The Presets Apocalypso Review

Dance Techno 80’s Electronica feat. My People & This Boy's in Love

Dec 27, 2008

After sweeping the dancefloors and award shows around the world, Australian electro-poppers The Presets unleash their moves on the US.

Winners of the Australian Recording Industry Awards (ARIA ) for album of the year in 2008, The Presets second full-length CD, Apocalypso, earns a solid place in every dance/ techno/ pop music fan’s library.

On their self-produced sophomore album, the follow up to 2005’s Beams, The Presets keep the 80's alive with their blend of boisterous synths, hard-hitting beats and dirty neo-soul groove with vocals courtesy of frontman Julian Hamilton, and beats-master Kim Moyes.

The Presets Remember 80’s Electronica

Their blend of retro electronica rockets straight out of the back catalogue of avant-guard synth groups such as Depeche Mode and New Order circa 1987 without sounding stale or outdated. The Presets remember what electronica sounded like before techno music adopted coldness and lost its humanity.

Unlike many techno albums that start off fresh then lead listeners down a trail of rehashed ideas, Apocalypso embraces the album concept and the whole feels complete, rather than a choppy collection of dance floor beats. While the Aussie band didn't forget the glory days of new wave pop, they haven’t disrespected contemporary dance floor techno either. All styles weave throughout their second album Apocalypso.

This Boy's in Love with Australian Techno Dance Music

Long associated with the guitar rock sound of INXS, Midnight Oil, the subtle male pop of Crowded House or sugary sap-pop of Air Supply and Savage Garden, the emergence of Australian techno/ dance acts such as The Presets, as well as contemporaries Cut Copy and Pendulum, give European and American acts such as The Knife, Daft Punk and Nine Inch Nails respectively a run for their money.

Borrowing heavily from the French disco sound and the harder, grittier industrial grind as well as the late eighties sounds of the techno pop elite, The Presets have released three successful singles from Apocolypso: Gritty floor scraper “My People”, an updated “Running” by the Information Society - “This Boy's in Love”, and the infectious “Talk Like That”.

Yippo-ay, A New Sky

Along with the aforementioned singles, Apocolypso boasts many highlights including the groovy, upbeat faux rap of “A New Sky” complete with electronic choral and late seventies “Heart of Glass” (Blondie) meets “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'” (Michael Jackson) disco bridge, the whimsical side slap club track “Yippo-ay”, a modern day “Small Town Boy” by Bronski Beat on “If I Know You”, and the short atmospheric instrumental “Aeons”.

The copyright of the article The Presets Apocalypso Review in Electronica (Music) is owned by James W. Coates. Permission to republish The Presets Apocalypso Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.