Rat Life Records presents Various Rats. A compilation of ultimate Party Hits for the downfall of society. Happy Doomsday everyone. If there is a rat there is life.
synth wave
Sansibar – White Swan [NATURAL026]
Sometime FTP contributor Sansibar is the latest experimentalist to make his bow on Natural Sciences, a label that we reckon is amongst the most vital and interesting around right now. Spat out of Helsinki’s underground punk and metal scene of the Lepakkomies institute, Sansibar steps up with his debut vinyl release of chronic electronic plague pulled from winters of darkness, new beat and discarded political manifestos.
Steve Murphy – Mira Electronics [LT056]
Steve Murphy returns to Lobster Theremin for his debut solo album, curdling a molten mixture of metallic tones and stomping rhythms all culled from the electro, new wave, EBM and italo worlds. Cold wave spoken word vocals shimmer, holla and wail from the depths of an 80’s basement studio (Connessione Europa, Digital Fix Today); stomping italo rhythms take off with a flourish and wash, as they’re bound onto the surface of poly synth dreams (Space Train, Mira Electronics); bastardised modular squelches and blips reveal a hidden underground lab (Ray Gun); modem-bleeping electro machine-worx and on-the-run basslines from 2125 (Disappointed, The Truth, Again); the end, when it comes, is a slow play-em-off jam. An italo electro elevator them tune gently carrying us up to a formerly erased dystopian level of this monolithic brutalist cuboid.
Machinegewehr – Kurayami [EE025RTM]
Rotterdam’s Machinegewehr returns to Electronic Emergencies with Kurayami, a four track 12-inch. Its analogue synths make Machinegewehr’s sound darker than ever, reaching into every groove. The embodiment of Disco Noir, the record leaves you with a sophisticated sadness, made bearable only by the pulsating bass and rolling beats leading you to the dance floor. Kurayami’s mysterious cover art was created by the multi-talented artist himself.
Leroy Se Meurt – LRSM [GOOILAND037]
Simply a hard-hitting and smashing debut EP. Leroy Se Meurt from France is a duo with a background in electronics and in punk music, which is very evident in their sound. Old school EBM, fused with fierce elektro with true punk attitude and energy that is always there.
Lena Platonos – Lepidoptera Remixes EP [DE244]
Lena Platonos is a Greek musician, pianist and music composer. Her third solo album, ‘Lepidoptera’ was produced in 1986 and reissued by Dark Entries in 2018. Inspired by a scientific book on butterflies she found in a trashcan one day, the compositions follow minimalistic motifs and carefully-staged soundscapes. Lena narrates each song in deadpan fashion, skillfully reciting her surreal Greek poetry. Now Dark Entries recruited 4 contemporary Greek producers to remix their favorite tracks from ‘Lepidoptera’. First up is ‘Cyaniris’ remixed by Anatolian Weapons who delivers an enchanted late-night journey through the New Wave forest. Next is ‘Araschnia Levana’ remixed by Pasiphae who speeds up the pace with machine driven melodic electro pulses. On the B-side we have June remixing ‘Cyaniris’ twirling the track into a complex deep sea dive with lush drum kicks and pads. Closing out the EP is a remix of ‘a Gee´a ´ Aporia Maturna’ by Morah who leads us to the underworld of Hades via sinister squelches and full-on apocalyptic rave breakdown.
Daniele Cosmo @ Lux Institut (Zürich) 22.02.2019
Le Stèle Des Pleurs – La Voix Des Vieux Temps LP [CAM015]
Despite sounding like an 80’s cassette only wave outfit La Stèle des Pleurs is a contemporary band from the north parisian suburbs. They’re mostly inspired by the underground tape scene of this period and use a 100% analogue set from synth and drums machines to tape recorders according to their unkwnown masters. The 7 tracks of this mini-LP are only instrumentals somewhere between the melancholia of Enno Velthuys and the heady sound of Stratis. Their music seems untouched by contemporary world and influences, recorded in order to compose their own enigmatic but familiar universe. Gloomy landscapes and feelings may appear but surrounded by a glimpse of hope.
