ECHO IMAGE NEED TO BE PROUD MAXI SINGLE A DIFFERENT DRUM RELEASE: OCTOBER, 2000 REVIEW: OCTOBER 30, 2000

If you were to look up the word synthpop in an encyclopaedia, Echo Image could be a likely reference candidate. They would make for an excellent representative of the genre.
Pål Magnus Rybom, Trine Bilet and Fredrik Hansen are Norway's best synthpoppers by a mile. Therefore, I'm delighted to say that I'm one of the fortunate owners of their early demos and have been able to follow the band's progress closely. When they finally signed a contract with A Different Drum not too long ago, it was about damn time and the choice of "Need to Be Proud" is a very wise decision.
Starting out as a calm, beautiful piece, it transforms into the raging synthpop dance number that it's supposed to be, after a minute or so. Everything fits. The emotional, whispering vocals accompanied by swirling synth sounds and a distinct, fat drum beat will make you dance whether you feel like it or not.
The inclusion of the demo version is also a smart move, because it's as good, if not better, than the new, Apoptygma Berzerk co-produced, take. Iris and Count 2 Infinity both do acceptable remixes of "Need to Be Proud", but it's the originals and the impressive extra track "Good Intentions" that make this a must-buy for any synthpop fan.

NIKLAS FORSBERG