It's easy to be suspicious of Electroclash. After all as a former follower of the whole Romo scene in 1996 it's easy to by cynical of the media whores in the capital who salivate over the prospect of the next Electroclash 12", yet just a few years ago were openly mocking the idea of an 80s influenced musical scene where the idea of pushing yourself forward using your face and body as a canvas were as important as the music itself. The worst thing about Electroclash is that it's a retro in it's output as any of the detroit garage bands and if anything has dragged electronic music back 20 years rather than pushing it forward.

Toktok VS Soffy O are in essence no different than any other Electroclash band, but "Missy Queen's Gonna Die" was enough to get the hardened cynic robotically dancing and cutting up the rug. An electro punk collage where the motto "learn 3 chords and form a band" applies as much to the synthetic sounds as it does to any old school punk band. Sadly though this motto doesn't see them through as after the debut single they simply don't follow up on the potential and even "Day Of Mine" which went Top 3 in Germany grows tired after just the one listen. "Jean" shows promise and is reminiscent of Banarama on helium but like most of this record looses it's initial charm easily.

When the pace changes slightly on "Go" and "Changes" Soffy O's vocals sound like indie darlings Helen Love and when you consider this is the most contemporary influence on the record really goes to show just how tedious this record is. "Siamese Twins" has 5 seconds of pulsating synths coming over all sleazy like a lost Faint track, but stretched out to nearly 4 minutes is just pushing it a tad.

""Toktok Vs Soffy O" has done nothing to change my opinion of the whole Electroclash scene and sadly one idea does not a scene maketh.

Alex McCann