COP International will release the “Los Angeles – From The Ashes” charity compilation tomorrow. You can already pre-order it now for 10 USD. The release will only be available through Bandcamp.

The devastating fires in Los Angeles also destroyed “one of the most vibrant artist communities in the world” so COP International’s Christian says. “Many of our friends, collaborators, and fellow artists were displaced, with some losing everything. Among those deeply affected was Louise Fraser of Muricidae Music, a beloved COP International artist, who lost her home in the tragedy. In the face of this devastation, we knew we had to take action. This is our response: “Los Angeles – Out of Ashes”—a massive 75-track Bandcamp compilation, bringing together an extraordinary community of artists, labels, and supporters.”

All net income from the release will be donated directly to the American Red Cross, helping fire victims and aiding ongoing relief efforts. Since it’s Bandcamp Friday tomorrow, Bandcamp will waive its fee, ensuring that every dollar goes to those in need.

The 75 bands included are: Black Needle Noise, Blackcarburning, Dogtablet, Stoneburner, Inertia, Carrellee, The Halo Trees, I Ya Toyah, Jane Jensen Music, Muricidae Music, NØIR, Die Kammer, Black Angel, Night Ritualz, SJÖBLOM, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Chris Connelly & Dan Milligan, The Cassandra Complex, KY music, Louise Fraser, G.W. Childs IV, Junksista, Johnny Tupolev, unitcode:machine, Deathline International, The Russian White, Icon of Coil Official, Brigade Enzephalon, Monody, Lights of Euphoria, Black Nail Cabaret, Ruined Conflict, Solemnshapes, A Projection, Magic Wands, Beborn Beton, TORUL, Lost Signal, Orange Sector (offiziell), Interface, genCAB, MESH, Destroy Me Again, Sapphira Vee, Dstrtd Sgnl, Klack, TREASVRE, xotox, Frontal Boundary, nolongerhuman, Bellhead, V2A, Metamorph, Red Lokust, WESENBERG, Psyclon 9, Flesh Field, Principe Valiente, Death By Love, Winema Suehead, Sick Jokes, Chiasm, The Hunger, Vaselyne, Solar Fake, Girls Under Glass, NORMORIA, Stabbing Westward, Jesus On Extasy, The Shadow Majlis, Amulet, Suicide Queen, Ego Likeness, Schattenmann, Beasto Blanco.

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 Brussels-based Spleen+ label (a division of Alfa Matrix) has prepared a deluxe 7CD collector’s edition – “Resurgence” – which brings together 133 active bands from across the globe, spanning the diverse sub-genres born from post-punk’s iconic roots. You can order it now from the Alfa Matrix webstore and in digital download format from Bandcamp.

The release comes housed in a luxurious vinyl-sized box, and comes accompanied by a 28-page book. The book holds interviews from renowned producers like John Fryer and Jean-Marc Lederman, label managers, journalists, and iconic artists (including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, William Faith, No More, Skeletal Family, Mona Mur, KaS Product, And Also The Trees, Clan Of Xymox, Attrition, Das Ich, Merciful Nuns, The Names, The Breath Of Life, etc).

Spanning 23 different nationalities, the music included is a genre-spanning mix of post-punk, cold wave, dark synth, ethereal, and minimal EBM with such bands like Boy Harsher, A Cloud Of Ravens, No More, Skeletal Family, Collection D’Arnell Andrea, Underviewer, Attrition, Merciful Nuns, Lederman/De Meyer, Local Suicide & Sekelesys, Star Industry, Ataraxia, Czarina, Helalyn Flowers, Ascii.Disko, Je T’Aime, The Ultimate Dreamers, Lycia, Opera Multi Steel, The Breath Of Life, Auger, The Names, Whispers In The Shadow, Lovelorn Dolls, Astari Nite, Chiasm, Saigon Blue Rain, Omnimar, Still Patient, Creux Lies, Golden Apes, and many more.

You can already check out a few tracks here.

Apart from the 7CD vinyl size deluxe carton box format, “Resurgence” will not be available on mainstream digital platforms, except exclusively via the label’s Bandcamp page.

There is also a special combi pack including the 7CD set plus Darkness On Demand’s “Panic In Reserve” CD and To Avoid’s “All Gods Are Gone” 2CD.

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

1. Bestial Mouths . Hex (The Spell)
2. A Cloud Of Ravens . Parable
3. Boy Harsher . Give Me A Reason
4. Czarina . Wonderland
5. Collection D’arnell Andrea . Waiting For Meaulnes
6. Krystal System . La Lame Dans Ta Main
7. Je T’aime . Out Of Sight
8. Aeon Rings . Fully Operational
9. The Ultimate Dreamers . Polarized
10. Partikul . Nothing Good In Me
11. Cosmobrigade . Spacepit
12. Aeon Sable . From Witchcraft To Deviltry
13. Stereoskop . Deep Down
14. The Breath Of Life . Slowly Crushing
15. Faust Project . Rats Lullaby
16. Al . Mistake
17. N.E.L. & J.P . Desinteresse
18. Zeitgeist Zero . Scream
19. Voyna . Moulding Heart

Cd 2

1. Blackbook . You Are Strange
2. Auger . My Heart Is Glass
3. Dekad . A Deadly Show (Video Edit)
4. Love In Cage . A Logical Secret Collection
5. Helalyn Flowers . Halos
6. Soft Scent . No Wounds
7. Sweet Ermengarde . Sweet Sacrifice
8. Martin Dupont . Bent At The Window (2023)
9. The Names . Far From The Factories
10. Boxes Of Blow . Melting Faces
11. Mirror Of Haze Feat. Primitive Heart . Reckless
12. A Slice Of Life . Seven Days
13. Then Comes Silence . Pretty Creatures
14. Nite . Inside Of My Head
15. Astari Nite . Bowie In Daydreams
16. Korus . Złote Światło Pierwszego Zachodu
17. Lovelorn Dolls . A Heart Cries
18. Whispers In The Shadow . Revenants
19. Merciful Nuns . Oneironauts

Cd 3

1. Lederman – De Meyer . Heartbeat
2. Local Suicide & Skelesys . Surface Of The Sun (Radio Edit)
3. Punx Soundcheck Feat. Ascii.Disko & Princess Superstar . Gasoline
4. No More . Sleepers And Trains
5. Mitra Mitra . Memories For Company
6. A Copy For Collapse Feat. Simona Pietrucci . Faded
7. Alien Skin . Depress Me
8. White Mansion . Cancel The Sky
9. Apnoie . Splash Your Bile
10. Celluloide . Compte Les Ombres
11. Risk Risk . Streetwalk
12. Total Chroma . Northern Lights
13. Opera Multi Steel . À Nos Moments Perdus
14. Lycia . Simpler Times
15. Noemi Aurora . Blood As Lipstick
16. Novus . Ess
17. I Ya Toyah . Death’s Kiss
18. Katcross . Rest
19. Winter Severity Index . Speak To Me

