Corlyx : "Blood in the Disco"

 

You got to love a band that refuses to make the same album twice. This time they are veering off into more of a 90s electro pop sound in the vein of bands like Curve. The vocals purr over the bass driven grooves, while they shadow of the core sound have not fade but give room for upbeat pulse of the song. Male vocals chime in on "Raindrops" which takes a smokier approach to the direction they were heading in when the album opened. It rides that line where cold wave meets pop. Lyrically things have more depth this time around. "The Echo" is more in line with where they were heading on their previous album, though marginally more upbeat. This album does explore a broader range of synth sounds. 

 Caitlyn's vocals on this album have sexier smokier feel on this album. There is something more tangibly sensual about how they slither over the songs. This amplifies the message of songs like "Take off Everything:  Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost joins them for " Never Love" which comes the closest to melding with the current goth landscape.   Harms voice adds some grit in places. This album reminds me that many of the so-called goth icons when they had their heyday in the 80s were basically making pop music. The way the back off into a more melodic side for "Incinerate: my point is further proven. Which is also to say the songwriting is really great on this album to inspire such a comparison. In some place her voice is like the sultrier tone Kate Bush touches on when striking a similar chord. 

"Lace and Latex" is one of the album's darkest moments with the band cruising through a sonic zip code similar to Switchblade Symphony. In terms of mood the latter part of the album haunts similar shadows. It flows very well and grows on me with each listen. This album is also benefits from the production value stepping up in terms of the pristine mix these sounds are delivered in. There is more of a post-punk feel to "the Threshold". The last song splits the difference between the more melodic pop ambiance the delved into at the onset of the album and their dark wave side.  I will go ahead and round this up to a 10 as it is still growing on, me but fans of the band should embrace these new sounds.