T.O.Y.
The Prophet
Artoffact Records
The rebooting of T.O.Y. for 2001’s Space Radio, leaving behind the dark electro of the original Evils Toy incarnation for a melodic blend of futurepop and synthpop, remains one of the sharpest left turns ever taken by a band in our remit, but the project hasn’t stayed pat since then. Sole original member Volker Lutz has returned with a new lineup of T.O.Y. and an album which has been in development since the beginning of the pandemic. The Prophet drops the last vestiges of electro and futurepop which could still be traced in 2017’s Pain Is Love for a pure strain of synthpop which both calls back to the genre’s roots and influence on mainstream pop, while also tapping one of its all time legends for a memorable guest spot.
While there’s certainly nothing consciously retro in The Prophet‘s production, stylistically it’s as clear of an homage to pure 80s synthpop as you can imagine, as just one spin of the dreamy bounce of “Now And Anytime” shows. Even the cleanly shifting pads of “To The Stars With Me”, which could be rearranged into a modern synthwave tune under a different aegis, are offset by some classic wicky-wicky guitar connoting synthpop’s roots in classic disco. Even when it’s not all huge hooks right from the get go, The Prophet finds a roaming, progressive style of composition which fits its instrumental palette. The shifts and sequences sleeper cut “Forever In Silence” goes through – part latter era Bowie, part Cut Copy – give its wistful theme a considered depth.
As if those tunes weren’t enough to cement the classic synthpop appeal, a guest vocal from Alphaville’s Marian Gold (whom Lutz credits effectively as a steward of the record) finds a fitting balance between the bright swing of “Turn On!” and the fluid richness of Gold’s unmistakable voice. Those who’ve followed more recent Alphaville records will also see in “Turn On!” Gold’s ability to lyrically trade in of the moment subject matter (bot farming, social media disinformation) while still hitting the grand, epic register which helped Alphaville plant their flag decades ago.
The flip side of Gold’s tightrope walk might be the pure balladeering of “Home”, which is so direct its soft rock pedigree that it marks the first time Eric Carmen or Richard Marx have ever come to my mind while listening to a record for the purposes of this website. Your mileage may vary as to whether that’s a plus or not, but its moves like that, completely free of irony, which make The Prophet feel like such a unified and committed listen.
