Dystopia
by Midnight Juggernauts

I have always liked the Midnight Juggernauts but never loved them, they kind of seemed like poor man's Presets to me, never quite hitting the mark. Their first album after two EP's, Dystopia has now cemented the Juggernauts as a favourite and this album will definitely be my soundtrack of the up and coming Kiwi summer. The Juggernauts are from Melbourne and they were a duo until recently when they gained a drummer (Daniel Stricker) from Sydney band, Lost Valentinos. Live drums in an electronic band is a tall order to fill, but Daniel certainly was the right choice to replace their previously programmed drums. In the past, the band has recorded at their home studio, the move to a proper studio has resulted in clean, rich, produced sounds. The Juggernauts released Dystopia on their own label, Siberia Records.

The album is sophisticated, a little cheesy, well alot cheesy, but in a great, epic way, but also has a very french, relaxed Air/Daft Punk with a bit of Gary Numan and early 70's Bowie thrown in for good measure. The opening track, simply called Intro is a nice, short introduction to Dystopia, I love instrumental first tracks, they are a great way of creating the tone. Second track, The End of the World? has a very spacey, sci-fi sound...not dark, but happy, dreamy and disco-like. The first single is of course the wicked 'Into the Galaxy' which is getting thrashed to bits on local student radio right now. So New Wave, so infectiously danceable, this is already a classic dance hit. Front man Vin Vendetta's voice sounds brilliant, with it's very nasal Talk Talk style vocals, laden with echos, effects and roboticness. Amazing drums and check out the cool smoke and mirrors in the video!

Juggernauts fans will already be familiar with the sublimely epic dance floor hit Shadows, from their second EP Secrets of the Universe. Road to Recovery starts with soaring synths and big, thumping beats, it's again extremely cheesy, but they get away with it. Vin's voice seems to have developed as far as versatility goes on this album, or maybe he just has a very good effects unit and vocoder? I have to mention Twenty Thousand Leagues as it sounds so much like David Bowie in his 'Cat People' era, it's stupid ....probably my least fave song on the album, I love Bowie, but the female backing vocals ruin this song for me. Tombstone, also from the Secrets of the Universe EP and is a solid dance floor hit, go the robots! Nine Lives is one of the standouts of this album, it's SO 80's.

If you are a child of the 80's you will be taken on a journey that combines all the best bits of New Wave mixed with updated synth sounds, cool danceable drums and Vin's beautiful voice. This album makes you wish it was summer already. The last track Aurora is a nice, dreamy, romantic finish to an album full of promise and pure epicness.

By Mixitup