Garçon Taupe returns to Narrominded Records with ‘Kiklop EP’ featuring it’s typical mix of electro beats, eighties synths and acid. The B side offers some serious dance floor material with Dok, followed by the slower and dirtier title track.
synth wave
VA – Mechatronica White 1 [MTRONW001]
Mechatronica launches their new White series, dedicated to limited edition white label records across synth, wave, EBM and italo with a VA release featuring Inhalt, Violet Poison, Sneaker and Daniel Holt. Mechatronica White 1 opens with Sneaker’s gloomy remix of German synth-pop band Opus Leopard, followed by the electrifying instrumental version of ‘Alles’ – a relentlessly progressing piece of body music from San Francisco trio, Inhalt. On the flip, Violet Poison summons a fat, trippy EBM-leaning groove, before Daniel Holt finishes off the record with anthemic synths and a ticket to the cosmos on ‘Floating Mansions’.
Meo – Fine Corsa [KH014]
Meo, pseudonym of Daniele Mei, is a cosmic dj from Rimini, Italy. Fine Corsa was his first record, released in 1985. In those days Meo was active in what was later considered to be the most famous Afro Dance Club in Italy: Melody Mecca. This release is an intensely creative hybrid of many styles and many colors. Even up until the present day this record continues to be very important in some preeminent European clubs.
Trenton Chase – Unmasked Discussion 34
Elena Colombi & Interstellar Funk @ Dekmantel Festival (São Paulo) 04.03.2018
VA – Cititrax: Tracks Volume Three [CITI024]
Cititrax presents the third in a series of four song samplers showcasing the talents of some of the most innovative producers of the moment. Cititrax: Tracks Volume Three features the a powerful new collaboration between Amato (aka The Hacker) and Mariana Saldana (Medio Mutante, Boan), the brutal industrial techno of Barcelona based British producer The Sixteen Steps, a Polish mastermind based in Miami known as His Dirty Secrets, and the NYC underground duo Further Reductions (Shawn O’Sullivan and Katie Rose). The overall sound can be described as modern, uncompromising and guttural. Each artist reinvents dance music by bringing their own unique vision to the floor.
LVRIN – Unmasked Discussion 33
Ian Hicks – Changeless [OMSOLOW002]
The third release on So Low is a 5-track EP from Ian Hicks, formerly one half of Soft Metals. Ian also appeared on our “Now & Then” compilation EP. Here he commands his own release and sets the synths to stun with 5 tracks of analogue waves ranging from the XTC bliss out of “Character Collapse” and “Depths Of Psyche” to the shockwave klang of “Chemical Environments” and “Specter”, perhaps leaving the very best to last with the ultimate hypno, sex slug groove of “Continuous”. Subliminal vocals. Wrecked drum boxes. Synths spiralling.
Doris Norton – Personal Computer [MNQ120]
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.
Doris Norton – Norton Computer For Peace [MNQ116]
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.
Sterile Hand – Sterile Hand [ELP035]
Juan Mendez a.k.a Silent Servant finds his ideal EBM vocal foil in Ori Ofir under their Sterile Hand moniker. The duo’s first vinyl round for Not Waving’s Ecstatic label is a dark and sleazy run of deviant industrial techno and pugilistic EBM cuts made over the last year.
LVRIN – NOED Podcast 06
VA – Five Years Of Tears Vol. 1 [PNKMN5Y1]
Pinkman records presents Five Years of Tears: A string of releases dedicated to celebrate the 5th birth year of the label. The first volume features contributions by 3 of the labels usual suspects, as well as newcomer Randstad. Ernestas Sadau’s powerful, raw and menacing cut starts sets the scene for Alessandro Parisi to delve deep into his synthesizer toolkit. What comes out is a highly emotional production, infused with sirens and melodies that may cause tearful mourning on the dancefloors. On the B side Identified Patient provides yet another one of his notoriously slow and filthy underground creepers, while Randstad delivers another burst of energy that celebrates raw percussion, gloomy pads and haunting vocal samples.
Kufuki – Dodome EP [LEJ001EP]
Les Editions Japonais, is a new label to showcase Japanese artists new and old, the first release is by Tokyo based band Kufuki. Kufuki, was formed in 2010 by Ryuichiro Konno (electronics), Motomasa Saito (electronics), Tosimasa Matsumoto (vocals), and Yudai Nobunaga Kogawa (vocals,VJ, electronics), hailing from various musical genres, ranging from techno, rock, blues and hip-hop. Tired of formulaic club music, they set out to create their own electronic ethnic music, firstly taking influences from places they had travelled, but more recently concentrating on electrifying minyo, or traditional Japanese folk music.
