Genre/Influences: EBM, Body-Pop, Technoid.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info:  Greek artist Stelios Goulas aka Adsol released several digital singles this year. He sent us this unofficial compilation featuring the releases of 2023.

Content: Adsol moves on experimenting with EBM while injecting other influences to get an eclectic underground electro format. All songs are instrumentals so it in a way creates a Cinematic-EBM sensation.

+ + + : Adsol is a project with a true potential. There’s a solid and intelligent EBM touch while I also like the sound production of the work. From melodic sequences to pure, vintage, and cold synth lines, the tracks also have a true danceable appeal. I also noticed a more Techno-driven element on one of the cuts.

– – – : The single regret is the total absence of vocals. This music needs a few vocal parts to get it more accomplished.

Conclusion: With some extra elements -but mainly vocals, this project could be really interesting.

Best songs: “Black Moon”, “Ultrasonic: Ultraviolet”, Cronos Device”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.adsolmusic.com / www.facebook.com/adsolmusic

Out now is “Obelisk”, the debut single from Chicago-based electronic pop artist Brittany Bindrim (I:Scintilla). The single is the first teaser for her solo debut album “Velella Velella” which will be out on Metropolis Records on March 8th 2024.

“Obelisk” comes accompanied by a video directed by Simona Noreik.

For this solo endeavour Bindrim worked together with producer Matt McJunkins (A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Eagles of Death Metal, Poppy).

Here’s the video.

The experimental-electronic collective Cadlag has just released a new album, “Integral”. Known for their distinctive manipulation of sound, the group combines minimal ambient sequences with extreme sonic layers, creating a blend of noise, electronic, and drone music.

Cadlag consists of members of the Slovenian bands PureH, Dodecahedragraph, TGWFYTD, Extreme Smoke 57 and Earslaughter.

Recorded in the abandoned underground industrial complex of the RTH coal mine in Trbovlje (Slovenia), “Integral” was produced entirely using analog methods. This includes mixing on an analog mixer, recording and mastering on tape, and releasing the album on both cassette and 5″ reel tape.

The album “Integral” is available through various formats and platforms. Next to a cassette and 5″ reel tape, you can also get the album in a digital 24-bit format. Additionally, the release will be distributed through over 240 digital storefronts globally, including Apple, Google, Amazon, Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, and more. Physical copies can be acquired via Pharmafabrik Recordings.

You can order the album on Bandcamp.

Below is a video teaser for the release.

The Hungarian gothic rock band Utolsó Hullám has released their first video clip for the song “Ez a reggel sem az enyém”. “Ez a reggel sem az enyém” can loosely be translated as “This morning hasn’t worked out either” referring to Lionel Richie’s classic “I’m not easy on this morning either”.

The song is about how waking up in the morning is difficult when you miss your long gone lover.

Utolsó Hullám was founded in 2019 and released their debut album “Szárnytalan Angyal” (Wingless Angel) in March 2023. Utolsó Hullám are Árpád (Motyó) Jakab, Tamás Némedi, Csongor Szegi and Richárd Buda.

Below is the video for “Ez a reggel sem az enyém”.

(Photo by Raven) Kirlian Camera have just released the first taste of their forthcoming album “Radio Signals for the Dying” with the single “Il Tempo Profondo (Radio Signal Version)” along with an accompanying video for “Il Tempo Profondo (Dark Psychedelia Vision)”.

Frontwoman Elena Alice Fossi explains: “One could say that ‘deep time’ is the temporal immensity in which humanity is immersed in its relationship with Earth and geological phenomena. Hence, our desire to bring this concept to music, focusing on liberation from the wheel-of-becoming, on which hatred, craving, and delusion are kept alive by the selfish desires of humanity.”

“Il Tempo Profondo” is the first single taken from the forthcoming new double album “Radio Signals for the Dying” which is available for preorder from Dependent Records on CD, limited vinyl and through all streaming and digital platforms with a street date of February 23rd, 2024.

Below is the video.

On December 15th, 2023, at 8:00 pm (CET) Mondträume will present the exclusive YouTube premiere of “Heart Machine”, taken from the 6-track EP that will also be launched that day via Alfa Matrix on Bandcamp.

Founding member Pikotto and his new singer Nicky (N-Frequency) will be ready to chat with you about the music, share behind-the-scenes stories, and spill the beans on their plans for the upcoming year.

You can tune in via this YouTube link.

About Mondträume

Mondträume is a Spanish synthpop band that was formed in 2010. They offer a blend of dark, melodic synthpop music. Since then the band released two albums – “Empty” and “Lovers, Sinners & Liars” on Alfa Matrix.

They also released various singles and EPs: “Life Is Short”, “Still Beating”, “Free” and “The Unknown Path”. “The Unknown Path” featured a new lineup including Ivan Derbenev (Antilav, Himmash) and Madil Hardis.

Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Dream-Pop, Wave-Pop, Cold-Wave, Electro.

Format: Digital, Vinyl. 

Background/Info: Brussels (Belgium) based Je M’En Fish strikes back with the fourth installment of their “Anthologies”-compilation series.

Artists: The Frozen Autumn, Noemi Aurora, Helalyn Flowers, The Dreamside, The Neon Judgement, Flesh & Fell, Imjudas, Am Tierpark, M73.

Content: The compilation features a few artists which are already familiar with Je M’En Fish, Alfa Matrix-artists (Italian formation Helalyn Flowers and the band members’ side-projects Noemi Aurora and Imjudas) plus a few other  names. The content is quite diversified and features songs from the 80s, 90s and 00”.

+ + + : Diversified compilation covering songs from very different and sometimes distant eras; from the very 80s Flesh & Fell Electro-Experiment (1985) to Ethereal-Pop of The Dreamside (1994) to the melancholic Dark/Cold-Wave of The Frozen Autumn (1996) to 80s inspired Electro-Pop from Danish Am Tierpark to contemporary Electro-Metal-Pop of Helalyn Flowers. There also is a live version from The Neon Judgement’s “Tomorrow In The Papers” from 1984 revealing the band during their early, glorious, days.

– – – : This compilation series sounds to me more as an item for collectors instead of DJ’s. No bad thing but maybe a reason why this compilation will remain under the radar.

Conclusion: Diversified Electro-underground music and related genres throughout the years.

Best bands: The Neon Judgement, Imjudas, Noemi Aurora, Am Tierpark, Flesh & Fell.

Rate: 7.

Label: www.facebook.com/JemenfishBE

We all know Mark Hockings as the singer of Mesh. Mark originally wanted to write his own music and finally, accidentally, became a singer. During the lockdown he started writing his own music and released a few singles. Blackcarburning was born and this year released the debut-album “Watching Sleepers” on COP International. Fourteen songs have been released featuring guest singers Neil Francis, Mari Katmann, Howie Venton and Janne Marvannen. “Watching Sleepers” sounds as pure Electro-Pop; a styled and alluring production for Mesh- and 80s fans.  

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I got the feeling Blackcarburning was already spinning for a while in a corner of your mind so what have been the triggers to get it activated? And what kind of sound did you want to compose?

Mark: I’d been thinking about releasing something for a few years if I’m honest. It was going to be low level -maybe a few instrumentals. Nothing big, just something to scratch an itch I guess. I messed about with some music in the early days of the pandemic. Mesh were on a well-deserved break and I was building a proper studio in my house. I gave one of my ideas to Mari Kattman (who I’d worked with on a Mesh track and will appear on a future Mesh release) and I unexpectedly had a song. I just carried on writing really. I had enough tracks for a single, then two singles, then an EP, then the full album “Watching Sleepers”. There was such a momentum to it all and I felt like I’d tapped into a real vein of inspiration. It was very satisfying and unexpected.

Q: You for sure will be always connected to Mesh which makes the challenge to start a side/solo-project exciting, right? What did you experience as the pros and cons to release a solo-album? And what have been the biggest challenges and difficulties in the composition- & production process?

Mark: It has been a challenge overall, yes. There was a certain amount of pressure I guess, but that pressure didn’t come to the fore until the end of the process, when we were ready to release – that was “Judgement Day”. When you’re working on your own it requires an certain amount of discipline, self-motivation and confidence in your own abilities. I had to learn to be better at those things and from that respect it was certainly a life changing journey, about one I’m glad I put myself through. Many of the skills that I’ve left to other people (like final production, mixing, ‘editorial’ etc) I had to study and learn. Everything was down to me, and stopped with me.

Most of the challenges were indeed production based. I had to build a proper listening environment to mix in. It was ultimately a big investment in recording equipment, and an investment in time to learn how to use those tools. There were certain technical challenges recording guest vocalists -I didn’t want to just send files back and forward, but rather produce the singers ‘live’. I used a remote recoding solution called ‘VST Live’ where I could work with singers in real time. This was a game changer and ultimately the results were as good as anything I could have hoped for if we were all in the studio in person.

Q: Did you handle specific criteria and/or references in the achievement of this work plus the choice of guest singers?

Mark: Not really. I just wrote without any particular direction. Mesh has a ‘sound’, and together myself and Rich  create something that is original but recognisable, but always a product of our combined skills. I was able to write without restriction because I had no audience to think of, and no expectations to live up to. This was liberating in most respects, and I think it allowed me to be more productive as every idea seemed to lead somewhere interesting.

The choice of singers varied depending on the track. With Mari, the choice was initially just shot in the dark to see what would happen. The first track with Neil Francis “Love In Control” was originally written for myself, but I didn’t think it sounded as good as it could, so I asked him to re-do it. The other tracks with Neil I wrote specifically with him in mind. With “Your Heart Is Like An Island”, I specifically wrote the track for Janne. So the approach varied.

Q: What is “Watching Sleepers” all about? And what has been the impact of the lockdowns to the writing and content of the album?

Mark: “Watching Sleepers” contains a lot of personal and social commentary from the last few years. A great deal happened to the World during the time of the album writing, and that spilled over into everyones personal lives, their mental well-being, their feelings of security and hopes for the future. I never specifically tried to write about that time, but I think it’s evident in the lyrics and feel. Moments of reflection, anger, sadness and uncertainty.

