7/10

Ermis Madikopoulos

Norwich synthpop trio merge loud distorted guitars with 80s style drum machine on new EP.

Norwich trio Mega Emotion are an indie band influenced by synthpop including Depeche Mode, New Order, and Kraftwerk. This blend has helped them gain recognition from music blogs such as The 405 and The Music Fix, while additionally receiving commercial airplay on XFM and BBC 6 Music. Their debut EP is  Fake Feelings, released in June, and the band consists of Lisa Horton, Iain Ross, and Jan Robertson, who were previously in indie-poppers Bearsuit. It would be interesting to see how their sound has changed and whether it will give them a wider audience.

The EP opens with BRAINS, is full of distortion, which gets so loud that it turns into a chaotic mesh of drums, synthesizers, and guitar. The robotic style chorus of “BRAAAAIIIINNS” is reminiscent of a zombie apocalypse, which sounds both endearing and refreshing. City in Shapes in comparison, is more melodic and slower, and sounds like something that Bis may have experimented with during their Return to Central stage. Although there is still a lot of distortion, especially on Ross’ vocals, this fits in quite nicely although the backing vocals could have been raised in the mix. The guitar kicks in towards the end showcasing a heavy side to their sound.

Luck Dragon is an upbeat lo-fi track with a pulsating kick drum. This, coupled with big guitars, some interesting synth leads, and harmonies from Ross and Horton, make for an enjoyable listen, while the final track, Suck Gold starts off with a simple drumbeat and then Hortons’ sweet harmonies are reminiscent of Annie Lennox singing along to the Pixies.

If this EP is anything to go by, then Mega Emotion are capable of reaching a wider audience because they mix a variety of styles into their music. Despite a slight hiccup at the start, the guitars and synthesizers eventually work in their favour for a solid album.

Top Tracks: ‘Luck Dragon’, ‘Suck Gold’

For Fans Of: Depeche Mode, Pixies

Fake Feelings is available to purchase and stream from the band’s Bandcamp Page: http://megaemotion.bandcamp.com/album/fake-feelings-ep