Heads up: Post Industrial Boys are not a duo or a larger group, as the name might suggest. Instead, under this moniker and for the last 20 years, Tbilisi’s George Dzodzuashvili, aka Gogi, has been making both stripped-down and introspective, progressive synth-pop, if you want to put a genre label on his work. His last album, »Unintended«, was released in 2016 on the Karaoke Kalk label. Now, with »1971«, he dedicates himself to his year of birth, or at least he sings about it in the title song. The name of the project is a rather elegant choice, as with his whispering voice and minimalist, airy arrangements, one could be forgiven for thinking of a post-industrial version of the Pet Shop Boys, irony included. The comparison also works because of Gogi’s slightly nasal voice and the reliably catchy melodies. There are no anthems, which seems to suit him. Compared to his album from eight years ago, he respects the song form even more. But you shouldn’t necessarily call the result conventional. Concentrated and focused, yes. That a bit of nostalgia has crept in, as part of the concept, is inevitable and absolutely fine.
1971
