Black Marks

ElectroFLOP fans would no doubt be excited by the recent release of Kish Mauve's debut album Black Heart - if they had ever heard of them. Most famous for writing Kylie's 2 Hearts (which they had released on their self titled 3 track EP in 2005) and Lose Control.

Musically they are excellent and from the EP, 2 Hearts and Lose Control, the expectation was for a highly individual and unique masterpiece fusing electro with rockier instruments and rhythms. Unfortunately the end result leaves you wondering where exactly you have heard the tracks before (the cover art is very reminiscent of St Etienne)... Adding to this, singer Mina's vocals are very flat and unengaging - sounding detatched and indifferent for the most part (a technique tried, tested and FLOPPED with indie chicks of the 90's) and robotic, stilted and over pronounced the rest of the time. Sarah Cracknell she ain't!

MinaBot - better than Rosin at least.

Lose Control
When Kylie's version leaked, it was greeted with joy and hype - and subsequent rage when it wasn't on X. While Kylie's version isn't that good but had potential, their own version is much worse and ruined by Mina's robotic, emotionless delivery. A waste. At least it sounds quite original and could have been great. There are 15 remixes available on itunes some of which are quite good.
5/10

Matthew
Daft Punk meets Goldfrapp but the verses suffer from terrible lyrics that wouldn't be out of place on one of poopoo's shitefests.
5/10

I Don't Care
The chorus is a direct rip off of the Killers Mr Brightside and the rest is the standard "electro rock" from Hot Fuss.
3/10

Yawn...

In My Kitchen
Sounds like the Pretenders covering the Hoosiers shitefest Mr A.
4/10

Black Heart
Contains an uncredited rip off from The Eurythmics You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart over a track ripped straight from Goldfrapp's Black Cherry album...
5/10

Come On
Becomes a failry standard indie track very quickly, again chanelling the Killers and with a very weak chorus.
3/10

Morphine
Rather cliched radio friendly romp that sounds strikingly similar to Celebrity Skin era Hole...
2/10

Shite track, excellent video

You Make Me Feel
Stunning - a beautifully haunting slow burner and for once Mina's robotic vocals almost suit the song. Easily the stand out track. Penned by Kylie and Richard Stannard.
9/10

Modern Love
Absolutely terrible lyrically again. On the plus side, it doesn't sound like Goldfrapp or the Killers and towards the end turns into a fantastic track.
4/10

Fast Forwardto the good bits near the end.

Fahrenheit
Another beautiful track, though it seems to be beautiful era Garbage meets Tiger Bay era St Etienne
7/10

I'm In Love With Your Rock And Roll
Sounds like a Killers B-Side.
5/10

2 Hearts
Kish mauve's own version of the Kylie smash is apparently an iTunes bonus track. While many think their version is the better, again Mina's stilted vocals just don't cut it.
5/10

Overall, while it aspires to be the best Goldfrapp album that they never made, it sounds like a NME compilation album lacking in any kind of spark. A massive disappointment.
Turn On: You Make Me Feel
Turn Off: Morphine
Bap Rating: Paris Pancakes
If You Like This: Try The Killers Hot Fuss, Goldfrapp's Black Cherry and The Eurythmics back catalogue which are all what Black Heart tries to be. Or try that pretentious bint Rosin from Moloko.