The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix releases the twelfth volume in its “Matrix+ Downloaded” series to coincide with the label’s 24th anniversary. The digital-only set collects 69 tracks across the label’s current spectrum – EBM, dark elektro/industrial, synth pop – and newer Spleen+ additions spanning post-punk, goth rock and coldwave. The compilation is offered as a free/pay-what-you-want download via the label’s Bandcamp page and also includes a PDF booklet.

On the cover you will recognize Erica Dunham from Unter Null.

Artists included on this free download compilation include: Studio-X (feat. Kyoko Baertsoen), Rector Scanner, Aesthetische, Cut.Rate.Box, Kant Kino, Frontal Boundary, C-Lekktor, Acylum, Diffuzion, Implant, Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls (feat. Aux Animaux), Noemi Aurora, Suicidal Romance, Llumen, Hanging Freud, Lederman/De Meyer, The Ultimate Dreamers, Aiboforcen, Digital Factor, Armageddon Dildos, Helalyn Flowers, Krystal System, The True Union, Freakangel, Totem Obscura, Lovelorn Dolls (feat. Dero Goi), The Breath of Life, The Names, ImJudas, Synapsyche, Miseria Ultima, Unter Null, Alien Vampires (feat. Dani Divine), Venal Flesh, Helle9, To Avoid, Pouppée Fabrikk, Stahlgeist, Nigra Nebula, Aengeldust, Circuito Cerrado, Matthew Creed, Cubic, Metroland, The Psychic Force, Komor Kommando, First Aid Tech, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Plastic Noise Experience, AD:Key, Elektroklänge, 808 Dot Pop, Avarice in Audio, Elektrostaub (feat. Echo Image), Cryogenic Echelon, Entrzelle, Neuroactive, Technoir, Mondträume, Star Industry, Stray, Psy’Aviah (feat. Sorrow Stories), Zombie Girl, Darkness on Demand, Circumpolar, Dunkelwerk, and Lights A.M.

A&R manager, Sebastien Dolimont says: “In 2025, Alfa Matrix proudly celebrates 24 years of existence. Nearly a quarter of a century fighting for dark alternative music, discovering new talents, and keeping the underground alive. This anniversary is not just about us and our artists – it’s about you, our fans. Because without your constant support, there would be no label, no releases, no future for the scene we all love.”

And he add: “In a world where indie labels are disappearing, streaming revenues collapse, and risks of signing new talents are higher than ever, we are proud to still stand strong — but we can only do it with you by our side. By downloading this compilation, you are not just enjoying music — you are actively supporting 69 artists and helping keep our scene alive, fresh, and forward-looking. From all of us at Alfa Matrix and Spleen+, and on behalf of all our artists: thank you for 24 years of loyalty, passion, and support. Together, we’ll keep writing the future of the dark underground.”

About Alfa Matrix

Alfa Matrix is a Brussels-based independent label founded in 2001. The catalogue focuses on electronic subgenres including industrial, EBM, dark elektro, and synth pop, later expanding into post-punk/coldwave via the Spleen+ division. The label’s team includes label & artists manager Seba Dolimont, promo manager Bernard Van Isacker, and head of design Benoît Blanchart.

From the early 2000s, Alfa Matrix used series-based releases to build international reach. Notable strands include “Sounds From The Matrix” (label samplers), “Re:Connected” (digital label overview), and the club-oriented “Endzeit Bunkertracks” multi-CD anthologies (first “Act” released 21 March 2005, featuring 60 tracks with 50 exclusives).

In 2023, Alfa Matrix inaugurated Spleen+, a division centred on post-punk and adjacent styles, and followed with multi-artist projects and catalogue building, including the “Resurgence” 7-CD box that assembled 133 contemporary bands from the post-punk family.

The label has since the very start focused on a direct contact with its fans and customers via their online webstore and Bandcamp.

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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Celebrating its 30th year, Audioglobe, the most important distributor in the darkwave scene, just shared a statistical review, revealing the shifts and trends in the darkwave (and related) music genre.

Our readers will surely remember that we have reported on these stats for years, until 2018, the first year that Audioglobe didn’t communicate these stats. Sebastian Koch from Audioglobe explains: “Some customers never really cared that much about these, as they have better things to do than reading boring mails from the undersigned. But… Surprisingly there are quite a high number of customers, that sort of ‘complained’ about the fact, that no stats were being done any longer… The reason is: I was simply always far too busy in past years. Anyway: Here we go with the first new stats since 2017!”

So here are some export facts.

Top 10 Bestselling Labels of 2023 (export)

1. FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET
   • She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…
2. METROPOLIS
   • Birthday Massacre, Delerium, Front Line Assembly, A Projection, KMFDM, Legendary P.D…
3. ICY COLD/MANIC DEPR.
   • Twin Tribes, Je T’aime, Traitrs, Kill Shelter, Closed Mouth, Talk to Her, Schonwald…
4. ALFA MATRIX
   • Alien Vampires, Front 242, Metroland, Die Robo Sapiens, Elm, 808 Dot Pop, Helalyn Flowers…
5. RUSTBLADE
   • Claudio Simonetti, Ennio Morricone, Lycia Lunch, Spiritual Front, Ketvector, Legendary Pink D…
6. OUT OF LINE
   • Blutengel, Hocico, Solitary Experiments, Suicide Commando, Signal Aout42, Erdling…
7. TRISOL
   • Sopor Aeternus, Rome, Clan of Xymox, Asp, Ostara, Skinflicks, Nachtmahr, Mantus, Soman…
8. DEPENDENT
   • Kirlian Camera, Girls Under Glass, Spectra*Paris, Mildreda, Black Nail Cabaret, Beborn Beton…
9. ARTOFFACT
   • Actors, Noise Unit, cEvin Key, Kaelan Mikla, Ploho, Sacred Skin, Kauan, Ken Mode, Spectres…
10. AUERBACH
    • Spiritual Front, Sol Invictus, Tenhi, Moon and the Night Spirit, Haavard, Hekate, Orplid…

Best Export Territories of 2023

If we look at the Audioglobe stats, we notice that Germany and Greece remain the company’s strongest markets, continuing a trend that has been consistent for ages. However, the 2023 statistics reveal some notable shifts.

Canada, once a prominent market for Audioglobe, has surprisingly disappeared from the export landscape. In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom have re-emerged as significant territories, marking their return to prominence in the darkwave music scene after several years.

