Ritual Noise, Lancaster, February 9th, 2019
Synth Pop has taken many forms since the pioneers started to lay down the synth lines, but the under the deft hands of Promenade Cinema their hauntedly striking soundscapes resonate with absolute distinction.
After hearing their debut album “Living Ghosts” and falling in love with the polished sound, there was the slight doubt that a live set would give that same cinematic indulgence which the duo is quickly becoming renowned for. The cynicism slipped away as the raw power of the vocals gelled with the melodies filling the room with their expressively magnetic sound.
With arrestive baritone vocals from Dorian reverberating around Emma’s harmonies the vocal texture allowed the candid lyricism to conjure darkly poignant imagery. Yet, unlike what you’ve grown to be accustomed to with darkwave, there’s a unique warmth with the Sheffield-based artist’s stylistic approach to their sound.
With the influence of 70s & 80s synth and film scores being fed into the undiluted emotion of their music comes with a flood of viscerally danceable euphoria. Promenade Cinema may lean on the inspiration from artists of decades past, but they’re still the safest hands for the evolution of Synth Pop to be in right now.
You can check out Promenade Cinema’s debut album Living Ghosts for yourselves by heading over to Spotify or grab yourself a copy via Bandcamp.
Follow Promenade cinema on Facebook to stay up to date with new releases and tour info.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
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