Icelandic artist Björk is preparing new music tied to a forthcoming studio album that will debut as part of the exhibition “Echolalia” at the National Gallery of Iceland during the 2026 Reykjavík Arts Festival. The gallery confirms that one of three planned immersive installations will be built around material from a “forthcoming album, currently in development“, marking Björk’s first new studio work since “Fossora” in 2022.

“Echolalia” will occupy all four galleries of the National Gallery of Iceland from 30 May to 20 September 2026 and focuses on Björk as the central creative force behind large-scale multimedia projects.

The three installations include new work based on music from the upcoming Björk album, alongside “Ancestress” and “Sorrowful Soil”, which were originally released in conjunction with “Fossora” and pay tribute to her late mother, environmental activist Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir. This new project follows an intensive run of activity around “Fossora”, including the “Cornucopia” tour, which was documented in the 2025 concert film and live release “Apple Music Live: Björk (Cornucopia)”.

Björk is no stranger to large scale installations. In April 2023 for instance, Side-Line already reported on her Coachella appearance, where she incorporated a swarm of 864 drones into an orchestral performance.

Bjork from a distance #Coachella pic.twitter.com/hHIWaAtZfy

– Gregory Ellwood – The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) April 17, 2023

In 2024 she also co-created “Nature Manifesto”, an immersive sound piece at the Centre Pompidou in Paris that used AI-generated calls of extinct animals to address biodiversity loss.

About Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, in 1965. She released her first, self-titled juvenilia album on the Icelandic label Fálkinn in 1977, before working through a series of local bands including Tappi Tíkarrass and Kukl. In the late 1980s she became internationally known as vocalist of Reykjavik group the Sugarcubes, whose releases on One Little Indian introduced her to a wider alternative-rock audience.

After the Sugarcubes, Björk issued the jazz-leaning covers album “Gling-Gló” with Tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar in 1990, then launched her international solo career with the electronic-leaning album “Debut” in 1993 on One Little Indian and Elektra. “Post” followed in 1995, with a companion remix album, “Telegram”, released in 1996.

With “Homogenic” in 1997, Björk shifted towards a harder electronic sound combined with string ensembles, a direction often cited as a pivotal point in her catalogue. In 2000 she wrote and performed the music for Lars von Trier’s film “Dancer in the Dark”, issued as the album “Selmasongs”. Subsequent records “Vespertine” (2001), “Medúlla” (2004) and “Volta” (2007) each foregrounded different aspects of her sound, from intimate micro-beats and choirs to brass-heavy and rhythm-focused arrangements.

In the 2010s, “Biophilia” (2011) linked album tracks with interactive educational apps, while “Vulnicura” (2015) documented a personal narrative through string-heavy arrangements and electronic production. “Utopia” (2017) and “Fossora” (2022) continued her collaboration with producers and visual artists around themes of ecology, community and transformation, with many of these works later adapted into live formats such as the multi-media “Cornucopia” shows and orchestral re-settings.

Björk now works largely from Iceland and remains active in environmental campaigns, including public positions on climate and local ecological issues.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Emilie Elizabeth) Italian musician Alessandro Cortini has released his latest work, “Nati Infiniti”. This 40-minute piece, divided into five movements, is based on an immersive audio installation that took place across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa’s Fábrica da Moagem, a disused flour mill.

Commissioned by Sónar Lisboa 2022, “Nati Infiniti” captures the ambiance of the original installation. Each floor of the mill evoked different states through Cortini’s sound design, creating a different experience as listeners moved through the building. The album tries to reflects this movement.

Using the Strega instrument, co-designed by Cortini with Make Noise, the piece evolves across 40 minutes. Marta Salogni, known for her work with Björk and Depeche Mode, mixed and mastered the album into five movements. “Nati Infiniti” is available now, in various formats including vinyl, CD, and digital.

Cortini debuted the live audio-visual performance of “Nati Infiniti” at Berlin’s Atonal Festival. After a series of sold-out shows, he will tour North America and Europe throughout 2024 and 2025, with additional dates to be announced.

Cortini, a longstanding member of Nine Inch Nails, has released a steady stream of his own music on labels such as Mute, Hospital, and Important Records. His collaborations include work with Lawrence English, Daniel Avery, and Merzbow. He is also the only Italian musician inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His creations, like the Strega and the forthcoming Bruxa module, kinda show his innovative approach to music. He has composed for fashion shows by Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Fendi, and soundtracked Disney/Hulu’s hit show “The Bear”. His remixes include tracks for Depeche Mode, Mogwai, Death Cab for Cutie, Yann Tiersen, and Vatican Shadow.

Here’s a live impression of Cortini.

Alessandro Cortini tour dates

• 10/11/2024 – Seattle, WA, Age Of Reflections at Seattle First Baptist, US
• 10/12/2024 – Portland, OR, Age Of Reflections at Trinity Cathedral, US
• 10/13/2024 – Los Angeles, CA, Teragram Ballroom, US
• 11/20/2024 – Brussels, Bozar, BE
• 12/6/2024 – Berlin, Silent Green, DE
• 1/17/2025 – Paris, Trabendo, FR

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. 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!

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Out via Cold Spring is the album “Broken Allures” by Jac Berrocal (Nurse With Wound collaborator), David Fenech and Vincent Epplay. The album also features Cosey Fanni Tutti and Jah Wobble. You may expect a blend between industrial, experimental, avantgarde, ethno-ambient and dark jazz.

“Broken Allures” is the fifth LP from the trio where they continue their unique recording style with a musique concrète approach to mixing.

Cosey Fanni Tutti (Throbbing Gristle, Chris & Cosey) contributes vocals, cornet and electric guitar. She has also written lyrics for two tracks on the album and worked on the instrumental track “Viva la Hacienda”, which, in her own words, recalls her time recording with Throbbing Gristle.

Jah Wobble (founding member of Public Image Limited, and collaborator with Brian Eno, Björk, Bill Laswell, Primal Scream, Sinéad O’Connor and countless others) plays bass on one track.

Check out the video for “Outspoken Caress”.

The release is available in 3 formats: CD in a matt-laminate flood-printed digipak, a regular black vinyl edition in a matt-laminate sleeve with full-colour insert, and limited edition of 150 copies on transparent yellow vinyl.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Emilie Elizabeth) Out 4 October on Mute, followed by UK, European and American tour dates, is the brand new album from Nine Inch Nails member Alessandro Cortini, “Nati Infiniti”. Today the Italian musician releases a first track, “IV”.

Watch the video for “‘”IV” with imagery by Marco Ciceri.

The 40-minutes album “Nati Infiniti” is composed of five movements and debuted as an audio installation commissioned by Sónar Lisboa 2022 that ran across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa’s Fábrica da Moagem, a disused flour mill.

The work – which utilises the Strega instrument that Cortini co-designed with Make Noise – was mixed and mastered by Marta Salogni (Björk, Depeche Mode, Lucrecia Dalt). The album will be out on vinyl (featuring an embossed silver mirror board sleeve), CD (with a clear varnished gatefold mirror board sleeve), and digitally.

About Alessandro Cortini

Alessandro Cortini is best known as a longstanding member of Nine Inch Nails (from 2005 to the present day), He has been releasing a steady stream of his own music on labels including Mute, Hospital, and Important Records for the past decade.

