“Fork In The Road” marks the debut release of an artist known as Nazatron, and comes to us through Rees Street Records, an independent record label from Melbourne. The music of Nazatron can be best described as a cross between alternative pop and electro rock.
Nazatron, which sounds like an 80s arcade game, is Genaaron Diamente from Australia. He’s always had a love for both music and computers, which explains everything about his style and probably has something to do with the title of the record. Listening to the nine tracks immediately call to mind Seal. There are a few moments of scorching guitars rising above the otherwise electronic noise, which may also bring forward comparisons to 90s electro-rock pioneers Garbage. Consistent with the mix of rock and contemporary computer-generated sounds, Nazatron’s vocals either adapt to the grit or lay softly within the beat. In this aspect, he is a versatile performer. Most songs have a tremendously dramatic feel, rich with orchestral stabs and sweeping strings.
Highlights for me include the soothingly cool feel of “Cordial Girl” and the terrific rock jam, “Hypersomnia”, which inches into Nine Inch Nails territory. But honestly, the heavy use of fake drums, electronic gibberish, and even auto-tune give “Fork In The Road” an overly synthetic sound that does not sit well with my ears. If there are great hooks and melodies lurking underneath all these distractions, he has hidden them too well.
iPOD-worthy: 3, 5
Nazatron on MySpace. Official site.
