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