- "Kickschool", the lead track on this release from Thomas Schumacher, opens with a tight kick-drum and a mysterious resonating synth that sounds like its submerged underwater before faltering effects try to break up this stream of sound. A swarthy bass enters, sounding initially like it's being played live by an illusory guitarist. Things get grittier as the synths wrap around the bassline. Both nearly merge into this surging force as it essentially becomes the crux of the track. Staccato drums inserted at specific times, help to intensify the tone of the piece and this is the layout throughout apart from a minor lull to allow some respite.The arrangement of the track is in the genus of something like Daft Punk and it does indeed draw analogies to earlier synth-bands for its live feel.This energetic hybrid of electronic-rock should guarantee some dancefloor action!
The second track, "Brut Royal" is a much more subdued affair; its nominal rhythm moving along with crunchy beats and a slippy hi-end but watch out! The whole thing stops dead almost 3 minutes in. Then, out of the silence, comes a warping, bending synth - think echoes of Dave Clarke's "Red 3(The Storm)" or even Garnier's "Astral Dreams' - which somehow still sounds fresh as hell! This wobbling, morphing, metallic sheet of bassy synth escalates into a buzzing, giant-wasp that could probably sting you to death! Mr.Schumacher has certainly moved on quite a bit from his "When I Rock" days and his material on the Bush label and this release illustrates that he's still keeping abreast of the current advancements in sound around Europe albeit without conforming to conventionality. In particular, this track is one that even the dark-lord, Darth Vader himself, would have been proud of!