Blackcarburning – Sleepers (Album – COP International)
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Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Indie-Pop.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: While the Mesh fans are waiting for years now for a new studio album, front man Mark Hockings unleashes his debut solo-album. Blackcarburning saw the daylight during lockdown. Hockings originally wanted to write his own music and finally, accidentally, became a singer. After several singles we get “Sleepers” featuring fourteen songs.
Content: You rapidly notice Hockings’ unique and passionate timbre of voice but “Sleepers” also features 4 guest singers (Neil Francis, Mari Katmann, Howie Venton and Janne Marvannen from Lakeside X). The album reveals a talented musician dealing with achieved, catchy and sensitive Electro/Indie-Pop. The work remains similar to Mesh but also to 80s Pop formations like OMD. The work is diversified moving from darker passages to sweet, evasive, cuts.
+ + + : Mark Hockings took me by surprise. The talented singer of Mesh also is a brilliant musician who perfectly knows how to compose danceable Electro-Pop cuts driven by elevating choruses at one side and sensitive tracks at the other side. “Sleepers” sounds as an intimate composition revealing outstanding songs like “Guilty”, “The Mirror” and “Losing Our Way”. The way the songs have been built up to reach their ultimate point is fully accomplished. And Hockings also chose talented guest singers.
– – – : The link with Mesh is obvious but who cares.
Conclusion: Surprising but brilliant, styled and elevating Electro-Pop!
Best songs: “Guilty”, “The Mirror”, “Losing Our Way”, “All About You”, “Breaking Bones”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.blackcarburning.com / www.facebook.com/blackcarburning
Label: www.facebook.com/copint
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