Martin Gore from Depeche Mode was the man reason why Kay Burden from Platronic started writing songs. Kay: “It was love at first listen. I was overwhelmed by the intensity and intimacy of his lyrics and could not get enough of the special warm vibrato of his voice.” Her label manager now encouraged Kay to cover one of her favourite songs, taken from the1987 classic Depeche Mode album “Music For The Masses”.

The cover is very much stripped down version as you can hear below. The single is out via Town and Towers Records, a Danish Label.

The track can also be found on Conzoom Records’ upcoming Depeche Mode tribute CD which is out now.

Platronic are Finnish composer/producer Some-E and German singer-songwriter and co-producer Kay Burden. What started with chatting about electronic music on Instagram in 2019 and the idea of collaborating in the foreseeable future, turned into a real duo on EBM DAY – 24 February 2020. Since End of March 2023 the duo released five singles and one EP.

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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On August 8th the German conzoom Records label will celebrate its 15th anniversary. Especially for the occasion two new “electropop.” compilations will be released on that same date: “electropop.25” and “electropop.depeche mode”. Both can be ordered via Conzoom Records.

Side-Line hereby send its congratulations to both Ingo Möller and Annet Möller for their work in the past 15 years!

“electropop.25” will again carry 13 tracks by 13 artists who have not yet appeared on an official compilation. As usual, there will also be a strictly limited “electropop.25 (Super Deluxe Fan Bundle)” with 4 promotional bonus CD-Rs.

“electropop.depeche mode” holds cover versions of Depeche Mode tracks by new bands from the electropop field. The three promotional bonus CD-Rs of the “electropop. depeche mode (Super Deluxe Fan Bundle)” include a remix collection of the latest “Nature Of Wire Remixes Volume 5”, a ten-song retrospective of the work of the Swedish synthpop band Climate Zombies and an exclusive remix album by Birmingham Electric with previously unpublished tracks.

Tracklisting of “electropop.25”:

1. Aeon Rings – Slow Choke (Full Length Version)
2. Blackcarburning – All About You (Olaf Wollschläger Remix)
3. Code 64 – Soundwave (Extended)
4. Eckotrigger – Collide (Extended)
5. Helalyn Flowers – Halos (People Theatre’s Fireball Mix)
6. Jetlag Junction – Hope & Bravery (Dance Remix)
7. Main – End This Game (Full Length Version)
8. Mari Kattman – Is It Really That Bad (Neuroticfish Remix)
9. Neon Space Men – Twisted Mind (Rob #Dust Remix)
10. Rohn-Lederman – We Need A Plan (Mark Hockings Remix)
11. The Grab Society – Outsider (Oren Amram Remix Edit)
12. The Nordic Act – Give Me The Power (Remix 2022)
13. Voltron2 – Catwalk Madness (Extended Mix)

Tracklisting of “electropop.depeche mode”

1. Alphamay – Everything Counts
2. Bt47 – Master & Servant
3. Demokratie – And Then
4. Egoamp – New Dress (Edit)
5. Engraved Garden – Lie To Me (Extended)
6. Kellertechnik Feat. Shelter – Now This Is Fun
7. Maschinengeist – Wrong
8. Neon Space Men – Leave In Silence (Extended)
9. Parralox – Ghosts Again (Extended)
10. Platronic – The Things You Said
11. Royal Visionaries – The Sun And The Rainfall
12. Split Vision – A Photograph Of You
13. Supercraft – My Secret Garden
14. Tycho Brahe – Suffer Well
15. Vainerz – Two Minute Warning (Extended)

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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Swedish Electro-Pop formation Vanguard became a familiar and recognized name in the Electro-Pop scene. One of the band’s members Patrik Hansson decided to start a side-project called Uncreated. Several EP’s were released revealing a catchy, powerful, sound. This is danceable Electro-Pop getting people happy. The debut album “Eternal” released in 2019 was a successful production. By the end of 2021 Uncreated unleashed its second opus “Symbiosis” featuring an impressive list of guests singers.  Mark Hockings (Mesh), Björn Marius Borg (Xenturion Prime), Louise Marchione (Planet R/Thermostatic), Mikael Engström (Covered In Snow), Richard Flow (Machinsta) and Arielle Andersson (Octolab) contributed to this fascinating album released by Conzoom Records.

(Picture credits Peter Engman / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What made you start next to Vanguard a solo-project? How do you differentiate both projects in sound, influences and production? 

Patrik: I have always wanted to work with other singers. That was actually one of the reasons I looked for a companion back when I met Jonas and we started Vanguard, but it turned out that I was the one grabbing the microphone. So, the dream to work with other singers lived on and Uncreated is the result of that.

