After a convincing but timid solo beginning, Dot Allison affirms her talent as a composer with We Are Science, an ambitious and varied album where the singer proudly displays her electro and new wave influences.
On Afterglow, the ex-singer of One Dove tried to get out from under the group's shadow that brought her success through a collection of minimalist electro-folk ballads that moved away from the very synthetic production of their cult album Morning White Dove. We Are Science sounds like a return to the source, a homage to the heroes of her adolescence who belong to her musical heritage along with One Dove. If this album resolutely turned to the Eighties comes during a full electronic revival, it goes a step further than fellow members like Miss Kittin or Ladytron, since the voluntarily basic approach of this album echoes the first hours of New Order still under the influence of Joy Division.
The intro on We Are Science leaves no doubt. Dot Allison proclaims high and mighty that she was the head of the bow of One Dove in this vibrant and hypnotic eponymous piece. "Substance" encroaches on the territory of Miss Kittin and the Hacker with assurance. Electro is radicalized with "Make it Happen" where Allison's detached voice blends well with old drum machine sounds and the very Peter Hook bass line. Continuing on, "Strung Out" and "Hex" pave the way with only one saturated bass and a catchy refrain. "I Think I Love You" is the perfect monotone electronic anthem that gets into your head like Depeche Mode's "Photographic" and "I Just Can"t Get Enough".
Psychedelic and heady "You Can Be Replaced" takes after Afterglow and in particular the song "Message Personnel". The acoustic guitar, the reverb and the nonchalant voice of "Wishing Stone" evoke Hope Sandoval and Mazzy Star. "Performance", an instrumental with a somewhat overly arty title, ventures into an ambient landscape. The electro-folk ballad "Lover" completes the album with a touch of psychedelica that certainly points towards Screamadelica by Primal Scream.
While devoting herself to a music that she respects and is fond of, Allison succeeds in transmitting her pleasure to a listener more than ready to surf this enchanting musical universe.
Dot Allison We Are Science
