a.t.r.o.x.: water tales

Definitely ahead of their time, A.T.R.O.X. were one of the first bands to move beyond typical new wave styles and introduce strong electronic elements. Not too far from works of their contemporaries Tuxedomoon and Minimal Compact. Water Tales, the group's second and final album, was originally released in 1984 on the Italian label Contempo Records, and is now back in print on LP for the first time since then. "When we recorded Water Tales I was thinking of the sea as the only escape for mankind. I proposed this idea to the rest of the band and all of them were just thrilled. Probably it is the only new wave concept-album that was ever released. The sound, compared to the first album, is more influenced by the lessons of Eno and David Byrne, who were enriching their compositions with amazing and intriguing musical phrases and rhythms. Of course, we did not forget the lessons of NEU! and Faust. The Andreoni brothers and Marchini were both brilliantly creative and yielding, and they were responsible for all the musical themes upon which Benvisi carved the acoustics. Water Tales is a sincere album, then the season changed and suddenly we were 'every man for himself' almost without realizing it." --Francesco Paolo Paladino