The Eighties – my favourite decade if we talk about music: the highlight for fans of New Wave, Dark Wave and Gothic! It’s this decade that shaped the artistic path of Chris Pohl (Blutengel / Terminal Choice). Now he wishes to pay tribute to his musical influences and created for this purpose his own and brand new project: She Hates Emotions.
The album starts with She’s A Dreamer. It’s an intro that mixes Kraftwerk with Jean-Michel Jarre and has no vocals in it (and thus is the perfect track for me to skip, but I know that there are fans for this kind of music). Edge Of The Night has been released has second single and already sounds like a hit3 It’s the kind of simple but efficient songs that will keep running in your head for hour and hours! It’s catchy and sounds the most like his previous work with Blutengel (it’s a bit like the stepping stone theory).
City Lights sounds into retro synthpop, straight from an old videogame. The backing vocals sound very British. It’s a very catchy track and could be a single! I can almost see the clip ahead! The Final Dance has it all from the 80’s, the electronic drums included! The chorus is very catchy and reminds me a bit of Safety Dance from Men Without Hats! See The Light was the first single and it was ment to be as this is the most catchy of all! Chris also admitted directly that he took the O-hoho’s from Laura Branigan’s Self Control. Part of the lyrics reminds us of what Covid-19 is doing with us, but the 80’s sound seems to be mocking with it! It’s a great track and will for sure be played a lot for a very long time all over the world!
Leaving sounds like a mix betweenVisage and Sabrina and off course we get more of those poppy o-hoho’s. It’s clearly a retro track. I also sense some darkness in it. Cry Wolf has a chorus that reminds me of Duran Duran and A-Ha whilst the rest of the track is clearly a retro minded one but mixed with some Blutengel! Ghost Town sounds like a tribute to D.A.F., mixed with some more modern sounds and a touch of Blutengel (read the lyrics and listen to some spooky effects). Turn Back Time reminds me a bit of Gary Numan (even the vocals sound a bit different, closer to Fad Gadget too) versus Kraftwerk, but with a more modern touch on top. It’s the modern touch that gives it a chance on the dancefloor. In Your Arms raises the sound of the synths, whilst Chris sings louder and with a melancholic feel. The feel ges from Gary Numan to Yazoo/OMD and ends with Blutengel. Don’t Leave Me hints clearly towardsThe Communards but gives it also a touch of Yazoo / Sisters of Mercy (the hey hey hey momentum).Lieben (Bonus Track) almost sounds like Zweite Jugend and D.A.F. I’m pretty sure it’s wav towards the sky to honour our friend who has passed away way too early!
In times of Covid-19 where more and more people are neglecting the rules and where specialists are warning for a second wave and a harder lockdown it’s cool to listen to a melancholic trip. This trip took me back to the 80’s: a time that I loved and with the coolest music there has ever been. It made me forget that I am prepping at my office the comeback of more people around me (and more people to get back at our offices all over the country), despite knowing that there is a possibility it wont happen or worse: I might end up in the hospital and possibly even die. At some point this new album also felt like going for a treasure hunt: chasing the Easter Eggs (check the namedropping)!
Thank you Chris Pohl for the great time and for taking me out of this crazy world, even if it’s only for the duration of this new pearl!
