Review: Client - Command

Client's fourth studio album "Command" was released on 6th March and is just about to prove that Client is still one of the best synthpop bands right now. Although not being as popular or successful as their fellow British export Ladytron the chicks from Client manage to keep up with the competition and release material of high quality. With this album Sarah Blackwood and Kate Holmes are back in the game and showing how music is made. "Command" may be seen as a comeback to the roots after the poppier and less synthesizer-driven "Heartland", which by many was considered as a departure from the original Client style.

Honestly I have had high expectation for the album, especially after their previous two album "City" and "Heartland", which rocked my soul and I was hungry for more and more, and Client have managed to meet them all...or at least all of them. The very first thing that is noticeable is that "Command" contains less danceable tracks and concentrates more on the emotional impact that it is supposed to have. Most of the songs are downtempo, lyrically rich and stylistically bordering dreampop at certain extent. Taking in consideration all of their official releases "Command" is probably their least club-orientated and their most emotionally charged album up to now with such fine examples as "Make Me Believe in You" and "Blackheart".

It will need more time in order to be able to rank it among their other releases, but for the time being "Command" is, perhaps, only with a single idea better than their eponymous debut. "City" was of such great excellence that I doubt that "Command" will top it. Not that the album is not good, but it just doesn't contain enough memorable tracks and after a few listens you may stay with the impression that some songs sound alike. Sadly, "Command" has nothing significantly new to offer, but the good news is that there is nor or just a couple of irritating songs that you just want to skip while listening from top to bottom.

Tracks to hear: "Petrol", "Can You Feel?", "Ghosts" and "Satisfaction"

Personal rating: 7 out of 10

Теn unappealing album covers

Yesterday I posted ten of my favourite album covers and now it's time for ten more, but this time of my non-favourite. This certainly doesn't mean that they may not appeal to you...it is just that they do not fit my aesthetics for an album artwork. As you may notice most of the covers are from albums issued in the last decade, which I believe is more than an indication that art is becoming of a lesser importance than ever before. Definitely one can find some uglier examples of album covers, only proving that the appearance is not be undermined.


José Gonzales - Veneer


Missy Elliott - Da Real World


M.I.A. - Kala


Cansei de Ser Sexy - Cansei de Ser Sexy


Madonna - Hard Candy


Client - Client


Depeche Mode - Ultra


Michael Jackson - Invincible


Björk - Volta


Peaches - Fatherfucker

Stuck in my mind - Client - Can You Feel

Daddy, come home for dinner earlier, Client released their newest video already! Yep, my most favourite Clients released the video to their new single Can You Feel and it is adorable. Definitely not the highest moment in their carrier, but still has the magic of its own. "Can You Feel" sounds pretty nice and I have pretty high expectations for Client's new release.

Client with a new album in March

The electronic group Client is about to release a new album in March. The album is going to be called "Command" and it's going to contain 11 fresh tracks from the British duo. This is their fourth studio album and as they promise it is going to be "fresh and dirty". Client A and Client B are putting final touches in order to be perfect as usual. To be honest I didn't expect a release that soon, but now I am really excited and I do hope they will announce tour dates and hopefully they'll include at least one gig somewhere near Bulgaria or if there is any god - in Sofia!

You can hear a teaser on their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/client or sing up to their mailing list for up to date information.

Ten electroclash albums you have to hear before you die

Electroclash is one of the youngest styles in the enormous family of electronic music, but it has managed to give the world some excellent music acts and splendid albums. This is my list of the ten electroclash albums you should hear before you go to a better place (hopefully). It is not a full list and is based on my own taste and may I be excused if I miss some other essential albums or artists. If so do kindly remind me and there might be part 2 as well.


10. Felix da Housecant - Devin Dazzle and the Neon Fever

The best album by one of the most prominent names in the electroclash scene. To me he together with The Hacker are the godfathers of this style. Although his products have varied from release to release he always orbits in the field of electroclash and I am pretty sure that Felix is going to be among the last standing defending the honor of electroclash.

9. Chicks on Speed - 99 Cents

Chicks on Speed may not be one the best electro bands of our times, but on the other hand they are provocative, artistically independent and eccentric and their albums are some of the best examples of good electroclash. "99 Cents" is surely not the price of this album, but it is a fine compilation of electronic songs.

8. Miss Kittin - I Com

One of the strongest debuts I have ever heard. Miss Kittin with the help of her friend The Hacker became one of the most important figures in the electroclash scene and now just two albums later she is The Princess of electroclash music.

7. Fischerspooner - #1

Fischerspooner to some are the male equivalent to Ladytron, but they are more than that. The album #1 is not full of number one hits, but is among my favourite efforts in the electronic scene. In order to understand the whole concept of this artistic presentation of music, perhaps, you should watch some of their live performances.

6. Tiga - Sexor

Tiga is one of those artists that I began to like long before they actually released their debut albums. He came to prominence with "Sunglasses at Night" a collaboration the Finnish DJ Zyntherius and now he is famous for his tracks "Hot in Herre" (unfortunately not included in "Sexor"), "You Gonna Want Me", "3 Weeks" and "Louder Than A Bomb". "Sexor" is not a sexually explicit album despite the name, but what a real electroclash album is supposed to sound.

5. Cansei de Ser Sexy - Cansei de Ser Sexy

Cansei de Ser Sexy is probably the best newcomers from Brazil and for the last couple of years they became one of the best known bands coming from Latin America. Their eponymous album is full of tracks suitable for either parties or when you just need to cheer up. I love how they mix English and Brazilian and fuse as many music genres as they manage to.


4. Robots in Disguise - We'Re In The Music Bizz

I've discovered Robots in Disguise just two years ago and now I am a proud fan of their music. Sue and Dee don't give much shit about the music business and do whatever they feel right. "We'Re In The Music Bizz" is a proof of how good music can be without taking it too seriously.

3. Peaches - Impeach My Bush

All rise! The Queen of electroclash is in the building and she is about to blow your minds away. You might think of her as of a sweet and yummy fruit, think again! She is peachy, talks dirty, shows some real pussy galore and really doesn't give a damn about your problems. "Impeach My Bush" is how bisexuality would sound if it were a music style.

2. Client - City

"City" is to me one of the best not just electroclash, but electronic albums ever! It contains so many good tracks that if I start telling about each one of them I might need to post separate comments on every one. Sadly Client are not as famous as Ladytron, although this is no hinder to their way to the infinity of electronic music and I am pretty sure that with some more stuff like "City" they are going to be on the top.

1. Ladytron - Witching Hour

When I was thinking of this list the first group that came to my mind was Ladytron. Let's say that this is the band that actually brought the electroclash scene out of the dark and proved that this is a separate branch of the huge electronic scene. I chose "Witching Hour" because it is a fine example of how electroclash can be combined with new wave, dream pop, synthpop, electropop and alternative electronica and still sound unique. This album contains some of the best Ladytron tracks and it is among my favourite albums of all times.