We have an exclusive video from the Jacksonville FL. based goth industrial act Batavia available for you today: “Azafrán”. Scroll down to see the video.

Here’s what Terri & Ed Cripps tell about the background of the song: “About 30 miles south of Jacksonville is the city of St.Augustine. It’s actually the oldest city in the United States, founded by the Spanish in 1565. It’s pretty rife with ghost stories and fokelore, but one of the more famous tales is that of a young colonel, his handsome assistant, and his beautiful wife, Delores. There’s a bit of history mixed with legend, and finding the truth in that murk is a bit foggy, but the story goes like this; The colonel brought his wife from Spain, and then neglected her and left her in this massive fort, Castillo De San Marcos, (which still stands today).

His dashing assistant became smitten by her and they had an affair while the colonel was away. Delores wore a distinct fragrance. When the colonel returned, he smelled it on his assistant. Both Delores and the assistant disappeared shortly thereafter, believed to have returned to Spain. Some time in the early 1800s, an American soldier discovered a false wall, and when they removed one of the bricks, the smell of her perfume filled the air. Two skeletons were found behind the wall, believed to be the assistant and Delores. The fort is there. You can visit that dungeon. Is it true? Who knows. It’s a good story.”

Here’s the video for “Azafrán”. The single is available on Bandcamp.

About Batavia

Batavia are husband and wife Terri & Ed Cripps from Jacksonville, FL. While primarily rooted in goth industrial, the group have utilized the genre as a vehicle to incorporate a span of influence ranging from dream pop to noise rock.

By invoking the namesake of the wreck and mutiny of The Batavia, they have made a point to utilize their music to tell the darker stories lost to history.

Since the group’s creation in 2020, they have released two EPs, two singles, a full length album, independently produced several music videos, and released a remix album.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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.

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Sara Baggini is an Italian songwriter who operates under the ‘Augustine’ moniker which is taken from the hysterical woman protagonist of Georges Didi Huberman’s essay “Invention of Hysteria”.

She has now announced the release of a brand new video, “Pagan”, which can watch below. This is a first extract from the upcoming album “Proserpine”and introduces a sound which is musically oriented towards an introspective Dark Folk. The whole was produced by Fabio Ripanucci, with the collaboration of Daniele Rotella, at La Cura Dischi in Perugia.

Augustine so far completed 3 releases (including a collaboration):

• 2010: album “One Thin Line”
• 2013: collaboration to album “Alas Laika”
• 2018: “Grief And Desire”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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.

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Genre/Influences: Electro-wave, experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Fermion is the meeting between Augustine Backer and Eric Shans (Phenotract). Both American, artists started to compose music together, unleashing their first six songs in 2019.

Content: It’s not that easy to seize all elements running through this composition. That’s maybe what explains the rather experimental touch hanging over the songs. But the main basis of their writing appears to be some electro and new-wave music. The songs have been supported with mysterious moods accentuated by some space-like effects on the vocals.

+ + + : “We are Nowhere” has something retro-like merged with contemporary influences. It’s a unique production, which is hard to label, but probably appealing form some electro-pop audience. I like the mix of influences, which creates a kind of experimental/pop/ambient hybrid. One of my favorite cuts is the instrumental “Bubble Chamber”, which is driven by a slow, bombastic rhythmic.

– – – : The global approach sounds cool, but I’m missing real highlights. A bit more melodic arrangements would be cool.

Conclusion: This new project brings an easy listening, but not groundbreaking debut work!

Best songs: “Bubble Chamber”, “Echoes Reverse”.

Rate: (6½)

Artist: www.facebook.com/fermionofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

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