alternative electronica « The RingMaster Review

As DJ’s for the past two years or so, through their radio show Andreas and the Wolf has fed ears a rich diet of the very best DIY escapades within and outside of the Perfect Pop Co-Op family. Before and during that time they have also teased and excited with a collection of their own tracks; alternative electronica bred songs which have caught and inflamed the imagination into its own shenanigans. Now a highly anticipated debut album is poised to present the band’s full body of enterprise and an apologetically compelling piece of mischievous magnetism it is too.

Andreas and the Wolf is the creation and coming together of Andreas Vanderbraindrain (A.K.A Dermot Illogical of Reverse Family but maybe better known as frontman of The Tuesday Club) and Johnny V (The Scratch/The Tuesday Club). As mentioned their long time partnership has been more concentrated on their fine Andreas and the Wolf podcast and the Perfect Pop Co-Op label in recent times but as Fountain Of Truth proves that time has also seen their musical adventure together equally flourish.

From its first breath there is a healthy mix of nostalgia and bold uniqueness about the album’s sound. It is an enticement which is teasingly difficult to pin down but let us give a possible hint by saying the imagining of a fusion of Television Personalities, Subway Sect, and Fad Gadget with maybe the garage instincts of The Clean for further spicing gives a taste of what delights Fountain Of Truth shares.

All I Want is You sets the album off in beguiling style, its uncomplicated yet richly woven electro pop serenade swift captivation. Guitar and synth embrace their melodic hearts around the inimitable tones of Andreas, sleight but fertile hooks adding to the lure of sentiment part romantic yet just a bit patronising.

It is a potent start to the release which is quickly backed and eclipsed by The Public Domain. As rhythms offer their invitation a masterful bassline strides forward and fair to say from thereon in we were hooked. Its flirtatious swing is quickly straddled by Andreas’ just as tempting vocals, the fuzzy breath of guitar wrapped in the similarly teasing arms of keys. Everything about the song proved virulent, hips and appetite dancing to its punk lined devilry before Morbid Fascination unveiled its British Electric Foundation meets early Human League like shuffle. As suggested earlier though, it is one of a set of infection loaded songs which rises with individual character and a true uniqueness of sound.

Similarly each track offers up something different to that before within their echoes of shadows which crowd our lives, a lyrical theme and creative trait continuing with the synth pop contagion that is Spiral. With a musical grin carried by every note, the song lit up ears and spirit, its eighties inspired instincts a vocal temptation upon electronic nagging and off-kilter imagination. Familiarity and true freshness unite in its viral exploits and aberrant imagination, instincts which mark the album as a whole in varying but always present richness as Fashion Wheel proves with its Paul Haig-esque saunter. It is a song teasing glamour and grandness but always holds its reserve and control to only increase its allure and tension before eager attention.

Through the anomalous pop of the irresistible Friction Free Zone and the haunting tenebrous seduction of its title track, Fountain Of Truth only escalated its grip on ears and pleasure, both songs rivetingly adding further momentous peaks to its landscape with the latter built around another bassline which had the juices lustily flowing, while immediately after Dead Pan Delivery Man had limbs and hips swinging with its indie jangle meets electro pop punk contagion to leave another indelible mark on the imagination.

Limited Ambition brings the album to a close, the track an electro dub loaded stroll with its own atypical disposition though one which may have its seeds sown in a Swell Maps meets The Members bedding. It is a fascinating indeed hypnotic end to an album which has only festered in the passions and imagination for greater pleasure and personal indulgence by the play.

Whether through their radio shows or the rather wonderful Fountain of Truth, Andreas and The Wolf are here to light up our lives and with their first album they do that and more.

Fountain of Truth is released October 9^th via Perfect Pop Co-Op.

Check out the Andreas and the Wolf radio shows @ https://www.mixcloud.com/perfectpopcoop/