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OUTERNATIONALE is Scottish musician Derek Miller and while ‘ON’ is his debut EP release, he has already worked with several key names from the post punk era.
Miller boldly recorded a cover version of JOY DIVISION’s ‘Atmosphere’ featuring the vocals of Paul Haig which met with the approval of Peter Hook himself and was released on Haçienda Records in 2011. Meanwhile, he mixed and co-produced ‘Dark Light’, the most recent album by cult Factory band SECTION 25. The ‘ON’ EP boasts four tracks, three of which feature the dreamy voice of Jenny Electrik from electro rock duo DYNASTY ELECTRIK. The pairing of her with Miller really comes into its own with the magnificent ‘The Moments Before’. With hints of MADONNA during her William Orbit phase, the driving syncopated rhythms act as the backbone to a combination of seductive vocals and hypnotic electronics. ‘World’s End’ is less frantic and gives Electrik plenty of space for self-expression amongst Miller’s synths, while the complex rhythm construction of ‘Careless’ provides structure without being overbearing with a suitably breathy performance. To close ‘ON’, Miller is left to run free on his own with the excellent instrumental ‘Path’; reminiscent of GARY NUMAN, it is however attached to much more rigid electro rhythmic pattern than perhaps the former Gary Webb would usually indulge in. In all, ‘ON’ is an impressive debut offering from OUTERNATIONALE that acts as a fine shop window for Derek Miller’s talents as a producer and collaborator. - THE ELECTRICITY CLUB Scottish electro-house producer and remixer Derek Miller returns from covering Joy Division's Atmosphere with Paul Haig, producing Section 25's most recent long-player and remixing Pet Shop Boys, Minnypops and Stereograph to bring us an EP of self-penned originals.
Adopting a similar musical approach to the likes of Marnie / Ladytron, Marsheaux, White Sea and other strong-minded female-fronted epic pop, ON is a wide-screen representation of all the good things Miller knocks out, both for the ears and the feet. The first three tracks feature the vocals of Jenny Electrik from NYC's Dynasty Electrik whose sweet and powerful harmonies grace the swooping post-EDM backdrop of opener Careless before getting all breathy on the hands-to-the-lasers electro-break of The Moments Before. You might recognise World's End from the aforementioned Section 25 - it fronted their rather fine Dark Light album from a few years ago and doesn't sound hugely different here, still big broad-shouldered melancholic synth-pop but beefed up a tad. No EP is complete without a brisk brusque instrumental to round things off and Path is princely enough and not too distant from what Gary Numan is knocking out - that's a good thing, by the way. Well worth investigating. 8/10 - FLIPSIDE REVIEWS |
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