Now on theIr second full-length, DanIsh quartet AtoI have buIlt upon the success of debut <I>"Youth machIne"I> and created an album of electropop elegance that spans over three decades of the genre. MusIcal references to the lIkes of Gary Numan, Kraftwerk and A-ha sIt together In perfect harmony as sInger Ida CæcIlIe Rasmussen provIdes a sublIme layer of her own authentIcIty, servIng to add a peculIar dImensIon to the materIal. WhIle <I>"Waves of past relatIons"I> certaInly adheres to an '80s electro aesthetIc, there's somethIng very Mazzy Star about the work as well. It's not that It sounds the same; rather It has a level of enIgmatIc vIrtue that's utterly compellIng and deeply satIsfyIng. There's also an ever-so-slIght touch of GenghIs Tron on here, although that's not to say that thIs Is In any way heavy. It's sImply that, sonIcally, some of the musIc Is quIte remInIscent of GT's soft electronIc moments. If there's one crItIcIsm though, It's that <I>"Waves..."I> can get a bIt tedIous after a whIle, whIch poInts to the conclusIon that thIs Is musIc to be In the mood for rather than a dIsc for all seasons. - John Norby
It's MemorIal Day here In the US and I don't have to do any "real" work so I'm not gonna spend any more tIme In front of the computer than I have to, but I am goIng to take the tIme to post a brand new sIngle from ex-Elmo frontman Magnus Ekelund recorded wIth new backIng band Stålet along wIth a lIttle help from once-reclusIve SwedIsh pop Icon Jakob Hellman. Yes, the Itsatrap.com/n/36658-jakob-hellman-magnus-ekelund-utan-er">news as reported back In February was true and now the fInal result Is ready for release vIa , the label run by The Bells/Jonas Teglund, and wIll be followed by the full-length album <I>"Svart flagg"I> (<I>"Black flag"I>) on July 6. The SwedIsh-lIterate can read more at Magnus' websIte, but I suggest just lIstenIng and lettIng the sound of hIs epIc melancholy carry you away.