While it still retains an air of futurism after all these years, there's nevertheless a strong element of nostalgia in electronic music, be it in the form of vintage synthesizer fetishism or retro styles that seem to get resuscitated every so often. There's nothing wrong with that really, there's room enough for throwbacks in such an eclectic genre, but it only has merit when it goes beyond mimicry and actually recontextualizes its inspirations for a new era, something Eclipse, the 80s-inflected new album from Greek trio Film, manages rather well.
Recalling the cinematic side of Giorgio Moroder or Vangelis, Eclipse, out now on the reliable Inner Ear Records (by way of Rough Trade Distribution), compresses those dramatic arpeggios and sweeping synth textures into concise doses of dark, bouncy pop. The Athens-based group, who've been largely inactive since 2009's well-received Persona, makes no bones about their fondness for the days of analog and generally approaches the whole project with a sense of fun, which adds extra charm to standout cuts such as the urgent "Produkt" or the dreamily wistful title track.
Film puts a sufficiently modern spin on things though, preventing Eclipse from feeling like little more than a collection of winking reference points, but, as enjoyable as the release is, the main flaw is that its soundtrack-esque aesthetic makes it a bit forgettable. Yet, while it doesn't leave much of an impact, Eclipse is a pleasant listen right on through to the delicate closer "Waltz (Telescope)" and is more than deserving of a few spins, even if it's not the most forward-thinking or original example of electronic music out there.
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