City Of Satellites
Stranger Than Fiction
Hidden Shoal Recordings

City Of Satellites' "Stranger Than Fiction" is a taster from their debut album Machine Is My Animal, to be released on 21st of January 2010. This is pop. Synth-pop. And it's good. I said promising last time around, on Moon In The Sea, the single off their debut EP.

City Of Satellites is a duo, a 'two city project' with Jarrod Manuel (vocals, guitars, synthesizers) based in Adelaide and Thomas Diakomichalis (drums, synthesizers, programming) based in Sydney. A true satellite band. In the begin they wrote music inspired by "...their shoegazer, stoner and grunge heroes...", according to their label, before the influences of the 1980s music became the major reference. 1980s and synth pop usually makes my stomach rumble and shake, the sweat to pour from my forehead, giving me this nauseous feeling. Well, City Of Satellites and their "Stranger Than Fiction" prove me wrong. "Stranger..." is a cunning single, a gentle and caressing pop song. Very tasteful, especially the vocals, but even the synths - which usually is the sound makers which is giving me problems. That's a fact and the truth. But, as we all know: Truth is stranger than fiction.

Thumbs up.

Copyright © 2009 Håvard Oppøyen