I can’t wait for Tenek’s next full-length album. Hopefully they can make it to the States to play some gigs, too! Based upon what I’ve been seeing from the group’s Facebook fan page, the dynamic duo has been very busy playing gigs throughout Europe, steadily exposing more people to their unmistakable sound. I got to meet Geoff during the Chicago stop of the Legends of Synthpop tour in April; he was playing with Mesh. What a great guy! Bring Peter with you next time!

For more details on Tenek’s current activities and future plans, I urge you to check out this excellent interview with the Geoff and Peter on The Electricity Club’s website.

If the songs on In Scarlet and Vile have a darker tone to them, it’s in large part because the group has decided to tackle some of life’s challenging issues, such as the nature of suffering, temptation and grace.

“Almost every song on the record deals with some kind of struggle,” frontman Joey Belville explains. “Some resolve, some don’t. Both sides of that coin present hope, comfort, or both. Hope that things can resolve, or comfort in hearing that at least one or two people feel or have felt they way we do.”

The album gets off to a strong start with a rocking song called Heaven (The Devil’s in the Details). It features some nice vocal harmony between Joey and Chrissy Jeter and a driving guitar line.

This powerful vibe continues with a lush uptempo number called Revenge that combines synths and guitar into a strong, punchy number that is one of my favorites on this album.

Flame, one of the songs previously released as a single, is next up. It sounds like it’s arrangement has been tweaked slightly to freshen it up for the album. It’s another strong song, which features Joey covering a remarkable vocal range.

The Huntress features Chrissy on vocals, and has a definite 80s vibe to it. Not one of my favorites.

Let’s Go is another uptempo song underpinned by an echoing lead guitar. Joey and Chrissy trade off vocals in a point-counterpoint at several points in the song, and sing in harmony in other parts.

Dead Hearts – This mid-tempo song has a bit more of a layered, orchestral feel to it, and it sounds very much like a “traditional” EG song, with soaring synths and light, airy guitar punctuated by Joey’s distinctive vocals. The Suffer EP contained a  demo of this song; the finished version has a depth and a brightness to it that makes it really come alive.

Suffer – This is another song that was previously released on an EP. It goes back and forth between Joey’s verses accompanied by a sparse synth line and a big bombastic hook that melds a driving synth line with a powerful lead guitar riff. The contrast is quite striking. This as an awesome song that delivers the message that even in suffering, there is grace.

The preview version of In Scarlet & Vile contains a Glen Nicholls remix of Sanctuary, another single first released in 2010. It has an ominous feel to Joey’s vocals and a a powerful beat. The big highlight of this song comes near the end, when Chrissy has a solo that absolutely shimmers – I actually got goosebumps the first few times I listened to it – wow!

King Planet is one of the tracks that are exclusive to the special edition of In Scarlet & Vile, and it’s a must-have in my book. It’s different than anything you’ve heard from Joey & Co. The lyrics are more spoken than sung, almost like an electronified rap song. King Planet is brimming with attitude, and I can immediately tell he had a blast producing it. According to his comments in my recent interview with him, he explained that this song gave him an opportunity to flex some different musical muscles. King Planet is one kick-ass song!

Voices Carry, an 80s classic by ‘Til Tuesday, gets the EG treatment, with Chrissy’s vocals riding on top of a lush pastiche of synthesizers. It’s a beautiful, inspired cover – well done!

If you’re a fan of The Echoing Green, then In Scarlet & Vile is a must-add to your music collection. If you haven’t dug into their impressive catalog, then you owe it to yourself to check out this excellent album by one of the best contemporary synthpop groups today.

This week, The Echoing Green releases its 11^th album, In Scarlet & Vile (on the A Different Drum label). The incredibly talented and tireless lead singer and song writer Joey Belville recently agreed to an interview, in which he reflects on the evolution of band, where the inspiration for the group’s amazing songs comes from, his many side projects and what’s next.

Chuck Frey: So this new release is your 11th album. Congratulations! What is the theme of In Scarlet &Vile? How is this album a reflection of where you’re at in your life?

