Croc Shop was conceived in a flat above a record shop in West Berlin. These days they are a duo, v. Markus (synths, electronics) and Mick Hale (vocals, guitars, electronics).
`Perpetual Sequence` is the band`s ninth full-length album and takes a decidedly Post-Electro, Pop & Synth-Rock approach, with occasional nods to their goth-rock and electro-industrial origins. They have appeared on stage with such bands such as Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, The Damned and Rammstein, amongst numerous others.
The opening number `Berlin` has a pulsating repetitive beat and what sounds like a station announcement with floating synth swathes as it progresses with more broadcasts by a female this time. It then takes a more aggressive beat with some interesting guitar riffs that gave it a dystopian almost Blade Runner ambience. I was reminded of the late seventies dance-rock/electropop of Gina X on `Silver` which had a recurring lyric of “Give it back…Give It back now”
`Secrets` is a faster paced dance track with vocals that seemed a little merged in the mix, while a higher pitched harmony floated atop at times throughout. I got the impression with `Nightdrive` that it did seem like the title suggested an evening spin around and abouts when daylight has fallen, and events take on a quite different texture.
`Control` has a very foot tapping appeal about it with vocals that are at times deep, dark, and remote and then more light, airy, and upfront, an interesting Yin and yang effect. I did like `Perpetual` which had some intricate synth key chords and some quite dreamy swathes. It seemed quite simple but wonderfully engaging.
`Midnight` has a livelier pop electronic style about it with occasional lyrics shared about meeting up after dark and what can be got up to when the lights fade, whereas `Gamble` seems quite mesmerising and really drew me into its intricate resonance.
`Details` has a more mature touch about it and blended a number of influences. There was almost an underlying Kraftwerk base with softly shared vocals, pronouncements, and female harmonies intermittently throughout. An interesting and heady mix. Flowing synth chords lead us into `Leagues` which despite a few spoken edicts, is an ethereal, tranquil ostensibly reflective slice of electronic heaven.
The album culminates with `Evolution` a quite attractive enjoyable dance like computerised electronica offering.
Croc Shop to me have a rich and varied allure but they would seem to inhabit the more sophisticated end of the electronic body music market. There was so much to enjoy about the tracks on `Perpetual Sequence` but the band has been described live as an “audio-visual-assault” with multimedia video projections, energetic stage presence, and bold lighting. That`s where id like to really hear these numbers, hopefully that won`t be too long in coming.
Rating 8.5 /10