Cd 4

1. Systeme Paradoxe . Comme Le Sable En Hiver
2. Aiboforcen . Break The Black Ice (Original Mix)
3. Chiasm . Cut Right Through (Emileigh Rohn Edit)
4. Saigon Blue Rain . Dolls Dresses
5. Her Own World . Mistrust
6. Still Patient Feat. Minu-Schirin Samimi . Blind Vision
7. Creux Lies . Playtime
8. Der Klinke . Curtains (Your Life On Hold Remix)
9. On The Floor . Crying On The Dancefloor
10. Numa Echos Feat. Red Zebra . Waisted Items
11. Factheory . The Day (Ok Lion! Mix – Short Version)
12. Antiflvx . Crystal
13. Flor Concreta . She’s Closer
14. Golden Apes . Ash Trees
15. Glis . Blue Sky Night
16. Ataraxia . The Source
17. Hanging Freud . Grooming
18. Ok Lion! . Get Away
19. Yuzna . Queen Of The Eels

Cd 5

1. The Breath Of Life Feat. Implant . The Last Record
2. The Halo Trees . Happy Man
3. Palm Ghosts . Tilt
4. Your Life On Hold . Imprisoned (Merciless Radio Edit)
5. Götterdämmerung . Common Existence
6. Jenni Sex . Sin Chimes
7. Denner . She Radiates Darkness
8. Imjudas . I Love You
9. Black Needle Noise . Dollhouse On Fire
10. Dead Souls Rising . Dysmorphobia
11. The Waning Moon . Annabel
12. Korinthians . Leader Of The Night
13. Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio . Mantis (Auger Remix)
14. Omnimar . The Matrix
15. Synapsyche Feat. Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) . The Last Dying Flame
16. Dance My Darling . Criminal
17. First Aid 4 Souls Feat. Emke Of Black Nail Cabaret . Das Messer
18. Supernova 1006 . Tell Your Name (Mix)
19. Suicidal Romance . Runaways

Cd 6

1. Ascii.Disko . Loslassen
2. Vioflesh . Emotions
3. Dina Summer . Who Am I (Club Version)
4. Pleasure Victim . Rascheln
5. Pink Opake . Pronta
6. Thewalkingicon . The Trail (Radio Edit)
7. Psy’aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories . Healing
8. Seasurfer . Collapsing
9. Lakeside X . Fire In The Sky (Radio Version)
10. Darkness On Demand . Hang On (Winterhart Remix)
11. Star Industry . Selling Icons (The Dreamside Remix)
12. Alphavox . Dark Satellite
13. Yama Uba . Shapes
14. Lifeless Past . Anxiety
15. Pink Turns Blue . Not Gonna Take It
16. Social Union . Waiting For Red
17. Sine . Until (Clan Of Xymox Remix)
18. Sorry, Heels . She Burns (We Burn) Version
19. Lights A.M . Clouds

Cd 7

1. Useless/You . Echo
2. Attrition . The Great Derailer
3. Children Of Zeal . Taking Over
4. Octolab . Friend Or Foe
5. Vague Phonique . The Last Man
6. Midnight Poetry . Black Hole
7. The Overlookers . Undercover (Edit)
8. La Machine . Vamos A La Playa (Radiomix)
9. Die Sexual . House Of God
10. Carrellee . Morning Sun
11. Underviewer . Was Soll Ich Tun (Aiboforcen Remix)
12. Night In Athens . Words Unspoken
13. Neila Invo . Alienation
14. Skeletal Family . My Own Redemption
15. The Murder Mystery . A Girl Named Red
16. Princess Ugly . For A Moment I Forgot The Desolation
17. Instant Lake . Ivory Dreams
18. Vision Video . Balaclava Kiss
19. La Scaltra . Dancing On Debris

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

The dark wave / post-punk duo Vaselyne are back with a brand new album op COP International, the 3-track EP “Under Your Skin”. The EP is available now in pre-order and ready for release on the 5th of May 2023 (Bandcamp Day), tomorrow that is.

The EP holds the title track “Under Your Skin” followed by a cover of David Sylvian’s “Riverman” and an instrumental version of “Under Your Skin”. Note that the “Riverman” cover was created for the Japan cover compilation “Still Life in Polaroids” which we covered earlier this week. That compilation is curated by Yvette Winkler and Coitus Interruptus Production.

“We are both very much influenced by Japan. Their ability to mix musical genres, and their impact on the future of new wave, was very important. Especially considering the fact, they were all self taught. It’s an honour to be able to play their songs, but also a scary thing. As you feel you are touching the Crown Jewels 🙂 You want to do them and their music justice.”

This new EP follows the release of their full length “The Sea Says”. Vaselyne has now finished recording their upcoming album. The first single of that album is a ballad “Waiting to Exhale”. The video for this track was made by Dutch filmmaker Dorothee Meddens. The new album includes collaborations with Lynette Cerezo from Bestial Mouths, Searmanas, John Fryer ( Black Needle Noise, NIN, Prayers, This Mortal Coil and HIM) and Michael Aliani from Chiron/Ikon.

Vaselyne is a collaboration between Dutch singer Yvette Winkler and Dutch musician and producer Frank Weyzig. Yvette Winkler was co-founder of the Dutch band “Sea of Souls” (2006) and Frank Weyzig is a Dutch producer, composer and band member, known for his contribution to the original line-up for Clan of Xymox and his work for indie new wave band Born For Bliss. Vaselyne has so far released four albums on the German label Echozone: “Earthbound” EP (2012), their full length debut album “The Fire Within” (2013), “In Dreams” EP (2015) and “Fragile” EP (2016).
​
In the spring of 2018, after a two year hiatus, the band picked up things where they left and Vaselyne contributed to the new Textbeak (Michael Szewczyk) album, “Sick for Songs a Season Eats”, produced by John Fryer. For this album, Yvette wrote and sung the lyrics for “Legion_err” and both Frank and Yvette have written and sung the lyrics for “Information Medicine” a track with Mark Stewart of “The Pop Group”. Yvette also collaborated with IAMTHESHADOW, John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise, Jean- Marc Lederman, Attrition and Junksista. Frank worked with Kelly Cook (ex- Moev) on their new project “Tearing The BlackBox”.

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

“Rise Up” is the latest in a long line of tracks from producer legend John Fryer and his Black Needle Noise project. For his new EP, he teamed up with Basement Jaxx vocalist Lisa Kekaula (feat; on the album “Kish Kash”) to create a version of Andra Day’s “Rise Up”. You can expect electro gospel, a style Fryer is mastering extremely well so we noticed.

John Fryer (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Fad Gadget, Cocteau Twins) created his own project Black Needle Noise in 2016, where he invites different guest vocalists on his songs.

You can download the full EP below.

About Lisa Kekaula

From 2003 to 2007, Kekaula joined a cast of vocalists guesting at live performances by the surviving members of the MC5.

Kekaula has featured on two singles by British house music band Basement Jaxx, most famously “Good Luck”.

She appeared on the tracks “Realizer” and “High and Low” by The Crystal Method, on their 2004 album “Legion of Boom”.

She performed “Talkin” in My Sleep” on The Bloody Beetroots’first studio album “Romborama“. She has also been featured on The Legendary Tigerman’s fifth studio album, “Femina”, released in 2009.

