It's been about two decades since synthpop was at the height of its popularity and groups such as Depeche Mode and New Order were leading the charge.Just don't tell that to The Slants.
The Portland, Ore.-based band brings back the old-school electronic sound in their debut album, Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts. Taking the traditionally synthesizer-heavy music, they infuse rock and punk elements with a bit of Asian flare to produce an aurally captivating 11-track compilation.
Playing off their Asian theme, the album opens with the dance track, "Sakura Sakura." It begins with koto plucks that play the traditional Japanese folk song. Drum beats enter and slowly speed up until rich synths and electric guitars take over. Lead singer Aron Moxley's belts out heavy lyrics about overcoming discrimination in the CD's most racially charged song: "We sing for the Japanese and the Chinese/ and all the dirty knees, can you see me?/ We sing in harmony."
In "Haruki Murakami," Jen Cho reads an excerpt from one of the Japanese author's pieces. The passage is laid over echoing bell strikes, bright synths and bassy hums. It segues into the next track, "Love Within My Sins," which featuring a melodic bassline and sweet harmonies by Cho and Moxley.
The best song on the album is the catchy "Kokoro (I Fall To Pieces)." It begins with a percussive medley of kicks as a simple bassline enters. Hollow, resonating hits make up the melody as Moxley's vocals enter. The song's wide variety of sounds creates a rich blend that fills aural spectrum.
While most new bands require a grace period before being able to produce a cohesive sound, The Slants – who formulated their lineup in early 2007 – sound like they've been playing together for years. Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts is a rich collection of head-nodding, feet-stomping dance tracks that will attract old and new synthpop fans alike.
Three and a half stars out of four. For more information, visit http://www.theslants.com.
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