Psyche- Until the Shadows

ARTIST: Psyche

ALBUM: Until the Shadows

LABEL: Metropolis Records

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 9-23-09

Having released their most recent studio album in 2005, Psyche have since released a diverse series of material, ranging from live album to concert film to limited edition vinyl. The project's newest collection features rarities, remixes, and alternate versions from throughout their career. Some of it is what you'd expect; there are updated versions of classics like "Disorder," still sounding like an '80s classic with its analog drum programming and sparse piano hook, "The Outsider," with a simple synthpop rhythm that gives way to floor-shaking techno, and "The Crawler," one of the project's darker, more EBM-influenced offerings. There are club mixes, which range from unnecessary, like the "On the Bridge" mix of "Defenseless" which ditches the emotional range of the original in favor of a fairly standard progressive trance groove, to impressive, like the new remix of "The Quickening" with its hard-hitting electro beats and multi-layered vocal production. Techno remixes are a dime a dozen, though, so the real value here is in classic material, especially for newer fans of the band. "Until the Shadows" is an almost textbook example of classic synthpop, and "Eternal," presented here in its 7-inch vinyl single mix, highlights the more melodic side of the band. Other gems include the lovely piano-laced cover of Q Lazzarus's "Goodbye Horses" and the previously unreleased "Misguided Angels," which sets singer Darrin Huss' unadorned voice to sparse modern breakbeats. A hodge-podge of styles and eras, this isn't quite as satisfying as a brand new studio album, but given Psyche's long career and the fact that most of this early stuff is difficult or impossible to find, this collection is definitely a boon for synthpop fans.

Visit Huss online at www.psyche-hq.de for more information.