German electropop sensation Minerve’s new release, Please, takes their gorgeously layered sound to a whole new level, with a solid collection of songs that ought to be on your “must-buy” synthpop list.

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.

Lumineux Noir, the new album from the Greek synthpop girl duo Marsheaux, is a delight to listen to and is one of the top synthpop recordings of 2009, in my opinion. This masterpiece is filled with bright, energetic and memorable pop- and club-oriented songs that are perfect for a sunny summer day.

On this new album, Sophie and Marianthi – the two Greek goddesses who are Marsheaux  –  experiment a bit more with club friendly beats, guitars and the electronic toy-like Casiotone. The album features the girls’ trademark ethereal, seductive vocals, which often venture into beautiful harmonies. The song arrangements display a nice variety, sometimes sparse and other times lush, but never overproduced or campy. Marsheaux’s simple, irresistible melodies and lyrics continued to play in my head for hours after listening to Lumineux Noir — a tribute to Sophie’s and Marianthi’s remarkable songwriting skills.

As suggested by its paradoxical name Lumineux Noir, isn’t all sweetness and light electro-pop.  The album also has its darker touches: The closing track on Lumineux Noir is a very cool, brooding song called Sorrow about love and loss that appears to be inspired by Depeche Mode.

It’s hard to pick a few favorite tracks to recommend to you, because this is such a strong album from beginning to end. If I had to do so, I would say that the songs I like the best are So Far, Exit, Stand By, Loss of Heaven and Sorrow.

In short, two thumbs way up for Lumineux Noir! The album is available on iTunes and from a variety of online music outlets. You can keep up with all of the latest Marsheaux developments on the group’s Facebook page.