When it comes to differentiate the projects it has become easier the more I have worked with both Vanguard and Uncreated. One obvious thing is the singers ofc, but also the production differs more and more. Vanguard has a tendency to go towards a darker atmosphere whilst Uncreated feels more optimistic so to speak. I don’t know in what direction it will go from here though.

Q: A solo-project smells like ‘total freedom’; to do what you want without any compromises. But what are the main difficulties and challenges you encounter when being the single member at board? Do you have external critics and/or advisors? 

Patrik: I always try to get input from people I trust when it comes to songwriting and production. Rob Dust has always been kind enough to help me out when it comes to production.

The co-writers/guest-singers have a lot to say as well. It is important that all involved are as satisfied as possible. I know I have some limitations when it comes to production etc, but the more I work with it, the better I become. 

Q: How did this ‘symbiosis’ between you and the singers happen? Did you handle specific criteria to choose the singers to work with? What have been the different stages you’d to go through to get the job done?

Patrik: I simply choose to ask singers whose voices I really like. Not all accepted but I am really happy that so many wanted to join me as well on “Symbiosis” as on all earlier releases. In some cases I had a song ready for the guest to record and in some cases I only had an instrumental track. On most instrumental tracks I had an idea of a melody, but I let the guest decide if they wanted to write something themselves or not, both lyrics and melody.

Q: How did the transition happen between your debut album “Eternal” and “Symbiosis”? What aspects of the production did you try to change and/or improve? 

Patrik: With “Eternal” I created a small foundation to grow from so to speak. I only had one guest on the album (Mel Guntzelsson). I wanted to spread the word just a little bit before I invited more guests. I guess it worked out quite well since I have been joined by great singers since then. Each release has helped me to spread the word about Uncreated to a bigger audience. After every release I let the songs ‘rest’ for a while before I listen to them again. In that way I have managed to take small steps in the right direction after every release.

Q: “Hand Grenade” featuring Mark Hockings rapidly became one of Uncreated’s most successful songs. Tell us a bit more about this song and the collaboration with Mark properly speaking? How did you know it was a song for him?

Patrik: Mark did a remix of “Break Free” (feat. Dennis Schober from Solitary Experiments) and that is how I got in contact with him. It was during that process that I told him I had a free spot for the upcoming album. I was really surprised that he accepted to join. I sent him an instrumental track and gave him time to work with lyrics and melody. The result was beyond my expectations. He also added a few elements to the production which really improved the impact of the song.

Q: What are your further plans with Uncreated? How do you expect the project evolving and what are you actually working on? 

Patrik: At the moment I’m gathering inspiration to do more tracks. I still have a list of singers I want to work with. Actually Magnus Dahlberg from the Swedish band More is currently working on lyrics for a track. Let’s see where that ends! But I have no release with Uncreated planned in the near future.

Vanguard will release “Spectrum” this spring and then we have some gigs coming up too. I want to focus on that. But if I know myself, I will probably get in one of my ‘zones’ when I least expect it. In that case things can go fast.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Patrik Hansson (Vanguard singer) released the second album of his solo-project Uncreated in November 2021. The opus was released right after a few singles featuring guest singers.

Content: Patrik Hansson got some good company to achieve this work. He asked guest singers to join in. Mark Hockings (Mesh) and Björn Marius Borg (Xenturion Prime) were already featured on the previously released singles while Louise Marchione (Planet R/Thermostatic), Mikael Engström (Covered In Snow), Richard Flow (Machinista) and Arielle Andersson (Octolab) completed the list. Patrik is singing on a few songs as well. The music remains pure Electro-Pop -and still more poppy than Vanguard, driven by hopping sequences, retro sound treatments and danceable beats.

Nite did a remix of “Hand Grenade” featuring Mark Hockings. The CD version features 2 bonus songs which are extended versions.

+ + + : The concept of working with guest singers is not new but rather surprising for Patrik Hansson who’s a talented singer himself. It however resulted in extra diversity while the artist could probably focus more on songwriting and production. “Hand Grenade” remains an outstanding song, but I also have to mention the other single “Rebuild The Future” featuring Marius Borg and the more aggressive “Alive” featuring Richard Flow. I also enjoyed “One Night In Blue” featuring Louise Marchione’s delicate timbre of voice. Nite also accomplished a cool remix of “Hand Grenade”.

– – – : I only noticed a few ‘softer’ songs which couldn’t convince me but which injected a break to the work.

Conclusion: Uncreated only confirms its immense potential, being next to Vanguard, another great Electro-Pop project of Patrik Hansson.

