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TUSK - Sacrifice


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It is not another vampire hit for teenagers. This is also not a mash-up of Madonna's hits and recordings that led to the tape scandal in Polish politics, not having, fortunately, nothing to do with musical project with name sounding equally as the name of Prime Minister from Vistula’s country. What has these two things in common, is the fact that to the music from TUSK you can dance as intensely as ministers on their stools (as well as accompanying apocalyptic vision of the Parliament’s debates).

Image of that producer from Berlin can be partly associated with theatrical character of Klaus Nomi (although it is far from it musically), however, it is dominated by camp aesthetics of sci-fi straight from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." I would not dare to call this album a queer pop, although certain uniqueness and all that camp stylistics pierce intransigently sounds that are contained on, moreover promising, debut.
A passion for musical and sexual ambiguity of author himself, embodying during his performances in the role of a defender of the world against cult calling his goddess, to destroy Earth, adding stylistically varied tracks a mystery, "space" vividness, a touch of epic momentum- which is for the world of synth-wave rather unusual.
TUSK reminds that 80’s in music still have a good time, and proves brought by some thesis, that styles from 20 years ago are back, to conquer dancefloors, while you should be silent about those from ten years ago. Unambiguously synthesizer screams about this, which constitutes the foundation of all ten compositions.
While introducing, a bit mesmerizing and constructed as monotonous call "Goddess Save Us" imports a little darkness to the composition, "The Rain Keeps Falling Down" is coming close to funky, adjusting listener mostly to unfettered experience on the dancefloor. In all material there are a lot of borrowings from the genre. Sometimes the recipient feels like at disco and rave party, when come to the fore influences of acid house ("Thought of You"), sometimes returns to period of fascination with synth-pop and new romantic movement ("Heart Stop Racing"), sometimes draws attention to the varied rhythms ("I want to die"). That multiplicity of influences causes that it is harder to indicate direct "personal" inspirations. It can be David Bowie (you may know by "Certain Things"), and Annie Lennox, and the Pet Shop Boys... Interestingly sound borrowings from new wave, whether in rhythmical layer ("Walking Disaster"), or melodic, which is interestingly presented in "Desire", in which imitating sound of wind instruments cold wave inserts meet with the "Saturday Night Fever". Remarkably was composed calmer "Less is more", where there is place for melancholy sadness, more darkness, but dance knack of the 80’s was not abandoned.
For some the album will be too monotonous, even though varied inspirations. I also have an ambivalent relationship to the vocal, yes, catchy, but on the other hand, "phlegmatic". And although camp character will not suit everyone, and even because of it they will pigeonhole it as the music "to listen after alcohol", I think, it is an unquestionable advantage of "Sacrifice".
 

Tracklist:

01. Goddess Save Us
02. The Rain Keeps Falling Down
03. I Want to Die
04. Heart Stop Racing
05. Thought of You
06. Walking Disaster
07. Certain Things
08. Less Is More
09. Desire
10. Coming For You
Author:
Translator: hellium
Add date: 2014-11-08 / Music reviews




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