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Album Reviews
Album Review: Detachments – Detachments (Thisisnotanexit)
By Marc Samuels | Published on Wednesday 22 September 2010
Anyone introduced to the world of obscure early 80s European synth-pop via Angular’s excellent ‘Cold Waves And Minimal Electronics’ compilation (released back in February) will find much to enjoy here.
Indeed, it’s hard not to mistake Detachments for some long lost band from that oeuvre, given their uber-serious, monochrome musical output owes much to the aforementioned movement (not to mention Factory Records, post-punk and maybe even the likes of Colder), their debut album sounding like it was recorded in a freezing cold empty warehouse amid visions of a dystopian future.
First track ‘Audio/Video’ is a kinetic burst of energy that sets the tone: a frenetic tempo, glistening synths and affected vocals that house a pure pop chorus but leave you in no doubt that the London group have something important to say that commands your attention.
The re-recorded version of ‘Fear No Fear’ may lack the punch of the original but is still a brutal slab of industrial pop, whilst the other singles here (‘HAL’ and ‘Circles’) are imposing amphetamine-fuelled trips into noir-ish post-punk-disco.
Meanwhile, ‘Holiday Romance’ is less a sun-kissed Mediterranean sojourn and more like a week spent in an East Berlin tenement block, whilst stately closer ‘Words Alone’ is reminiscent of OMD at their imperial melodic best.
Making the likes of La Roux sound impossibly inconsequential, this is a bold statement of intent and a fiercely impressive debut. MS
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