Addicted2Fiction- Addicted2Fiction

Artist: Addicted2Fiction
CD Title: Addicted2Fiction
Label: Heartcore Records
Reviewer: Joshua Heinrich
Date: 3/31/06

Following up their debut EP, Zero In, with a far more streamlined brand of electro pop, Addicted2Fiction have returned with their first full-length. The self-titled album boasts around 41 minutes of hook-laden, emotive, female-fronted electro pop with analog cool and a nice array of more organic instrumentation thrown into the mix. Subtly layered and well produced, the album blends radio-friendly retro pop with a bit of experimentation and modern flare.

Highlights include a spectacularly catchy cover of Covenant's "Dead Stars", the bouncy bass and steady chorus of "No Silence", the lovely synth ballad "After Dark", and the pulsating synth bass and strong melodies of the upbeat "Day & Age". Those four also happen to represent the disc's most straightforward pop offerings. The slightly sparser and more convoluted "Outstanding Citizen" boasts one of the disc's catchiest choruses, while other strong offerings range from the nicely mellow ballad "Last Conversation" to the darker, slightly unsettling "Shutter Eye", and the rhythmic, cleverly titled, spoken-word-fronted "You Shmooze, You Lose". The more intense electro-rock of the closing "Mechanical Gadgets" adds another bit of diversity to the proceedings and also ends the album on a strong note.

Overall, while Aisha and Hellskiss seem to be at the top of their game when creating simple-but-infectious pop tunes this time around, Addicted2Fiction is a fairly consistent album with enough diversity and experimentation to add a bit of an eclectic edge. Whether you're in it for the whole package or just the requisite electro pop gems, Addicted2Fiction's self-titled full-length debut is a relatively impressive and worthwhile listen.