32Crash - Humanity EP (Alfa Matrix)

A joint venture by a selection of EBM stars made up of Jean-Luc De Meyer of Front 242, Len Lemeire of Implant and Jan D'Hooge, formerly of Viva La Fete cannot but bring some of the freshest body music of this new century. It's undisputed that Belgium is the sole home of this genre and 32Crash is nothing more than the confirmation of this. The Humanity EP runs well over 30 minutes, featuring 10 tracks, 4 of which are remixes, carrying such illustrious tags as those of Patrick Codenys and Sebastian Komor. The work is state of the art electronics and sport inventiveness and freshness in amounts you would not believe would be possible in these days anymore. There is also a kind of bizarre retro feel to it, not to mention the use of human drumming to top the list of surprises the trio has up their sleeve. It's hard to tell what lifeline a project like this will have, but all signs are pointing to a good direction. Two seasons of festival appearances and a full length already out on Alfa Matrix. the future looks bright for this Belgian retro-futuristic gang! www.32crash.com- www.alfa-matrix.com

Gianfri

Adversus - Laya EP (Sonorium)

Although German goth symphonic/pagan/metal hybrid is no cracking news these days, it is fair to reckon that Adversus are a few steps ahead of the pack with well balanced arrangements seeing a fairly constructive mix of dark moods and folk elements blending smoothly with subdued electronic elements into a melting pot of poetically challenged operatic compositions. The hybrid approach pairing classical and very subtle modern electronics elements seems to work quite well and the focus on the operatic is also quite effective, with the duetting of male and female vocals helping the cause. The EP clocks in at over 35 minutes, a good indication of the band fluency, not to forget an additional video track showcasing Adversus in full live action, performing a track that is not part of the audio body of this disk. The centerpiece of the work is the title track, a 14-minute marathon of classical/folk atmospheres inspired by the Celtic mythology, nicely conceived and executed, one for the dream-nights. Der Wind auf den Feldern is a nice testimony to the band's capacity to bring their most modern touches to a genre that has long been in need of a makeover, without making it sound contrived or uberproduced as it is sadly fashionable these days. Most importantly, the compact format of this work really brings the quality of the band to the fore, and despite I don't know much of the previous production of the band, I'm glad to recommend them to goth/folk type audiences on the look for a work that is nicely balanced and executed in a gothic/folkish fashion. www.adversus.de - www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

Alien Vampires - No One Here Gets Out Alive (BLC Productions)

Alien Vampires elaborate a bit further on such concepts as aggro-electro and thumping beats overshadowed by overdrive and all those bits that make you feel like when you are driving a fast car even though you are actually going nowhere. No One Gets Out Alive is a raving collection of electronic music clichés, including all the elements that have made many groundbreaking projects household names on the dancefloors across the globe. There is little point in trying to resist involuntary body movements while cruising through the maddening 70 minutes offered by the 14 tracks included in this work. Fortunately, the vocal work fully adheres to the dogma of drugged-up meaningless electro-industrial, resulting in intelligibly distorted lyrics, which is good news, specially when you scroll through track titles to the tune of We Are Dead Fuck You and such jolly entertaining amenities. There is no doubt Alien Vampires know their subject matter in detail and got out there a technically unexceptionable work, however, I feel that they are merely merging bits and bobs from well-tried acts out there who rose, shone and died out, without being exactly the newest poets in town so to speak. Their steaming train of beats, powerful enough to drive a massive dancefloor, seems to grow tiring quite early down the line, no thanks to the emphasis on overheard trance bits that do the production no favour. All in all, perhaps a mini-album would have been a more appropriate format to convey the raw energy that the Italo/British trio seems to have abundantly flowing through their synths. But, hey, one for the stomping crowd for sure! www.blcmusic.com

Gianfri

Annie Barker - Mountains And Tumult (Beautiful Revolution Records)

Hollywood -you might have heard of that...-, a gorgeous lady armed with a genuinely heavenly voice, a gorgeous album of heavenly pop, helped by a luscious guitar work by heavenly master Mr. Robin Guthrie himself. There could be very little more to add to this commentary to have you imagine the contents of this debut long player, Mountains And Tumult. Ten tracks for 43 minutes of playing time, a sparkling taste for the catchiest melodies, a fair dose of energy, some laid back and purely dreamy moments. Annie is a passionate siren a soulful muse and a seducing angel at the same time. The album highlight, Beautiful Life is strategically placed midway the running time of the album, but there are no peaks or down in this work, it all flows seamlessly yet dynamically to create a little moment of beautiful detachment and soft introspection. Annie bills herself as 'shoegaze-pop' and I'm not really sure she is doing herself a favor by doing so. Luckily, the concrete influence of that contrived and trite genre is far from compromising, as her sensitivity coupled with Guthrie's talent have given life to a little masterpiece that by far surpasses the shoagaze restricted doctrine. www.anniebarker.com

Gianfri

Arts of Erebus - Icon in Eyes (Sonorium)

Arts of Erebus strike as a darkwave/goth rock hybrid with a clear eye for the mainstream. Catchy melodies abound, guitar riffs lifted straight from a Mission soundbook are a tell-tale of the band's lack of proper innovative inspiration, trotting instead on well trodden paths complete with safe chord progressions and seducing, yet largely unexpressive male vocals. This is not to say Ars of Erebus aren't objectively valuable, on the contrary, they seem a good alternative to those still trying to bastardize gothic rock proper with contrived electronics of dubious inspiration. I would find them more convincing if they where to abandon the rock arena formula, but then they would loose all their appeal as a Mission clone and would need to find an own way of conveying a genre that is stuck in a cul-de-sac. This is all in all a pretty mediocre effort, whose botched attempt at a 'big sound' production is instrumental at getting that feeling about it all being tremendously contrived and artistically unconvincing. However, militant goth rockers might appreciate this considerably more than I personally did. www.arts-of-erebus.com - www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

Attrition - Etude (Two Gods Recordings)

There's no end to Attrition's ways of stunning their audience with new works or re-workings of timeless classics. Etude belongs to the second category, featuring 13 tracks, all but one being re-workings of some of their best classics, with arrangements based on classical string instrumentation. The project was lead by Mr. Franck Dematteis, who has since long admired the band and thought it be fitting his own background to re-arrange timeless dark, electronic classics in a stunning classical way. As you can expect, there's a little shock factor coming with this work, but in fact Attrition have often made efforts to encompass classical elements in their highly heterogeneous works, so the listener can't really be totally stranded here. Gone are the intricacies of Martin Bowes' electronic arrangement wisdom, and in are cello, viola, violin and spares percussion where due. This also means that Etude's timeframe for listening has shifted dramatically towards the wee hours, which will easily satisfy the needs of the many nocturnal types who are in symbiosis with the most dark and romantic aspects of the band's production. www.attrition.co.uk - www.twogods.co.uk

Gianfri

Attrition - This Death House (Two Gods Recordings)

Well, this is where all started from for Attrition. A cassette release back in 1982, two long creepy compositions of horrific ambient. Martin himself describes this as a work of improvisation with early synths, inspired by the horror film genre. The dark atmospheres are quite evolving, disturbed by unsettling synth bursts, but what makes this a stand-out work is the fact that it pioneers a genre that would explode much later and for which reviewers are increasingly hardly pressed to find adept works for their commentaries. What is even more astonishing is that over a quarter of a century on, the album sounds as if it was written yesterday and recorded with state of the art gear. The feel of desolation and creepiness emanated through this work will easily tickle the ears of those on the constant look for stimulations to the darker, most recessed corner of our imagination. The second half of the work, starts off in upbeat fashion, with doomed rhythmic elements that drive the proceedings, and sounds that are at once otherworldly and hellish. A must must, don't let this album miss your collection! www.attrition.co.uk - www.twogods.co.uk

Gianfri

Avenue In Oceania - Avenue In Oceania (Oceania Industries)

Avenue In Oceania, industrial rock from California! Nice headline, in fact the west coast trio is worth much more than a headline. Their approach to industrial rock is much far from the run of the mill guitar cum shouted or distorted vocals that runs so popular in the states. Au contraire, the three give life to a vibrant mélange of superb electronics and laid back guitars, completed with much distinctive vocals that are really integral part of the band sound. Avenue In Oceania rock is very much atmospheric and generally laid back. Although it shows its muscles as it should, it does run over a backdrop that is much chill-out electronics and as much as you can pull it and still couple it seamlessly to the rock genre and perfectly get away with it. Sort of the electronic equivalent of shoegazers, I guess. I'm not sure what kind of exposure the band are currently getting this side of the ocean, but I guess that many of our continent's lifeless electro-rock-goth acts could learn a thing or two from this sprinkling act. I also like their positive attitude towards singing about the total decay of the world we live in, and take it from a potentially creative angle, as opposed as venting anger like we all do (or do we?). It certainly reflects well in the music, which is as a result very catchy and uplifting, so next thing I'm going to do is investigate the lyrics to make sure they really deal with the darker side of our questionable existence. So far, I have treated Jason's vocals just as another well chiseled instrument in the greatly compelling sound mosaic that this album is. www.avanueinoceania.com

Gianfri

The Awakening - Darker than Silence (Sonorium)

Run of the mill goth rock / darkwave with a feel of déjà-vu. Hooking melodies, bland synth lines and heard-it-all-before guitars. The vocals, very expressive, are probably the brightest part of The Awakening arrangements, even though it's fair to say that composition and execution are very competent. Just that little extra spark of passion and inventiveness is sorely missing. As usual, when band like these try to go muscular with guitars, they inevitably fail and The Awakening are no exception. They have their moments, but it's hard to disentangle them from the general apathy and simplistic arrangements that drive the album. www.awakening.co.za - www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

Babylone Chaos - Les Machines Écarlates (OPN Records)

