Designer take a different approach to modern electronic rock with their debut album Under A Silver Sky. Most rock and metal bands use electronic elements to enhance their sound, to bolster it up, but Designer embraces it as a building block and focus of their music. Ladened with clean vocals the band's music could be compared to the recent work of Sonic Syndicate or Smash Into Pieces for the way they fuse together electro and rock sounds.
The music has been composed by two Polish musicians living in Dublin - Jacob Durek and Greg Kudzia . Every instrument heard on their new record was recorded by the two at their home studio. The DIY mentality is present throughout the album in the fearless way they approach their music with unbridled enthusiasm and energy. The title track has stadium written all over it and not garage band as you might expect. Lyrics and vocals are by Kevin Bayliss, known for his previous work in Manchester band Voodoo Jonhson. Kevin's abilities to add a melodic pop vocal work perfectly alongside the soft electro rock backing. We Are One is a terrific Euro-pop track celebrating unity with a fierce passion. Overall the album is the kind of European rock that is loved on the continent, so it should go down well across the EU.
End Of Everything has a vintage 80s rock feel, think Pat Benatar's Precious Time album, for the way that the chords and melody line progress. Lyrically the band will certainly appeal, confronting social evils, fear, love – something that many rock bands already do.
Rock and electronica may not be natural bedfellows, but they are close than you think, especially in the modern age. The progressive nature of the fusion still divides audience reactions, but Designer manages to create an album that will appeal to a variety of listeners. I'm not sure if this was by accident or by design, but if it was the latter then they have definitely hit the mark.
Groupie Rating 3/5