The most unexpected development in 2023 is the rise of Australia as a key market. This growth stands in stark contrast to Switzerland, which, despite its affluence, has seen a sharp decline in sales. Sebastian Koch adds: “The (by far!) lowest sales of all countries where we export to, was to Switzerland… The rich Swiss don’t buy records! Since I left the country (1990), something is wrong back home!”

Here is the top 10 list of export territories:

1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. USA
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. Russia
10. Poland

Not in the top 10, but France, Japan, Malta, Brazil, Sweden, Mexico, and Perù are also good export territories for Audioglobe.

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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Alfa Matrix, the renowned Belgian label, commemorates its 22nd anniversary with yet another mastodont compilation on Bandcamp. The latest installment in the acclaimed “Matrix Downloaded” series, titled “Matrix+ Downloaded 011”, is now available as a free download on their Bandcamp page. Packed with 60 tracks, including new signings and a preview of the upcoming Spleen+ label releases, this compilation showcases Alfa Matrix’s diverse music repertoire.

“Matrix+ Downloaded 011” soared to the top of the industrial Bandcamp charts within hours of its release, claiming the coveted number 1 position.

The collection holds 60 tracks in total including several new signings. These are the bands present on this brand new free download compilation: Hanging Freud, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath Of Life, Psy’Aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories, ImJudas, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, The True Union, Freakangel, Avarice In Audio, Siva Six, Alien Vampires, Synapsyche, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio, Technoir, Entrzelle, Llumen, Noemi Aurora, Aiboforcen Feat. Jan D., Reichsfeind, Mondträume Feat. N-Frequency, The Psychic Force, Digital Factor, Implant, Darkness On Demand, Aesthetische, Komor Kommando Vs. The True Union, Matthew Creed, C-Lekktor, First Aid Tech, Pouppee Fabrikk, ELM, Die Robo Sapiens, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Stahlgeist, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Suicidal Romance, Miseria Ultima, First Aid 4 Souls, Neikka RPM, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Helle9, Diffuzion, Acylum, Circuito Cerrado, Aengeldust, Studio-X, 808 Dot Pop, Cubic, Metroland, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Cosmic Armchair, Lights A.M.

You can download “Matrix+ Downloaded 011” for free via Bandcamp.

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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What comes in mind when hearing the names Jürgen Engler, Marcel Zürcher and Ralf Dörper? Die Krupps! Right; but since a few years they also started a new side-project called Die Robo Sapiens. This new band moves back to pure Electronic music and will mainly appeal for EBM fans. The German project signed to Alfa Matrix unleashing a debut EP in 2018. We next had to wait four years till by the end of 2022 they released the debut album “Robo Sapien Race”. This work is one of the best EBM albums from the past year which is clearly featuring explicit retro elements. An album filled with power and still a part of fun… and that’s what Die Robo Sapiens  is all about. I asked Jürgen Engler a few questions for the interview.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You guys have been next to Die Krupps involved in multiple other side-projects but what does Die Robo Sapiens stand for? How did the project come to life and how does it feel to start a new ‘band’ when you’ve been involved in a successful formation like DIE KRUPPS for so long?

Jürgen: The idea for Die Robo Sapiens came to me when I didn’t get the budget from the record company that I needed to produce an Industrial-Metal album. I also realized that I always ended up writing songs from time to time that didn’t quite fit that Die Krupps Industrial-Metal concept. So I decided to leave those songs purely Electronic. I know we also have fans who are more into the Die Krupps-EBM style tracks, so why not cater to them and give them something they will enjoy? It is a fun project for me as well, I can really play around with all my analog synths!

Q: Listening to your music and the debut album I got the sensation Die Robo Sapiens move on there where Die Krupps started to play with guitars. Is this what you mean?

Jürgen: The concept picks up there, but isn’t restricted to staying within that framework. I wanted to create somewhat of a niche for us, merging hard Die Krupps EBM with the sound of Düsseldorf-Electro, and with that I mean the roots. Kraftwerk and Die Krupps may stem from the same city and we know each other quite well, but they were never a direct influence on me. But I understand that Düsseldorf will forever be associated with Kraftwerk, and their music breathes Düsseldorf. So it was a logical progression for me to combine these musical styles. It sounds unique, and expands the genres. Niemals stillstehen! 

Q: While your debut EP was already released in 2018 it took a few more years to achieve the debut album “Robo Sapien Race”. Tell us a bit more about the writing and accomplishment of “Robo Sapien Race”? What have been the different stages in the writing and production of the work and what’s the input of each member?

Jürgen:At the time of the EP, I was ready to continue with the project, but the former record company threatened not to release the album if it was an all Electro album. They insisted on getting an Industrial-Metal album, so I was forced to move ahead and finish the new Die Krupps-album first. When that album was completed and the following tour, we continued working on the tracks that fit the concept. During the process it became more and more clear to me what the music needed to give Die Robo Sapiens a sound of its own. To me it’s always important to find your own style and niche. That’s how we did it since the beginning, don’t follow trends, spearhead them!

Q: It seems there’s a kind of concept behind this album dealing with ‘the dehumanization and technological dependency of mankind… without it you are nothing…’ How do you face this fact and how do you see the pros and cons of technology in the evolution of Electronic music -especially when compared to the 80s analog era?

Jürgen: I am fascinated by new technology, but I won’t let it dominate my life unless it is useful and making my life easier. Unfortunately, most people let technology dominate their life nowadays, and the balance seems off. We cannot make ourselves completely dependent on computers and machines, I personally refuse to becoming a Robo Sapien in my lifetime! We are the human race and should resist becoming one with the machinery. Although it’s a fascinating thought, it will be the end of humanity. I think the time will come sooner or later that man will be replaced by robo sapiens. I know I won’t be around anymore, and I have a feeling that’s a good thing.

Q: Soundwise you already mentioned the Kraftwerk-touch which is easily noticeable for the sound color and atmospheres but there also is the hard EBM side of DAF… and Die Krupps as well;-). How do you perceive it  and was there something as a ‘Düsseldorfer’ scene?