In 2014, Kekaula contributed vocals to two tracks for the Re-Licked album of Iggy Pop and the Stooges songs re-recorded by former Stooges guitarist James Williamson. The songs were also released as a 7″ single. In 2016, Kekaula and Williamson collaborated again, releasing a single in aid of a Hawaiian homeless charity.

Lisa Kekaula has been a vocalist with the Bellrays since 1990.

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

“Fair Winds”, a Black Needle Noise track originally written to be the theme song for a TV show about the history of the Isle Of Man is out now. John Fryer adds: “Unfortunately it has been put on the back burner because of Covid. Hopefully, this will happen down the line, but I decided to release this piece in the meantime.”

The record features two other musicians: female vocalist Ruby Friedman and Colin McGuinness (live musician for Japan amongst many other acts).

John Fryer started his career in 1979 at London’s Blackwing Studios (London) and soon began working with seminal bands on 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade, and Beggars Banquet, including Depeche Mode, The Wolfgang Press, and Cocteau Twins. His work led Watts-Russell to recruit Fryer as his partner for This Mortal Coil. Currently, Fryer works closely with COP International and its roster and this is the label debut release for Black Needle Noise on COP International.

You can get the 4-track single right now from Bandcamp.

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

Out now is the Vaselyne album “The Sea Says”. The album was preceeded by 3 EP’s “Winter” (originally by Tori Amos), “Here To Begin” and “Shame” (originally by PJ Harvey).

Behind Vaselyne we find Yvette Winkler (you know her from John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise project and few others) and Frank Weyzig (ex-Clan of Xymox). They are currently signed to COP International, recommended by John Fryer who had worked with Yvette Winkler on a Black Needle Noise release.

The “The Sea Says” album holds 13 tracks including a cover of the Oceansize track “One Day All This Could Be Yours” and the aforementionned Tori Amos and PJ Harvey covers. Guest vocals on “Here to Begin” are by Lynette Cerezo and you can hear Michael Aliani on guest vocal on “Forever After” and Searmanas on “Love Failed to Save Me”.

Additional string arrangements on “Under Your Skin” and solo violin on “Waiting to Exhale” and “Forever After” were executed by Einar Ihle. You will also find Rina Vervoort on flute on the track “One Day All this could be Yours” and “Pair of Three”.

Finally, John Fryer took care of the complete performance, arrangements and production on the track “Down”.

Check out the full album below. Read the review of ‘The Sea Says’.

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

Two charity releases to help Ukraine have taken the Bandcamp charts by storm in the past few weeks. There is the Side-Line powered “Electronic Resistance” compilation (and book and T-shirt) featuring 55 Ukrainian bands, and there’s the COP International powered 3-track single “Come Together” featuring members of bands including Faith No More, Stabbing Westward, Rammstein, Black Needle Noise and others.

The two releases have three things in common, they come from the indie scene, they have been created and released in record time, and both people behind the release are actually longtime friends. We decided to talk with both initiative takers, our very own chief editor Bernard Van Isacker and producer and musician John Fryer who both invested their time in creating two extremely successful charity projects.

SL: John and Bernard, you were the very first people to launch a charity project in the metal/rock and darkwave scene to help the Ukrainian people and also the ones that made it a huge success. What was the decisive moment when you said, ok, let’s do this?

John: It was late one Sunday evening and I was talking to Christian from COP International records on the phone and as always we were discussing many thing that are happening to us and the world and we got talking about the invasion and all the people suffering the effects it was having on them. So we decided to do a song to raise money. We were like yeah let’s do a song get it recorded and out by Friday of that week.

We were totally nuts to think it could have been done in such a short time. It took as 3 weeks and working around the clock not just on the music side of things but calling, emailing and texting people to get them involved in the project.

Bernard: The moment I saw the first images of the bombing, the dead civilians, I was like, I have to do something, and I have to do it right now. It took roughly 2,5 weeks to get everything done as far as the compilation goes, because I’m still working on the photo book itself which is also going to be released.

I honestly never thought Putin would actually invade Ukraine… who on earth can be so sick? It came as a big blow in my face when I heard the news. I was like, WTF, we are in the year 2022 and some lunatic still thinks it is OK to just invade another country. Looking back, we should have known this was going to happen, all the signals were there for years, especially after he invaded the Crimean with his ‘green’ men. Putin has a track record which is just plain wrong in all its facets and that was just one of the examples that should have made us realize far worse was bound to happen. Add to that that Europe acts like a junkie when it comes to oil and gas…

SL: I know you know each other rather well, it’s like same minds think alike?

John: I have known Bernard for many a moon now and he has a big heart also. Even though we didn’t discuss this with each other we have both come to the same conclusion of what a terrible thing that is happening in Ukraine and want to help in some way.

Bernard: I appreciate John a lot as well and I know he has the heart at the right place. It didn’t surprise me that he ended up with a similar idea. I think we both are very much affected by what is happening so it came as a natural thing to help in the way we know best, John by making music, me by setting up a project and use the Side-Line promo machinery to turn the project into a success.

SL: Can you both describe how you set up your projects?

Bernard: Within 3 days most of the tracks were delivered by the participating bands, some even recorded new material during those 3 days. I then had to literally chase for the necessary paperwork, because the last thing these Ukrainian bands are busy with or need now is bureaucracy, which I totally understand, but it is and was a necessary evil which took me around 2 extra weeks. In the meantime I had contacted Erlend Eilertsen (Lights A.M, Essence Of Mind) in Norway if he could make sure the sound would be ok because some of the sourced material literally was recorded while the bombs were falling like I said. Other bands had nothing left but rough demos, so there was some work needed to get everything polished.

John: Christian and I had done a similar thing before but on a smaller scale. This time we wanted to reach a much bigger audience so we decided to reach for the stars. I’ve known some of the artists for a long time but we also got a lot of help from people we asked like Geno Lenardo, Marija Buljeta, Rod Saez Chavez who also joined in asking people to join our project and we thank them and everyone else who has helped along the way and the people who have donated money to the project.

Side-Line: Bernard, you decided to get to work with Ukrainian bands only. How on earth did you get hold of 55 bands in such a record time?

Bernard: Ah yes, I forgot to tell that. Very simple, I contacted a few bands in direct, but most were actually triggered by a Facebook message I spread in Ukraine. People there reacted very quickly from allover Ukraine, also fans contacted bands after seeing the message. That’s one of the few times when I thought that Facebook did a proper constructive job.

Side-Line: John, you chose to work on a cover of John Lennon’s “Come Together”…

John: John Lennon wrote “Come Together” and we re-imagined it and added Queens [we will rock you]. It is a cover of the Beatles song mixed with a Queen song and we changed the words to [we will stop you]. As in the name, we wanted people to come together to help. This kind of invasion should not be happening. It’s horrifying to think that things like this can still happen in this day and age.

Side-Line: John, you made a supergroup – à la Bruderschaft – but this time from the metal scene featuring members of Faith No More, Stabbing Westward, Rammstein, and a lot more bands. How did this process technically work?

John: I wouldn’t say Metal Scene I would say Alternative Music Scene.