Q: What have been the different stages you’d to go through to achieve “Watching Sleepers”? And what did you keep in mind as the highlights of this entire process?

Mark: There were many stages to the writing of the album.

The most important part is getting the bulk of the album written -it’s an important framework around which to work and to understand what you have as a whole. This is the part I enjoy the most.

I would then focus on the production and editing -removing stuff that was surplus, that added nothing, was self-indulgent for just made the track longer than it needed to be. Everything should have a purpose, and if not it should be removed. It’s difficult to do sometimes as the removed parts could be 100’s of hours of work, but it’s necessary.

The final mixing is the last stage. Getting the album to sound like a real record. This is the most difficult stage but is also very satisfying if you get it right, which I think I did. I include pre-mastering, frequency analysis, loudness metering in this stage.

Of course there were other stages that were just as important -finding a great record label (COP International) and a publisher (Schubert)  being the two biggest ones.

Q: I noticed the very specific artwork of your album -and singles,  which seems directly connected to the name of your project. What is it all about and is there a connection with Helen Mort’s novel “Black Car Burning”?

Mark: All the artwork was done by myself. I was getting a little tired of heavily photoshopped artwork and decided to try a ‘back to basics’ and more natural approach. I bought 30 or 40 model cars and photographed them against backgrounds printed out on photographic paper. Each ‘diorama’ had some connection or theme relating to the song. I used some lights and coloured gels -nothing complicated. There is some colour correction on the images, but otherwise they are just as I shot them. It was quite a lot of work, but once I had the technique it got easier. Again, it was very satisfying to see the results, especially on physical media like CD’s.

I tend to write phrases and words in my phone when I hear something interesting. There was a book review on the radio of Helens novel and I wrote down ‘Black Car Burning’ in my phone. When I came to look for a band name this fitted perfectly. I must read the novel one day.

Q: What are your plans for Blackcarburning?

Mark: I would ultimately like to take Blackcarburning out touring. We are starting to look at this now, but no dates are decided yet. Hopefully late 2024. I will certainly be writing another full-length album and am hoping to fit this around the writing of the next MESH album.

The American online audio distribution platform Bandcamp is said to be in heavy waters after being acquired by Songtradr – if you have to believe many musicians – but is it really?

Founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, Bandcamp was initially acquired by Epic Games in March 2022, which sold the company to Songtradr in 2023 following significant layoffs at Epic Games in September 2023. The sale led to employment uncertainties for Bandcamp staff, with only about half receiving job offers from Songtradr.

Songtradr itself is a leading music licensing platform, connecting artists with brands and creators for licensing purposes. As of 2019, it was the world’s largest such platform, housing over 400,000 artists from 190 countries, and facilitating music licensing for various media projects. Artists on Songtradr can upload their music and set their own licensing fees.

Bandcamp post-acquirement by Songtradr

The reaction to Bandcamp’s acquisition by Songtradr and the subsequent layoffs has been met with significant concern and criticism from both the music community and Bandcamp’s staff. The layoffs, which affected approximately half of Bandcamp’s workforce, have been a major point of contention. Many of these laid-off employees took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration, revealing a sense of betrayal given the prior assurances about the continuity of operations at Bandcamp​.

The layoffs included key members of Bandcamp’s staff union, Bandcamp United, which has since filed an unfair labor practice violation claim with the National Labor Relations Board against Songtradr and Epic Games.

CEO Paul Wiltshire of Songtradr however has announced that he plans to introduce licensing opportunities to Bandcamp artists, potentially broadening their reach and income. This move, focused on enhancing artists’ control over their music rights and revenue, actually dovetails with Songtradr’s mission of simplifying music licensing and boosting the value of music rights.

In an interview Wiltshire explains that Songtradr’s strategy has been buying companies (such as Bandcamp) “that really marry that vision of simplifying licensing.” And he adds: “The strategy around Bandcamp was: We’re seeing a trend in the market where music is becoming increasingly important in brands and games and fitness apps and meditation apps, all these different touchpoints. And we’ve seen an increased trend in brands in particular: They want to know about the artist who’s behind the music.”

Songtradr has also committed to maintaining popular Bandcamp initiatives like Bandcamp Fridays, which enhance earnings for artists and labels: “We looked at the business model, and we love the business as it is; there’s no plans to change the existing model. What we wanted to do was connect licensing to the Bandcamp offering.”

Licensing via Songtradr would be an opt-in only basis for the artists so that they continue to control their rights and control their destiny. “We’ve seen what happens when an independent artist has a license it can be quite transformational in terms of streaming numbers. We’ve licensed music to TikTok and suddenly an artist has blown up unexpectedly because brands got ahold of it. We really believe in licensing as being a key driver for your expanded awareness of an artist’s career.”

AI enters the field via Musicube

Interesting enough Songtradr uses the AI company Musicube which they also bought. Musicube scans the audio files and creates metadata points that describe it in simple terms like mood and BPM, and, and here’s the big USP, it can predict the audience that would most align with sections of the song right down to small fractions, like five seconds.

Considering the acquisition of Bandcamp by Songtradr, it’s realistic to anticipate that many artists on the platform may experience new opportunities for licensing income. Songtradr, with its focus on connecting artists with brands and content creators for licensing purposes, opens up a new realm of potential for Bandcamp artists. While not every artist might pursue or succeed in licensing their music, the integration with Songtradr’s extensive licensing network significantly increases the likelihood for many artists to find new revenue streams.

Moreover, Songtradr’s acquisition could lead to a broader exposure for artists, as their music might find its way into various forms of media like advertising, films, and digital content. This expanded visibility not only potentially increases licensing income but also helps in building an artist’s brand and audience base.

Lot’s of mights, but Rome wasn’t built in one day either.

The Los Angeles-based industrial-laced noise punk band Normans presents its new single, “Anti Crusoe”, exclusively on Side-Line today. Normans is made up of members of FEELS, Prissy Whip, and Blonde Summer. Their self-titled 10-track debut will be out on Solid Brass Records in January 2024.

For now you can already check the video for the single “Anti Crusoe”.

You can download the single (and the album) right now from Bandcamp. Solid Brass Records is also taking pre-orders directly from their website.

About Normans

Normans was formed in 2021, in the lingering haze of the global pandemic and several miles off the coast of Los Angeles in a broken down boat. On that boat were Southern California natives Matthew Reid (Blonde Summer) and Michael Perry Rudes (FEELS).

Earlier during the pandemic the duo had built a home studio with initial plans to make a conceptual exotica record. Before long their songwriting took quite a turn. Between 2021 and 2022 they wrote and recorded a lot of material. In early 2023, with the addition of Kyle Souza (Prissy Whip) on guitar, the band reworked and re-recorded material to accommodate Kyle’s distinct guitar sound.

Lyrically bassist and vocalist Matthew Reid explores issues of violence, drug use, and the terrified animal caged within us all.

Genre/Influences: Neo-Folk, Chanson.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Based in Seattle (USA) Headstone Brigade call themselves Dark-Folk,  Neo-Folk, Pagan-Folk, Melodramatic-Pop and Depressing-Polka. Driven by core member Egan Budd they’ve already released a few albums this year unleashing the newest opus “Victory & Defeat”.

Content: The album features ten songs revealing an impressive mix of influences. It sounds definitely as Dark-Folk and Neo-Folk but there’s also a true sensibility running through the work reminding me of Chanson but also to the ambiance of Fanfare and that much more. The play of real instruments like guitar, trumpet, accordion, cello ao inject an authentic touch to the work.

+ + + : I like this album for its varied compositions; the mix of influences and play of different instruments create an eclectic composition which is however based upon a solid Neo-Folk and Dark-Folk sound. But I like the addition of trumpet and especially accordion adding an extra touch of Folk and sensibility. Headstone Brigade can get you happy at one song and melancholic at another one. Some passages are truly elevating which according to me reveals the talent of the project.

– – – : There’s just one single song (cf. “The Flooded Mausoleum”) which sounds totally different to the rest of the work; it feels a bit like a lost Ambient/Cinematic cut in a Neo/Dark-Folk universe. The song however evolves into accordion play which makes it hard to catch.

Conclusion: This band and album sounds as a true revelation; it’s an artistic and accomplished production from a band you’ve to discover. .

Best songs: “We Set Sail”, “Victory & Defeat”, “Fall Of The Colosseum”, “As Mother To Sun”, “Samhain Reign”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/headstonebrigade

After their album “Element 115” from 2021, Funker Vogt now returns with Bastian Polak (of Intent:Outtake fame) as their new singer. The first [limited] release from the upcoming album “Final Construct” is the all exclusive 5-tracks EP “Death Seed”. The EP will be out via Repo Records on February 22nd.

The EP contains two versions of the title track “Death Seed” as well as two exclusive new songs, “A Hundred Ways to die” and “Question their Answers”, the latter of which is included in two very different mixes.

The new album will be released on May 3, and will be available as double-CD and – for the first time ever for Funker Vogt – on Limited Vinyl and MC (Tape).

Even More, the Lyon, France-based synthpop duo has a brand new album out, “After All”, featuring ten new songs. Musically the band blends classic 80’s synthpop with industrial influences into their own style.

“After All” is released as a vinyl edition and digital download on Bandcamp. The 10-track release is the follow-up to their 2020 album “Warp”.

Even More started as a synthpop project in 2008. Its first song was a cover of the French electronic band Celluloid on the “Autoreverse” compilation from the well known French BOREDOMproduct label. The band has since released two albums and several EPs and singles including “Warp” (2020), “A Life of Surprise” (2012), “Puppet Blues” EP (2015), “Midnight Sun” EP (2016), “Red” EP (2018) and “Light” (2020). “Dead Flowers” and “Puppets Blues” were also included on our very won “Face the beat: Session 2” and “Face the beat: Session 5”.

Here is the teaser on Youtube.

