Most probably by now you’re asking yourself; if the review’s title contains words like snuggle bunnies, what the hell has this thoughtful chit chat got to do? My point is that when an artist or musician is able to convey his or her feelings and emotions into music, then you get great results. And Elika, the Chicago based DIY electronic-pop duo were exceptionally great at conveying their realistic feelings and emotions in their album Snuggle Bunnies. !!!WARNING!!! the name can be very misleading, it is not one of those Barbie girls albums, far from that.

Again, going back to Madonna, both Evagelia’s vocals and the album’s music reminds me a lot of Madonna’s Ray of Light, but still they are different. Actually, their music is better by rays of light. Their music delivers more feeling, emotions and puts you in the right mind set. The female vocals, coarse guitars, field recordings, the base pulse rate, and the immaculate drum machines make this album a treasure. It is one of those albums which you need to listen to more than 5 times to really appreciate the music. Forget about laptop or mp3 player headphones. You need a proper crystal clear sound system to appreciate the fine details incorporated in their music.

The album features a number of tracks which sound like a mixed race of electro ambient and almost gothic electronics. Yet another number of tracks are more poppish, which also portray hope in their own way. Three instrumental tracks will simply blow your mind away. Those types of songs that when you listen to them, they get you in touch with the realities of life. They are a mix of industrial electro. One of these tracks also features some background achoing vocals, but it can also be classified as instrumental, no? So if the album is so great, if it is true these guys are better than the blonde, and the album is better than another album which is listed in the best 500 albums of all time, why they haven’t made it to the charts yet? Well it is a matter of luck, fame and you, yes you! If you buy the original CD hopefully one day you will help this great duo reach the top, earn what they deserve.  If you download it as MP3′s, then well done. You are helping the music industry to go down the drain faster than it is already doing.

Don’t judge this album by the cover, title or what you read about it. Case in point, I cannot classify this album under a specific genre, because the masterpiece Evagelia and Brian came up with, includes many different genres, and yet manage to stick to a smooth flow throughout the whole album. Below? For your pleasure. Enjoy and admire.

Elika official homepage

Paradise Lost newest releases where always of a surprise, as with each album they presented a different unexpected musical style from the previous album.  This can be noticed from the distorted heavy guitars and growling From Lost Paradise, their first album to an electro pop sound like ‘Depeche Mode’ in their 8th album, Host.

I personally liked all their releases, although I was disappointed with their latest 2 albums, ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘In requiem’.  They sound very similar to each other, and are quite flat toned.  Let’s hope for the better for the upcoming 13th album.

Paradise Lost’s vocalist Nick Holmes comments on the album’s title; “there is so much division in the world caused by obstructing religious belief” and “We are all made of the same flesh and bone, what makes one religions better than the other, and would any true god allow his creation to destroy itself?” – Well said Nick!

Looking forward for this 13th album, let’s hope that like all their first 8th albums, this release will bring along another surprise.

aiq4yucmgk