Doing this kind of thing these days is much easier I would say as you have the internet and that’s how we got everyone from around the world on the track. We would email, text or call and if they were willing to be involved we would send them the track and they would record their parts as most people these days have the ability to record at home. I ended up with about 200 tracks of audio and it was like fitting a jigsaw puzzle together and everyone is super happy with the end result.

Bernard: Now that you mention Bruderschaft, I worked on that charity project when it was released on Alfa Matrix back in 2003. You know, working on projects like these makes you realize that you can indeed help people, you just have to use your talents and network. And if everyone would do this, the world would be a much better place anyhow.

Side-Line: If I’m not wrong, this is the first time that 2 band scene players, COP International and Side-Line took the number 2 and 3 spot at the same time on Bandcamp. Kinda huge. What is your feedback on this?

John: In fact “Come Together [we will stop you] reached number 1 on Bandcamp and we have raised around 10,000$ and the artists that are involved with us in this have donated 100% from the money raised but unfortunately Bandcamp have taken their % from the donated sales and we are probably going to have to pay the publishers too even though it’s a god damn charity record to raise money for those who are suffering from this horrific and despicable war.

Bernard: Bandcamp and Paypal indeed take a big chunk. Luckily Bandcamp Friday helped a lot to recoup some of the costs that were involved.

As of this morning, Side-Line has already donated over 8000 EURO (8674,96 US$) to Ukrainian aid. Our compilation is still doing very well and I foresee to be sending hundreds of parcels with merchandise by mid-May as well.

As far as Bandcamp goes, it does make sense that we both stormed the charts there. You don’t find an artist like Rihanna on Bandcamp do you, I think she doesn’t even know it exists. Bandcamp mainly is a platform for the indie crowd, whether it is darkwave, metal, folk, jazz, blues or any other alternative (sub)style that often is not captured by the mainstream charts. So, we charted right in the indie scene, and that’s a very good thing.

Side-Line: Bernard, Side-Line is not a label, but a magazine, why was this project not released via a label?

Bernard: Good question but very easy to answer as well. These kind of projects need a very short roadmap from idea to execution, and since I worked with 55 bands things needed to be done quickly. In short you can not wait for months to get the ball rolling with these kind of projects, you need to act fast and thus instead of having this project go through various hands with different views and ideas, I decided to do it myself and handle everything from A until Z. Luckily Benoit Blanchart (Alfa Matrix, Aiboforcen) quickly volunteered to work on the book layout when I told him about the idea late February this year. Lots of work, which basically happened during long nights after my daytime job and all other work I have. But since I’m also responsible for the ‘Face The Beat’ compilation series, compiling it was not really different as far as the approach goes, just a lot faster when it came to releasing it.

The major difference however was the multitude of charities that had to be funded this time. I usually donate towards 2 or 3 charities per release. But here I spent a whole morning wiring money to all kind of Ukrainian organizations and also to bands who then did local charity. Lots of work, but I guess it’s more than worth it.

Side-Line: How do you both see things evolve in Ukraine?

John: We are hoping this ends now and the killing must stop and Ukraine can be re-built and bring back the misplaced people to their land and rebuild their lives. It’s amazing to see the resolve of these people through this tragedy.

Bernard: I’m personally not really optimistic as far as the length of this full blown war goes. If I see the increasing aggressive tone from all parts in the Russian society – just look how they have set up this huge Z-propaganda – I don’t think this will be over pretty soon. Hence why we need to support the population right now and continue to do so. The country is under heavy shelling in the east since a few days now and there is more happening. Putin started to roll a snowball downhill that is increasing in velocity and size.

I would not be surprised they’ll do sabotage acts inside Finland and Sweden to disrupt the society there since those countries clearly will choose to adhere to the NATO. Railway sabotage, massive hacking of public service networks, etc., they have done it in the past in the Baltic states so I see them returning to that modus operandi with Finland and Sweden especially. This is just the beginning. And we haven’t talked about how China is behaving in all of this.

But, one thing is quite clear, Putin seriously miscalculated what a courageous people the Ukrainians are. And especially because of that we have to start thinking of how to help Ukrainians to rebuild their country after this mad war is over and done.

Side-Line: Bernard, you are still in contact with all the band’s on a weekly basis, how are they?

Bernard: At least once a week they receive an update on the compilation, and I usually get a lot of messages back from the bands telling me how they are, where they are, where they have fled to this week, etc.. I wouldn’t say it is depressing, but it’s not really uplifting either. Having said that, I’m here, safe in my attic, they are there, unsure what will come next. So who am I to complain? I’m proud of every single one of those bands.

Side-Line: Is this the final word or do you plan to continue with this?

Bernard: I don’t know for you John, but I will most probably work on another project in the near future to help and collect funds for Ukraine. The first plans are on the table as we speak. Honestly, I am very positively surprised how our scene has been showing that they really care for the idea and purpose behind these 2 releases. A BIG thank you to all those who donated and who made these projects big successes.

John: We hope the song will continue to keep raising money. So if you have read this and want a way to help please head over to Bandcamp and buy the songs as every little bit will help in the long run. A big thank you again for everyone involved and those who have donated and to those who be donating in the future.

Below are the two charity releases.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘Not Another Vampire Song’.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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Black Needle Noise have an all new video ready for you featuring Anjela Piccard on vocals. The track is called “Black Magic” and the video for the track was animated and directed by Katherine Sweetman. The track furthermore features Sean Haezebrouck on drums with all other noises being executed by John Fryer.

“Black Magic” is taken from the album “These Mortal Covers” out on COP International. The song was originally written by Joseph Lee Wood, Michael Paul Roche, Mitchell Dean Margolin and Ronald Lewis Emory from the American punk rock band T.S.O.L. (True Sounds of Liberty).

John Fryer exolains his choice: “Black Magic cover was made as a homage to T.S.O.L.. For their continued punk attitude and music in California. It’s a great pop song with bundles of energy. We had a lot of fun making this and our award winning director friend Katherine Sweetman took it to another level of fun with the animated video. Hope you enjoy watching it as we did making it.”

Here’s the video.

You can download “These Mortal Covers” right below.

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 now is the Black Needle Noise album “These Mortal Covers” which holds a collection of cover version made the past few years for TV, movies, and fun.

You will find songs originally penned by Sonny Bono, Bob Thiele / George Douglas / George Weiss, Farrar John / Farrar John Clifford, Joseph Lee Wood / Michael Paul Roche / Mitchell Dean Margolin / Ronald Lewis Emory, M. L. Gore, Miles Gregory, W.T. Ward / John Osbourne / Tony Iommi / Terence Butler, R. Robinson / C. Robinson, Peter Lawrence Buck / Michael E. Mills / William Berry / Michael J. Stipe, Russ Conway / Lyndon Haley and Chris Butler.

The vocal lines were executed by Anjela Piccard, Dr Strangefryer, Tom Berger, Beca, Anjela Piccard, Rebecca Coseboom, Pinky and Betty X.

You can check out the 12 covers right below.

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

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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COP International has announced the signing of the Dutch band Vaselyne. The duo came recommended by John Fryer who had worked with Yvette Winkler on a Black Needle Noise release.

