Der Klinke - Square Moon

The artwork of this album immediately caught my attention:deep blue iconography,depicting thoughts of coldness and estranged moods.First sounds convince me of their style:cold,repetitive beats,haunting vocals,evocative atmosphere..In fact this could be regarded as an exercise in old-school electro."You" can be viewed as an interaction of pale voices:a male,distant one,accompanied by femme vocals and eerie melodies.What is easily apparent here is that these Belgians have the ability to compose sparkling songs,holding their influences mostly on electro and cold wave.Their rhythms sound mechanistic and danceable,the main thing present here though is the consistent,dreadful harmony that connects these tracks together.It is rather obvious that this Flemmish band has potential.Despite this being their debut,one could consider them as an experienced band.Their name itself should be viewed as a homage to the 80's Belgian new wave club known as  De Klinke,located in Ostend..

Therefore they certainly possess the necessary experience to deliver an effort that is constantly shifting,without ever becoming boring.The combination of male/female vocals works well,while keyboard lines and thoroughly mid-paced rhythm patterns provide an audio basis for their abilities to unfold."The Voice"sets the bar higher,as it employes,faster,dancing beats.Yet the dark,haunting sound is again present here.Of course their main influences come from 80's artists,yet Der Klinke could not be dismissed as a copycat band,as they have developed a personal style,deeply rooted in old school sounds,but preserving their own,substantial focus when it comes to performing/composing tracks.It is somehow difficult to make it clear to you,but what seems to be the most intriguing part here is that Der Klinke borrow elements from electro and new wave,without sounding like being a dancefloor oriented project at all.Instead they rely heavily on the aforementioned cold,elusive atmosphere.This sets them apart from most of their modern peers.On the other hand,their influences might be coming from earlier decades,yet this production could not be regarded as retro paraphernalia,either."Where It Ends" presents another touch of gold for them,showcasing beautiful vocal lines along with lustrious,repetitive beats.Taking into consideration that this is their debut release,I would say that I am completely satisfied with the level of their performance.

This type of music not only reminds me of older dark clubs,but makes me feel that this is a band to watch in a live environment as well.Until I have the opportunity to attend a concert of theirs,"Square Moon" is a perfect companion.Yet another good release for Echozone,that is.

Tracklist:

1)Perfectly Dead
2)You
3)Surrender
4)Square Moon
5)3 A.M.
6)Radio
7)The Voice
8)Where It Ends
9)Clear Mind
10)Castle In The Dark
11)At Night

7.5/10  Isabelle S.