Pop music of tomorrow, today! While it is impossible to determine what will actually be popular in the future (since what is deemed popular in the present seems fairly arbitrary) the genre Futurepop is here in the present and has its roots in Synthpop, taking influence from Depeche Mode and Gary Numan and Industrial acts such as Cabaret Voltaire and Skinny Puppy, mixing all of this with trance and club music synthesisers. Popular with Cyber Goths, it lacks the aggressive vocals and beats of other Electro-Industrial genres and has enjoyed some mainstream success in countries such as Germany.
Random Is Resistance is the fourth and most recent full album release from German Futurepop outfit Rotersand, released in 2009. The album contains the full complement of pulsating bass and synthesisers, along with the occasional appearance of a guitar. The vocals retain the softly sung nature of songs past, creating an almost intimate listening experience. The first track “Yes We Care” is not one for the clubs, but an excellent and soothing introduction to the album, almost unplugged in its simplicity of acoustic guitar, vocals and a smattering of keyboard. Straight after this we are pulled into “Bastards Screaming” which pulls you out of the reverie and onto the dance floor. The pace does not let up until the minimalist song with the misleading title “We Will Kill Them All”. What follows is arguably the strongest track of the album, “First Time” which is anthemic in its skillful buildup from a simple guitar riff, through piano and on into the full dance experience. If you are not compelled to dance at this point, then you will at least feel shivers, so well done is the Danceosity (stop me if I get too technical) of the main musical theme of the song.
The momentum does not let up, with “War On Error” summoning images of a war-torn future, where soldiers listen to this music in futuristic tanks, else it is the soundtrack to an excellent film using that image (don’t steal that movie idea from my blog, you vultures; unless you give me a cut of course). The album ends on a lighter tone again, as in the beginning and middle, giving real structure to the album as a whole, and making it a very rewarding experience to listen to. Rotersand make excellent listening as background music or a more dedicated listening session/part of a DJ set. Also included are some well structured songs, not necessarily arranged like a typical dance track, but more like a pop song with clear verse/chorus distinctions. This is something that Futurepop as a genre does very well – bringing Danceosity and good quality Songmanship together. One of the prime examples on this album is the penultimate “Gothic Paradise”. This album definitely merits checking out and, if you decide to purchase it, tell Rotersand I recommended it to you and they might give me that £5 they promised me.