Throughout his career he has collaborated with the likes of Lawrence English, Daniel Avery, and Merzbow and found time to create the Strega (used on his previous album, “Scuro Chiaro”) and the forthcoming module, Bruxa, with Make Noise.

Additionally, he has remixed tracks for Depeche Mode, Mogwai, Death Cab For Cutie, Yann Tiersen, and Vatican Shadow.

Alessandro Cortini on tour

Cortini will embark on a tour of North America and Europe throughout ’24 and into ‘25 – with more dates to be added.

• 5 Sept 2024 – Reykjavik, Extreme Chill IS
• 19 Sept 2024 – Glasgow, Sonica Festival UK
• 3 Oct 2024 – Albany, NY, Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center, “The Egg” US
• 4 Oct 2024 – Queens, NY, Knockdown Center US
• 6 Oct 2024 – Boston, MA, Sonia US
• 7 Oct 2024 – Minneapolis, MN, The Cedar US
• 9 Oct 2024 – Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle US
• 10 Oct 2024 – Austin, TX, Central Presbyterian Church US
• 11 Oct 2024 – Seattle, WA, Age of Reflections at Seattle First Baptist US
• 12 Oct 2024 – Portland, OR, Age of Reflections at Trinity Cathedral US
• 13 Oct 2024 – Los Angeles, CA, Teragram Ballroom US
• 20 Nov 2024 – Brussels, Bozar BE
• 6 Dec 2024 – Berlin, Silent Green DE
• 17 Jan 2025 – Paris, Trabendo FR

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. 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!

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The avant-garde trio comprising Jac Berrocal (Nurse With Wound), David Fenech, and Vincent Epplay has unveiled their fifth LP, “Broken Allures” to be released on Cold Spring on the 30th of August. This latest release continues their approach to musique concrète, blending the sounds and techniques of each member.

The album is available in several formats via Cold Spring:

• CD in a matt-laminate flood-printed digipak.
• Limited edition of 150 copies on transparent yellow vinyl in a matt-laminate sleeve with a full-color insert.
• Black vinyl in a matt-laminate sleeve with a full-color insert.

French musician Jac Berrocal is renowned for his collaborations with Nurse With Wound, Vince Taylor, Jaki Liebezeit, Pascal Comelade, and Sunny Murray. For this project, the trio further enlisted the talents of two musicians: Cosey Fanni Tutti and Jah Wobble.

Cosey Fanni Tutti, known for her work with Throbbing Gristle, Chris & Cosey, and COUM Transmissions contributes vocals, cornet, and electric guitar, and has written lyrics for two tracks.

Jah Wobble, a founding member of Public Image Limited and a collaborator with a diverse array of artists including African Head Charge, Brian Eno, Björk, and Sinéad O’Connor, lends his industrial dub sound to the album.

“Broken Allures” includes the track “Outspoken Caress” featuring Cosey Fanni Tutti, with a video directed by Vincent Epplay.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Sigtryggur Ari Johannsson) Out now is Paddan’s new EP “Fluid Time” on the Washington D.C.-based label Lovitt Records. We already reported about this release in March when a first track was revealed, and now the full EP is out. Behind Paddan we find the Icelandic musicians Birgir and Sigtryggur (members of Sugarcubes, KUKL).

Birgir and Sigtryggur formed Paddan during the 2010s, and their EP “Fluid Time” has been inspired by their perception of time and space. Birgir Mogensen says, “As a duo, we trusted our musical intuition and were guided by allowing the first idea to remain unchanged during the recording process.”

Recorded, produced, and arranged by the pair, Sigtryggur and Birgir play basses and drums along with various other instruments. All recordings are played on live instruments except a modular synth which is programmed in the background of two tracks The duo is joined by the harmonica and lap steel player Gaukur Davidsson on “Vaguely” and “Bug”, and trumpet player Eirikur Orri Ólafsson on “Splash”, not to mention Vaccines bassist Arni Hjörvar Árnason on mixing duties for the tracks “Bug,” “Splash”, and “Kokka”, and sound-mixer Albert Finnbogason on “Vaguely”.

The release is also out as a 12″ vinyl.

About Paddan

Paddan’s Sigtryggur Baldursson and Birgir Mogensen are lifelong friends from Kópavogur, Iceland, who started as mates on the local football team, then graduated to making music together as teenagers, and even later as young men doing time in the experimental punk collective KUKL, from 1983 – 1986. KUKL was populated by survivors of the post-punk scene in Iceland in the early 80s, which is well documented in the film “Rock in Reykjavik” from 1982.

The band was released by the Crass collective in London and featured members, apart from Birgir and Sigtryggur, like Guðlaugur Óttarsson, Einar Melax, Björk and Einar Örn, some of whom would become better known later in outfits like the Sugarcubes and their respective solo work and other collaborations.

Sigtryggur has a long career in music, having worked with among others, Emiliana Torrini, Howie B, Les Negresses Vertes, Tomas R. Einarsson, Petur Ben, KK, Kaktus Einarsson, and many many others. He also produces an award-winning documentary music show for RUV called Hljómskálinn.

Birgir Mogensen is a classically trained classical guitarist and bass player who has worked through the years with artists ranging from KUKL to Killing Joke to Spilafifl and Inferno5.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Sigtryggur Ari Johannsson) On May 10, Icelandic duo Paddan will release their new EP “Fluid Time” on the Washington D.C.-based label Lovitt Records. Today the band shares “Bug,” the first single, and its accompanying video, to be released from the forthcoming EP. Behind Paddan we find Birgir and Sigtryggur (members of Sugarcubes, KUKL).

On the song, the band’s Sigtryggur Baldursson says: “On ‘Bug’ we are working with the concept of using ideas very directly, documenting musical performances and using them more or less naturally, as they come. You could say we are putting our faith in the saying that first impressions are often correct. There is one modular synth in the background but everything else is played live on various instruments. Apart from bass, drums, and guitars we also have a harmonica and lap steel popping up in various places, played by Gaukur Davidsson.”

The material was recorded, produced, and arranged by the pair, Sigtryggur and Birgir play basses and drums along with various other instruments. All recordings are played on live instruments except a modular synth which is programmed in the background of two tracks The duo is joined by the harmonica and lap steel player Gaukur Davidsson on “Vaguely” and “Bug”, and trumpet player Eirikur Orri Ólafsson on “Splash”. You’ll also find Vaccines bassist Arni Hjörvar Árnason on mixing for “Bug,” “Splash” and “Kokka”, while sound-mixer Albert Finnbogason was active on “Vaguely.”

About Paddan

Paddan’s Sigtryggur Baldursson and Birgir Mogensen are lifelong friends from Kópavogur, Iceland, who started as mates on the local football team, then graduated to making music together as teenagers, and even later as young men doing time in the experimental punk collective KUKL, from 1983 – 1986. KUKL was populated by survivors of the post-punk scene in Iceland in the early 80s, which is well documented in the film “Rock in Reykjavik” from 1982. The band was released by the Crass collective in London and featured members, apart from Birgir and Sigtryggur, like Guðlaugur Óttarsson, Einar Melax, Björk and Einar Örn, some of whom would become better known later in outfits like the Sugarcubes and their respective solo work and other collaborations. Sigtryggur has a long career in music, having worked with among others, Emiliana Torrini, Howie B, Les Negresses Vertes, Tomas R. Einarsson, Petur Ben, KK, Kaktus Einarsson, and many many others. He also produces an award-winning documentary music show for RUV called Hljómskálinn.

