PULPA FIGHTMUSIC ALBUM LEFTY RELEASE: MARCH 19, 2008 REVIEW: MAY 4, 2008

Myspace eh? It's a sign of the times we live in when validation for bands existence come from social networking websites. The Arctic Monkeys are probably the best known example of Myspace superstars to commercial phenomenon, followed by my hometown London's own Lily Allen. Pulpa also have connection with this modern-day trial by public, the album “Fightmusic” coming on the back of an original 50 000 hits to their Myspace page.

What pulled the people in to this Swedish duo then? Well, according to the cryptically monikered “M” and “P” this is “indie-disco” – a new moniker it isn't, but maybe a new style, as there is something decidedly punk in the production of this album, a little bit DIY perhaps as the sounds seem to have a raw unpolished feel to them. There are electronic sounds; drum machines, synths and bass, all of which seem to be a little on the “cheap” side. They are also slightly the wrong side of fashionable, the rhythms are simple, the singing not great by any means; overall there is little to be positive about, I'm afraid.

“Kings Fall Down” is a particularly poor track for me, using sounds that have been thoroughly played to death, and topped off with a sampler keyboard part that hasn't been heard of since the dark days of the late 80:s. It was difficult to find too many plus point tracks I'm afraid, there was just a decided lack of anything that stood out, certainly nothing that instantly hit you between the ears. “Fightmusic”, the title track is quite possibly the highlight track, thanks to the cheap synth sounds being knitted together to form some kind of funk-lite electro number – nice enough, even despite the line “this is fight music- you should fight to it”.

A shame to say then, but this is a thoroughly uninspiring album that left me cold. The only emotion I felt was a slight irritation. My matched the ending to the track “My Echo”, I wanted nothing more than to physically pull the plug on the power to switch this album off. Myspace has a lot to answer for.

MIKE WHYTE