After years of whispers and rumors and questions about whether or not this would ever come to even exist -- Blaqk Audio's debut is in stores today. And it's really something special.
Now, if you're an AFI fan, there's a good chance that you're familiar with a lot of the bands that influenced this album, like Depeche Mode, New Order, and other 80s new wave. But you may not be as familiar with the EBM/synthpop scene and bands like VNV Nation, Neuroticfish, Mark Nicholas, Covenant, and other bands along those lines. Sexy, throbbing beats that make you dance, but with a darker, goth edge.
Blaqk Audio really is the perfect merging of AFI and electronica. Davey's voice and lyrics are unmistakable, and Jade's programming is so well done, it's hard to find a flaw in this album. It might be a bit shocking for someone who is just used to rock/hardcore, but with every listen, this album almost "blossoms" -- as ridiculous as that almost sounds.
The stand-out track is "Semiotic Love," this upbeat, sexy song that makes me want to don stompy boots and swirl around a dance floor. This is definitely the club hit of the bunch, though so many of the songs have the potential to break out from the pack. The first official single, "Stiff Kittens," is also gorgeous, the lyrics to "Bitter For Sweet" tug your heart, "The Love Letter" probably has the most "mainstream" potential, though it's hard to gauge, as there isn't that much of a mainstream market for EBM/synthpop right now.
That said, I think AFI's influence and the unique sound of this album -- especially for people who have never heard a lot of EBM dance music -- will help bring some of the artists who have been doing this sort of thing for years to prominence. And I think that was part of why they did this album -- "two boys in love with synthesizers." They wanted to draw attention to an almost entirely underground music -- one that is about due to have some day in the sun. Though not too much sun; it's pretty goth.
Does this album feel sort of 80s? Vaguely. My esteemed boyfriend, upon listening to some of it, said, "Do you think this guy cries when he watches Pretty in Pink?" I looked at him, confused. He went on, "anyone this in love with the 80s would have to cry at a movie like that." But I tend to disagree. For the most part, there's a new and clean and futuristic sound to this album. And it's so sexually charged. It's something different, for sure, but there's nothing wrong with that.
Top 10 for the year? Quite possibly.
I throw up two fists of metal fingers for this album, despite it being electronica. I don't think they'll mind.