Joey Belville: Thank you so much. It’s definitely been a long time coming! I never really thought of the record as having a theme – but if I were to try to sum it up, it would be internal conflict. Almost every song on the record deals with some kind of struggle. Some resolve, some don’t. Both sides of that coin present hope, comfort, or both. Hope that things can resolve, or comfort in hearing that at least one or two people feel or have felt they way we do. The record is not so much a direct reflection of where I’m at in my life (much the way our previous albums were) so much has a collection of snapshots from our lives, or lives of people close to us.

Chuck: Where do you get your inspiration for the songs you write?

Joey: Friends and loved ones. So many of us know folks that are going through amazing things – some of them wonderful, some of them tragic. This is the first record where I’ve made an intentional effort, with some of the songs, to try and put myself in other people’s shoes and write from their perspective. So many of my songs have come from the things I’ve gone through – I felt it was time to look through some different lenses.

Chuck: How has The Echoing Green’s music evolved, and how is that reflected in the new album?

Joey: Well, as you know, we started off as purely synthpop. We went through a spell where we were playing live so much with rock, punk, and hardcore bands (believe it or not) we found ourselves integrating those elements into our music. I think those elements fully embodied themselves on our “Supernova” album. While that album was a milestone for us, afterwards we realized that we are most definitely NOT a rock band – and shouldn’t try to be. We ran away from all of that and pushed the pendulum back for The Winter of Our Discontent album – that record will always hold a special place in our hearts – it was like we came home.

In Scarlet is not purely electronic – but it’s more thought out than Supernova was. I think this record was our chance to “grow up” and make a record that feels like a much more natural evolution – instead of trying to pull a 180 on our fans. I feel like this is our best moment.

Chuck: Faith still seems to play a significant role in your songs, in songs like King Planet and Sanctuary. What experiences inspired those songs?

Joey: My faith is a large part of who I am. I don’t, nor will I ever, deny that. It’s what has been my lifeline to bring me through so many awful and traumatic experiences in my childhood. I don’t feel like a “survivor” or “victim” of anything. I feel whole and have for many, many years. The one thing, though, we work hard to distinguish in our music, is that there isn’t any sort of agenda. No secret codes. No preaching… Just honesty. I think anyone, whether our beliefs align or not, can relate to honesty. Honest about our victories and our failures. That’s what I try to convey. To say we’re a “Christian Band” is a lame stereotype that would lump us in with some artists that are completely shallow and write songs that were designed to be slogans on youth group t-shirts. That’s, most definitely, not us.

Chuck: You also seem to like resurrecting some 80s classics, like Voices Carry and Here is the House. What led you to cover these classic songs?

Joey: I will always have a soft spot in my heart for 80’s synthpop and new wave music… I can’t deny it!  We know a lot of folks had waited a long time for our release and had bought some of our previous singles, so we wanted to include some extras for fans. Cover tunes seemed the quickest and best way to go about it – not to mention – they’re REALLY fun to make! It was bit of an adventure getting all the licensing permissions for them, but we got them in time… one of the beauties of the internet.

Chuck: What’s the difference between the bonus version of In Scarlet & Vile that you pre-released on Bandcamp.com and the official release of this album?

The “official” release (on iTunes, Amazon, etc) will only have 10 tracks. (for $10) but this special edition has five extra tracks. I’ll break them down, if you like:

Battered & Bruised – Originally by Statemachine. One of our all time fave tracks. It’s angry, but feels sooo good. It was a really nice spin on it, I think, to have Chrissy do all the leads on that one as well.

Matter – this one is actually not a cover. I wrote this at the last minute and decided to throw it in. It’s kinda lo-fi and demo-ish still, but I’d like to think that’s what makes it endearing. It’s totally synthpop… and I love it.

King Planet – was originally by a band called Fold Zandura, who’s members previous incarnation was an industrial band called Mortal. I had always been a fan and friend of Fold Zandura and thought it would be a different musical muscle to flex so-to-speak. The verses are not “sung” so they allowed me to have a little attitude that I don’t normally get to have.

