Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Frankmusik – ‘Complete Me’

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Written by: Ben Norman

When I first heard Frankmusik’s mix to Alphabeat’s “Fascination,” I didn’t think anything of the mixer. Mixers come and go and hardly ever make more of a name for themselves. The instrumentation on the mix of “Fascination” was more 80s electro and minimalist, really bouncy and upbeat, and a shocking treatment of the original material. Still, it was a mix and nothing more. It wasn’t until I was searching for Frankmusik’s deep and dizzy mix of Lady Gaga’s “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)” that I stumbled upon the video for “3 Little Words” – and fell in love.

Who is Frankmusik?

Frankmusik is Vincent Frank off the mic, and he hails from England. His style is 80s-flavored electropop drenched in emotion and absolutely killer hooks. Complete Me, Frankmusik’s debut album, is produced by Stuart Price (whom you may know as Thin White Duke, Jacques Lu Cont, Paper Faces, etc.) to glorious perfection.

Track by Track

“3 Little Words,” to begin with, is a whirlwind pop track, stomping through his lover’s necessity for him to say “I Love You.” This is the perfect soundtrack for Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl.

Following that, “Better Off As Two” has a theme opposite to that. He spends the brilliant number trying to convince the object of his affections that they are better as a couple than separately. And he does it with vulnerable and convincing melodies and catchy beats. The video is pretty good as well, interestingly layering effects bringing multiple versions of the singer and an attractive brunette woman. Frankmusik’s tendency to break into falsetto works extremely well on this track! His newest single, “Confusion Girl,” slows it down and tells us about the shortcomings of his most recent ex, a girl who doesn’t know herself and uses him to figure it out. As good as these three tracks are, there are better on Complete Me.

Frankmusik’s Complete Trip

The album is like a trip through a lazy summer day, driving down the road with the windows open. Best if you know the lyrics then, so you can sing it out with him. Especially on slower, more emotive tracks like the rising drama of title track “Complete Me,” the bassy “Vacant Heart,” and the electronic piano ballad “Your Boy.” The dizzy and frantic “When You’re Around” skips and glitches through, gloriously upbeat and confessional. “Wonder Woman” is a cute track, mid-tempo beat accompanying lyrics like “Wonder Woman even gets her nails done.” Take a break ladies, because Wonder Woman does!

A Complete Summary

This is the album of the summer. I compare Frankmusik to Lady Gaga, with his underground success, mainstream potential, and distinctive style. And look how Lady Gaga took off! Get with Frankmusik and be a trend-setter rather than a follower!

Frankmusik’s Complete Me was released in August 2009 on Island-UK.

REVIEW: Miike Snow – ‘Miike Snow’

By: Ben Norman

When left to their own devices, what type of music do producers prefer to make? In the case of in-demand producing duo Bloodshy & Avant (Britney Spears, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, etc.), their style seems to dwell in the realm of electronic hipster pop. Of course, they didn’t record the Miike Snow album on their own, they had the help of talented singer, Andrew Wyatt, who’s gritty voice couples with their smooth arrangements like peanut butter and jelly. The crunchy kind of peanut butter. And with Miike Snow beginning to get national attention, notably through spots on young and gay viewer favorite Gossip Girl, it is time to take a look at this group with special scrutiny.

Just What We Wanted

Miike Snow’s self-titled debut is the kind of album people like me wait all year for. An album that earnestly lets everything out with gusto and with no regrets. Nothing about the album feels fake, dishonest, or held back. That is something I can admire in the world of pop, a world that this album lives in, because it is so hard to find honest pop albums these days. Almost every track Miike Snow that has expertly created for us has a home in someone’s head and heart, and most of it has a definite home in mine. The album mainly sits in relaxing and comfortably electronic territory, but some of it strays to include deeper, darker, and very interesting aspects.

The Voice is the Heart of the Matter

The singer is what lets Miike Snow stand out the most. His vocals are familiar yet distinctive, powerful, and captivating. They immediately put you into a state where you can soak up everything that’s going on. Lead single “Animal” is a perfect example of this. Could the music of “Animal” grab you on it’s own? Yes, but the vocals are what hook you in. Catchy and ready for a sing-along, the lyrics and vocal delivery are what make “Animal” the track it is. It is a perfect laid-back pop song. “I change shapes just to hide in this place but I’m still, I’m still an animal.” Simple and deep, but not too deep that you have to ponder their existence. You can just sing along and relate.

The same holds true with “Burial,” where his voice resonates as if he is at first letting you, and only you, in on a secret. As his voice raises in volume, he begins to let more people in. Suddenly you realize the world is listening in on this secret as well, and you don’t mind because the excellent relaxing pop mood of the music has put you at ease. The lyrical structure of “Burial” reminds me of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten.” Powerful, as I stated before, is an apt description for Miike Snow’s capable vocalist. While “Sans Soleil” doesn’t have him belting out power ballads like most might think I mean when I use the word “powerful” (thank you, American Idol), it does have him using his instrument gently and with vulnerability that hits hard. The track is heartfelt and meaningful, one of the slower cuts on the album, and again, powerful.