Noise and melodies, machine like sonorities, a soundtrack to a mechanical reality, rhythms, industrial, atmospheres. Babylone Chaos manage to be all of this at once. The solo project of Botchan Karisen, Les Machines Écarlates is a high rank entry in the world of industrial music, machine dominated soundscapes and mind-possessing noise. This 10-track release carries the feel of a soundtrack, with the pieces blending into each other and moods building up, climaxing and decaying in pure theatrical fashion. A distinct visionary attitude is the driving force behind Mr. Karisen work here, and the blend of moods and sonorities is pretty unique on the field. The machines grow to oppression from time to time, but they manage to evolve into free form freedom a minute later or so. Dynamism is another key force of this work, there's no stagnation of sounds as the mechanics take their time to develop and grow, shift moods and blend with underlying sound landscapes to match. In other words: do not miss this unless you are into industrial music purely for the drug addiction you nurse. babylonechaos.free.fr - www.opn.fr

Gianfri

Bardoseneticcube - Lord of Light (Deserted Factory)

A Russian project whose enigmatic clumsy name does not subtract from the impact of the schizophrenia on offer. Obsessive rhythms topped up with razor blade frequencies and noises, make for a nightmarish atmosphere, which paradoxically even manages to reach trance-like status. Mr. Igor Potsukailo definitely knows where his knobs are and how to turn them best to achieve ranting yet ordered sequences that un-disclose a world of madness. They call it "surrealism" and I guess that's just about right. Nothing is real on this album, starting from the missing track titles, to the entirely abstract and enigmatic cover art, the frequency spectrum on offer. Not to mention the project name itself, yet the album title, Lord of Light, is of such high banality that I start to think I'm missing the whole point here! One hour of solid excursion on a tangent from the rationale. Not an everyday job listening to a work like this, but when done, simply a fulfilling experience! bsc.radionoise.ru - www.desertedfactory.com

Gianfri

Bardoseneticcube - Saturn Wind (Deserted Factory)

If Lord of Light was going off a tangent, Saturn Wind is a shot into the cosmos. A maddening wall of noises very much in line with the high-level Japanese crew of noise makers, whose glacial reverberation tells an even harder tale of possible isolationist euphoria. The rigorously untitled tracks show how the sonic palette is in fact quite articulate despite the obsessive repetition characterizing the cuts. There's somehow more 'straight thinking' reasoning behind the arrangements of this album when compared to Lord of Light, a higher sense of dynamism, and this all comes at the price of enduring a forbidden amount of noises that might be mind-cleansing or tippling you over the edge depending on the current mood. The mixes are very rich in abrasive high-frequencies which adds to the impact but also to the wear the listener must endure if insisting to sit through the album in one go. Certainly a name to mark firmly on the map of proper noise-makers, although we must bear in mind that Bardoseneticcube (active since 1998) do not exclusively concern themselves with noise, although I still have to discover that for myself! bsc.radionoise.ru - www.desertedfactory.com

Gianfri

Bisclaveret - Psyche Nomine (The Eastern Front)

This Bisclaveret release dates back to the end of 2006 and is one of the best releases for this Polish duo. We are dealing with highly textured dark ambiences, never banalized by the usual over-the-top use of drones. Instead, Dragos and Thorn use vocals and ghoulish ambiences to manufacture a trippy ritual atmosphere that is much articulated, and has a high cinematic impact to it. Despite the project being conceived back in 2000, Psyche Nomine is officially their debut album, and the impact of this recording has appeared to be great on the underground scene. There's a subtle taste for those type of atmospheres that are soothing as opposed to the implicit drama of full-blown dark ambient productions. When Bisclaveret go big, they do it in style though, and there's no denying they have a taste for that type of drama too, coming close, for the good or bad of it, to some Cold Met type acts, yet with their lo-fi edge to luckily separate them from the pack. Being a relatively new name on the scene, doesn't seem to stop them from getting out there a superb album of a one of a kind brand on death ambient/industrial. My recommendation is, look at this before going down the mainstream, it's very much worth the effort. www.bisclaveret.com

Gianfri

Bisclaveret Vs Bruno - Les Mannequins (Zoharum)

Les Mannequins is inspired by the works of Bruno Schulz, a rather obscure Polish writer and graphic artists, who died in 1942, apparently shot by the Gestapo. To honour his memory, Bisclaveret have concocted a long piece made of visionary soundscapes mixing ambient, drones, neoclassical and chamber instruments and hammering spoken word as a backdrop, reciting some of Bruno's writings. Listening through the 40-minute strong track, is a bit of a nostalgic journey into a grayed out past, Bisclaveret interpret much competently the role, adding that eerie touch of unsettling ambient backdrops all the way through. Les Mannequins is a very ambitious work and it seems like Bisclaveret pulled it seamlessly, which is really another valid reason to put this prolific Polish duo permanently on the map. www.bisclaveret.com

Gianfri

Bleiburg - Pieces of A Broken Dream - 2CD (Cold Spring)

Bleiburg is one of the best kept secrets of the neofolk scene. Behind the moniker is Croatian artist Stefan Rukavina, a very fluent artist as he lengthy discography showcased on the project homepage testifies. The peculiarity of this release lives in the fact that Pieces of A Broken Dream collects all of Bleiburg's collaborations to date with a variety of artists covering the dark industrial, martial, ambient and neofolk genres. Out of a total of 24 tracks, only 7 are purely Bleiburg. It turns out this album is a very valid demonstration of the fact that the genres mentioned are not only alive and well, but there also exist that variety that from time to time fails to become evident with some artists. The 2 CDs offer a very through journey over the depths of the scene, offering a cohesive vision of how things move forward when artists interact. Many tracks have a high ritualistic feel, there is abundance of eastern sonic references, the acoustic guitars, the martial overtones, or the orchestral evocative drama. There are historical snippets of dialogue, eerie atmospheres, soft and enigmatic soundscapes. There is a sense of solemnity throughout, sometimes drifting over to claustrophobic. With names like The Soil Bleeds Black or Aube or Vidna Obmana, Cawatana, Harvest Rain or Telepherique just to name a few, there is little that can go wrong, and indeed very little -if anything at all- does go wrong. It is a heavy-weight listen in the long run, totaling two and a half hours, but it's so finely lined with such pearls that time seems to run too fast when listening to the opus in one go. I really like the opening of disk two Oil In Their Eyes, a dark, mysterious piano piece soaked in grey melancholy that eventually evolves into a quiet pandemonium of eastern women cries and sorrow. Very emblematic. The tracks that are not co-operative efforts tend to offer soundscaping mainly, although some with twists as mentioned before, Bleiburg is a sort of contemplative mood, yet the tension is there to suggest the battle might start any minute. Muezzin Pop is a ritualistic mantra featuring mysterious and distressing vocal samples, another of the solo pieces, which quiet frankly could have constituted a separate album on their own. I think those familiar with Bleiburg do know what to expect and Pieces of A Broken Dream does a lot to please them. Those who aren't, I guess are in for a very nice surprise and my recommendation is to check out this double-album and, perhaps, a few more out of Mr. Rukavina drawer. www.bleiburg.de - www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Calle della Morte - A Dio MCD (Hau Ruck! SPQR)

A side-project by Jonny B of Inner Glory and Vinz I.H.S.V who has played with the likes of Ain Soph, Calle delal Morte is pure grey and foggy Venice on a stormy December night. Mystery, dizziness, traditions, red wine, popular culture, ballads from the past, intellectualism, a touch of nostalgia and all that these days is entirely forgotten in other lands. The bad news is that this mini-album release spells the farewell of this unique pop-folk-cabaret act for no obvious reason. A Dio, is a concentrate of oblique art, offering full-sized entertainment in the space of under 14 minutes. Religious ballads, garage surf, despair, cabaret and an approach that is quintessentially Italian. A Dio will be a must have for those into the "death-pop" culture nurtured by a good number of Italian acts, but the appeal is most definitely international, although I must admit that missing out on the lyrics spoils half of the fun. Their personal version of the liturgical classic Symbolum 77 is my personal highlight and a good dig back into the youth years when the original chant was part and parcel of each and every Sunday service at the local church. Calle della Morte might be dead, but Venice and its immortal character is there to stay for eons and for inspiring new generations of unforgettable artists. RIP. www.calledellamorte.com - www.hauruckspqr.com

Gianfri

Charlett Schwarz - Behind A Face (Sonorium)

Not many female-fronted darkwave acts out there, I reckon, so Charlett Schwarz will attract attention on that count already. Behind A Face works to under an hour and 12 tracks, featuring Charlett's smooth vocals as the main attraction. Her tones are quite personal, I could not think of a parallel, which is probably good news, but I can't either nominate these as the most compelling vocals I've heard yet. The backdrop is run of the mill electro goth, pretty laid back, yet pleasant, but the main issue is there's little gluing the music to the vocals. Probably simply a production issue, yet affecting the impact of the album as a whole. The other issue is that vocals are systematically left to command the tune, dictate melodies etc, while the instrumentations is nothing more than rhythmic support to it. However, the vocals do not live up to the prime instrument role in any way, leaving a bit of a gap for the final product to make a good impact on the listener. A bit of a missed opportunity, but I think that most of the elements are in place for the band, leaving the need for a better producer to re-arrange them to bring the individual talents to shine. www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

The Cold - After All (Sonorium)

Despite this being little more than a rehash of tired Cure material with a bit or two openly borrowed from The Mission, The Cold come across as an entertaining listen after all. If you forget the lame lyrics modeled on a Robert Smith at his worst, there is enough tuneful exercise in After All to keep a goth or two happily going. In fact, the album on the whole is a cheerful listen and props that sort of energy that had kept the scene alive even on those days of form over substance. Ranging from the well researched pop tune to the more obscure pieces of dark entertainment, to the total Cure rip-off, The Cold come across generally unhurt from this exercise. Tracks like Sorrow are a good indication of the best the band can offer. However they are generally pretty weak in the lyrics department and also the singer contrived style, in the misguided attempt at replicating some of Mr. Robert Smith vocal style, does not shine particularly which is a bit of a pity really. It seems that the band is happy in merely perpetuating an iconic music style, rather than reworking inspiration from it in to fresh ideas. However, I think that The Cold can easily have an audience, as they've got a penchant for a good tune or two. www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