DsorDNE – È Un Sole LP [DE206]
DsorDNE (pronounced Disordine) is a project from Torino, Italy that evolved as group out of the electronic experimental post punk project Novostj in 1987. At the core of DsorDNE is Marco Milanesio, musical engineer and co-founder of the HAX record label, joined by a revolving cast of musicians. Their spectrum ranged from experimental to structured electro-poetry and Soundtrack like instrumental electronic music. In 1987 they released their first track on a split-single with The Legendary Pink Dots. Between 1987 and 1994 they released 6 full length albums, 3 split-EPs and appeared on various cassette compilations. Ã Un Sole (Itâs a Sun) was the groupâs only vinyl full length originally released in 1990 on HAX. Itâs 8 tracks of electro-beat poetry and experimentation recorded between July 1989 and January 1990 by Marco Milanesio (music) and Roberta Ongaro (vocals) with guests Claudio Burdese (guitar), Danilo Beltrame (guitar) and Cristiana Bauducco (vocals). The album is broken up into two distinct halves. Side A contains four chunks of hard hitting, percussive patterns and rushing bass sequences. Dark, moody female vocals force their monologues through the machinery in their native Italian tongue. The traditional song structure is carefully avoided by giving lyrics equal opportunities be they recited, half-sung, whispered or spoken. Side B displays moodier moments, less savage attacks and subtler sensuality, veering towards the more melodic and existential.
Eva Geist – Desfan LP [MMLP909]
Andrea Noce aka Eva Geist is back with his second album to date, and what clearly makes for a magical companion to 2016’s comparatively murkier Aquator System cassette. Noce returns via Sascha Mambo’s Macadam Mambo imprint, unleashing a flurry of outsider sonics and no-wave vibes thanks to this new Desfan LP. The nine tracks glide with pace and style, ranging form the docile bleeps and pseudo beats of tunes like “Electronic Tribalism” to relatively more ‘dance-friendly’ tunes like “Prologo” or “Nigredo”. It’s hard to put our finger on what makes Noce’s music so singular, but it must have something to do with the artist’s fascination with the Levant – a distant yet perceptible vibe that seeps through all of these tunes.
Franz Falckenhaus – Tupolev System LP [GDLP008]
Danny Wolfers AKA Legowelt AKA the maestro Franz Falckenhaus presents the next Giallo Disco. The obscure, previously CDR only side project Franz Falckenhaus has stood out for many of us as one of Mr Wolfer’s most accomplished works. Full on VHS grained Cold War paranoia. Like if Fulci directed a Bond movie starring Udo Keir and Edwige Fenech. Shades of Fabio Frizzi, Minimal Synth and Aphex Twin, all combine for this cinematic masterpiece. Culled from the three CDs originally released on Strange Life Records, it is with immense pride that we provide this collection for the first time on vinyl, lovingly remastered with exceptional new art by the one and only Eric A. Lee.
Dormir – In Pursuit [BRXPR001]
Burning Rose and Pelvis Records meet in the middle to dish up Dormir, a two piece machine from Melbourne, Australia featuring Morgan Wright (formerly of Melbourne hardcore act Imprisoned) and Harry Maslen (formerly of Postblue). Two tracks of blacked out vocal electronics originally released on cassette are now brought to the floor with remixes by Leo James (Canyons, Berceuse Heroique) and Cop Envy (Opal Tapes, Templar Sound).
VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]
Mannequin’s 100th – a compilation looking forward featuring an international and serious cast. The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more. Which brings us to Mannequin’s newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point – none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin’s unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns, Silent Servant and Ron Morelli.
Borusiade – A Body [COMEME043]
Cómeme starts 2018 by proving again to be a safe haven and a sanctuary for sensitive plants and unique characters devoted to music – just like Miruna Boruzescu aka Borusiade – from Bucharest. This is the first album of Borusiade, in which she takes her music to a new level, finding her very own expression, that is making us first shiver then sweat, then chill and finally melt. Her visions unfold through 8 pieces of music that follow a dreamlike narrative of associations and transformations. Somber synthetic atmospheres, sparse and spatial rhythmical arrangements, strangely seductive melodies and lysergic ally pulsating bass lines lead us away from a dystopian present towards a sensorial experience we long to repeat as soon as it’s over. ‘A Body’ is a deeply poetic work in which again and again you will hear Borusiade’s voice, sometimes dissolving and recreating meanings in mantra-like repetitions, sometimes layering itself to pagan choirs of smooth ecstasy. Then again you will also hear that voice close to you, singing, sharing an experience or a thought. It is always soft, effortless and unpretentious, but always strong, clear and precise, like the voice that speaks to you in an altered state of consciousness. It seems to come from the same person that is holding your hand, when everything else seems to fade into uncertainty while wandering through strange times and places.
