Edito de AvalancheSome may call it a trend, some may call it nostalgia, and some may call it a musical renaissance, but the recent wave of new wave and synth pop revivalists seems to be going strong. Joining the ranks is I, Synthesist, the brainchild of New York composer/producer Chris Ianuzzi. The man has been brewing his special blend of electronic-generated bliss for sometime, having contributed his skills to the likes of HBO, The History Channel, and collaborating with Vangelis and Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream. With such an impressive resume, expectations for a debut solo release may run high; suffice to say, Ianuzzi knows electronic music well and rises to the challenge wonderfully. I, Synthesist is pure new wave synth pop the likes of which have not been seen or heard since Kraftwerk or Gary Numan. Running the gamut from creating pure mood and atmosphere to beautifully infectious dance sequences, the music on Avalanche is sure to get listeners moving their feet and aspiring musicians running for their keyboards. Kicking things off is the song "Red Clouds," exemplifying what the disk has to offer. Ianuzzi's vocals are, for the most part, raw and unfiltered (with exception of the vocoder effects on "Paralyzed"); he comes across sounding like an American Stephan Groth. The lyrics are very futurist, recalling the attitudes of the `80's new wavers who looked forward to a shining new technological age in the 21st century. The electronics blend pulsating bass lines and dance beats with the familiar but oh so tried and true pop melodies; enough to give the futurepop EBM heavyweights a run for their money. Another standout is "Images," sounding like a mutant hybrid of older Depeche Mode mixed with Covenant. The music is of special note here, revolving around some unorthodox chord progressions, which belie the simplicity of the synth pop genre. "Captain, My Captain" sounds like the best song Gary Numan never wrote, with a synth melody that sounds eerily like those used on "Cars." Songs like "Aerial Dreams" and "Hiding" begin with a slow buildup of dreamlike soundscapes and sequences that gradually lead into more fodder for the dance floor. I, Synthesist's Avalanche is an album the new wave crowd can be proud of. It manages to recall the sound of old while still having the ability to compete with the modern sound. It both complements and challenges today's futurepop and EBM scene with music and lyrics that may sound like old-hat, but are really just as relevant today as it was then. With Avalanche, Chris Ianuzzi makes a statement that I, Synthesist is here to revel in a new future. Listen and enjoy. Lire la suite