Jürgen: DAF are not a Düsseldorf-band, they were from Wuppertal and part Austrian. But Gabi did start his musical career in Düsseldorf, that’s true. I was friends with him before he even started a band. Ralf and I knew Kraftwerk because we all used to hang out in the same clubs and movie theatres around town back in the 70s. I later became friends with Karl and also Wolfgang. I didn’t get in touch with them regarding guesting on the album, but it’s a nice thought and I will keep it in mind. Regarding the so called Düsseldorf-scene, sure there was a scene, and it was transitional when Punk happened. Kraftwerk, Neu, La Duesseldorf were the first wave, then came DAF, Die Krupps and Propaganda. We had our background in Punk, and not in the late 60s experimental strain of the Hippy scene. Although it produced very interesting bands, the two scenes never really crossed paths musically, until I tried to unite them in the mid 90s, when I brought members of Cluster, Guru Guru, Amon Duul, Faust and Die Krupps together to produce the album “Space Explosion”. It was an eye opening experience.

Q: What brings the future for Die Robo Sapiens? Is the album just a ‘one shot’ project or should we expect more stuff and eventually live shows, remixes etc?

Jürgen:This album is not supposed to be a one off, the project will continue. I am open to all kinds of adventures, even live shows, and I know Ralf is too, if we can find the time to do it. Die Krupps is and will always be our number one, but it feels good to have another outlet for the purely Electro tracks. I enjoy the different approach, and I’m also interested in defining the Robo Sapiens sound even more. The deeper you delve into a musical project, the more you understand its own mechanisms. And I believe Die Robo Sapiens has a lot more potential. Time will prove my point. Die Zukunft hat begonnen!

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 post-punk scene has a new recordlabel with Alfa Matrix launching a sublabel created to accomodate this specific genre and its varieties including coldwave or even minimal synth. Called Spleen+ you can already find 2 bands signed to it, the Belgian post-punk act The Ultimate Dreamers, who launched their label debut with the EP “Polarized”, and the Italian new wave act ImJudas who presents 2 new EPs, “People Of The Blame” and “So Untrue”.

We sat together with Seba Dolimont who is the A&R behind Spleen+ (and Alfa Matrix).

SL: Congratulations Seba with the new endeavour. Why start a side label next to Alfa Matrix?

SD: Since 2001, Alfa Matrix has been showing a quite eclectic approach of our music repertoire and label artist roster. We release EBM music from FRONT 242, POUPPEE FABRIKK, ELM or DIE ROBO SAPIENS, but also harsh dark elektro with ALIEN VAMPIRES, ACYLUM or C-LEKKTOR, minimal vintage synth with METROLAND, future pop with REICHSFEIND, NEUROACTIVE, MONDTRÄUME, BRUDERSCHAFT… Modern avantgarde electro with RECOIL, IMPLANT, KOMOR KOMMANDO, PSY’AVIAH or yet CUBIC! But also without forgetting our darker acts merging industrial with goth darkwave guitars like STAR INDUSTRY, HELALYN FLOWERS or FREAKANGEL.

We have been toying with this idea for this Spleen+ division for many months. It’s not something that comes out on the spur of the moment, you need to prepare such additional activity within our whole Alfa Matrix Label Group concept. We have been following and enjoying this continuous resurgence of the cold wave / post punk / minimal synth scene for some time. We also noticed that new sub-scene walls started emerging from the ground where the fans do not look much over the walls. Dedicated events and festivals get organised. Dedicated blogs, playlists, etc. start gathering more and more dark souls… So the idea from our side is to simply contribute to this movement offering it some structured and more targeted approach cos there are so many talented artists out there in need of support in their DIY efforts. This focused approach should allow us better supporting artists playing this kind of sound and reaching out to a boiling sub-scene, enlarging our scope of activities and bringing complementary fanbases together because eclecticism remains a core value for our work… And this without bringing us too far away from our roots cos the label team is made of 3 friends born in the early 70’s who were fed on JOY DIVISION, THE CURE, SIOUXSIE, SISTERS OF MERCY and other GHOST DANCE, X-MAL DEUTSCHLAND and SKELETAL FAMILY and not only on 80’s synth pop and the Belgian Electronic Body Music movement!

SL: What (new) signings can we expect?

SD: The very active Belgian act THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS is our first new signing in the genre (see the number of concerts they already played this year only! They are amazing! Their new album comes out in March…) while some current Alfa Matrix artists are potential candidates for a next release on Spleen+ including IMJUDAS or yet STAR INDUSTRY for example. Together with Frédéric Cotton (known for decades of activities as concert & party promotor in Brussels behind the famous “Fantastique Nights” but also as lead singer of THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS) we will also release this year a mega compilation devoted to the cold wave/post punk genre showing how prolific this scene can be anno 2023! We are working on it as we speak…

Since the announcement of this new label division, I am also quite happy and positively surprised by the number of proactive connections we got from very great bands who showed interest in working with us. That’s really exciting. Of course some of them are cool Belgian bands, some being living legends, cos it’s always easier collaborating with a local label speaking your language, but we are also in contact with artists from the UK, Italy, South America, etc. Nothing I want to reveal yet, but we will do this on due time. Keep an eye on our pages at https://www.facebook.com/spleen.plus and https://spleenplus.bandcamp.com . A website will follow soon as well.

SL: Will this also mean extra vinyl releases?

SD: The vinyl format is part of the equation on today’s music market. A portion of music fans who are collecting physical products do prefer the vinyl format but not all of them. So already with Alfa Matrix we have been issuing vinyls for some time for selected bands with own fanclubs and/or who are touring a lot. The vinyl format is also very appropriate to the cold wave/post punk genre that is uniting past, present and future. So my answer is a big YES. Absolutely!

Below are the first releases from the brand new label:

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.

www.side-line.com

(By Stéphane Froidcoeur for Inferno Sound Diaries/Side-Line Reviews) 2022 has been once again a sad, bloody and terrible year. Living in a mad world music once more remains a true therapy to appease pain and frustration. Concerts and festivals came back; the perfect place to meet friends again. Artists remain prolific releasing great studio work. So I’m once more closing the year by a personal selection of my very own ‘best of’-albums of the year.

Over 700 productions have been selected while 540  reviews have been made all over the year. Some productions have been refused because the style of music didn’t fit, while other reviews will be postponed to 2023. I’m really grateful to all labels, bands and promoters considering my work and efforts and I hope you’ll go on providing me new promos next year.

I one again have to express my deepest gratitude to Rich Bova (NEIKKA RPM) who for years and years now is reading, correcting and improving my reviews. Without Rich there would be no reviews. I also want to thank Bernard Van Isacker – chief redactor Side-Line Music Magazine – for the successful collaboration. 

