'Assemblage' by Soko
“I used to go to night clubs, I used to have some … fun,” spits out Keith Soko in “My Life is Metal,” the propulsive opening cut on Assemblage, the archival album by Milwaukee band Soko. With an energy that threatens to merge synth-pop and ska, it is a lively snapshot.
Recorded music of the ‘80s offers an interesting time capsule; the crossroads where computerized technology, robotic beats and programmed instruments were wrangling a way into commercial music. Bear in mind, the glam scene of the ‘70s now had a cousin in the New Romantic movement, where synthesizers and fashion were part of the package—Soko was an entry in those sweepstakes and Assemblage offers a glimpse into those times.
Subtitled Music Recorded in Milwaukee and LA 1981–1991, Keith Soko’s songs suggest the influence of Gary Numan and Science Fiction. The Milwaukee sessions portray a group getting its legs and gaining confidence, the Los Angeles sessions reveal a more developed project, streamlined and less quirky.
What is interesting is how ingredients from other genres found a way into the songs. “More Than the Whole Wide World,” a standout track, kicks off like a power pop sheep masquerading in New Romantic wolf’s clothing. “Raising the Dead” might be a lost Judas Priest outtake and “All Tied Up” likely aimed for radio airplay.
While Soko may have relocated to L.A., “Neurosurgery” proves, you could not take Milwaukee out of the band; it is a Techno-Polka solution for a broken heart suggesting great measures to “get the girl outta my brain” The skittish “What’s the Matter With Being Happy?” leans into Oil Tasters territory, “I Feel Empty” recalls Gary Numan until a swooning vocal chorus deftly humanizes the blippy synths and “The Baby” could be an “Outer Limits” episode regarding a high-tech infant.
