L.A. based electro-pop duo Bogan Via’s LP Tough to Kill sounds like the OST of a sci-fi film that takes place in a world where humanity is in its sunset, and those songs are its final chords, colored with a rich palette of human emotions.
The distinctive dreamy electro-pop sound of Tough to Kill is reminiscent of Daft Punk’s old albums, as well as of the likes of “A Real Hero” from the movie Drive and Desire’s “Under Your Spell.” Even though Tough to Kill is anything but repetitive or predictable, it does have a palpable air of melancholy about it that shapes the listening experience and lingers, just the way an album is supposed to.
The vocals are the central vessel of emotions in each song as the duo’s ethereal voices entwine in beautiful, spacey harmonies with the dreamy electro-pop melodies. The male vocals mostly stay full-bodied on the ground while the female vocals waft up and down like angelic wings, spreading on and on.
What’s very pivotal to the Tough to Kill is its rich and multi-dimensional sound which is anything but chaotic, with every element conveying a specific tinge and complementing the next; there’s no random noisiness, nothing is over the top. Tough to Kill is tastefully gentle, but also vibrant and powerful.
