This is an Italian Electropop-trio providing a first EP-release signed to the well-established Space Race Records, a sub-label to Italy’s premiere Electro/Industrial resource EK Product. Zero-EQ has been founded in 2003 by Phenix (Andrea) and IO (Gianluca) and they started with an imaginary, unreleased album with the funny title ‘Greatest Hits 2003/2004’.
Some first tracks could successfully find free slots on some renowned compilations (for example ‘Toy Box’ / remixed by DJ Crow on ‘Dance Family Vol.1’, Antibes Music). They also can look back on a full-length album ‘Bugged Karma’ brought out by the US-based Synthpop No. 1-resource, A Different Drum, under their ‘VIP series’. With live performances they started in early 2013 after the official addition of Tyler (Emiliano) as being the third full-time member. Zero-EQ has performed in the most important clubs in Rome and also during live radio shows. Now on return with this new EP, they provide us their colorful and diverse Synth-/ Electropop-outfit on 5 new tracks plus a few remix contributions by some of their label comrades. ‘Erase’ opens this EP with some nice integrated bass-line sequencer-loops and the clear sounding male vocal performance.
Even though they have used some kind of auto-tuning effects on the vocals, which are quite popular in cheesy, Charts-storming Pop-music efforts, this kind here doesn’t alter the good impression. Also ‘Never Let You In’ doesn’t fall into musically nervousness and comes along with smooth, but also with edges in their Synthpop music-style. The title track adds more speed and some rawer sounding bass-lines to the mix. This track balances between the smoother and harder styles of Electropop / EBM and so does also ‘Negative Changes’, which draws some reminiscences to the deep influence of Pop/New Wave-music out of the 80s. ‘Inside My Head’ may suits perfectly for some live action as this one blends in some guitar works, but actually this one doesn’t leave any further impression. Remix works are coming up next by Retrogramme, Public Domain Resource, Lost Reality, and Klonavenus.
But as usual I for the most part prefer original compositions. None of these contributions can actually rival with the quality of the original compositions, although each of them has some elements worth to check out. As for a whole release it is a quite fair produced EP on which I here and there miss a bit of a higher recognition value. But maybe this impression will change if they decide to bring out an all new full-length album.