[debut] - Postcards From Berlin (Self-Released)

Real name Gareth Thomas, debut is an electronic artist from Los Angeles. On his, well, debut album, Postcards From Berlin, channels the sounds of darkwave artists like Depeche Mode. Incidentally, the album was recorded at Hansa Meistersaal, a space also used by Depeche Mode, U2, and David Bowie. Whether purely coincidental or not, the sound of all three pervades debut’s own sound. The album is filled with industrial noises and hums, and Thomas certainly channels Dave Gahan’s moody vocal style on songs like the menacingly languid lead single “More Than This.”

The entire album feels like one large brooding atmospheric piece and is fitted with melancholic lyrics to match. There is never a pure moment of danceable electro pop, except for perhaps “Open Your Soul” or “More Than This,” but only in the way the Pet Shop Boys’ early material was danceable in a refined manner. Instead, he chooses a more introspective path on songs like “Everyday I Love You More,” and shows a love for the orchestral on “Come Around.”

Postcards From Berlin basically sounds like someone plucked all of the *Martin Gore*-sung ballads from Depeche Mode’s discography and compiled them into one collection. It’s cinematic, it’s sleek, and it’s nothing short of captivating. Postcards From Berlin is extremely close to being a gothic masterpiece.