halovox – S/T

halovox

Category: Electro-pop
Album: halovox

halovox offers some very decent minimalist synthpop filtered through a few retro-industrial affectations. The songs are very reminiscent of the 80’s, while having a few of the modern touches that many of the European synthpop acts employ.

The tracks are often a schizophrenic mix, though. One lesson that halovox could stand to learn is finding a more signature sound. Tracks like “Worthy” and “Waiting, Watching, Wanting” are 80’s ballad treacle, whose overwrought lyrics threaten to capsize the momentum that the good tracks on the album hold.

And there are good tracks on the album. “Make Me Yours” stands up well against most of the EBM/futurepop dancefloor fodder that comes down the pike these days. It could easily win over the Seabound and Beborn Beton fans, as well as being very pleasing to the old school Depeche Mode fetishists. “Just Like Me” follows in the same vein. “Foolish Slave” combines more hard samples and sounds to bring a more energetic and less pop edge to the album, giving it some variety.

These good and bad tracks are balanced by very anachronistic 80’s-style retro electro tracks that generally have lyrics not suited for such minimal fare. “Save Yourself,” by its lyrical content, would be the type of song you would imagine an upbeat rock anthem to compliment. But the actual track accentuates the way in which the lyrics don’t fit with the music. Its new wave flavor does nothing to help cohesion. And this is typical of several of the songs.

The tracks are all very good, except for the more offensive ballads, but there needs to be more movement in the vocal style and a few more attempts to stray away from Depeche Mode and add more of an individual flavor to the music. Hopefully with some tweaking, trimming, and polishing, halovox will come out of the retro background and bring something fresh to the synthpop scene.

 

from ReGen Magazine (~10/2004)