Voices Carry – probably the most high-profile of the bonus tracks. Previously only available on the physical copy of our “Suffer” single – but we finally got the digital licensing cleared, so I was able to set it free.  Another track where Chrissy sings lead.  Those tend to be my favorite.. cause I love her & everything she brings to the table.

Here Is the House (Mikkel Natas Mix) – Our original version of this cover was on the digital version of the Suffer single (since we were forced to swap Voices Carry out at the time). It was also on the “MODEified by 7″ Depeche Mode tribute compilation. Our friend Mikkel really wanted to do a remix – so I gave him the parts and he made one. Great mix and the perfect addition to a collection of “bonus” tracks.

We’ve also included in the special edition, the music video for “Flame” as well as a digital booklet.

So we decided to make all that available for the folks who follow us. Our fans most definitely deserve it (click here and use the code EGFRIEND to receive a 20% discount off of this bonus edition of In Scarlet & Vile)

Chuck: Do you and Chrissy collaborate on the songwriting and arrangements, and how does that work, since you live in different cities?

Joey: Actually, Chrissy and I are both in Albuquerque. Her husband is one of my best friends, our kids play together, and she is pretty much my real sister. I’ve known her since she was in junior high. She’s gifted with an amazing sense of melody and is super easy to collaborate with. She definitely was the driving force that pushed us through the creative ruts I would tend to get us stuck in.

Wil, on the other hand, is in Indiana. Collaborating with him is probably the most difficult logistically, but always worth the hassle.

Chuck: You seem to have mastered “just enough” – lush production with everything just right, never overproduced or muddy sounding. Lovely to listen to on headphones! How do you manage that fine sense of balance?

Joey: Thanks for listening that closely! More care was put into the technical side of this record than ever before – so it’s great to hear that. That was a very conscious effort. 6 of the songs were mixed by Simeon Bowring in the UK (of Pentatonik and A1 People) and that was a MAJOR element to the sound of the record. As for the balance – that’s actually a real struggle for me as I can tend to over produce. I’m a super busy programmer, so I have to pull back a bit… err actually A LOT! Chrissy and Wil both usually slap me around when it gets to be too much. BUT I really tried hard to put as much effort into the arrangement on this record as I was the tech side of it.

Chuck: If I remember correctly, you teach ProTools at a local university – is that correct? How does that enhance the production you do for The Echoing Green and other groups?

Joey: I teach Logic Pro the Continuing Ed department of the University of New Mexico. I love translating geek-speak to plain english for folks. As for production – yes it’s definitely helps me step up my game. Knowing the program you work in really thoroughly helps you in all kinds of areas – workflow, editing, etc. That knowledge helps me get to the things I want to do and accomplish much faster.

Chuck: I noticed some other people in your band photos lately. Who are these people, and what are their roles? Did they contribute to the new album, or are they strictly used when you perform live?

John Ball is pictured. He plays guitar with us live – and played on quite a bit of the record. He’s all rock and roll and is totally energetic and amazing.. and really funny.

Dave Adams is pictured – he’s played drums with The Echoing Green since 1997. After the Supernova record and all of the record label downfalls that went with it – we all lost a bit of the wind on our sails and grew apart. Chrissy and I went into all electronic mode, as I mentioned before, so weren’t using live drums for quite some time. We realized we couldn’t live without Dave, especially live, so Chrissy and I wore him down until he came back. There was some wrestling involved.

Wil Foster is pictured as well. He’s been a long time collaborator with the EG via his other projects, Sheltershed, and the like. He came on board as part of the EG about half way through and made amazing contributions. Not to mention the guy is also one of my best friends on a personal level.

Chuck: Do you plan to tour in support of In Scarlet & Vile? If so, where should readers of the Modern Synthpop blog look for dates and locations? When?

Joey: We’d love to – but have nothing official planned yet. We love to work out a few runs for the summer. Right now we’re trying to get a record release show together here in Albuquerque. But we’ll keep you posted as soon as things come together!

Chuck: You also produce music for several other artists, don’t you? Which other groups?

