Super Eurobeat 237

1.Kaioh - Nitrofire (Go Go's Music)
After a brief pause in reviews, I'm trying my best to get back on the horse. And what better way to start the re-learning process than an explosive performance by the young and talented Federico. Kaioh has had a fairly strong streak of hits up to this point and Nitrofire aims to keep up with the pace. The track works as a good example of how Super Eurobeat albums these days should be opened up with. The song has a really strong presence with full bass and an aggressive synthline that has remnants of the classical A-Beat C sound from the golden days of eurobeat, so what would be a more perfect opener eh? The song is in every way rather identical to the structure of the awesome Sunlight from 222, but slightly falls behind in imagination. The ever present electric guitars and really lush and full synth are becoming an iconic style of the Go Go's men by now. While Manuel provides an even slightly stronger performance I can't really blame Kaioh's efforts here. Nitrofire is an excellent energy faire that just needs a slight bit of extra variety to really remain as a classic like Sunlight. A great song none the less and really shows Federico has herited from his parents.
Rating: 9+

2.Tipsy & Tipsy - Living On The Edge (Asia/Saifam)
The recent years have not been the best for the fans of Asia in general. The label has lately done quite a few covers and original productions have felt a bit lackluster. Living On The Edge follows the familiar grounds that Tipsy & Tipsy have treaded on in the past as well: The song sounds really upbeat and offers that similar synth we've heard quite a few times in the past as well. What the track really offers is a relatively catchy chorus, but that aside the song sounds like a hollow shell. If the song had cut off a minute of its excessive length the repetitive nature of it would probably not have felt as bad as it currently does. Now the song really has nothing special to really remark to begin with, it's just a bubbly track that has nothing on the actual classic upbeat entries by the label.
Rating: 6+

3.Grace 2U - Wake Up Everybody With Cupid (SCP)
The ever experiemental SCP provides us with a rematch of the ever so lovely Big Heart that was mostly loved by everyone when it was released. Wake Up Everybody With Cupid is something that was obviously aimed for Valentine's Day, but due to Avex's schedule missed the actual date by a few days sadly. Grace 2U might become a new experiemental title for SCP that would provide us with a specific niche of romantic aishu-esque songs in the future, kind of like Scream Team goes with the horror theme. The song has a really pleasant atmosphere and the slower pace fits it really nicely. For a romantic song it also makes sense to have Christian dueting with a supposed new female star. Out of the male vocalists on SCP I do feel Ace is the one whose voice seems to blend the best with othe girls so points for SCP and picking the best dueting partner they could. What the song does in a very unique way is the pop-ish approach to eurobeat without actually losing the eurobeat standards and sounds. The verses could have used a bit of extra oomph to really top Big Heart, but there's only so much to complain about this pleasant entry all in all.
Rating: 9

4.Dream Fighters - Dance For Love (Dima Music)
I'm not exactly sure what's the cause for my recent lack of interest for the newer Dima entries, but there's very little exciting material to be had for me these days when I compare to what it used to be in the 190s for example. Dance For Love sounds like a B-Side of Dancing On The Street in too many ways for me to even consider it to be produced in a different session. It sounds like they had a few extra ideas left after completing the really catchy A-Side, but this B-Side sadly was left with jus the scraps. The synth sounds rehashed, the melody has small sparkles of actual 'fun' but mostly it just sounds lifeless and repetitive to me. It sort of reminds me how people eventually become rutted in their daily jobs and just lose interest. I just can't find very much positive to be had here, but maybe it's just a slump.
Rating: 5½
 
5.Elly - Strawberry Heart (SCP)
The reasoning behind Avex's thought process is often a bit of mystery... Strawberry Heart is very similar to Wake Up Everybody With Cupid in essence, in sooo many ways I don't even know where to begin with. But then again, Valentine's day was just around when the album came out, so maybe they wanted more mushy mushy doki doki waku waku material. Strawberry Heart has a sort of a similar problem as Dance For Love where it sounds to be produced in the same session as a different session, but fortunately here the imagination was not entirely used in the first entry. Elly sounds very typical to SCP, in a slightly disappointing way. I would really want to hear more strong and distinctive vocals for a change, but she could very well be the long lost cousin of Christine. The reminiscent voice aside, the vocals aren't bad by any means. There's a really pink-feel to the entire song with it's aishu lyrics and slower BPMs, but at least the song has a good structure to back it all up with. The verses are especially pleasant and the chorus also sounds delightful, but what I would have loved is some extra instruments to be mended into the structure. For whatever reason I felt a violin would be perfect for this entry. A pleasant song all in all, but just can't compete with Wake Up Everybody With Cupid in quality.
Rating: 8+