CreamVIII - Wintertime (Sonorium)

CreamVIII bring a flash of bright entertainment to the black-clad audience with an album of fresh goth rock whose only weak point are the repeated Sisters references without which the German combo would come across as the next big thing if this hope is still of any value at all in that scene. CreamVIII are sparkly, bouncy and finely entertaining. I am enjoying Wintertime even though essential innovation is actually a bit thin on the ground across the 12 tracks that make up the album. CreamVIII strength lies in their happy-go attitude, which is tangible across Wintertime. Their assertive drum machine is a plain tribute to the Sisters' only left-over means of entertainment, but it's fair to say that they somehow take their "sisterhood" (or affiliation with the genre) many steps further than Mr. Eldritch ever did. Empire / Rat Music and the following Wintertime are a square statement about the capabilities of this band reaching far beyond their original inspirational ground. I won't hesitate to name them as favorites in a genre that has been stagnating for a while too long. www.sonorium.de - www.creamviii.com

Gianfri

Empusae + Nick Grey - Simple Black Lines in A Diagram EP (Brume Records)

A collaborative effort between two quite complementary artists like Nick Grey and Empusae gives life to a compelling EP that is a delicious from beginning to end. Drenched in melancholy, Simple Lines in A Diagram is a short journey through emotions and with the non invading help of finely crafted electronics, it assumes a unique life of its own. I like the way the two push into a common territory that is a fertile ground for introspection and gentleness. Moody and soft, the three tracks explore deep feelings and get dreamy even, helped by finely calculated electronics that pair with the heavenly -male for once- vocals to create a state of catharsis whose only fault is being too short to make the final impact. Don't Trust The Dogs is the very highlight of the EP, as much as it could have included this track only and be of full value anyway. There's a valuable sense of vibrating emotions, thoughts, humanity on this track and you will be better off auditioning this in the middle of a winter night. But its emotional value is unchallenged even on sunny summer days. A final word for the luxurious A5 cardboard package that neatly complements this great work of art. www.empusae.com - www.nick-grey.com - www.brumerecords.com

Gianfri

Crisk - Das Erste Mal EP (Alfa Matrix)

Not exactly the immediate commercial success they probably aim for, yet the debut work of German electro-punk (or so) Crisk has some appeal on its own. The German four piece elect minimalism as their primary medium, yet pour relentless beats, thin synthetic basslines, trash guitars and diminutive synth sequences into compositions that have the clear goal of appealing at first listen. They add an extra edge by employing female vocals with an attitude, which contribute to add a touch of punkish attitude to the lot. I am not firmly convinced they are fully meeting their apparent goal however, as the 8 tracks making up the EP somehow fail to create any sort of feeling that moves beyond acknowledging the band being able to handle electronics and synths quite well from a technical point of view. Covering Die Krupps probably tells all about what you can expect on this EP. On the other hand, it gives a pretty sharp indication of what the artist is keen on achieving in general and it's nice to seen the band trashing out their synths, guitar lines and percussion skills -not to mention the heavily treated vocals courtesy of angered out 'frontfrau', miss Chris Koch- in order to make the best out of compositions that are feeble at their best. I suppose there's a future for Crisk out there, although I won't be able to deem this work as remarkable at any rate yet. They seem to be out there for a bit of fun and jolly times and there's no denying they are probably close to it, however limited in scope this might be. Add Leaether Strip remixes to save the day! www.crisk.de - www.alfa-matrix.com

Gianfri

Fin De Siècle - Nine Barns (OPN Records)

Namely the last release (their fourth full length) of this enigmatic French act, Nine Barns isn't really the latest composition of the duo. Nine Barns dates back to circa 2003 to 2004 and is one of the finest examples of coldwave meets neo-classical with a deeply marked cinematic style. Truly grayed out atmospheres are painted over canvasses moving through cinematic landscapes complete with thoughtful vocals and distressing samples, touching passages suggesting deep personal unrest and vibrant melancholy. If there's such a thing as vibrant melancholy, that is, it's thanks to Fin De Siècle that we are made aware of that. Nine Barns is a pure delightful journey into the depth of everyone's consciousness. It projects lively images of a life you have to accept simply because they are able to summon such aspects of it you never thought of, defying the security of your perception with simple instruments and touching compositions. I wouldn't see anyone calling themselves a goth not being the first in line to praise this marvelous album, however, you don't nee to be one in order to be touched by this fantastic work of superior dark art. www.opn.fr

Gianfri

Fin De Siècle - Patagonie (OPN Records)

Pataonie is the second full album by Fin De Siècle, one mostly made of soundtrack-like ambient and atmospheric pieces, strongly aided by synths and a selection of more classical instruments that offer the retro -or nostalgic- touch that is the blueprint of the French duo. The 15 tracks of Patagonie are a slow moving yet articulated soundtrack into areas of thought that are not easily accessible. Stephane and Florence play doom very effectively with a marked avant-garde and experimental touch, inviting the opportunity for the listener to get enveloped by their unique mélange of lo-fi dramatic soundscapes. The world is one step away from total collapse, if you listen to Fin De Siècle closely. Welcome to the marvelous world of the true coldwave. www.opn.fr

Gianfri

Floodland - Decay (Wait And Bleed Records)

You would be wary of an act named possibly after a Sisters of Mercy album, but it fact Floodland show that it's best dropping preconceptions and get on with the listening. Decay was released back in 2002, the third album for the Austrian combo and the first attaining worldwide resonance. Possibly due to the fact that the album is a fine sample of some the most positively crafted goth rock ever produced and still is very actual to date. Floodland are a 4-piece and one of their best qualities is that they tend to keep their execution minimal and competent, with melodies, atmosphere, emotional ballads strengthened by plenty of dynamism and none of the flat stadium rock or contrived electronics that many others adopted only to obtain rather foggy results. Having said that, they don't shun the big sound, when the circumstances call for it. The album peaks very near to the beginning with a classic and intriguing dark rock hymn, Dorian, followed by a classic grave rock, Morning Won't Come Tonight and that's only track number three! From there on, it's a cavalcade of dark themes and energy, slow to fast, energy to boot, introspection if the theme calls for it and of course very distinctive vocals which are a fundamental part of the band production, one of the four instruments as a matter of fact. Goth rock is not really one of the most self-regenerating styles around, more like stagnating, but a peek just a few years back shows that there are acts around worth pursuing actively. Floodland are definitely in the list. www.floodland.org

Gianfri

Floodland - Nameless (Flood Records)

Nameless is the latest work of Floodland and, true to the spirit of the band, it navigates in slightly different waters when compared to each of the other releases of this Austrian combo. Still holding on dark moods and moments of melancholy, the band dresses their production up in a more straight rock oriented fashion. Guitars come more straight to the point, and basslines gain predominance, while synths and electronics hardly make an appearance at all, with abundance of upbeat rock numbers spilling energy all over the floor, although perhaps not over the dancefloor as such. I confess the slower moodier numbers are those that catch my attention the most, the title track being a case in point and the second half of the work in general. In a way there's a taste of that 90's darkwave atmosphere that was to be breathed all over continental Europe well over a decade ago, in respect to which you get that vivid retro feeling out of many of the tracks on this album. Undoubtedly, Floodland have come a long way since their debut a decade ago, and maybe even full-circle. Their refusal to stick to the tried and proved is perhaps their most unconventional trait in the dark/goth rock arena they inhabit, although that might not necessarily match the expectations of part of their fanbase! www.floodland.org

Gianfri

Flutwacht / The Sounds of Earth - Poltergeist (Theremin Noise Club)

A nasty collaboration between two experimental acts from Germany, who offer a slightly different approach to the issue of disconcerting the listener. Flutwacht are well tested and tried noise heads, with a large catalogue of nasty electronics and uncompromising industrialism. They feature five tracks covering about half of the hour long work and their offerings are highly dynamic, pouring out sheer power and spanning a sense of intimidation, but also including disturbing ambient passages and subtle and worrying vocal samples. Flutwacht seem to like drifting in and out of loudness, which is even so good in chaotic scenarios like those we are dealing with. Some of the tracks give the impression of being full-volume blasting pieces, only turned down quiet in the mix. But what else would you expect under as title like Poltergeist??? The Sounds of Earth are dark ambient-type industrialists and propose a single long track spanning the other half of the album and placed midway into the tracklist. But I guess this is part and parcel of the shock tactics of these experimental artists. To my taste, however, a typical A/B side LP-style tracklist would have been more of impact. Black Chamber by Sounds of Earth is a quiet piece of industrial ambient. Noises of various nature creeps in and out LFO type backdrops, and again here's so much dynamism to make sitting through the whole track a breeze. Sound design isn't overly elaborated but very effective to convey the desolation message this long track evokes. With the boundaries ever so blurred between trash industrial and dark ambient, having a go at this album is more like discovering that we didn't need country boundaries really. A concept not easy to digest for many out there. www.flutwacht.de - www.revivalband.at/tsoe - www.revivalband.at/tnc

Gianfri

Genre Peak - Ends of The Earth (In-code Music)

