12in released: Nov 15, 2011
''Of the billion-odd synth-pop groups coming out of the US right now, Soft Metals are undoubtedly among the most accomplished. The Portland duo of Patricia Hall and Ian Hicks will release their self-titled debut album on July 19 via Brooklyna€™s Captured Tracks, home to Blank Dogs, Wild Nothing, Led Er Est et al. Formed in 2009, they claim to be variously influenced by ''early industrial music, minimal synth, 1980s Chicago house, synth pop, and italo disco'', and ita€™s fair to say that traces of all these underground sounds can be detected in their svelte synth-pop productions. But what makes them stand out from the myriad other biters of these sounds is their punchy, purposeful songwriting, their flab-free arrangements and the crystalline vocals of Hall, which come over like a heavily reverbed, robotized descendent of Young Marble Giantsa€™ Alison Statton. This is proper electronic pop music, coolly (retro)futuristic but sweepingly romantic, and highly recommended to fans of John Foxx, early Human League and modern day standard-bearers like Xeno & Oaklander and John Maus.'' -FACT Magazine Originally Released: 19 Jul 2011 Tracklisting: A1 Psychic Driving A2 Always A3 Voices A4 Celestial Call A5 The Cold World Melts B1 Hold My Breath B2 Eyes Closed B3 Pain B4 Do You Remember B5 In Throes |