Joey: That’s one of the reasons, actually, that this record took so long to make. I’ve produced two records for Leiahdorus, two records for an amazing act called Argyle Street, a lo-fi electro-punk group called Vertigo Venus, as well as new singles for my own side project, Pristina. I’ve also started work on new material for The Antique Toys and a new act called Lindsay Jayne. Not to mention a slew of one off remixes (Project 86, Switchfoot), a few scores for some short films, and such.

Chuck: How does working with these other groups bring new ideas and freshness back to The Echoing Green?

Joey: It brings a lot, because when I work with other acts I don’t have the same attachment I have to songs I write, which can sometimes give you tunnel vision (another reason I sent some of the songs to be mixed by someone else). I get to concentrate on the production of the material – which, by default, brings up my production game.  It’s a win/win for sure. It’s made me better at my craft, by and large – which I will always work to improve.

Chuck: I love the concept behind Pristina. You write the songs, and then use a collection of very talented female singers, including Chrissy, for the vocals. Where did you get that idea?

Joey: I actually had the idea over 12 years ago – but didn’t have the means to pull it off. I just wanted to make a project that was more along what I like to listen to. (I can sit and listen to Pristina WAY more than I can tolerate listening to myself sing – no thanks, I’ve had enough of ME. lol) Most of my favorite acts are female fronted… it’s “ladies night” on my ipod most of the time!

Pristina keeps me recharged. It’s a creative outlet that I figured out I REALLY need in my life – and the collaborations are what will make it never get old. Every female artist brings something different to the table and every song sounds unique because of it – but yet somehow still glued together.

Chuck: What’s next for Pristina?

Joey: More singles! Gotta get to writing. I already have vocals tracked by Sarah Masen for a new track, that I have to now get all the programming out of the ghetto phase. Then I need to get Chrissy in, Sherri Shaw, Elle Puckett (of Poema) and Alicia Luma. There’s a couple other vocalists I’m trying to talk into it as well. I *really* like the idea of collaborating with vocalists who don’t normally do electronic music because it almost always turns out that they love doing something different then the genre they are comfortable in. It’s a refreshing change of pace almost always for everyone involved.

Chuck: Tell me about Pool Party Death Machine. I read an interview with Reese Roper of Five Iron Frenzy that mentions your name as one of the members of that new collaboration.

Joey: LOL – How did you hear about this already?? That’s so funny. Yes, that’s a collaboration I signed for… GLADLY. We’ll all be collaborating via the net so that will be interesting. But it’s pretty much a retro-new-wave supergroup with lots of tongue-in-cheek silly.

Chuck: Has the growth of Facebook as a medium for communicating with fans of The Echoing Green changed the dynamics of what you do? What benefits does having a page on Facebook brought to you as an artist?

Joey: It’s been fantastic. First off, it’s not as convoluted as Myspace was. Secondly – it allows for something I’ve always enjoyed – accessibility. We’re not rockstars in any sense of the word, so connecting with people who listen to us (instead of standing above them) is something I hold dear. Facebook has really helped bridge that gap. Does it always equal cash? Absolutely not. But that’s not why we do this. We would’ve quit a LONG time ago.. cause we’ve all gone broke over the EG at some point. Now we spend much smarter and aren’t at the mercy of big record labels who will never pay us cause they say we have to recoup expenses we’ve never seen or knew about. It’s funny how the smallest label we were on, A Different Drum, was the most legit.

Chuck: In closing, what’s next for The Echoing Green?

Joey: Well, we’re talking about shooting another video, playing out live, as well as keeping the recording going. We will take the nod from Pristina and push out a series of singles.  We’re also coordinating a remix contest with the fantastic online community via Fixt. (fixtstore.com) Those guys are amazing.

+++++

Thanks, Joey, for giving us some awesome insights into where you’re at and where you’re headed. Thanks for putting as much care into answering my questions as you do into your music. It’s much appreciated!