Best songs: “Hand Grenade”, “Rebuild The Future”, “Alive”, “One Night In Blue”, “Hand Grenade – Nite Remix”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Patrik Hansson who’s known as Vanguard member unleashed the debut-album “Eternal” of his electro-pop solo-project Uncreated last year . The album plus several EP’s were all real good surprises. With “Leaving Now” Hansson serves us an appetizer for his next album “Symbiosis”. Robert Enforsen (Elegant Machinery) and Helena Wigeborn (Train To Spain) contributed as guest singers to this EP. 

Content: Next to the title song -featuring Robert Enforsen plus 4 remixes, this EP also features another song featuring Enforsen, one song featuring Helena Wigeborn and 3 more songs.

The title track is a catchy electro-pop track with a cool melody line. “Fast Forward” featuring Helena Wigeborn sounds even more catchy. Among the other new songs I heard a mix between melancholia on “Ta Över Nu”, sung in Swedish and the harder, but still melodic side “I Was Wrong”. “Pushing Borders” featuring Robert Enforsen is a soft cut.

Remixes have been made by Vanguard, Electro Spectre and Caisaron while there also is a cool “Extended Remix” of “Leaving Now”. The last song is a kind of outro with the matching title “The Last Goodbye”.

+ + + : Patrik Hansson has created next to Vanguard a real promising electro-pop project. This new EP only features new stuff and the contribution from guest singer of Robert Enforsen for sure is a noticeable element. But there’s also something to say about Helena Wigeborn who’s an interesting vocalist as well. The title song is cool, but I definitely prefer the somewhat more elaborated “Extended Remix”. Another cool cut is the harder beating “I Was Wrong”. Among the remixes I want to mention the punchy edit of Vanguard. Uncreated sounds more electro-pop driven than Vanguard revealing Hansson as a talented melody maker.

– – – : I expected a bit more from the other song featuring Robert Enforsen while the remixes by Electro Spectre and Caisaron don’t really add a bonus.

Conclusion: Uncreated confirms its strong potential revealed at “Eternal” so this is possibly a new Swedish electro-pop sensation.

Best songs: “Leaving Now – Extended Remix”, “Leaving Now”, “I Was Wrong”, “Fast Forward”, “Leaving Now – Vanguard Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

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

On June 5th Conzoom Records will be the newest Uncreated EP “Leaving Now”. For the occasion Swedish electro artist Patrik Hansson (also known as the Vanguard frontman) invited guest singers for many of his new songs. Included on the EP for instance are Elegant Machinery frontman Robert Enforsen and Train To Spain singer Helena Wigeborn.

In addition to the original version of the title track there is also a “Leaving Now (Extended Version)” and remixes by Vanguard, Electro Spectre and Caisaron. The EP is rounded off by 4 more tracks. Robert Enforsen sings on “Pushing Borders” and on the other songs, one of which is sung in Swedish for the first time with Uncreated mastermind Patrik Hansson doing the vocals himself.

This is the track listing of the EP:

• Leaving Now (feat. Robert Enforsen) 3:34
• Fast Forward (feat. Helena Wigeborn) 4:28
• Pushing Borders (feat. Robert Enforsen) 3:41
• I was wrong 3:49
• Ta över nu 4:45
• Leaving Now (feat. Robert Enforsen) (Vanguard Remix) 3:52
• Leaving Now (feat. Robert Enforsen) (Electro Spectre Remix) 3:38
• Leaving Now (feat. Robert Enforsen) (Caisaron Remix) 3:26
• Leaving Now (feat. Robert Enforsen) (Extended Remix) 4:45
• The Last Goodbye 4:21

You can preview the EP 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

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: After a few noticeable EP’s it’s not time to Patrik Hansson (Vanguard) to unleash his debut solo-album.

Content: “Eternal” takes off with familiar cuts. “Evolve” and “Not Your Soldier” both are the title tracks from the previous EP’s introducing us into the electro-pop universe of the Swedish project. It’s a classical electro-pop driven sound, which is carried by solid dance beats and the charismatic, powerful vocals of Hansson. A few other cuts have been previously released at the aforementioned EP’s, but you’ll also discover interesting new cuts, which simply confirm the potential of Uncreated. This is catchy, but powerful electro-pop like Swedes can make!

+ + + : “Evolve” remains an absolute masterpiece, but I also have to mention “Is That What You Want” and “Suffocated”, which both could be released as EP-title songs as well. The secret sound formula of Patrik Hansson is quite easy: carrying melody lines, danceable kicks injecting some power and great vocal lines. The sound feels more like ‘classical’ electro-pop and different than his main project Vanguard. The songs are well-crafted and elaborated.

