In the busy, encumbered universe of electroclash compilations, This Is Electroclash distinguishes itself from its competitors with its original approach of paralleling the pioneers of the genre with the new wave. Two CDs, plus another Non-stop Mix CD under the aegis of DJ Skooby, offer a varied panorama, if not exhaustive, of 20 years of synthetic pop and consequently a not very flattering report underlining the lack of creativity of certain newcomers.
The first disc gives a rather representative survey of the new electroclash scene while the second stresses the influential electronic groups of the Eighties. For the 21st century, the unavoidable Ladytron and Felix Da Housecat rub shoulders with a majority of lesser known artists, which is the strength of this opus whereas others keep on endlessly repeating Ladytron, Miss Kittin, Felix Da Housecat and Goldenboy in more or less different order. Rather than "Electro for Dummies", This Is Electroclash officiates like a box set complementing your collection of records of the above mentioned artists and puts those old hits on vinyl back at your disposal.
Admittedly 2002 Electro is more convincing when groups have a strong personality (Ladytron, Felix Da Housecat here but also Miss Kittin and Peaches) or when they update the original sounds with enough inspiration. Included in the latter category are New York's Ping Pong Bitches (the riot girls of electro), Germany's Northern Lite with the excellent "Treat Me Better", Joy Electric and the hybrid techno of "We Are Rock" (remixed by The Faint and reminiscent of Mirwais), Freezepop and its icy house as well as A1 People. Objects of curiosity, LTNO (including a former member of the cult French goth/alternative Les Tétines Noires) take on Sabrina's "Boys" with a touch of electro-glam while Bis shows us what Softcell/Erasure/Pet Shop Boys would have sounded like had they been born in 2002.
Others are content to merely copycat, and if their songs can nevertheless grab you and lead you to the dance floor, they hardly survive the comparison; when listening to the melodic "You're My Disco" by Waldorf, "Fade To Gray" by Visage immediately comes to mind. In the same vein, "Asymetric" by the disco Italians, Dirty Sanchez, irremediably gets under your skin despite its lack of originality while Effcee's "Star" charms but echoes the influence of Ladytron. As for Kraftwelt, they are reminiscent of … Kraftwerk.
As for the elders on the compilation the selection is judicious even though certain bands are missing, like Depeche Mode and New Order (probably more costly in terms of rights). It's great to hear Visage, Gary Newman, Information Society, Soft Cell, Berlin, Heaven 17 and Fad Gadget (apparently Moby's "We Are Made Out Of Stars" is not only made up of stars). Not forgetten, Sigue Sigue Sputnik can still deliver their electronic riffs.
On the third CD, DJ Skooby mixes certain pieces from the first two discs, offering a danceable, fun and perfectly representative epilogue of this dynamic compilation concocted by Hypnotic Records.
This Is Electroclash This Is Electroclash
