Review of Fischer Spooner Emerge

Introduction

The typically modest hyperbole on the sleeve introduces the listener to Fischerspooner: "Genius", "the pivotal electro-pop anthem" and even "the best thing to happen to music since electricity", a typically chaste appraisal from the NME. Fischerspooner combine the kitsch decadence of 80s electro-glam with the dank, inventive superficies of goth culture and gender-bending rock-operatics. This DVD single presents listeners with their first single `Emerge`, as well as a bonus track, enticingly entitled `Megacolon`. Naturally, it all feels rather like a digitally enhanced blast from the past replete with playfully meaningless Glam lyrics and fancifully minimalist production.

Video

Hmm... well, the still-frame photo galleries that accompany the songs are of good quality. Given there`s not much actual video to speak of on this disc, it seems slightly unfair to rate it. However, the quality of the EPK isn`t exactly reference.

Audio

Although it doesn`t make full use of DVD sound capabilities, we can forgive it for two reasons: firstly, its only a single and secondly, it still sounds excellent. This is mainly due to the heavily processed, inorganic synthesised sound, but still.

Features

Well, unless you include the bonus track, the short EPK featurette is your lot.

Conclusion

Unsurprisingly, this electro-goth pop sounds pretty good if you have a suitable sound-set-up. And those of you with DVD players in your hi-fis are particularly spoiled. However, the dark but dainty buzzing of `Emerge` becomes tiresome after a few listens, and it seems to be little more than a savvy spin on Mirwais/Depeche Mode sonic clichés rather than anything astonishingly original. Bonus track `Megacolon` is darker and cleverer, boasting an amusing, grotesque, almost fetishistically excremental lyric.

While clearly a band that has a sense of humour to match its anachronistic pretentiousness, it remains to be seen whether or not Fischerspooner have a diverse enough sound to last the long haul. This DVD single doesn`t help us answer that question and isn`t particularly good value, given the obvious and rather glaring omission of the music video for the title track. Doh. A promo, without the promo.