Genre Peak is electropop from California, and as far as the genre is concerned, it doesn't get better than this, I'm glad to say. Ends of The Earth is the trio debit full-length, following up on a promotional single of which you can read in Darklife V X.3, titled Always Empty. Martin. Stephen and Daniel have taken the genre, stripped it out of all its not useful frills, polished it smartly, applied one or two inventive touches -and even more indeed-, and turned it into an album in which electropop and innovation are notions that happily coexist, for the delight of the listener. The album is blessed by superior production and all, from the skillful programming to the wise layering of synths and guitars, to the seducing (male, for once!) vocals, to the impeccable mixing, taste like perfection. If you think about this being a debut album, I've rarely met this level of quality in a debut work. The album is centered around a variety of soundscapes and rhythmic tracks which are both well written and finely balanced one against the other. Melodies are ripe, the rhythmic section is finely balanced, there's a variety of moods overall, and the gluing layer is a certain dark chill-out one that works wonders in giving the album the presence it has at first listen already. I love the ambient-like experimentation, just as much as the catchy pop numbers that grace this work. I'm pleased to see Genre Peak in such a sparkling shape and I have no hesitation in recommending Ends of The Earth to anyone with a good taste in the range pop-innovation and, of course, a pinch for electronics. www.genrepeak.net

Gianfri

Gianluca Becuzzi [kinetix] - Memory Makes Noise (Smallvoices)

Gianluca Becuzzi made a heavy turn towards experimentalism and soundscapes over the turn of the century (doesn't it sound so romantic??). Busy in the music and visual arts, he has kept himself quite busy and the album we examine is a sample of his activity back in 2006. Memory Makes Noise includes three long tracks totaling about 1 hour of obscure and abstract soundscapes that rarely go nervous, but when they do it, they are designed to shake the listener fully, albeit shortly. The album works on several layers of abstraction, sound design is paramount, subtle details are emphasized, nothing is left to sheer chance. This brand of ambient is rather complex and the moods evoked are a bit mixed as the work evolves into constantly unexpected directions. And there's a marked sense of hi-tech on this recording. Kinetix is state of the art sonic bravery, brainwaves turned into audio sketches, it really feels like some random memory transceived into audio waves. Strictly for those looking for the next level of art expression and experimentation. And those into dark ambient industrial, of course. A great work and I'm eager to check out more of Gianluca's recent and current production. www.kinetixlab.com - www.smallvoices.it

Gianfri

Ginger Leigh - Sparrow Wings (Self-released)

We have been following since a while now the extravagant brand of industrialism that Ginger Leigh has made a name himself for with a string of self-produced releases that have managed to raise quite a few eyebrows among the avant-garde crowd. Sparrow Wings is yet another bizarre work pretty much in line with what we have learnt to appreciate from this eclectic artist. In Sparrow Wings GL takes the likes of seventies movie themes and bastardizes them with his touch of dirty industrial, mixes in Middle Eastern sonorities which he then proceeds to dirt with harsh noises and trashy cacophonies, stirs in lunatic patterns of electronic madness, then quits quietly on the sample of a slowing down train, after a mere half hour, leaving the listener with that weird sensation of 'what was that all about??' Avant-garde and experimentalism a go-go in Sparrow Wings, and what makes this artist a rare pearl this days is the fact that his production has brought a liberating wind of freshness on to the industrial scene as he freely moves away from scene paradigms and clichés to forge ahead a vision that is every bit as intriguing as this mysterious artist is. A new album has just been released, so watch this column for more on Ginger Leigh. www.gingerleigh.com

Gianfri

Ginger Leigh - And The Hallucinations (Self-released)

Ginger Leigh catalogue enriches itself of yet another chapter of unique mysterious industrialism crossing over Orientalism and pure self-declared madness. There's nothing linear in GL's sonic world and this latest release simply confirms this. And The Hallucinations is an aptly descriptive title for this new collection of visionary tracks, each bringing an element of that kind of weirdness that must have tapped the back of the minds of us all a few times during our lives, and that GL seem to persevere in committing to disc at regular intervals since no-one else of us finds the courage to. There's way to further avant-gardism in this record and the overall atmosphere is of sojourn at a mental institution after all, save for the obligatory oriental references that work wonders to relieve the otherwise dooming serenades of mental apocalypse that find their way in to this work. Ginger gives up naming tracks at the ten mark, past which, he brands the rest "and more voices in my head...". Some of the seven spillover tracks were actually part of Sparrow Wings, so there's a channel of conduit there... Perhaps one day we'll unveil the mystery behind Ginger Leigh, but for the time being I'm quite happy with being presented with works of industrial avant-garde that transcend the establishment schemes and take up on a completely unconventional approach with the result of delighting my ears and soul. www.gingerleigh.com

Gianfri

Glaukom Synod - Uczulony (Hydra)

A surprise entry in the eclectic Hydra roaster, Glaukom Synod is a one-man project and the latest production, Uczulony shows a progressive approach to noise-making, offering 18 tracks spanning just over 40 minutes and a surprising variation of themes that borders on schizophrenia. There is a distinct lo-fi approach and also a sense of cut-ups, DIY works, that type of feel inspired by the original Xeroxed fanzines, just to give you an idea. Despite the cut and paste approach to the subject matter, there's enough madly focused cohesion on this album to drive you nuts if your mood is not suitable. Yes, Uczulony should carry a sticker warning listeners of potential neural issues possibly caused by sitting through the raving tonal excursions emanated by the speakers in the process. The clips are not made of abstract noises, on the contrary, they are underpinned by thumping drumming, a bit metal like if you wish, and even fake in your face pseudo guitar riffs, adding to the general sense of disconcert. Not sure if the violent outbursts of noises and the wild experimentation that adorns the album are a sign of discomfort, or he is simply taking the piss of it all. The listening experience is quite a traumatic one. You merely have the time to catch up with a tentative pattern, when it's removed from your ears and substituted with the next bit in line. I, for one, highly welcome out-of schemes experimentation, although, I have to admit this is not for everyone, and most definitely not meant to be! glaukomsynod.site.voila.fr - www.salvation-flms.com

Gianfri

Grayceon - Grayceon (Vendlus Records)

Grayceon, come rumbling out of the west coast with a brand of progressive metal that is branded as bombastic but in all truth sounds a bit thin in its ground. A trio touted as 'innovators' for their use of guitar and electric cello (!), they would rightly fit a seventies audio-book, the kind that has bored many a generation with directionless solos and chaotic scores. 45 minutes of mostly instrumental exercises, throwing the impression of being a hard try to demo the project as production values are most notable for their absence. The sparse vocals do no extra favour to the band, as they sound improvised in their recording with no extra effort being made in blending them in the instrumental bed. Undeniably, there is a dose of capacity in the three as musicians on their own right, but their collective effort lacks the synergy capable to qualifying this as an intriguing work at all. www.grayceon.com - www.vendlus.com

Gianfri

Ianva - L'Occidente EP (Antica Fonografia Il Levriero)

Following up on the highly acclaimed Disobbedisco! (see review in Darklife Online V X.2), L'Occidente does a great job in confirming the band was not merely a passing meteor. Not that we had ever suspected that, but admittedly, Disobbedisco! set quite a high standard, not quite so banal to follow up on. The band retain the themed concept but exercise their abilities in the short format of an EP, making for an even stronger challenge to themselves. And they emerge triumphant, with a product that compacts in 4 tracks and under 23 minutes the very best of their capacities. L'Occidente- The West- is a theme that can only have an heroic and unfortunately traumatically decadent flavor, and the band interpret it with impeccable competence. Trumpets, accordion, violins, acoustic guitars and outstanding as usual vocals by Mercy and Stefania T. D'Alterio are the tried and tested ingredients of this retro, nostalgically flavored trip into our past. The Morricone shadow is present as ever, which is quite a compliment on its own, and one of the qualities that will strike the listener -even those- who have no grip on the lyrics as they are sung in Italian, is the highly dramatic character of the work. It pours emotions and drama, much to the credit of the vocalists who take centre stage in the mix, but not only as one of the tracks (Il Sereno e la Tempesta) is, as a matter of fact, an instrumental, and an outstanding piece of folk-noir with strong neo-classical elements which we did not feature in the debut album. Ianva seem to be going from strength to strength, and this is clearly going to vet my appetite even further for their next release. www.illevriero.it/ianva

Gianfri

Inanna - Day ov Torment (Cold Spring)

Day ov Torment was quite an influential album when it was first released back in 1993 by Staalplaat, and this Cold Spring re-issue shows that it hasn't aged a iota ever since. Re-mastered in order to project it into the new millennium and its increasingly demanding sonic traits. Day of Torment turns out to be a canonic death ambient/industrial work, whose doom and apocalyptic traits conjure up top levels of drama throughout. Add dynamism, subtlety and refrain from stereotypical excesses, and you really find yourself in front of a little masterpiece in the genre. From ambient drones to cathartic drumming, Inanna pack it all with such a sense of simplicity, as to suggest they inhabit that wasteland and are well at home in it. On a side note, this sees the contributing hand of Mr. J Havukainen aka In Slaugher Natives help to achieve its status as a staple in the genre. A real winner, recommended. www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Inertia - Inertia (Cryonica Music)

Inertia move from their punchy electronic background seasoned in EBM and occasionally industrial flavours towards a more subtle crossover that lets their pop and tuneful vein prevail. Cryptically self-titled, their latest work appears to see them go 'soft' or seemingly so, despite fully integrating bad ass guitar chords to prop up the vibe. Cruising through the 10 tracks making up this album, I feel the work in general lacks a bit of punch and dynamism as the guitar/synth integration does not appear to work to full extent both in adrenaline and emotional terms. I find Inertia more thoughtful and less impulsive on this work, which might as well be not a bad thing at all. I just don't find the drive to rush to the danceflooor but that might be because of a personal lack of need for yet another guitar combo using electronics (of which there's well over even the perceived need) as opposed to a punchy electronic outfit using subtle and well thought of guitar elements to raise their production above the norm. Inertia's new album is a strange beast and sees a general new direction for the band. Worth exploring? Definitely yes. Worth the while? Simply down to you! www.inertia.gs - www.cryonica.com