Birgir Mogensen is a classically trained classical guitarist and bass player who has worked through the years with artists ranging from KUKL to Killing Joke to Spilafifl and Inferno5. Regarding the EP Birgir Mogensen says, “As a duo, we trusted our musical intuition and were guided by allowing the first idea to remain unchanged during the recording process”

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. 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!

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In October, Björk and Rosalía announced they would collaborate on the song “Oral”. That track is out since yesterday. The track, initially created over two decades ago by Björk, was revitalized with contributions from Rosalía for fundraising purposes. The proceeds from “Oral” will support AEGIS, a non-profit dedicated to combating open-pen fish farming in Iceland.

Björk, 58, initially wrote and produced “Oral” between the release of her albums “Homogenic” (1997) and “Vespertine” (2001), but it remained unreleased at the time. Rediscovered earlier this year, Björk decided to finish the song with the addition of production from Sega Bodega and the vocal talents of Rosalía, 31.

“Oral” is Björk’s first release in 2023, following her 2022 album “Fossora.” For Rosalía, this collaboration adds to her string of recent singles, including “LLYLM,” “Beso” with Rauw Alejandro, and “Tuya.”

Björk and Rosalía oppose Norwegian-owned commercial salmon farming in Iceland

The inspiration for the song’s release came after Björk learned about the environmental harm caused by Norwegian-owned commercial salmon farming in Iceland. The proceeds from “Oral” are earmarked to support the legal battle of the Icelandic town of Seyðisfjörður against Norwegian fisheries, which have been linked to increased pollution and damage to local salmon populations.

Björk chose Rosalía as a guest vocalist to represent a contemporary perspective, blending it with the song’s historical context. Having known Rosalía for several years, Björk reached out to her, and she agreed to collaborate before even hearing the song, also keen to support the environmental cause.

Video with digital avatars

Accompanying the song is a music video directed by Carlota Guerrero, featuring digital avatars of the artists in a sword-wielding, dance-like duel.

Here’s the video.

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. 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!

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Genre/Influences: Trip-Pop, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Lucy Kruger is a German artist who has already released a few albums. Together with ‘The Lost Boys’ who are guest musicians she this year released her newest work “Heaving” which is also available through Metropolis.

Content: It’s not that easy defining the sound of this project but it comes pretty close to Trip-Pop and reminds me of great projects like Portishead, Massive Attack and even Björk. I’m not saying Lucy Kruger is a copyist as the sound also has something personal with the singer’s fragile timbre of voice on top.

+ + + : Trip-Pop or simply ‘Free-Pop’ style; the stamp you’re putting on it doesn’t make sense. The music is good, personal and accessible. It sometimes sounds like ‘controlled chaos’ mixing electronics together with different instruments like drums, guitar, bass guitar, piano, violin… I like the fragile timbre of the voice which is also passionate. This album sounds sweet and dark.

– – – : The music is accessible but not directly comparable to established standards so it might take a few listening before you get into it.

Conclusion: Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys is an interesting project for its retro-visionary approach.

Best songs: “Howl”, “Tender”, “Burning Building”, “Undress”.

Rate: 7½. 

Artist: www.lucykrugerandthelostboys.com / www.facebook.com/LucyKrugerOfficial

Label: www.facebook.com/Uniquerec Read the news on ‘Heaving’.

Listen to “Heaving”:

About Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys is an art pop noise project fronted by Berlin-based, South African-born musician Lucy Kruger. The project released its self-titled debut EP in 2014, followed by the albums “Summer’s Not That Simple” (2017), “Sleeping Tapes for Some Girls” (2019), “Transit Tapes (For Women Who Move Furniture Around)” (2021) and “Teen Tapes (For Performing Your Own Stunts)” (2022) on the Permanent Record and Unique labels. “Heaving”, released in 2023 through Unique in Europe and Metropolis Records in the US, is the project’s latest album.

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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Out now via Embassy One is the all new single from the German duo KIDSØ. With “Freya” the duo also announce their partnership with Embassy One (Monolink, Björk, Moby). Behind this electronic act we find Moritz Grassinger and Martin Schneider who formed the act in 2017 in the southern region of Germany.

In 2018, KIDSØ released their debut album, “Apart”, followed by a string of live performances, which took KIDSØ from Amsterdam and Poland to various festivals and club shows around Germany. After collaboration with Natascha Polké on their last release, KIDSØ are now back with a new sound that is even more electronic than their previous songs they showed on the album “Fir” in 2022.

Quite commercial, yet well made. Judge for yourself.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Ben Wilkin) Out via Plastic Sound Records is Belle Scar’s newest single “I’ve Been Here Before”, the track is taken from the debut album “Atoms”. The Montreal born but now London-based singer-songwriter Belle Scar brings dark pop that indeed – just like the press release says – sounds like a mash-up between Nick Cave, Björk and Portishead.

Scar’s new single, “I’ve Been Here Before”, is about the acknowledgement and acceptance of the ‘black dog’ of melancholy. The video for it captures London at night, with Scar playing the lead role of a wanderer and actor JD Haymer representing her shadow.

Scar studied classical piano as a child before having to abandon it due to challenges related to ADHD and dyslexia that also affected her schooling. She eventually began writing poetry and composing music, to the point where it became an obsession and she left Montreal to head over to Europe for a lengthy tour armed with just her keyboard, a fistful of dark electronic pop songs and her distinctive voice. She finally ended up in the UK where “I could truly push myself to take risks and work on my most ambitious music; I began meeting lots of incredibly talented musicians, singers and artists with whom I have collaborated.”

There she started working with musician and producer Marc Olivier to create “Atoms”, her upcoming 11-track counting debut album. “I wrote ‘Atoms’ after my son was born, the aftermath of cancer in the family, life in the pandemic as well as acknowledging and accepting my continuing cognitive challenges,” explains Scar. “These songs are about my identity and trying to navigate the cycles of life, as well as my fascination with and awe of the universe, space and time in all its mysterious ways.”

Here’s the video for the new single.

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. 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!

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At this year’s Coachella festival, Björk surprised the audience by incorporating 864 drones in a stunning light display above the stage. While the performance was removed from YouTube’s livestream at the last moment, fan-recorded footage is still available for viewing.

Björk, or her social media representative, shared the following on Instagram: “Thrilled to announce that I was joined by 864 drones tonight! Tonight’s orchestral show was all about simplicity, with conductor @bjarnifrimann and an orchestra performing a selection of my songs. In honour of the magnificent @coachella festival (where I first played 21 years ago while pregnant), I invited drone company Studio Drift to join us. I’ve always been intrigued by digital notation and the visual abstraction of tonality, so hopefully the audience experienced a touch of synesthesia while watching.”

Below is the drone swarm display from Björk’s concert.