Minerve’s last release was the album SenseFiction in 2006. It contained a combination of trance flavored tracks like Take Me Higher and The Inner Cage, interspersed with lush ballads like It’s Quiet, Moonaddicted and There is Nothing. The group’s earlier work had a layered electronic sound that I tend to like yet I only found myself connecting with about half of the songs. The rest seemed to be somehow rather sterile. In comparison, the new album seems to be warmer and more emotional. There’s no filler here; Please is one of those rare albums that you can listen to from beginning to end, each one a different thread in a vibrant tapestry of synthpop.

Here are some highlights from this solid, enjoyable synthpop album:

Hold Me Tight: This is a solid dance floor filler with a great beat and plaintive vocals.

Every Day: A swirling cloud of synthesizers gives way to a pulsating, fast beat. The lyrics speak of the person who is being driven slowly insane by the day to day monotony of his life: “Every day is the same/A never ending game/ I close my eyes now and leave it all behind.”

Down to the Ground: This song is the group’s attempt at a mid-tempo ballad.  It features guitars as a counterpoint to the vocals in the verses. It also features evocative lyrics about a broken love relationship: “We fell down to the ground/Shattered dreams were all around/Yet we tried to fly away with broken wings.” An enjoyable, well written song.

Life is an Illusion: A dramatic sounding ballad that is one of my favorites on thus album. Like a number of other tracks on Please, this song deals with the mysterious, fragile mind and how easily one can get lost in the labyrinthine illusions it creates.

Don’t Ask Me Why: Another up-tempo number with a strong backbeat that would be right at home in most clubs. This is perhaps the most accessible pop sounding song on the album.

Phoenix: This up tempo song is probably my favorite from the whole album it features a propulsive beat, with the synths providing a beautiful counterpoint to the vocals.

In short, if you love electropop, then Please is a “must” addition to your music collection.

The duo’s confident songwriting and perfect musicianship are back with a vengeance on what one fellow synthpop blogger has accurately described as an “asskickingly beautiful” album. There’s no question in my mind that On the Wire is one of the best synthpop releases of 2010 that begs to be heard by a wider audience.

Here are some of the highlights:

Losing Something – This rollicking uptempo song gets On the Wire off to a kick-ass start with a strong bass beat and a driving mix of synths and guitar.

The Grid – A pulsating beat and propulsive lyrics power this standout song.

Higher Ground – A ringing lead guitar plays a delightful counterpoint to this song’s verses. The style of this song is reminiscent of some of The Fixx’s classic tracks. Higher Ground also showcases the fantastic vocal harmony between Pinckney and Steer.

Blinded by You – The single from In the Wire, the energetic Blinded by You is certain to be a dancefloor favorite at clubs worldwide.

The Art of Evasion – This slower song opens with a big, echoing analog synth intro that appears to be channeling Tears for Fears. When Steer kicks in with the lyrics, I’ll be darned – he even sounds a bit like Roland Orzibal. Don’t get me wrong – I mean this comparison in a very positive way. This is an awesome, moving song that is another one of my favorites.

On the Wire – This densely layered, propulsive track cranks the energy level back up, and features a deeply throbbing bass synth, the perfect counterpart to its soaring vocals.

Under My Skin – The perfect end to a perfect album, Under My Skin features killer guitar hooks, driving drum rhythms, soaring background synths and excellent vocal harmonies. An amazing pop song that is a powerful exclamation point to this outstanding collection of synthpop songs!

I strongly encourage you to pick up On the Wire. You won’t be disappointed!

Anton is a veteran of the electronic music scene. In 1998, he founded Pseudocipher, which produced several albums of electronic rock. During 2006-2007, he performed as front man for Information Society. Anton’s lineup on Destination: X is Nick Tutone on keyboards and production, and Donna Jean, who handles bass, vocals, keyboards and percussion. The trio scored a hit with a remake of the Visage classic “Fade to Grey” on Mirror Piece Records earlier this year, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the song’s release.

Highlights of Destination: X include:

I Want to be Broken: A gorgeously layered mid-tempo number with a strong, underlying percussive beat gets this album off to a kick-ass start.

