CD Reviews

Sydney Valette - Home Alone 

September 2022

Wave Tension Records / Young & Cold Records / Icy Cold Records

One of the names that have started to make impression in the dark side of electronic music, for some time now, is that of, Parisian, Sydney Valette.

And with his 6th full length album, "Home Alone", he comes to consolidate his versatile interpretation and without barriers production of his music. Always stable in the electronic spectrum, you can easily distinguish from ambient arrangements to frantic electronic pop and techno rhythms. All this in a completely cold - but not distant - and minimalistic way.

"Home Alone" is the 6th complete album of the Frenchman, Sydney Valette, released on September 16 by Wave Tension Records in tape format, Young & Cold Records in vinyl format and Icy Cold Records which has taken over the CDs. Sydney Valette maintains a disciplined musical vision through a progressive career, spanning various aspects of electronic music.

Starting off, "Home Alone" manages to immediately share its message, with the intro, "World Alone". Dystopian atmosphere and a monologue/sample that reflects the situations that the world has experienced in recent years. "Pandora" takes over and creates a cold electronic atmosphere with post-punk tempo and deep vocals. "Station Stop" is the album track you've been hearing non-stop playing since its release as a single last April. At least, I did. Addictive dark, electro, EBM with synths that stir you up very easily, completing the mood that the beats set, from the first second. The atmosphere is complemented by Sydney's catchy lyrics and voice. "Sapsan" is the bridge that takes us to the next chapter of "Home Alone".

Where we find "Mistress Of Desire", which brings more tension to the atmosphere, going into lines of electro punk with gothic aesthetics and space synths. "All Paradise" lowers the tempo but keeps the intensity high. In an electronic ambient and synth wave composition, Sydney Valette manages to captivate with a truly dark track. "Crystal Heart" takes us to a completely different dimension with its intense pop mood and synth melodies that reach the limits of early electro/synth pop. And here comes the next one, a track that I was waiting to hear with particular interest. "Fall Apart" is a cover of the classic from Death In June,  released in 1989. A track, that has also been covered by the amazing IKON in 1994, which is, perhaps, one of the best covers of an original song, I've ever heard. during these years that I have dedicated to music. Sydney Valette takes a risk and covers "Fall Apart". With his voice as the main instrument, he creates a very nice, cold and dark atmosphere which is filled with ambient electronic samples. Really interesting remake of a classic.

"Adieu" goes right where "Crystal Heart" left off. Uptempo electro with retro sense in the melody and synths. "Lullaby Of Malmo" is the second bridge in "Home Alone" which leads us to its last part. Where we find "War Child" an electro pop track with a high tempo and a war story. The album closes with the atmospheric, instrumental, "Citadelle", closing the stories of "Home Alone" in a dark ambience.

Sydney Valette returns with a really strong album. Strong in performance, interpretations and emotions. A solid album, intense, which it maintains even in its most melodic parts. Beautiful, deep vocals and an atmosphere that balances between cold and dark. I think it's not fair to try and put a label on "Home Alone", since, built on electronic base, he very easily moves between EBM, minimal electro, synthwave, and dark, electro pop, even reaching ambient moments. It is the fruit of the pandemic and heartbreaks, written in moments of loneliness. It is, without a doubt, worth putting on your list.

Info:

https://www.facebook.com/Sydney2Valette/

https://www.instagram.com/sydney_valette/

https://www.youtube.com/c/sydneyvalette

https://sydneyvalette.bandcamp.com/

https://wavetensionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/home-alone