Gianfri

IWR - Ground Zero - 2CD (Black Rain)

Ground Zero marks the debut of Israeli combo IWR, and is markedly an 'old school' re-take of the dark electro that was all over the place during the nineties. Been there, done that, quite simply IWR seem to pop out of an era that some look back at as horrific. But this type of mix between EBM and darkwave with over the top ground vocals, mechanical beats, layers of synths, suggestive melodies and the occasional female chant is one of the few branches that turned truly green during the last decade of the new century. IWR reminds me one-to-one of one or two other bands I used to love, but I won' drop names for once, as I don't want to spoil the act and involuntary attract prejudices to the band. Most of the ten tracks of the regular CD album are fairly upbeat, yet atmospheric, and these are complemented by a few slower and truly atmospheric pieces, of which there could have been even more for my taste. The production choice of putting the mix in the distance (specifically the vocals) works in that breaks the otherwise aggressive character of the compositions, tones down the EBM intents and in fact makes this a to closer to goths if you wish. The shortcoming of it is that it sounds very flat and so homogeneous as to give away the feel that it was passed under blanket processing at mastering stage, scarifying dynamism for one. Maybe that was the aim after all, but it ends up getting fatiguing on the listener once you get halfway the tracklist. The second CD (which I believe belongs to a limited edition of the release) includes 10 remixes that add variety of interpretation to the source material. Like all remix material, you'll either love it or find it a waste of bits and bytes, but again, it is very good in breaking that sense of flatness described above and gives a gauge of the potential of the project, once they break free from their mastering engineer and let their sounds out full-force. www.iwrband.com - www.blackrain.de

Gianfri

Jehann Corvus - Cantique pour Une Chrysalide (Self-released)

Cantique pour Une Chrysalide is the debut album for Jehann Corvus, a French artist with a solid background in metal and Celtic music. Luckily enough he opted out of metal back in 1999 and then proceeded to refine his style and focus, ditching the Celtic component as well. Seven ballads underpinned by acoustic classic guitar in a vaguely dark folk way, with violas, flutes, piano and some spares and unconvincing synth elements. Center stage is certainly taken by Jehann's vocals, warm, touching and very well produced. There is little to fault on this pretty spiritually driven work, exception made for some of the synth elements as mentioned. Cantique... is a listen that evokes peaceful and celestial moods. One for those rare moments to re-connect your brain with your inner self. Therefore, not for everyone out there, sadly! jehanncorvus.free.fr

Gianfri

Joe Frawley - Wilhelmina's Dream EP (Self-released)

Glad to cover more avant-garde in the form of this intriguing work by Joe Frawley, a dreamy, yet disturbing in places, collage of slow and dark soundscapes and classical piano pieces that have a marked nostalgic feel. Between ambient and neoclassical, Mr. Frawley lets his imagination run amok, filling the half hour of this EP with mysterious and titillating compositions, that -as seen elsewhere- evoke plenty of images and imagery, rigorously black and white, or better yet, sepia tinted to be more accurate. Wilhelmina's Dream is a mysterious little journey, oneiric, fascinating, sensual. Obligatory nighttime, candlelight listening. www.joefrawleymusic.info

Gianfri

John Watermann - Calcutta Gas Chamber (Cold Spring)

A chilling title to stat with, and the album content follows suit in horrific fashion. Calcutta Gas Chamber was released back in 1993 and sinisterly inspired by a visit of the author to the "institution" in question back in 1990, just one year after it had been decommissioned. Field recordings and studio treatments are the fundaments of the work, creating a suitably bleak atmosphere where creaking sounds live uncontrolled over a backdrop of slow moving airy sounds than create the impression of wide, yet confined spaces in which mysterious events take place. The level of abstraction is high. The under-titles of the tracks suggest a visionary interpretation of the various phases of an execution. There's lots of creativity in the sound manipulation process and how it relates to the atmosphere generated. Even if you didn't know this is about a gas chamber in the first place, there's no denying that you would never think about wind over the green fields when listening to this work. There's clearly something into this work that conspires death, or at least severe degradation, or slow pain. By the time The Shredding of Human Tissue is on, you know something is very wrong, even if you knew not that title. We need to thank Cold Spring for resurrecting this great work of arty avant-garde, well, this above all could be branded death ambient, in fact. www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Karna - Bopoh / Raven (Eternal Pride /Possession)

Once again we have to do with the "satanic" label when dealing with Karna. As much as fashionable that might that be amongst teenagers, it really isn't a selling point. Unless it is so in Russia. Raven is as a matter of fact a compelling work of emotionally charged ambient-industrial with its fair share of screaming guitars. I'm glad the metal tag the band like to refer to isn't really substantiated, as deep soundscapes dominate this work and there's no confusion between emotions translated into music and metal. Now, think also for a moment Dario Argento. There's much mystery and enigma in Karna soundscapes to suite them finely to a slasher thriller from the master himself. Bopoh / Raven is a fine example of dreamy bleak atmospheres dressed in harsher tones from time to time. This is ambience for the soul, is suspense for the mind, a murder to be committed, or simply foggy days or hours, or even minutes, taking control of the minds out there. This is an album with a charm of its own, one to be enjoyed endlessly on long nights of torment or otherworldly inspiration. karna.fatal.ru - www.eternalpride.ru - www.possession.ru

Gianfri

KK Null - Kosmo Incognita EP (Thisco)

KK Null needs no introduction and his visionary approach to creating electronic experimentation is alive more than ever in this single-track release which offers 20 minutes of visionary sound collages, cosmicscapes and general escapism. A highly textured composition with noises of various genres and frequencies combining and melting into a cauldron of incredible strength, rhythms conjured out of galactic interferences, screaming aliens and a fair dose of chaos, but also quiet passages of more reflective nature, before the final explosion of total chaos, the final climax of this incredible and disturbing journey into the unknown. www.thisco.net

Gianfri

Lady Morphia - Essence And Infinity (Self-released)

A long seven years have elapsed since Lady Morphia's last release Recitals to Renewal, but the wait was no tin vain for the new album of the Nedzynski brothers is a leap forward from anything they had produced before. Without willing to shadow the merits of the previous releases, each in its own right, Essence And Infinity does provide the extra goods to make a difference. The neofolk traits still dominate the work, those acoustic guitars and the chimes that are very much DiJ and overrated for what I know, but the new burst of energy employing raw post-punk elements but also bits of neo-classical, some pompous passages and the inevitable martial elements make this album fly higher than anything they have released so far. Admittedly, the highlights rest on tracks like Widerftand that are more in line with the band dark-folk apocalyptic heritage. But there are pearls on this album, and I am specifically referring to Sturmjahre, that show how Lady Morphia do not strictly depend on cliché styles to forge their thought forward. Even more surprisingly, Eseesnce And Infinity doesn't really tail off towards the end like many works out there. Instead, Nick and Chris keep up the vibe up to until the very last note and I would argue that this is one of the rarest pearl of albums where that good vibe keeps growing from beginning to end; without a climax, but steadily growing and maturing until the last note of the pure folk of Tides, where the DiJ connection is finally removed in favor of sparkling dark emotion. On the strength of this release I'll watch Lady Morphia even closer now, although it makes it a bit of a difficult hobby if their next album will surface when I'm over fifty or something! www.gla.ac.uk/~dc4w/lmorphia/front.html

Gianfri

Mizar - A View to A Flower Garden (Corvus)

Its' great for such a small label as Corvus to introduce to the continental music scene such pearls as this album by Mizar. If willing to oversimplify matters, A View to A Flower Garde is highly sophisticated darkwave with a smooth flavour and an heavenly and melancholic touch. Mizar are, in one form or another, around since some 25 years now, totally unbeknownst to me, so we might be dealing with an act at the peak of their creativity, or perhaps they've always been as good as this. The work centers around the worm and passionate vocals of Goran Tanevski telling innocently melancholic tales over a backdrop of measured beats, basslines, piano, guitars and some synths. Every now and then the odd instrument surfaces, augmenting a certain eastern feel of some tracks. The music is very much laid back, and has almost a chamber feel, while Goran dominates with his deep tones. Btu not always, as Mizar do not shy away from leashing their synths and guitars in primordial darkwave cavalcades. The ten tracks are one gem after the other really, here's little debating whether the drums are real or out of a box, as excellent song-writing is the clear message emanated by the album. The moods are mostly quite grayed out, but also adorned by chanted vocals that add a sacred facet to it, which moves it out of the grey and more towards a more liturgical white and purple combination. There are also a few hints at goth rock on some more upbeat tracks, and indeed the general appeal is such that goths are made to measure to like this from start to end without objection. One further note of merit is the mixing of Macedonian language with France and English, certainly quite an eclectic combination, and, although it might be quite interesting to know something more about the lyrics content, there's little detriment to the impact of the album in knowing little about what it's all about, as the moods emanated by the music and the vocal performance are expressive enough on their own. www.corvusrecords.com

Gianfri

Naevus - Silent Life (HauRuck!)

