John Foxx & Jori Hulkonnen – European Splendour EP – Sugarcane Recordings
DMC World Magazine
Such is John Foxx’s standing within electronic music that he is able to choose from a wide variety of collaborators, and these are helping to enrich his music to consistently high levels. Where previously we have had Tara Busch and Matthew Dear, now we have Jori Hulkonnen, who has collaborated with Foxx on four new songs. The standout track is the first one, the warm synthesized pulses of Evangeline supporting a thoughtful, elegiac song, with Foxx in wistful mood. ‘Strictly’ – nothing to do with dancing, on this occasion! – is also slow but has more drawn out tension, in keeping with its more claustrophobic, city-bound lyrics. ‘Something Is Coming Down The Avenues’ slowly rumbles into action, but remains elusive, as does the dreamy ‘Can’t See You Anymore’, where you can almost see Foxx rubbing his eyes as he sings. A real coup de grace was getting David Lynch to remix ‘Evangeline’, because he brings to it a trademark, stylish poise but keeps the darker side always in view, bringing a real frisson to the music. Foxx really is in the form of his life – and here is a package that should be swiftly snapped up.