A Shattered Mind: An excellent dance-floor filler, this song grabs hold of your ears and won’t let go. I love the way Anton’s echoing voice wafts over a strong, insistent beat and soaring synths in this catchy song. Written by labelmate Richard Broadhead, this song hit home with Anton, who has dealt with the demons of addiction and the helplessness of having a close relative suffering from substance abuse, mental disorders, and destructive addictive behaviors.

Entropy: A beautifully ethereal slower song with several gorgeous synth interludes interspersed with the haunting melody.

Imitation of Life: A ballad that is reminiscent of Depeche Mode, with  Anton’s vocals taking on a percussive cadence and the synths supporting in the background.

True Love-Angel Eyes: An ethereal opening gives way to a strong, persistent bass beat, underlying an excellent pop song. Lots of playful synth touches here. A fun song to listen to.

Lovefix: An uptempo, seductive song with a simple message: “Give in to me. Don’t hold back. I’m your fix tonight.” This song was written by Anton, Tutone and Jean as a rebuttal to the stereotypical pop song message about sexual delusions of grandeur.

I am the Inside: A beautiful, brooding song about loneliness and carrying on after someone special has left you. This song really showcases Christopher’s ability to produce not only dance-floor fillers, but melancholy, layered synthpop that you’ll love listening to with a fine pair of headphones bracketing your cranium.

State: Another beautiful, brooding love song, a masterpiece of synth composition, which Anton wrote as a tribute to his wife. The bridge of this song features what sounds like an entire orchestra of virtual strings, soaring through my headphones. Pure bliss!

Destination: X is an awesome first solo effort by a veteran of electronic music. I highly recommend that you add it to your music collection.

The Voice in Me, Michael’s long anticipated fourth album, contains an intriguing and enjoyable variety of mid-tempo songs and ballads. Great song writing, crisp production and delightful arrangements, as we’ve come to expect from this talented synthpop pro.

One of Michael’s strengths has always been his amazing voice, and I’m pleased to report that it’s in top form on The Voice in Me. Whether it’s providing propulsive emphasis on a faster number like Against My Life or softly floating above subtly crafted electronic and drum machine beats on a ballad like Mit Dir, Michael’s voice has got to be one of the best in the world of modern synthpop music.

Here are a few highlights from The Voice in Me:

Against My Life: An enjoyable mid-tempo song with a strong beat and awesome harmonies. Nice, ethereal outro – something new that I haven’t heard in past WIH albums.

Gone: A likable ballad about love and loss that contains lots of playful electronic blips and beeps.

Dieser Tag: A bright, mid-tempo German language song in which the synth line plays counterpoint to Michael’s crisp, engaging vocals. As much as any song on the album, Dieser Tag draws attention to it’s superb production. Vocals, synths and bass line played in my headphones with astounding clarity and warmth, never sounding muddy or indistict. There’s a surprising balance between electronic precision and warmth that is quite admirable and all too rare.

As If: A slow, atmospheric song that sounds very orchestral in places. It’s a very different style for Michael, almost an ambient song. But it works well and adds variety to this excellent album.

Lead the World of Mine: A dark, dramatic number with ominous-sounding synths and punchy vocals rising above the sea of darkness. Impressive!

Mit Dir: This ballad starts out with a drum machine and Michael’s haunting, melodic vocals (singing in German) and slowly builds, adding a violin-like synth line and a few other instrumental touches. Mit Dir’s minimalist arrangement is just right; Michael’s vocals provide the only drama in this stripped down, haunting arrangement.

The Magician: Bright, swirling synths surround Michael’s minor-key vocals in this very atmospheric, faster number.

What’s nice about The Voice in Me – and most of Michael’s music, for that matter – is that it always seems to hit the perfect blend of experimentation, but without straying too far from the trademark Wave in Head sound. That keeps it interesting from one album to the next.

If you’re a Wave in Head fan, then The Voice in Me is a must-add to your collection. If not, then I heartily recommend this album as a point of entry into Michael’s impressive body of excellent synthpop music. You can pick it up from a number of online retailers, including Michael’s label, A Different Drum, as well as iTunes.

