The Ultimate Dreamers – Live Happily While Waiting For Death (Album –Wool-E Discs)
Genre/Influences: Cold-Wave, Post-Punk.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Belgian formation The Ultimate Dreamers were active between 1986 and 1990. After having released their work on cassettes they finally disappeared from the music radar to resurrect during the pandemic. The band is back alive with a new line-up. Old songs have been reworked and got a new mastering. This album features eleven tracks although the CD format has ten bonus tracks.
Content: I never heard from this Belgian formation before. That’s maybe because they’re from the Southern part of the country, which was not as into underground music than the Northern part. The songs are getting us back to the true spirit of the 80s; dark music composed with synths, guitar, bass and drums. The vocals have a sterile quality and are hard to understand,; this way adding a ghost-like touch to the work.
+ + + : I’m not going to compare this band with another one, but I would be not surprised to see Trisomie 21 fans enjoying this work. The songs are into pure Cold-Wave, but there’s something more accessible like melody lines on top. I also noticed some organ sounds, but globally speaking I prefer the few songs with more explicit guitar playing like “A Long Time Ago”. The production of the vocals has something mysterious; not easily understandable and therefore somewhat foggy-like.
– – – : I think there were much better bands in the 80s and that’s probably why The Ultimate Dreamers never reached a higher status, but I have to admit their typical 80s sound has something magic today!
Conclusion: This is one more forgotten 80s band, which has been recovered from dust for the greatest joy of Post-Punk lovers.
Best songs: “A Long Time Ago”, “Laughing Furniture”, “Female Zone”.
Rate: 7.
Artist: www.the-ultimate-dreamers.com / www.facebook.com/theultimatedreamers
Label: www.wool-e-discs.be / www.facebook.com/woolediscs
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