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Avant Garde - "Resurrected"

Release date: 01.02.2011 / SELF-RELEASED



10 out of 10

I was more than pleased with the news that this underrated, and overlooked Swedish Synth Pop duo where due to release a new album, the eleven-track Resurrected which was to be their first new-album, and above all new material since the release of their previous album Certified And Tested, a full decade ago, I had initially though that this duo had merely faded into Synth Pop history, but, the recent addition of three-tracks to an excellent Page tribute CD somewhat proved the band itself was still in existence. Resurrected continues on from their previous album, one that is awash with analogue bleeps-n-blips, buzzes-n-drones, while additionally featuring a bright-n-bubbly melodic-edge, neatly combining with the wonderfully dry, semi-sung and semi-spoken style of vocal delivery to produce an album with a heavy Vince Clarke influence, and least not the sound of Yazoo and Erasure for an album of Synth Pop perfection, completely faultless with any one of the tracks here instantly grabbing your attention, least not with the likes of Getting Closer, its simple neat opening synth lead builds itself into a steady up-tempo track that has the feel of a perfect single, likewise with the equally up-tempo Cabriolet, which moves along nicely with its crashing rhythms, while there is a somewhat similar style to the more mid-paced In Your Clutches, with its rolling bass, and Maureen which features as a somewhat different version to the even better Video Mix, along with Radioactive Feeling, while Lonely Girl features a rolling chunky rhythm. In addition, there is the slow to mid-paced Memories, which also has something of ballad-like feel to it, the more mid-paced Deceived and December, both move along nicely. Beyond this, there is a harder and darker edge to the opening-track, the more mid-paced It’s Lost, while In Anger features a sharp bass and synth admit a mid-pace track. This for me is a simply superb and stunning album, an instant Synth Pop classic that places the band itself up their with the likes of Elegant Machinery as one of the top Synth Pop acts to emerge over the past twenty-years.

...Review by Danny King...

Tracklist
01.  It’s Lost
02.  RadioActive Feeling
03.  Lonely Girl
04.  Decived
05.  In Your Clutches
06.  Memories
07.  Getting Serious
08.  Maureen
09.  In Anger
10.  December
11.  Cabriolet

Avant Garde @ Myspace
www.myspace/avantgardesweden