Having previously released some rare solo material from Ende Shneafliet member Hanjo Erkamp AKA Dr. C. Stein, Artificial Dance is now serving up something special from the cult Dutch minimal wave band’s lesser-known side project, King Ende Shneafliet. The result is the first ever vinyl release of tracks from the outfit’s cult Dimension Mix series.
Vague Output is a party, collective and label out of Baltimore that opposes any teleological understanding of underground electronic music. The label debuts with a perfect collection of EBM, Italo, Synthwave, and Proto-Techno from Veleno Viola label head Francesco Baudazzi’s alter egos Violet Poison, Bakunin Commando, and Diana Berti.
In the latest release from Public System Recordings, Kluentah (one half of Fallbeil) delivers a chalky electro smash with elongated snares and eerie chords passing from one end of the brain to the other, and to the floor. There is smooth vocal play as well as allowing for incoherent out of context speech samples that stab through minimal jumpy drum work. As diabolical and heavy as the hits and bass is, this enters the swath of dance floor records with a distinct flavor that sets itself above others’ execution. Full of sludgy breaks, there is a constant reduction even as sounds and samples are introduced, they enter the roving mulch in a stylish slide.
Dark Entries presents the first ever vinyl issue of Jon Krocker’s debut album ‘Monolog’ originally released on cassette in 1983. Jon is from Winnipeg, Canada and got his start as half of the synth noise duo Dialog. In 1981-82, while studying for a BA in Film Studies, he would go to the studio and practice. No writing or patch memories, composing on the fly. His set up consisted of a Minimoog, Oberheim Two Voice, Roland RS-202, Roland Space Echo, EML 400, Roland DR 55, Roland System 100 mixer. After playing some of the songs to Impulse Records store owner Roman Panchyshsyn, he agreed release the album on cassette on Contagious Records. Primarily influenced by the German school typified by artists such as Conrad Schnitzler and Kraftwerk, Jon’s music exhibits the cold machine ethic of the neumusik. The 12 instrumental tracks are stark and minimal, at times anxious but overall space orientated and flexible.
Chem Clubs fourth EP titled Normal Condition by Brooklyn based duo SEER. Melds the atmospheric and distorted into a perfectly twisted mind bender of a release.
After last years excellent discoveries from Volume 1, another batch of ‘lost’ and unreleased Dutch (cassette) material is coming back to the future. For this sequel we dug deep into the Dutch lowlands and again found some independent music that’s still relevant today. In the process we met even more amazing musicians and heard great stories from a distant-not-so-distant past. Expect a wide palette of DIY and experimental sounds by artists from Groningen, Zwolle, Arnhem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Tilburg and Deurne.
The second instalment of the ongoing Pubblicazione series serves up a triple-header of dark, intense and otherworldly experimental treats. On the A-side Italian artist Violet Poison invites us to “The Drome”, a place where druggy EBM arpeggio lines, throbbing synth motifs, discordant female vocal samples and thrusting industrial funk drums fight it out to the death. Over on the flipside, Diana Berti gives us a glimpse of her “Spider Pit”, an altogether more melodious and crystalline place laden with glistening synthesizer motifs, bustling machine percussion and raw arpeggio bass. To round things off, Opfer Der Hingabe channels the spirit of the Duratti Column on the slow and seductive bliss of “The Victim (1990)”. Progressive industrial to cinematic ambient, via new beat synth explorations.
EchoDroides is a collaboration between Chicago natives Frank De La Mora & Miguel Martin. Their sound can be described as a trip through space with analog synthesizers and drum machines. They came together in 2011 first working on remixes then shortly after decided to work on original material. Their music has been featured in TV shows, movies, promotional videos from Peugeot, fashion labels and the Ubisoft video game, Watch Dogs. For this special and limited release they re-created a track from 80s US studio project, Experimental Products, – paying tribute to “Glowing In The Dark” original and an instrumental. “Experimental Products has always been a massive influence on us from the very 1st time we heard them back in the 80s. Glowing in the Dark, in particular changed everything for us. Mark Wilde and Michael Gross were way ahead of their time. We wanted to pay tribute to them by re-creating this song from scratch.”
