Venus In Disgrace - Dancefloor Nostalgia

Venus In Disgrace is an Italian synthpop and darkwave duo who that was born in the second half of the 90s. However, for two decades did the project lay in slumber until, like many other projects, they found a calling to return to the electronic scene. Their return began in early 2021 with the release of their single 'Hedda Gabler' featuring guitars and vocals from Gianluca Divirgilio. This was followed up by a radio edit of 'White Desire'. Both of these singles teased their upcoming album "Dancefloor Nostalgia". As the title might suggest, Venus In Disgrace's "Dancefloor Nostalgia" is a retro-sounding, bouncy album with modern production. 



The album starts off with the single that began their return 'Hedda Gabler (feat. Gianluca Divirgilio)'. It is exactly what you would expect from a synthpop single; it's a fun, dance driven track that'll make you get your feet moving. Or, at least in my case, have you bobbing your head as you type out the review or drive your car to work. Lighter synth touches and backing guitars make sure that 'Hedda Gabler' does not fall under too many tropes and bore. I will say that I do wish the vocals were more powerful to match the beat of the track. While the music has me intrigued, the vocals sound washed out amongst the beat as if they were meant for a lullaby and not a dance track. 

'Dim Light' has a floaty atmosphere with light vocals to match; they are almost spoken word but carry enough of a tone. There's a wonderful synth takeover that begins up at the one-minute and thirty-seven second mark that makes me fall in love every time I hear it. 'White Desire' has a percussive kick while 'Watching Down the Spiral' keeps the pace going thanks to a fast-paced bassline. 'Strasbourg 1518' is sung entirely in Italian and I was more impressed by their voice in their native tongue than the English lyrics. 

'The Wind Through the Arcades' is a slow love ballad though, in classic synthpop fashion, there's an air of sadness to both the song and the lyrics. However, if that song bums you out, then the cover of Franco Battiato's 'Summer on a Solitary Beach' might bring up your spirits. It's a bubbly little synthpop song featuring Simone H. Salvatori and Francesco Conte and has a sentimental beat. The title track is a by-the-books synthpop song; it is not terrible, but it pales in comparison to other tracks on the album. After one final dancefloor shebang with 'Delacroix (feat. Bez Yorke)', I was left with a fifty second, instrumental outro. While I like the sound (it reminded me a bunch of the intro theme from Stranger Things), I could not understand why it was on the album. It did not fit the mood or tone of "Dancefloor Nostalgia" and does not belong. 

My main complaint about the album comes from the vocals - or at least their power within the mix. When I wrote of the first track on the album, 'Hedda Gabler', I mentioned that the vocals sounded washed out on the track. I did not want to repeat myself over and over again on each song, but I felt as if the vocals never really matched the basslines and always took a step back. The voices, however, are not bad. The voices are consistently clear and concise. They do their job, which is the important aspect, I just wish they were up front. 

While Venus In Disgrace will not be breaking any synthpop boundaries with "Dancefloor Nostalgia", I cannot deny its charm. The Italian duo has made a remarkable return with their twenty-years-later album. Sure, I did find the vocals to be lacking at least in power, but the chords from both Venus In Disgrace and their guests are quite nice. The tenth track I feel is absolutely unnecessary, but it's only a fifty-some second diversion until I can replay the album all over again. The songs on "Dancefloor Nostalgia" do what they were meant to do; capture the essence of a time past and place it into the modern day. Seven out of ten! 

This review was commissioned through our Ko-fi page.
Jun 06 2021