Sounding like the ultimate hip anthem, “Song For No One” features a bouncy drum set rhythm accompanies a lone and recognizable guitar ditty that has the same immediate accessibility of Peter Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks.” It is the kind of track that has serious and rewarding replay value.

An Effortless Union

Miike Snow shows us a trio’s wonderful ability to merge talents seamlessly and effortlessly. On “Cult Logic” and “A Horse Is Not A Home” we are introduced to a steady beat meant for body movement, but instrumentation and arrangements that are smart and subtle rather than direct and in your face. The former has some curious synth-work that leaves me a tad bit breathless and more than a little bit sonically content, while the lyrics are beautifully written and sung masterfully. “Cult Logic” is my choice for best track. “A Horse Is Not A Home” is one of the album’s danciest numbers, featuring a distinct dance rock feel with pop sensibilities. The cut is screaming for radio attention and could stand well as a source for mixes. Another outright dance track, “In Search Of,” not only has immediately accessible synths but is just over 5 minutes, giving you enough time to stew in the immense beauty.

A much slower number, “Black and Blue,” has a much bouncier and happy beat until the deep and entrancing synths swarm in towards the chorus, morphing the track from a clear radio cut to something more intelligent, something more complex, something I don’t think the casual listener could properly appreciate. “Black and Blue” is an onion of a track, layers upon layers that need to be peeled away to get a clear picture. Rocking a swing beat and a grungier sound, “Plastic Jungle” gives off the very feel the name depicts. The last album boasts solitary notes that sound like a royal introduction but descend into bluesy piano with Wyatt’s voice layered gently on top like a smoky dive in a sad, sad movie.

Summary

Miike Snow’s debut is telling. Every member is talented, and together they do more than most pop albums have achieved so far this year. Miike Snow’s debut is not only enchanting, but intelligent and subtle. Not every track goes for the jugular, instead it lies in hiding, waiting to ambush. I am so glad this group exists to make beautiful music like this for the masses. Fantastic.

Released June 2009 on Downtown Records

REVIEW: DVJ Vision – Club Visuals 3 DVD

One of the biggest challenges that comes from spinning video is finding great content. Whether you are using playing visuals or music videos, ambient clips that fit into nightclub sets are difficult to find.

What is on the Club Visuals DVD?

Answering the call for content is DVJ Vision, who have just released a third set of Club Visuals. This DVD melds live video and computer animation which is synced to 128 beats per minute (BPM). The six clips were created by VJs and motion graphic designers who all seem to have a strong grasp of what is going to look good in a club setting.

Clip by Clip

The most narrative of the clips is “Fuel For Squares,” which starts with a windmill that blends into a tractor before the clip dissolves into a cube and goes all over the farm, so to say. The story of the clip progresses to vehicles that use the fuel – cars, motorcycles, trains, and helicopters, before ending up in a crowded city traffic scene. The stress of the city calms back into scenes of flower and ends with a nice walk on a beach. Timed correctly, this clip we be great for edgy electro records that crescendo before dropping into a melodic break.

The rest of the clips are six-to-seven minute abstract visuals without a story line. “Electric Neon” is what the title implies: energetic explosions and bursts of neon colors. Squiggles of color are overlapped with repeated symbols and bubbling bursts – almost like a lava lamp on speed. Then a section of cubes and squares arise which morph into videos of buildings before fading back into an 80s Modrian-esque tribute to Tron.

Watching the visuals, even the most basic of shapes can become fascinating. “Celestial Disco” is based on a circle – specificially, a rotating circle made up of 12 smaller circles that are the dominant image. As the focus circle spins and rotates, more circles appear and evolve into a solar system and even more rotating circles. This would look great in a club which had similar lighting effects or lasers that could imitate the visuals.

When System Overload is a Good Thing

A personal favorite is “System Overload” which is probably best described as EKGs morphing into soundwaves, smoke patterns, and then volume levels. Projected on a big wall for an event, this would work for any instrumental techno event.

Overall

The Club Visuals 3 DVD was created for Pioneer DVJ-1000, though it will work in any DVD player. It’s also very useful for DJs who need visual clips of length to play for a song that doesn’t have a video. If you are visuals jockey that uses a program like Grand VJ or Resolume, the clips also work well as layers to build with. These segments look even better with additional effects added to them.

If you are looking even more visuals, check out the previous issue, Club Visuals 2 which featured “Mind Fornication” (insane kaleidoscopes), “Mod” (a nearly hallucinogenic 60s pop art trip), “Lost Girls” (images of computerized women in action, classy of course), and “Face Invaders” (a tribute to the legendary video game Space Invaders).

On its own, the DVD is fun to watch when you want to chill and space out. In the hands of a capable Visuals or Video DJ, the clips are like the highest quality beats – they can rock any crowd.