Bjork from a distance #Coachella pic.twitter.com/hHIWaAtZfy

— Gregory Ellwood – The Playlist 🎬 (@TheGregoryE) April 17, 2023

Björk has released her latest album, “Fossora”, on September 30, 2022. The title, which means “digging” in Latin, reflects the artist’s exploration of new musical depths. The album is accompanied by four singles: “Atopos”, released on September 6, “Ovule”, released on September 14, “Ancestress”, released on September 22, and the title track, released on September 27.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Nick Knight) – Elita announces the release of their debut album, Dysania, available today through the Opposition label. The album addresses themes such as narcissism, mental health, gender stereotypes, and coping with intrusive thoughts while incorporating humor and a lighthearted tone. The album artwork was created by British photographer Nick Knight, known for working with Björk, Lady Gaga, Massive Attack, Billie Eilish, and other artists.

The opening track, “Serial Killer,” follows previously released singles “Mentally Not Here,” “It’s a Joke,” “Sleep Paralysis,” and “She Bangs Like a Fairy On Acid.”

Discussing the follow-up to the band’s 2021 EP, “Anxiety Angel”, guitarist/keyboardist Tim Rypien says, “We wanted to explore new sounds and keep the songs simple. We toured the U.S. in 2021 following the release of our last EP. Playing live made us want to write music that was more impactful. Most of Dysania differs significantly from our past, more understated sound. Some parts may surprise our fans.”

Elita’s debut album delves into a dystopian world that lies between a dream and a nightmare. It tells the story of a femme fatale and can be described as a soundtrack reminiscent of Fight Club meeting FernGully. The music combines nostalgic and modern elements, creating a hi-fi/lo-fi atmosphere with a diverse range of sounds, including instrumentals that experiment with video game core and Nintendo-inspired drums.

A notable track is the before mentioned opening track “Serial Killer” which exemplifies the dystopian themes of the Dysania album. The song portrays an individualistic mindset in pursuit of fame in Los Angeles and adds a playful spin to this common sentiment. Discussing the song, Rypien says, “Many of our interactions in LA were unusual. People seemed indifferent towards one another. Most of the individuals we encountered were self-absorbed and overly opportunistic, as if their sole purpose was to promote their brand and climb the social ladder. It’s not exclusive to LA, though. Much of social media shares this aspect. We channeled our inner psycho-narcissist for this song.” Elita Harkov adds, “For me, the lyrics address fame and how people in the entertainment industry are treated, as if they’re being drained. There’s a prevailing vibe in LA that people will do anything to become well-known. I find the song amusing.”

Check out the video for “It’s a joke”.

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. 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!

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Depeche Mode has just announced an extension to their ‘Memento Mori’ world tour with a second North American leg. The band will add 29 new dates to their tour, running from late September until mid-December 2023. The tour will see the band perform in several cities, including Austin, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Brooklyn, Nashville, and Toronto, among others. The North American tour will conclude with two gigs in Los Angeles, at the city’s Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena.

The ‘Memento Mori’ tour is not limited to North America, as the band is scheduled to tour in Europe, the UK, and Ireland this year. The tour will see the band perform in venues such as the O2 Arena in London and the AccorHotels Arena in Paris.

The first North American leg of the ‘Memento Mori’ tour saw the band selling out their shows in March and April. The support acts for the first leg includes Kelly Lee Owens and Stella Rose And The Dead Language.

Stella Rose is the daughter of the band’s lead singer, Dave Gahan. And for those who don’t know Kelly Lee Owens, she is a Welsh musician, singer and producer, and known for her electronic music style, which combines elements of techno, ambient, and pop. Owens has released several albums, including her self-titled debut album in 2017. She has also worked with other artists, including Daniel Avery, Björk, and Jon Hopkins. It is not yet known who will open for the band during the second North American leg.

Depeche Mode’s announcement extends their global trek to 75 dates in support of the group’s upcoming 15th album, “Memento Mori”, which is set to be released March 24 via Columbia Records. “Memento Mori” is the follow-up album to the 2017 album “Spirit” and is their first release since the death of founding member Andy Fletcher in May 2022. The tour’s title, which translates to “Remember that you must die,” is a nod to the Latin phrase memento mori, which is used as a reminder of human mortality.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The North American leg extended the “Memento Mori” world tour, the band’s first tour cycle since Andy Fletcher’s 2022 death.

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. 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!

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Depeche Mode are set to release their 15th studio album “Memento Mori” on March 17th. The album will be preceded by the lead single “Ghosts Again” which will be released on February 9th.

Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album “Memento Mori” was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. In case you might have forgotten James Ford produced the band’s previous album “Spirit”.

Here’s a first impression of some of the single.

And here’s a remixed unofficial version by Germany’s finest remixer Dominatrix of course.

Marta Salogni is an Italian record producer, mixer and recording engineer, who as a producer has worked with Björk, M.I.A., Groove Armada and Django Django to name but a few. As an engineer, Salogni worked with producers such as Danton Supple and David Wrench. Alongside Wrench, she has worked on projects with The xx, Goldfrapp, and Tracey Thorn’s 2018 Record alongside producer Ewan Pearson.

James Ford from his side is an English record producer, songwriter and musician, known for being a member of Simian Mobile Disco and The Last Shadow Puppets as well as his production work with the Arctic Monkeys, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Haim, Gorillaz, Klaxons, Jessie Ware and Kylie Minogue.

In further news, Dave Gahan and Kurt Uenala’s cover of The Raveonettes’ “Chains” is available now. The song originally appeared on The Raveonettes debut “Whip It On” from 2002 and the new version will be included on the re-worked version of the album “Rip It Off” out on vinyl later this year alongside other artists such as MØ, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels, Trentemøller and more.

Here is the track.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Ghosts Again’.

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. 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!

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Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Electro-Punk-Pop, Trip-Pop, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Driven by Maria and Lena, theUkrainian-Swiss duo this summer struck back with their second full length album, which comes two years after “Unification”.

Content: The work remains a true sonic mishmash or just a collage of multiple influences. It’s a diversified piece of music, which also comes back in the production of the vocals, alternating German- and English language. Some parts remind me of Björk while others might appeal to fans of Grausame Töchter. The songs have been boosted by surprising Metal guitar riffs, but globally speaking the work is, in my opinion pretty Pop-driven.

+ + + : The least I can say is that Twins In Fear have seriously improved their production while seriously empowered by guitar riffs. The album stands for a creative- and original sound mixing passion, fun, rage, and power. But the main strength of this work is that it’s all remains compact, which is not an easy thing considering the multiple influences running through this work. There are several great songs, but I recommend listening to “Disappearance” for its styled composition and ‘hot-pop’ style. Another noticeable cut is “Illusion” for its harder, Industrial touch on top of the Pop basis.

– – – : There are a few passages leading you into reverie, which is not my favorite side of the work.

Conclusion: After an hesitant debut album Twins In Fear strikes back with a true sonic smasher; girls with testosterone!

Best songs: “Disappearance”, “Illusion”, “Stoff Für Meine Seele”, “Nothing But A Dream”, “Creep-Py”, “Nothing Be Like Twins In Fear”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063560821950

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

About Twins In Fear

Twins In Fear is the electro project of Ukrainian-Swiss singers Maria and Lena, based in Hamburg, Germany. Both had worked as backing singers and dancers for other bands before starting the project in spring 2019, focused on dark electro pop. Their debut album, “Unification”, was released on Scanner in November 2020 with 13 tracks and lyrics in German, English and Russian. “Nothing But A Dream” is Twins In Fear’s second full-length, released on Scanner / Dark Dimensions two years after the debut.

