Metroland’s Passenger S launches debut album under 808 DOT POP moniker
From Metroland’s Passenger S comes the brand new electro pop side-project 808 DOT POP. Signed to Alfa Matrix the project so far already released 3 singles (“Blackbodies – pulsation”, “Blackbodies – variation”, “Jingle Pop”) announcing a debut album.
“The Colour Temperature” is now available in pre-order on CD and as a download via Bandcamp. The Bandcamp version has an exclusive 20-minute long megamix offering a joyride through the complete album as you can hear below.
You can expect authentic warm sequences, melodic synthetic layers and robotic vocals, the whole project spiced up with analogue drums with a clear wink to a legendary drum machine.
We got in touch with Passenger S and asked him a few questions.
SL. Why did you start this solo project
PS. The entire Metroland machine developed fast, maybe a little too fast and after our fourth studio album “Men in Frame” we went into a kind of ‘non active mode’. But I simply cannot stop making music and I constantly have things and ideas on my mind as well as sounds in any of my electronic devices. It was kind of clearing the mind by stepping outside of the Metroland bubble, doing something fresh that was just entirely ‘me’. But take no wrong conclusions, Metroland is not a thing of the past!
SL. What’s the difference with Metroland?
PS. One of the differences is that the Metroland sound is generally darker and that these songs are created with input from two individuals whereas in 808 DOT POP, Passenger A has no input. There will always be similar elements, as I have a 50% share in the Metroland trip, but 808 DOT POP showcases me as a (musical) person, how I want to create soundscapes and songs. Another clear difference is that I am more into high pleasant playfull sequences or warmer melodies, a more “techno-pop” sound leaning to a Düsseldorf vibe. 808 DOT POP is in general lighter in sound and structure.
SL. The band name is not randomly chosen…
PS. The name 808 DOT POP came a long way, initialy it was TCT, coming from…indeed “The Colour Temperature”. But I did not want to have an album name being the same as a band name. The further I got into the process of making songs, the more I noticed I was using my second in favor drum machine (the absolute number one is the Drumulator), being the infamous TR808. And so I started to twist and turn things, where I adored the usage of a 3 part name in which that 808 had to be included. I also wanted to put focus on the light weight ‘poppy’ feel next to that omnipresence of the TR808, and thus I started to toy with that 808 and pop element. But the 3rd part in the name was still missing and so I added a “.”, which rapidly turned into the word “dot” and “808 DOT POP” was born.
SL. What’s next?
PS. I am already working on a second 808 concept album which I hope Alfa Matrix, who are extremely supportive, is willing to release as well. A very first playful single (even more poppy than “Blackbodies” is) is already in the scaffolding as well as two other completed tracks, so it is progressing slowly. But before that, this upcoming album “The Colour Temperature” will first get a makeover. I am working with another artist on a remodeled version, not just a regular remix album, but creating the songs anew in a different electronic style. And some of these versions already gave me serious goosebumps. And let there be no doubt, both me and Passenger A are currently working on a new Metroland album.
Available formats:
808 DOT POP – The Colour Temperature CD
808 DOT POP – The Colour Temperature (Bandcamp download)
Previous singles
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