6.LOL - Hot Bikini Girl (SinclaireStyle)
The second coming of LOL (or Lol?) follows the footsteps of Looking For A Sexy Boy very closely, but fortunately stands on its own feet, and very firmly. Hot Bikini Girl has that similar slightly slapsticky mood where it obviously isn't taking itself too seriously, which is a very fortunate thing. The song is basically all about a good mood and letting lose. The familiar Sinclaire synth is something you'll either love or hate, from my perspective I'm just glad we have moved onwards from the thin synths we had in the very beginning when the label kicked off. No more of that feel where the synth was played inside a barrel somewhere far away. Vocals and lyrics are ever so simple, but one can't really example very deep tragedy stories with a track like this. A fun song with a bouncy chorus, great verses and a bridge that really stands out as the highlight of the whole entry.
Rating: 8½

7.J-Stark - Lady Taxi Driver (Delta)
Maybe it's my long absence from doing reviews, but I feel like all of these tracks remind me of something else from the past. Luca's long career has given us with so many different tracks it's not exactly hard to find similarities with newer releases I guess, but this time we go nearly 6 years into the past to Go Shinkansen! Maybe they are blending all the various public transport options into a seamless and coherent release. I can just imagine Super Eurobus coming to town (*honk honk*, we like to party, we like to party). Lady Taxi Driver is an all around nice entry that does nothing very special of unique to be remembered by. Vocals are okay, chorus is catchy and sounds are nice. It's the embodiment of a track that is fun to come back to every once in a while, but it really suffers from repetition.
Rating: 7½

8.Stephy Martin - 79 (Dima Music)
When I initially heard this song I was really unsure of what I was thinking about it. The song pleasantly takes me back to the strong SEB150s, but the small modern twist to it makes it feel fresh. When compared to the lifeless Dance For Love I can definitely say we are on a totally different territory here. 79 is just a song I have a hard time really getting into. I like the sounds, the melody and vocals all in all, but in the end I feel like something is still missing. It's kind of like a microwave meal that is okay to have on a busy day when you just can't spare the time for cooking, but the spices just were left out. If you have the option of getting proper restaurant food or cooking yourself, you'd get a totally different result. I really do want to enjoy the song and I can't really pinpoint any flaws in the production, but I just can't fully get into it. Y'know? Maybe it's just not a track made for me, but I can definitely see a strong track here.
Rating: 8+

9.Paul Harris - You're Not Alone (Delta)
A slow, rather ballad-ish intro feels so out of place here, or is it just me? Everytime the track kicks in I feel like pushing forward, but fortunately the downtime only lasts for 25 seconds. After the song starts a proper we get a much different kind of a mood going on. You're Not Alone is a fast paced track with a slight pinch of aishu in the mix. To me the song sounds like Delta might've been experiementing with a romantic approach to a speedy track, but then decided to drop down the idea and only left some parts of the romance in. The lyrics definitely fit in with the romantic mood, but the fast paced synth and melody give out a totally different feel. Luca provides a strong vocal performance that helps the song really stand out. Chorus and verses are really pleasant all around, but like with most eurobeat entries there's just some extra something to be had for a true gem.
Rating: 8½

10.Dee Dee Wonder - Fortune Teller (HI-NRG Attack)
HRG on the other hand are trying some new tricks to offer some variety. The new funky elastic-sounding synth/hook really makes the song feel funky and fresh at the same time. I really enjoy how they decided to only include the funky sounds in the intro and transition melodic parts, definitely a good decision with too much use the track could've sounded too much like Teletubbies on helium. The sounds aside the melody could've used some extra power to offer an actual memorable song. Now the song is nicely finetuned, but without a strong melody there's just so much you can do with good production. What I said about SCP females sounding too similar to each other, I still feel it'd be about time for HI-NRG Attack to try out a female vocalist whose voice wasn't distorted or pitched to extremes. Fortune Teller is a good song, but does not have enough gasoline to light the night on fire.
Rating: 8+

11.Baby Gold - Kiss Me All The Night (HI-NRG Attack)
Following on the same label we get a track that does the exact opposite of Fortune Teller: the song uses really traditional HRG sounds, but the melody itself is much stronger and variable which makes for a nice contrast. Which of these two things is exactly more valuable in the end? A totally new sound or a really strong melody. Why can't we just have both of them in one? Kiss Me All The Night includes some really nice usage of piano and the melody switches from erratic and speedy to a slightly calmer and collected which works surprisingly well. The chorus is definitely what pulls the entire song together in a neat way. HRG is slowly earning a medal in my books for offering the most wicked c-melodies that always add up extra brownie points. A really fun song which could've used some new sounds or some extra instruments to follow up to the pleasant piano parts. But my final conclusion is still that a proper melody is what makes a song solid, which is why this one earns a higher rating definitely.
Rating: 9-