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.

www.side-line.com

Out via House of Mythology is the all new Current 93 album “If a City is set upon a Hill”. The album is being released on March 11th on 3 different formats, a CD and 2 vinyl versions (crystal clear and curaçao transparent). Note that the Cd and vinyl versions are very expensive, thanks to the Brexit that is.

David Tibet says the following about “If a City is set upon a Hill”):

“If A City Is Set Upon A Hill was given to me by YHWH G+D through my endless readings within the Akkadian Omen series šumma ālu ina mēlê šakin (“If A City Is Set Upon A Height”), my endless obsession with the story of Cain Killing Abel (Genesis IV: 8), and my endless rewatching of the same ten supernatural films. wayyōˀmer qayin ˀel heḇel ˀāḥîw wayhî bihyôṯām baśśāḏeh wayyāqām qayin ˀel heḇel ˀāḥîw wayyaharḡēhû I and the Perfect C93 FamilyOrgasm have been leaping higher than hares to bring you this Obsessive, Incomprehensible, DreamText. It must make NoSense AtAll! Beyond that, I have nothing to say except: There Is No Zodiac. And Hey AnyWay, Kids, We’re All Dust.”

We are still looking for a translation…

Here’s a track from the album.

About Current 93

Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93’s only constant member, although Steven Stapleton (of Nurse with Wound) has appeared on nearly every Current 93 release. Michael Cashmore has also been a constant contributor since “Thunder Perfect Mind”. Douglas P. of Death in June has played on well over a dozen Current 93 releases, and Steve Ignorant of Crass (using the name Stephen Intelligent), Boyd Rice, runologist Freya Aswynn, Nick Cave, Björk, Andrew W.K., Anohni, Baby Dee, Will Oldham, Ben Chasny, Rose McDowall, have also lent their talents over the years.

Current 93 have released over twenty albums and many singles as well. Much of Current 93’s early work was similar to late 1970s and early 1980s industrial music: abrasive tape loops, droning synthesizer noises and Tibet’s distorted, excoriating vocals.

The earlier recordings reflect his preoccupation with death, Christ, mysticism, Aleister Crowley (Tibet borrowed the term “93 Current” from Crowley – the 93 Current being the current of Thelema or Agape), Tibetan Buddhism, Gnosticism, runes, swastikas, Noddy, The Wicker Man, and a variety of other ridiculous occult notions. The later to present-day period of Current 93’s recordings increasingly reflect Tibet’s interest in Christian mysticism and apocalypse.

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. 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!

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(Photo by Philip Larsson) Swedish artist Josefin Runsteen debuts with the album “Hana – Three bodies (Original Soundtrack)” on October 6 via Pacaya records, in digital and on vinyl.

The album was originally composed as a soundtrack to a Butoh dance piece by choreographer / dancer Frauke. Butoh being a minimalistic performance dance created in Japan in 1959. The dance piece is “an ode to the innate intelligence of nature dedicated to its 5 elements (air, earth, water, fire, and void), mixing largely electronics with pop, ambient, modern classical, post-rock and experimental music elements”.

The 1st video single “Banyan – Scene V (Air)” iso out now and will pop up on all digital platforms from September 3rd on. Below is the video directed by Tuva Björk.

Josefin Runsteen is a multi-instrumentalist (drums, violins, guitars, piano, electronics, vocals…) who has toured with several indie pop acts such as Feist, Damien Rice, Ane Brun, Loney Dear and Frank Ocean. She has also been very active in the jazz/avant garde scene. In 2020, she also released an acoustic album with Charles Spearin (founding member of Canadian indie elite Do Make Say Think & Broken Social Scene).

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. 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!

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Trance Wax is an alias of Belfast-born producer Garry McCartney, also known as Ejeca. His Trance Wax project began as an anonymous series of vinyl-only bootlegs back in 2015 on which he reworked classics from Yves Deyurter, BT, and Mauro Picotto. Two Trance Wax edits of Above & Beyond’s OceanLab project were released on Anjunabeats in 2019, with the debut Trance Wax album following in November 2020.

Remixers of the album have included the likes of Dusky, Kevin De Vries, Shanti Celeste, and now 808 State. In a reaction v says that “Eve was pretty Balearic in its original form, but we’ve given it a spray tan using some vintage analog synths and guitars. One for the sunset crew!”

Trance Wax’ “Eve (808 State Remix)” is out July 16 on Anjunabeats.

About 808 State

808 State are an English electronic music group which formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine. They were formed by Graham Massey, Martin Price and Gerald Simpson, and they released their debut album, “Newbuild”, in September 1988. The band secured commercial success in 1989, when their song “Pacific State” was picked up by BBC Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies.

Simpson left the group in 1989 to form his own solo project, A Guy Called Gerald. At this point, the remaining personnel enlisted DJs Andrew Barker and Darren Partington, known as the Spinmasters, and recorded the EP, “Quadrastate” in July 1989. “Ninety” was released in December 1989.

MC Tunes worked with the band on the 1990 album, “The North at Its Heights”, which became a moderate success. MC Tunes returned in 1996 to work on a new track, “Pump”, taken from 808 State’s album “Thermo Kings”. 808 State’s next album was released in 1991, “Ex:el”, which featured the vocals of Bernard Sumner and Björk.

In October 1991, it was Price’s turn to leave the group to perform solo production work, eventually forming his own label, Sun Text. The remaining members released a fourth album called “Gorgeous”, and after that, did some remix work for David Bowie, Soundgarden, and other performers, before returning with the album entitled “Don Solaris” in 1996. They released a greatest hits compilation album, “808:88:98” in 1998. In 2000, “Newbuild” was re-released.

The albums “Ex:el” and “Gorgeous” show the band’s new wave influences by sampling or featuring new wave icons such as Bernard Sumner on the song “Spanish Heart” and Ian McCulloch on “Moses”. The song “Contrique” samples the bassline to Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control” and “10 X 10” is a gospel-house track built on the foundation of The Jam’s “Start!”.

In 2003, they released “Outpost Transmission” which featured guest collaborations from the Alabama 3 and Guy Garvey from Elbow. In May 2008, the re-issue of the album “Quadrastate” completed a trilogy of pre-ZTT releases on CD for the first time.

Partington left the band after being jailed for 18 months in January 2015 for dealing heroin and crack cocaine. He continues to DJ regularly and is lead singer with new Manchester band Big Unit, a rock band with acid house underpinnings.

In April 2018 the remaining members announced a brand new live show for a 30th Anniversary Tour to take place in November/December. The show will feature new versions of tracks from their 30-year history and totally new material from their forthcoming sixth studio album.

The band’s last studio album was 2019’s “Transmission Suite”.

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. 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!

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UPDATE: We wrongly published that the David Tibet album reissue of “Ferelith” came in 2 versions. In fact there are no two versions, but 2 different albums, the second being “Fontelatus”. The text has been adapted.