Up now to 2023. I already reduced my activities this year and will move on reducing it in 2023. I made my first reviews and interviews back in 1991 (!). Some of the readers and artists weren’t even born when I wrote my first review for Side-Line. So after more than 30 years non-stop activities I think it’s not that strange to move on slowly.

I also want to express a big ‘F*** you’ to so-called ‘artists’ and label owners who don’t realise and appreciate the work I’m doing by making reviews and preparing interviews to get them in the spotlights. The attitude and less of respect shown by those people – luckily a very few number – is just unacceptable… but I’m afraid it reflects the world we’re living in… Behind a genius artist is not always hiding a great person… It’s quite strange to realise the ’biggest’- and long-time established artists from this scene often are the most accessible ones.

Writing reviews remains very ‘subjective’ and always a source of discussion, but keep in mind it will be always the perception of the reviewer. I can assure you I’m always trying to argue my reviews the best as possible. A review will be never objective, but has to be honest!

Like every year I’ve made a selection from the best albums of the year. This ‘TOP 25’ covers different styles like EBM, Dark-Electro, IDM, Synth-Pop, Ethereal, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Cinematographic, Gothic, Post-Punk, Cold/Dark-Wave, Dark-Techno and a few related genres. It remains an exciting but tough exercise.

This ‘TOP 25’ is taken from the promotional material I got while compilations, ‘best of’-productions, EP’s and singles were not considered.

So, here’s my ‘TOP 25’ from 2022 and don’t forget to share it with your friends….

Top 25 albums 2022

1. IVARDENSPHERE: “Ragemaker” – Metropolis Records
2. DIE ROBO SAPIENS : “Robo Sapien Race” – Alfa Matrix
3. EBE04 : “Inrush – Give/Take
4. CALDON GLOVER: “Labyrintia” – Cyclic Law
5. ROME: “Hegemonikon” – Trisol
6. NEIKKA RPM: “Scorpio In The Hourglass – Alfa Matrix
7. VANGUARD: “Spectrum” – Infacted Recordings
8. SUICIDE COMMANDO: “Goddestructor” – Out Of Line
9. ELM: “Penetrator” – Alfa Matrix
10. OBERER TOTPUNKT: “Totentanz” – Danse Macabre Records
11. THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE: “Fascination” – Metropolis Records
12. BLACKBOOK: “Confessions Of The Innocent” – DarkTunes Music Group
13. BEYOND THE GHOST: “Sundown” – Cryo Chamber
14. THEN COMES SILENCE: “Hunger” – Metropolis Records
15. PRINCIPE VALLIENTE: “Barricades” – Metropolis Records
16. DAWN OF ASHES: “Scars Of The Broken” – Artoffact Records
17. MONSTERGOD: “Ozymandias” – Space Race Records
18. STATIQBLOOM: “Threat” – Sonic Groove Records
19. AXIOME: “Field Guide To Alien Planets And Other Disco Balls – Audiophob
20. REICHSFEIND: “Darken” – Alfa Matrix
21. FIRST AID 4 SOULS: “I Am The Night” – Alfa Matrix
22. ORDO ROSARIUS EQUILIBRIO: “Nihilist Notes And The Perputual Quest 4 Meaning In Nothing” – Out Of Line
23. KILL SHELTER: “Asylum” – Manic Depression Records / Metropolis Records
24. JAGATH: “Svapna” – Cold Spring Records
25. KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND: “Voodoo” – Shyrec

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: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Four years after their impressive debut EP Die Robo Sapiens are back with their debut album. The German side-project of Die Krupps featuring Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher brings us an album of ten songs plus an extra disc (available on CD and digital edits) featuring ten extra songs.

Content: Die Robo Sapiens stands for pure EBM. Good-old and elaborated songs from Düsseldorf which sometimes to me sound like a homage to legendary town mates Kraftwerk and DAF. Pure Electronic music mixing the robotic side and atmospheres of Kraftwerk together with the power of DAF. Engler’s captivating and alluring vocals on top will bring you to dance.

The extra disc features remixes by Seb Komor, Aiborforcen, Orange Sector, AD:key, Implant, Aesthetische, Cubic, Kant Kino, Metroland and Plastic Noise Experience.

+ + + : The already familiar songs “Teufelskreis” and “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” both remain alluring cuts but I also have to mention “Transrapid Rapid”,  “Robotimierung”, “Robo Normativ”, “Niemals Stillstehen” and  “Automatenland” which all are outstanding pieces. It feels like Die Robo Sapiens moved on there where Die Krupps decided to experiment with guitar and Metal/Industrial music. You can feel the guys had some fun composing this album while the ‘Düsseldorfer’-sound reminding Kraftwerk but also DAF is a pretty cool wink. The bonus disc brings an impressive selection of great remixes in different genres; from EBM and sophisticated EBM to Minimal-Electro it’s nearly impossible to say which one sounds the best.

– – – : No minus points to mention.

Conclusion: When ‘veterans’ are teaching EBM artists how to compose great stuff!

Best songs: “Transrapid Rapid”, “Teufelskreis”, “Robotimierung”, “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter feat. JG. & The Robots”, “Robo Normativ”, “Niemals Stillstehen”,  “Automatenland” + “Teufelskreis – Sebastian Komor Rmx”, “Robotimierung – Orange Sector Rmx, “Transrapid Rapid – Aiboforcen Rmx”, “Niemals Stillstehen – Kant Kino Rmx”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/DieRoboSapiens

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Robo Sapien Race’.

About Die Robo Sapiens

Die Robo Sapiens is a German side-project of Die Krupps, formed by Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher. The project debuted in 2018 with the single “Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” before releasing its debut album, “Robo Sapien Race”, through Alfa-Matrix in 2022 on digital, CD and vinyl formats, accompanied by a bonus disc of remixes. Side-Line spoke with the band about the project’s Düsseldorf-rooted EBM approach in a 2023 Click Interview.

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

After a couple of teasing EP and video clip releases, the Belgian Alfa Matrix label releases today the full length debut album by Die Robo Sapiens, the ultimate EBM project by the members of Die Krupps. “Robo Sapien Race”. The release is available now on a fan edition Vinyl (with lots of extras such as a DJ Turntable slipmat) and as a limited 2CD box set pressing next to download.

Behind Die Robo Sapiens we find the Die Krupps members Jürgen Engler plus Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher.

