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Currently residing in an old knocking shop in the heart of London, the band Mechanical Cabaret is centered around the music, lyrics, voice & electronics of Roi Robertson, currently together with Steve Bellamy on live synths. With various cohorts and collaborators along the way, as Mechanical Cabaret, Roi has played live extensively throughout the UK and Europe, particularly in London and Germany, appearing with bands such as Fad Gadget, Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk), DAF, The Damned, Nitzer Ebb, Suicide, Alec Empire, Motor, T.Raumschmiere, Angie Bowie, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Alien Sex Fiend, Frontline Assembly, Sheep On Drugs, Mesh, Covenant, Inertia, Client, Atomizer, Combichrist, Hocico, A Flock of Seagulls, Apoptygma Berserk, & The Glitter Band. Mechanical Cabaret has remixed tracks by artists including Nitzer Ebb, Komputer, Client, Mesh, Kunt and the Gang, and Helalyn Flowers for labels including Mute Records, Major Records, SPV, Alfa Matrix, and Disco Minge.
Some Reviews and Opinions MECHANICAL CABARET’S ‘DAMAGED GOODS’ features the words/poetry/lyrics of Roi Robertson. Robertson dispenses swift justice re capitalist greed, weird pills to do various things to physical appearance, sexuality as a predictor of behavior, a quick reassurance to the last diva drama queen in his chronology of affairs, the drug encounters are dispatched with eloquent verse and so the name of the band becomes REAL. It is a clipped and tidy universe in a MECHANICAL CABARET. “We choose the night life!” ‘Great words. More dark and dangerously romantic threats!’ 'Surly, savvy, viciously spikey synth-pop; really rather good' 'The debut single from mechanical cabaret is a riot of synth-punk sleaze. 'Cheap and Nasty' combines a spiky, filthy groove with grinding, rusty old analogue synth sounds and a damning take-down of all that's fake in the club scene and life in general. It all comes across like a council estate version of Soft Cell.'
‘Take a dash of Punk ethic, chuck in a substantial measure of odd pop glamour, a sprinkling of bleeping electronics and shake vigorously in the style of the late Fad Gadget and the resulting saucy cocktail is called Mechanical Cabaret... Mechanical Cabaret are not the ideal first date to take home to meet your Mum... a thrilling and passionate songwriter with a range beyond the reach of many of his contemporaries... the similarities with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore are startling... there's a lot more to Mechanical Cabaret than immediately meets the eye... The thumping bass synths and cracking higher melodies have all the qualities of early Mute 7" but there is a weightier sound to many of their tracks... this is never at the expense of the characteristic Mechanical Cabaret style or wit... One suspects a proud Fad Gadget is looking down on Robertson with knowing affection.’ 'An extravagant mix of 80's attitude with pulsating Electroclash... unusual synthpop'
'I don't want to go to far in possible comparisons with Depeche Mode - but it remains a reference in the style - and Mechanical Cabaret brings a harder and definitely more brutal version of this kind of synth-pop... (though) Mechanical Cabaret will always remain a kind of alien in synth-pop land, this sounds original and well conceived' ‘Superb, very British-sounding... mixes dark synthpop and electro with a unique approach to music-making that ultimately defies accurate labeling.’
‘Dark synthpop with an edgy sound, though not necessarily "industrial". The vocals are dramatic, and the synths stand out as a sharp, dark element in the music. There seems to be a somewhat retro tint to the flavour of the songs, though Mechanical Cabaret definitely appeals to the modern audience, as if Gary Numan or Marc Almond were to push into a more danceable modern sound.’
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