You can download the album below or get the vinyl release.

The Swedish goth rock act Dark Side Cowboys now release the second single, “Light”, from their forthcoming album.

“Light” will be released on streaming platforms on December 22, which happens to be the day of the year when the northern hemisphere has the least amount of light from the sun; the hibernal solstice. “Light” is the second single from the forthcoming album “Beyond”, which will be the 14th studio album from the band since their start in 1993. Also included on the single is the song “City Of The Dead”.

Collectors can count on a CD release in the form of a limited edition digipak that will be released alongside the download and streaming version. You can pre-order this single for only 6 euro + shipping through the DSC shop.

Below is the teaser for the new single.

Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Cold-Wave, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This is the second full length by Italian formation Fall Shock. The new work comes three years after the debut album “Interior”.

Content: The main sources of inspiration remain Dark- and Cold-Wave music but “Universal Unit Crime” sounds definitely more diversified than its predecessor. The debut song reveals a Depeche Mode-like tune while the next track is driven by a solid EBM touch and aggressive sequences. Quite progressively the album moves throughout explicit 80s Dark/Cold-Wave influences now and then reinforced with EBM components.

+ + + : This album convinced me more than its predecessor. The debut part features the real solid EBM-driven “Protect” , reminding me a bit of The Invincible Limit. Another attention grabber is “Hiding In A Glass” which sounds more Dark-Wave like although empowered by EBM sequences. The album is powerful and reveals passionate vocals by front man “Francesco Kay”.

– – – : I regret the album only features 8 songs. The last song has a rather disappointing ending by the way.

Conclusion: Fall shock has made a serious step forward unleashing a great match between different influences.

Best songs: “Protect”, “Hiding In A Glass”, “Useful Liar”, “Fake New Model”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/fallshock

Label: www.manicdepressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/manicdepressionrecords

Genre/Influences: Shoegaze, Post-Punk, Psychedelic-Rock.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This is a live recording featuring seventeen songs from Scottish formation The Jesus And Mary Chain. The recordings happened during December 2018 shows at Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles (USA). The Reid brothers and their gang were doing a support tour for NIN. That’s quite interesting as back in 1990 NIN were doing the support for The Jesus And Mary Chain. Trent Reznor has been influenced by them and asked them as a sign of respect to do it the other way round nearly thirty years later.

Content: The Jesus And Mary Chain became famous for their Noise-like approach of Rock and Dark-Wave music. It has been called Shoegaze, Psy-Rock, Noise-Rock, ao but it was rather innovative and influenced numerous bands. The tracklist brings a true melting pot featuring tracks from the early years until the last album. Now dreamy and then powerful all tracks remained driven by this unique fuzzy guitar noise and the vocals of Jim Reid.

+ + + : You can easily recognize the live sound and interaction with the audience. This band remains unique while “Psychocandy” remains a legendary album released38 years ago now. The show also started with a famous song from that album (cf. “Just Like Honey”). Two more major tracks of the album and “Psychocandy” remain “The Living End” and “In A Hole” both reminding us the essence of Shoegaze-sound. I also recommend “Far Gone And Out” and “Reverence” both originally released in 1992 on “Honey’s Dead”  which was the band’s fourth full length. One thing is for sure, The Jesus And Mary Chain haven’t lost their original energy and magic. 

– – – : I regret there are no more songs from the “Psychocandy”-era featured. It remains the greatest work of this legendary band.

Conclusion: This album is a great gift for all fans of this unique band in history.

Best songs: “The Living End”, “In A Hole”, “Just Like Honey”, “Far Gone And Out”, “Reverence”, “Sometimes Always”, “Some Candy Talking”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: https://themarychain.com / www.facebook.com/JesusAndMaryChain

Label: www.fuzzclub.com / www.facebook.com/FuzzClubRecords

Today Friday December 8th, Swiss/Canadian band Peter Kernel (Aris and Barbara) release their new album “Drum to Death” in vinyl and CD formats via On The Camper records. The album had previously been released in October as a download only.

“Drum To Death” is a collection of 11 experiments by Peter Kernel and their favourite drummers and was recorded throughout 2020-2023. During this period Peter Kernel invited eleven of their most esteemed drummers to send them rhythms with which they composed these eleven tracks. Each song was written and dedicated to the inherent drummer as an ode of appreciation to the beat creator.

The album features collaborations with Bernard Trontin (The Young Gods), Cosmic Neman (Zombie Zombie), Beatrice Graf, Domi Chansorn, Ema Matis, Tam Bor, Hugo Panzer, Julian Sartorius, Kevin Shea (Storm & Stress, Lydia Lunch), Simon Berz and Simone Aubert (Hyperculte, Massicot)

You can check out the album below.

Out via Infinite Fog on January 23rd is the re-release of the Nurse With Wound album “Thunder Perfect Mind” in two formats. This 2024 re-release was fully overseen by Steven Stapleton.

The first is a limited picture-disc edition (300 copies), on heavy 185g and coming inside a special remus-quality gatefold cover. ‘Remus’ is a special format, slightly bigger in size than regular vinyl sleeves as the cardboard is heavier and denser.

The second format is a 6-panel 2CD digipak with the same tracklist as the vinyl set.

About this Nurse With Wound album

The original release of Nurse With Wound’s “Thunder Perfect Mind” in 1992 coincided with that of Current 93’s homonymous album. Legend has it that the name initially appeared to Steven Stapleton in a dream as the title of Tibet’s then still nameless upcoming album. Both records feature contributions from David Tibet, Colin Potter, Rose McDowall, John Balance of Coil, Alan Trench of Orchis and Joolie Wood amongst others. The Nurse With Wound album also is the first full-length collaboration with Colin Potter who has since become a regular visitor on the Nurse With Wound albums as well as in live performances.

A picture disc on vinyl is not an audiophile format

Please take notice that picture “vinyl” is no audiophile format, it’s a collectible format. The more stereo and bass, the wider and deeper the grooves have to be, to provide all information to the needle. But picture discs have only a very thin plastic foil over the pictures, it’s no ‘real’ vinyl, just plastic, similar to pet bottles. It is impossible, to press as deep and wide grooves, that a Picture-LP would sound as well as a real vinyl. That’s the same for all picture LPs, not only this one.

Here are the 5 aspects to keep in mind when buying picture discs:

1. Manufacturing Process: Picture discs are created by pressing a thin layer of vinyl over a paper image. This process differs from traditional vinyl records, where the entire disc is made of vinyl. The layered structure can affect the precision with which the grooves are formed, leading to less accurate sound reproduction.
2. Material Quality: The materials used in picture discs, particularly the paper image and the adhesive needed to bond the image to the vinyl, can introduce noise and distortion. These impurities in the material can interfere with the needle’s ability to track the grooves accurately.
3. Surface Noise: Picture discs often exhibit higher surface noise compared to standard vinyl records. The additional layers and the interaction between the paper and vinyl can create a background hiss or crackling that detracts from the audio clarity.
4. Durability and Wear: Picture discs can be more prone to wear and damage. The paper layer and different manufacturing process can make them less durable than traditional vinyl, leading to quicker degradation of sound quality over time.
5. Focus on Aesthetics over Sound: The primary appeal of picture discs is their aesthetic value, often featuring artwork or images related to the music. This focus on visual presentation can mean that less attention is given to the audio quality, which is the primary concern for audiophiles.

Therefore to get the best sound quality, you should choose the 2CD set.

Schkeuditzer Kreuz, an Australian-based industrial synth crust artist and alias of Kieren Hills, releases “Second Life: No Life Left Remixed” as a download and as a double CD also including the album “No Life Left”.

Hills has been involved in various punk, crust, noise, deathrock, and hardcore scenes before going the industrial way of life. This remix collection precedes his New Zealand tour in January 2024. The remix album reimagines five tracks from his latest LP, “No Life Left” (August 2023), featuring remixes by Distruster (US), Max Rael (UK), Creassault (NZ), Non-Bio (UK), and Crash-Scan (NZ).

The inspiration for this collection finds its roots in the ’90s, when influential remix works by various artists was done that altered genres and created something new.

“Second Life: No Life Left Remixed” is available for download or as a 2-CD set on Bandcamp.

Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is launching a sustainable initiative with the reusable cup pilot program during Depeche Mode ‘Memento Mori’ concerts on December 15 and 17, 2023. This program, in partnership with r.World, represents a step towards reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics at the venue. The initiative aligns with Crypto.com Arena and AEG’s commitment to sustainability, focusing on reusing cups to minimize waste.

The program involves collecting used plastic cups in designated bins, which are then transported to r.World’s industrial wash facilities for cleaning and returned to the arena for reuse. This process is part of a broader effort by the venue to address the environmental issues associated with single-use plastics, aiming to divert hundreds of thousands of cups from the waste stream.

Depeche Mode and Green Nation

Depeche Mode’s history of eco-conscious initiatives and collaborations, including their work with Live Nation’s Green Nation, has been a driving force behind this pilot program. Following the pilot program, Crypto.com Arena will evaluate the data from the concerts to potentially make r.World a full-time sustainable option for the venue.

During the Memento Mori World Tour, Depeche Mode performed 45 shows in North America and 67 in Europe, totaling 112 shows. The tour, supporting their 15th studio album “Memento Mori,” began on March 23, 2023, and is set to conclude on April 8, 2024. This worldwide concert tour has been a major event for the band and their fans, marking the band’s first tour without keyboardist Andy Fletcher, who passed away in 2022.

And Also The Trees returns with all new album ‘Mother-of-pearl Moon’ in 2024 and today launch a video for “This Path Through The Meadow”. The tracks on “Mother-of-pearl Moon” were born from a series of electric guitar improvisations created in the pre- and post-dawn hours during a month of solitude in 2020.

“Mother-of-pearl Moon” will be promoted with tours throughout the year. Here’s the video for the track “This Path Through The Meadow”.

