Laureate Sky – The Way Without Fear (CD Album – Laureate Sky)
Genre/Influences: EBM, body-pop.
Background/Info: Laureate Sky is a duo from Madrid driven by José Manuel and Chema Kradalien who know each other from a former EBM-minded project called Devout. You maybe remember the album of Devout entitled “Love For The Unusual” released in 2011 on the now defunct Mutant-E Records. Laureate Sky is a new experience, which already brought the band to play several live performances together with established formations. This album is their first full length album featuring 11 songs.
Content: The sound clearly reminds me of retro EBM from the 90s. Laureate Sky doesn’t innovate, but clearly composes the music they like inspired by some of their favorite formations in the genre. It’s an easy listening production without real powerful passages although a few cuts are a bit harder.
You’ll notice deep sounding bass lines and cold, wafting synth lines. The final part of the album reveals some pop and future-pop influences (cf. “No Surrender”) and a more folk-inspired final/outro cut.
+ + + : Laureate Sky deals with an easy listening EBM style with retro elements on top and a few pop influences. I personally prefer the few cuts featuring pop elements. These songs are more elaborate and I think it’s the path the band has to move on with. On the other side I also have to admit that the pure into EBM-minded “Roots” probably is the single potential hit on the album. This cut sounds harder and feature a simple, but cool chorus and break.
– – – : Some songs sound a bit unaccomplished like missing a climax. There’s less innovation and Laureate Sky is not the band that will take you by surprise.
Conclusion: I prefer Laureate Sky instead of Devout, but there are still a few elements to improve in the global production process.
Best songs: “Roots”, “Glory Of Love”, “No Surrender”.
Rate: (6).
Band: www.facebook.com/LaureateSky
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