Dirk Desaever – Collected 1984-1989 LP [MPD015]
The piece de resistance of the ‘Collected 1984 – 1989’ project, all the music on this LP has never been heard before, except for a single tune released on a rare 7” in 1988. The track selection and sequence is the result of Ducret & Isar closely listening to the many hours of unreleased material Desaever shared with them. Saved from oblivion and irremediable decay, the music on this LP is now just waiting to be played and listened as well as to inspire.
Dirk Desaever – Collected 1984-1989 [MPD014]
Musique Pour La Danse presents its latest “Collected” anthology. Side A is a reissue of the highly sought after Disdain EP from 1988 by White House White. Side B contains three previously unreleased tracks in a similar spirit to WHW’s sound with a dark and sleazy atmosphere.
Ron Morelli @ The Body Factory (Los Angeles) 15.12.2018
VA – Vital Impetus [JUNE14]
June Records latest compilation welcomes new artists on the label, the Australian newcomer Lbeeze, Raum-Zeit (Toni Quiroga & Eindkrak), Mannequin Records’ boss Alessandro Adriani, Morah (Phormix), Penelope’s Fiance and Outermost & Venus Volcanism.
Dark Star – Mix Tape 1989-1991 LP [DUBITO005]
Claudio Mate and Francesco Mazzocco introduce the 5th release of Dub-ito, a selection from Wolfgang Reffert’s project, from the end of the 80’s, Dark Star. ‘Mix Tape 1989 -1991’ is a exclusive collection of Dark Star past tapes works. Dark atmosphere influenced by Post Punk , EBM, Noise, Industrial, it’s Wolfgang’s trademark in over 30 years of career, which makes his debut on vinyl.
Kvetch X – Voltmeter EP [IIIR-VI]
This release features KVETCH X, the unknown electronic wizard hailing from within the reaches of the smog of Manchester’s industrial city. The Voltmeter EP features 3 machine/synth driven tracks which each take you on a different journey from an underground rave bunker to the reaches of outer space. Only you can be the judge, so climb on board & see where it takes you.
Rude 66 @ Grauzone Festival 09.02.2019
The Revolving Eyes / Nelson Bishop – SPLIT EP [MOD007]
Moderne Recordings Split EP 12″ vinyl release: The Revolving Eyes & Nelson Bishop. An excursion between Exotic/Slow/Disco/Body/Wave.
Pasiphae – Unmasked Discussion 62
BlΔCkMOON77 – The Femdex Podcast #25
Das Ding – I Am Not A Robot [MTRONW003]
Rotterdam fuses with Berlin, as Das Ding lands on Mechatronica for the third record in the label’s White series, dedicated to limited vinyl-only pressings of EBM, wave, synth, electro, italo, industrial and experimental sounds. ‘Alien Insane’ opens the record with a relentlessly progressing piece of dark machine music, followed by the dazzling cosmic journey of ‘Idiomatic Transnominator’, both tracks vividly blending Das Ding’s signature sound with classic Dutch electro, synth and italo styles.
Le Cliché / Colophon – Bold Monday 10 [BM10]
In celebration of Bold Monday’s 10th anniversary, Le Cliche (Gerard Ryan residing in Barcelona) and Colophon (Bas van Vuurde hailing from Haarlem) compose six exclusive tracks. The tracks on this EP can be categorized as contemporary electronic music with a clear nod to its roots, while both artists opted for a different emphasis as well. Le Cliche composed the tracks Francophilia, Ergophobia and Chorophilia inspired by experimental postpunk and early synth pop. Colophon on the other side created Monospace and Methods of Synchronism referencing the more dance-oriented styles from 1980’s New York and Detroit, with the track 574 Mondays serving as an ambient interlude.
The Hipodrome Of Music 