Customer Reviews

Newer Clearer

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard of them via the song, "The Stuff of Magick" on the Shadow Dancing compilation.
I was gladly suprised when I bought the cd that most of the other songs stood up just as well to this song.
I like the ballad track "Fall" the most which is by far the most emotional track on the cd.
This CD is extremely polished and well performed in regards to the soothing vocals and emotional lyrics. This is NOT one of those synthpop groups that has great music but horrible vocals i.e. some German guy trying to carry a tune. Great stuff and highly recomended.

New Clear Sky came up on a search I did for Vast. I then became interested in this group after reading many of the reviews for 'Newer, Clearer'. It sounded like something I might enjoy so I downloaded a 2-minute sample of "Serenity" and was instantly hooked. The beats are infectiously energetic yet tranquil at the same time, and though there's some slower paced, emotional ballads too (most notably "Fall"), it pretty much sets the mood for the rest of the album. The overall feel is dreamy/dancey synth-pop tinged with hints of Industrial, and the best tracks to me include "Serenity", "Vast", and my personal favorite, "Solveig's Song". The lyrics are poetic for a change, as if thought was actually put into more than just the music, and my guess is Robert Dombrower is classically trained because his beautiful vocals have quite an impressive range. I would say it's slightly operatic but that would be misleading... Think Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode singing with more of an upper register.

Led by Vast, but including Serenity and other great hits, New Clear Sky puts themselves on the synthpop map with this one.

Newer, Clearer is so well rounded- the lyrics, the vocals, the aggressive and rich programming all come together to complete an ecclectic presentation of songs that one has no choice but be affected by.... but only of you are really listening. Those who find fault with this release are probably looking for an album of dance tracks. That's not what it's about in my opinion. Each track draws the listener in by the common themes of witty, often philisophical and emotioanlly charged lyric content, explosive professional vocals, and beautiful soundscapes. Electronica ain't used to this sort of thing.

My favorite tracks: White Lies, Fall, Newer Clearer, Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover), Serenity.

Oh so very recommended!!!

Patty M.

I became a fan of NCS from their performance at the Synthpop Goes the World festival in Toronto, where i picked up this release. I didn't even mean to watch as I was outside catching a breather from the inferno that was the dancefloor, when I noticed everyone running inside.... so I followed them in to see what was up. I was blown away. Never have I heard a singer with such pipes... and never have I heard (out of the whole line-up)such cool melodies. The crowd was surprised, and I can see why since they had basically heard a lotta the same pounding stuff for the past two days. The CD is a lot of fun and definitely different. Hope they headline 'round here soon.

Cheers from up yonder!

Bladejogger

In this case, however, it is excellent. I picked up this CD on the virtues of the single "Vast" which I thought was an awesome club hit and I expected the full-length to be much of the same-good, clubby, danceable, synth driven music. What I got was indeed a very big surprise....

"Newer, Clearer..." marks the second release for New Clear Sky, a NYC electronic duo that has raised the bar in the electro world, since their single came out in December. It also marks their label's (A Different Drum) vision towards expanding into a wider interpretation of "synth-pop," based on what I have heard from more mature ADD artists to date.

Perhaps the biggest surprise stems from the fact that, as a whole, most of the other songs, each seemingly unique in many ways, are as good, if not better than the so called "hit" that made it to the first single. The CD begins with "Serenity," a powerful emotional statement that sets the tone for the rest of the tracks: juicy, well written lyrics, awesome lead and backup vocals, and futuristic electronic textures. From there the moods swing and weave, from the playful "uber-haus" tracks of "Juice" and "Joy and Sadness," to a wildly surprising tribute to Black Sabbath's classic "Paranoid," to a more traditional club inspired track like "Solvei's Song." Of particular note is the track "White Lies," a trippy jaunt that playfully mocks the winding down of relationships. With this track NCS establishes their comfort in other musical mediums as shown by the song's elements of live guitar, Caribbean inspired beats, and vocal syncopation that teeters on the brink of TLC type rap; not to mention the inclusion of an actual conversation of a previously torn couple meeting once again. The ballad "Fall" is perhaps the most emotional, and also where Dombrower's formidable vocals are best displayed, and immediately following, the title track "Newer, Clearer..." shows Cotnor's programming prowess which is filled with elements of industrial, trance and cinematography, which effectively illustrates his roots.

"Newer, Clearer" as a whole, is a gripping, emotionally intense adventure that would satisfy everyone-from the electro addict all the way to the rock enthusiast. As an ADD artist, however, be forewarned: NCS is not your typical synthpop group by any means.

Highly Recommended!!!!

Overall, it is a decent debut album for this new synthpop act. Following the footsteps of other predecessor synthpop acts, New Clear Sky stands out by mixing synth, urban beats, and rap/techno vocal influence. Not the best album out there (Not all of the tracks in this album are good-- just skip those tracks!!), but if you are a synthpop fan, I believe you will dig their music. Some strong tracks here are: "VAST", "PARANOID", and "FALL." Worthy to check it out!! Peace !!