Confession is the name of the game and the title of the latest offering from the duo, no:carrier. Released on 24th February, 2014, this 6-track EP is the third ‘taster’ for the full length album, Wisdom & Failure, which will follow in April or May. Confession gives more value when listening to it all the way through rather than picking out individual tracks, especially as it contains three different versions of one song. Allow it to permeate your brain.
This is a long distance musical partnership for the two German members, with the duo’s chief songwriter and producer, Chris Wirsig based in San Francisco and vocalist, Cynthia Wechselberger living in Germany. Chris and Cynthia have been collaborating for a number of years.
Described as Electro Noir Pop and Synth Pop, Confession contains three new remixes plus three new songs. Three mixes of the track, Confession appear on the EP. That’s a lot of confessing – what on earth did they do? Confession – Single Mix – has a melancholy vocal juxtaposed with upbeat electro pop instrumentation and fun plonky keyboard. Confession – 1st In 14 Mix has a dreamier arrangement and vocal. Confession – Inspired By F.P. Mix is the third and final version and my favourite of the three. With a percussive dance beat and staccato keyboards, it is somehow more dramatic and darker.
Hero to a Fool is the most conventional-sounding pop song of the EP. Wechselberger’s vocal is quite melancholy as she delivers an indictment of celebrity culture: we’re living in a world where the dumbest man can look like a hero to a fool. And Sometimes – RMX 2011B is a remix of a previously released song first heard on their debut album. With dark keyboards and vocal delivery, I can hear echoes of Depeche Mode.
My favourite of all six tracks is the final one. A Bright Room is, unfortunately, the shortest offering, only lasting 2:19. It’s distorted and menacing and described by the duo as experimental, with surreal lyrics.
I’ve never come across a band name with a colon in it before, although apparently there is a Scottish electro-pop band called : ( and it’s pronounced Colon Open Bracket. The important thing is that Confession will please fans of this genre. It’s intelligent and dark and reveals more on each play.
https://soundcloud.com/nocarriermusic/sets/confession-ep
