Strawpeople
No New Messages

From the successful series "Unknown Albums by Unknown Authors," here is "No New Messages" by the Strawpeople, a New Zealand group with electro-pop inspiration.

Formed by the collaboration between Paul Casserly and Mike Tierney, the group has adopted from the beginning the precious formula of the "charging voice," relying on a large number of vocalists throughout their entire production from '88 to the present: thus, the duo's distinctive feature is the remarkable variety of atmospheres and sensations evoked through the diversity of vocal expressions from performers as varied as Fiona MacDonald, Bic Runga, and Victoria Kelly: the Strawpeople are never quite the same.

The evocative "No New Messages" from 2000 stands out precisely for the enthusiastic cameo of sensations stirred by the many vocalists called ad hoc by the New Zealand duo; in this album, like no other, Casserly and Tierney's orchestral ambitions are compelled to bow to the vocal stylings of the singers, in an apparent musical crescendo of keyboards and synths that consummates the orgasm not in the electronic triumph of the instruments but in the warm salivation of Runga or Kelly: coitus interruptus, stasi elettrofila.
Of particular note is the beautiful "Drive," from the eponymous single, a highlight track that, alongside "Scared of Flying," allowed the group to find a decent success even in parts of Europe: performed by the aforementioned Bic Runga, a prominent voice in the New Zealand scene, it reprises the Strawpeople's old love for cover songs, engaging in a reinterpretation of the eponymous piece by the American new wave group "Cars."
The same "Scared of Flying," performed by another interesting New Zealand voice, Leza Corban, stands out for a darker-toned interpretation, while "Gentle" by Anika Moa does not disdain the evocative "blue notes," lending itself to a musical interpretation that aims to highlight the eclecticism of a group often tempted by interesting genre fusions.
Still noteworthy is the evocative "Distant Skies," while pieces like "When Feeling Just Right Goes Wrong" and "It's not Enough" are more aligned with electronic tradition.

Strawpeople, with kind attention.