(Photo via Discogs) Out on April 30th is a reissue of the 2020 David Tibet (Current 93) albums “Ferelith” and “Fontelatus”. Originally released by Cashen’s Gap, House of Mythology now re-issues both albums.

The releases come in two different vinyl editions, the first is a transparent marbled vinyl (111 copies), the second version is a clear and black marbled vinyl.

The “Ferelith” album has a printed insert on Japanese style paper and a small card, with the album’s cover on one side, and the name of the album on the other side. Each card is hand signed by David Tibet.

This is the first and 2nd part in a series of 5 releases. Note that every single track is untitled and this on all 5 of the albums.

About David Tibet

David Tibet is a British poet and artist who founded the music group Current 93, of which he is the only full-time member. He was given the name “Tibet” by Genesis P-Orridge, and in January 2005 he announced that he would revert to the name David Michael, although he continues to use the well-known “Tibet” in his public career to date.

Early in his career, he collaborated with Psychic TV and 23 Skidoo. Tibet left Psychic TV in 1983 and founded Current 93 the same year. He has worked with Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound (of which band he is a member), Michael Cashmore, Douglas P. (of Death in June, on whose albums he has appeared several times), Steve Ignorant of Crass (using the name “Stephen Intelligent”), Boyd Rice, Little Annie, Björk, Nick Cave, Rose McDowall, Tiny Tim, Annabella Lwin (of Bow Wow Wow) and Ian Read of Fire and Ice.

Tibet is more recently also part of a project called Nodding God, whose debut album, “Play Wooden Child”, was released in 2019. Tibet provided the vocals for this album, singing in the Akkadian language. Nodding God also features Andrew Liles, and an anonymous artist credited as the “Underage Shaitan Boy”.

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. 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!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Chanson, leftfield-pop.  

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Kreda is an Anglo-Slovenian trio. Two of the members, Mina Spiler (singer) and Matevž Kolenc (composer) have been involved with their legendary compatriots from Laibach for quite some years now. The third member is the British artist Alastair McNeill. “Crest” is the band’s debut work featuring four songs.

Content: Kreda claims to compose leftfield-pop, which is easily recognizable for the down tempo format.  But there are multiple influences running through this work. There’s a kind dreamy sensation mixed with experimental elements. Especially both last songs remind me a bit of Björk. But the music also has something mind-boggling, which mainly comes through at “The Overlay”. The songs are characterized by the delicate, sensual and sweet vocals of Mina Spiler.

+ + + : Mina Spiler’s timbre of voice and vocal skills have something bewitching. She injects a real spirit into the work. Sound-wise I like this composition for its minimalism and own approach. It creates a deeply artistic style, which mainly comes through at the aforementioned “The Overlay”.

– – – : The EP is maybe missing a real apex, but I’m really wondering how their further works will sound like.

Conclusion: Kreda is hard to define, but the sound is intriguing and definitely into a real artistic approach.

Best songs: “The Overlay”, “Soft Calls”.

Rate: (7).

Label: www.naturescenerecords.com / www.facebook.com/naturescene

About Kreda

Kreda is an Anglo-Slovenian trio formed by singer Mina Spiler and composer Matevž Kolenc, both credited as collaborating members of Laibach, together with British artist Alastair McNeill. “Crest” is the trio’s debut EP, released on Nature Scene Records.

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.

www.side-line.com

Jérôme Soudan is one of those artists I personally consider as a ‘visionary’ artist. His Mimetic project is the best exposure to realize the constant avant-garde approach he tries to inject in his work. He belongs to the ‘pioneers’ who incorporated techno music in the industrial scene, but he later on moved on with elements of IDM. Mimetic is a kind of reference, but still a project that has the power to entertain different scenes: techno and industrial! He this year released the compilation-album “RVSTD1:1998-2019” on Les Arts Minis, which is an opportunity to seize the evolution of the artist and his strong connection with techno music. Jérôme Soudan is a fascinating man, but still an essential artist from the electronic-underground scene.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You this year released the compilation-album “RVSTD1:1998-2019”, which covers more than 20 years of Mimetic, but especially the ‘techno-driven’ tracks. How do you look back at more than 20 years of Mimetic and tell us a bit more about the main purpose of this album?

Jérôme: At the beginning I wanted to create a solo-project as I was involved in a lot of diverse collectives such as Von Magnet for instance, but after a few years I knew I wanted to keep that project alive no matter what direction I’ll take. During these 20 years I guess I was an alien on many different scenes. Right now I’m more into the techno scene as a DJ, but even here I’m not a typical one since I’m not that young DJ still at school, but more like a veteran who’s using his background in every set. I got a classical music education, but quite rapidly during my studies I got more interested into the experimental-, electro-acoustic- and at the same time rock- scene…

Mimetic is actually born in Berlin, but not from the techno scene. I was more into industrial-experimental. I was one of the members from the Berliner act Column One. But from the first Mimetic-album on I already incorporated some techno sounds or rhythms. Other productions were more into electronica or IDM, but still featuring techno-industrial elements. What I see nowadays is a lot of good techno-industrial acts such as Perc for instance or even Paula Temple who are directly influenced by those indus-techno sound we used to do in the beginning of the 2000’s…

The main purpose of this album was to show to the young generation what Mimetic was doing in the past, a  kind of hybrid techno that they don’t know since some of the releases were not available in digital format. And it was also important to me to release it with a common thread so everybody can feel the links between the years.

Q: Speaking about all these influences, I however noticed an evolution in sound/influences throughout the ‘Mimetic-years’. Right in the beginning your music was more into industrial/experimental and ambient music, but quite progressively techno- & IDM elements joined in. How do you analyze this evolution and the impact of techno music globally speaking?

Jérôme: Actually the German post-industrial movement leading by labels such as Ant-Zen, Hymen or Hands has a strong influence in the techno scene, but it’s a bit involuntarily unfortunately. Most of the strong techno artists of today never heard of “Maschinenfest” while actually when I play in a techno event I can play exactly the same sound than if I was in the merche area of “Maschinenfest”…. There are some people from that industrial scene who say to me that they have the feeling I get lost from their scene. I don’t think so, I actually think every movement has got their artists who tend to repeat their formulas while actually the style is moving quicker than artists who are representing that style…. Techno is like other styles, stealing from others. And besides, techno is not all the time a hype style… Every decade it’s coming back, with a young generation seeking to know more, but I remember times where only house-music was the hype, and techno was considered as a non-respectable genre.

I consider techno as really dynamic and a strong music style; a kind of political atmosphere close to punk-music. I know that Iggy Pop hates techno music. But I think he was never in a rave party so far, because he could have seen the same energy. For me DAF was more important than others in that way, they played basically on the punk scene for years while actually their sound is still really present in nowadays techno, in that sense, industrial-punk was maybe more involved in the future than they pretend to be! I’m not surprised to see DAF playing in a lot of techno festivals since 10 years now.

Q: You were one of the ‘pioneers’ to mix industrial- and techno music while today most of the industrial artists are adding techno music to their compositions. This evolution is quite interesting while at the other hand the ‘real’ industrial sound and spirit have been a bit lost. What makes the link between industrial- and techno music and what do you expect for the coming years?

