NEUROPA BORN ALBUM A DIFFERENT DRUM RELEASE: FEBRUARY, 2004 REVIEW: MARCH 29, 2004

What are the trademarks of Australian music? Is there an essential soul and feel to the Aussie way of making pop and rock? I know about Midnight Oil, Savage Garden and a few others, but is there an electronic scene to talk about? I don't think there is, sadly (and please remind me if I am wrong). A small portion of underground synth based bands like Resurrection Eve and Angel Theory do exist and some, like Static Icon, have recorded some pretty interesting music in the past.
Luckily, Jason Last and Albert Martinez of Neuropa carry the withering flag of synthpop through the burning deserts down under. More than ten years in the scene have taught them the skill to draw and craft critique resistant electronic pop through breezy layers of powerful vocals and playful melodies.
Now, the big drawback of "Born", their new studio effort, is its recurring battle with renewal. At the same time, it is its greatest advantage, as the results of their will to update their classically trained synthpop bit often end up in bland radio pop. Tracks like "Belief" are right up there with the best work of Erasure, while "The Only One", and its usage of acoustic drums and guitars, quickly fall into a pit of oblivion. Not because it is bad generally, but because it is bad by Neuropa measures. And so the album continues, a gem followed by a dud followed by an intriguing instrumental, again followed by a mild bore.
At its best, however, "Born" still shows the vitality and utter song strength of Neuropa.

NIKLAS FORSBERG