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I, Synthesist
Art of Survival

Satellite Symphonics

Posted: Friday, November 02, 2007
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Ah, the sophomore album; the album that arguably determines the trajectory of an artist's early development. It's so easy to fail at this juncture that it's often resulted in sub-par records that give birth to the now popular phrase of "sophomore slump." As if determined to avoid this label, New York musician/producer Chris Ianuzzi takes his second album as I, Synthesist to further reaches of electro-pop intrigue. Art of Survival comes after a three-year gestation period from his debut, showcasing Ianuzzi's efforts to evolve his sound from the '80s-inspired new wave synthpop of Avalanche into a coherent brand of modern electro.

Certain elements from the debut album do find their way into Art of Survival, particularly in Ianuzzi's unaffected vocals, singing with a melodic abandon that is rather commonplace in synthpop. Nevertheless, the strength of his compositions combined with his sense of songwriting makes for an enticing set of songs, beginning with the infectiously danceable title track. Waves of gritty synth ambience give way to a pumping rhythm enhanced by catchy arpeggios and Ianuzzi's impassioned delivery. "Telepathy" follows with a simplistic but instantly engaging detuned solo refrain amid a punchy dance number, while "Time Machine" slows the pace for a more mysterious and almost menacing atmosphere full of synth squelches and rocking drum patterns. The same could be said for the smarmy and electrified "Moon Song," where Ianuzzi's vocals take on an almost David Bowie-like inflection, complete with the randomized stabs of guitar-emulating synthesizers. Other tracks like "Pieces" and "Paradise" pump up the tempo for some good dance floor fodder, but the most notable song is the nearly instrumental "Blue Jets" with its abstract structure of ambient washes and reversed vocals to create a psychedelic cornucopia. This would almost be true of "The Overlook" if not for its 20-minute length, throughout which the sonic experiments are simply not enough to hold interest for the duration of the track, though credit should be given for the effort.

Where Art of Survival succeeds over its predecessor is its attempts to incorporate a more diverse palette of influences, retaining the elements of synthpop akin to acts like Gary Numan and The Human League, while pushing for a more experimental mix of styles reminiscent of Tangerine Dream. Where the album falters is that in its attempts to incorporate more daring modes, the album comes across as slightly less cohesive than the artist would probably have hoped. This is not to say that Art of Survival sounds muddled or incoherent by any stretch, but there is a feeling that Ianuzzi tried too hard to prove his mettle as an electronic musician beyond the confines of synthpop. Still, in spite of this Art of Survival is an enjoyable album that could easily stand against the big-hitters in the genre and certainly has the potential to make a splash on the dance floor if nothing else.