The 10-track “Robo Sapien Race” album offers a blend of minimal, vintage and powerful synth music with harder, stronger and angrier EBM assaults made of fat and ripping basslines, powerful German vocals and upbeat synth sequences. The artwork was rendered by the talented Japanese designer Tomoki Hayasaki.

Jürgen Engler: “The idea for us was to have an outlet for songs that couldn’t be used in a Die Krupps context. The use of guitars in Die Robo Sapiens music being taboo In a way, it’s a return to our electro roots, but with a twist. Imagine the Duesseldorf sound of Kraftwerk mixed with hard Die Krupps EBM. This combination of styles has been spooking around my brain for a while, and it was time to put it into action.”

The album’s first pressing comes out as a limited deluxe double-CD Digipak holding a bonus disc featuring each album song remixed by an impressive list of electro artists in the likes of Sebastian Komor, Orange Sector, Plastic Noise Experience, Metroland, Aiboforcen, Ad:Key, Implant, Aesthetische, Kant Kino and Cubic.

The album also gets released on vinyl format as a fan edition pack limited to 333 units worldwide including the 10-track album on black vinyl in a deluxe gatefold packaging (with full lyrics) with a bonus DJ turntable slipmat, a page marker and a numbered postcard, plus the new 20-track “Sounds From The Matrix 023” label CD compilation which for now is exclusive to this release.

You can check the tracks right below. Read the review of ‘Robo Sapien Race’.

Videos

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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It has been a hectic year, also for Alfa Matrix, but luckily their bands took the time to work in their studio to record new material. Out now via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page is the label’s 10th edition in the “Matrix Downloaded” compilation series, again offering you a – free – insight in what the Belgian label is all about. You can discover 64 tracks right here on Bandcamp.

The download holds tracks from Cubic, Psy’Aviah, Aesthetische, Digital Factor, Reichsfeind, Llumen, Zombie Girl, Diffuzion, Matthew Creed, Circuito Cerrado, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Mentallo & The Fixer, Freakangel, Alien Vampires, I:Scintilla, Schwarzblut, Totem Obscura, Reactor7X, First Aid 4 Souls, Lederman / De Meyer, Implant, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Pouppee Fabrikk, Armageddon Dildos, Plastic Noise Experience, Synapsyche, Avarice In Audio, Elektrostaub, Junksista, First Aid 4 Souls, Benestrophe, Mental Exile, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, Helalyn Flowers, Essence Of Mind, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Metroland, Lights A.M, Cosmic Armchair, Aiboforcen, H.O.W., 808 DOT POP, Suicidal Romance, Entrzelle, Technoir, Neuroactive, Mondträume, The Psychic Force, Studio-X, Studio-X Vs Simon Carter, Neikka RPM, Komor Kommando, Siva Six, Aengeldust, Acylum, Dunkelwerk and Növö.

Exclusive face masks

Next to that you can also get the download together with a face mask, out in a very limited series. You can either buy them separately or get all 3 in one. Check the set of 3 Face Masks (Blue Matrix + Endzeit + Red EBM Alert) or the separate masks.

Note that EVERY face mask order comes with a free compilation CD on top: “Sounds from the matrix 022” with 20 extra tracks.

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: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The Die Krupps gang (cf.Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher) is back on track unleashing the second EP from their EBM side-project Die Robo Sapiens. And it’s a special work as it pays tribute to the electronic scene from Düsseldorf, hometown of Die Krupps, but of course also the city of Kraftwerk, D.A.F., Neu, Rheingold ao. “FanFanFanatisch” is a cover song of Rheingold, which was originally composed in the early 80s.

Content: Die Robo Sapiens seriously boosted and reworked the song into a great EBM version with all the power of Jürgen Engler’s vocals. The B-side song entitled “Düsseldorf” clearly appears to be another wink to the electronic scene from this magic city. It sounds more Kraftwerk-like.

The title track has been remixed by Aestetische, 808 Dot.Pop and Kant Kino (featuring 2 remixes). Notice by the way that one of the remixes by Kant Kino is a mix of D.A.F. (with the song “Der Mussolini” plus the lyrics from Rheingold). Implant made a remix of “Düsseldorf.

+ + + : What a great way to bring this early Rheingold song back to life. Die Robo Sapiens clearly stands for 100% power and the title song clearly appears to be a club smasher. Among the remixes Aesthetische accomplished a great version while I also enjoyed the minimal approach of 808 Dot.Pop mixing its Kraftwerk-pop with the EBM of Die Robo Sapiens.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of some remixes, the Die Robo Sapiens edit however remaining the best one of the EP.

Conclusion: Die Robo Sapiens so far released two great EBM EP’s plus a great cover version of Depeche Mode together with AD:Key; time for a debut album now!

Best songs: “FanFanFanatisch”, “FanFanFanatisch – Aestetische Rework”, “FanFanFanatisch – 808 Dot Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/DieRoboSapiens

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘FanFanFanatisch / The Düsseldorf EP’.

About Die Robo Sapiens

Die Robo Sapiens is the EBM-only side-project of Die Krupps frontman Jürgen Engler, together with Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher. The project launched in 2018 with the download EP “Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” and its first video, “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter”, followed the same year. In 2019 Die Robo Sapiens teamed with AD:keY on a Depeche Mode tribute EP, “Master and Servant”, before returning in 2020 with the “FanFanFanatisch / The Düsseldorf EP”. The project released its debut album, “Robo Sapien Race”, in 2022 on vinyl and as a 2CD boxset via Alfa Matrix, with Engler discussing the project in a 2023 Click Interview.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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The German city of Düsseldorf has always been seen as the mecca for electronic music since the early 1970s, when Kraftwerk released their first albums and morphed into robotic aliases. Düsseldorf was also the home of other cult-bands like Neu!, La Düsseldorf, DAF and of course Die Krupps. It’s the city where Juergen Engler and Ralf Dörper grew up.

When Bodo Staiger of Rheingold passed away in December 2019, the time had come to pay homage to one of Düsseldorf’s legends with their song “FanFanFanatisch”. Engler decided that this should be released under their electronic-only project Die Robo Sapiens signed to Alfa Matrix. Although Kraftwerk never were a direct influence to Jürgen Engler, the track “Düsseldorf” pays tribute to the city that brought us that unmistakable sound that made the city famous.

The tracks come in their original version next to additional remixes by label mates Kant Kino, Aesthetische, Implant and 808 DOT POP. prove that even newer generations of musicians are still influenced by it today and put all their (he)art and craft into this tribute to the electronic school cradle.