About And Also The Trees

The band was founded by singer Simon Jones and his guitarist brother Justin during the original post-punk era in rural Worcestershire. The band immediately caught the attention of Robert Smith of The Cure, who invited them to tour with his group on several occasions. Smith was also involved with their early recordings alongside his bandmate Lol Tolhurst, who produced their first records. They have released fifteen studio albums and toured frequently throughout mainland Europe, as well as North America and Japan.

The band nowadays consists of Simon Huw Jones, Justin Jones, Paul Hill, Grant Gordon and Colin Ozanne.

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album comes two years after the official debut-full length “Blacken The Skies”. Terminal is a project based in Pretoria (South-Africa) and driven by Thomas Mark Anthony. “The New Republic” features thirteen new cuts and is dedicated to Dave Heckman -Metropolis Records owner who passed a way last year.

Content: The work sounds as the logical follow up to “Blacken Skies”. From Industrial-Metal passages to more explicit Industrial-Pop Terminal is revisiting Electronic standards. The tracklist reveals a few instrumental cuts, kind of intermezzos.

+ + + : I first of all have to salute the deep, charismatic, timbre of voice of the artist. It now and then evokes Nick Cave. Sound-wise this album is more consistent than its predecessor. It sounds more mature and accomplished but also reveals an original composition. It’s neither Industrial nor Pop but somewhere in between. The guitar injects power and the electronic sound treatments create a cool atmosphere while creating harmony. I like the work for its overwhelming bombast.

– – – : It’s not an ‘easy’ work to listen to; it might take time to seize the essence and strength of the production. Terminal sounds like mixing opposites but in the end it all sounds complementary.

Conclusion: The new Terminal-album sounds like a step forward and is definitely an accomplished production experimenting with opposite poles.

Best songs: “Smart Weapons”, “Dirty River (Necrosis)”, “Testify”, “Did We Ask For Truth”, “Disproportionate Response”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.terminalnoise.com / www.facebook.com/terminal.industrial

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Genre/Influences: Indie-Pop, Electro-Pop, Industrial-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Missing In Stars is a music project driven by Dan Guenther. He has been involved with different projects but Blind Faith And Envy remains the most familiar name. A few years ago now he set up Missing In Stars and released the debut album “Echo Point” in 2017 by Splendid Recordings. A second opus has been now released by Infacted Recordings.

Content: Missing In Stars is much more than Electro/Future-Pop which seems to have been the main sources of inspiration. The songs are Electro-driven and definitely into Pop but now empowered by guitar playing and then transformed into a kind of harder, Industrial/Power-Pop style. Bombastic-, orchestral arrangements are quite noticeable elements of the work which is even resulting into a kind of orchestral Cinematic music. There’s also a surprising cover version of a song from The Echoing Green. 

+ + + : This is a diversified piece of music which is driven by Pop but transposed into very different sound formats. I like the Indie-Pop driven “Fight” but also the more Industrial-Pop sounding “The Sinners”. Another similar cut is “Playback” which is boosted by Industrial guitar  while revealing cool electronics. I also like “The Tides” for its progression and passionate vocals. Dan Guenther also is a talented and passionate singer.

– – – : I noticed several, softer, cuts which are dreamy but without real interest.

Conclusion: A fully accessible work although not the most cohesive and accessible album.

Best songs: “The Tides”, “Playback”, “Fight”, “Nothing But Lov’n”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.missinginstars.com / www.facebook.com/missinginstars

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Today we received a mail from Hypervuur, a Bogota, Colombia-based horror industrial act mixing 1990’s rave, horror movies and – as the promo pictures show – hockey fights. We don’t normally do complete profiles, but here we’ll make an exception.

What started as something to survive 2020’s quarantine, has taken a life of its own with 6 albums, a DJ live act, and an upcoming video and seventh album, “so people don’t face their fears, they dance to them.”

The Hypervuur discography

Below are the releases from this project on Bandcamp, where you can get everything for a name-your-price. Alejo Klauun each time explains what the album is about.

“My first venture, ‘Covid-19 Tales,’ marks the inception of the Hypervuur project. In this exploration, I delve into new realms of Extreme Electronics, bridging Industrial and Gabber with undertones of Punk and Extreme Metal. This demo/album reflects my journey through the frustration and isolation brought by the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s a cathartic expression, hoping to resonate deeply with my listeners.”

“Moving to ‘C2020,’ my second album under the Industrial Hardcore banner, I encapsulate a peculiar year with a blend of introspection and explosive energy. This album continues and refines my Punk and Extreme Metal influences, while subtly integrating elements from electronic genres not typically associated with Hardcore or Industrial. It’s an invitation to experience the chaos and complexity of my thoughts.”

‘”Industrial Death Terrorcore,’ my third release, intensifies the blend of terrorcore with Punk and Extreme Metal elements. It’s packed with electro-industrial sounds, harsh noise, and an unapologetic rawness that aims to jolt and challenge the mind. I return with a renewed vigor, embracing the chaos.”

“In my fourth album, ‘Thanatoaesthetics,’ the electro-industrial influences take a front seat, steering towards a more introspective direction. Here, the fiery essence of my sound burns with the same intensity, reflecting the relentless spirit of the thousand suns.”

“My journey’s narrative arc peaks with ‘Middle Warrior,’ my fifth album. It’s a historical reflection where I delve into my Midlander roots to fully embrace the North American electro-industrial vibe of the late 20th century. This album is a quintessential nod to the nineties, crafted uniquely in 2022.”

“Finally, ‘Realpolitik,’ my sixth album, is where I channel my academic passion for International Relations. This album is a stark reminder of our minuscule presence in the vast tapestry of the world, portraying us as mere cogs in a larger, almost diabolical system. This album is not just music; it’s the soundtrack to a horror film that is both terrifying and enthralling – an audial embodiment of the International System.”

In the current pro-rata system used by music streaming services, all subscription revenues are pooled together and then distributed to artists based on their overall share of total streams on the platform. A user centric model in music streaming could however be an alternative to the prevalent pro-rata system used by platforms like Spotify and Apple Music says an article in The Guardian. This adds to the turmoil created by the upcoming changes to the Spotify royalty model which we talked about earlier.

But can that user centric model be a game changer? We are not so sure. Let’s first have a look on how such a user centric model would work.

User centric model in music streaming

The user centric model allocates each subscriber’s payment directly to the artists they listen to. Under this model, the funds from a subscriber who is passionate about indie music would be proportionally distributed among the indie artists they listen to. This means if a subscriber listens to fewer tracks more attentively, a larger amount is allocated per track, compared to someone who plays music more passively in the background. The user centric model thus aims to more fairly compensate artists based on individual listener preferences and engagement.

There are basically three main reasons why a user centric model in music streaming should be adopted.

1. Fair Distribution of Revenue: In the pro-rata model, all streams are pooled together, and revenues are distributed proportionally to the share of total streams a song receives. This often benefits the most listened-to tracks, regardless of individual user preferences. In contrast, the user centric model divides each listener’s subscription fee among the artists they actually listen to, thus reflecting individual listening patterns and choices more accurately. This system is particularly seen as fairer for indie artists, as it ensures that the money paid by each consumer is allocated to the artists they listen to, rather than being distributed based on overall market share​​​​.
2. Encourages Transparency and Diversity: The user centric model promotes transparency in revenue distribution and can lead to a more diverse range of music being supported. This model can empower consumers by making their choices more impactful, potentially leading to more paid subscriptions as listeners feel their preferences directly support the artists they enjoy. It aligns with the concept of ‘fair trade’ in music, ensuring artists are compensated for the use of their art by those who actually consume it​​.
3. Redistribution of Income: One study found that under a user centric model, the top 10 most streamed artists might see a drop in royalties (12-17% decrease), while artists outside the top 10,000 could experience a modest increase (4.6-5.2%). For many lesser-streamed artists, this increase might amount to less than €10 per artist. These figures suggest that while the user centric model could lead to a more equitable distribution of income, the actual monetary benefit for many artists, especially those with fewer streams, might be relatively small​.

In theory, it seems effective, but in practice, it falls short

And it’s this third reason which also immediately shows a problem in order to push the user centric model. In theory, a user centric model in music streaming presents as a more equitable and transparent alternative to the pro-rata system, promising fairer distribution of revenue based on individual listening habits. However, in practice, the actual impact on many artists, especially those with fewer streams, appears to be relatively modest. This suggests that, despite its theoretical advantages, the user centric model may not lead to significant financial changes for a large portion of artists in the current music streaming landscape.

The Culture and Education Committee of the European Parliament recently voted on a report titled ‘Cultural Diversity and the Conditions for Authors in the European Streaming Market‘. This vote led to a proposal for new legislation aimed at reforming music streaming within the EU. The report, adopted with 23 votes for, three against, and one abstention, seeks to address several key issues in the music streaming sector.

The European Parliament’s initiative comes amidst growing concerns over the distribution of revenues in the music streaming market, which is dominated by a few major labels and popular artists. The proposed legislation aims to create a fair and sustainable environment for music streaming and to promote cultural diversity.

These are the key aspects of the proposed legislation:

1. Transparency of Algorithms: The bill calls for streaming services to make their algorithms and recommendation tools transparent. This is to ensure that European works are visible and accessible to users.
2. Diversity Indicator: The proposal includes the creation of a “diversity indicator” to analyze the variety of genres, languages, and the presence of independent authors on streaming platforms. This aims to promote a wider range of music and cultural diversity.
3. Rights Identification: The bill would require streaming services to correctly identify right-holders through proper allocation of metadata, facilitating the discovery of their works. This measure also seeks to prevent practices like streaming fraud, which undermines the value of music content.
4. Labeling of AI-Generated Content: A provision in the bill calls for clear labeling of AI-generated tracks, allowing listeners to distinguish between human-produced music and AI-generated songs.
5. Investment in European Music: The bill urges increased investment in European music, particularly in local, niche artists and artists from vulnerable communities. This is aimed at offering a more diverse repertoire and supporting authors in the digital transformation of their business models.

