Wierd Records brings us the new ful-length from Xeno & Oaklander! The minimal coldwave that Miss Liz Wendelbo and Martial Canterel's Sean McBride create is not of this time, recalling early OMD (and just as good) -- any one of these tracks could have easily been an icy, romantic gem found on the So Young but So Cold compilation. Highly recommended!

After several self-released CD-Rs, compilation appearances and countless live shows, Wierd label vets Miss Liz Wendlebo (Xeno and Staccato) and Sean McBride (Martial Canterel, Three to Forgotten) have finally unleashed their much-anticipated "official" debut album. Years in the making and done entirely live in the studio on nothing but authentic vintage analog equipment, Sentinelle is marked by a spine-tingling collision of extreme analog synth-wave beat structures and coldly romantic, dramatic melodies, sheathed in sheets of raw sound. If you've heard previous Xeno and Martial Canterel releases you might be happy to know that although the dark OMD and Xymox qualities are still there (see the soaring "Saracen" and the beautiful "Shadow World"), there is also a French coldwave-meets-Kraftwerk element in tracks like "Werke," "Toho Picture" and the cavernous "Another," which has a vibe similar to Death in June's "All Alone in Her Nirvana." There's also a touch of dark, macabre romance in the powerful title track, the slow, epic "Rendezvouz D'or" and the beautiful, icy album closer "Vagabond," while the excellent vocal trades between Wendlebo and McBride throughout the album (singing both in English and French) gives a newfound edge to their sound. The time and effort put into this record really comes through; it is surprising and wonderful to hear such complexity and power from a project that was in need of so few improvements! Still pure. Still raw. Still cold. Excellent work.

-Scott Mou (November 18, 2009)