MAGENTA - Periode
Songs: 10  Time:  46:36
Magenta is the side-project of Apoptygma Berzerk's live guitarist, Ander's Odden.  Having worked with other bands, such as Cadaver and Ebola, Odden teams with female vocalist Vilde for this melodic and atmospheric release.  The sound of Periode can not be classified as being within one genre or another, but rather as a crossover project that touches one many of the electronic fields.  The first single to be released from Periode is One Mind, a darkwave styled piece with soothing vocals, light guitar work, and subtle beats.  Vilde's vocals can range from smooth and luxurious to rough and twisted, leaving her vocal capabilities unmatched.  As with the majority of the vocals on the CD, these are clearly decipherable and leave no need for the inclusion of the lyrics within the booklet.  View is a moving piece with crisp and mild electronics, backing guitar work, and Vilde's amazing vocals.  A distinct comparison to Book of Love can be made with Flowers of Irony; a piece that is driven by the spoken vocals and light, majestic sequences.  I found this track to be the highlight of the CD.  Blue Psycho finds Odden taking over as the primary vocalist while the churning guitar riffs and electronics pulsate away in the background.  Aqua isn't the only band who uses Barbie as a point of reference for a song.  With American Dream, Vilde points out all the positive aspects of the Barbie doll that makes her seem so perfect.  The music on this track sounds more like retro alt. rock than anything else, allowing the non-threatening guitars and backing beats to carry it through.  Sorry is a great dance piece with a solid beat and clean guitar sounds.  Again, as with most of the pieces, Vilde's vocals are what tops the whole thing off.  The final track, Inside Your Head, is by far the fasted paced track on the CD.  On this track we also get to hear Vilde take a more aggressive approach to her vocal delivery with the aide of slight distortion.  Following this there is a few moments of silence before a hidden, nicely orchestrated instrumental finalizes the album.  As far as non-machine driven music goes, Magenta is the best I've heard in years.  Check out this CD if you can, or wait and see for yourself when they present One Mind on COP's up-coming Diva Ex Machine II compilation.
       
TATRA                                    Magenta is:
Box 96                                       Vilde / Anders
N-1450 Nesoddtangen           Contact Magenta @
Norway                                    Teisenvn. 37
Tel: 47 66 910150                    N-0666 Oslo
Fax: 47 66 914502                    Norway
                                                 e-mail: odden23@hotmail.com
                                                 Magenta homepage:
                                                 http://www.katode.org/magenta