Lead MEP Ibán García Del Blanco commented on the importance of recognizing the role authors play in the music sector and the need to review and improve the revenue distribution model used by streaming services to promote cultural diversity. The Plenary vote on this non-legislative resolution is scheduled for the January 2024 Strasbourg session.

As for our scene, especially the 5th key issue addressed above (aimed at niche artists) will be rather interesting. Nevertheless, the changes to the Spotify royalty model will have a huge impact on the industrial music scene, even if niche artists get more attention on streaming platforms. Its changes includes a controversial policy requiring tracks to get a minimum of 1,000 listens every year to receive royalties.

A few weeks ago we wrote an article on Greenwashing in the music industry. Some considered it to be nonsense but behold, there is something brewing in the music world with the launch of a Music Industry Climate Collective and a Music Climate Pact.

Music Industry Climate Collective

Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group have now formed the Music Industry Climate Collective (MICC) to address environmental challenges related to the global climate, particularly within the music industry. This collaboration aims to amplify environmental stewardship and provide tailored recommendations and strategies for music companies of all sizes.

One of MICC’s first initiatives is to offer comprehensive guidance for measuring scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, which are indirect emissions occurring in the music industry’s value chain, including product manufacturing, distribution, and licensing.

The MICC has worked with scientific experts to develop the first draft of this guidance, which will be available for industry participants to review. Additionally, the MICC has established an advisory council comprising independent record labels, value chain partners, and climate experts to gather broader industry input. The aim is to set a science-based standard, fostering climate resilience within the music sector. This initiative also aims to provide critical guidance to partner companies starting to measure their emissions and promote consistency in how music companies develop and disclose greenhouse gas inventories.

Music Climate Pact

Another initiative is the Music Climate Pact, which has as a vision “to harness the power of the music industry towards inspiring transformational action on the climate crisis.” By aligning as a sector, they stand to de-politicise sustainability and address their biggest environmental impacts in an efficient and collaborative way. “There is a lot of work to be done if we are to become a more sustainable industry, but we will be guided by climate science and take tangible, unified action and regularly update on our progress.”

The Pact’s founder signatories have committed to:

• Take individual and collective action to measure and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3)
• By February 2022, have either signed the Science Based Targets standard commitment letter stating that we will commit to setting science-based targets or will have joined the Race to Zero programme
• Work together as an industry to establish carbon measurement methodologies, tools and frameworks backed by climate science
• Work in partnership with shared suppliers and digital streaming platforms (DSPs) to obtain data and drive emission reduction projects in a collaborative fashion
• Support artists in speaking up on climate issues
• Communicate openly with fans about the impacts of the music industry.

Businesses signing up after the launch must have already signed up to one of the two pathways.

Basically what is being presented by these two initiatives is a lot less than what we talked about in our initial article. So it remains to be seen if all this will be something else than just green windowdressing, after all Greenwashing is rampant with concert organisers for instance as we pointed out. And that is where the biggest money is these days for the traveling artists.

Before the release of the new “Back To Basic” full length album, Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme aka Cubic comes out with a second 4-track EP. Titled after the legendary Commodore C128, this EP is the obvious logical successor to the previous “c64” EP.

The new EP features exclusive club oriented and extended versions of “Art In” and “Human Computer”. While “MF2HD” is an exclusive non-album track, Cubic also offers a powerful EBM/industrial dance mix of “B C L” by label-mates Diffuzion.

Kraftwerk comes to mind but with a very refined contemporary sound. The EP is now residing in the Top 10 best selling downloads on Bandcamp in the industrial section. You can find it here on Bandcamp.

About Cubic

Franky Deblomme started out with his EBM-project Darkmen. After having stopped the project he started working under the Cubic moniker. After the excellent “Alphabet Hymn”-EP and having revisited the 808 Dot.Pop-album “Cubic Temperature”, Franky launched Cubic’s debut album “The Cubic Alphabet”. The sound has a clear connection with 808 Dot.Pop and Metroland; a kind of Kraftwerk-Pop with a personal and more diversified touch on top.

Belgium’s electro act Llumen returns with a 9-track EP bridging the previous “Polygon Heart” album and the forthcoming album “The Breaking Waves” announced for Spring 2024 on Alfa Matrix.

“Die Stille Totgeschwiegen” is the first Llumen song mixing English and German lyrics, and is the first new song revealed from the forthcoming album “The Breaking Waves”. The track got remixed by Grendel, Elektrostaub and First Aid 4 Souls. Included as well are remixed versions of “Like My Pain” by Aiboforcen, Pre:Emptive Strike 0.1, Ah Cama-Sotz and Promenade Cinema.

You can download the new EP right here from Bandcamp.

About Llumen

Llumen emerged around 2010, marking a new phase in Pieter Coussement’s musical career. Before Llumen, Coussement was part of various projects, but with Llumen, he found a way to merge a more structured musical style with the experimental work he did at the Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music. As the years passed, Llumen developed its unique sound, leading to the release of its first digital EP in 2016 through Alfa-Matrix. 2017 saw the debut of Llumen’s album, “The Memory Institute,” which blends elements of EBM, futurepop, and gothic.

Infrastition is set to release Collection d’Arnell-Andréa’s new physical album, “A Forest Inside”, on December 15th. This follows the album’s digital release last month. The album will be presented in a digifile format, featuring deluxe gold hotfoil printing.

This album marks the 12th studio release from the band, and their first since the 2019 albums on Trisol. “A Forest Inside” incorporates more electronic elements, courtesy of producer Pierre-Emmanuel Mériaud, while maintaining the band’s signature use of strings such as cello, viola, and guitars.

About Collection d’Arnell-Andréa

Collection d’Arnell-Andréa, a French neoclassical darkwave group, was formed in 1986 by Jean-Christophe d’Arnell, Pascal Andréa, and Chloé St Liphard. Although Andréa departed shortly after the band’s inception, his name remained part of the band’s identity. The band’s sound is characterized by a blend of keyboards, cello, and the vocals of Chloé. They are known for their expansive ensemble of musicians during live shows and have played at various international festivals. Their work often explores themes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The band’s initial four albums were released under New Rose from 1989 to 1994. Their fifth album, “Cirses des champs” (1996), and the compilation “Coll AGE 1988-1998”, were issued by Last Call Records. In 2002, Prikosnovénie took over as the band’s independent label until 2010, reissuing previous albums with additional tracks. More recent works include “Another Winter” and “A Recrafted Winter”, released in 2019 by Trisol Music. The latest album, “A Forest Inside”, was first released digitally in November 2023, followed by CD and vinyl versions distributed by Infrastition and Meidosem Records in March 2024.

You can read an interview with Collection d’Arnell-Andréa right here.

(Pictures via Audioglobe) Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Italian distributor Audioglobe. Audioglobe played and still plays a significant role in distributing niche genres, including goth, electro, and darkwave. By providing a platform for these genres and offering a worldwide distribution, they have helped keeping this scene, its labels and bands staying afloat whereas other distributors came and disappeared.

Audioglobe also plays a significant at Side-Line as the distributor is one of our most trusted sources to find out about new upcoming releases.

Before Audioglobe there was Contempo Records

Before starting Audioglobe, four of its five founders worked at Contempo Records, a famous music store in Florence, Italy, since the early 80s. Contempo was also a leading independent label and distributor in Italy from the mid/late 80s. They had contracts with artists like Clock DVA, Lassigue Bendthaus, Pankow, and others, and released albums by bands like Suicide and The Rose of Avalanche. They also distributed many albums for 4AD (and even manufactured the albums under license), featuring artists like Clan of Xymox and Dead Can Dance.

In 1993, a couple of Contempo employees, Nicola Vannini and another, noticed some serious problems at Contempo. They left to start a new music business venture: Audioglobe. Officially founded on December 6, 1993, in a small office on the outskirts of Florence, the team initially consisted of five people, including three founders and two employees. Two more ex-Contempo employees joined in 1994, just as Contempo closed down.

Audioglobe experienced 14 incredible years from 1993 to 2007, faced some tough times, and since 2020, “things have been great again!” So Sebastian Koch confirms in a mail sent out this morning.

Congratulations to the whole Audioglobe team!

Movment are a post punk band from Ireland born out of the ashes of Raw Novembre which released 3 albums and some singles and EPs. As Movment they have so far released 2 albums, “Broken Down” and “Transformation”, and 1 EP, “Red Death Sessions”. Out now is the brand new, 3rd, album, “Reinvention”.

The new album “Reinvention” explores life says the band: “We are all on a journey. It will end. We live inside our heads. We will soon cease to be as we are. From it there is no escape. The sparkle disappears. Would we just wait for it to happen? Understand it, desire it. Go by what you feel. Become what you can be. Believe in being able to move on. Reinvent you. They still believe.”

Here’s the video for the song “The Light Goes Out”.

The albums “Fearless” (1995) and “Nocturnes” (1997) by the ambient group Solitaire are now digitally available for the first time. Following the passing of Elmar Schulte, a founding member of Solitaire, in late 2022, Projekt collaborates with his widow and Ruediger Gleisberg to release the full catalog digitally on a pay-what-you-want basis on Bandcamp. The two albums come in one single download.

These mid-90s albums by Elmar and Ruediger showcase a blend of progressive electronics. Notably, parts of three tracks from “Fearless” were featured in the 1998 vampire movie “Blade,” starring Wesley Snipes. The inclusion of electric guitar, unique samples, and a dynamic groove in “One Small Step…” drew the attention of director Stephen Norrington, leading to the incorporation of Solitaire’s music in the film.

Background on Solitaire

Solitaire was established in 1989 by Elmar Schulte and Ruediger Gleisberg in Paderborn, Germany. The duo initially met in a music store and soon started working on music together in an old apartment. Their first album, “Altered States,” was released in 1990 on Musique Intemporelle, a label based in Berlin. Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, on November 11th, 1989, Solitaire performed their first concert in Berlin to a full church.