– – – : I’m not convinced by the last song, which is more a kind of emotional try-out. Among the 10 songs left, those who have already discovered the previously released EP’s will re-discover 5 songs so in the end the album only features 3 previously unknown songs. But there’s no reason to complain!

Conclusion: The main comparison between both projects Patrik Hansson is involved with is the passion for electro-music, but more important the great potential Vanguard and now Uncreated showed at their debut work! Uncreated is not just a side-project, that’s for sure!

Best songs: “Evolve”, Is That What You Want”,  “Suffocated”, “Not Your Soldier”, “You Know Nothing”, “A Greater Plan”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: This is the next EP/single released by Patrik Hansson (Vanguard) and another song that will get featured on Uncreated’s debut album “Eternal”.

Content: The title song is totally devoted to electro-pop music. It sounds catchy and just like on the “Evolve”-EP driven by dance beats. “Not Your Soldier” has been remixed by Machinista, Rotersand, DNTR and Random Starlight. The B-side track “At The Front” will not be featured on the full length and is another danceable and melodic song.

+ + + : “Not Your Soldier” features the requested elements to speak about a successful electro-pop song; it’s catchy, melodic, dance and featuring a talented vocalist. I like the remix made by Machinista while the one by Rotersand will for sure catch wider attention. The B-side track sounds definitely more than simple filler.

– – – : Compared to the “Evolve”-EP this one is less ‘sexy’ and convincing although it remains an honest EP. I also expected a bit more from the remixes.

Conclusion: “Not Your Soldier” is a cool song, but it’s not that evident to release a new potential ‘master hit’ after the phenomenal “Evolve”!

Best songs: “Not Your Soldier – Machinista Remix”, “Not Your Soldier”, “Not Your Soldier – Rotersand Remake”. 

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Uncreated is a new Swedish solo-project set up by the singer of Vanguard Patrik Hansson. He released a few EP’s to announce the debut album “Eternal”.

Content: You for sure will rapidly recognize Hansson’s typical timbre of voice so comparisons with Vanguard will be unavoidable, but sound-wise Uncreated reveals a different approach. “Evolve” sounds closer to ‘typical’ electro-pop music although driven by a hard, danceable kick. The title song is melodic, danceable and featuring a chorus you’ll rapidly start to sing along. There also is an “Extended Remix” and a remix by People Theatre.

Other songs are “You Know Nothing”, which is also remixed by Rob Dust plus a remix of the song “In this World”. 

+ + + : Honestly, “Evolve” is a great and accomplished song! This is the kind of track you’ll spontaneously start to listen to again and again. It’s well-crafted, carried by a solid bass lines and an efficient melodic tune plus featuring great vocal lines. The “Extended Remix” is a welcome last track while the People Theatre remix is also a noticeable edit. And if “You Know Nothing” is a B-side cut I can assure you it’s a real great one as well. The remix of Rob Dust is also a highlight.

– – – : I don’t see any minus point here!

Conclusion: I can only say that I’m deeply impressed by this EP and especially its title track! This is great, danceable electro-pop!

Best songs: “Evolve”, “Evolve – Extended Remix”, “You Know Nothing – Rob Dust Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/uncreatedofficial

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: After their astonishing official debut album “Evolve” (2016) the Bristol (UK) Sinestar gang is back on track unleashing their new full length. Iain Brownlie (vocals), Mark Trueman (synths, programming), Mathew Mohangee (drums & percussion) and James Skuse (bass guitar) have been joined by Tenek’s member Peter Steer (synths, guitar, backing vocals) to accomplish this new work.

Content: The sound and inspiration clearly remains identical to “A Million Like Us” although you rapidly hear Sinestar didn’t try to accomplish a ‘copy-paste’ from their debut work. The songs reflect more maturity and an impressive harmony between all different sound layers and instruments. It’s melodic electro-pop music, which will make you feel good. Some passages are quieter, inviting the listener to close his eyes and dream away.

Some of the most noticeable cuts from the album are “Smiling On The Inside” for the dubby bass line, “Erotic Hypnotica” for being the potential hit of this work and “The Preacher”, which sounds pretty Tenek-like.

+ + + : Sinestar doesn’t compose easy electro-pop music, but a sophisticated production where every single part is fitting with the next one. It feels like an impressive electro-pop puzzle with a great singer on top. I was impressed by the synth leads carrying some of the songs, but I also have to say a word about guitar parts reinforcing the global sound. The song “Erotic Hypnotica” appears to be the new potential hit of this album.

