Straitjacketrelease date: May 18, 2015
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Esben Nørskov Andersen
label: self-released - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 1. "Lost U" (4 / 5) - 2. "Schoolgirls" - 4. "Degeneration" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Forgive" - 7. "Dry Me Out" - 10. "Straitjacket"
2nd studio album by Rangleklods follows three years after Beekeeper (Mar. 2012) and is produced by project-founder Esben Andersen. Before this, the project has been expanded to a duo with co-songwriter and vocalist Pernille Smith-Sivertsen. All tracks are credited the duo with two tracks (tracks #3 and #4) being co-composed by Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen, and track #5 co-composed by Reggie Watts.
Stylistically, Rangleklods has moved on from some of the indications on Beekeeper but it's still a pretty long jump into this club-founded electronica and mostly uptempo house and synthpop variation. Smith-Sivertsen adds a new dynamic to the music, but it's basically much more varied arrangements using sampling and something influenced by electroclash, although, it only really manifests on the title track.
Straitjacket is easily the band's best effort, and it's really a fine danceable mix both pointing back to Art of Noise, Depeche Mode, as well as more contemporary names like The Knife and Moby.
Highly recommended.