This “Duesseldorf EP” is past, present and future… and its homage to electronic music is even more significant today with the recent additional loss of Florian Schneider (KRAFTWERK) and Gabi Delgado (DAF).in 2020.

The EP is available exclusively via Bandcamp. Check it out below. Read the review of ‘FanFanFanatisch / The Düsseldorf 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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The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix is launching 8 new Bandcamp exclusive releases today from AD:keY, Aesthetische, Die Robo Sapiens, First Aid 4 Souls, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, Psy’Aviah and Studio-X vs. Simon Carter. At the same time the label also officially releases the new albums by 808 DOT POP and Avarice In Audio today.

Good to know, if you want to support artists and labels to survive during this Corona crisis, Bandcamp is again waiving its revenue share on all sales today. All the purchases placed on that day will therefore support the bands and labels present on the platform.

The new releases can be found below:

Side-Line also covered Aesthetische’s ‘MMXX’.

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

Die Krupps is considered as one of the Godfathers of EBM. The German band from Düsseldorf (Germany) was set up in 1980 and experimented with much more styles than only EBM. Fourty years after their set up the band is still active and are actually promoting their newest album “Vision 2020 Vision” released by the end of 2019 on SPV GmbH / Oblivion & Metropolis Records. The album is driven by a furious mix of industrial/metal guitar play and EBM. Front man Jürgen Engler kindly accepted to answer a few questions about this new opus.

(Picture credits: Franz Schepers / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Die Krupps this year celebrates its 40th anniversary! What does it evoke to you and how much of the early Die Krupps and the ‘younger’ Jürgen Engler do you recognize in the new album “Vision 2020 Vision”?

Jürgen: The band went through many different phases, the noise-industrial phase of the early year, the pre-EBM electro style, the industrial-metal phase and so on. This new album picks up where we left it off in the 90s, but obviously with a modern twist and production. The songs still have the same spirit musically like “To The Hilt” and also lyrically, like “Fatherland”, the lyrics being political for most part of the album and verbalizing what is going on in these extremely troubling times.

So back to your question, I would say a lot of the original motivation is still intact, we still have something to say and you better count on Die Krupps, there’s no end in sight!

Q: Let’s talk about “Vision 2020 Vision”, which has been introduced as a dystopian vision of the world we’re living in. I get the feeling it’s not a dystopian-, but a rather realistic vision and maybe the most ‘engaged’ and ‘political’ album to date! Tell us a bit more about the content and the sources of inspiration?

Jürgen: I absolutely agree, it is not a dystopian vision, but rather it has become reality. We are moving towards exactly what the album lyrics prophetically suggested may happen. In my house the news are on from the second I get up to the moment I go to sleep. I have almost no doors in my house, so even when I’m working in the studio I can hear the TV somewhere in the background, so all the information that I absorb during the day or night will find its way into my lyrics and music. That is a very important part of my work and I could not have done the album without. This may very well be the most engaged and political album to date, but it’s no wonder given the political nightmares we are facing on a daily basis. Never did we have a more erratic madman controlling the button of the nuclear arsenal. It’s beyond crazy!

Q: The Trump administration is clearly not getting your support! But how do we have to understand Trump will probably reelected? What does it mean to you dealing with this theme and how do you transpose it into the song writing?

Jürgen: The problem lies in the American system, a so-called democracy which is not, where the power of the people doesn’t matter, and the popular vote doesn’t matter. What kind of democracy makes it possible for a non-politician with nothing, but money to run the world’s greatest country? A country that doesn’t know the difference between socialism and communism, where the pure thought of socialism scares 2/3 of the population away from the voting booth. This is not a democracy, the voting system is from the middle ages, and it’s run by a wanna be king! How fucked up is that?

Q: How did the composition of the album happened? Were there some basic ideas about ‘sound’ and ‘production’ properly speaking? Did you handle specific criteria and/or do you have explicit references to know a song/album is accomplished or not?

Jürgen: I wrote all my songs here in my studio in Austin (USA), Marcel and Nils contributed some songs or ideas, and Ralf and I shared the lyric writing. We didn’t meet until all songs were written, all basics recorded and when it was time to do the final recordings, vocals and guitars, and mixing the album, which was done in Hamburg Germany in our new drummer’s, Paul Keller’s, studio, who also engineered the mixes. The idea behind this production was to have an album that is like a snapshot of what the band is about at this very moment. The production did not last for two years or more, but rather three months max, so it really sums up best what Die Krupps 2020 is all about.

Q: You last year started with the “Vision 2020 Vision”-tour, which unfortunately was interrupted due to Marcel’s injury. How do you look back on the tour so far? And can you tell us a bit more about the preparation process of such a tour?

Jürgen: The European tour for the album was one of the best that I can remember. The audience response was amazing and in parts better than any other shows we’ve played in the past! We have a very loyal following and it’s amazing to see how younger generations and older generations, long-haired and shorthaired of both sexes and in-between, all come out to see us play. The audience ranges from the 20s to the 50s, and the shows usually end up with people dancing from the front to the very last row, and occasionally with 50 or more people dancing on stage, as happened in Budapest on the last day of the tour! It’s been a blast, and I cannot wait to play here in the U.S. later this year!

Q: I’ve always experienced Die Krupps as a band without real compromises and especially when it comes to ‘sound’ although you set up Die Robo Sapiens, which is pure electronic and should I dare to say ‘getting back to the EBM roots of Die Krupps ’? Can we expect new work from this side-project and do you’ve other projects/releases in the pipeline?

Jürgen: That is also true, I hate to compromise, we never played by the rules of the industry, we always did what we thought was right and best. A new EP will soon be released for the Robo Sapiens project. I’m still working on the rest of the tracks for the album, which should also see the light of day hopefully in late spring or summer. I’m also still playing and recording with my first band, which was Germany’s first Punk band from 1976, and we are still doing shows in May. Other projects are all Cleopatra Records related, because that is my main job! I’m one of their in-house producers and have been for over 10 years now, and a lot of their releases have my touch. It’s very diverse and interesting, and definitely my dream job! Who gets to work with William Shatner, David Hasselhoff, Al Jourgensen, Iggy Pop, Nik Turner and hundreds more? I can’t complain (lol).

