Dark synthpop legends Psyche come together with fresh upstarts Luminance for this unusual collaborative vinyl release. The two bands both contribute to the song writing performance and production of the tracks and for two bands formed decades apart they compliment each other extremely well. The end result is a blend of classically infused synthpop and modern dance-orientated ebm that encapsulates the strongest elements of both sides.
The opening track 'Left Out' is an unashamed up-beat dance floor attack that merges Belgian ebm, with Pet Shop Boys atmosphere and a sleek electro gloss. While the second side, 'Passenger Seat' moves into much darker territory bringing through elements of Joy Division, New Order, Psyche's own back catalogue and a little electro-disco for a sinister and suspense-filled outing.
In terms of production the vinyl-optimised mix gives the songs a great deal of warmth and emphasises the classic elements of the influences at play. But this is sill a clean and fresh modern sounding execution that will still find favour with contemporary audiences.
This is a genuinely interesting collaboration that hints at great things, so it would be a shame if this was to simply be a one-off. Both sides bring some great expertise to the table and the final product reflects them well. Collaborative efforts that go beyond remixing are few and far between and to have one of this strength begs to be explored and developed further.
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