There seems to be a whole underground of synth-pop music that has suddenly arisen and Synthpnony Records is one of the premier US labels specializing is this genre.  Sweden’s Another Mission is one of their first releases and on their debut, Struggling to Rise, they show that they really needn’t struggle to hard in order to advance in this scene.  When reviewing music in this genre, it usually takes repeated listens of a CD for me to really begin to appreciate what the artists are doing, but with Another Mission that was simply not the case.  Upon my initial listen I was immediately drawn into their 80-ish sound; something which I feared was lost after bands like Erasure began their ascent to stardom.  Another Mission captures all of the emotion and beauty of this lost sound.  From the opening track, Listen to My Song, to the closing piece, Bubbles, Another Mission delight in entrancing the listener with their catchy sequences, subtle beats, whimsical vocals, and danceable rhythms.  Highlights include Candy, with it’s squeaky synth sounds and fast paced percussion lines, Display, with it’s laid back, atmospheric sequences and airy vocals, and Artificial Man, with it’s quickly delivered lyrics and upbeat sequences.  Not designed for electro heads, Struggling to Rise is a light audio journey back in time.  This one is sure to bring back some deep rooted memories of days that we thought were long gone.
   
SYNTHPHONY RECORDS
P.O. Box 1285
Bronx, NY 10451-1285
USA
e-mail: Synthphony@aol.com
SYNTHPHONY RECORDS homepage:
http://www.synthphonyrecords.com
 
Another Mission is:
Johan Westmar / Sebastian Hakansson
Contact Another Mission @
Rosendahlsv. 40
S-374 91 Asarum
Sweden
Tel: +46 454 21963
e-mail: another_mission@hotmail.com
Another Mission homepage:
http://www.torget.se/users/a/another/index.htm