“Waiting to Exhale” is the first single taken from Vaselyne’s upcoming album to be released in 2022. The video for the single, which you view below, was shot by dutch filmmaker Dorothée Meddens.

Through Pieter Nooten Winkler came into contact with Frank Weyzig who was Clan of Xymox’ original guitarist. They decided to write music together and Vaselyne was born in 2011. As well as being Vaselyne’s singer and lyricist, Yvette does guest vocals and lyrics.

Vaselyne has so far released four albums/EPs on the German label Echozone: the “Earthbound” EP (2012), their full-length debut album “The Fire Within” (2013), the “In Dreams” EP (2015) and the “Fragile” EP (2016). In the spring of 2018, after a two-year hiatus, Frank and Yvette Winkler picked up things where they left and Vaselyne contributed to the Textbeak (Michael Szewczyk) album, “Sick for Songs a Season Eats”, produced by John Fryer.

About Yvette Winkler

Yvette Winkler is a Dutch singer/lyricist and artist. After being a nightclub singer in her teens performing covers with a tape, she formed her first band Dazzle & Delight. In the following years, she did musical theatre, recorded with Orphan Amp and co-founded Sea Of Souls.

After meeting Pieter Nooten of Clan of Xymox on Myspace, she started a collaboration for his album “Here is Why” for which she did lead, backing vocals, and wrote lyrics.

She has collaborated with Textbeak, John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise, IAMTHESHADOW, Junksista, Jean-Marc Lederman and Attrition.

About Frank Weyzig

Weyzig started his music career in 1985 with the Dutch electronic wave band Clan of Xymox when they were signed with the English independent label 4AD, which released their first album, “Clan of Xymox” that year. Weyzig played guitar and keyboards on the first album and performed with the band on stage as a live guitarist and keyboard player until 1990.

From 1995 until 1999 he played as vocalist and guitarist with Dutch indie-wave band Born For Bliss which you will surely remember from the track “Arabia” (released via Nuclear Blast / Death Wish Office).

In 1998 German Goth rock legends ‘Love Like Blood’ asked Frank to write a song for their “Snake Killer” album, “Ylene”.

In 2009 Frank co-wrote and produced the album “Spiders in the MindWeb” for White Rose Transmission, the band founded by Carlo van Putten (at that time vocalist of The Convent; later the singer of Dead Guitars) and the late Adrian Borland (frontman of English 80’s cult band The Sound). Other notable endeavors include the StarGazing Project with Remco Helbers and The White Rose Transmission live album “Spinning Webs at Night”.

In 2020, Frank started to work with Kelly Cook (ex-MOEV) on their new project Tearing The BlackBox. So far, TTBB released two EP singles; “Devil World” and “Breathe”.

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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Dutch darkwave duo Vaselyne has just unveiled their new digital maxi-single for the track, “Waiting To Exhale”, a ballad. “Waiting To Exhale” – which is available here on Bandcamp – tells a story of breaking free from whatever is holding you back. Moving on, transforming into someone or something new. Whether that’s a unhealthy relationship, not being able to be your true self, the listener is invited to decide what that means to them.

The video sees Yvette Winkler walking through forests and dunes, a heavy cape trailing behind her. Winkler comments: “Carrying the weight on my shoulders whilst I walk towards the sea. Morphing into a butterfly. But do I transform or disappear?”

About Vaselyne

Vaselyne consists of singer Yvette Winkler and musician Frank Weyzig who formed the band in the spring of 2011. While Yvette Winkler was co-founder of the Dutch band Sea of Souls (2006) and her contribution to Pieter Nooten’s latest album, “Here is Why” (2010), you might also know here from the Black Needle Noise track “Gone” on which she sung.

We don’t really have to introduce Frank Weyzig we would think. He started his music career with Dutch electronic wave legend Clan of Xymox from way back at the time they were signed with the infamous English 4AD label in the mid-eighties.

Together the duo so far released 4 albums on the German Echozone label: “Earthbound” EP (2012), their full length debut album “The Fire Within” (2013), “In Dreams” EP (2015) and “Fragile” EP (2016). In the spring of 2018, after a two year hiatus, the band picked up things where they left and they contributed to the new Textbeak (Michael Szewczyk) album, “Sick for Songs a Season Eats”, produced by John Fryer.

The video for “Waiting to Exhale” was created by Dutch filmmaker Dorothée Meddens. In 2021 a full album will also see the light of day. The new album includes collaborations with Lynette Cerezo from Bestial Mouths, Searmanas, John Fryer (Black Needle Noise, NIN, Prayers, This Mortal Coil and HIM) and Michael Aliani from Chiron/Ikon. And if all goes well, the duo will hit the road again in 2021 with a new live band.

Below is the video for “Waiting to Exhale”.

You can download the full maxi-single below.

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 now is the brand new COP International Records compilation “Broken Hearts & Robot Parts II” featuring contributions from Stoneburner, Joy Thieves, I Ya Toyah, Silverwalks and Sick Jokes. COP artists Stabbing Westward and Black Needle Noise also contribute remixes. This is the second edition of the label’s regular album compilation series.

“Unlike most label compilations that are fairly hefty volumes, we are going for a concept that opts for a much smaller selection of artists. This allows for a larger spotlight on the selected few and gives us the opportunity to quickly build the series out. Our scene is bursting with creativity and talent and we are honored to present our latest selection to you with snapshots of a vibrant community,” says COP International Records founder Christian Petke.

The Broken Hearts & Robot Parts II tracklisting includes 5 tracks and can be purchased on Bandcamp below.

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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(Courtesy Attasalina) Black Needle Noise’s first release on COP International Records is a fact. Out now is a new single “Machine” featuring vocalist Attasalina and violinist Meredith Yayanos. The “Machine” EP features remixes from Christopher Hall (Stabbing Westward), Mark Hockings (Mesh/Blackcarburning), Sick Jokes, Soman and (London DJ) Samantha Togni.

Says Fryer of “Machine”: “It’s taken a while to find the right song for Attasalina so we could collaborate again. She did an amazing job on ‘Messages By Dreams’ and she has done an exceptional job on ‘Machine.’ It’s always a pleasure working with Attasalina, and it’s been great having Meredith Yayanos on board this time around playing violin on the track, adding another dimension.”

Attasalina, best known for her collaboration with Daniel Ash (The Soldiers of Everyday), has also released music with her band The Seraphim Rising and is currently working on her first solo record in collaboration with John Fryer, to be called Freed From Rage and Sorrow. She previously collaborated with Fryer on the Black Needle Noise track “Messages By Dreams.”

See the video for “Machine” below.

About John Fryer

John Fryer started his career in 1979 at London’s Blackwing Studios (London) and soon began working with seminal bands on 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade and Beggars Banquet, including Depeche Mode, The Wolfgang Press and Cocteau Twins. His achievement in helping develop the latter’s pioneering ethereal and ambient sound ultimately led Watts-Russell to recruit Fryer as his partner for This Mortal Coil.