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

Available now for free (or pay-what-you-want) via Bandcamp is the 9th volume in the “Matrix Downloaded” compilation download series by the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix. In the past these compilations have been downloaded by ten thousands of fans around the world and we don’t expect it will be different this year.

The label also announces that it will invest all donations in nurturing new bands and getting their careers launched.

Here’s what Seba Dolimont, A&R at Alfa Matrix, has to say about it: “The music market has shifted a lot over the years and in many ways losing its solid footing. CDs sales are collapsing entirely and the shift from downloads to streaming has not yet shown a revenue that is replacing what has been lost. (…) This evolution has created an environment where many labels have almost stopped playing their key-role of talent scouting, no longer daring to invest in new talents who deserve to be heard by you! Alfa Matrix is one of the very few record companies in this scene who try to keep the right balance between releasing renowned artists and supporting younger bands who still need to catch the attention and reach your ears.”

61 bands and tracks

The compilation holds the work by 61 label bands who joined hands to deliver you 61 songs representing the label’s most recent singles and albums while giving a preview of some promising forthcoming 2020 productions including announced new releases by POUPPEEE FABRIKK, NEUROACTIVE, ALIEN VAMPIRES, HELALYN FLOWERS, DIE ROBO SAPIENS, IMJUDAS, 808 DOT POP, ACYLUM, ARMAGEDDON DILDOS, PSY’AVIAH, AVARICE IN AUDIO, SIVA SIX, NEIKKA RPM, AESTHETISCHE, KANT KINO, KOMOR KOMMANDO, AD:KEY, H.O.W., CIRCUMPOLAR, SYNAPSYCHE, LLUMEN, ENTRZELLE, LIGHTS A.M, REACTOR7X, FIRST AID 4 SOULS, etc.

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 a brand new single by AD:keY vs. Die Robo Sapiens (the 100% electro project of Die Krupps members): “Master and Servant“. The EP is based on the cover the two acts made for the recent tribute compilation to Depeche Mode: “Alfa Matrix re:covered vol.3” and is available now via Bandcamp.

The 7-track EP holds AD:keY’s characteristic male/female vocal duality wrapped around the voice of Jurgen Engler. Besides the single and extended versions, you also get alternative and diverse remix versions by Implant, Aesthetische, Rector Scanner, Zweite Jugend and Maschinenwart.

Good to know, the Bandcamp edition – which is out first – features the uncensored version of the cover artwork. You can check out the EP below.

If you want to check out the full Depeche Mode tribute from where the single was taken, see below.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode and the railway arch 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!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Belgian Metroland last year unleashed their fourth full length “Men In A Frame”; a conceptual album about photography. After the album they also released the singles “Man In Frame” and “Memorabilia” featuring exclusive ‘non-album’ tracks. Next to a few more singles and an USB-release they closed this conceptual chapter with this gatefold yellow vinyl release and an extra CD. Each format features nine identical songs and three exclusive ones.

Content: All of the songs are remixes and alternative versions from tracks that were originally released on the last album or the exclusive singles. Metroland remixes son songs while other remixes were done by artists such as Aavikko, Elektroklänge, Psy’Aviah, Kurt Baggaley, Implant, Der Dritte Raum, Die Robo Sapiens, Zusammenklang and Him+He. The songs/remixes are pretty diversified, holding on the Metroland song basis, but mixed with some extra influences like EBM, minimal electronics and even a touch of psychedelic-ambient.

+ + + : The vinyl format is absolutely great; it has something retro-like, which fits with the Metroland-sound, but it also is sober and artistic. The content is interesting as you get much diversified edits. The clubby-sounding “Memorabilia” remixed by Der Dritte Raum is my personal favorite one. Elektroklänge did a great job remixing “The Speed Of Life III” in a different, but still very robotic/Kraftwerk-ian approach. Another song I want to mention is the remix of “La Macchia D’Acqua” by the Belgian project Him+He. Their remix has something new-beat like.

– – – : I think it’s the right moment to close the “Men In a Frame”-album; it was a great, conceptual and successful release, but more remixes would be a little bit abusive!

Conclusion: This is album is a truly collector’s item for the Metroland fans. It has been strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide so it’s a little treasure of sonic ecstasy.

Best songs: “Memorabilia – Der Dritte Raum Rmx 3.4”, “The Speed Of Life – Elektroklänge 1-2-3 Remix”, “La Macchia D’Acqua – Him+He’s Real Sounds Of A Matrix Edit”, “Proiezione 41-828 – Ot-Vorpsrung-Remix”, “Creative Rose – Passenger S Perennial Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.metrolandmusic.com / www.facebook.com/metrolandmusic

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

About Metroland

Metroland is the Belgian electropop duo of Andy de Decker and Sven Lauwers, performing as Passenger A and Passenger S. A third member, Louis Zachert, known as Passenger L, was part of the group until his death in August 2015; the album “Things Will Never Sound The Same Again” was released that December as a tribute to him.

Metroland continued with the fourth full-length “Men In A Frame” and the non-album singles “Man In Frame” and “Memorabilia” before closing that conceptual chapter with “Framed + Framed Anew”. Lauwers has also released solo material as 808 Dot Pop. In a later interview with Side-Line, the duo discussed the albums “0” and “Forum”, which continued the group’s conceptual approach to electropop.

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

With the 8th edition of their now classic free “Matrix Downloaded” label digital compilation, Belgium’s Alfa Matrix label presents a selection of 55 songs via Bandcamp.

The 55 songs represent the label’s most recent singles and albums while giving a preview of some promising forthcoming 2019 productions including announced new releases by Helalyn Flowers, Synapsyche, Avarice In Audio, H.O.W., Llumen, Mental Exile, SD-KRTR, Diffuzion, Reactor7X, Aesthetische, Armageddon Dildos, Die Robo Sapiens, Junksista, Imjudas, Alien Vampires, Mondträume, Aiboforcen, Dunkelwerk, Komor Kommando, Neikka RPM, Acylum, etc.

You can download it for free or as a what-you-want-to-pay 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

In 2018, the Kraftwerkian act Metroland released their 4th conceptual album “Men In A Frame”. After that album the band released 2 non-album singles, “Man In A Frame” and “Memorabilia”, which were accompanied by more obscure electronic B-sides and remixes. They also launched a successful first exposition, “Pictures To Listen To”, where the duo pushed their concept to its maximum limit allowing the audience to fully experience their “Men In A Frame” concept.

