Plastelin reviews "Adrenalin"

Cult With No Name - Adrenalin (Trakwerx, 2010) No doubt it's adrenalin that causes Cult With No Name to record and release albums at such regular intervals. And yet their work has not become banal. Using a heritage of eccentric and intelligent pop from the last century, with Sparks and The Associates being just two of many, CWNN produce music that's not so usually heard in this one. The combination of Erik Stein and Jon Boux is perfect. One that avoids rushing anything, or spoiling what would otherwise be a great record. CWNN also have a perfect correspondent in their label Trakwerx, who rather than tutor them, let them fly off into their own world with little regard for modern hypes and trends. For those that have not heard them, CWNN have a very recognisible sound, more minimal and yet more colourful than standard pop music, all woven round Stein's voice, Boux's piano, and shared synths. "Adrenalin" is CWNN's 4th album, and their first following their movie-musical adventure, the 'Lightwerx: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' DVD. The opener, "This Time (or any other)", flaunts with melancholia in the same way that 4AD did in its early days (for example Colin Newman, or Howard Devoto for This Mortal Coil). The downtempo electronic title track would be perfect for several soundtracks, although this author would choose Wim Wenders' 'Until the End of the World'. And so we travel from song to song, each different, but each spoken with a CWNN accent. The songs are shaded with pop, psychedelia, even traces of 70s Bowie. Included are even potential hits (particularly 'Breathing'), comforting in these times of Hurts' brand of counterfeit pop music. Many bands xerox their 80s influences, but fortunately CWNN are far removed. Instead, they watch from their own corner and sound completely contemporary, even if they don't want to. As always, the album comes with fantastic cover art, which needs to be seen, and is a perfect match for what is an elegant, emotional and addictive album. Reap your reward and pump some "Adrenalin" into your world. But don't expect euphoria. Elegance and restraint is much more fun. Something which Cult With No Name knows all too well. Author: Mileta Okiljevic