– – – : I was less convinced by some of the few softer cuts, but that’s just a very personal point of view. After having composed the precious and successful “Evolve”-album it has been a kind of challenge to hit back with a new masterpiece. Speaking for myself I prefer the debut album although this opus appears to be more mature although missing the innocence of the debut work.

Conclusion: Sinestar definitely is a talented electro-pop band hitting back with a styled and high-tech production. Even if I have a preference for “Evolve” this album features multiple great moments of music.

Best songs: “Erotic Hypnotica”, “The Preacher”, “A Second In Your Arms”, “Lie On Lie”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.sinestar.co.uk / www.facebook.com/Sinestarmusic

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

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

Sinestar has released the first single of their eponymous electropop album, scheduled for release on February 9th. “A Million Like Us” is out as a digital single and is available in all major download stores.

The 3 tracks on the single are “A Million Like Us”, “I Know (exclusive track)” and “Locked From The Inside (Brutal Remix) (exclusive track)”. “I Know” is a brand new track from the album sessions and is exclusive to this release.

“Locked From The Inside” is a remix of the track which was featured on the Sinestar debut album “Singularis”, remixed by Mark Trueman. All tracks were mastered by Tim Dorney, who also mixed the title track. The album “A Million Like Us” will be released on Friday the 9th of February 2018 and will be available as a limited edition CD and from all major download stores.

You can listen to all tracks of the single right below.

https://soundcloud.com/conzoomrecords/sets/sinestar-a-million-like-us-digital-ep

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Kenneth Larsen was born in Denmark, but based in Malmö (Sweden). Active as Dead Man Recovering you might have discovered this artist by the digital EP “Pleasure” released last year on Conzoom Records. The debut full length album has been released on Space Race Records and features 12 songs.

Content: “Panic In Slow Motion” is a sweet sounding electro-pop work, which might remind now and then of Depeche Mode. Some songs made me think to a kind of pop-ballad style, which is maybe accentuated by the guitar playing. The songs are pretty similar with “Time” as single track revealing a bit more power (through the kick) and passion (in the vocals).

+ + + : Dead Man Recovering is a project that might please electro-pop lovers, which are more into ‘easy listening’ music. There’s a kind of sensibility supporting the songs, which sometimes remind me a bit of Depeche Mode.

– – – : I have to admit this is the first release from the Space Race Records roster, which can’t convince me. The songs are quite similar and rapidly stagnating into monotony. I’m also missing some real passion in the vocal parts while there’s no real climax in the music as well.

Conclusion: “Panic In Slow Motion” is not what I would call a successful debut for Dead Man Recovering. I’m missing some elaboration in the writing and passion in the vocals!

Best songs: “Time”.

Rate: (5).

Band: www.facebook.com/deadmanrecovering

Label: www.spaceracerecords.com / www.facebook.com/SpaceRaceRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, dance-pop.

Background/Info: Parralox is a prolific band animated by the creative spirit of John von Ahlen. “Subculture” is the 8^th full length of the band while they also released a few remixes-albums. “Subculture” features 2 different parts. You first get the ‘Red’ part, which is totally into dance-pop and next the ‘Blue’ part featuring more ‘traditional’ electro-pop. Each part has 7 songs. Notice by the way numerous guest singers contributed to this album.

Content: The ‘Red’ part moves on the edge of commercial music. It’s more into dance music instead of electro-pop. The songs are well-crafted and giving you a kind of ‘feel-good’ feeling. Especially the first cuts are totally dance-club minded while driven by sensual female vocals. Louise Love became a familiar singer of the band and contributed to several dance-cuts, but also to several electro-pop driven songs.

The ‘Blue’ part is more into the classical approach of Parralox. The songs mix good-old 80s influences together with a refreshing and more contemporary input. Several songs remind me of bands like Erasure and The Human League. I also noticed an interesting and somewhat nu-disco influence running throughout one of the cuts.

+ + + : Parralox feels comfortable experimenting with different pop-approaches. They already proved to make great covers (cf. “Holliday ‘15” and “Holliday ‘16”-albums), but are still into alluring dance-pop music and of course they remain a cool electro-pop band. I especially like the vintage approach of the work, which is nothing new although composed with brilliant sound treatments and a perfect balance in the vocals production. I definitely prefer the ‘Blue’-pop part of the album. This is the sound where Parralox stands for and where they excel on “Last Man standing”, “Voyager II” and “Rocket Silence II”. A last and essential aspect of the work is the already artistic uniformity of the artwork. Parralox created an easy recognizable artwork, which you directly link to the band.