Naevus fifth album is by large the most accomplished of he lot (did I say the same about their previous one???). For once, the full band line-up in the recording studio does make a difference soundwise. Silent Life sports full instrumentation and a sonic cohesion strongly helped by Greg Ferrari guitar backdrops and John Murphy shambolic drumming, well cementing Lloyd James highly praised vocals and acoustic guitar and Joanne Owen bass guitar and occasional synth layer. As a matter of fact, the latter instruments are somehow given a side-role, which might be debatable, but Lloyd vocals and lyrics are pretty much there, his twisted poetry still being the major highlight of Naevus' every work. There are some instant classics like Hastly Bastard -a very typical Naevus ballad, yet solidified by fuller instrumentation-, and it's only on the last track, Dominic Song, that the acoustic jangling guitars and a bassline take a prominent role, although the whole mix is still very much post-rock sounding. Perhaps a bit of a disappointment for those who had grown to appreciate the acoustic and folk-ish side of Naevus, but I think their move out of fossilizing in a niche genre is a good one, also given that dark-folk has practically become a one-way road with a cul-de-sac at its end. I do think there's some room for improvement, like cut down on epic tails and get track length back under control, but all in all, my feel is that Silent Life is a fundamental step forward for the band. www.naevus.co.uk - www.hauruck.org

Gianfri

Northern Kind - Fifty Degrees North (Self-released)

A rare proposition in the UK these days, Northern Kind tackle the pure synthpop genre, what has been a staple of the continental scene for nearly a couple of decades now, although its early origins can be traced back to the UK, in fact. Fifty Degrees North is a competent work of pure DX-7 nostalgia, spiced up by seducing (yet not senselessly over-alluring) female vocals and typically meaningless lyrics. Fortunately enough there's no attempt to follow on the tired footsteps of yawn Depeche Mode and the such, neither there's an attempt to use fashionable (read boring) sound arsenals that make so many potentially interesting project loose quickly impact these days. Northern Kind walk instead quite rightly and firmly on the minimal route and pull some rather intriguing tunes and atmospheres in this work. Bring some long forgotten freshness to your day-listening with Northern Kind, and don't be surprised if they keep their freshness humble and strong to provide unconditional entertainment. www.northernkind.co.uk

Gianfri

Parade Ground - Rosary (Sleep Walking Records)

A band characterized by a very peculiar CV, Parade Ground are in a way one of the best kept secrets of the Belgian independent music scene. Starting back in the early eighties riding the coldwave bandwagon, then developing more in the post-punk, electro and darkwave direction, broadly speaking. They've also been heavily involved with Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys of Front 242, the latter contributing to Rosary with an active role as producer. Back in 1993 they went as far as actively working on Front 242's Up Evil release. Yet, Rosary is the band's second album since their inception, which is a bit surprising to say the least, given the band longevity. The band go heavy handed on moods, the whole 70 minutes of it being by no means light weight entertainment. There is a substrate of dark industrialism permeating the whole work, there are post-punk guitars and dark soundscapes abound. Things rarely get much brighter than in a dimmed down cavern, feeling helped by the distant vocals washed out in eighties reverb, suggesting mush unsettlement and discomfort. Also the dimming of the high frequencies throughout, heavily contributes to a sort of "early demo" effect, which I find quite amusing. I must admit that sitting through the whole album in one go takes its toll on your mood as well, as many sonic approaches are really invasive and tamper badly with selected neural activity. Dim and dark, certainly unconventional, lots of experimentation, unsettling. Parade Ground have had a stab at re-introducing courageous elements in their new century production. I also bet that this must be quite powerful on a live stage. www.parade-ground.net

Gianfri

Pure H - Signia (PharmaFabrik)

A marvelous exercise of modern electronic creativity, seeing ten artists from the world over interpreting a single Pure H track, giving life to a superb album of intricate moods ranging from experimental electronica to ambient to industrial to drum'n'bass. The track in question is Signia and Pure H are a Slovenian experimental act that has evolved from the format of a solo woman to a full formation including guitar, bass and drums. The ten interpretations are so diverse and creative that you won't think is the same tack all over, the album has a new body of its own which is quite an outstanding achievement for the collective on the whole. All is cemented seamlessly, the soundscapes flow one into the other without a glitch, moods grown and decay, rhythms or micro beats take the lead in some pieces, atmospheres dominate others, but is the spirit of experimentation that holds all together, surpassingly wholesale the limitative concept of remix. This is an album bound to be loved by the experimental minded people, but the general sense of chill out give it an extra dimension of accessibility to a more general audience. Recommended+. www.pharmafabrik.com

Gianfri

RAN - Ran (Decadance Records)

Introducing a recent interview for the Italian duo RAN (see Daklife Online V X.4), I branded them experimental romantic pop dressed in tasty electronica. Need I say more? Yes. RAN are amongst the most talented formations in the genre that I have had the luck to comment on. Blessed by the multi-faceted vocals of primadonna pop Romina, RAN play electronica for sensitive souls, those with romance at heart, gratifying them with cuddling melodies complete with heart-breaking string lines and heavenly atmospheres. Romina covers a wide range of styles, giving the album a superior edge on that account alone, but her voice is expertly valued by the accurate and intricate arrangements, pure fine-art pop electronica, and an experimental edge that is perceived throughout. Decadance have been known for churning out some of the fines electro pop around for quiet some time now, and I feel that with RAN they have found the best actor to date in their roaster. www.decadancerecords.it/ran

Gianfri

Recant - Spirochete Forever (Deserted Factory)

Right... Avantgarde. In fact, way beyond avantgarde. Schizophrenia... or wild imagination? You take the pick. Spirochete Forever is pure surrealism committed to disc. The good thing is, while the 23 tracks/fragments that make up the 55-minut strong work include all sort of musical and non-musical ramblings, the work rarely gets on your nerves, if at all. Despite the multitude of elements featured, it bears a sense of a finished and cohesive product. The California-based duo has found home with Japanese Deserted Factory and the combination is quite a bizarre one, but it fully make sense to me (at least so I think). Japan is the home of the most audacious experimentalism, and California houses its good rate of nutters, for what I know. The album takes off all possible tangents, including seminal trashed guitar work, electronic bits, crazed out vocals trashed to death (well, not that much avant-garde this bit, but need be there to maximize impact), mysterious vocal samples, bits of drones, effects to kill, you name it's there. Except a tune, that is. And all in rigorous and glorious lo-fi which is a must, not to mention that most of this must have been recorded live as it bears the distinctive blueprint of improvisation. Did I mention the artwork? Well in line, surreal and macabre at once. There's enough on this release to make the average Misty Circles fan stagger with appreciation. So, yes, it's far from easy listening and marketing stunts to get the music noticed. This is pure and crude underground. As a matter of fact, the copy we have received is marked 36/100. With only one hundred of these babies floating about, it might prove a bit of a challenge for the avant-garde arty posse to track down one! www.desertedfactory.com

Gianfri

Re/Move - Uppercut (Decadance Records)

Luckily enough, ugly terms such as future pop have died their deserved death, otherwise Re/Move might have been sucked up in that bad and luckily short-lived fashion. The Spanish 4-piece is a new face on the synthpop scene and Uppercut offers tip-to-toe catchy tunes, underlined by dance beats and soft male vocals, making for a very good easy listening or club experience. They tend to use old fashioned synth sounds and the production also errs on the rough side with washed out reverbs shaping some of the sounds and mainly the vocals in a distinctive retro fashion, giving it an a bizarre retro-modern taste. A few tracks really stand out, but one of the best notes of this work is that it never grows tiring and the band shows themselves capable to sustain interest throughout the 50 minutes and up until the end. They even dispense with that vocoder habit and, yes, no handclaps on sight either! No cheapo techno presets nor pretension of being re-inventing the wheel by re-tagging trite concepts with fashionable names and no re-mixes to round up a half-baked work to be found here. More simply a generous album of great cheer-up tunes, great for those moments in which you wonder whatever happened to good old songwriting. Also, great when your feet itch for a dance. www.decadancerecords.it

Gianfri

Reptyle - A High And Lonely Place (Sonorium)

Gothic rock bands have been known for producing some of the most dramatic album intros, or, failing that, gig opening pieces. Reptyle follow suit with a minute and half intro that quickly leads you to expect a Fields of The Nephilim type of grandeur to follow. Of course, it is not he case, for Reptyle are not a copycat band, they just fell fool of the drama-intro syndrome. I must confess that the first track to greet me after the intro left me a bit dry, but things soon picked up and by the fourth track -which incidentally is a part II of the one I mentioned above, you can hear classic and anthemic goth rock with all the numbers to win. Once the mood is properly set, Reptyle reveal as quite a good act to fly the goth flag. Although there is a distinct feeling of déjà vu, they do manage to conjure up a sound that is rather personal. Up to point, though, with some tracks using up a bit too much of "inspiration" and guess from who, considering the band name?? The one factor that lifts this album well above average is the fact that it's eleven tracks do offer variation and dynamism; the boys have been doing their homework very well indeed and so has their producer. Reptyle the next big goth thing?? Well, perhaps when the big oldies will call it a quit finally and stop re-uniting for the sake of repaying their mortgage (on their 10th property...). But seriously there's little you could do wrong if you're still into goth or simply if you like well crafted dark atmospheres, competent melodies and guitar work and vocals that fit it all like a glove.

www.reptyle.de - www.sonorium.de

Gianfri

Robert Ziino - Eclipse Unmasked (Experimental Artists)

We have learnt to appreciate the abstract sonic excursions of Robert Ziino in the past, and Eclipse Unmasked, his eight full-length work, is no exception to the rule. The rule, is in-fact, that Mr. Ziino enjoys having no rules to adhere to. Except, maybe, for constraining all his tracks to a 5-minute limit. In this incarnation, Robert goes predominantly meditative. His sounds take a slow turn for the most, but sonic schizophrenia is around the corner every minute. One of the trademark traits of his compositions is that the madness they contain is perpetually controlled. There's no anarchy in each and every note put down to HD and even when the pitch-bend wheel seems to go ballistic, there's a reassuring sense of everything being right under control. Perhaps this is even the most digestible recording of the artist I have met and the extension of his work towards ambient soundscapes is certainly a step towards certain cinematic characteristics that are surely dear to Robert as he is involved in the production of experimental films as well. Soundtracks for the open minded, while I find that certain mystic or cosmic feel ever present throughout his production, no matter the BPM or the intrinsic complexity of his patterns. www.experimentalartists.com

Gianfri

Robert Ziino - Slaves for The Billionaires (Experimental Artists)

