Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 August 2011 08:09
Written by Robert Eaton
Artist: Culture Kultur
CD Title - Spirit
Label - Out of Line/Caustic Records
Genre: EBM, Synthpop
Reviewer: Robert Eaton
Date: 2-6-11
Spanish synth-pop act Culture Kultur return with their follow-up to 2005’s “Reborn”. Originally formed in 1992 by Salva Maine and Joshua, (with Distortiongirl assisting on live keyboards) Culture Kultur began as EBM but eventually embraced a much more melodic style on subsequent albums. Their latest effort was 5 years in the making: “Spirit” features eleven tracks of danceable, thoughtful synth-pop.
The album’s offerings are earnest lyrically and the vocals are really what carry the album. The album opens with “Siege” a dance-floor ready synth-pop track which has a little flavor of EBM. “Blind Man” is very lush and melodic, with techno-influenced flourishes. Culture Kulture’s cover of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is a nice electronic take on the classic song. It manages, in its own way to recreated the haunting quality of the original song. “Dead Second” is subdued and plaintive. “Unforgiven” has a great beat and memorable chorus. “Toxic Pulse” is a great dance-floor track. “Never Again” is a bit darker and opens with ominous sounding synths. “Silence” is a beautifully melodic song. “My Voice” is one of the stronger tracks on the album, it slowly builds intensity as more synth-lines add to its repetitive programming.
For fans of synth-pop, Culture Kultur’s album Spirit is about as good as it gets. The songs here are tunefully sung and the arrangements are inventive.
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