Aside from the name, there is little to praise about Eurotrash. Don’t take this lightly: Compacted is perhaps the worst techno/funk/(?) album that I have ever had the misfortune of stumbling upon.
Most of the tracks on Compacted have the tinny sound that one hears when the volume and bass dials are turned almost all the way down. Not a lot of fun. The mixes, “Blurred (Club Mix)”, “Still Life (Art Mix)” and “Jodi (Club Mix)”, never come close to capturing the intricacy and excitement that has become the hallmark of both American and European electronic music. Drums and bass seem non-existent and nonessential throughout the cd, replaced by synthesized keyboard and the occasional guitar. Bass is the essential element in this type of music, but here, any listener will be sorely disappointed. In short, there is little or no mood to the music. “Carnival” endeavors to create a festive atmosphere, but only succeeds in being dull. Once again, the beat is lacking and the music seems to have no direction. In fact, it doesn’t even wander.
Lyrics and vocals are as disappointing as the music itself. Occasional French and Spanish lyrics are sprinkled throughout the songs, sounding out of place and awkward. For a band that calls itself Eurotrash, the songs are spoken in a hopelessly American accent. The result is a pretentious, warbling, female vocal collection. As for content, most lyrics could have been pulled out of the garbage bin of a second rate poet. They are trite, dull, and do not fit with the music, a poor choice all around by Eurotrash members Kleiner, Marinangeli, Pavone and Parlosky.
In essence, if the definition of Eurotrash is camp, then it has been achieved on Compacted. There is very little talent or potential exhibited on the album. A group of kids on a single turntable might be more satisfying. I wouldn’t recommend this album.
+ S. Bennett
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