Following their debut, Elmar and Ruediger pursued separate paths until they reunited for “Fearless” and “Nocturnes.” “Fearless” combined ambient, ethno rhythms, and psychedelic sound collages in an experimental production. Despite initial doubts about its appeal, the album achieved success, with three tracks featuring in “Blade” as mentioned. “Nocturnes” followed a similar production style and was released on Arya, an offshoot of Italy’s Amplexus label. Both albums featured guest musician Amir Baghiri, who later gained recognition in the ambient music scene.

After Elmar Schulte’s death in 2022, Ruediger, in collaboration with Elmar’s widow, remastered and reissued their final two albums.

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Ambient-Noise.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This work released in 2022 by the Bulgarian label Corvus is a split album between Егзорцизам (Exorcism) and Катакомбная Церковь (Catacomb Church). Each project released one single, extended, track.

Content: Exorcism takes off with an elaborated and diversified piece of Dark-Ambient driven cut. The final part of the track evolves into a more Ritual style. Catacomb Church deals with a different genre, creating a kind of ambient-Noise piece of music dominated by boiling sound waves.

+ + + : I especially like the track by Exorcism for its sophisticated and elaborated writing. But I also enjoy the way this cut is evolving featuring different sound layers and even fragmented vocal effects.

– – – : The track by Catacomb Church sounds like an antithesis to Exorcism but in the end it’s all about personal taste.

Conclusion: This is an interesting split album revealing a great obscure Ambient piece by Exorcism.

Best songs: “Узалудне молитве” by Exorcism.

Rate: 7.

Label: www.corvusbg.com / https://www.facebook.com/CorvusRecordsBG

(Photo by A.J. Barratt) In 1986, a unique 2LP set titled “Walls Have Ears” captured the performances of Sonic Youth from three UK gigs in 1985. Initially a bootleg release on 2×12″ vinyl, unauthorized and without the band’s consent, this album will officially release on February 9, 2024, through Goofin’ Records.

The album documents Sonic Youth’s dynamic live energy. Tracks 1–7, recorded on October 30, 1985, in London, showcase the band’s raw sound. Track 8 captures the intensity of their November 8, 1985, performance at Brighton Beach, Brighton. Tracks 9–17, from an April 28, 1985, concert in London, where they supported Nick Cave at Hammersmith Palace, feature Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon, and Bob Bert. Later tracks introduce new drummer Steve Shelley, who replaced Bert.

Stevie Chick, in his book “Psychic Confusion: The Sonic Youth Story,” asserts that “The Walls Have Ears” is a crucial and electrifying document of the group at their live best. Despite being unloved by its creators, this album captures Sonic Youth playing with a violent and ecstatic abandon, proving that sometimes artists are not the best judges of their own work.”

This album marks Sonic Youth’s second UK appearance, building upon their high profile from their 1983 London debut. Despite facing technical challenges and overwhelming volume, the band significantly impacted the audience.

Sonic Youth bootleg gets second chance

“The Walls Have Ears” is a compilation of Sonic Youth’s early classics, including “The Burning Spear”, “I Love Her All The Time”, “Death Valley 69”, and “I’m Insane”. The raw recordings, interspersed with Madonna tape segues and vocal loops, reflect the band’s inventive approach before having a full stage crew. The album also includes an introduction by Claude Bessy, the French punk raconteur, humorously critiquing the indie label scene during their October 30th ULU London gig.

You can now watch a teaser for the album, featuring recovered VHS footage from these iconic 1985 performances.

(Photo by Ghilain Vermeersch) Out now is the new album from Mildreda, “Blue-Devilled”, via Dependent Records. Together with the release the Belgian band also presents a new black and white video for “Devil’s Gaze”.

Jan Dewulf adds: “My aim was to come up with a club track but at the same time I wanted to stay true to a dark electro sound.” Based in Belgium, Mildreda made their debut with the compilation album “Coward Philosophy” in 2016 on Alfa Matrix. In 2021 the new album “I Was Never There” was released.

“Blue-Devilled” is available on all streaming and digital platforms along with a limited 60-page artbook CD edition with a bonus CD.

Below is the video for “Devil’s Gaze”.

The South Carolina-based post-punk act Orcus Nullify has just released the full-length album “Creatures Of The Wheel”. The new LP was influenced by – and we quote the band – “the current of darkness running blatantly through the United States’ politics (…) this has brought with it a blood red flood of gun violence, inequality and cultural warfare.”

Frontman Bruce Nullify adds: “Society’s eyes are closed tightly shut as it votes in well-branded neo-fascism. This blindness is an abandonment of a government for and of its people. There is indifference and lack of respect towards our fellow man. There’s a struggle between environmental policy and greed. It’s a short, dark road we’re on.”

Orcus Nullify is mainly a solo project of Bruce Nullify and has been active since 2012. Bruce had his start in the mid eighties, playing bass for a hardcore band, Birth of a New Generation (BONG). He then played guitar and performed vocals for a few other local bands in Central Florida. After almost a fifteen year hiatus from music, he returns now with the band name Orcus Nullify – a name that he created for a previous band back in the 90s. For this album the line-up consists of Bruce Nullify and Ant Banister with lyrics written by Bruce Nullify and Leonia Teaneck.

Creatures Of The Wheel is available on all major digital platforms including Bandcamp and Spotify.

Below is the video for “No Justice”.

You can download the album below.

The Brescia, Italy-based goth act Ignis Absconditus has launched the official video of the song “Mr. Smith” is the first track from the band’s upcoming album “Golden Horses Of A Dying Future” scheduled for February 2nd, 2024 on the My Kingdom Music label.

Ignis Absconditus brings goth with influences from dark wave to post-punk, from black metal to avantgarde music and neo-folk. The band itself names bands such as Katatonia, Joyless, Christian Death, Bauhaus and Ved Buens Ende as influences. Behind the band we find Jack-G on electric guitars; Dani B-life on bass; and Henry Der Wanderer (Nebrus, Nott, Ad Omega) on drums, percussions, keyboards and 12 strings electric guitar.

This is the official video for “Mr. Smith”.

Here is what Henry Der Wanderer says about the album: “Our album “Golden Horses Of A Dying Future” is a work that shows the desire to find a personal way to express our deepest sensations and it is a source of great satisfaction for us to see it under the aegis of My Kingdom Music. Ignis Absconditus is a project that we care a lot about, it is extremely personal and, even if not immediate, I am sure that we will be able to bring it into the souls of as many people as possible and My Kingdom Music is the right label to be able to do this type of work, because a few ones are able to promoting the darkness like them.”

Genre/Influences: Dark-Jazzy, Chanson, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the self-titled debut album of Italian formation Waveshard. Driven by Adriano Vincenti,  Giovanni Leonardi and singer Simona Navasinskiene “Waveshard” has been also featuring Belgian wind instrumentalist, Izzy Op de Beeck.

Content: “Waveshard” is mixing styles and influences becoming a true sonic symbiosis and revelation. You for sure gone notice Dark-Jazzy influences accentuated by trumpet parts and other wind instruments but the composition is also featuring Electronic sound treatments and field recordings. A slow rhythm brings all the elements together resulting in an imaginary offspring between Melanie De Biasio and Massive Attack.

+ + + : I really had a crush listening to this album which I’ve listened to non-stop during the past few days. It’s a styled, refined, and fully artistic creation revealing enlightening melancholia. The mix between all instruments and especially the symbiosis between electronics, field recordings and real instruments has something supernatural. The sound of trumpet excels, creating the spirit of this work. The fragile vocals of Simona Navasinskiene are complementary with the music. The album features 8 songs and there’s no single cut to throw away. This is the right music for an imaginary film-noir but also a great composition to relax and dream away in darkness.

– – – : I don’t have real minus points to mention.

Conclusion: Waveshard is a great and talented formation which I can only encourage to move on. This band has something magic and that’s because of their authentic sound.

Best songs: “Hardships Fade”, “Horse’s Eye”, “Borealis”, “Murder By Love – Seaside Remix”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089688952847

Label: www.corvusbg.com / https://www.facebook.com/CorvusRecordsBG

Kroppskontroll, a Stockholm-based band bringing a mix of modern old school EBM and industrial metal, has released an industrial version of Dia Psalmas’ 90s hit “Balladen om lilla Elsa”.

The band, comprising Patrik on vocals, Tess on drums, and Leia on the keytar, blends modern and old school EBM with industrial elements. They formed in 2022 and are known for their energetic beats and powerful vocals. Their discography includes the upcoming album “Diskoteque” set for release in 2024, and singles like “Kängdans”, “Schablonliv”, “Spring,” “Buskjäger”, and the recently released “Balladen om Lilla Elsa” in 2023.

Dia Psalma was a band fusing punk, folk rock, and metal. The band, which reunited in 2006 and released a compilation CD “Psamlade Psalmer” (Collected Hymns), also released a new studio album “Djupa Skogen” (Deep Forest) in 2007 and continued to tour and produce music until they announced their dissolution in 2011. Despite this, they made a brief appearance in 2012 at the 30-year celebration of their label, Birdnest Records.

You can download the track on Bandcamp.

Sly Koyaanis, a Paris-based artist, introduces his new electro krautrock EP, “Chaosdaïsme”. This second EP in his project merges electro-acoustic rhythms with krautrock‘s dynamic energy.

After a decade of recording and touring with various groups in noise rock, Sly Koyaanis left the rock scene in 2019, moving away from its associated excesses and gravitating towards electronic music. Drawing inspiration from artists like Burial, Forest Swords and Boards of Canada, Sly Koyaanis released his first self-produced EP, “Amouhoque,” in February 2022. This EP presents a collage of lo-fi electro sounds, marking a significant shift in his musical direction.

You can check out the new release on Bandcamp and all other platforms.

Although Hungarian electronic artist István Gazdag (First Aid 4 Souls, Stahlgeist) has been performing and DJing under the First Aid Tech moniker for years, it’s only now that the first official release of this project comes out. This self-titled techno body 8-track EP reveals 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes.

