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Empire State Human
Cycles

A Different Drum Records

Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
By: Erica Anderson

Empire State Human is a four-piece electronic act from Dublin, Ireland that formed in 1999. One would not think that Dublin would be a hotbed for electronic-based music given that the country itself is home to the world’s biggest band at the moment, U2. Empire State Human’s music harkens back to the ‘80s, when new wave ruled the radio airwaves, with their blend of modern synthpop and dance music. Cycles is the band’s latest album and it definitely brings back memories of bands such as the Human League, Culture Club, and Erasure, along with modern dance groups like Daft Punk. What makes Empire State Human so distinct is Aidan Casserly’s vocals, which sound eerily like former Culture Club front man Boy George and Erasure’s Andy Bell when he hits those high notes.

Cycles is an appealing collection of modern synthpop. One of the most noticeable qualities in the general sound of the music is the warmth it exudes. Few synthpop bands project a warmer, friendly sound to the listener’s ears, but Empire State Human is one of those few who inject life and energy in an otherwise cold and soulless musical genre. Cycles opens up with the midtempo dance number “Easy Colour,” propelled by subtle synthesized beats. Thankfully, throughout the album, the songs do not sound like “Easy Colour.” The band diversifies with each song, becoming more dance-oriented and almost sounds like discarded Daft Punk. Some of the songs worked, some of the songs didn’t. The throbbing bass on “Hi Fi” had that ‘70s funk sound, which proves that not all synthpop bands are stuck on one particular sound. Musically, Cycles is perfect; lyrically, it isn’t so perfect. “Chase the Ace” has some of the silliest lyrics ever heard. The constant rhyming and repetitive chorus was annoying. Musically, the song is perfect with its crisp synthesized melodies. It almost sounded like an early Depeche Mode song if you ignored Casserly’s vocals. The strongest tracks on the album are the last three tracks “Signals and Noise,” “Sigh of the City,” and “They Live by Night.” It was nice hearing the band slow down for a brief moment on “Signals and Noise,” on which Casserly either intentionally or unintentionally does his best Morrissey impersonation in the song. His voice has that trademark melancholic sound that has made Morrissey quite popular. “Sigh of the City” is a simple, catchy, mid-tempo song, with Aidan’s vocals staying in the forefront. The album closes with the excellent acoustic ballad, “They Live by Night.”

For people unfamiliar with Empire State Human, Casserly’s distinct vocals can be a bit unnerving with his high-pitched delivery. He almost sounds rather whiney at times throughout the album. Overall, Cycles is a pleasant synthpop album. It has some solid beats and hooks that would please fans of ‘80s new wave music.