12.Leo River - Prince Of The Night (Go Go's Music)
This track is definitely one that would have gained an incorrect grade from me, had I reviewed the album straight after release. Prince Of The Night sounds very familar to Go Go's fans, but as said with the previous tracks if the melody offers something inventive and imaginative the rehashed sounds can be forgotten. Silvio's vocals feel to be so full of emotion and that alone makes the song feel really strong and impactful. The Uooo at the start of the chorus always sends chills down my spine as I just know it's when the song explodes into full action and the excellent c-melody that follows just keeps the pace going. A really delightful song all in all that shows how good it is to get new writers into the scene even this late in the genres lifespan.
Rating: 9½

13.Chai - The Men Burning Wild (SinclaireStyle)
Oh boy, oh boy oh boy oh boy! I did so not expect something as special here as I got. The Men Burning Wild is definitely the best thing to happen to SinclaireStyle in a very long time! The track offers some of the most wicked sounding verses and a chorus to die for that make the song for me. But to top that the synth has a slight Night Of Fire feel to it which just makes the song feel even more grandiose. A superb performance where just everything clicks together perfectly. Great vocal work, awesome sounds with a lot of variety, enough bass to make the car hump and the melody is just too catchy. I especially enjoy the slower parts in the middle that kind of give a small breather before the song kicks into full power again. Wow, just wow.
Rating: 10+++

14.Milk & Coffea - Wicked Game (Asia/Saifam)
Sadly Asia follows the steps of unimaginativeness they've been mostly treading on lately. Wicked Game sounds like another entry that might've not made the cut was this 5 years back in time. Apparently the amount of tracks the label releases these days only offers so few options Avex just has to go with what they get. There's not really much to say about the song, it's just your typical upbeat entry with no real melody to speak of. The chipmunks just make the song feel really bland and sound as if it has no real personality in the end. Elevator eurobeat.
Rating: 5

15.Fastway - Got The Power (SCP)
Avex decided to wrap up the album with some energy it started off with, quite fitting. Ennio's age still doesn't seem to be showing as he offers the similar energy he gave us nearly 20 years ago when he started his journey into the eurobeat scene. Got The Power is a fun song with the approach that should please the fans of more energetic malebeat. For me the song remains in the nice category and falls far behind of his biggest hits. On one hand the song has no real flaws but on the other it doesn't really offer anything very imaginative or different, which results in a good song that might just get forgotten considering how many hits Ennio has released during his career already.
Rating: 8-

Final Words :
Doing a review after 3 years of absence felt like a rather complex task, albeit it being a relatively simple thing. But these past years I just have not felt like doing reviews, although the 220s and early 230s have actually have had a few fairly strong albums that I could easily give the praise they earn (and I just might... later). Getting back into the picture is a part of me getting more involved with the music and actually having a slightly different situation in my own life. I haven't stopped enjoying eurobeat at all during these years, but my recent visit to Japan just sparked my interest back into action. Enough of the excuses for not doing reviews and on to the album at hand: My initial feelings towards 237 were mostly negative. I felt the album had no soul or stickiness what so ever, but the more I listened to it, the more I started to enjoy it. The fact is though that the departure of so many eurobeat writers/artists naturally does a dent on the variety and quality, but we still have very many talented writers and artists giving their everything for the fans. SEB237 is an album that is mostly on a solid ground with a few slumps down. The positives are that Bratt Sinclaire definitely outdid himself with The Men Burning Wild that is my definite highlight of this album. SCP and Go Go's Music also did a good performance like they mostly always do for me. As a pleasant experience HI-NRG Attack also seems to be trying out different things and offering really fun stuff again. It's only Dima and Asia that currently feel to be out of the loop, but these things have happened in the past as well and there's always room for improvement. A solid album which could've used more strong highlights and the absence of Sunfire is also a minor inconvenience. Hopefully they'll make a comeback soon!

Final Score : 8

The Best 3 songs

- Chai - The Men Burning Wild
- Leo River - Prince Of The Night
- Kaioh - Nitrofire

The Worst 3 Songs

- Milk & Coffea - Wicked Game
- Dream Fighters - Dance For Love
- Tipsy & Tipsy - Living On The Edge

Honorable Mention

- Grace 2U - Wake Up Everybody With Cupid

Labels present on the album:

Delta: 2
Dima Music: 2
Go Go's Music: 2
HI-NRG Attack: 2
Saifam: 2
SCP: 3
Sinclaire Style: 2
Sunfire Records: 0

Reviewed by Bore