Greek artist Vasilis Angelopoulos is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his solo project, Conjecture, this year. To mark the occasion, he has once again teamed up with Zoharum to re-release the 2019 album ”V”, this time including tracks from the 2020 EP “∫V” as a bonus. This reissue offers a great opportunity to revisit a project that has already produced several standout releases. Conjecture blends influences from a variety of genres, including Minimal-Electro, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, and Cinematic, resulting in a dynamic fusion of sounds. Here and there, you’ll catch spoken-word samples adding further depth. The album closes with excellent remixes by Antechamber, Evitceles, Flint Glass, and notably Blakk Harbor. While the record isn’t entirely new, it’s a pleasure to rediscover this rich soundscape. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “Kronos”:

https://zoharum.bandcamp.com/track/kronos

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: IDM, Industrial, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Greek artist Angelos Liaros (previously involved with Mobthrow) released in 2018 the brilliant debut album “Madares” on Ant-Zen. Two years later he strikes back with a new opus entitled “A Modern Dialect” featuring nine new songs. In between both albums he also released the EP “Krude”.

Content: This new opus moves on where “Madares” stopped; it’s a new sonic exploration of Electronics, which is related to IDM. The artist remains fascinated by the creation of analogue sounds, injecting magic and power to this work. The tracks have been progressively built up featuring multiple Industrial sound treatments. It’s a minimal production, which however is constantly accessible. The best cuts have been featured at the end of the work. The compositions become more danceable revealing some Trance structures. The last track is a restful apotheosis to a great work.

+ + + : Angelos Liaros is not the most renowned and familiar name from the Electro underground scene and yet I consider him as one of the most talented- and visionary ones. He already released genius work under the Mobthrow moniker, but is moving a step further with Blakk Harbor. He creates IDM with heavy industrial sound treatments, alternating dreamy pieces and harder, danceable and even transcendental cuts. “Fatal Addictions” and “Call+30-For Crisis” both reflect the sound intelligence of this artist. He creates an illusionary sonic universe many other artists can only dream of. It’s an overwhelming production and a technical prowess. Each song has been meticulously built up with patience and passion. If “Madares” was one of my favorite albums from 2018, “A Modern Dialect” is for sure one of my 2020 favorites.

– – – : I don’t see real minus points in this work; the last cut is maybe a little antithesis, but it can be also seen as an outro.

Conclusion: Blakk Harbor moves on exploring different paths of intelligent Electronic music. The artist holds on to his main influences, but he clearly avoids repeating himself. Respect!

Best songs: “Fatal Addictions”, “Call+30-For Crisis”, “Individualism Is God”, “We Are Disposable”, “United Conspiracy”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: http://blakkharbor.com / www.facebook.com/blakkharbor

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: Industrial, IDM.

Background/Info: Angelos Liaros was previously involved with Mobthrow. After this project experience the Greek artist set up Blakk Harbor. He last year took me by surprise, unleashing the debut album “Madares” on Ant-Zen, which became one of my absolute favorite albums from 2018. Blakk Harbor is now back on track releasing this 12” featuring six tracks.

Content: The sound and arrangements are rapidly recognizable through the sophisticated and well-crafted approach. Heavy, dark electronic blasts have been merged with industrial sound treatments while driven by droning beats. There also is an anguishing sphere recovering most passages of the work. I also noticed a more experimental cut (cf. “Pure Brutality”) while the last song is a remix by British producer Positive Centre.

+ + + : Blakk Harbor confirms its sound intelligence, transposing industrial music to the highest degree of sophistication and dance pleasure. It’s the perfect twist between IDM and industrial music with an experimental touch on top. Some sound arrangements became even more sophisticated than on “Madares” while the work also reveals great effects and a poignant dark sphere. Last, but not least there is also a cool remix at the end of the work.

– – – : I was less convinced by the more experimental approach of “Pure Brutality”, but there’s no reason to complain when all other cuts left are just great! Compared to “Madares” I’m just missing the tribal input, which was a noticeable element of the album.

Conclusion: I consider Blakk Harbor to be one of the most creative and visionary projects from the industrial/IDM scene. The debut album already was a truly masterpiece and this 12” only confirms the potential of Angelos Liaros.

Best songs: “Vitrol”, “Death By Drone”, “Necropolitics”, “Mass Hypnosis”, “Vitriol – Positive Centre Rmx”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: http://blakkharbor.com / www.facebook.com/blakkharbor

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

The Greek artist Angelos Liaros got previously involved with Mobthrow, which he defines as a dubstep project. Especially the second and last album of Mobthrow (cf. “Unfolded”) released in 2014 on Ad Noiseam was nothing less, but a masterpiece. Blakk Harbor is the newest sonic brainchild of this artist. The debut album “Madares” released on Ant-Zen is a new masterpiece revealing different influences, but confirming the genius of the artist. No doubt about it, “Madares” is one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2018!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What has been your initial goals to set up Blakk Harbor and are you still involved with Mobthrow?