– – – : Even if I have nothing to say about the production of the ‘Red’-dance side this part of the work sometimes reveal cheap dance tricks moving on the edge of commercial music. I think it would have been better to release it as a separate release or a bonus disc.

Conclusion: Parralox moves in between dance and pop music, but lost a bit of their splendor on the ‘dance’-side. They definitely remain an electro-pop formation and that’s what I enjoy when listening to their sound.

Best songs: “Last Man Standing feat. Peter Wilson”, “Voyager II feat. Louise Love”, “Rocket Science II”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.parralox.com / www.facebook.com/parralox

Labels: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial / www.subterrane.com.au / www.facebook.com/SubterraneRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Set and driven by John Von Ahlen the Melbourner based Parralox became a familiar and recognized formation on the electro-pop horizon. After “Holiday ‘15” the band released a new opus on, which they bring an ode to some of their favorite bands. John Von Ahlen and Louise Love have accomplished 14 new covers from some legendary 80s tracks.

Content: Pet Shop Boys, Echo & the Bunnymen, William Higgins, Cicero, The Twins, Depeche Mode (2 songs), The Human League (5 songs), Sparks and Heaven 17 have been the sources of inspiration to release this work.

Parralox adapted the original versions into their own electro-pop approach, which is composed with mainly analogue gear and even the use of the famous Buchla modular synthesizer. John Von Ahlen and Louise Love both sing and sometimes as a duo. The band often reminds me of The Human League and I guess it’s not of a coincidence if this formation also appears to be one of their favorite ‘victims’.

+ + + : “Holiday ‘16” sounds hotter and more exciting than “Summer ‘15”. Working on covers of some legendary bands like the Human League, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen and co is not an easy thing, but Parralox has the skills to transform most of the original versions into a very own and successful approach. “Flamboyant” from Pet Shop Boys became a great song, which even sounds a bit The Human League-like. The comparison with The Human League is nothing new although it has been never so true. “Louise” and “The Lebanon” both have been meticulously reworked. It all sounds like Parralox feels the true spirit of the original version to bring them to life in a refreshed version. The songs are characterized by great sound treatments and driven by talented singers. The song “Blasphemous Rumours” (Depeche Mode) is my absolute favorite. It reveals great sequences and a somewhat EBM-flavor while it remains faithful to the original spirit of the song.

– – – : A few songs are not as interesting and I think it’s all about making the right choice. “A Question Of Time” (Depeche Mode) and Zero As A Limit” (The Human League) are not that much worse, but just less credible.

Conclusion: Parralox has found a cool- although not a new concept to bring old standards back to life. It definitely indicates the main sources of inspiration and gives the opportunity to younger fans to discover old electro-pop anthems!

Best songs: “Blasphemous Rumours”, “Bring On The Dancing Horses”, “Heaven Must Have Sent You Back To Me”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.parralox.com / www.facebook.com/parralox

Labels: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial / www.subterrane.com.au / www.facebook.com/SubterraneRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, dance-pop.

Background/Info: The “Electropop”-series became one of the most exciting compilations in the electro-pop genre style, but especially a sonic canvas to discover Conzoom artists and new, upcoming talents. One of the main particularities of the sampler also is the number of “Extended”-versions. This new series features 14 bands!

Bands: Emt, Insight, JanRevolution, Kosmos, Mechatronic, Midnight Resistance, Nordika feat. Felix Marc, Polyester8, Rename, Rroyce, Shelter, The Sweetest Condition and Robert Marlow.

Content: This new edition of “Electropop” reveals an impressive number of less familiar pop artists. The main influence running through the album remains electro-pop although there also is a solid dance input recovering most of the songs. The first and main part is pretty dance-pop orientated, but progressively moves towards a more familiar electro-pop sound during the second part.

+ + + : I like a compilation on, which you can discover a lot of new names and that’s precisely what this sampler stands for. Next to rather new names I also noticed some more familiar artists, getting us back to A Different Drum (a label we’re missing) and the genius of an artist like Robert Marlow. This is a sampler that will make you feel happy and get you into the dance.

– – – : The more into dance-pop formations are not the most exciting ones. I noticed cool songs, but no real hits!

Conclusion: “Electropop” is a compilation-series I enjoy and which always gives me the opportunity to discover new names. I can’t affirm this vintage is the best one to date, but it remains a great sampler.

Best bands: Robert Marlow, Rroyce, Midnight Resistance, Shelter.

Rate: (7).

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, body-pop.

