Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3.0 out of 5 stars
For The Strictest Of Fans Only, October 14, 2007
A strictly limited edition (how many times can a variation of "strict" be used in a name and a review?), "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." is a collaborative effort between In Strict Confidence and Melotron, doing a modern cover of the classic A-Ha song. Packaged in a small thin cardboard "box set", the disc itself is the size of a mini-CD. The idea is pretty cool, save for the fact that the box, due to its small size and unusual shape, does not fit well in any CD rack. This release is really for the fans, as the CD only includes 2 tracks, of which only 1 is a "true" song. Admittedly, the 1 "true" song is very good, but not enough to justify the import cost for casual listeners, which is why I have to give this release a 4 out of 5 stars.
The Sun Always Shines On T.V. - Part darkwave and part synthpop, the title track is as diverse as the two bands collaborating on it. Starting with a simple, very 80's sounding synth intro, the song gradually adds the layers, with piano, strings, and female vocals entering the mix. An orchestral buildup follows, with some sequencing coming into play, before the track launches into its foot tapping beat, with the sequencers taking center stage along with a looped synth line. And then the first verse begins, the female vocals slinking along with the electronic accompaniment, the casual delivery contrasting nicely with the upbeat tempo. Dennis from ISC adds his subdued vocals for the chorus, and the above-par programming of ISC is definitely recognizable, but this song is as much Melotron's as it is ISC's. Though they only performed this one track together, the two artists sound amazingly compatible, and I wouldn't be surprised if another collaboration took place in the future. Definitely a very club friendly track, it's a shame that the CD is so limited, as this is one song that can appeal to a large and diverse group.
Channel Stretcher - It's really hard to describe this track, as it's really just another ISC minimalist instrumental, with some warped elements of The Sun Always Shines... appearing sporadically throughout. With barely any percussion, and filled mostly with noise and arbitrary samples, it's mostly just a repetitive filler track that really doesn't accomplish anything. In fact, this track could have been left off the single altogether, and it wouldn't have diminished the end product in the slightest.
As a dedicated fan of In Strict Confidence, I preordered this the moment it was announced. Only the most loyal of fans are likely to pick up this box set single, which is a shame, because the song is very, very good. It brings the electronic music genre full circle, with modern instruments and delivery performing a classic 80's song. It sounds neither old nor new, but somewhere in that elusive "timeless" vein that so few songs actually achieve. Hopefully The Sun Always Shines... will make it onto electronic compilations down the road, as the song truly deserves to be heard.
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