Jérôme: Right at the beginning industrial-music was a music for and coming from the cities (‘industrial music for industrial people’). This movement was born with artists such as Throbbing Grristle in the UK and Einstürzende Neubauten in Germany, and it was during the same years of punk-music, because the attitude was punk, not the music of course. But those artists were using electronic sounds in a very creative way while in parallel in Detroit (USA) a few artists started to use electronic music, but more in a rhythmical way. If you take the song “Yü Gung Fütter Mein Ego” there is the techno energy in it, it is repetitive and strong as hell.

For me there is the link between industrial to techno; it’s definitely the city, the sounds of the city, the power and the violence of the city. The ‘real’ industrial sound and spirit, like you say, is still here, but actually more into a scene of ‘niche’. This is something you can maybe relate to contemporary art, there is a language you have to understand in order to feel that music and it’s actually not easy for everybody. Since life is becoming more and more an everyday fight, people feel more attract by a music which is talking directly to their body, with a strong bass and a strong repetitive rhythm. Instead of what people are usually thinking, techno is a cathartic music for every-day hard-worker, and not simple party music. It’s definitely not a surprise to me to see that techno music is going stronger and stronger in South-America or Asia as well. It’s very important for me to keep an urgency in the music, something that stays strong, powerful and alive. You can listen to Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre Du Printemps” or The Young Gods’  “Skinflower” or “Surgeon” and feel the same power!

Q: Over now to the writing of your songs. Can you give us a bit more details about the different stages you’ve to go through to compose a song/album and do you’ve special criteria/references when speaking about the global production process?

Jérôme: First there’s a long process of  prospection; listening to sounds, travelling, walking in a city, recording maybe etc… Next comes a long process again; working on a few sounds for days, experimenting, transforming the sounds etc.. Then, I’ve to build a track, a kind of montage like a film, with a ‘scenario’. Then I move on adding effects and giving a ‘heart’ to the whole track and doing a kind of pre-mixing. Then comes the mixing, which can be quite long. A track is never finished! And then I let it to the mastering experts. For me the global production has to include a good balance between frequencies, this is the only way. I love when you hear every details, for instance if you listen to a Max Cooper track, which is amazing…

Q: You also did an impressive number of remixes for other artists and among them Björk. What do you try to achieve when working on a remix and are there some remixes (maybe like the one for Björk) you kept in mind?

Jérôme: Well a remix is usually a very interesting operation, because you have to dive into somebody else’s universe and make it your own track without altering the original sense of the track. But sometimes it’s delicate to do, because you cannot adapt yourself to every style, so now I’m really choosing the artists with who I work on that remixing aspect. I usually keep only half of the sounds the artist gives me and re-write a few lines and create new sounds, and I basically change the structure too. At the beginning I listen and listen to the original track, trying to find in which direction I would have been if I was the composer and when I find my own focus then I can go on and re-create a new structure.

Q: I think to remember you lived a few years in Berlin, which is often considered as the ‘place to be’ when it comes to techno music. What has been the impact of your ‘Berliner years’ on your creation and your evolution as musician/producer and are there other places/people which/who had an important impact?

Jérôme: Yes Berlin was important, especially because it was right after the end of the Wall. I left berlin in 2000, and before that it was such a field of experimentation, it was a great time there, not only for techno-music, but also for experimental-music, architecture etc. There were so many unofficial clubs and parties, bars, events in some destroyed buildings… I was usually going out in Tresor Club and in E-Werk which was a few meters beside. But I was playing in the same time in Komische Oper and some experimental places such Podewill, NBI or Grüne Salon (VolksBühne).

Another aspect that was really important to me, is that I met a lot of people from East-Germany. They usually didn’t speak English very well, but they had another way to create and it was really interesting. Nowadays those artists usually left Berlin as it became after a while too hype and too expensive for them. A lot of those artists are now living in Poland or Praha or even Baltic Countries… Today I think Berlin is still interesting for techno-music, especially because there’re hundreds of clubs and it’s a good thing for music, but if you look for some good emergent artists and scenes, I think Europe has to check a bit more outside. Africa is bringing now some good electronic music, Asia and South-America are becoming strong. There are still wonderful events in Europe, especially in the Eastern countries, but the business is coming quick and even the underground events in countries such as Croatia are little by little leaded by West-European business men. Speaking about West-Europe, an important impact I don’t have to forget is the venue itself, and especially the ephemeral squats which are given an important place to experimentation. In the 90’s there were still a lot of squats in Europe and I knew a lot especially in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. Those places are more and more rare of course and it’s a pity as they were a teaming with great emergent artists….

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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The track is taken from the E.P. “No pain forever” which will be released (as a free download) on Jan. 25 via this link and an album named “There will be solutions” will be released in early 2019. The 6 track EP holds 2 remixes of the song next to the original and the extra tracks “Obsolete Cyborgs” and “Soon You’re Mine” which comes in 2 remixed versions.

Here’s the official video.

Here’s some info about the band’s endeavours so far. A.I. Zero was founded in 2014 and consists of Maikko Advance (Mind Area, Sceptica, ex Human Decay member) and Flesh Wire. The first digital EP was released via Hunter Records while the band’s first album was released on Scent Air Records (on CD and digital) in 2014. In 2015 the band also completed a remix for Tanya Tagaq, whom you will know from her work on the Björk album “Medulla”. A second A.I. Zero E.P. also launched in 2015 with remixes from Armageddon Dildos and Photic Sonar (among others).

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. 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!

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The Danish director Lars Von Trier has denied that he sexually harassed Icelandic musician Björk during the making of “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) for which Björk won a best actress prize. Von Trier told Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in its online edition that it was not the case, “but that we were definitely not friends, that’s a fact.”

“Dancer in the Dark” producer Peter Aalbaek Jensen from his side told Jyllands Posten that he and Von Trier were the victims: “That woman was stronger than both Lars von Trier and me and our company put together. She dictated everything and was about to close a movie of 100m kroner. As far as I remember we were the victims.”

Björk posted a Facebook update on October 15 in which she claims that she was sexually harassed by ‘a film director’. The 51-year-old former lead singer of the Sugarcubes, did not name Von Trier, but Trier’s award-winning 2000 musical drama remains the only film with Björk.

The post was followed up yesterday including some details of what she claims had happened and adding it was an experience ‘with a danish director’.

Truth or lie, we might never know what really happened as other actors are defending Von Trier. On a side-note, it would be interesting to also unmask some of the musicians who have loose hands and/or don’t hesitate to hit a woman… We know several from the industrial, new wave scene.

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. 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!

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Genre/Influences: Experimental, free-jazz.

Background/Info: Atonalist is a French duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists Renaud-Gabriel Pion (collaborator of John Cale, Dead Can Dance, Siouxsie, Hector Zazou, Björk and may more…) and Arnaud Fournier (member of Hint, La Phaze, Dead Hippies). They have been joined on vocals by Gavin Friday, the legendary singer of The Virgin Prunes.

Content: I didn’t know what to expect starting the listening of this album, but the only presence of Gavin Friday made it pretty intriguing. Atonalist have composed an album, which clearly sounds experimental and into a free-jazz style. They played on numerous acoustic instruments, accentuating some authenticity although the jazz style becomes sometimes pretty chaotic. You clearly hear passages played by piano, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, guitar… but also a noticeable experimental part created by electronics.

