Tagline: "Baby baby, can't you see? / We're on a path to eternity"
Australian synthpop band Cut Copy may not have accumulated the fame they should have by now, but their previous two albums have earned them a considerable amount of critical acclaim. Not wrongly, by the way. On their third album Zonoscope they show that they haven't lost any of their form. The cover image alone - a cut out from a picture by Japanese photographer Tsunehisa Kimura - is a gem (not such a stretch bearing in mind founding member Dan Whitford's background as a graphic designer). And more importantly, behind that cover lie eleven excellent tracks that effortlessly redeem expectations. From the first note onwards it's clear that Cut Copy will be taking care of you for at least the following hour. 'Hush darling, don't you cry', 'Need You Now' takes off, 'Cause their never gonna reach you', supported by an uplifting beat. Song number two 'Take Me Over' is an unadulterated chunk of new-wave nostalgia, with it's extremely danceable eighties melody and starry-eyed vocals floating through it. It's all you need to expel the cold winter thoughts. 'Where I'm Going' reverts back to the sixties, with a sound reminiscent to MGMT on Oracular Spectacular or even Animal Collective with its air of careless joy: 'All you need is a dream and a lover'. You can't argue with that.
In fact, the first few tracks on Zonoscope have a sort of Animal Collective feel to them. The kind of songs that bloom to full size in a haze of positivity, oozing an overall feeling of optimism. 'Pharaohs & Pyramids', incidentally one of the best tracks on Zonoscope (if not the best) is an irresistible new-wave dance floor gem, complete with bells and a bass line in the end that recalls their 2008 hit song 'Hearts On Fire'. It's hard not to notice that Cut Copy is an Australian band. Their sound is so sunny, uplifting and relaxed that it could only come from a country that celebrates Christmas at the beach. On the exotic 'Blink And You'll Miss a Revolution' they even throw in some marimba's to build up to the summery refrain. Sure Cut Copy isn't reinventing the wheel with their synthpop sounds, but they do manage to integrate their musical influences (mostly from the eighties, but also the sixties on this album) into their own sound. 'Blink And You'll Miss a Revolution' is about the fickleness and above all transience of trends in fashion, but it could just as well translate to music. Cut Copy is a band that doesn't ride the wave of what's in - even though that would happen to be eighties electronics these days. They developed a sound that may not be that revolutionary, but is their own and easily holds position in the ever changing world of trends.
Australian synthpop band Cut Copy may not have accumulated the fame they should have by now, but their previous two albums have earned them a considerable amount of critical acclaim. Not wrongly, by the way. On their third album Zonoscope they show that they haven't lost any of their form. The cover image alone - a cut out from a picture by Japanese photographer Tsunehisa Kimura - is a gem (not such a stretch bearing in mind founding member Dan Whitford's background as a graphic designer). And more importantly, behind that cover lie eleven excellent tracks that effortlessly redeem expectations. From the first note onwards it's clear that Cut Copy will be taking care of you for at least the following hour. 'Hush darling, don't you cry', 'Need You Now' takes off, 'Cause their never gonna reach you', supported by an uplifting beat. Song number two 'Take Me Over' is an unadulterated chunk of new-wave nostalgia, with it's extremely danceable eighties melody and starry-eyed vocals floating through it. It's all you need to expel the cold winter thoughts. 'Where I'm Going' reverts back to the sixties, with a sound reminiscent to MGMT on Oracular Spectacular or even Animal Collective with its air of careless joy: 'All you need is a dream and a lover'. You can't argue with that.
In fact, the first few tracks on Zonoscope have a sort of Animal Collective feel to them. The kind of songs that bloom to full size in a haze of positivity, oozing an overall feeling of optimism. 'Pharaohs & Pyramids', incidentally one of the best tracks on Zonoscope (if not the best) is an irresistible new-wave dance floor gem, complete with bells and a bass line in the end that recalls their 2008 hit song 'Hearts On Fire'. It's hard not to notice that Cut Copy is an Australian band. Their sound is so sunny, uplifting and relaxed that it could only come from a country that celebrates Christmas at the beach. On the exotic 'Blink And You'll Miss a Revolution' they even throw in some marimba's to build up to the summery refrain. Sure Cut Copy isn't reinventing the wheel with their synthpop sounds, but they do manage to integrate their musical influences (mostly from the eighties, but also the sixties on this album) into their own sound. 'Blink And You'll Miss a Revolution' is about the fickleness and above all transience of trends in fashion, but it could just as well translate to music. Cut Copy is a band that doesn't ride the wave of what's in - even though that would happen to be eighties electronics these days. They developed a sound that may not be that revolutionary, but is their own and easily holds position in the ever changing world of trends.
'Strange Nostalgia For The Future', a psychedelic intermezzo, then forms the bridge to the second, more indie-rock inspired part of the album. Enter phase two of Zonoscope, where the drums and guitars step into the limelight, while the synths take comfort with a more supporting role, which sometimes even makes it seem as if you're listening to an entirely different (but equally great) band. That's called versatility. 'This Is All We've Got' introduces the first dominant drum line. About halfway the song turns more psychedelic MGMT style (think of the incredibly versatile 'Flash Delirium'). And on 'Alisa' the guitar takes the lead. For the finale however the synths takes over again, pushing everyone back to the dance floor for a last party. 'Sun God' is a whopping 15-minute-long track, built up in two parts. The first the actual song, a stylish synthy pop song, with the same bittersweet love theme that ressound elewhere on the album. Then follows a spacy eighties trip, a synth retrospective almost, bordering on brilliance. A fitting outro to a fantastic record. With their third one Cut Copy delivered nothing less than an exercise in excellence.
1. Need You Now
2. Take Me Over
3. Where I'm Going
4. Pharaohs & Pyramids
5. Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution
6. Strange Nostalgia For The Future
7. This Is All We've Got
8. Alisa
9. Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat
10. Corner Of The Sky
11. Sun God
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