Miracle — The Strife Of Love In A Dream
Synthy, driving arpeggios are very familiar territory for Steve Moore's projects, so popping Miracle's latest into the machine will provide the listener with some very comfortable turf. While there is familiar ground for fans of Moore's work, there are different themes with a considerably heavier pop direction, though using that label feels a bit off. With the growing resurgence in synth, pop, wave, etc, that has happened over the past 15 or so years, a number of acts have come forward wearing their influences on their sleeves. Naturally, some fit this mold better than others, and it's usually through these outliers that one is pushed into discovery. The Strife of Love in a Dream has some really lovely moments spread throughout its 40+ minute run time, however, it plays more like a dark film score than a "synthpop" album. Moore's John Carpenter influence plays heavily on this record, and is coupled very well with Daniel O'Sullivan's voice. It's a delightful turn from his usual instrumental work, and adds a great level of depth. On the whole, Miracle plays more like Zombi-light than Depeche Mode, but Zombi-light is still a fun band to listen to.
Having recently re-read Hayakawa's Language in Thought and Action, I caught myself unfairly judging this album based on the words that accompanied it instead of the music itself. Reading "synthpop" and comparisons to Depeche Mode had made me approach this album in a very partial manner, instead of being open and accepting the album for what it is. Thankfully, I realized that I was doing this, and that words had shaped my initial opinion. Also, having recently been in a total OMD coma, this wasn't the "synthpop" I was looking for. Regardless, I was able to reclaim my open frame of mind and enjoy the album for what it is: a well done, synth album. While I still use the troublesome terms and comparisons in the paragraph above, I feel they're necessary to counterpoint the press release and shift the focus to what is really on the record.
Miracle's second album, The Strife of Love in a Dream is an interesting, well done synth album. The addition of vocals to Zombi-esque arrangements works very well, and will get me to check out their first album, for sure. While some elements work better than others, naturally, on the whole, Strife is a solid album well worth a few listens.