Auto:matic by I Satellite

REVIEWS:

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Bernhard Lloyd of ALPHAVILLE:

"Brilliant!"

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Horst Schneider @ SYNTHPOP.DE:

Auto:Matic is the debut-album by the one-man band I SATELLITE (Rod MacQuarrie). I SATELLITE represents a throwback to 70s Kraftwerk and very early 80s New Wave music. Rod MacQuarrie uses simple fm-sounding synths and composes minimal, streamlined sound-structures which are supported by calm singing. For example, the songs "I Want You" and "Automat" really reminds the listener of early songs by "Human League" or "Heaven 17". With his selection of synthetics he successfully creates authentic wave-music and his compositions are in keeping with the original feel of the beginnings of SynthPoP. This album sounds old-fashioned and maybe comes 25 years too late, but I think that's exactly what I SATELLITE tried to obtain. It's a well-done homage to a time when electronic music was just starting to blossom - a little piece of SynthPoP nostalgia.

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Jason Baker @ SYNTHPOP.NET:

This is the independently released debut album for the band/project I Satellite, entitled "Auto:Matic" and featuring some tracks highlighted on a few previous compilations, as well as several all-new songs that see their first release here. I Satellite plays the simple analog synthpop that we remember from the golden days of synth music, full of sweet synth swirls, highly addictive choruses and a slight quirky sensibility in lyricism.

"Bubbleboy" is the track that hooked me on this band, and I suspect that it has hooked several other synth fans, judging from the sales numbers I've seen so far. It, as well as "12:15 Friday Night" and "Where In The World", are the most pop-friendly tracks on the album, and each of those tracks has been featured on a compilation previously. Well deservedly, too, as these are some incredibly catchy tunes, and in my opinion each would do well as a single.

Two of the songs here, "I Want You" and "Automat", are a little different stylistically than the others, reminding me a little of the Gary Numan material I've heard. Somewhat more robotic and rhythm-based than the other tracks, with maybe a slight similarity to some of Gary Flanagan's material.

The album has a number of instrumental tracks, with "Robot Parade", "Retropolis", "Polaroid" and "Orion" all being new instrumental tracks on the album. They range from the bubbly poppiness of "Robot Parade" to the more laid-back groove of "Polaroid", and each of the instrumentals is varied and diverse enough to hold my interest throughout. That's something that is hard to do, with this many instrumentals on the album, but is pulled off quite well here.

All in all, this is a very good debut album. This project shows a lot of promise, and I am really looking forward to the next release. However, the band has said they'll be trying out a whole new recording scheme - I just hope that won't affect their sound too much. I like the musical nitch they've carved out for themselves here, and think it suits the artist well. All that aside, this is a album well worth getting. Highly recommended!

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Rix Roundtree-Harrison @ ELECTROGARDEN.COM:

The CD "Auto:Matic" takes you on an exhilarating automated rocket ride with your cosmic bartender I Satellite. Aboard his spacecraft I Satellite orbits the earth mixing synthesized cosmic concoctions that are sure to bring you under his solar spell.

Though extremely spacey I Satellite's "Auto:Matic" does not leave you lost in space. Far more earth bound than any of Gary Numan's works, I Satellite uses Numan's basic building blocks for the creation of cosmic sculptures. But he jettisons Numan's sometimes over the top cosmic drama replacing it with the friendly and approachable trappings of pop music thus creating space music for the masses. With "Auto:Matic" you are presented with the sights and sounds of outer space; it's like having your own personal Hubble telescope that comes with stereophonic sound. From the sounds of wispy slow flowing cosmic dust to the nova-like birth of a new star you are inebriated by eerie yet soaring solar masterpieces that capture the sound of cosmic storms, exploding stars and the roar of robotically piloted plasma propelled rocket ships.

One listen and you wonder if I Satellite's interest in space exploration was launched with Sputnik back in 1957 as he is obviously influenced by 50's sci-fi and the Cold War era. Some of the influences you will fine on "Auto:Matic" are Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Strange Advance, Bill Nelson and a little bit of Robert Gorl, "?" ....look him up.

