KieTheVez-- "Non-Binary"

KieTheVez's album "Opium" was one of the first modern synthpop albums I bought in the late 1990s. I bought it because it sounds very much like Depeche Mode, with a cool, dark feel to the vocals and synths.

Ten plus years later KieTheVez is finally back with a new album, and things have changed since the last one. "Non-Binary" gets its name from the fact that KieTheVez is no longer using only synthesizers in their music. It sounds like they're using "real" drums, guitars, etc. It's the synth in synthpop that makes me a fan of the genre, so this change had me worried.

After several weeks of listening to "Non-Binary" my worries have disappeared. It's a very solid album. I highly recommend it to KieTheVez fans, and, because they're using more "mainstream" instruments, I do think this album would appeal to a broader audience than "Opium" did.

There are several standout songs that I could listen to over and over and not get bored. The rest of the songs are solid too. Here's my opinion of the songs:

5/5 stars: One World for the Next (Wow! This is a gorgeous song, best one on the CD.)
4/5 stars: End of a Bright Night, A Million Days, Non Compos Mentis, Always a Boy
3/5 stars: M, Niamh, Three, Be Alone Together, 26
2/5 stars: How Are We Doing Today? (Too slow and sleepy for me.)