State of the Union - My Time Away
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State Of The Union returns after 4 years long hiatus. And while the driving creative force behind the band's blend of invigorating EBM rhythms and romantic melodies remains the same, Johann Sebastian was joined by the new singer Evannkie effectively delivering a crisp and thoroughly enjoyable record that benefits from its straightforward stylization and its commitment to the future-pop formula.
The very first moment of My Time Away's intro hints at the richness of emotions contained within. Haunting and atmospheric tones are interrupted by the escalating layers of electronica and vocals that punctuate the romantic impetus of the song.
From there the album unravels twofold, in parallel providing the listener with moments of heightened emotional intensity and the abundance of riveting beats.
The release's titular track merges both of these sonic fronts and in many ways sums up State Of The Union's evolution. Crisp and chirping passages intertwine with danceable and pulsating rhythms rendering the composition in equal parts an assured pop hit and a potent dance floor material. There is nothing truly surprising in neither the structure or the deployment of Sebastian's sweet and involved voice. In fact it is the predictability of his method combined with the prowess of the execution that is this album's greatest strength. "Descent", "Five Minutes To Midnight" and "Dancing In the Dark" all exist on the crossroads between the influence of the classic synthpop method and more contemporary EBM tropes but never really stray far from the glamour of pure new romance sensuality.
As a whole My Time Away moves forward with self assurance, providing just about enough snippets of inventive and playful creative zest to avoid growing stale. "Stupid Song" is build from energizing manipulations of samples, tones and tempo, while "Blue Lights" provides a definitive, signature State Of The Union composition, engineered with verve atop of a moody current, climaxing in the chorus with its piercing synths and dramatic vocals.
Johan Sebastian's return to his electro pop entity is decidedly short on surprises but made with care and obvious technical skill. The stand out melodies imprint themselves in the listener' mind with some force and all but the most demanding fans of romantic, synth infused pop attraction should be satisfied. No new ground is broken on My Time Away but the resurrection of State of the Union is rarely uneventful and consistently genuine and worthwhile. State of the Union's latest might not stray far from the usual synth heavy aesthetic but with the more deliberate tempo come enchanting moments of maturity and clarity.
Tracklist:
01. Elevate
02. My Time Away
03. Back To Earth
04. Descent
05. Stupid Song
06. Five Minutes To Midnight
07. Miracle
08. Dancing In the Dark
09. Eternally
10. Blue Lights
11. Dancing In The Dark (Floor Mix)
12. French Underground Assault
The very first moment of My Time Away's intro hints at the richness of emotions contained within. Haunting and atmospheric tones are interrupted by the escalating layers of electronica and vocals that punctuate the romantic impetus of the song.
From there the album unravels twofold, in parallel providing the listener with moments of heightened emotional intensity and the abundance of riveting beats.
The release's titular track merges both of these sonic fronts and in many ways sums up State Of The Union's evolution. Crisp and chirping passages intertwine with danceable and pulsating rhythms rendering the composition in equal parts an assured pop hit and a potent dance floor material. There is nothing truly surprising in neither the structure or the deployment of Sebastian's sweet and involved voice. In fact it is the predictability of his method combined with the prowess of the execution that is this album's greatest strength. "Descent", "Five Minutes To Midnight" and "Dancing In the Dark" all exist on the crossroads between the influence of the classic synthpop method and more contemporary EBM tropes but never really stray far from the glamour of pure new romance sensuality.
As a whole My Time Away moves forward with self assurance, providing just about enough snippets of inventive and playful creative zest to avoid growing stale. "Stupid Song" is build from energizing manipulations of samples, tones and tempo, while "Blue Lights" provides a definitive, signature State Of The Union composition, engineered with verve atop of a moody current, climaxing in the chorus with its piercing synths and dramatic vocals.
Johan Sebastian's return to his electro pop entity is decidedly short on surprises but made with care and obvious technical skill. The stand out melodies imprint themselves in the listener' mind with some force and all but the most demanding fans of romantic, synth infused pop attraction should be satisfied. No new ground is broken on My Time Away but the resurrection of State of the Union is rarely uneventful and consistently genuine and worthwhile. State of the Union's latest might not stray far from the usual synth heavy aesthetic but with the more deliberate tempo come enchanting moments of maturity and clarity.
Tracklist:
01. Elevate
02. My Time Away
03. Back To Earth
04. Descent
05. Stupid Song
06. Five Minutes To Midnight
07. Miracle
08. Dancing In the Dark
09. Eternally
10. Blue Lights
11. Dancing In The Dark (Floor Mix)
12. French Underground Assault
