Genre: Synthpop/Futurepop
These two genres of music are seriously in the need of an introduction. Synthpop (or in longer terms: synthesizer popular music) is a a style of electronic music, which incorporates the song structures of popular music with electronic equipment such as drum machines and well, synthesizers.. Unlike quite a few electronica artists, the makers synthpop usually have quite crafty and meaningful lyrics, although the vocals aren't usually that good in general. Synthpop has been around for easily over 20 years, but its popularity has never been too recognizable.The other genre of Seabound's music, futurepop, combines synthpop and uplifting trance with elements of electronic body music (EBM). Futurepop in general is a recent type of electronic dance music and it accompanies synthpop by being quite unknown as well.
As for Seabound itself, it's not too famous in the genre (overshadowed by bigger names such as VNV Nation), but the German duo of Frank Spinath and Martin Vorbroot has created an intriguing style of combining psychology with electronic music. Their lyrics are in English and the concept of most of their lyrics is how the human mind works and what psychological features we as people have. I tend to crave for lyrical complexity in the music I listen to (barring trance of any kind) and Seabound manages to feed my hunger for complicated lines of words.
Double-Crosser is the fourth album from the Germans and statistically it's their greatest achievement so far. Even though the music on this album isn't so different from their earlier production, they have managed to get in something new; a feeling within the electronic music that makes you want to close your eyes and calm down. Futurepop does have a danceable beat to it, but one is generally better off with just basic trance or something remotely close. The album features ten songs of which most feature quite interesting factors.
1. Scorch The Ground - 4:16
Starting off the album with a basic chillout beat is quite a welcome thing, even though the song proceeds with a harder beat just after a few verses. The catchy chorus begins faster than you would expect and it really gets you into the song before even half of the song has gone by. Echoes are being used in the vocals, which gives the track a nice repetitive feeling; and halts in the music in the right moments give an awaiting feeling. In my opinion, they could've gotten a better track as the opener, but I am satisfied with this as it gets a grasp on the listener.
8/10
2. The Promise - 5:46
The Promise features a heavier bass and the beat is more direct than in the first song while the vocals are left in the background in the beginning parts of the song. Most of the vocals are made in a machine-like manner, so the track really has an electronic feel to it, but unfortunately this doesn't make up for the lack of creative lyrics. Although the song is quite long there are no empty, instumental parts, so there's a flow of words and music, which guides the listener through the near six minutes.
6.5/10
3. DoublePlusUngood - 4:01
To this day
I do not understand who we were
Just what made our encounters so sincere
An isle in time
Our love a shelter
Clearly a slower song, which consists of more creative lyrics than the previous songs while maintaining a good feeling. The vocals are partly said as whispers and partly sung out. This track is not a beautiful track even though it is slow. The whispering is a little freaky and the music compliments this even more, which is not good for sort of a love song. Quite a few of their songs deal with love, but this song only reminds me of the lack of love and breaking up. Still, it is worthy of a listen.
7/10
4- Sapphire - 4:05
After a silent and lengthy intro calm vocals begin and start slowly powering up with the general beat.
Tinted clouds, a sheen of velvet
Echoes separate truth from lies
I absolutely love the lyrics of this song and one can see that they are the main focus as the tempo is slow and sounds are quite nonexistant. If there were to be a chorus and the beat would have some catchier parts, this would be an outstanding song. Now it's just stuck in being a moderate, but lyrical love song.
Pray for your life
8.5/10
5. Domination - 4:55
A faster-paced song with an actual beat and the whispering vocals create a fog around the song. The fog breaks when the vocals clear up and shouting the word 'fire' and 'domination' puts some power into the track. Nothing spectacular here, but the feeling this song creates with synthsounds is quite cool and it's the first danceable song on the album. After all, electronic music should be either danceable, trippy or chillout, right?
8/10
6. Every Last Grain - 2:06
Shortest track on the whole album, but probably one of the most atmospheric songs. Fully instrumental with the first minute as rising towards to climax of the song and the second minute descending from it. Simple, yet effective.
7.5/10
7. Castaway - 5:52
The one track on this album, the reason why I made this album review.
Pain unlike pleasure
wears no mask
The lyrics in general blend well with the sort of mystical singing and the first 2 to 3 minutes are just a small part of this masterpiece. The chorus is probably the one thing that creates the peaceful atmosphere in this track and you feel like you could just close your eyes and imagine yourself as a castaway on an island with waves splashing against the shore. Naturally the lyrics are not about being an actual, physical castaway, but a castaway in a relationship. The song tells about how you could do anything for your love. At least that's how I interpret it.
You're the wolrd I want to live in
Can I exist in you?
This track ranks quite high in my favorite electronic tracks and it is up there with Divine Moments Of Truth by Shpongle and Dayvan Cowboy by Boards Of Canada just because of the atmosphere it manages to create.
10/10
...screw me for giving out ten points, but God, I love this song.
8. October Song - 3:51
The title of this song would give one an impression of a slower love song, but this track is actually quite fast-paced and has pretty nice sound usage. The melody flows well with the actual singing and this is one of the catchiest songs on the album, in my opinion at least.
8.5/10
9. Traitor - 6:37
For a long track, this one has a fast tempo right from the beginning. The wordplay and thumping bass make this song stand out on the album. Almost seven minutes of the synthesizer and drum machine sort of gets repetitive and the vocals are not too frequent, which makes the song have the same elements as goa or psychedelic trance. Nonetheless, I am quite fond of this track, but I would not recommend it as the first track someone would listen from Seabound.
8/10
10. Breathe - 8:13
Well, just when you would think that you had got enough of lengthy songs, the German duo drops an 8 minute bomb of silence and calmness upon you. If your interest still has a grip on this album, this is the song through which you might loose your hold. The track is simply too long for a last track and I feel like it does not even close the album like a good ending track should, even though the ending of this song is quite a powerful one.
7/10
Overall Score: 7.9