The band now closes their conceptual chapter dedicated to photography with a selection of tracks reworked by musicians and bands on “Framed”. The album comes out as a double (yellow) vinyl holding 12 tracks and can be ordered right now from the Alfa Matrix label.

Here’s how the vinyl looks like when displayed on your wooden floor.

This very limited double-LP release (300 units worldwide) is accompanied by the “Framed Anew“ carton sleeve CD offering a slightly different track list (3 exclusive remixes on the yellow vinyl by Der Dritte Raum, Die Robo Sapiens and FROHM; and 3 non-vinyl remixes on the CD). This collector item will be released at the occasion of the second “Pictures To Listen Too“ exposition at the Cultuur Centrum of Mechelen – Belgium from its vernissage on 26th January 2019 until 24th March 2019 but is being sent already to those who order it directly from the newly launched Alfa Matrix webshop.

Side-Line also covered Metroland’s ‘Reframed’.

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: EBM.

Background/Info: Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher aka Die Krupps have set up a new project named Die Robo Sapiens. There where Die Krupps always ends with electronics mixed with guitars, this new band wants to be 100% electronic and devoted to good-old EBM. This EP is a teaser to the debut album.

Content: The EP reveals 2 songs of Die Robo Sapiens plus 5 remixes. The songs are definitely inspired by good-old, vintage EBM. The sound formula is based upon solid bass lines, robotic effects and vocals plus rhythmic reminding me to Liaisons Dangereuses. The sound is pretty different from Die Krupps and definitely music for the EBM community.

Remixes were accomplished by Elektrolänge, Sebastian Komor,  Metroland, Armageddon Dildos and Rector Scanner.

+ + + : This debut EP reveals a strong potential and Jürgen Engler and his acolytes simply reveal (or confirm) to still have the secret formula to compose great EBM music. There clearly is a strong vintage flavor hanging over the songs, but it has been mixed with refreshing elements. It’s a new challenge for those experienced and renowned artists and the least I can say is that this work is fully accomplished and the perfect stuff for dancefloors.

Both songs are great although I’ve a preference for “Tanz Mit Dem Robotor”. There also is an interesting selection of remixers and I here have to mention the mind-blowing remix of “Teufelskreis” by Seb Komor. Armageddon Dildos also did a cool remix while Metroland as Belgian band reinforces the link with Kraftwerk.

– – – : There clearly is a move back to the roots of German electronics and more especially to EBM, but I hope the album will not become an emulation of Kraftwerk and co.  I regret this EP has been not released as CD format.

Conclusion: An EP is mainly meant as an appetizer before the release of an album. All I can say is that this is a strong and successful work announcing a promising album. This is the kind of record, which reminds me why I like EBM!

Best songs: “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter”, “Teufelskreis”, “Teufelskreis – Sebastian Komor Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/DieRoboSapiens

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Read the news on ‘Teufelskreis / Tanz Mit Dem Roboter’.

About Die Robo Sapiens

Die Robo Sapiens is a side-project of Die Krupps members Jurgen Engler, Ralf Dorper and Marcel Zurcher, set up to pursue a purely electronic, EBM-driven sound apart from Die Krupps’ guitar-driven industrial-metal direction. Signed to Alfa Matrix, the project released this EP, “Teufelskreis / Tanz Mit Dem Roboter”, as its debut in 2018, followed by the “FanFanFanatisch / The Dusseldorf EP” in 2020 and the debut album “Robo Sapien Race” at the end of 2022.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Out now is the first official video for Die Robo Sapiens: “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter”. The track is taken from the project’s debut EP “Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter”.

Die Robo Sapiens consists of the trio Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher and they have now released the download EP “Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” via the Bandcamp page of the Alfa Matrix label.

The EP sees the trio collaborating with the U.S. electro artist JG and the Robots, who also directed and can be seen in the Die Krupps video “Robo Sapien”. “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” is a direct wink to the Düsseldorf synth origins of the band, reworked by label mates Rector Scanner, the vintage synth duo Metroland and the Swedish minimal electro pop talent of Elektroklänge.

“Teufelskreis” on the other hand got remixed by two other prominent figures from the EBM scene: Armageddon Dildos and Sebastian Komor (Icon Of Coil, Komor Kommando, …).

All in all 7 tracks which are clearly giving a foretaste of the band’s forthcoming album “Robo Sapien Race”. Check them out below or download them 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!

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Read the review of ‘Teufelskreis / Tanz Mit Dem Roboter’.

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 announcement of Die Krupp’s EBM-only side project Die Robo Sapiens wasn’t the only surprise on EBM-day this weekend. A few hours later the official Front 242 facebook page also saw a live videocast of the brand new project Lederman / De Meyer uniting the talents of musician and producer, Jean-Marc Lederman (Fad Gadget, Gene Loves Jezebel, Kid Montana, The Wheathermen, …) and Front 242’s very own Jean-Luc De Meyer.

The project can now be reached on Facebook.

The project announced not only a forthcoming EP and album (“Eleven Grinding Songs”) but also that they equally signed to the Belgian label Alfa Matrix, just like Die Robo Sapiens did. The new project will offer ‘eclectic and uncompromising song arrangements‘ matched with De Meyer’s trademark dense vocals. Darkwave with sensible lyrics, duly noted!

You can watch the video below, and also get a glimpse of a first preview of an album track.

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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Those who follow Die Krupps on Facebook had a very nice EBM-day surprise as the band’s frontman Jürgen Engler did a live videocast at 11.59 AM to announce an all new EBM-only project Die Robo Sapiens (you can find them here on Facebook). The team behind Die Robo Sapiens consists of Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher and the project has signed to the Belgian electro / industrial label Alfa Matrix.

This new band is essentially the “all Electro” Die Krupps

The band’s Jürgen Engler now explains the reason for launching this project: “We always end up with some tracks that are not guitar compatible when writing Die Krupps material, so I decided we needed another outlet for all the Electro songs and keep the more metal songs for Die Krupps! That’s how Die Robo Sapiens was born. This new band is essentially the “all Electro” Die Krupps… It was a logical move… And since one of Die Krupps’ most recent and biggest hits was “Robo Sapien”, we thought it sounded perfect as a band name…”

A first EP is being planned for release later this Spring. You can watch the video message below to hear a first preview of the track “Teufelkreis”.

For Die Krupps fans, don’t forget that the band is seeing its back catalogue reissued on vinyl, you can get your copies right here.

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