Musically you can expect the artist’s industrial/EBM roots merging with acid / rave influences resulting in techno body.

You can download the First Aid Tech EP right now from Bandcamp.

István Gazdag is also the driving force behind the Hungarian musical projects First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. First Aid 4 Souls is known for its blend of industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave. Active since 2007, First Aid 4 Souls often includes various guest vocalists. Stahlgeist then again brings EBM that refers to the old years of Front Line Assembley or yet Wumpscut

The British electronic rock act Neon Fields, which recently joined the Italian independent label Epictronic, has launched a video for the track “Cage of Lions”.

According to the band “Cage of Lions” is “an unapologetic voice of frustration and inner turmoil born of objection to many political decisions made within the past several years. It speaks to the state of the world and those who have contributed to its downfall while exploring ways to enact vengeance on the individuals responsible. We won’t fight fire with fire. We will be the flood.”

About Neon Fields

Neon Fields was formed in 2020, just before the global pandemic hit. During the resulting lockdowns, the trio from the southwest UK shared music remotely and refined their sound in isolation. Based in Bristol, UK, the band consists of Ed Barrett (vocals), Luke Russe (drums), and Piers Ward (keyboards/guitars). Since the release of their debut singles, Neon Fields has continued to release material.

In 2023, Neon Fields signed with the independent label Epictronic. Neon Fields’ is currently gearing up for the release of their debut album under the new label.

Industrial band Panic Lift have completed their five EP release cycle with the new release, “Again”. “Again” features the lead single “What Happens Now?” and is accompanied by the downtempo “Timelines” along with two remixes from E.S.A. and Absynthe Of Faith.

For “What Happens Now?” Panic Lift lead singer, James Francis addresses the anxiety of watching the world around us in turmoil and the long-term effects it has on the human psyche. “In the 80’s we had the Cold War, in 90s we had Iraq, then September 11th, and now we’ve had COVID-19. I feel like each generation has been constantly on edge due to the world being in a constant state of upheaval, and it’s hard to ever imagine a time where we could be optimistic about the future.”

With the release of “Again” they complete the entire 21 song release cycle by unleashing the double CD titled “Split Pieces Stitched Together Again”. This album compiles all 21 songs into a long play album format. The CD is limited to 100 copies worldwide and can be ordered below.

Again is available on all major digital outlets including Bandcamp.

Here’s the video for “What Happens Now?”.

Panic Lift was formed in 2006 and has released music and toured consistently for almost two decades. Panic Lift has issued four full-length albums on Metropolis Records, and countless EPs, remixes, and collaborations. James Francis is accompanied by his longtime live band which consists of Dan Platt (keyboards), and Ben Tourkantonis and Cristian Carver both on drums.

Genre/Influences: IDM, Experimental, Electro, Trance, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Hendrick Grothe is back on track unleashing the new Blac Kolor-album. The album was preceded by the excellent “Metanoia”-single.

Content: If you’re familiar with Blac Kolor you definitely know what to expect. “Weltenbrand” sounds like a true sonic labyrinth wherein Grothe experiments with multiple influences. It sounds like he has a knack to mix everything together but in the end it will always result in the intelligent and sophisticated sound of Blac Kolor. Several tracks feature guest artists who are taking care of the vocals. You’ll notice Panternoise,  Jennifer Touch, XTR Human and Donis (Love Ix Colder Than Death).

+ + + : What I like about  Blac Kolor is that every single album sounds different although holding on the main ingredients of this sound architect. It’s all about sound intelligence and the magic of sounds and noises. This work has an ‘exotic’ appeal to me which again resulted from the sound treatments. “Metanoia” featuring Jennifer Touch remains a cool, danceable, and sensual piece of music. Same intelligence although different approach at “Zerschmetterling” which sounds like the judicious offspring between Industrial- and electronic music. “Leuchtende Stürme” took me by surprise for its great, dark, atmospheric side but also the rough vocals by XTR Human.

– – – : I regret the work is not featuring a few more songs with vocals and/or spoken samplings. The debut part of the work sounds cool but the best comes at the second part.

Conclusion: This is not my favorite Blac Kolor-album but still an absolute must have for Electronic fine-tasters.

Best songs: “Metanoia”, ““Zerschmetterling”, “Weltenbrand”, “Leuchtende Stürme”, “Wogen”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.blackolor.de / www.facebook.com/blackolormusic

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

Notstandskomitee became a renowned project in the Electronic Underground scene of the 90s. Driven by Malte Steiner Notstandskomitee released several great tape recordings in the early 90s. Characterized by Electro-Minimalism and Experimental music the German project moved on releasing its first CD’s. Malte Steiner -who has been involved with numerous side-projects (Das Kombinat, Elektronengehirn, Akustikkoppler ao) released most of his works on his own label Block 4. The newest album entitled “The Doomsday Layout” is a fine selection of sixteen tracks that were originally composed between 2009 and 2023. The work sounds like Notstandskomitee  at its best; great sound treatments, Minimal-Electronics, Experimental although accessible, sometimes Cinematic and even redefining Techno standards. Enough reasons to ask a few questions to this unique artist.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You set up Notstandskomitee in 1991. What did you keep in mind from the early years and original spirit of the project? And what remains of it thirty years later?

Malte: Lot has changed during the decades but what remains is the playfulness and the will to experiment, to find new means of expression with the technology which was and is accessible to me. But not only using other companies products and their implementation of ideas of how to create music, it is important for me to invent and design my own instruments, software and hardware. It is a constant development.

Music industry is driven by nostalgia, but I rather reinvent myself instead of becoming a pale copy of the past me, repeating old songs and ideas. Important is to keep the excitement. The political aspect in my art always was and is there.

Q: I often experience your sound approach as the work of a ‘sound architect’ instead of a true ‘musician’. How do you perceive yourself and do you feel closer with one or the other?

Malte: I guess I am more on the side of sound architect, being never that much interested in the reproduction of traditional Western music styles. My departure point is the visual arts. When I started with Electronic music in my very young years around 1983, the idea was to paint with sound. Instead of combining chord progressions I started with composing fragments of recorded sounds, basically what Musique Concrète is doing since the 40s.

Q: You recently released the new album “The Doomsday Layout” featuring tracks written in between 2009 and 2023. What is the album all about and tell us a bit more about the selection of tracks?

Malte: After the album “Automatenmusik” in 2001 I became a bit disillusioned about the future of the music industry and concentrated on other projects like Elektronengehirn and my exhibitions. But I kept making tracks which qualified as Industrial / IDM Notstandskomitee music and so I have now a backlog with more than 100 tracks, quite a pool to pick from and compile an album!

The current theme is the rising instability of the world. The world was on the edge already in the 80s, but now it is literally falling apart. Everything is out of balance. I work on ways to express that, also in my visual art, without falling in cliches.

Q: Talking about sound and song writing I would like to get more information about your way of working? What are the different stages you’d to go through in song writing and -production?

Malte: Like many artists I like to start new things and keep the tracks in the editing stage, I guess I need more discipline. Sometimes it is good to come back to a piece after a year and suddenly discover what was missing, the songs ripe over the time. There is no big distinction between the composing and the mixing stage, especially after 2018 when I went totally ‘In-The-Box’ for the mixing. Before it was very time consuming to recall manually an older mix on the mixing desk to continue the work which also caused some frustrations, maybe the reason for the 10 year gap between releases. Now I have the backlog portable with me when I am on the road and can continue to work on them everywhere in the world. Often during mixing it becomes clear if there is enough going on or something missing, or even if there is too much. Equalization and compression can bring out details which I overheard before so that step is important for composition.

Decoupled is the final mastering step, to create a consistent album. That is usually done in one go without big gaps. I know that it is a good idea to let others with fresh ears master the album, but I don’t have the money for it and also don’t trust others to make the right decisions for my weird music.

Q: Several tracks of the album caught my attention but one in particular; so what did you try to express with “Watch People Reacting To Music By Notstandskomitee”? Your music remains instrumental so I was wondering what you try to express by the titles?

Malte: Often they are critical, sometimes humorous or just plain cynical. A while ago, last year I think, there was a -hopefully- short lived trend on video providers like Youtube, TicToc etc, with people filming people reacting to something, a piece of music or a movie. So the artistic product lost focus and it became more important how people react on something. I really think humankind is doomed…

Q: In a recent Akustikkoppler-interview you said about Notstandskomitee that ‘it’s difficult to decide to finish a track and let loose.’ What makes it that difficult and how do you look back at ‘older’ songs and albums today?

Malte: The center of production is the hard disk (or to be more precise, SSD) and an artist can edit and manipulate a song, picture, text or video digitally endlessly, without loss of quality. That is a big thing when you come from other times where that was not possible in that quality, every edit step added artefacts like noise. In those old days, let’s say before and around year 2000, you had you commit your mix to tape or DAT. It felt more done because revising it involved to switch and fade all devices again to the correct programs and settings. Now everything is easy to recall and revise, or to go back to an older version, branch out for a remix etc, it never stops and ideas keep flowing. What happens if I change this or that, is that sound correct, how is the timing? This can go on forever, so some kind of discipline is necessary.

Like many artists I would love to redo old albums, there is always something to correct. But that would take out the charm of that times and kill the vibe. When I find time for a re-release, and the goal is to make and keep  everything available, I gently remaster the recordings, hopefully without changing too much. Especially with compression / limiter less is more, usually remasters of other artists albums in the last years are unlistenable to me, everything is driven against the wall.

Q: Any new plans/releases in the pipeline for Notstandskomitee and your side-projects?

Malte: Last month I finished a collaboration with Kim Holm from Aarhus (DK) and now I work on the Notstandskomitee live-setup. It is a constant development but I hope to create a technical platform for concerts, which I can keep a while and continue to add to it. Notstandskomitee concerts are usually audiovisual and follow my vision of the ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’. The music data, sequenced and played, controls the visuals which are generated in real-time with custom software I develop in the moment.

