Cassette Review: Autoportrait / Mirror Phase split

[$9 (CAD) // Edition of 50 // https://autoportraitmusic.bandcamp.com/]

Upon reading about this split briefly on the Bandcamp page I learned that Autoportrait and Mirror Phase both no longer exist as bands because they combined to form Memorex.     Had I known this before the first time I listened to Memorex the pressure would have been on, so luckily when i was listening to this split it was after I already fell in love with Memorex.

Autoportrait is a form of synthwave that could be Oingo Boingo but is definitely not quite the same as Cyndi Lauper or Debbie Gibson.   It's a throwback to the 1980's and can combine synthwave with dreampop to perhaps form dreamwave (Is that how that equation works?)   There is some definite Duran Duran in here, especially remniscant of the song "Hungry Like the Wolf", but yet I also hear some of the song "I Ran", which I won't do the full title of with the parentheses because I'll just note it's by A Flock of Seagulls.    Through instrumental numbers and drum machine beats I can begin to hear "Take On Me" as well and this is a rather good soundtrack to a movie that John Hughes should have made.

On the flip side we have Mirror Phase who are powered by synth bass.    It's dream pop on some levels and reminds me of a mix of Metric and Delta Dart.     Somehow, this does bring out a slight bit of The Killers so I felt the need to point that out but it isn't too major.   Overall it just has this feel to it that is theatrical.   I can't explain it and there are bands I know can do it well but it doesn't serve any purpose to name them here, but this just feels like a stage show, a rock opera of sorts, more than just songs.    It has that idea behind it that when you see them live you know it's going to be a treat.

Even though I know the outcome (These two bands merged into one super band) I can still say that they're different enough that you can easily tell one from the other yet they do have enough similarities that you can hear why they're on a split together and they could even share a stage together to perform to a like-minded crowd.    Either way, this is a nice little pre-Memorex piece of music history that is a must have if you get the Memorex cassette which I so highly think you should.