| Musicfolio.com | Reviews & Recommendations |
| Colony 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
Line up: P-O Svensson (vocals) Johan Nilsson (synth, programming) Magnus Kalnins (lyrics) This Swedish synthpop act was formed in 1999 by P-O Svensson and Magnus Löfdahl. Their first appearances were in the form of contributions to compilation albums with songs like Liquid Love (2000), and Stay Young (2001). Their first single Colony 5 was followed by the debut album 'Lifeline' in 2002. Magnus Löfdahl left the band in 2001, and Johan Nilsson took over. Soon after in 2002, Magnus Kalnins joined the band and took over the duty of writing the lyrics. Singles Follow Your Heart (2002) and Black (2003) followed, and their second album 'Structures' was unleached in May 2003.
-- musicfolio.com, 8/03
2002:
Lifeline Tracklisting: 1 - Colony 5 2 - Trust You 3 - Suicidal 4 - The Bottle 5 - Liquid Love 6 - Be My Slave 7 - Crackhead 8 - Stay Young 9 - Freedom 10 - Before I'll Give In 11 - Heal Me 12 - Friends "... crisp, clean, upbeat and energetic offering frantic electronic programming, thumping bass beats, soothing melodies and clear untreated accented male vocals. The music isn’t quite EBM and not quite synth-pop, but a combination of the two. It contains elements of both genres and works extremely well. (...) The only complaint that I really have with this CD is that some of the lyrics aren’t as well written as I would have liked. (...) the lyrics really are the only thing holding down this band at this time. ".
-- Darklight, wrappedinwire.com
2003:
Stuctures Tracklisting: 1 - Hate 2 - Synchronized Hearts 3 - Black 4 - The Zone 5 - God 6 - Is She Scared? 7 - It Was Only a Dream 8 - Reinforcements 9 - She's a Planet 10 - Unaware 11 - Band of Brothers 12 - Future. Bonus: video of Black "Swedish electropoppers Colony 5 stirred up quite a buzz with their first official release 'Lifeline' last year. And, what it seemed, divided the electropop audience into two camps. Those, like me, who embraced the futurepoppish, chorus-driven atmosphere of their work and those who argued that their lyrics were terrible and dismissed the music as too much of a rip off. I can agree to some extent on the lyrics, although I like the occasional "back-to basics" feel they conveyed in, for instance, Stay Young. Most of these lingual flaws and grammatical errors have since been rectified by new member Magnus Kalnins, specifically called in to handle lyrical duties. Musically, 'Structures' is a natural development from 'Lifeline'. The key features are still catchy melodies and those hymn-like choruses they are so adept at creating. A step up lyrically and musically (in a technical sense) makes for interesting listening, but I find some of the songs tend to stagger in their very foundation. Black, the single, works very well, as does Hate and Band of Brothers, but a track like Synchronized Hearts seems, while energetic and packed with hooks, to lack in originality. Maybe they have used the same idea too many times? What Colony 5 are good at, though, possibly better than most of their colleagues, is a sense of melody and almost powerpop-like refrains. And that certainly gives them an edge."
-- Niklas Forsberg, Release Magazine, 5/03
¼
2005:
Fixed Tracklisting: 01. Fix 02. 20th Century Plague 03. Big Brothel 04. Fusion 05. A New World Arise 06. Plastic World 07. I Know 08. Like Leaves 09. Misery 10. A Fallen Star 11. Symphony Of Hope 12. Psycho Blonde 13. Phosphor Bonus Limited Edition CD: 1 – Fix (Soft Remix by Colony 5) 2 – Plastic World (Amplifier Remix by Amplifier) 3 – A New World Arise (E50 by Colony 5) 4 – Big Brothel (Necro Facility Remix by Necro Facility) 5 – Last Man on Earth 6 – Big Brothel (Plain Remix by Plain) "Colony 5 are beginning to establish themselves as a powerful new presence within the scene. This release marks the point where they should finally be recognized for their own sound and no longer be compared to Depeche Mode (a common thing with their past releases). There is a definite theme to this CD, that of the superficiality of the present day and the value of looks, fame and perfection over important news and matters in today’s society: 20th Century Plague, Big Brothel, Plastic World (the first single), Fallen Star and Phosphor – all speak of the superficiality of most people and media. Love – or the aftermath of it – is not forgotten by the band with the tracks Fix, Fusion, I Know, Misery, Symphony of Hope and Psycho Blonde (haven’t we all known one of those). The next single has yet to be announced, but my vote would go to A New World Arise, a wonderful song which is just begging for multiple remixes. This CD is easy to get lost in, the music flows very easily from one track to the next and the lyrics are more thought provoking than some of their past material. 'Fixed' may finally get the attention of US DJ’s looking for something new and fresh for their mix. The best part of the Bonus Limited Edition disc is by far, the harder, more industrial remix of A New World Arise. (...) This remix is what led me to suggest that this should be the next single, I think the potential for this song has yet to be tapped. Another gem on this disc is the cover of the old (1993) S.P.O.C.K. song Last Man on Earth. It fits nicely with the theme of the CD and sounds great."
-- Niki N., for musicfolio.com, 6/05
2008:
Buried Again Tracklisting: 01. Ghost 02. Knives 03. Imaginary Girl 04. Absolute Religion 05. End Of Desperation 06. Fanatic 07. Heart Attack 08. Closure 09. Too Young 10. Commitment 11. Get Off My Back 12. There'll Be A Time 13. Pills "The first single taken from the album – Knives – made it to #10 on the German Alternative Chart [DAC]. On Knives Colony 5 presents a track that is much harder than we are used to from the band. Sure enough, 'Buried Again' presents you with some harder tracks such as Knives and Get Off My Back. But old fans should not despair! 'Buried Again' is a varied album bringing you everything from EBM-inspired tracks to more danceable futurepop with dynamic and powerful refrains in tracks like Pills and Ghost and the beautiful downtempo track Imaginary Girl– the way we are used to from earlier Colony 5 releases. "
-- mementomateria.se
|
______ |
Charts | Lyrics/Poetry | Links | Contact Us | Advertising Copyright © 1999-2012 - musicfolio.com - All Rights Reserved |