The Scientifics - Green Wave
(Translucence)
The Scientifics play enjoyable enough casio-pop that doesn't deviate from the standard formula. Which is fine if that's what you are looking for: no fancy bells or whistles, a competent use of the classic SK and MT series of keyboards (which in the wrong hands can become devastatingly clichéd), and a decent minimalist sense—not necessarily the direction I would go in when writing a modern pop song, but since not unlike most pop music out there. There is one major problem with Green Wave though, and it makes getting through this album extremely difficult: songs are on average double the length of regular pop songs and not only do they go nowhere, they also all have the same tempo. The album isn't that long really, maybe 10 minutes more than standard LP length, but listening to it can become an interminable affair. With little to differentiate the songs, with the same disaffected vocals (and here is where "The Scientifics" comes into play: the vocals combined with the electronic music creates an extremely sterile environment), and with a s-l-o-w tempo, it gets boring after a while. And if pop music isn't wowing me in the intellectual department and doing nothing for me in the emotional department, then what use is it? Middling, but better than most keyboard pop.
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