Haujobb has revealed its new video single “Opposition”, which is featuring guest vocals by Emese Árvai-Illés from the Hungarian pop noire duo Black Nail Cabaret. The track is taken from the bandµ’s forthcoming new album “The Machine in the Ghost”. The German duo’s tenth full-length is slated for release on September 20, 2024.

Haujobb says this about the track: “Adding guest vocals towards the end of the song was basically the idea of a Saturday afternoon”, programmer Dejan Samardzic explains on behalf of the duo. “Emese is such a reliable artist, she delivered her impressive vocals within 24 hours. Maybe she sensed the urgency this had for me. I could hardly wait to add that new element to the arrangement as it brought a strong organic feel to it.”

Emese Árvai-Illés adds: “Dejan had some wordless singing in mind, like the side vocals of the Eurythmics’ classic ‘Sweet Dreams’, and he asked me to just improvise”, the Hungarian singer reveals. “I recorded a couple of takes and did some random Adlibs at the end. That gave me somewhat of a Massive Attack ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ feel, but in a more industrial way.”

The video, which you can see below, was created by Boris May (Klangstabil).

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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Here’s an exclusive event we co-present with Cold War Night Life in London. Robert Görl (DAF) and Hanna Rollmann will read from their book, “The Voice That Dwells Within”, on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at The Strongroom in London (tickets available here). The duo will also sign copies of their book during this intimate event.

Robert Görl co-founded DAF (Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft) in 1978 — 45 years ago — with vocalist Gabi Delgado. The band started as a punk/experimental outfit, using a combination of conventional instruments and electronics, before relocating from Dusseldorf to London. After meeting Mute Records’ Daniel Miller, they released “Die Kleinen und die Bösen,” featuring production by Conny Plank. The group consolidated as the duo of Görl and Delgado, made the jump to Virgin Records, and released three albums that changed the face of German (electronic body) music. They formed the template for a line of bands, including Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb. They were working towards a new album at the time of Delgado’s sudden death in 2020, which Goerl completed alone as “Nur Noch Einer.”

In the spaces between DAF releases, Görl and Delgado each released separate material. Görl’s 1984 solo album, “Night Full of Tension,” featured an appearance by Annie Lennox of Eurythmics — returning the favor after Görl played drums on that band’s Conny Plank-produced debut, “In the Garden.”

“The Voice That Dwells Within” uses Görl’s memories to reconstruct stories from all these events. The book is centered around the 1989 car crash that almost killed Görl and led him to Buddhism.

The event will take place at The Strongroom, Curtain Road, London EC2A 3SQ, on Saturday, January 27, 2024. The starting time is 7 pm. Tickets are £15 in advance / £20 on the door.

Here’s a video trailer.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The solo synthwave project of Peter Endall, Suburban Spell presents the new single and video “Bright Gold Cross”, a teaser for the forthcoming “Falling Down” EP. The track’s title directly alludes to the long-lasting repercussions of poor decisions and succumbing to guilty pleasures. The accompanying video was crafted by Melbourne’s Dingo Cross Films, with production and direction by Paul Puccio and Cassie Dart.

From April 25, “Bright Gold Cross” will be accessible on various esteemed digital platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. However, the video is already available for viewing today on Side-Line.

Suburban Spell, Peter Endall’s solo venture, melds numerous 80s synth-pop influences with a touch of noisy grind. Drawing inspiration from new wave’s golden era and 70s-80s electronica, his music is undeniably influenced by artists like Ultravox, OMD, Visage, Jean-Michel Jarre, The Cars, Gary Numan, and New Order.

Peter Endall explains that “the song ‘Bright Gold Cross’ symbolises absolution within a Christian religious context and how it can be employed to erase years of abhorrent behaviour. Absolution is a process that forgives mortal sins and allows one to perish in a ‘state of grace’, eventually gaining entry to heaven. This essentially serves as a ‘get out of jail free card’ for those inclined to exploit it.” He adds, “The peculiar circumstances of my childhood upbringing and the religious cult in which I was raised during those years have had a somewhat quixotic effect on me and Suburban Spell. Exposed to a belief system that ultimately proved to be flawed and maintained an inconsistent set of values throughout my formative childhood years, these challenges consistently resurface when creating music for the Suburban Spell project.”