Robert Ziino's aim is to make a fresh album every year, so rejoice you (us) experimental buffs out there! Slaves for The Billionaires is the latest chapter to date, and se the artist refining his tools, adding complexity, yet keeping that simplicity that is one of the defining traits of his entire production. Admittedly, if your brain falls right in synch with the adventurous synth creations of the author, it's a much easier job to appreciate what he has on offer. If it doesn't, you might find it a bit of a more challenging task to sit through an album like this. I find myself right at home with this sense of streamlined experimentation and my feel is that as times goes by, there's a big opportunity for production like these to emerge much higher than the pioneering underground where they still belong today. Slaves... is definitely a step in the right direction, as Robert looks into offering more varied soundscapes, adds rhythmic tracks and generally manages to ease up the load on the listener while achieving higher levels of experimentation! No a banal task, and, as a matter of fact, a great achievement. I wouldn't like to spill the beans, but there's one or two tracks on this album that have all the potential to become synth classics. I've liked every album I've had from Robert Ziino, but I feel this is by large the more accomplished and my guess is that this statement will be true for the next album as well. And the following, and so on... www.experimentalartists.com

Gianfri

Rugitus Aeternam - Taedium Vitae [[ßI∑]]_ (Deserted Factory)

A project out of Mexico, Rugitus Aeternam are on the map of powerful rhythmic industrial acts. Taedium Vitae [[ßI∑]]_ is a concentrate of banging energy, spanning just over half an hour and capturing this solo artist raw power in an unadulterated way. The act sounds dry and harsh, and the industrial noisy beats are cooked up just right to drill into your aural system sparing no mercy. Despite the power beats dominating most of the six tracks, layers of noises, perky synths and surreal vocal samples, there's an overall sense of minimalism, not unlike some early Noisex works if you like. Certainly an act to watch if you gravitate around the rhythmic industrial sphere of influence. Aside from the beating beats, what I like most of this act is its distancing itself from some debatable trends of technoid sounds and bring power industrial back home where it belongs with little compromise. www.desertedfactory.com

Gianfri

Sci Fi Industries - Drafts And Crafts (Thisco)

Sci Fi Industries is one of the brightest rhythmic industrial realities to emerge gradually over the past decade, with class, hard work and a dose of talent. We have met the project a few times already, while commenting on Thisco samplers, but this is the first time we have the fortune to comment on a full length release, the fourth to date if I'm not mistaken, complemented by EPs and sampler tracks to boot. If Sci Fi industries sound very attractive on a single track, sampler basis, I'm very glad to confirm that Luis Van Sexias (who is incidentally also one of the motors behind this astonishing label himself) passes the full-length test will full marks and more. Drafts And Crafts amounts to nearly 80 minutes of finely drafted and crafted rhythmic electronica that will leave you think Ant Zen and their tired re-propositions are nothing more than old dinosaurs with no energy to spare anymore. One thing above all: Drafts And Crafts sounds fresh, it's fresh and clean electronica and lives on a relentless rhythmic section that is as unstoppable as unobtrusive. Rather conflicting concepts perhaps, but the strength of this project lays in the innovative micro-clean production that is able to transform an otherwise epic rhythmic industrial work into an attractively embroidery of electronics guaranteed to titillate the fine tastes of the more demanding among the industrial crowd out there. No post-production or layering, Luis states, and it's difficult to argue against this stance, specially seeing as it definitely takes quite some talent to act this way and obtain outstanding results as it is the case here. Going into more detail, half of the album is populated with original compositions, and the other half is made up of re-mixes, with illustrious names the likes of Mimetic, Ah-Cama Sotz or Flint Glass just to name a few, sharing their skills to add a few more faces to Sci Fi Industries. I have little hesitation in vividly recommending this album to every fan of electronic industrial and rhythmic electronica out there as an example of a contemporary production that never fell slave of the contemporary technologies that are so commonly associated to it. www.thisco.net

Gianfri

Scream Silence - Aphelia (Plainsong Records) - DONE OK PODCAST did not ask

Scream Silence have grown steadily from underground darlings to full-featured band with an active role in the shaping of the contemporary goth rock music. Perhaps not really shaping, but more making sure some traditions are well preserved and carried forward in a world that is reshaping itself so fast. Aphelia sounds like a stray title for a possible Mission album and, now come think of it, it does sound like Scream Silence have gone a bit on the track of modern Mission, as the album takes off in that direction. In reality, what's in common between the two bands is a marked taste for that type of dark-pop songwriting that has given life to a number of classic tracks in the history of gothic rock and darkwave. Scream Silence tend in general to be more aggressive with their use of prominent vocals and full layered sound, but I've never heard so much parallel between the two bands like on this album. I'll leave to the reader to decide for themselves whether this is a good or a bad thing, as opinions will vary wildly even among the goth types out there and I will simply observe that while we might not really need another Mission, Scream Silence do fill a gap in the dark romantic scene and their darkwave is still very distinctive. Some may prefer a rawer sound and I guess I am with them, but there is no denying that the band are pursing a worthwhile path, the one to wholesale darkwave glory! www.screamsilence.de - www.plainsong-records.de

Gianfri

Shinjuku Thief - The Scribbler (Cold Spring)

The Scribbler is a complex work of cinematic nature and offers the added value of avant-gardism. Originally conceived as a audio-visual project referring to some Kafka works to add to the arty score of it. The orchestrations offer neoclassical elements, but not only. Ambiences are blended in un-orthodox manner, and so are also subdued industrial hints. On the whole, the avant-garde attitude is what prevails and, as many similar works he lack of image is quite detrimental to the overall impact of the compositions. Luckily enough Cold Spring did not overlook this detail, and offer a taste of how things might have looked originally in a video clip featuring images culled from the original repertoire for The Scribbler show back in 1992. The whole listening experience is very rewarding, provided the listener mind is open to explore new avenues for orchestrations and neoclassicism. www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Sistrenatus - Division One (Cold Spring)

Sistrenauts hail from BC, Canada and his debut album Division One is an impressive work of bleak industrialism, death ambient and noise. Mr. MacFarlane steers clear of the beaten drone path, to give life to a vibrant work of desolation, suspense, horror, catastrophe and mesmerizing disbelief. Part noise aggression, part soundtrack to a slasher, part soundscapes of death, the nine tracks of Division One cover just over 36 minutes, making for a fast moving album, each track of which is fast moving in its own right. I like the way Sistrenatus merge different aspects of the ambient/industrial cauldron in such a dynamic way, while finding the time to martial drums on a couple of tracks, or obscure and worrying vocal samples and even a touch of epic. Division One does have the hallmark of a war theme, even though this is not immediately clear or evident from the composition themselves. Some of the tracks are pretty merciless, which will re-joy the power noise crowd, and in general you'll find eventually you have to reach for the volume knob to turn it down and save yourself from self-inflicted deafening. I feel I can recommend this album with little effort, but watch that volume knob, don't tell me you weren't warned! www.sistrenatus.com - www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Sleep Research Facility - Deep Frieze (Cold Spring)

This album is quiet. Very quiet. As you can probably infer both from the album title and the project name. Close to one hour of low-key, gentle droning soundscapes, inspired by the eternal calmness of the Antarctic region. Each of the five tracks is titled after a co-ordinate, suggesting a journey into the uncharted regions. As dark ambient goes, Deep Frieze is pretty extreme, in that its minimalism is nearly overwhelming. My suggestion for this is headphone listening, whereby one is able o catch every single tiny detail as created by the author, as those tend to get lost on big speakers, unless one cranks up the volume which if far from appropriate with this type of compositions. Dim lights. The atmospheres are truly enveloping, they transmit an idyllic a sense of calm and peace that sounds out of this world these days. Even so, despite the selfish humans biting into it, and looking at this natural paradise and crucial climate regulating region fast accelerating demise, I truly hope Deep Frieze is not this mysterious continent swan song. www.coldspring.co.uk

Gianfri

Star Industry - Last Crusades (Alfa Matrix)

Star Industry, Belgian remaining goth rock outfit are back after several years of silence with a fairly derivative album that does little to help spreading the goth verb a little further. Whereas bands like The Merry Thoughts had a minimum of self-created appeal, Star Industry end up sounding quite far from the stereotypical Sisters clone, rather like a Merry Thought clone, just a step down. Their take on goth rock is simply flat, uni-dimensional and completely unemotional. And, despite the album being contained to a mere 45 minute running time, it still gives the impression of dragging on forever. Although goth die-hard might enjoy to some extent the ten tracks of Last Crusades, I fear there's still room for much better stuff in this genre that has suffered massive stagnation and aggravated cloning-up. www.starindustry.be - www.alfa-matrix.com

Gianfri

Svartthron - Into Vaculty (Hydra)

One for the black metal posse, the brand that is hell-bent on dark ambient and desolate atmospheres, as opposed to the screaming ones. Svartthron are a Lithuanian duo, they are quite prolific and I must say that either by chance or by design, I find Into Vaculty an intriguing listen. It's lo-fi throughout, but you get these screaming cymbals out of the shaky drum-machine that does the rhythmic job with an uncertain timing, and it's hard to guess what would lead to such unrealistic production choices, if anything at all. Having said that, I'm more into pushing the boundaries than being absorbed by genres and such, so I tend to count the sonic anomalies of this album as some of its best traits. I do tend to appreciate much more the ambient tracks and there again, the candid ingenuity of apparently badly layered patterns sits on the edge between tentative innovation and sheer incapability. Of course, citing names like Burzum is obligatory in this context and I feel that there is enough emotionally charged material on this album to make it worth a few listens before discarding it into the rejected bin. Of course, I suppose, being entirely unable to decipher the vocals (or such) is a major player in favor of it! After all, I guess Dario Argento might fall in love with them! www.salvation-flms.com

Gianfri

Talvekoidik - Silent Reflections (Brume Records)

