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Band: Radio DCS
Album title: I Try My Best To Mainstream
Release date: 26 October 2012
Label: Danse Macabre/AF-music
Tracklisting:
01. Start Here -> (Intro)
02. Voodoo Doll
03. Go To Hell
04. Surrender
05. The Reason
06. Little Stitch
07. Underground
08. Bizarre Visions
09. Natasha
10. Hard To Wait
11. Urgent
The guys from German label af-music are super active in releasing interesting records right now and Vienna (Austria) based Radio DCS is not an exception. This duo with quite paradoxical approach to dark sounds is composed by experienced members who are involved in musical scene from early 90's when they formed their first band, but haven't got any bigger recognition and years passed by. Meanwhile the two were engaged in different bands as members or just as guest musicians. Then in 2010 Radio DCS were born and here we have their first full-lenght album.
Somehow ironic album title I Try My Best To Mainstream shows that everything is not that serious, especially from lyrical point. I somehow enjoyed their approach to compose, but at the same time I must say that I'm not so sure if they got their own identity, because there are a lot of variations and influences in their music. One thing is evident, everything Radio DCS did is professional, from songs that have the complex electro based sound aiming towards what Depeche Mode, Joy Division or even Ultravox were doing in 80's, for example danceable "Voodoo Doll" and "Hard To Wait", to Pink Floyd meets Billy Idol in "Little Stich" or dangerously smelling like Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds "Underground". There is always present special kind of melancholy and irony that they implement in each song. I was really impressed with highly emotional and atmospheric romantic ballad "The Reason" and post punkish dark wave song "Natasha", where floydian atmospheres in chorus must lift you up. Also gloomy and full of irony gothic rock/dark wave in "Go To Hell" is amazing. Many rhythms are pointing towards 80's pop music, still wrapped with a pretty dose of great, rather mellow rocking guitars, bass lines and marvelous synths played by Sabina Sagaj (Elektrosabs). There are some songs that, at least for me, work like fillers and could also be missing, like rather annoying "Bizarre Visions" or "Surrender". The last song shows that Richard Pustina and Gert Bruenner were growing up in 80's. Yes, you wouldn't guess, but at the end we can hear an amazing cover from hard rock group Foreigner, the 80's hit song "Urgent", redone in electro popy wave suit. Vocals are great and are walking a thin line between variations of being too calm or elegant and extraordinary catchy, but anyway give a right final touch to each track. I must mention well done production and final mix.
This album offers a lot of variations, it could appeal to fans of danceable rhythms, as to those who like gothic rock in the vein of The Sisters Of Mercy or The Cure, to romantic souls and to everyone who is open minded enough for this kind of musical mixture deeply rooted in 80's, but at the same time inovative and fresh enough that is paradoxicaly modern. Overall impression is very positive, I only hope that they'll find the right way to sound more consistent, unique and original without loosing what's good on I Try My Best To Mainstream.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 7,5/10
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