As "Auto:Matic" orbits the earth your space boy bartender I Satellite mixes a series of electronic cocktails, synthetic martinis for the mind. One sip and the listener finds that "Auto:Matic" is a CD that one must sit and listen to. Containing electronics that are futuristic yet quiet, introspective and reflective it is indeed a cerebral piece of work. Dim the lights and sit back enjoy the cosmic journey as robotoids perform their monotonous march through ten synthetic traxz that run the gamut of love, pain, sex and pleasure in the 21st century.

Though introspective and deserving of your full attention "Auto:matic" does offer up a mind numbing electronic robotic rump shaker in "Where In The World". It's an electronic concoction made up with a jigger of Ladytron, a shot of OMD served up in a frosty electrical goblet provided by Ganymede. It intoxicates you so that you don't realize that you left your seat and are dancing in the middle of the floor.

In "12:15 Friday Night" and "Bubbleboy" you'll find soft and sweet cosmic electricity the like Numan has never delivered. In both songs the electricity is playful, frothy and cuddly and displays I Satellite's knowledge of the basic principles of creating catchy electronic pop. So childlike these tunes that you don't realize that though playfully disguised as bubbles and harmless sparks the electronics are imbued with so much energy that you don't realize that you are playing with power. As big electric-blue bubbles float from your speakers and lazy electricity languishes about the room you are caught completely off guard when the electric bubbles begin to pop and overwhelm you and the languishing electronics start to mercilessly and continuously jolt you.

As his electronic angst moans like solar winds through the Milky Way galaxy you close your eyes and you can almost see the fingers of I Satellite work the keyboards in "Out of Space". I Satellite also delivers some hard electricity in the Adult vein in the science gone mad "Automat".

In "I Want You" synthesizers wail as you sail the solar seas on a Numan-like rocket ride into deep space. On this trip you don't feel alone and alienated as again I Satellite takes the best Numan influences and leaves behind Numan's trademark aloofness.

So, just sit back, relax and let this space boy take you on a journey through the cosmos that you will never forget. Space travel with Gary Numan is a lonely sometimes-depressing dramatic symphonic space opera, but space travel with I Satellite is just plain fun.

Don't burn it, buy it.

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Maurizio Pustianaz @ CHAINDLK.ORG

I Satellite is a project headed by Rod MacQuarrie. Unfortunately I've got no additional information about the guy and his website is still waiting for the final touch so it can't be helpful either. Anyway, from what I can hear his heros are people like Gary Numan (good his "I Want you" that makes me remember good tunes like "Music For Chameleons") and various classical influences such as Kraftwerk (see for example the instrumental "Retropolis") or sometimes echoes of Howard Jones along all the good 80's electro wave that made my day in those years. His sound is based on analog gear (the various Jupiter and Juno series along with Oberheim synthesizers and Roland old drum machines plus tons of other stuff) with the classical square wave sounds with those cool sweep fading sounds. As general atmosphere AUTO:MATIC sounds like a record produced at the end of the 70's and maybe if better produced the CD would sound a little more powerful but songs like "Automat", "Where In The World", "Out Of Space" and the already mentioned "I Want You" are good in any case without caring about sound production or else. Listening to this album you'll get that sense of dreamy science fiction mixed with pop that made you love the same heroes that Rod loves, so if it isn't clear enough, this is worth a check. Got it? ;-)

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Dave Richards @ LEXICONMAGAZINE.COM

Debut release from synthesist Rod MacQuarrie. This CD is firmly in the "old skool" category, made mainly (entirely?) with analogue synths. The sound is clean, simple but well done. The songs are catchy, basically stuck in 1981. Hey that ís a good thing as far as I am concerned. Often the vocals recall Gary Numan, but the songs themselves trace back to Numan, Kraftwerk, OMD. Look, if you liked Travelogue and more closely, Soviet, you will dig I Satellite. Well worth picking up, although Modeheads will be put off I guess. Highly recommended.