Since then, Fryer has produced many iconic artists, including Love and Rockets, HIM, Cradle of Filth, Clan of Xymox, Nitzer Ebb, Dead Can Dance, Yaz (Yazoo), Xmal Deutschland, Fields of the Nephilim, De/Vision, Stabbing Westward and many others. Fryer has also produced many film soundtracks, such as Seven, Clerks, Johnny Mnemonic, Mortal Kombat, Faust and Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

Currently Fryer also works closely with COP International and its roster and this debut Black Needle Noise release on the label is being hailed by COP founder Christian Petke who says, “I know how much this project means to John and I think it represents some of his finest work. Black Needle Noise is his vehicle to execute his artistic visions. It is not bound by style or fashion but represents the distilled essence of a man honing his craft for 40-plus years. To say it is an honor to represent Black Needle Noise on COP International is an understatement.”

Fryer recently celebrated a #1 entry on the German DAC Charts with the Chiasm & John Fryer album “Missed The Noise”. Good to know, Fryer acts as an A&R and a producer at COP International Records, helming the work of artists such as Stabbing Westward, Azam Ali, Chiasm, Stoneburner, Blackcarburning and more.

For more on John Fryer, see A Cloud Of Ravens release remix EP feat. remixes by Clan of Xymox,… on Side-Line.

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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Producer John Fryer (known for his work with Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Cocteau Twins, Fad Gadget, and many others) has released new material for his dark electronic project Black Needle Noise. Since launching in 2016, Black Needle Noise has been centered around the spirit of collaborations with various musicians including Swans vocalist Jarboe, Front Line Assembly’s Bill Leeb, Mimi Page and many others.

The latest effort is a version of the lovely Louis Armstrong’s classic “What A Wonderful World” featuring vocalist Tom Berger.

Fryer explains the concept behind the single: “I have always loved the Louis Armstrong version of ‘What A Wonderful World’ from when I heard it as a child and it has stayed with me ever since. So I wanted to make a very different cinematic version, a very depressingly apocalyptic version with an uplifting feel. I thought of Tom Berger, my friend for many a year to sing it and I think he has done an amazing job to convey those haunting sentiments.”

Tom Berger had this to say about the collaboration: “For me it was a real challenge to sing the vocals of a classical piece of music. After John sent me the instrumental version I thought it wasn’t possible – How can I transform such a fragile and innocent melody into such a massive wall of sound? And that was the thing: I sang it like I’d never heard the 1967 original. The result is not just a cover – it’s something new – and I’m very proud of the final result.”

You can stream the single below in a directed by Christoph Vitt and Alex Makarov.

You can download the single right below from Bandcamp.

In further news, John Fryer has been readying a new Black Needle Noise album for 2021 called “These Mortal Covers” that will feature all-new versions of well-known songs including the recently released Black Crowes’ cover “She Talks To Angels”.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘Missed The Noise’.

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 Candice Ghai) Out via Cleopatra Records is the newest single by Black Needle Noise featuring legendary producer John Fryer and Anjela Piccard. With “She Talks To Angels” the duo pay tribute to the Black Crowes with their own unique twist and stylistic trademark.

“Always been a big fan of the Black Crowes and it always feels good to pay homage to bands you like. We wanted to give it a totally different and cinematic feel to the song in our version. Anjela’s vocals are very heartfelt in her interpretation and delivery of the lyrics and being inspired by the cities of New Orleans and LA, the City of Angels,” says John Fryer.

Anjela Piccard from her side says: “There are moments in this life that are both catastrophic and quite triumphant. The intention in recording this song is one of reflection and understanding. At some point, we all can find ourselves in total relation to the lyrics and the instrumental flow of the track. As for myself, the New Orleans / Los Ánjeles connection remains an anchor of the heart, as both cities represent a long-standing spiritual melange – unparalleled in beauty and gracious acceptance of its people.”

“She Talks To Angels” Is available below to check out. “She Talks To Angels” is the first taste of the forthcoming album “These Mortal Covers”, which will be released later this year. Black Needle Noise’s “Before The Tears Came” LP can still be ordered from the band itself.

The new single comes on the trail of the new video for “Seed of Evil” with PIG which you can check out below.

For more on John Fryer, see Legendary producer John Fryer returns with new single from his… on Side-Line.

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 courtesy of Chiasm) Chiasm has announced a brand new EP: “Away”. Released via the COP International label it’s a teaser for the upcmong full-length album “Missed The Noise”. For those who don’t know the project, Chiasm is Emileigh Rohn’s musical output augmented here by collaborator John Fryer (Black Needle Noise).

Here’s what Detroit-based musician says about her collaboration with Jon Fryer: “The COP team, along with John Fryer, really knew what I needed. It was absolutely a new adventure. This EP is much more accessible than previous works because we made it so quickly (John moves fast!) so there wasn’t a lot of room for total introspection and intense analysis, which is unusual for me. John makes everything sound beautiful, and I’m so eager for everyone to hear it,” says Rohn. “I also need to acknowledge my home team, including the cats, for the inspiration and encouragement.”

The “Away” EP follows a long line of notable releases from Chiasm which was established in 1997. Older readers will for sure remember the 2001 album “Disorder” with the track “Isolated” that was featured in the television show “NCIS” as well as in the “Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines” computer game. Rohn has also collaborated with genre stars Attrition, Carphax Files, Jean-Marc Lederman, Third Realm, :10:, and Acclimate.

Here’s a preview:

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘She Talks to Angels’.

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

Black Needle Noise, featuring legendary producer John Fryer (Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode, This Mortal Coil), has teamed up with PIG for the download track “Seed Of Evil”. “Seed of Evil” features PIG vocalist Raymond Watts.

Watts explains how the collaboration started: “When John Fryer called, it was like cream was fed to my poison crop. I was thrilled to lend Satan’s little helping hand to Black Needle Noise,” says Watts of the devilish collaboration. “The result from this marriage made in hell was appropriately called ‘Seed of Evil’ … it pours out of me into the night, where the devil ties it nice and tight.”

Fryer meanwhile states: “After many a moon passing we finally get to work together again. I had to find the right song for Raymond but I think we have a great noise-pop hit on our hands. It’s been a real pleasure working with Raymond on this and I can’t wait to hear it in the clubs.”

Black Needle Noise has previously released music featururing a diverse who’s who of alternative vocalists such as Mimi Page (Delirium), Jennie Vee (bassist, Hole), Ana Breton (Dead Leaf Echo), Omniflux (Puscifer), Kendra Frost (Kite Base), Andrea Kerr (Colt), Sivert Hoyem, Antic Clay, and ZiaLand, among others.

“Seed Of Evil” is now available on Bandcamp, and you can check it out below.

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

(Photo’s by Brian Hodges) “I Am God” is the title of the newest Black Needle Noise (project by John Fryer) video which features Marselle Hodges on vocals. The track breathes Black Needle Noise during every second: a nice pumping rhythm, cutting guitars, and vocals that – as usually is the case with this fine project – remind of the best 4AD era bands.

Here is the video (directed by Marselle Hodges) and below we asked a both Marselle Hodges and John Fryer how the track came to life.