Angelos: Blakk Harbor is a fresh project and personal vinyl imprint focusing more into drone, industrial and experimental techno territories. I wanted to have a new fresh start with this project, explore new territories and have a different approach in my sound. Mobthrow has been a dubstep-era project strongly related with Ad-Noiseam label and all of that three ceased together.

Q: The Blakk Harbor sound clearly reveals a truly passion for good-old analogue gear, but still for authentic instruments (from your native country I think). How did you come to mix it all and how do you look back at the writing- and recording process of the album?

Angelos: True, “Madares” is made of sampled folk Cretan instruments granulized to death via analogue synths and hardware. All these years listening to folk musicians in Crete I was remixing these tracks in my head. There is a pagan, ceremonial and darker sound lying beneath these old folk tracks and I wanted to bring that at the surface with a modern electronic twist.

Q: I noticed you’re based in Berlin, which is a kind of ‘sonic epicenter’ when it comes to visionary artists and new music trends etc. Did you feel any impact of what you’ve heard and seen in Berlin on your music and what kind of work did you want to accomplish?

Angelos: There is for sure some impact in the direction of what’s going on in electronic music, new music trends and current status that help me to be updated with the scene. But creatively I would say Berlin is a stagnant place for me. I get all creativity from landscapes, sea, mountains, ancient monuments and the impact of previous civilizations. The monoliths that withstand time forever. In that sense Berlin is a very flat place for me in many ways.

Q: Sound-wise “Madares” is hard to label as a music genre and rather sounds as a truly fusion between different styles; from tribal to techno to IDM to industrial; a bit like the imaginary hybrid between Muslimgauze, M², This Morn’Omina… and Mobthrow. How would you analyze “Madares”?

Angelos: “Madares” is a very atmospheric album. It is dark, drony, experimental and industrial. I always had a lot of influences; as a musician I started as a death-metal guitarist and gradually moved towards electronic music. Even if sometimes it’s risky I choose to carve my own, unique music path and not to attach to certain subgenre labels.

Q: Next to the CD-format released by Ant-Zen you self-released “Madares” as double vinyl, right? What makes this growing interest for vinyl and don’t you think it’s not just more than stuff for collectors?

Angelos: Vinyl is just a collectable item nowadays for most people indeed. They put it aside, get the download code and listen to your music digitally. But it’s still very prestigious, the ultimate physical format with its huge artwork, a perfect memento from the artist you love. It needs a lot of time, efforts and money to make a vinyl record come true. I think people in the end maybe recognize this and support it, but yes it’s not for everybody I guess.

Q: Music seems to have a real predominant place in your life; next to composing music you’re also working as sound designer for ‘Native Instruments’. What is this job all about and in, which way has it an impact on your work as musician?   

Angelos: It’s mostly creating sample packs, synth presets and giving a direction to software instruments along with the team of course. It’s very funny when I hear well-known artists out there making a career with my presets and beats. Personally in a technical level it made me better and far more skilful, but it also pushed me back to hardware equipment and analogue synths cause I don’t want to see another software synth in the PC screen in my life hehe.

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: Tribal, industrial, IDM.

Background/Info: Behind this new project signed on Ant-Zen is hiding Greek composer Angelos Liaros. He has been previously involved with Mobthrow; a project that was signed to Ad Noiseam and released the amazing album “Unfolded” (2014). “Madares” is also available as a double vinyl album.

Content: This work is a meticulous fusion between minimal electronic sound treatments, tribal rhythms, anguished sound atmospheres and something ritual supporting a few cuts. One of the main characteristics is Eastern sphere running through the tracks and, which might appeal for fans of Muslimgauze, This Morn’Omina and M². Next to the tribal cadence you also will discover tracks with downtempo rhythms and other ones with drones.

+ + + : Blakk Harbor took me by surprise; this is an intelligent and sophisticated piece of modern industrialism. Every aspect of the work and every little detail sound right and at the right place. You get the impression the musician has been replaced by a sonic surgeon refining his work with multiple sonic details.  “Madares” also has something authentic and that’s because of the used instruments. I especially like the tribal element emerging from the composition and, which is reaching a climax at “Eastern Trails”.

– – – : This album is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best-, most creative- and accomplished productions from 2018! I don’t have any minus point to mention here.

Conclusion: Blakk Harbor invites the listener to walk throughout an obscure sound universe, which also is a refined and intelligent piece of music. “Madares” is without a shadow of doubt one of the 2018 albums you’ve to discover.

Best songs: “Eastern Trails”, “Sacrificium”, “Archaic”, “Sacred Grounds”, “Ancient Landmarks”, “Sunken”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: http://blakkharbor.com /  www.facebook.com/blakkharbor 

Label: www.ant–zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

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