CD Review: Compact Space - NamelessWritten by Ray Dunkle Friday, 24 June 2011 14:29
compactspace_nameless
Artist: Compact Space
Title: Nameless
Genre: Alternative
Release Date: 24th June 2011
Label: Ferryhouse Productions
Album Review
Even if the name of the band at this point might mean nothing to you I’m sure you’ll recognise two of its members; Christian Eigner, who has played drums for DEPECHE MODE (he was also a co-writer of many of their songs along with Dave Gahan) for years and of Daryl Bamonte from his connections not only with the DEPECHE MODE but also with THE CURE. To form this band Florian Kraemer joined them for the vocal part and now their debut album, ‘Nameless’, is out.
And to put things straight, the whole listening experience was as if I was watching a table tennis game, between the statues of DEPECHE MODE vs. THE CURE. Somehow the band managed to be more DEPECHE MODE than DEPECHE MODE themselves. I was listening to ‘Push Push’ the undeniable “hit” of this CD and at first I was thinking that this is a cover of a DEPECHE MODE song. To the point that I had to check out if this is true or not (to be fair it isn’t). The first songs, musically speaking, carry this weight of DM (the best here are the aforementioned ‘Push Push’ and ‘Red Alert’), and the others of THE CURE (the best moments of that is ‘Don’t Look Back’ and ‘My Other Life’ which has a hint from JOY DIVISION as well) and it is Florian’s voice that saves the whole CD from sinking.
His voice, in the low notes balances between sounding as Dave Gahan and Chris Cornell, offering an unexpected but interesting twist to the songs especially in THE CURE influenced part. Yet, my favourites remained the first four songs and the extended ones. The last two, by having an almost theatrical quality in them manage to hide all these influences and to show what the band is capable of without going to its past for safety reasons. In ‘Nameless’, the band is striving to find its own music identity. Therefore if you can’t live without DEPECHE MODE and THE CURE this CD is just right for you. If you want to dance then ‘Push Push’ is the right song. As for me I can live without many things...
Tracklist
01. Push Push – 4:18
02. Who Says It’s Real? – 3:55
03. The Unstoppable Collision – 4:49
04. Red Alert – 4:11
05. Lonely Star – 3:50
06. Don’t Look Back – 4:57
07. My Other Life – 5:05
08. Reverse Happiness – 4:21
09. Where A Boy Used To Be – 5:30
10. Don’t Look Back (Extended) – 6:52
11. The Unstoppable Collision (Extended) – 6:18
Line-up
Christian Eigner
Daryl Bamonte
Florian Kraemmer
Quote:
Compact Space, the band around Florian Kraemmer, Christian Eigner (Depeche Mode) and Daryl Bamonte (The Cure, Depeche Mode) will do the "Nameless" album launch at the Planetarium in Hamburg (GER), 23rd June 2011. A limited number of tickets are on sale now right here, be fast if you want to get in!
Tickets are 11 Euro only.
Compact Space recently signed a worldwide licensing deal with Ferryhouse Productions in Hamburg. The first album "Nameless" and the "Push Push" EP will be released simultaneously on 24th June 2011. The album was mixed by Paul 'P-Dub' Walton. Link -