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E-LECTRIC.DE

Aus den USA flatterte mir kürzlich diese Scheibe mit dem metallisch-grauen Rolltreppen-Cover ins Haus. Presseinfo? Fehlanzeige. Naja, mal reinhören, wird wohl wieder gruselig-säuseliger US-Synthipop mit hunderttausend unnötigen Remixes sein. FALSCH !!! Weit gefehlt. Schon an den ersten beep-blonk-Tönen des instrumentalen Openers "Robot Parade" zeigt sich, daß hier jemand seine Elektro-Lektion gelernt hat. Beim Aufschlagen des Booklets blickt einen ein sympathischer junger Mann hinter einem Keyboard an: Rod Macquarrie heißt der Herr über einen respekterheischend großen Maschinenpark. An einer Heerschar von Moog, Arp, Oberheim, Jupiter, Juno, Korg und wie sie alle heißen, kreiert Mister I Satellite seine Tracks. Und wo seine Vorbilder liegen, läßt sich beim Hören von "Auto:Matic" leicht feststellen. Neben den üblichen Verdächtigen, sprich Kraftwerk und Human League, dürfte der Gute vor zwei Jahrzehnten eine Überdosis OMD erwischt haben, insbesondere die leicht gezuckerte "Souvenir"-Variante von 1981/82. Ach ja, und Gary Numan: dem Meister der weißen Schminke scheint "I Want You" gewidmet zu sein - authentischer geht's kaum. Zehn Tracks lang entführt uns I Satellite in die Welt des Synthipop der alten Schule - selbst das Coverartwork im retro-futuristischen Stil paßt hier bestens. Lupenreine Synthetiksounds gepaart mit harmonischen Melodieläufen und einer angenehmen Stimme - einige mögen es als kitschig bezeichnen, ich hatte aber jede Menge Spaß mit dieser perfekt gemachten Old School-Scheibe.

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ELECTRONIC-BODY-MUSIC.COM

EBM erlebt momentan die Rückkehr der Clonkrieger, eine "Old School"-Band nach der anderen klettert aus dem Untergrund und erfreut die Electrojünger mit mehr oder weniger guten Repliken alter EBM Helden. Und der Synthie Pop??? Der jetzt auch... aber Synthie Pop ist wohl für I Satellite der falsche Begriff, vielmehr handelt es sich um ein Revival der guten alten New Wave und der New Romantic mit einem Touch minimal Electro. Auto:Matic erinnert an Erstlingswerke wie "Speak & Spell" von Depeche Mode, an Zeiten als Visage oder die Soft Cell noch die Charts erstürmten und anführten. Aber auch Anleihen an Elektropioniere wie Kraftwerk sind zu vernehmen. Der Mix aus dem ganzen ergibt ein Soundgebilde, das einem die Tränen in die Augen treibt, vor Nostalgie und vor Freude!!! Und das alles auch noch ohne in irgendeiner Form verstaubt zu wirken. Hier sollte sich so manche EBM Revival Kombo mal ein paar Scheiben abschneiden.

Auf einzelne Tracks will und kann ich in diesem Review nicht eingehen, da das gesamte Werk eine Stimmigkeit besitzt, weil alle Lieder für sich gut sind und als Gesamtwerk sowieso. Die CD des amerikanischen Ein-Mann Projektes ist ein Muss für jeden Nostalgiker, für jeden der die 80er erlebt hat und für jeden der die 80er für das beste Jahrzehnt in musikalischer Hinsicht sieht. Auch jeder Depechie der sich die alten Zeiten zurücksehnt ist in den Händen von I Satellite bestens aufgehoben. Langsam sollte ich überlegen ob ich nicht doch ein Album des Monats einführe, denn wenn diese geile Scheibe es nicht wird, welche dann. Volle Punktzahl, keine Diskussion.

