A Spell Inside- Loginside

ARTIST: A Spell Inside

ALBUM: Loginside

LABEL: Scanner

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 6-2-10

The long-awaited fourth full-length from this German group is here at last, much to the delight and relief of synthpop fans. A Spell Inside's latest infuses the emotional intensity of classic synthpop with the adrenaline of the rave scene; if Depeche Mode is music for listening to at home and feeling melancholy, A Spell Inside is for going out and dancing until the sun comes up. From the hard-hitting beats and tense synthesizers of "Reality" to the piano-laced progressive trance sequences of "Someone (Is Waiting)" to the brilliantly soaring vocal hooks of opening track "Keener," the best songs here combine infectious rhythms with soaring melodic vocals. They're tracks that demand plenty of lung capacity, because the dance beats never seem to stop, but the choruses are so irresistible you can't help but sing along. That's not to say that A Spell Inside aren't nearly as good at slower, more classically-inspired numbers; they've been around for two decades, after all, and songs like "Not Enough" and "I Will" employ analog synths, bell tones, and string pads that will be familiar to fans of '80s electronic music, though they're all wrapped up in modern production values to keep things from sounding dated. For slower stuff, though, the absolute highlight is "Chase," all graceful synths and epic majesty that'll give you a moment of tranquil contemplation just long enough to catch your breath – and then? It's time to get back to the dance floor!

Visit the band at www.aspellinside.com.