«NamNamBulu

Category : Synthpop

Album : Distances

The cover's clean lines might give you some idea of the music to be found herein and this debut from Swiss band NamNamBulu very definitely puts the 'pop' into futurepop, verging on synthpop in places. When bands choose to work in these areas, VNV Nation and Apoptygma Berzerk comparisons are pretty much par for the course. Although there are reference points to both bands here, such as the chorus of 'Beaten' or the APB-like sequences that open the dance floor-friendly 'Pause' (which also boasts some fine vocoded vocals!), NamNamBulu by and large manage to avoid any outright similarities. Moreover, rather than simply filling the album with dance floor killers, 'The Nams' (I thought this nickname up first!) have taken the time to write proper songs full of feeling that are perfectly suited to listening in a variety of environments, even when relaxing at home. It’s not wise to relegate it to the status of Muzak, as the drama-packed, emotional music in unison with the quality of Vali Vasis' vocals — perfectly capturing its every nuance — demands your attention throughout. The aforementioned 'Beaten' is one good example of this dramatic edge and the way that 'Guardian Angel' builds from its ambient origins into a full-on dance explosion is another. 'Answers' takes this to its logical conclusion with a totally excellent track that will have you reaching for the repeat button on your player in no time. The EBM touches of the slightly harder 'Hunting' and the heavier rhythms of 'Now Or Never' add a little grit to proceedings, although they hardly break the album's stride. This is something that the band rarely go in for, preferring instead to rely on each track's rich and lush feel to bring the message home and nowhere is this more evident than the closing ballad "Apart." Although the early piano-led section seems a little too Elton John / Billy Joel-ish for comfort, the rhythmic latter half soon makes this a memorable and dynamic track fit to make your heart soar (the sudden ending is a bit jarring, though!).
This is certainly not recommended to industrial/hardcore EBM fans but for those who enjoy the softer end of electronic pop this is one not to be missed.
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