Castle Donington is a large village almost considered a town which features such attractions as a medieval market on a Monday, demolished power station, world famous race circuit and the Download festival. It’s also home to the four piece electronica outfit Late of the Pier.
Late of the Pier's debut LP,
Fantasy Black Channel's opening seems to reflect Donington's association with RAWK (that particular misspelling always makes me think of the Welsh for some reason) the intro being remarkably reminiscent of what Queen would sound like had they gone through a proper synth instead of Guitar phase. From then on the album settles into a poppier, Numan-esque groove, backed by less then hyperactive disco-esque bass lines. Space and the Woods is the track that most echoes the Numanoids synth-pop style but there is a bit of shitdisco in there as well.
Random Firl comes close to emulating Sam Sparro's more eighties-tastic tracks but manages to find some more edge from somewhere, that gives it decidedly more bite then Mr. Sparro's efforts.
Heartbeat is a poignant tribute to Nick Berry well either that or another Numan-esque example of polished synth-pop (the combination of these two words is in this case a compliment). Randomly enough on track
Whitesnake it appears that an unholy alliance of the Feeling and Sparks take control of the band for a distinctly odd middle eight. Track
VW almost has a Marilyn Manson Dope show era feel about it or perhaps more accurately it is distinctly Bowie-esque.
Focker, for those who remember such things, sounds in a blissfully nostalgic way like an Amiga MOD tune indeed more then this the entire song reminds me in the way it builds, in a good way, of a spectrum loading. The rest of the tracks on the album continue in a similar vein wavering between synth pop and more anarchic electronica sounds.
All in all Late of the Pier pull off the electronica thing in a distinctly synth-pop vein a bit like a more polished does it offend you yeah? or a far, far less grimy Hadouken. The album is good and has enough bite to lift it above recent 80's sound-alike pish like the Mystery Jets twenty-one. But I can't help feeling its meant to sound more 'dangerous' then it does. It’s not as anarchic as some of its contemporaries but it does deserve a place in the discerning indie kid’s record collection.
Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel is available now.
Late Of The Pier official site