Mannequin Records present a trilogy of reissues from the avantgarde Italian-born producer Doris Norton, ”Norton Computer For Peace” (1983), ”Personal Computer” (1984), ”Artificial Intellingence” (1985). Apple’s first music ”endorsement” and Roland affiliate, Doris Norton is one of the most important women pioneer in the use of synths and in the early electro / computer music.
El Deux is the Swiss electro-pop trio of Gutze Gautschi (guitar, vocals), Steno Onetz (bass), Martin Kraft (vocals, drum machine). Formed circa 1981 in Aarau by Gutze and Steno who played together in punk/New Wave band Fresh Color aka Frische Farbe featuring a pre-Yello Dieter Meier. Gutze’s minimal electronic compositions did not fit the concept of Fresh Color, so they formed a new project with their live mixer, Martin Kraft, on vocals. The group was quite successful with many concerts, mainly in southern Germany and various TV appearances in Germany and abroad. Between April/September 1982 they recorded and mixed their debut album ‘Nur Für Mädchen’ in 15 days at Powerplay Studios, Zurich. The LP was released later that year on Gold Records. Influences at that time were of course the NDW “Neue Deutsche Welle” movement and also from Gutze’s time as a musician & guitarist since 1965. Their step up for recording was a Moog Prodigy, Korg Rhythm 55 (KR-55), Simmons Drums, Casiotone 202, Guitar and Bass.
Peripheral Minimal presents ‘Prophecy + Progress: UK Electronics 1978 – 1990 LP’, a thirteen-track compilation that represents the burgeoning Electronic music scene in the UK. This isn’t simply another synth pop compilation, or some nostalgic frippery, but an eclectic mix of acts that were experimenting with newly available technology at a time when the punk scene had imploded and the music press was busy coining new genres as an attempt to continue its legacy. In the bubbling underground were a myriad of experimenters recording in relative secrecy in Industrial cities like Sheffield or post-war London, at a time when the Tories came back into power and utterly altered the political landscape, and produced a generation of, ‘Thatcher’s Children’ (selfish, arrogant and materialistic). The antidote seemed to be quiet rebellion in the shape of dark and alienating soundscapes by acts that are now considered ‘pioneers’, or achieving cult status, in a new era of throwaway pop and trite ‘new wave’ impersonators. This compilation is an attempt to rekindle those heady days of experimentation and to encourage new generations to rebel and forgo the fashionable posturing that comes with anything vaguely ‘interesting’.
Medical Records present the 2nd full length album by Gavin Guthrie AKA TX Connect. Influenced by a diverse background of Italo, acid, horror soundtracks, industrial and EBM, Gavin crafts dance floor stompers using analog tools and tape. These 10 tracks could just as easily be the soundtrack to your next cerebral vacation.
Patricia Kokett’s sound is shrouded in a veil of mysticism. The brainchild of Lithuanian Gediminas Jakubka, Diabel’s metallic heartbeat underlies a magical superstructure that evokes some kind of DMT infused trip. Or possibly even some kind of ancient ritual, where one is intoxicated by serpents blood. Guided by repetitive drum patterns, it creates a slow joint dance that opens the path towards transcendence.
Hungarian producer Imre Kiss inaugurates his new Crisis imprint. The tracks presented here on the Ad Astra EP are in collaboration with homeboy Norwell who has a mutual sonic interest: sci-fi narratives and analogue dedication – combined to reinterpret and evolve the blueprint of electro that it draws influence from. There are expressions in brooding, gothic/noir-ish electro like the title track and “Density Waves”, while “Motor City Dreams” or “Alpha Hertz” go for typically bass heavy and dystopian themes from a 313 state of mind.
The Hipodrome Of Music 