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DANNY KING in SYNTHETIC VISION MAGAZINE #12

This debut release from this American solo artist was described on the Plastiq Musiq website as being "vintage analogue electro pop with sharp production, sing-a-long melodies and old synthesisers and drum machines a plenty", that clearly sums up the 10 tracks that are on offer here, there is certainly a touch of Gary Numan, John Foxx and Ultravox among others through out the album itself giving that clear early-80s feel to the album.

There are many excellent tracks here including the superb "I Want You" and the stunning 'Automat' with its waves of analogue synths that crash from everywhere, vocoder led vocals on the chorus and that superb finish with its sweeping synths that are pure Ultravox, you can easily picture Billy Currie playing this riff, both tracks feature a darker vocal content in comparison to the other tracks featured here while also excellent and similar in style are the lighter tracks 'Bubbleboy', '12.15 Friday Night' & 'Where In The World' while the album finishes with the mid-paced track 'Out Of Space', its light feel and perky synths add an early Depeche Mode touch to the track itself. There are a number of excellent instrumentals here like the pure Ultravox style of 'Retropolis' with its rigid mid-paced percussion and bass! combined with light, piercing analogue synths or the simple, mid-paced darkness of 'Polaroid' with its synths chimes adding a touch of Gary Numan to the track itself while the especially impressive 'Orion' simply rolls along nicely like a cross between the theme for an 80s Sci-Fi programme and an early-Human League track, its eerie synths along could have easily come from the Doctor Who theme. 'Auto:Matic' is another fantastic debut that easily invokes fond memories of those golden years; it's all perfectly reproduced into the work of I Satellite on this very impressive album.

RATING 100%

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Alexander Pohle @ BACKAGAIN.DE

Some time ago, an old friend told me about I SATELLITE from the US of A as a wonderful 80s sounding Electro project in the vein of bands and musicians like Ultravox, John Foxx, Human League, Alphaville and other heroes of my youth. At once I contacted Rod of I SATELLITE and very soon held this album in my hands.

"Auto:matic" is some kind of 80s-Retro-album, which will be loved by all fans of the "good ol´ times".

The album opens with the instrumental and very rhythmic "Robot Parade", followed by the very poppy "Bubbleboy", which reminds me a bit on Trans X or The Buggles. After listening to this track the first time, the melody never leaves the ears again. This would´ve been a Top 10 hit in the early 80s! Next is "I Want You". Did you ever think, that the musical change of Heaven 17 after their first album "Penthouse & Pavement" was not the best idea? Then, "I Want You" is the perfect track, also with a certain Gary Numan feeling. "Retropolis" is another instrumental piece, which reminds me a bit on early, experimental OMD-album tracks. "12:15 Friday Night" is a great Minimal-Wave song with reminiscences on Erasure on their first two albums, while the album title track "Automat" is my favourite song, sounding like the early Human League. Simply a brilliant masterpiece of today´s Electro music! Then comes the Kraftwerk-like "Polaroid". "Where In The World" is possibly the most "actual" sounding title on "Auto:matic". If you like some Swedish Synthie-Pop bands from the 90s, you know, what I mean. The last instrumental track is "Orlon", very driving, very minimalstic with a lot of sound effects. The album then ends with "Out Of Space", another 90s Minimal-Synth-Wave song.

What can I say about this unbelievable Electro album? It is definetly one of the very best Synthie-Pop albums, I heard in the last years and a "must have" for every 80s Pop fan, who likes any of the above mentioned bands. Forget all the boring Future-Pop acts and get "Auto:matic" instead. Even if the sound and the song structures are pure 80s, the music does not sound old-fashioned, so the term "Modern-Retro-Pop" describes I SATELLITE perfectly.

