Search - Anything Box :: Elektrodelica

A bitter disappointment

Bill Cooper | SE United States | 12/21/1999

(2 out of 5 stars)

"As a stark-raving-mad Anything Box fan who wore out his copies of "Hope" and especially the "lost album" "Worth," obviously I had huge expectations for this CD. But even if I hadn't been expecting much, it's pretty safe to say that I still would have found this album less than stellar.Fans of the bands previous albums expecting the light, danceable synth-pop of "Peace," the complex songcraft of "Worth" or the melodic techno/trance of "Hope" will find none of those sounds on "Elecktrodelika." Claude S. and company offer a harsher, darker sound here...but that isn't the problem. The CD seems to be filled with unfinished songs...there are a lot of promising ideas and rich textures here, but the quickie tunes end before they even seem to begin. The tracks here can hardly be considered "songs," actually, and only the Beatle-esque "Conscious" recalls the Anything Box of old. Dania Morales, who always provided exquisite backing vocals on the previous releases, left before the making of this album, and her presence is also sorely missed here.I admire Claude's determination and unwillingness to compromise the Anything Box "vision" (which prompted the band to leave Sony Music after the release of their debut album), but this album is not a step in the right direction. What Anything Box offered in the past...beautiful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, flawless harmonies, catchy SONGS...isn't anywhere to be found on "Elektrodelica." I must say that the album is an interesting experiment into new territory, but the material leaves much to be desired. So this is my personal plea to Claude S.....PLEASE go back to doing what you do best, and PLEASE finish writing a song before you record it! This CD does have one thing going for it...it made me appreciate the previous albums even more. I sincerely hope the next album gets better than this...AND BRING BACK DANIA!"

Anything Box with their worst album to date............

shervin nooshin | Helotes, TX United States | 04/04/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Since Diana left the band, Claude S. seems to be strugling to make great music like the old days. Claude S. experimented with new sounds that sounds terible. The addition of guitars and spacy pop noises just didn't do it for me (a long time fan). The music is not good at all like the old synth-pop sounds we all came to love from Anything Box. I also dont care much for the lyrics in this album (very cheezy). Their later release "universe is expanding" is much better than "Electrodelica" as they improved the new sound that the group was aiming for with this album but it is still nothing like the old days. This is the bands worst album to date and although I am a big fan, I do not recomend this album unless you are a die hard fan and just want to have all their stuff to keep in your collection and not ever listen to it like myself."

Maturity pays off.

thedaylightcomplex | Boston | 02/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As someone who found Anything Box's previous releases a bit bland, I was pleasantly surprised by Elektrodelica's depth of texture and pop songcraft. The vocals are excellent- tight harmonies sometimes giving way to a pleasant, rough-edged singing style which imbues the songs with warmth. The synth work is rich and layered. The songs never overstay their welcome (many tracks are only two minutes long) resulting in a CD which is best experienced in its entirety from start to finish rather than as individual songs. Standout tracks do exist, though, such as "Automatons," "Mine," "Small," and "Popsong."The only real negative on this disk is the track "Conscious" which is too reminiscent of Mott the Hoople's Bowie-penned hit "All the Young Dudes" for my tastes."