Peter’s former band, Schizo Scherzo, was active during Melbourne’s vibrant 80s music scene, performing alongside acts such as The Eurythmics, Pseudo Echo, Real Life, and Fergal Sharky. Re-emerging on the music scene as Suburban Spell, Peter has discovered his niche in contemporary Australian electronica.

The “Falling Down” EP is set for release on June 23.

The “Falling Down” EP follows one year after his “Split Levels – Remixes” EP, a collection of reimagined tracks from his “Split Levels” album. The remixes feature goth-rock/post-punk legend William Faith (Christian Death, Mephisto Walz, Shadow Project, Faith & The Muse, The Bellwether Syndicate), as well as New Zealand’s Robots In Love, Australia’s Ontic, Pittsburgh’s Tragic Impulse, and Italian artist Kurs.

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.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Twenty five years after their debut single, Swedish Saft now released their fifth studio album -the third one released by Progress Productions.Notice by the way there’s also a limited edition featuring an extra disc with remixes and extra songs.

Content: “Dansar Med Satan” (English “Dance With Satan”) sounds as ‘pure’ Synth-Pop music in the truest Swedish tradition. The vocals are in Swedish while the music is evoking famous and legendary names like Erasure, Depeche Mode, The Eurythmics, and Elegant Machinery.

+ + + : Happy tunes and melodies to dance on and forget horror of life. This is a ‘classical’ Electro-Pop production which is typified by a mature writing process featuring vintage sound treatments. The retro-like sound however has a refreshing effect. This is music that will make you happy. I especially recommend listening to “Kallt Liv” which is one of the most danceable cuts and also recommend “Känns Som December” and the very Eurythmics-driven title song.

– – – : If you’re in search of ‘progressive’ Synth-Pop you better avoid this record. The Swedish language is maybe a reason why Saft is not that more famous outside their homeland.

Conclusion: Warm Pop tunes from the high North; a totally accomplished production!

Best songs: “Kallt Liv”, “Känns Som December”, “Dansar Med Satan”, “Glömma, Ge Och Ta”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/saftswe

Label: www.progress-productions.com / www.facebook.com/progresspro

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

(By Janos Janurik) Temperatures are dropping, days are getting shorter and from now on the umbrella is a permanent accessory when you leave the house. Nevertheless, you can also love autumn. One reason for this can be a good book that you can pick up and read in front of the fireplace without a feeling guilty.

For us, lovers of electric music, the book by Richard Evans, published on 17^th November, would be the perfect read.

Setting out to chart a unique chapter in the history of popular music, “Listening To The Music The Machines Make” tells the story of a single generation of post-punk musicians, mavericks, visionaries and opportunists tinkering with primitive synthesisers in bedrooms, bedsits and basements around Britain, who assembled a potent cocktail of ideas and influences, took them apart, mixed them up, and reassembled them in entirely new ways to create a genuine golden age of British pop, and along the way creating some of the most enduring, iconic and influential records in pop history.

Drawing from years of extensive research, as well as from conversations with many of the movement’s key movers and shakers, “Listening To The Music The Machines Make” sets out to examine the multitude of influences that led to the synthpop revolution that spanned 1978 to 1983; tell the definitive story of a true golden age of British pop through the careers, releases and stories of the movement’s pioneers, mavericks and superstars; and explores the era’s lasting musical impact and enduring influence, including it’s role in the development of hip-hop, house, techno and beyond.

