ARTIST: Fornever

ALBUM: Exhibition

LABEL: Autumnal Release

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 4-7-10

This release from prolific songwriter and musician Joshua Heinrich's main project collects a number of singles and previously unreleased material not available on any of Fornever's official full-length albums, offering a more varied look at his artistic output. While all of the material collected here retains Heinrich's dark pop sensibility, the individual tracks range from the industrial-tinged beats and keyboards of "Confusion" and gritty darkwave of "The Frame" to the tense synthpop of "The Waiting," which uses speedy electronic sequences to perfectly capture the sense of nervous anticipation suggested by its title. The best stuff here, though, sticks fairly close to what has become Heinrich's signature sound, a mix of '80s-inspired synthpop beats, moody pop hooks in the vein of The Cure's earlier work, and dreamlike effects-heavy vocals. "Love Will Bury" is particularly gorgeous, Heinrich's guitars washed out with subtle use of effects pedals, and "In Your Eyes" (not to be confused with the Peter Gabriel song of the same name) is a melancholy but tender love song. Perhaps the collection's standout song is "Closer Than Ever," which piles the vocal tracks in layers atop harmonic guitar chords and spaced out, progressive rock-tinged synthesizers for a slightly otherworldly feel that nonetheless retains a human touch. While not as uniform as Fornever's proper albums, the songs on this release still fit together, giving new listeners a solid insight into Heinrich's sonic style while also highlighting the many genres that help make it up. Long-time fans will of course also enjoy having so many loose and obscure compositions gathered into one place.

For more information about Fornever and Joshua Heinrich's other projects, visit the Autumnal Release label at www.autumnalrelease.com.