A new drop of talent in the Brume Records ranks, Talvekoidik is the enigmatic moniker behind which Kai of S.K.E.T. sits comfortably. Silent Reflections is a truly elaborated work of dreamy and relaxing electronica, full of uplifting melodies, rhythmic embroideries and a measure of elements ranging from the middle-eastern to the Baltic, a good range indeed. As often happens in such cases, the cinematic value of the compositions is high. Kai moves seamlessly from classic touches to epic overtones, squeezes in nocturnal soundscapes, mind caressing progressions and generates a general sense of well being which is very much in vein with Brume catalogue of dark electronica with a high touch of class. And a good subdued dose of industrial. Silent Reflections really lives up to its title and is a good example of the new century vein of artists taking electronic compositions to new, high and uncharted territories. Highly recommended. www.brumerecords.com

Gianfri

Teho Teardo - Tower/Microphone (Final Muzik)

A delicious piece of avant-garde art, Tower/Microphone was mainly recorded sing two dozens of contact mics used to mic up an entire tower down to the brickwork. Sonic manipulation via banks of filters ensued, to create fragile passages of ghostly ambient, augmented by sparse melodies and the occasional use of other more tangible synth instruments. Teho's ambient is luscious and caressing, it offers a variety of moods, form the idyllic to the worrisome. The term "soundscapes" of course spring to mind at first listening, and quite rightly. Tower/Microphone paints imaginary mindscapes, reaches into the vacuum of your sealed acoustic receptors and enables them to listen to the quiet of the sonic tapestries proposed, and to immerse into the abstraction that ensues. A bit reminiscent of soundtracks to silent movies or such amenities that have become primary source of possible long-term recognition for many artists and composers. www.tehoteardo.com - www.finalmuzik.com

Gianfri

Thermidor - 1929 (Thisco / Brume Records)

Thermidor enjoys a little mysterious atmosphere. An enigmatic Portuguese artist, Mr. J Oliveira, likes to fascinate his audience with audio and visual shows, sitting at the fore of the experimental posse that strongly drives the evolution of the fine arts in this century. Exciting times to be. 1929 is a fascinating sonic journey across the sophistication of evolving enveloping soundscapes, abstraction cum humans, portraits of mysterious realms, all drifting in and out of solid perception, floating between conscious and unconsciousness, riding the electrical waves that make up our thoughts and visions. A touch of epic drama does not go amiss either, as Mr. J exhibit his mastery of a whole range of emotive moods. The collaboration with landmark label Brume Records materializes in two tracks that are remixed by Empusae and Flint Glass, two acts that certainly know a thing or two about deep reaching ambiences and electronic titillation. They both add rhythmic elements to Thermidor explorations, lifting a little of the sense of mystery characterizing the main work and bringing it more in line with that modern arty electronica that is proving to be the driving force behind the rapid evolution of experimental electronic music these days. A macabre video rounds up the disc, although I am not entirely sure whether this is exclusive to the sppecial promo version of the album we have received for reviewing. www.thermidor-project.net - www.thisco.com - www.brumerecords.com

Gianfri

The Tenth Stage - The Tenth Stage (Crash Frequency)

The Tenth stage is twisted electronic pop with a large angular view, a dark edge and the ability of collating the attention of the listener to the whole run of 14 tracks in a go with this self-titled debut work. From soothing pieces built up around subtle electronic arrangements, to murder ballads to quiet pieces of dark romantic inspiration, the duo manages to pull off an album that does offer a coherent variety, building up on several baseline influences, but leaving their imagination in free running mode. The album is very eclectic and is very laid back, rejecting for example the cliché of dance beats or other well tried synth elements that are typical of electronic pop and playing instead on two male and a third female vocalist in a very intriguing way, reaching sometimes moments quite close to some of the best German legacy darkwave, except for their minimalist approach and the clear indication they never wished to imitate that, or much else for that matter. Their tales of imaginary (or otherwise) women are the main actor in the subtle jigsaw that The Tenth Stage is. Well worth a try, and you might even fall in love with this. www.thetenthstage.com

Gianfri

Trisomie 21 - Rendez-vous en France / 25 Anniversary Limited - 2CD (Alfa Matrix)

One of the earliest and more acclaimed formations of the early new/cold wave of the eighties, Trisomie 21 are back with a bang, as their double CD release easily steps ahead of most of what has been painstakingly produced in the intervening years by a multitude of of more or less talented bands. Trisomie 21 can easily be classified as the beginning and the end of an era of fabulous innovative music, glowing with passion, lively and dreamy as its unique creators, Frenchmen Hervé and Philippe Lomprez, moving and captivating at the same time. Rich in melodies and characterized by sensual male vocals, even more so due to the luscious French accent, pioneering use of synth and electronics, Trisomie 21 have been riding the waves of the dark scene for two and a half decades now and their music still turns out to me vastly superior when stood up much of the contemporary production. Rendez-vous en France is a live album documenting the band after their return to the international scene back in 2003. With its gorgeous tracklist, strong of 16 tracks and to be intended as a true best-of, this is a mustmustmust have for all those into synth and wave music. The band sound solid and give their best in vigorous and absorbing performances, whose rawness add to heir general fascinating appeal. The limited 25 anniversary edition, includes the second CD, which offers no less than 20 unique tracks, documenting in gorgeous fashion the band earliest years, 1978-1981, way before they were ever put on the map. Jewels of raw electronics and freezy wave succeed one another, mostly demo and unreleased tracks, complemented by some live tracks, all giving a unique insight into the band formative years. It all amounts to over 2 and a half hours of high caliber coldwave entertainment. I have no reservation in recommending highly this album, in it's limited edition double incarnation, to fans and casual listeners of the band alike. This release is a modern milestone in wave music and just too good to be missed. www.trisomie21.tv - www.alfa-matrix.com

Gianfri

Tristania - Illumination (Steamhammer)

Trstania is the archetypal mainstream goth cum guitars (also known as goth metal) and male/female vocalist that has flourished over the years in the beautiful lands of Norway. Admittedly, there's a good taste for melodies and the ethereal and operatic quality of the vocalist adds to the interest, making it easier to digest the jackass guitar chords that underline most of the album (well, it's metal-goth after all, isn't it??). I personally find the effort a pretty decent and highly competent one, even though lacking a certain dynamism in places as the band tend to get stuck on stereotypes and seem to find it hard going beyond. Some cuts rise well above the average, namely visionary tracks like The Ravens or the theatrical Destination Departure. One of the typical shortcomings of this type of combos is exceeding with the over the top use of the female star, which ends up resulting in fatiguing listening and pure and simply does not add well up with the guitars. Tristania fall in this trap as well, breaking the idyllic atmosphere they manage to generate in places. Down is closer to Fields of the Nephlim territory, which is a good bonus, as the metal component id dropped in favor of dark atmospheres. Generally above the average of the genre, Illumination sports the additional quality of being just over three quarter of an hour long, thus avoiding falling into self-contemplation, which often happens when bands exhaust their message, yet feel compelled to append more to their production. www.tristania.com

Gianfri

Y-Luk-O - Sin(N) (Lukotyk Records)

With Sin(N), Y-Luk-O reach the fifth full length release and show they have gone a long way towards maturity. The 12 tracks on offer are a brilliant mélange of dark-pop-wave and electro-industrial elements. In a way, this is the most accessible release for the project, with the focus shifted from infected rhythmic and synth lines to concrete songwriting. This is not to say that the duo have dropped their electronic credentials, on the contrary, synths and carefully crafted electronic sounds still constitute the backbone of the compositions, yet blend seamlessly with cello, violins, piano parts and electric guitars. And the immortal Theremin to round the heterogeneous cast. And industrial flavored drums to boot. What most impresses is how everything blends so transparently together that you stop thinking about genres and while listening the album takes a life of its own. It's pop, but not quite synthpop. It's wave but not quite darkwave. It's not electro-industrial as such. It subtly blinks an eye to stadium rock. Although you will pick elements out of all these genres if you listen critically. Along with melodies and dark moments, there are more upbeat numbers and the distinctive vocals dramatically add to the sense of uniqueness that the album carries for its 50 minute running time. This is by far the most accomplished album by Y-Luk-O, but this statement should not cast a shadow over the band's previous brilliant productions. It's just a tribute to the fact that they are far more eclectic and innovative than we ever thought. www.yluko.com - www.lukotik.com

Gianfri

ViNYLS

After The Snow - Fracture (Enfant Terrible)

After The Snow is contemporary minimal wave of superb quality and immediate appeal. Surprisingly, Fracture does not sound as pure nostalgia at all, despite the best elements of the coldwave of the better eighties being captured in their essence and full grayness. Fracture is melancholy on the move and bound to rack up fans of these never forgotten sonorities, but be aware that quantities are pretty limited (350 copied of the precious LP), so better hunt down these works early than be left our simply reading about them! Obviously, one for the niche, but one that prompts you to come and follow closely the production of this unique Dutch label. www.enfant-terrible.nl

Gianfri

ICK - La Parade des sans Illusions 7" (Petit Enfant)

An intriguing project offering the hard side of minimal electronic, severely industrialised by a choice of abrasive sounds and sustained rhythms, ICK has the honor to kick start the 7" series by respected Dutch label Enfant Terrible with four tracks of unadulterated raw catchiness. There's no denying the Enfant staff have put their hands on the very best of the current minimalistic wave/electronic/industrial acts around. La Parade des sand Illusions spits its nihilism on the face of the listener, treating them as target of a brutal minimalism that still manage to claim the luxury to sport typically ear-candy melodies. Great to see traditional genres undergoing waves of re-generation and I guess the Petit Enfant series is another project to be watched very closely in this respect. Also, watch out for early announcements as releases are bound to be strictly limited. La Parade des sand Illusions has a ltd. run of 300. www.enfant-terrible.nl

Gianfri