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MUSICAL INFLUENCES:

Japan, John Foxx, Human League, Depeche Mode, Rational Youth, Rockets (70's Space Disco), Kraftwerk, Alphaville, Men Without Hats, Roxy Music, The Church, House of Love, A Flock of Seagulls, Tears for Fears, Trans-X, Yaz, Yazoo, The Cars, Velvet Underground, Big Star, David Bowie, Clan of Xymox, Xymox, Pieter Nooten, Michael Brook, Enya, Clannad, Visage, Erasure, Saga, Red Rider, Devo, Gary Numan, New Order, The The, Eurythmics, Joy Electric, Soviet, Travelogue, Alpinestars, Legowelt, Le Car, Vangelis, OMD, YMO, ELO, FLY, REM, U2, The Smiths, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Thompson Twins, Freur, Tin Tin, Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, Buggles, Jane Siberry, Howard Jones, Waterboys, M+M, Martha & the Muffins, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, Bryan Ferry, Aztec Camera, Icicle Works, Wang Chung (early), Love & Rockets, Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, This Mortal Coil, Modern English, Heaven 17, The Stranglers, The Police, Killing Joke, The Doors, The Monks, Stone Roses, Sisters of Mercy, Jesus and Mary Chain, David Sylvian, Railway Children, Field Mice, Chapterhouse, Blue Nile, 9 React, Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Marty Willson-Piper, Guy Chadwick, Leonard Cohen, The Fixx, Felt, Denim, Pulsars, Ladytron, Simple Minds, ABBA, Giorgio Moroder, Hot Butter, The Cure, Al Stewart, BoneyM, Boney M, The Alarm, NEU!, Ultravox!, Adult., Cosmicity, De/Vision, Camouflage, David Sylvian, Rainbow Rider, Dance House Children, DBA, Billy Idol, My Bloody Valentine, Sista Mannen På Jorden, Vince Clarke, A-ha, The 3 O'Clock, Pet Shop Boys, Talk Talk, BlancMange, Bob Welch, Seven Red Seven, 7 Red 7, Miss Kittin & the Hacker, Fischerspooner, Felix Da Housecat, Artist Unknown, The Faint, Anything Box, Sven Vath, Komputer, Echoing Green, Wire Train, Talking Heads, China Crisis, Cactus World News, Les Rhythmes Digitales, Rainbow Rider, Painted Orange, PlastiqMusiq, Plastiq Musiq, Disco, Glam, New Wave, Robots, Dr. Who, Brazil, Dark City, Alphaville, Metropolis, Blade Runner, The Day the Earth Stood Still, La Cite Des Enfants Perdus, analogue synths & infinite guitars...

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INSTRUMENTS USED (Synths, Drum Machines, Modules, & Sequencers):

Roland System-700 Modular, Roland System-100m, Roland System-100, ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey (white-face), Octave-Plateau Voyetra-8, Octave Cat, Moog Memorymoog, Oberheim SEM, Oberheim 4-voice, Oberheim OB-X, Oberheim OB-8, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (Rev. 2), Sequential SixTrak, Sequential Pro-One, Roland Jupiter-4, Roland Jupiter-6, Roland Jupiter-8, Roland SH-1, Roland SH-3, Roland SH-5, Moog Minimoog, Realistic MG-1, Studio Electronics MidiMini (MidiMoog), ARP 1613 Sequencer, Yamaha CS-15, Linn LM-1, Linndrum, Roland CR-78 Compurhythm, Roland TR-606, Roland TR-808, Oberheim DX, Korg KR-55 (Univox Rhythm 55), Korg KR-55b (Univox Rhythm 55b), Roland MC-4b Microcomposer, Roland OP-8m, Simmons Claptrap, Simmons SDS-V, Polyfusion AS-1, Pearl SY-1 Syncussion, Pearl SC40, Akai MPC3000, Waldorf Microwave, Korg EX8000, Roland JD800, Univox MiniKorg 700, Garfield Dr. Click, Garfield Minidoc, Tama Techstar TS305 & TS306, Roland Juno-60, Roland Juno-106, Roland CMU-810 Compusynth, Crumar Performer, ideas as OP-8's, etc. etc. (I SATELLITE do not use softsynths, computers, or other artist's samples)

Average Customer Review: 4