After enjoying ABOD's previous album On The Road To Wisdom (released on A Different Drum)
so much & then discovering the earlier self-release Electric was no less enjoyable I was definately looking forward to hearing what the
Swedish musician Owe Emfestav had come up with on his latest, again self-released offering.
In a nutshell, if you like simple-sounding yet astoundingly excellent analogue synthpop then Owe's your man & the eight tracks here do not disappoint in the slightest.
The simple but punchy & effective rhythms that grace tracks such as 'The World Today' & 'Retroboy', appropriately enough, add a real 80s vibe to proceedings
while the infectious melodics work their magic on pretty much every track, especially when combined with some excellent on 'Do You Remember?'.
However, this isn't just music to dance to or get all nostalgic to as the heartfelt lyrics of the title track, which will resonate with anyone who has lost a parent &
the romantic, sunny mood of 'In Your Garden' make this an album capable of also touching your heart when it wants to.
'United States' is another slow piece where the soft chords & vocodered voice prove a worthwhile combination although 'Romantic' might surprise a few people
as it's the only number to bring forth the oft-commented on Kraftwerk influence with a feel not unlike Computer Love, particularly in the leadlines which definitely bring the Dusseldorfers' classic to mind.
It's a surprise in as much as it takes the premise of its title in an unexpected but welcome direction,
proving once again that even the most obviously synthetic music can touch your heart & that Owe knows what makes analogue synthpop so great.

source: http://www.hard-wired.org.uk/Synthpop.htm

Tracklist: (click on the track title to hear a sample)

1. Father to Son
2. Retroboy
3. State in My Mind
4. United States
5. In Your Garden
6. Romantic
7. Do You Remember
8. The World Today