gullbuy music review

Are We Too Late For The Trend?

title

Are We Too Late For The Trend?

label

Créme Organization

format
various artists 12inch

Are We Too Late For The Trend? EP coverAre We Too Late For The Trend? is a 6 song EP put out by the Netherland label Créme Organization, an imprint of Bunker Records. The comic book styled cover art is by Marald van Haasteren.

The title of the 2003 EP takes a poke at the here today, gone tomorrow trendiness that electro enjoyed through 2002. Yes, this EP IS too late for the trend, but this label and its parent label have been putting out the same sound for years - they did not hop on a trend to begin with. So where does this leave us in 2004? Well, if you like the cheesy sound of italodisco but don't like the vocals, it leaves you in a good position. This EP contains 4/4 beats, electronic instrumentation, electronic percussion, a somewhat cold mechanized feel - but none of the cheesy vocals italodisco is known for.

The Bangkok Impact track Pop is an instrumental. It is electro like I have heard many times before. Pop is OK but not one of my faves. Mr. Clavio is a duo comprised of TLR and Danny Wolfers (Legowelt). Mr. Clavio has a small amount of vocal, but Red White Rose have a fully vocal track with female vocals. Their track No One Puts Baby in the Corner is my favorite on the comp, with a synth pulse right out of the Silver Convention / Alec R. Costandinos / Love and Kisses, or Giorgio Moroder songbooks. Yes, this track would do well in any disco.

The Monkeychop track When Couples Cuddle Up is similar to the Bangkok Impact track on side A. Again, it is OK but not one of my faves. Lolita Strap is a side project of Sami Liuski aka Bangkok Impact. I really dug Lolita Strap in 2003. The track he contributes to this comp is an instrumental that is OK but not one of my faves. The abundance of electro that has been around in the past several years have made standard electro tracks without some distinguishing feature sound regular and unexceptional. The Beta Evars track is a short instrumental that sounds interesting due to the strong percussion, dirty laden synths, and raygun syndrum sounds like Meco used on his Star Wars record in 1977. Beta Evars also have a desirable 12ich on the Créme Organization series Eclipse.

---Carl, December 21, 2004