Background/Info: Vanguard is back on track with their 3^rd full length album to date. Jonas Olofsson and Patrik Hansson are a Swedish duo I’ve been keeping an eye on since their early debut. They got signed to Conzoom Records on, which they released great work. They last year moved to Infacted Recordings unleashing the EP “I Want To Live” which got enthusiastic reactions.

Content: Vanguard didn’t spare any effort to bring their sound to a higher level. They asked Rob Dust to produce the new work and the least I can say is that the addition of an experienced and talented producer can only improve your work.

The sound remains pretty faithful to the original sound of Vanguard. It’s a kind of powerful electro-pop style, which reminds me –once again, of Mesh. There’s this similar nose to create carrying choruses driven by lyrics you’ll rapidly keep in mind to sing along with Jonas Olofsson. The songs are elaborated and characterized by bouncing kicks. I however discovered a few calmer and more moody cuts. There definitely is some variation in the songs and this diversity makes the album more accessible. You sometimes need a kind of ‘intermezzo’ before getting back to the powerful cuts.

+ + + : I had to listen a few times to this work before I really caught the essence made of little sound details, hopping rhythms and some subtle arrangements. The global structure of progression of the songwriting is admirable and fully accomplished. The elaboration of some songs is even leading towards a kind of climax. The song “I Want To Live” is a real hit! A last, but essential aspect of Vanguard remains the great singing skills of Jonas Olofsson.

– – – : Vanguard will maybe get bored with all the possible comparisons with Mesh, but I simply experience their sound as the ‘Swedish Mesh’. The only point that makes the difference between both formations is that they still have to go a long way before reaching the same level.

Conclusion: After having released 3 albums and an impressive number of EP’s we definitely might affirm that Vanguard is one of the hottest electro-pop bands from the past years while “Veritas” can be easily considered as their opus-magnum.

Best songs: “I Want To Live”, “A Different Story”, “Friends”, “Move On”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.vanguardofficial.com / www.facebook.com/vanguardofficial

Label: www.infacted–recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted–Recordings/124099254321690

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, dance-pop.

Background/Info: Australian synth-pop sensation Parralox strikes back with a new EP revealing a new title song and the usual load of remixes. Several songs were originally released on the “Aeronaut”-album released during 2015.

Content: “Wildlife” is a happy electro-pop song featuring the familiar catchy and danceable elements of Parralox. The song has been remixed by 4 different artists and I here especially recommend the ultra-clubby sounding “Range Dub And Dance Mix” by People Theatre.

Among the other list of remixes I was mainly impressed by John Von Ahlen in person remixing “Somebody II” a great, danceable way as well. There’s another noticeable remix of “Somebody II”, which has been accomplished by Midnight Resistance. And here again we get a pretty cool dance-pop format.

This EP has been clearly made for the dancefloor and reveals multiple exciting dance cuts. A last one I’ll mention is the somewhat lounge-dance approach of “Do You Feel What I Feel” remixed by Talion Law.

+ + + : This EP is a pure club-minded work featuring some excellent dance-pop pieces.

– – – : Some of the remixes are maybe a little bit too ‘dance’-minded creating a hiatus with the original versions.

Conclusion: If you’re into danceable pop vibes you’re definitely going to like and enjoy the “Wildlife”-EP. This is great ‘Saturday Night Fever’!

Best songs: “Wildlife – People Theatre’s Range Dub And Dance Mix”, “Somebody II – Midnight Resistance Remix”, “Do You Feel What I Feel – The Talion Law Delight Mix”, “Somebody II – John Von Ahlen Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.parralox.com / www.facebook.com/parralox

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, cabaret-pop, cinematographic.

Background/Info: This is the 8^th full length released by Parralox, which remains driven by the creative mind of John Von Ahlen. The Australian band remains one of the most recognized synth-pop formations from Australia.

Content: The least I can say is that Parralox doesn’t repeat them and this album is something really apart from what they’ve done before although nothing new in history. The electro-pop approach and inspiration remains the main basis, but there also is a noticeable cabaret and cinematographic approach. This album is an ode to some of their favorite bands and that’s why it features cover versions of bands like Rational Youth, Psyche, Camouflage, Pet Shop Boys and Human League (5 covers).

“Holiday ‘15” sounds more minimal and that’s precisely the kind of cabaret-touch emerging from the composition, which also makes the originality of these covers. It has been mixed with some good-old ‘retro’ influences of the original versions. It reminds me sometimes of Marc Almond while there’s no cover of this artist. You now and then also will notice some funky arrangements and nu-disco effects adding a glitch touch to the work.

+ + + : This is an original and creative adaptation of some ‘classics’. I like the approach of the covers.

