Loyal Side-Line readers will remember that we always have had a soft spot for the now defunct idm, electro label Tympanik Audio which launched in September 2007. The Chicago-based electronic music label closed in March of 2016 and as a result its back catalogue ceased being distributed… until now!

The fine people from Storming The Base have taken over the complete back catalogue stocks and are selling it now at rock bottom prices (US,98 per CD album) via this hidden link.

Attention: For the US-readers, keep in mind that Storming The Base is offering free shipping from US$100 on, so you might want to take advantage of this by filling your basket with plenty of goodies. The same goes for overseas fans as the shipping diminishes a lot per item once you buy in bulk.

Tympanik Audio’s artist roster includes: Totakeke, Displacer, Ad·ver·sary, Stendeck, ESA, Unterm Rad, Pneumatic Detach, Broken Fabiola, Integral, Atiq & EnK, Geomatic, Flint Glass, Haujobb, Erode, Tangent, Normotone, Disharmony, Anklebiter, Comaduster, Tineidae, Known Rebel, C.H.District, MultiColor, Subheim, [Haven], Fractional, c.db.sn, EyeScream, Zentriert ins Antlitz, SE, Black Lung, Worms Of The Earth, r.roo, Access To Arasaka, Ex_tension, Candle Nine, Tapage, Zinovia, Meander, Dirk Geiger, Endif, Zeller, Lucidstatic, Undermathic, Autoclav1.1, Opposite Exhale, Pandora’s Black Book, Famine, and Aphorism.

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Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Belgian artist Pierre Remy has already active under the Fractional moniker for more than ten years now. He released several productions on different labels, but went through a more silent period since the last album (cf. “Blood”) released in 2010 on Tympanik Audio. This new opus also is the first Fractional work released on Raumklang Music (label of Dirk Geiger).

Content: Fractional always has been a kind of sonic enigma and electronic chameleon. It’s always been difficult to define the sound of this project and it’s not that different with “Tepes”. The tracks move from a kind of rhythmic horror-scape towards industrial-cinematographic music to passages driven by broken beats and d’n’b influences. I also noticed an experimental intermezzo of noises and a surprising industrial trance lead.

“Tepes” remains pure electronic music, but inspired by an impressive canvas of sounds and styles.

+ + + : Diversity definitely is the main strength of this opus and Pierre Henry feels definitely comfortable with most of the influences running through his work. I have a preference for the most rhythmic cuts with an electro-industrial approach. “Sionvi” is the most surprising track for its industrialized trance lead, but it really makes sense. The title song definitely appears to be the most creative one. It’s a kind of mix between industrial bombast and cinematographic atmospheres.

– – – : “Tepes” is not the most accessible work to listen to. You sometimes get the impression of listening to a compilation album instead of one artist. There are many good ideas running through this work, but I would have liked to get a more elaborated approach of a few styles.

Conclusion: “Tepes” is an album that needs a few listening before really getting into the sound, which unfortunately is missing a real apotheosis. I’ve already heard better albums from this artist.

Best songs: “Sionvi”, “Tepes”, “Vampyr”.

Rate: (6).

Band: www.facebook.com/Fractional-56710591824

Label: www.raumklang–music.de / www.facebook.com/rkmrecords

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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Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial.

Content: Jana Komaritsa, better known under her artist name JanaDark is one of the few female artists dealing with dark-ambient music. This Russian born musician released a debut album (cf. “Abnormal Love”) on the now gone Cold Meat Industry label, and a self-released tape as a successor (cf. “Little Black World”) in 2014.

Audiophob often has a nose for talented artists and picked up Darkrad to re-release the sold-out tape as a CD format with some extra tracks. It will be an opportunity to (re)discover this project, but the CD-issue of “Little Back World” is also a must have for all of those who already know the cassette as they’ll get 7 bonus cuts.

“Little Black World” takes off with ghost-like voices floating in a dark, humming and somewhat misty sound universe. A dense, dark atmosphere hangs over the composition, which makes it all a bit mysterious. It feels a bit like exploring an unknown cavern filled with dangerous secrets which can emerge to the surface at every moment. JanaDark creates a paranoiac sonic platform with a strong visual appeal. Deep vibrating loops and the ghost-like voices are constantly coming back to terrorize the listener.

This album clearly reveals a scary touch created by the multiple sound manipulations and different effects. The opening part will take you by surprise and finally bring you to a climax on “Someone Beneath” and “Ocean Beckons”. Darkrad definitely sounds like music for evil spirits! But when you think to have reached the ultimate point of anger, the album moves a step further, pushing the level of angst to its most extreme point. “All Is Wrong” is the darkest track on the list and is animated by deep vibes and monstrous sound treatments. The least I can say is that the ‘original’ album featuring 8 cuts is a well-crafted and freaky composition.

The bonus part reveals 5 extra cuts plus 2 remixes. I get the impression that those cuts are much more than simple album fillers, but visionary pieces revealing new evil inspiration. The sound become really disturbing on “Die In Eclipse” where Jana Komaritsa reveals herself as a sonic witch.

Dirk Geiger and Spherical Disrupted were asked to create remixes and I mainly recommend the blasting and echoing sound treatments of Dirk Geiger remixing “Feel The Blood”.

Conclusion: I think it would have been a pity to imagine “Little Black World” been reduced to a strictly limited and already sold out tape format. This album deserves this re-issue featuring some extra poignant tracks.

Best songs: “Die In Eclipse”, “Feel The Blood – Dirk Geiger Remix”, “Ocean Beckons”, “Someone Beneath”, “Feel The Blood”, “All Is Wrong”.

Rate: (DP:7½)DP.

Band: www.janadark.net / www.facebook.com/darkradproject

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

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