V/A – Neo.Pop 04

The Neo.Pop compilation series have become what you might call “the face of 1st Decade Records”. It represents what they stand for; modern dance and pop music with an arty edge.

This fourth edition is compiled by Northern Lite. The band opens the cd themselves with a remix version of ‘Gone’, one of the best tracks from their debut album. This remix evolves too slowly to keep the listeners attention. It would probably been good as the last track on this album, but not as the first.

Next to Northern Lite there are some other contributions from known acts. Swayzak, for example, delivers a nice fresh sounding pop song (‘State of
Grace’) and Turntablerocker goes into 80’s territory with ‘I heard you were dead’.

Too bad Warren Suicide is only featured here with a track that most people will already know (‘Butcher Boy’). Junghanss contributes a poppy electroclash track and Northern Lite is featured with another track (‘Curious’), which is a bit wavish. The best track is the one by Dub Pistols, it is cold and four to the flour.

Again this new edition of Neo.Pop is a good compilation album. You can hear the Neo.Pop / 1st Decade sound is developing into more diverse directions of modern pop and dance music. It is good to hear the label is on the move and keeps its ideas fresh. Keep an eye out for this label.

artist: V/A
label: 1st Decade Records
details: 15 tracks, [1STCD09]