Marselle Hodges: ““I am God” is inspired by one of the craziest years I’ve experienced, full of high highs and the lowest of lows. I felt as if I was God’s plaything. The lyric, “I can make things different or blow it all away,” pretty much describes the tumult I was feeling in response to these seemingly capricious events. But then I tried to put myself in God’s place—wanting to be worshipped and believed in despite it all, Or perhaps because of it all. Isn’t that what we ALL WANT? Just a bit?”

John Fryer: “Brain, Marselle’s husband had just done a remix for me and I went to check out his band The Blue Hour and I really liked Marselle’s voice, so I asked her if she would be interested in singing a song for me and I’m so happy she said yes as I think the song turned out beautifully noisy and pop.”

Recommended for everyone into dark pop!

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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Black Needle Noise, the exiting project by John Fryer, has a brand new video out for the track “Gone”. The video itself was directed by Dennis Overeem and you can watch it below. The track “Gone” is already the 7th track from the project since the band released the album “Lost in Reflections”.

You can also download it directly via Bandcamp for a pay-what-you-want price!

Yvette Winkler is a Dutch vocalist, known for her work with Dutch band Sea of Souls and her contribution to Pieter Nooten’s album, “Here is Why” (2010) for which she sang some of the lead- and backing vocals. In 2011 Yvette connected with Dutch producer Frank Weyzig and a mutual artistic curiosity gave birth to their Vaselyne project which has released three albums on the German label Echozone.

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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John Fryer’s project Black Needle Noise has a new song/video up for “That Which Watches”. The song features the vocals of Antic Clay which pairs up perfectly with the eerie, wild west themed video. “That Which Watches” follows his most recent video “La diosa y el hombre”, which featured Mexican vocalist Azzul Monra.

The song is part of the ongoing (splendid!) series of songs that Black Needle Noise is releasing consistently and regularly via Bandcamp.

John Fryer: “Like the 2016 single ‘Queen of Dust,’ I wanted ‘That Which Watches’ to have a kinda Alt-Country / Noir Americana feel to it so who best to get to sing it and add a bit of slide guitar, none other than Antic Clay. I originally got to hear about Antic Clay from (Swans vocalist) Jarboe who loves his voice and recommended I check him out. I liked what I heard and thought he could take the songs in the direction I was looking for and the rest is history.”

Here’s the track.

And here’s the video:

And this was the previous track, “La diosa y el hombre”, equally a pearl.

For more on John Fryer, see Stabbing Westward signs record deal with COP International to release… on Side-Line.

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, experimental.

Background/Info: Black Needle Noise has been introduced as ‘music for the movies you haven’t dream of yet…’ It first of all is the music project set up by John Fryer who gained an international reputation as producer for legendary artists such as Fad Gadget, Depeche Mode, Clan Of Xymox, NIN, Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil ao. From time to time John Fryer also like to compose his own songs under the Black Needle Noise moniker.

Content: For “Lost In reflections” the legendary British producer invited some great artists to sing on his compositions. Bill Leeb (FLA, Delirium), Mimi Page (Delirium), Jennie Vee (Hole), Ana Breton (Dead Leaf Echo), Omniflux (Puscifer), Kendra Frost (Kite Base), Andrea Kerr (Colt), Sivert Hoyem, ZiaLand and Dr. Strangefryer joined hands with John Fryer.

The sonic universe of Fryer is clearly reflecting his passion for electronic sound creation. It sounds pretty pop-minded with a sensual touch on top because of the great singers. But the artists also like to create- and manipulate sounds and noises. It injects an experimental element to the songs, but also sounds minimal-like.
+ + + : What you expect from a sound producer is that he deals with a very own vision in sound and that’s precisely what comes through when discovering this album. John Fryer deals with pop, but composes his songs with industrial-like sounds. It creates a delicious contrast with the mainly female and sensual vocals. But the song featuring Bill Leeb (still released as EP title track) is also worthy of examination as it’s pretty hard to recognize Leeb singing in a different and still a bit sensual way as well. The singers have been chosen for their exceptional skills. Singers and music together create a styled sonic osmosis resulting in a few outstanding pieces such as “Teeth To Grey” featuring Omniflux, “Warning Sign” featuring Kendra Frost, “She Stands On A Storm” featuring Andrea Kerr and “Breathless Speechless” featuring Sivert Hoyem (reminding me of Nick Cave).

– – – : It’s not that easy to define the music of John Fryer. Even if I think that’s rather positive it’s not the most accessible pop releases and not the kind of songs you’ll directly keep in mind and sing along.

Conclusion: John Fryer accomplished an album filled with reverie, which also is an intimate composition featuring talented vocalists. But it mainly reveals a creative electro-pop process from one of the cult producers from the 4AD label roster.

Best songs: “Teeth To Grey”, “Warning Sign”, “She Stands On A Storm”, “Breathless Speechless”, “A Shiver Of Want”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/BlackNeedleNoise

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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(Photo by Vincent Bloch) Good news from John Fryer! Black Needle Noise Records, in association with No Devotion Records, presents the brand new Black Needle Noise single “SyStem Bi” featuring Senegal based singer Fakeba. And it’s an excellent track, catchy, excellent vocals, the lot! Judge for yourself, the single is out now on Bandcamp.

Based in Dakar, Senegal, Fakeba makes electronic music and sings in her native Wolof – the language of Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania. John Fryer: “I was very interested in having Fakeba sing in Wolif and complement the full beauty of the vocals as possible. I don’t want to have any limitations with Black Needle Noise and am interested in working with more singers from around the world, singing in their own language.”

The accompanying video for the track was made possible thanks to Gina Czarnecki, who allowed use of footage from her film “Spintex”. John Fryer: “I watched Gina Czarnecki’s short film ‘Spintex’ and thought it would compliment the song perfectly, so I edited the footage and Gina thought it was a really nice re-interpretation of her movie. I hope more people will become aware of her amazing work!”

Here’s the brilliant video for the track:

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘s project Black Needle Noise: ’.

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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John Fryer has started a brand new series of download single for an upcoming album. The first new track, “Under My Skin”, is a recording with Tara Busch (I Speak Machine) on vocals.

The track-by-track recording seems to work quite fine for Fryer: “For me its the best way to work with Black Needle Noise, as I am working with many different singers so people can concentrate song by song and singer by singer and not get overwhelmed with 10 songs and 10 different singers. I also put links on Bandcamp to the singers own music projects so its easy for people to go and check out their music to.”

You can download the song below on Bandcamp!

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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John Fryer is apparently really enjoying the one-track-at-the-time release schedule he has imposed on his shoegaze wave project Black Needle Noise (and it’s an excellent way to keep the project in the attention). A few weeks ago we already mentioned he had released a track with Bill Leeb, and out now via Bandcamp is “Breathless Speechless” which features the vocal talents of Sivert Høyem. Høyem is a Norwegian singer, best known as the vocalist of the rock band Madrugada and as a member of The Volunteers.

