Norwegian electronica project Naeon Teardrops (aka Mental Overdrive) preps debut album ‘Testimony’ for September 8th release
Mental Overdrive (Per Martinsen) on Apoptygma Berzerk's hit single "Kathy's Song"
Meet Naeon Teardrops, a fresh electronica project from Norway. But here’s a twist: the talent behind this name is none other than the seasoned Norwegian techno artist, Per Martinsen, also known as Mental Overdrive.
For those who’ve been around, Per Martinsen isn’t a new name. He’s been a force in the hardcore, rave, and techno scenes for over 30 years. Starting in 1990, he kicked off with powerful techno tracks on the Belgian label R&S. He’s also worked with labels like Smalltown Supersound, Ploink, and Virgin Records, to name a few.
With Naeon Teardrops, Martinsen is diving into synthpop and darkwave sounds, giving them a modern twist. This new direction stems from his fictional autobiography, “Pyramids On The Moon”. In this three-part tale, he imagines three different life paths, each with its own musical alias.
Naeon Teardrops’ debut has been preceded by several singles: “Amnesiacs” came out in 2021, followed by “Shadowsister” in 2022. The recent singles, “Water Rising” and “Outbound”, dropped in March and May 2023.
The debut album, “Testimony”, is a blend of three decades of electronic music, mixing electropop, darkwave, and more. Set to release on September 8th, 2023, through Love OD Communications, it’ll also be on vinyl and CD via Apollon Records.
Want a taste? Check out the tracks released so far below.
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Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!
