VELJANOV THE SWEET LIFE ALBUM MOTOR RELEASE: APRIL, 2001 REVIEW: APRIL 18, 2001

I bought Deine Lakaien's "Dark Star" relatively soon after it was released in 1991, due to countless recommendations and praising reviews. I remember being overwhelmed by a sound I didn't even know existed. Stale cold electronics, warm strings and a surprisingly functional harmony/disorder feeling. And, of course, the very personal vocals of Alexander Veljanov.
Looking at Deine Lakaien's discography today, I find a somewhat concerning pattern. I am genuinely fond of their first three albums, but only partly impressed by their more recent releases. Can Veljanov bring it home on his own?
"The Sweet Life" is the second solo effort by Veljanov and having heard only parts of the first one, I can still find similarities between them. A sound more commercial and scattered than that of Deine Lakaien. The single "Fly Away" and a few others are catchy rock/goth/synth songs, built traditionally like pop songs. Other tracks, like "Seraphim" and the title track are more introvert and closer to Deine Lakaien. I kind of like both, actually, with the emphasis on "kind of", because this is not revolutionary in any way. The most remarkable thing about "The Sweet Life" is Veljanov's vocals. The music is good, sometimes verging on very good, but never intriguing enough to convincingly win me over.

NIKLAS FORSBERG