No Comments Written by Ezzzy on February 6, 2009 – 1:51 pm

Artist: Mark Barrage

Album: Delays

Rating: 7/10

Similar Artists: Talkshow Boy, Gina  D’orio, Ben Frost

Genre: Pop

I’m not too sure if you’ve heard the word about this kid named Mark Barrage, but I think it may have went like this; pop genius, synth wizard or some talk like that. It’s not entirely false either!

Initially my thoughts on this album were unclear. Y’know, sorta like the water I found in the bathroom basin this morning. I couldn’t see the drain but the more I looked, the more it revealed itself. The more I listened to Delays the more I realised what an excellent recording this was. You instantly realise this album is the work of somebody who has found something and polished it up to be their own diamond.

Songs are constructed of toots and beeps, hisses and bloops, loops and lo-fi tastiness. Synths are quite complex yet dance-y and gets you drunk on the fumes, resulting in some sort of hip twisting/leg moving dance similar to the ministry of silly walks combined with a slow dance (welcome to my bedroom when I’m left alone with a fake mic). At times I found the songs from Delays to be refreshing in the sense of drums become the synth lines and synths become the drum lines. Sure this has been done before but its like Mark Barrage knows more than the other kids and ain’t telling them what it is, which results in something that sounds like Talkshow Boy teaming up with Mogwai.

All in all, I can say Delays by Mark Barrage opened my eyes to another take on music and its many forms. If this is the debut, I can only imagine what further projects can follow this.

The album can be found through the awesome label Mistletone