Although Fryer is currently residing from Los Angeles, California, his Norwegian musical links are very intact. Here’s how he got in touch with Høyem: “I met Sivert when he came to sing on a duet with Tim Scott Mcconnell (Ledfoot) for his “Damned if I do & Damned if I don’t” album I was working on. But I knew and liked his voice from when he was in “Madrugada”. So some time later when we used to bump into each other in the gym, I asked him if he would do me the honour and sing on one of my Black Needle Noise songs. He said yes!”

You can check out the rather awesome “Breathless Speechless” right below! The download is available as a name-your-price download.

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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Black Needle Noise, the project by John Fryer, is steadily building quite a nice tracklist for the complete album. This time the project released the track “A Shiver Of Want” with Bill Leeb (Front Line Assembly, Delerium) on vocals.

The result is a deep melancholic track with strong, but very atypical, vocal lines by Bill Leeb and will please those following Leeb’s solo endeavours. For Fryer it means yet another big track for the upcoming Black Needle Noise album.

The 05:37 long track can be downloaded below for free, but don’t hesitate to leave a tip if you like what you hear!

For more on Front Line Assembly, see Win one of 5 duo tickets to see Front Line Assembly in London on 24th… on Side-Line.

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 now is “Heaven” a brand new track for the John Fryer powered Black Needle Noise project, this time with Jennie Vee on vocals.

The track is a slow darkpop track with excellent lush guitarwork by John Fryer. It has 4AD written allover it, but with a much cleaner sound. This is outstanding work from the now Oslo based musician/producer. Add to this excellent vocals by Jennie Vee and you know this is a must-have!

Not yet convinced? Check the download below, available via Bandcamp.

In the past Fryer has worked with several more guestsingers for this project, which all got released as seperate single. “She Stands On A Storm” featured Andrea Kerr, “Warning Sign” had Kendra Frost, “Treasured Lies” was with ZiaLand, “Naughty Girl” with Spectra Paris, “Dead Star” with Betsy, “Behind The 4th Door” with Elena Alice Fossi, “Messages By Dreams” with Attasalina, “Human” with Jarboe, “Queen Of Dust” with Antic Clay, “Mourning Morning” with Andreas Elvenes, “3 Steps Backwards” with Ledfoot, “Vexation” again with Jarboe, “Wild Stone” also with ZiaLand and finally “Bang Bang” featured Dr Strangefryer on vocals. All tracks are available right here on Bandcamp as pay-what-you-want downloads.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘s Black Needle Noise project for ’.

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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“Warning Sign” is a brand new track by the John Fryer powered project Black Needle Noise with Kendra Frost on vocals. The track notably features some of Fryers trademark Cocteau Twins guitars in it underlining some of Frost’s best vocal performances.

You can listen/download the track for free (or pay-what-you-want) below:

We had a small chat with Fryer regarding the recording process for this particular song: “Like all the songs for this project the music was recorded here in Oslo. As usual I was looking for a singer who I think would be awesome on it. I asked Kendra and sent her the song. She sang her own words and melodies so it became ‘our’ song, not just just her singing on a John Fryer song. Once I had the vocals back and mixed it, I played it to her and made sure she was happy too. Note that the middle part of the song was inspired by “Madame Butterfly” from Malcolm Mclaren.”

Kendra Frost has her own Band, Kite Base with the bass player from Savages, Ayse Hassan.

For those wondering what track Fryer is referring too, here it is:

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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Producer John Fryer returns with yet another downloable track with his Black Needle Noise project. The track, “Treasured Lies”, is available as a pay-what-you-want download via Bandcamp.

The track features vocals by ZiaLand, who also contributed on “Wild Stone”. You can listen to the delicious track below.

In further news, “I Face The Wall” by Black Needle Noise is now also available as a video. The track is taken from the 11-track album “Before The Tears Came” which you can get right here on Bandcamp, again as a pay-what-you-want download.

For more on John Fryer, see Delcious brand new download for John Fryer powered project Black… on Side-Line.

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 2008 Lube Records / Crispin Glover Records released BC’s debut album “Sinecure”. It was an immediate hit, especially thanks to such great tracks as “Plen” and “Nir”. Since then fans worldwide have been begging the band to record a follow-up album. For years the band stayed silent and no new material surfaced.

But, Side-Line can now exclusively reveal that BC (Andreas Kjerkol Elvenes, Eivind Brønstad, Svein Segtnan) are busy working on a second album right now. Don’t expect the new album to be released anytime soon, because the BC lads are known to take their time when recording material.

Whereas “Sinecure” was co-produced by Morten Stendahl, there is still no word on who will be producing the new BC album.

But before that, you should already check out the Black Needle Noise song “Mourning Morning” featuring BC singer Andreas Kjerkol Elvenes on vocals. It’s available now for a name-your-price on Bandcamp and Elvenes sounds as good as back in 2008. A 2nd track with Andreas on vocals would be in the working. Black Needle Noise is a project by John Fryer featuring several guest vocalists.

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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Black Needle Noise (the latest project by renown producer John Fryer) has launched 6 new songs on Bandcamp. Each song is available as a separate name-your-price download with its own cover artwork. For the 6 songs John Fryer worked with several vocalists, namely Jarboe, Antic Clay, Andreas Eleven’s (known from that lovely Norwegian act BC), Ledfoot & Zia.

You can stream and download the 6 songs below. Style wise Fryer remains in the shoegaze regions with lots of attention for subtle guitar work and electronics. Advised especially to everyone who loves the early 4AD period when experimentation was omnipresent.

For the newbies, John Fryer is an English record producer best known for his production and engineering work on cult releases by Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, This Mortal Coil and many more. He has since worked on several projects of which Black Needle Noise is his latest.

And available already since January was the track “Bang Bang”.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘Sold My Soul’.

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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After the free download track “Bang Bang”, Black Needle Noise (aka John Fryer) returns with another pay-what-you-want download song “Wild Stone”. You can get it right here on Bandcamp or stream it below. If you are into luscious female fronted vocals mixed with slick shoe gaze infested wave featuring a heavy breathing bass line and trumpets (!) then you’ll be served perfectly. We love it!

“Wild Stone” features Zia on vocals while all the music has been arranged by John Fryer.

John Fryer is an English record producer. Best known for his production and engineering work (Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode), he also branched out as a musician as one of only two constant members of This Mortal Coil (along with Ivo Watts-Russell), providing keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing for the band, and its offshoot, The Hope Blister.

He has since worked on several projects of which Black Needle Noise is his latest.

For more on John Fryer, see John Fryer launches 6 free songs for Black Needle Noise project feat.… on Side-Line.

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 now as a free download is the track “Bang Bang” by Black Needle Noise which is actually John Fryer. The track is offered for free as a birthday gift from John Fryer.

On “Bang Bang” you can hear John Fryer on vocals himself “but the project will be many singers and what ever music style it turns out to be” Fryer says. And he adds: “No more bands and albums, just songs with different people all under the banner Black Needle Noise.”

You can download the rather delicious song below:

John Fryer is an English record producer. Best known for his production and engineering work (Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode), he also branched out as a musician as one of only two constant members of This Mortal Coil (along with Ivo Watts-Russell), providing keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing for the band, and its offshoot, The Hope Blister.

He has since worked on several projects of which Black Needle Noise is his latest.

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘Wild Stone’.

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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