Analog Angel - The Thin Line (Between Love & Hate)

It seems that the Scottish are finally fed up of the general ignorance surrounding the outside view of the nation. If you ask most people to name a band from Scotland, you'll almost certainly hear "The Proclaimers".

Glaswegian Three-piece Analog Angel are taking the Synthpop scene by storm currently, with many comparisons to Depeche Mode (and not the negative kind).
Consisting of : John Brown (Vocals) Robert Marshall , and Derek MacDonald (Keys), Analog Angel is an act that was around in the 90's, before splitting up, and coming back with the excellent "Dischord" release in 2009.

The task that the boys will have ahead of them is rather moribund and dis-concerting. Synthpop is a dead genre to so many people, everyone is just written off immediately as a Depeche Mode clone. Being that Analog Angel happily list the 'Mode as an influence, is it already time for the death-knell to ring for this project?

Listening to "Twisted Tortured Faith" is an immediate revelation, as the music is a hell of a lot more melodic and tuneful that Dischord (which I personally feel was great, but a bit more Stromkern sounding). John's vocals are as typically Synthpop as you can get, without sounding exactly like Mr Gahan. The track is an excellent opener, and anyone who is a fan of Ashbury Heights will get what I mean when I say this track is as surprisingly good as "Scars of a Lighthouse" and "Anti-Ordinary".

There's an absolutely beautiful intro to "Today", and the lyrics speak volumes to anyone who has faced a dilemma in their life. In order to be a Synthpop success, there are three things you have to be able to do :-

- Make excellent Synth loops that sound new but not alien.
- Make lyrics that can hit home and make you think, yet somehow also keep you wanting to dance, or do the "Goth-Nod"?.
- Have heavier moments, Such as the instrumental (Prelude to Greed)

I'd be lying to you all if I said there wasn't a Depeche Mode influence here, it's pretty obvious, but everything that it incorporates is just magnificent and harmonious. John has the desired vocal ability of going from tuneful and almost delicate vocals, to the more aggressive and shouty angst of "Lie To Me", and in later tracks like "Avarice" and "How does it feel?", there's just moments of excellence that just make this Trio one of the most Revered acts of 2011.

Going away from this album, there's only positives. There's so much more to come, I cannot remember the last time a CDR had this quality, from production to musicianship, lyrics to vocal skill.

Scotland, as anticipated, has had the last laugh. This project could, and should hit the mainstream Radio, and for anyone who thinks that they'll just be listening to Amateur Electro with vocals that don't bother to disguise the Scottish Accent, I say this to you :

Your loss. Apr 28 2011