First Aid 4 Souls – Laudator Temporis Acti (EP – Alfa Matrix)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, EBM, Cinematic.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: Hungarian First Aid 4 Souls remains ultra-prolific already releasing new work. Core member István Gazdag wanted to revisit his Electro-Goth roots and paying ‘tribute to the work of geniuses who laid the foundations of Synth Dark-Wave and to his personal heroes that are Bauhaus and Tones On Tail.’ The EP -which rather looks as a mini-album, features seven songs. Belgian singer ‘Vain Sacrosanct’ (Causenation) sung on five cuts while Canadian-Hungarian female vocalist Linda Daemon (Kr3ll, Black Mamba…) and UK Pop singer Mark Duffield each sang on one song.
Content: We’re used to hear First Aid 4 Souls dealing with sophisticated EBM but István Gazdag also took us by surprise exploring other sonic fields during the past years. The EBM influence is definitely present at this work but there indeed is a good-old 80s Electro-Wave influence as well. The work sounds more atmospheric and even evasive on a few passages. The Electro-Wave tribute is accentuated at a few cuts by guitar sounds.
+ + + : Gazdag has already accomplished a meaningful production which sounds different from the ‘traditional’ sound of the project although featuring cool cuts. There also is a true symbiosis between his music and the charismatic vocals of Vain Sacrosanct. My favorite cuts are the ones revealing an explicit EBM touch but there’s also something to say about both debut cuts featuring an ominous atmosphere.
– – – : I can’t say First Aid 4 Souls is too prolific but it sometimes becomes difficult to catch the red line between all the different albums and EPs of the project.
Conclusion: A very personal but accomplished tribute to some of István Gazdag’s favorite 80s artists.
Best songs: “Now You Can See Me”, “The Sweetest Temptation”, “Alpha Female”, “Laudator Temporis”.
Rate: 7½.
Artist: www.firstaid4souls.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063628544089
Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix
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