Celluloide

"Words Once Said" (Album, 2004)

This review should be read in conjunction with the one for Dekad's Sin_Lab. I discovered both bands on the Elektrisch! 2 compilation earlier this year where Dekad remixed Celluloide. Problem was although I liked the song - I couldn't tell if it was the original composition, Dekad's remix work or both I liked. I've now listened to both Dekad and Celluloide albums and can present my conclusion, which is that the talent is heavily weighted towards Celluloide.

Synchronise opens this 2004 album from France's analogue synthpop three-piece Celluloide, and its Depeche Mode bassline, matter-of-fact femme vocals, bubbling sequencer patterns, and swirling synth pads instantly grab your attention and have you bobbing your head from side to side as you feet tap out the beat long before the already short 3:16 running time is up. And this pretty much sets you up for the remainder of this enjoyable saunter through uplifting but never too twee synthpop. Another stand out song is the slow beat Those Things We Felt which could be an early OMD out-take with a female vocalists.

Rarely does a song extend beyond four minutes and that's very wise. This style of composition works at it's best when it's kept short and to the point. Songwriting is based around simple ditties and melodies. There's no reason to overstretch the concept and weaken the effect in doing so. Celluloide understand this and the twelve main songs present a reasonable second album that fans of Ladytron or Client might also want to visit. There's a three song suffix of remixes by other artists. Boytronic and No Comment both turn in versions of Seven and Forever and SMPJ (ex-S.P.O.C.K.) Sixth Sense - both songs that appeared on their debut album. Celluloide have themselves just had the distinguished pleasure of remixing Komputer's latest single Like A Bird for Mute. 7/10

Rob Dyer (October, 2007)

Official website: http://www.celluloide.online.fr