You may also want to check out The Voice in Me single, which features the album version of its namesake song plus two remixes and – best of all – an older tune that Michael has performed live but which apparently has never been released, Suddenly. This track really showcases Michael’s ability to craft dramatic arrangements and stunning vocal harmonies. An outro for Suddenly rounds out this release.

Until Tony Miracle from Venus Hum mailed me a pre-release copy of this film, I knew that the band existed, but hadn’t paid much attention to their music. My mistake! The live DVD is a great cross-section of Venus Hum’s library of synth-infused music – sort of a “greatest hits” compilation.

Standout tracks featured in this concert film include:

• Hummingbirds: Annette’s staccato vocals ride on top of fat analog synths -pure magic!
• Pink champagne: A dancy tune where Annette really vamps it up on the microphone.
• Soul sloshing: Another bouncy, energetic number that is very enjoyable.
• Mechanics & Mathematics: The title track of Venus Hum’s latest album is another very enjoyable pop number.

This live performance also features a number of excellent ballads, including Magic Between Us, Tell Me Secrets, The Bells and Bella Luna.

Vocalist Annette Strean empowers the group with a magnetic stage presence as she pours put her heart and soul into the microphone. Dressed in a white blouse, black skirt and wearing black-rimmed glasses with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she pulls off the sexy geek look perfectly. Her emotive style is perfect for sharing Venus Hum’s colorful vignettes of daily life.

Tony Miracle deftly juggles a synthesizer and lead guitar, which spices up the arrangements of many of Venus Hum’s songs. Finally, Kip Kubin does a great job of backing up Annette and Tony with a bank of synthesizers, a drum machine and other assorted electronics.

According to a behind-the-scenes documentary contained on the DVD, Annette said that she, Tony and Kip created this concert film out of a desire to share Venus Hum’s music with more people. “Just as we connect with each other long distance (Annette is from Montana, Tony from southern California), we’re hoping that we can do the same with our fans, our audience, that we’ll find a way to have a  conversation with them. I think that doing this live show and putting it on a DVD is one of the best ways to do that,” she explained.

The live show was filmed in the same space that Venus Hum used to record much of its latest album, which gave the group a considerable advantage from a production standpoint. “We had control over the whole space, which was a luxury,” Tony indicated. Normally, when a group tours, it must interface its equipment with a different house sound system each night, which can often result in uneven or poorly mixed sound. Not here – every song on the DVD features excellent, crisp production.

In addition, the team that filmed the live concert uses a nice variety of camera angles, giving you an up close and personal look at a Venus Hum performance. As the lead singer, Annette gets a lot of screen time, but you also get a close-up look at what Tony and Kip are doing. Not too much quick-cutting edits of the band, which seems to be very fashionable today in live concert videos. Just an intelligently-presented, up-close look at a very talented group. The look and feel of this DVD is just right; it’s very enjoyable both visually and sonically.

If you have never listened to Venus hum before, this concert DVD is a great introduction to this excellent group. On the other hand, if you are a Venus hum fan, then this DVD is a must add to your collection! The Mechanics & Mathematics live DVD is available from the shop on the group’s website; the cost is US$18, including shipping and handling. The audio of this live performance is also available for purchase from Amazon.com, iTunes and other online music stores.

Here is the official video trailer that the group posted to YouTube – a small sampling of this excellent performance.

Three versions of this synthpop anthem have been released on a new EP: the single mix, a Club Mix and the Astrotek Dub Mix. After listening to them for a few days, I’m extremely impressed!

Anton, backed by Donna Jean on percussion and keyboards and producer Nick Tutone on synthesizers, have fashioned a loving tribute to Fade to Grey that successfully updates this classic tune with a contemporary sensibility. In Anton’s reimagining of the single version of Fade to Grey, a driving but understated beat and layered, orchestral arrangement gives the arrangement a solid foundation for his soaring vocals. The French backing vocals are also given more prominence than in the original song.

What’s really refreshing is that the Club Mix and Astrotek Dub Mix also exceeded my expectations. The Club Mix features a more driving, layered arrangement that should make it excellent dance floor filler. This version also takes a slightly different approach to the instrumental interludes between the verses of the song that I really like a lot.