Gavin Friday is singing on 5 from the 12 songs. His particular timbre of voice remains very unique, like injecting a mysterious flavor into the work.

+ + + : You’d better get a bit more familiar with jazz and/or experimental music to fully enjoy this work. I experienced “Atonalism” as total free-jazz, which makes it pretty experimental. The work is rather varied, but always carried by its experimental and jazzy basis. Joining hands with Gavin Friday is a real interesting experience and the least I can say is that music and vocals together create a sacred symbiosis. I especially recommend discovering “Gottesnabeterin”, which is a great song. Other tracks are more into soundtrack music for a ‘film-noir’ and I here want to tip “The Philosophers’ Argument”.

– – – : The free-jazz style is something particular and less coherent if you’re not into this kind of music. This total minimalistic attitude is not that easy to endure because of the sonic chaos and improvisation.

Conclusion: I’m not familiar reviewing jazz music –even if it’s still pretty experimental, but when I realized that Gavin Friday was involved I became intrigued. I can’t say that I fully enjoyed this work, but it’s an interesting production.

Best songs: “Gottesanbeterin”, “Different To The Others”, “The Road To Perdition”.

Rate: (6½).

Bands: www.facebook.com/Atonalist / http://gavinfriday.com / www.facebook.com/gavinfridaynews

Label: www.audiotrauma.org / www.facebook.com/audiotrauma.records

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.

www.side-line.com

GlerAkur is the moniker Icelandic composer and sound designer Elvar Geir Sævarsson who is also active as a sound engineer at the National Theater of Iceland. Icelandic for ‘Glass Field’, GlerAkur draws inspiration from post rock, drone and ambient music, as well as black and doom metal.

“The Mountains Are Beautiful Now” is the debut full-length from GlerAkur, following the release of 2016’s introductory EP, “Can’t You Wait”, which was nominated for an Icelandic Kraumur Award, chosen by the country’s top journalists and radio hosts and bestowed annually to the best albums released in Iceland (see Björk, Sigur Rós). Written for and inspired by The National Theatre of Iceland’s 2015 production of the play “Fjalla-Eyvindur & Halla” by Jóhann Sigurjónsson, “The Mountains Are Beautiful Now” was recorded with four guitarists, two drummers and a bassist in the basement bar at the Theatre.

The album itself will see various format releases including vinyl and CD which can all be ordered right here. The 5 bonus tracks on the 2CD hardcover book version of the album are “Arnes Lost”, “Polycide II”, “Willocide II”, “Strings (Theatre version)” and “Fuglamál”.

Below is the video for “Can’t You Wait” which is featured in an album version on the full length release “The Mountains Are Beautiful Now”.

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. 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!

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“Reassuring Pinches” is the first single from Alison Moyet’s new album, “Other”, which will be out 16th June 2017. The album can already be pre-ordered on vinyl or CD.

“Other” was produced and co-written by Guy Sigsworth, who (Björk, Goldie and Madonna), who also co-created the last album “The minutes” by the former Yazoo frontwoman. The new longplayer furthermore features backing vocals from Alison’s daughter on the track “The English U”, which was preceded by her guest appearance on stage at Alison’s Royal Albert Hall show, and an appearance in the video for “When I Was Your Girl” (from “The minutes”).

Here’s the video for the new Alison Moyet single “Reassuring Pinches”.

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. 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!

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Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, experimental.

Background/Info: 7JK is the fusion between Sieben (7) and Job Karma (JK). This Half British, half Polish formation released the debut album “Anthems Flesh” in 2012. The new opus only features one member from the Job Karma duo. 7JK now is Matt Howden (Sieben) and Maciek Frett (Job Karma).

Content: It’s nearly impossible to define the genre of this album, which consists of Matt Howden on vocals and playing his violin on one side plus Maciek Frett taking care of the electronics on the other. It’s an accessible experiment resulting in some dreamy and poignant songs revealing Matt Howden’s charismatic and passionate vocals.

Some of the songs are driven by a rather slow and sensual cadence, which makes it all very enjoyable. There’s a kind of magic operating between both musicians. Notice by the way that the last song features female guest vocals by Hanna Stubbs.

+ + + : “Ride The Solar Tide” is a beautiful album with a perfect balance between the magic of the violin and the electronics. The down tempo together with the electronic treatments and multiple sound effects are sometimes reminding me a bit of Björk. “Guidance Is Eternal” is a remarkable song in the genre. But I also fully enjoyed the sensuality emerging from “Barry The Astonishing” and especially “Undergrowth”. Matt Howden is a musician who likes to work with other artists, but “Ride The Solar Tide” definitely is one of the most successful albums.

I also have to say a word about the beautiful digipak format revealing a dreamy and somewhat surreal artwork.

– – – : “Ride The Solar Tide” is hard to label and that’s maybe why some people will ignore this little sonic treasure.

Conclusion: Side-projects between artists is always fun, but not as convincing. 7JK must be one of the exceptions to the rule “Ride The Solar Tide” being an accomplished composition featuring many beautiful songs.

Best songs: “Undergrowth”, “Barry The Astonishing”, “Guidance Is Internal”, “Slow Flow Snowflake”, “Starseed”.

Rate: (8).

Band & Label:  http://7jk.eu /www.facebook.com/7JKband

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Content: Dancing With Ruby is a very interesting discovery in the wider fields of electro-pop music. The duo consists of Matt Culpin and Charlie Sanderson.

From the very first notes you’ll notice the explicit electro-pop flavor emerging from the composition. The sound is made with cool electronic treatments, a low sounding bass line and delicate arrangements, which totally match with the dreamy vocals of singer Charlie Sanderson. She injects some part of fragility to the work, which makes it all sound sensitive and delicate.

There are many influences running through the sound, which sometimes brings us back to the golden 80s. Just pay attention for some vintage passages (like at “Orchestrated Honesty”), which might remind you of Depeche Mode. One of the most noticeable songs appears to be “Becoming Undone” for its somewhat Kraftwerk-ian pop style. Here again the song is carried by a solid and deep sounding bass line. Several songs also reveal a kind of space-like atmosphere, which together with the beauty of the vocals elevate the sound.

This is an album to dream away to although it remains danceable as well. Some of the songs are carried by a harder kick, which can be also a bit retro-like as well (cf. “Nightmare”). I was also caught by the emotional-sounding “Still Waters”, which reveals a touch of experimental-pop and reminds me a bit of Björk. There’s a lot to experience with this work and I also have to tip the somewhat darker-like “Hold Everything Dear” and the final song “Dance Move Feel”, which is without a shadow of a doubt the most catchy and poppy song of the tracklist.

If I had to imagine one single minus point about this work I would say that the songs are maybe a little bit too short, which simply reveals that you never get bored when listening to this release.

Conclusion: Dancing With Ruby is a new and fascinating formation that will please electro-pop fans. This album is a great success.

Best songs: “Becoming Undone”, “Orchestrated Honesty”, Spider”, “Nightmare”, “Hold Everything Dear”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.dancingwithruby.net / www.facebook.com/dancingwithruby

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.

www.side-line.com