SINGLE REVIEW | IDEINI | UPRISING

Ideini - Uprising

It’s safe to say that cover version are, at best, hit or miss. I think everyone could agree the world doesn’t need another breathy acoustic version of Teardrop or a ska cover of anything. Ideini – comprising of Theo Sulpud and Francesca Martina – are hanging their musical coats on the peg of brooding, electronic covers of well known tracks from the 90s and 2000s.

While many may consider Muse’s 2009 album The Resistance to be the point where sharks were jumped, the opening track Uprising has been a fan favourite and inspires incredible crowd reaction at their live shows. 

Ideini have deconstructed the bass-driven track and rebuilt it with twinkling synths held together with a clattering electronic beat. Martina’s vocals blend pleasantly with the well-balanced composition and the harmonies at the end are a nice addition. The whole experience is well composed and in keeping with their aesthetic, yet it lacks the character and flare of their vastly superior Smells Like Teen Spirit cover released earlier this year – a track that will surely find itself in a movie trailer before long.

The ‘folktronica’ and ‘experimental’ labels the band have given themselves are a bit of a misnomer; there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of folk in their tronica or indeed much of what could be considered experimental. It’s clear from the skill and talent they show in these covers that if they were to pen original material they could surely carve out a unique niche to call their own.