Anna Domino

title:: Anna Domino
label:: LTM

The re-issue of Anna Domino’s first full length should be welcomed with open arms. This is a disc of classic mid-eighties East meets West pop.

Anna is an American who was born in Tokyo and traveled in Europe a bit before spending her teenage years in Ottawa, Canada. This Album was her only release on Factory Records. The bulk of her other releases were put out by the Belgian label, Les Disques du Crepuscule.

Kiko

title:: Midnight Magic
label:: GoodLife Records /Pias

Kiko's debut album Midnight Magic was originally released in France through Goodlife Recordings but became more available thanks to a re-release through PIAS. Kiko originally started out dj-ing parties and raves, then opened up the Ozone store (and label) in his hometown of Grenoble until he finally decided to release a full-length.

I think because Kiko started out as a dj he knows full well what will keep people dancing and shaking, and Midnight Magic has a lot of addicictive rhythms. It's like a collection of dance floor 12 inch singles, and while I think the album could have had more depth and more memorable tunes, what it lacks in depth it makes up for in intensity.

Lucien-n-Luciano

title:: Alain Brito
label:: Peacefrog

Lucien-N-Luciano (aka Lucien Nicolet or Luciano) follows up the Live @ Weetamix cd on Max Ernst with a more digitized take on his dubby elastic sound on Alain Brito.

Alain Brito is the first single from Lucien-N-Luciano's forthcoming album called Blind Behaviour on Peacefrog, and he's definitely upped the power from a few years ago, creating a masterwork in sound by using a soulfulness which he attaches to the dubby elastic rhythms he's so well known for. The end result is a piece of music which will keep you guessing even though it's parts are all tried and true elements.

Messer Chups

title:: Crazy Love
label:: Solzne Records

'Crazy Price' is St. Petersburg's Messer Chups' 7th full length record! Their 'Miss Libido 2000' CD single handedly made me love Russian music.

Though I have favorite tracks on the record, I enjoy listening to all of it. I especially like the movie samples. There is a 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' trash rock feel with UFO sounds, madman's laughs, monster growls, girls screams, and theremin sounds.

Princess Him

title:: More Equal Than Others
label:: Klein Records

Princess Him is a Viennese electronic italo-disco styled duo composed of Andreas Pils on vocals (under the name Lizer M. Pils), and Czech native Barca Baxant on synths and beats.

The music sounds like The Hacker, and the vocals sound like Chrissie Hynde in The Pretenders.