Emerging from the Italian West Coast and the mind of Violet Poison, Diana Berti lands on Slow Motion Records with ‘Like A Pierrot In The Night,’ a record that traces their Proto-EBM silhouette and dives deeper into the murky depths. With sprinkles of chimes and the guttural force of affirming low ends, Berti pieces together a rich tapestry, casting an ethereal light on darker industrial tones.
Marguerite Records announced Meccanismo Ritmico, a new multidisciplinary project that will involve artists who can think outside the box, inspired by the energy and spirit of the 1980s DIY subculture. The first volume contains 6 exclusive tracks by Diana Berti aka Violet Poison and Disappearer, 1/2 of Harlem Electronics, two already well-known names in the international electronic scene. The first part is dominated by the romantic and introspective minimal synth wave sounds of Diana Berti contrasted by the dirty and distorted EBM influenced tracks of Disappearer.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza: we are witnessing a gross violation of human rights and since the beginning of the conflict, we have often felt helpless in the face of all this barbarism and inhumanity. We have therefore decided to donate the proceeds from the sales of the compilation to PCRF – Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.”
For the second output of e s p e r p e n t o, Francesco Baudazzi evokes his enigmatic and esoteric side project Violet Poison.ESPER002. includes 5 original tracks plus a stomper remix by the Liber Null founder Unhuman.
‘Shadowland’ is Marguerite Records’ 11th release, kindly provided by Francesco Baudazzi, the mastermind behind Diana Berti and Violet Poison and other countless wonderful musical aliases. Slowly emerging from the Ligurian Sea waters, A side comes from the mysterious Diana Berti; the opening track is a minimal synth with industrial attitude jam called ‘I wanna spend the night with you’, followed up by the melancholic italo-wave affair ‘Lonely soul’ on A2. Closing the first side is the retro cinematic high-tension roller ‘Mistral’. On the flip side Francesco summons his Violet Poison alias with 2 dancefloor ready tracks: B1 – the title track, ‘Shadowland’, – a mutant jam that you will absolutely love if you dig the Smersh, and the atmospheric new-beatish cut ‘The Mistake’. Closing up the EP is the clumsy wave ‘There will be always hope’, a heartful positive hymn for the new-romantics, inspired by Italian new wave bands from the 80’s such as Victrola and 2+2=5.
Diana Berti is the moniker used by Francesco Baudazzi (Violet Poison) for distinctly nostalgic productions that revisit the 80s of the obscure bands on cassette in a fairly modern way. The lean melodies and essential rhythms of “The Hand That Seeds Death” are the setting for a visionary and hypothetical 80s b-movie that looks like the plot of “Phenomena” by Dario Argento. Solidly anchored to certainties such as Muslimgauze, Goblin and Doxa Sinistra, turn on the VCR and enjoy this dream journey on VHS.
Violet Poison aka Obtane aka Bakunin Commando aka Diana Berti aka Francesco Baudazzi with the first release on Blame Records. Mesmerizing electronic music with a bit of EBM echoes, including a stunning remix by Broken English Club.
Sweden’s Kess Kill and Italy’s Veleno Viola join forces resulting in a (nowadays) rare vinyl split release, one side per label. Violet Poison needs little introduction, being one of the first and most productive in the new new wave movement of industrial music. He helms the Veleno Viola side, coincidentally being his own label, With three songs of purist industrial with its feet in both body and rhythmic noise. On Kess Killís Side B, the very same signore Baudazzi shows another side with his anarcho alias Bakunin Commando. Two tracks leaning heavily towards post-punk and proto-techno, raising the pulse far above the wholesome, in true Kess Kill manner.
”A dim light in the room. Dancing drapes of nylons and satin, the pungent smell of naphthalene in aunt’s old closets. She, powerful but still romantic, was sharpening the tools for the poor destitute. The distant sound of barking dogs, a lost farmhouse in Chianti. The beginning of a dance of sex and death, winged vicious presences, blood and flesh. In the passing she found her fulfilment”.
Violet Poison is the dark, enigmatic and esoteric side-project of Francesco Baudazzi, already known as Obtane, co-owner with Giorgio Gigli of the defunct techno label Zooloft. The new project is focused on analogue proto-techno with influences from 70’s Italian progressive bands like Goblin or OST composers like Fabio Frizzi and earlier Downwards records from 1994-1995.
Perception Through Dissonance features a collaboration project from Giorgio Gigli and Obtane. Each production is filled with deep philosophical undertones creating a very nostalgic experience. This release also features a remix from the illusive stateside artist Rrose. This three cut journey starts with “Industrial Assaults” showcases a circadian rhythm style production reminiscent of an old John Carpenter film filled with scattered decaying elements, unearthly soundscapes and brutal baselines. Next in line is Rrose’s interpretation of “Industrial Assaults” which highlights deconstructed elements, warping aquatic molecules and erratic eccentric builds. Ending our journey is an experimental tool that embraces the feeling of solitariness in some alien landscape playing true to the name “Ambient Drama”.
This new EP on M_Rec Ltd., which sees label owner Max_M collaborate with Zooloft co-owner Obtane, certainly fits the musical profile people have come to associate with Italian underground productions. ’28 August 1972′ is a tribute to hard edged sounds and the loops of archetypical techno: eight minutes of pure darkness, a perfect techno tool. On the flip side, ’3 June 1980′ is pure techno hypnosis. A journey wrapped around a simple and obsessive bell sound, where an ever-changing drumscape slowly welcomes a crepuscular melody set to reveal an unexpected maximal dancefloor gem.
Zooloft presents the second step-forward to the golden age of Tech-Noir. Zooloft 00J is a collection of remixed tracks taken from our hidden archive. Claro Intelecto, Svreca and Brando Lupi make this release unique, bringing their own personal touch to rare and obscure recordings.
Zooloft Records is approaching to the era of future tech-noir and this release is the result of an internal process of thoughts and ideas behind them. It tells the story of a sad wanderer who is trying to find the path to personal truth. Outside, a desolate scenario of modern architectures of cold glass, standing to the edge of horizon. A wonderland of mirrors and empty landscapes: the triumph of solitude.
New EP on Zooloft coming from Obtane & Giorgio Gigli. The EP is opening with an up-building, dramatic techno anthem. On the other side, Mike Parker delivers a pulsating and acidic techno driver where heart impulses are generated by a disturbed soul, creating spasms and panic feelings. The EP get closed by a strongly romantic drone track that tells us love is still the only way-out.
Stripped down motorik techno from Italy’s Francesco Baudazzi aka Obtane. Obtane is a part of a new breed of Italian techno producers who in counterpart to the raw, minimal (and I don’t mean M-nus minimal) techno being championed by Berghain, have created something even more sparse, crude, and menacing.
Zooloft’s ‘Looking Through a Mindscape’ EP is a decidedly dark new cut from Giorgio Gigli and Obtane. A little more digital than Basic Channel or Echospace, the rhythms and soundscapes are much more poly-textured, metallic and foreboding; making for a dramatic listening experience whether at home or in the club.
The third release from Zooloft, Contextualised in Monochrome is brilliant wax featuring dystopian visions, collapsing psychedelics and raw techno.
The Hipodrome Of Music 