For many in the Nintendo 64 generation, their first foray into electronic music was Cruis’n USA’s “House Special.” This song had a great beat and no lyrics, save a few well-placed (and hilarious) “oo’s” and “ah’s.” Obviously, electronic music has evolved greatly as the N64ers get older, and one new group, Man is Doomed, shows promise in continuing this evolution. Their debut album, Escape to Europa, mixes electro-funk with glitch to create a dynamic dance album.
The album starts with the quick, white noise-filled “Intro,” which is little more than someone going up and down a dial on a radio. This abruptly ends with two of the stronger tracks on the disc, “When the Walls Come Tumbling Down” and “Electrons in the Air.” From the first track on, the group utilizes synth pads to create a spacey feel — a motif that appears in every track. Joining the synthesizer, the band uses the bass, electric guitar, funk rhythm guitar, a drum machine and undoubtedly many more tricks to create a unique sound.
Another theme of Escape to Europa is whimsical lyrics. Lyrics are not necessarily important in electronic music, but this group did take the time to allow their sense of humor to come out, even if no one in the club pays attention. In “Take Off Your Pants and Dance,” Brian Casey’s mixed vocals informs us that “You know I got it/ You know I got the itch/ You know I got it/ Can’t stop the itch/ Doctor, doctor, can you stop the itch?/ Help me doctor/ He said/ Take off your pants and dance.” The band compares dancing to shaking it up like the titular “Pink Martini.” They also take their listeners on a cougar hunt in the song of the same title.
Man is Doomed may remind listeners of other groups, such as Justice (“Cross”). “Strung Out” is reminiscent of Midnight Juggernauts (“Dystopia”). However, the art-pop roots of the group means that they are more experimental than the majority of modern dance-funk groups.
The one minor negative of this album is the mixing sounds a little off at time. This is most likely attributable to an early pre-release cut of the album being used for the review. This was then compounded by being piped through speakers that are not exactly new. When listened through headphones most of these unpolished moments cleared up, and it is safe to assume that the record label has put out a blemish-free product. Even if the final mix was the one heard, most average listeners would not notice nor find it a distraction and only electronic audiophiles could potentially pick up on any imperfections.
Man is Doomed has created a very strong first impression in their debut album, Escape to Europa, and the work would be a good addition to any electronic collection. The energy the trio brings to this work could just be enough to make your quilting party into one of the dancing variety.
4 stars out of 5.