There is a new Elektronengehirn-album in the works which will be a CD, but also an vinyl album will be soon ready from TMS, the noise project I run with the artist Tina Mariane Krogh Madsen. We just released her experimental Noise CD “Compounds”. Our label block 4 is expanding, we found exciting artists for example in Helsinki which we going to release.

Genre/Influences: IDM, Cinematic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Dmitry Stepnov (Diffuzion) strikes back with the third official album of his solo-project EFF DST. “Incarnate” has been released five years after the last opus.

Content: The Belarusian artist brings us a dense and elaborated IDM-work. Heavy, blasting sound treatments and transcendental sequences have been mixed with danceable, Technoid, kicks. Other passages are more evasive and driven by down tempo rhythms accentuating a Cinematic influence.

+ + + : Each time  I get flabbergasted by the unique sound treatments and also by the song structures ending in Trance and then becoming Experimental. The work features numerous great songs but I’ll mention the pure IDM-resonating “Shadowplay” and “Warped Peril”, the  transcendental sensation emerging from “Lunacy” but also “Curse Reborn” for the crashing percussion sounds. The sound intelligence and sonic welfare this album has been accomplished took me by surprise. This is the best production I’ve heard from this artist. The album features a succession of great songs so I can only but salute the genius of Dmitry Stepnow who without a shadow of a doubt has released his magnum opus.

– – – : I noticed a very few Experimental/Glitch elements which aren’t my favorites but there’s no true reason to complain.I regret there’s no physical format available from this masterpiece.

Conclusion: “Incarnate” revealed an artist who hasn’t reinvented himself but who has just reached the highest degree of creativity and perfection.

Best songs: “Shadowplay”, “Warped Peril”, “Lunacy”,  “Curse Reborn”, “Mournful Voices”, “Rebound”, “Sci Cry”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.effdst.com / www.facebook.com/eff.dst

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

According to an interview with the Canadian industrial music pioneers, Nivek Ogre and cEvin Key, in LA Weekly (published on November 30), Skinny Puppy will split up after this tour. Skinny Puppy formed in Vancouver in 1982. The group is among the founders of the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Initially envisioned as an experimental side-project by cEvin Key (Kevin Crompton) while he was in the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy evolved into a full-time project with the addition of vocalist Nivek Ogre (Kevin Ogilvie).

Key acknowledges internal conflicts but emphasizes the joy and special nature of their last performances. Ogre from his side dismisses any notions of a future reunion: “People thinking that we’re gonna come back for a money grab in 10 years – it’s not gonna happen. In 10 years, I’ll be 70, so it’s definitely not gonna happen. But in five years or three years or whatever, it’s not gonna happen.”

The interview also reveals the complex dynamics between Ogre and Key, hinting at strained relations despite their mutual respect and admiration for each other’s talents. In the interview Key reflects on the band’s journey, expressing surprise at their longevity and satisfaction with their final tour. “I clearly remember saying in interviews back in the ’80s that there’s no way we’re gonna be doing this when we’re 60. So now we’re 60-plus, and it’s bizarre that we’re still going. (…) We have spent 40 years running that fine line between acrimony and getting work done.”

Talking about the past Key is quoted saying this about his work with the late Dwayne Goettel: “I only got to work with Dwayne for nine years, but we did manage to make a number of albums through that time. But the memory of working with him is unsurpassed.” As for highlights he mentions albums like “VIVIsectVI,” “Too Dark Park,” and “Last Rights” as creative high points.

Discomfort with the ‘industrial music’ label

Ogre shares his evolution as an artist and person since the band’s inception in 1983. Discussing the authenticity of his early work, he seems to be disillusionised with the current state of music, which he feels often prioritizes commercial success over genuine emotion.

Ogre and Key also discuss their discomfort with the ‘industrial music‘ label, noting how the genre has evolved and diverged from its original ethos. Ogre says more precisely this: “As far as the scene goes, it seems to have devolved into more of a metal vibe, for the most part. All of the stuff that I loved about industrial music that came out of Genesis, with industrial records, or even going back to Stockhausen, all of that kind of, just freedom to do whatever with whatever. That’s the thing that’s missing in industrial music.”

Despite their imminent split, both Ogre and Key have future projects lined up. Ogre is collaborating with Paul Barker and others on a new project, while Key has completed scoring for the video game “Silent Hill: Ascension” and is working on a new album with Bill Leeb.

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange, photos by Tarjei Krogh, Tom Helge Kleberg, Jarle Nyttingnes) How do you celebrate a driving force of the Norwegian electronic music scene when he’s about to turn 50? Ask a band if they can perform at his birthday party, that band involving another band, ending up in a full night of concerts by El/NeUe and Beranek and the collaboration release of a new track, video and a 10″ limited edition vinyl in various colours.

Øystein Moe was the lucky man celebrating his 50th anniversary Saturday November 2nd at Mir Lufthavn in Oslo, surrounded by friends and live concerts by El/NeUe and Beranek, who also debuted ‘Niedrige Erwartungen’ by showing the track’s music video.

Espen Beranek Holm, the multi-talented musician, comedian, stage-, radio- and TV-personality, remixer etc., elaborated about the evening and collaboration in our scheduled mail interview the day after.

S-L: How did your collaboration ’Niedrige Erwartungen’ come about? Triggered by this evening, or already in the works before?

Beranek: A part of this celebration also included the making of a limited edition vinyl EP containing some previously unreleased material from both EL/NeUe and me. In the discussion for the vinyl’s content the idea was born that we should collaborate on a track. A Thursday night in August I brought my Akai Force to Askilds house where Askild, Håkon and I sketched out the beginnings and framework for the composition. We very soon hit a common nerve for the thing, and after some 3-4 hours we had the main basics for the song. I spent the following Friday refining, re-structuring and adding to the composition. I also upgraded a lot of the sounds from the digital (Force) domain to the deeper analog domain using hardware synths (Moogs, Korgs, etc). I then sent the tracks to Askild and Håkon, and they added more musical motives and sounds; clarinets, voices and that marvellous and majestic «noisy» solosynth in the end. I got these tracks in return and added a vocal track dub to Askilds voice. Askild and Håkon finalized the mix. The lyrics was a suggestion by Askild.

S-L: Gotten any feedback on ‘Niedrige Erwartungen’ so far?

Beranek: It was very well received as the video was shown on screen to the audience last night!

S-L: Tell more about the video – how did the visuals come about?

Beranek: After I received the mix from Askild and Håkon I listened to it a couple of times – quiet loud actually. During these listenings I started to «see» how these notes and beats could trigger light beams, and I thought that space would form a perfect stage for this. I used a combination of 3D software and video editing software to generate the animations and synchronize it all to the music. Askild and Håkon was very pleased with both the video and the theme for the pictures, and the picture used on both the limited edition vinyl and on streaming platforms is taken from the video. (see the video at the end of article)

S-L: Your own and others reactions and feedback to the performances?

Beranek: I think it was a great night. EL/NeUe’s set was very well performed and very well received by the audience. Well deserved!
We – Johannes (Winther Farstad – keys and vocals) and I – was very pleased with the venue, Leon on sound and the crowd, and we felt that it all went down really well on our part.

Photograper Tarjei Krogh also attended the concerts, as always taking great photos!

The VERY special 10″ vinyl

We also wanted to know more about these records, and got hold of Tom Helge Kleberg from Kalall TM, a duplicord manufacturing company under the Etch Wear umbrella.

THK: On this production we made them for the two labels PIIV Grill and Hommage Records as a supplier, and we also collaborated on the sleeve production.

This is in short a duplicated record, hence we made the name duplicord. We make a lathe-cut or lacquer reference disc master first, then we make a mould negative used for casting two component resin records. It’s really an old technique with new compounds, like old one sided gramophones. The silicone really copies everything – even the warm sound!

These are to be considered more like artefact records or artist merchandise than an audiophile release. The final result varies from Good+ to NM, but most common VG/VG+. The research to make them better continues with every edition…

So far we have casted about 15 copies, all in various colours. It’s easy to mix different pigments for each duplicord, so most often no one is exactly the same, giving a wide range of colours and sometimes playing around with two or more colours. For special editions we have also put various objects in the mix on the label area, giving totally one of a kind unique duplicords unlike any vinyl you have seen.

All runs have sold out since we started doing these, so they’re really a token for a fan – these sell out first on merchtables!

Check out the track at several streaming platforms, and see the video right here!

The Serbian industrial rock band dreDDup has been working hard lately on it’s video productions. “Cherry Noble” is the second single from the upcoming eleventh studio album “Pan/Dora” scheduled for a release in mid 2024 via Crime:Scene Records.

The video for the single was directed by Mihajlo Obrenov with the help of AI. It represents a critique of today’s society. In less than a month, dreDDup will enter it’s 27th year of existence and besides “Pan/Dora” they’ve been working on two more albums simultaneously.

You can see the video for “Cherry Noble” here.

Below are stills from the new video.

About dreDDup

dreDDup is based in Novi Sad, Serbia and has been active since June 1997. Their first release, “Abnormal Walz”, featured a sound ranging from experimental electronics and techno to electro punk. It was followed by their first full-length album, “Mr Borndead’s Feast” which was released in 2004. In August 2007 the band landed the album “Future Porn Machine” offering a crossover sound. From that moment on, dreDDup labeled their music as being ‘massacre industrial’. The third album, “El Conquistadors”, came out late in 2008, the 4th was released in February 2011 simply titled “dreDDup” again offering a crossover of multiple electronic genres. Their fifth album was released in 2012 celebrating their 15th anniversary.

In late 2013 the band started working on their new record entitled “I dreamt of a Dragon” which was released at the end of 2014. For this album they abandoned their aggressive style of music and went for a more electronic and commercial sound. The album was self-released and the track “Etika” which was available on the free “Face The Beat: Session 2” compilation featured the legendary Dario Seraval from the Croatian/Slovenian cult industrial band Borghesia on vocals. It was one of 3 songs that the industrial outfit dreDDup sent us for inclusion on the compilation.