Boris Barksdale’s first full length on Natural Sciences is the final joyride of the human mind. Over two sides of screwed proto-beat, street electronics and twisted metal ambiance, “Mind Over Matter” picks apart the medias domination of the world we live in, drawing on internet advertising campaigns and social commentary to show you how messed up things have really become. The record builds on from Boris’ inclusion in Natural Sciences’ Future Works & Age in Decline compilation series.
Russian producers Namesis and Sunko, show us their origins with this album. Where we can find a very marked roots between synthwave, Ebm and coldwave. Voices that make you shudder from the depths of your being. It also has three remixes that perfectly capture the matrix to take it to the next level, each remixer in the field that feels more comfortable. “On the Knees” is an album full of power, strength and grit.
Detriti Records presents Autumns’ “Mouth Closed” cassette release, featuring five electro / EBM / techno tracks from Ireland.
Valley of Tears reach the end of the saga with this double vinyl full of collabs or bands to offer the maximum exponence of the saga. Curated on gatefold sleeve mixing the art design of Greta Haga with all the power of the music.
Mannequin Records introduces in the family RXmode, Dutch producer/DJ of darkest electro on Earth. His new ‘Tunnel’ EP is delivering an highly contagious acid-electro.
Los Angeles’ Silent Servant returns to the fold with his first solo offering since his 2018 ”Shadows of Death and Desire” LP for Hospital Productions. Mendez wastes no time on the opener ”Cyber Luminescence” featuring Cabaret Voltaire’s Stephen Mallinder on vocals, with a modern take on classic synthwave displaying a heavier production style, with fluttering kr-55 hi-hats, synthesized snares, and a chaotic punk energy. This is not without melody and catchiness, as Mallinder drives the track full on; masterfully singing about a dystopian future which we very well may be living in at this moment. “Raw Optics” is Silent Servant in true form layering an atmospheric backdrop over driving raw sequences and vicious drum programming. “Solitude Illuminated” is the real centerpiece of the record though, as Mendez goes into a new territory finding a balance between uplifting slow house music and his signature shadowy techno. Where his classic “Lust Abandon” was more Distant Dreams pt. II, “Solitude Illuminated” is more akin to something like Dearborn’s house classic “New Dimension” but taking a fresh production approach on this bassline driven seven minute anthem.
“Mascarpone return with a new EP entitled ‘Structures’. The record encompasses five tracks of dark EBM industrial music with dirty synths and machine drums. The main goal of this EP is to pay homage to artists such as Dopplereffekt or Kraftwerk, which are very important to me, but in my own way.”
Fraktion Schwarz-Weiss is a synthimental Wave Duo from Berlin, founded in 2019. This is their debut released on the Kernkrach sublabel Hertz-Schrittmacher.
Mike Smith aka Crossover Network returns with his project E.L.I. on Soil Records with an EP of 4 tracks full of acid, and electro with EBM notes. These bombs in the form of songs will not let you shake their melodies leaving your neurons pushed to dance in an unconscious way, immersing you in an acid darkness from which you will not want to wake up.
Unknown Pleasures Records, Industrial Complexx and Oráculo records co-release a tribute to one of the most legendary band of the all time darkwave-goth scene. New versions running away from the obvious classics by an amazing palette of brilliant acts such as Kill Shelter, A Wedding Anniversary, Swesor Bhrater, Years Of Denial or Chris Shape among others. This is expected to be an ultra searched vinyl collectible item.
89s† is the obscure electronic music project of Berlin-based Carlos Grabstein whom has collaborated with the multi-faceted Petra Flurr to create the German industrial-album of the year. Clearly influenced majorly by the rudimentary early industrial of DAF and Suicide it includes as well more modern approaches to the genre that evokes to Nitzer Ebb because of the exploding energy of their chants and the tribalist power of their drums sections.
For the labels first release of 2022, Idlestates have curated a blend of no-nonsense EBM with grittier industrial electronics. The 13 track VA compilation welcomes a host of new artists to the label whilst continuing to showcase returning favourites such as Meshes, Magnum Opus, and MVQX. The album titled ‘The Semiconscious System’, arrives with several dancefloor ready anthems whilst allowing a meltdown through intervals of raw industrial sludge. The limited-edition cassette features; Gewalt, Autumns, Filmmaker, Disociacion, L/F/D/M, MVQX and Kirsten on side A. Whilst side B contains tracks from; Prophan, The Undertaker’s Tapes, Termination_800, Alpha Sect, Magnum Opus/Ravetop and Meshes.
Milan-based Andrea Riberti is a live artist and producer with his roots cemented in early rave culture, drawing from the wake of Post Punk, Industrial and Body Music. As a project, Unconscious surfaced in 2013 to further experiment within electronic music, acting as an outlet to communicate raw, post-industrial sounds. “La vittima è la musica” is 5 tracker cassette released by Detriti Records.
Karl O’Connor (Regis) and Simon Shreeve (Kryptic Minds/Osirus Music/Downwards) team up again for a menacing four song EP of broken beat electronics. The perfect amalgamation of O’Connor’s and Shreeve’s solo works merged.. absolutely heavy dubbed out dark Birmingham electronics. Distinct, singular and subtly soul crushing music from masters of an uncategorizable genre.
The Hipodrome Of Music 