Electronic pop to divide the nation
‘Serafin’ is the latest release from ‘So Silent The Night’, Spectrum 7’s debut “mini-album”. And there’s something terribly cute, if unprofessional, about a hastily scrawled-on blank CD that looks like a mix-tape your mate made.
It’s moments like that which put me in two minds about this band. On the one hand, they’ve produced an epic piece of electronic rock. It’s catchy and a perfect checklist for everything a song of this genre seems to require. On the other hand, those requirements seem to be weak and strained vocals, angst-ridden lyrics, a determination to throw in the kitchen sink, and the apparent abandonment of the original melody. Thus rendering the end product immediately interesting but woefully unmemorable.
The B-side, an acoustic version of ‘Break For Silence’ is far more interesting. Stripping back the noise really puts the focus on the melody and vocal harmonies. This is a huge step forward for the band, but it’s an occasional radio listen than a ‘must buy’ single.