Blac Kolor – Roots (EP – Ant-Zen)
Genre/Influences: Industrial, IDM, Trance.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Hendrick Grothe aka Blac Kolor released this new EP at the end of 2022. The title of the tracks clearly refer to four tribes which in a way also stands for the concept behind this work.
Content: Blac Kolor is once more mixing different influences together; creating a true sonic osmosis between Trance structures, Industrial sound treatments, cold atmospheres and danceable beats. The songs have been supported by essential samplings accentuating the tribal concept.
+ + + : I’m once more impressed by the sound intelligence of this artist who never stops to create visionary music. The way all elements have been mixed with overwhelming atmospheres and Tribal chants is simply amazing. The tracks because of this mix all have an uplifting effect which however mainly emerges at the opening track “Haka”. But there’s definitely something to say about all cuts.
– – – : No minus points to mention here.
Conclusion: Blac Kolor did it again; a meaningful, icy and styled Electronic composition for further Industrial generations.
Best songs: “Haka”, “Teton”, “Kecak”, “Ujanbater”.
Rate: 9.
Artist: www.blackolor.de / www.facebook.com/blackolormusic
Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official
About Blac Kolor
Blac Kolor is the project of German producer Hendrick Grothe, who debuted with the album “Wide Noise” in 2014. His sound moves between IDM, Industrial-Techno, EBM and Trance, reshaping those styles into a signature blend released mainly through Ant-Zen. Grothe followed the 2016 EP “Stormily” with the 2018 double vinyl album “Awakening”, which featured Front 242’s Jean-Luc De Meyer.
“Roots” arrived in February 2023, between “Awakening” and Grothe’s later albums “Weltenbrand” and the 2025 concept album “Arca”, his sixth full-length as Blac Kolor. In an April 2026 interview with Side-Line, Grothe described his filtering approach: “if it sounds like something that’s already been done somewhere before, by me or anyone else, then it gets deleted immediately”.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