– – – : “Holiday ‘15” doesn’t exactly sound danceable and that’s maybe a pity when you have some original songs like “Being Boiled” and “Gods And Monsters” in mind.

Conclusion: The cover concept is an old formula that has been used and abused by numerous bands, but Parralox tries to achieve it with some refreshing ideas and totally reworked the original songs.

Best songs: “Gods And Monsters”, “Always On My Mind / In My House”, “I Want To See The light”, “Morale / You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.parralox.com / www.facebook.com/parralox

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, body-pop.

Content: The Swedish Vanguard duo is a band I’ve kept an eye on since their earlier work. They next got signed to Conzoom Records, which was the right label for their electro-pop inspired music. It all resulted in a few EP’s and 2 full length albums. The band has now joined the more famous Infacted Recordings to give a new ramp-up to their career.

“I Want To Live” is the first official EP released by their new label and it’s a perfect opportunity to rediscover the mature production of this band. The title song is a rather typical Vanguard song featuring this extra little moody touch, which during their early years often reminded me of Mesh. The song is a well-crafted mix between danceable vibes and elaborated electro-pop music.

We next get 2 other new songs, which are much more than simple B-side cuts. Vanguard now reveals a more explicit EBM inspiration, which has been mixed with the pop basis. The EBM aspect is mainly hidden in the solid bass lines and especially “Rising Phoenix” is a cool song in the genre. They’ve found a perfect balance between both influences, which also comes through at “Alive Inside”.

The least I can say is that the ‘new’ Vanguard stands for a cohesive and power-pop like composition with alluring vocals on top.
This EP also brings its usual number of remixes. All I can say is that the choice of the bands is absolutely essential and Vanguard picked the right ones. The title song has been remixed by 4 artists, but the one you really have to keep in mind is the so-called “KC Killjoy Vs ExoSun Starsign Mix”. This remix is pure power and will make you dance for more than 8 minutes. There’s a great mixture of sounds and effects on this version.

I also have to mention a devastating and pumping remix by Interface and another one by FGFC820. Torul is the only band to bring a sweeter touch to the EP and some diversity in the remixes.

Conclusion: “I Want To Live” is a cool new song, which has also been very inspiring for most of the remixers. Both other new songs are pretty cool as well so I’m really looking forward to welcome the new album of this band.

Best songs: “I Want To Live – KC Killjoy Vs ExoSun Starsign Mix”, “I Want To Live”, “Rising Phoenix, “I Want To Live – Interface Remix”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.vanguardofficial.com / www.facebook.com/vanguardofficial

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

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: Synth-pop.

Content: “Aeronaut” is the newest opus from Australian synth-pop proud Parralox. John von Ahlen is a talented electronic musician who deals with good-old vintage synth-pop elements mixed with a refreshing sound.

This new work reveals 11 fresh songs opening with the title song, which is totally representative for the sound of Parralox. It’s a polished and well-crafted production made by beautiful sound sculptures and clear vocals. “Do You Feel What I Feel?” opens with a mysterious, but famous Enigma sound and rapidly moves into an elaborated and extended creation of hopping rhythms and a deep resonating bass line. The pumping kick makes it all very danceable while this song has something body-pop as well.

“Aeronaut” moves from danceable cuts towards dreamy passages. This reverie side is the softer part of the work, which is well-crafted and absolutely relaxing.

Things get more interesting on “Somebody II”, which is filled with some kind of nu-disco effects while a few passages remind me of Depeche Mode. This is a cool and accomplished piece of music.

The last part of the work is more creative, quite diversified and featuring a few more attention grabbers. I’m first of all referring to the groovy and sexy sounding “Wrong Or Right”, which is another great danceable piece of music.

“Zero” coming up next is my favorite and possibly a potential hit for the band. The song is carried by a menacing bass line, but I was especially flabbergasted by the terrific sound effects and intelligent arrangements this song has been made of. It’s a kind of high-tech electro-pop song like opening the path for a new generation of synth-pop musicians.

The album released by Conzoom Records also features 4 bonus songs. This is not the most creative part of the work as it features 3 extended versions of 3 album songs. These songs each go over the 6 minutes. It’s cool, but not exactly adding anything new.

Conclusion: Parralox is a band that has never disappointed and simply becomes better throughout the years. Even if the band is not exactly one of the leading formations in the synth-pop genre, the new work simply proves it’s a real reference for its global writing and production.

Best songs: “Wrong Or Right”, “Together”, “Atmosphere”, “Zero”, “Mystery”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.parralox.com / www.facebook.com/parralox

Label: www.conzoomrecords.de / www.facebook.com/conzoomofficial

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