The Astrotek Dub Mix takes a slightly lower-key approach to the song. Again, a nicely layered arrangement that blends echoing synths with what sounds like some synthesized guitar in several spots. Some new instrumental interludes are introduced in this version that sounded awesome on my headphones.

In an interview with me, Anton admitted he hopes that this EP will expose more people to this beloved synthpop classic from 3 decades ago. Can it really be that long since Fade to Grey was released? It’s true!

Interview

Q. What inspired you to cover Fade to Grey? Are you big fans of Visage?

Christopher: We had wanted to do a dance version of an new wave song for some time, then Nick suggested ‘Fade to Grey’. I thought it was a great idea being that the song has such a trademark 80s style melody.

Donna: 2010 also marks the 30th anniversary of the song. (according to Wikipedia, Fade to Grey was released on Polydor Records in November 1980).

Q: What was your goal in updating and re-interpreting this synthpop classic?

Christopher: One of the conditions that Nick and I set up for ourselves when we started working together was that we were going to make music as an homage to synthpop. We’ve done more than that though by orienting ourselves in the dance genre, but with Fade to Grey we really do hope to reach people who are not already familiar with the track by interpreting it in this new form.

Q: How would you characterize the music your band produces?

Christopher: Dance music with themes of love and loss.

Q. What can you tell me about Destination: X, the full-length album that you plan to release next month? What will the style of this release be? What can we look forward to? And how does it differ from A Perfect Tragedy?

Christopher: I am so excited to be releasing Destination:X. This album has something for everyone in it, it took alot of blood, sweat, and tears to make, and I am blown away by Nick’s productions. The style stays true to synthpop, but I think of it as a tribute to all electronic music. It’s more of a dance album than YPT was, Donna does backing vocals on many tracks which is a nice addition.

Conclusion

Christopher Anton wasn’t on my radar screen before. But he definitely is someone I’ll be watching more closely in the months and years ahead. I can’t wait to give a listen to Destination:X when it’s available.

When De/Vision released Noob 3 years ago, I was frankly underwhelmed. There were several pretty good songs on that album, but it never really connected with me, emotionally, lyrically or on any other level. It just didn’t strike me as one of their stronger efforts, even after numerous listens.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I started listening to Popgefahr last week. It contains a variety of well-written songs that combine the best elements of De/Vision and take them to a whole new level. Many of the songs stick in your head long after listening to them – the mark of great musicianship!

Production is very strong; every element is precision engineered and feels like it belongs there – always just enough, but never too much. Yet the arrangements are never sterile. Instead, they come to life with a variety of layered sounds, electronic beeps and playful textures – the band’s website characterizes their new sound as “feisty” and “flirtatious,” with a hint of danger, and I couldn’t agree more.

In addition, Steffen’s smooth, confident vocals bring an added layer of warmth to the arrangements on Popgefahr – which vary from moody ballads to infectious and rhythmic dance-floor fillers. This awesome selection of songs is strong proof that De/Vision made a great move by starting its own record label and producing Popgefahr on its own. This creative freedom has helped Steffen and Thomas to breathe new life into the trademark De/Vision sound.

Favorite tracks include the edgy single, “Rage,” the beautiful and moody “What’s Love All About” and the mid-tempo “Time to be Alive,” which is an aural masterpiece – you literally won’t be able to sit still when you listen to it. It’s throbbing rhythm instantly had me bobbing my head in time to the song’s insistent beat. “Plastic Heart” and “Ready to Die” are more traditional De/Vision numbers, while “Until the End of Time” is an amazing, ethereal song that is a powerful conclusion this excellent album.

My only minor complaint is that I wish there was more; De/Vision’s new album only contains 10 songs, but they are an excellent selection. In my opinion, Popgefahr is easily one of the best new synthpop albums of 2010, and is certainly De/Vision’s best release in many years. If you’ve ever admired their music, then you’ll definitely want to add Popgefahr to your synthpop collection!