Richard Evans has worked in the music industry for over thirty years in a variety of roles, including positions at London Records, Factory Records and MTV Europe. In 1998 he set up marketing consultancy The Fan Base and has been connecting musical artists with their audiences ever since. He is the founder of the This Is Not Retro website and record label and has worked for Andy Bell, Vince Clarke and Erasure since 2009. Richard is based in Dorset where he lives in perpetual fear of being asked what his favourite record is.

I have known Richard for several years as a result of being an Erasure fan for many years. I emailed him a few questions about his upcoming book and you can read his answers here. Of course, I also asked him about his favourite record.

SL: Richard, you have been the leader of the international Erasure fan club (EIS) and the webmaster of Erasure’s homepage for several years. I think your name has become known to the general public through this activity. Did you make it to the top of your career?

It’s quite complicated to talk about my career as at any given time I’m usually working on a few different projects simultaneously and it’s always very likely that they are all shooting off in different directions. But you’re right that Richard from the EIS is much better known than the Richard Evans who wrote the book! I also think that having worked with Erasure for as many years as I have definitely represents a career peak.

SL: With a background like that, one would have thought that you would write a book about Vince and Andy, about Erasure. Have you ever thought about anything like that?

Vince and Andy get offers to write books every year, on their own or as part of Erasure, but at this point in time neither of them feel the time is right to tell their stories. However when the time is right I very much hope that I will be involved in some way.

SL: You must have a lot of funny or exciting stories about your collaboration with Erasure. Could you tell us a short story that you particularly like to think back to?

I think the best stories are the ones that I can’t tell…

SL: Have you always been a big fan of electro music? Where did your interest in this music genre come from?

I kind of have and I haven’t. My book covers the period 1978-1983 which coincides with the time I was starting to discover music for myself and I always  consider my musical tastes extremely varied. Looking back however and I can see that the music that I was drawn to often had a very noticeable electronic element even when it wasn’t electronic music as such, so although I would enjoy, for example, rock music, the actual songs I was listening to would be things like ‘Owner Of A Lonely Heart’ by Yes, or tracks from ZZ Top’s ‘Eliminator’ album. It turns out that those electronic elements run through a huge amount of my favourite music but I hadn’t really noticed it before. But I did always love ‘pure’ electronic music too. I can remember being blown away the first time I heard things like Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ and Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’ for example.

SL: On 6^th November there will be a special event in London to launch your book “Listening To The Music The Machines Make” where you will interview Andy Bell and Martyn Ware (The Human League, BEF, Heaven 17) about their lives in electronic music. We already know about your connection with Andy, but what about Martyn? Have you known him for a while too?

I first met Martyn through a website I used to run called This Is Not Retro and I interviewed him a few times for that website, but I got to know him better through Vince Clarke who has a side-project with Martyn called Illustrious. Illustrious released a boxset called ‘House Of Illustrious’ under the name The Clarke & Ware Experiment a few years go and I was involved on the periphery of that release and got to know Martyn a little better through doing that. Then Martyn was working on his book, ‘Electronically Yours Vol. 1’, at the same time I was working on mine and I was able to introduce him to some helpful publishing people and also to share some of my research with him. We’ve only met in real life a couple of times so I’m looking forward to doing that at my launch in London and then again when we’re doing a joint event at the Louder Than Words Festival in Manchester the following week.

SL: Both Martyn Ware and Vince Clarke have special podcasts and radio programmes where they talk about synthesizer music, play such tracks and talk to famous artists. Do you listen to these programmes regularly?

I always listen to The Synthesizer Show, Vince’s radio show with Reed Hays, for pleasure of course because it can be very entertaining, but also so I can talk about it in the Erasure newsletter. I try to keep up with Martyn’s podcast Electronically Yours but he does so many of them that I’m always a few episodes behind!

SL: The foreword in your book was written by Vince Clarke who has been a living legend in the music industry over the last 40 years. How did he like your book? Has he already read it?

I sent Vince the manuscript so he would have an idea about what was in my book and I know that he has dipped into it, but I don’t know if he’s actually read it all… the book is 528 pages long so it takes a lot of reading and Vince is a busy man with a lot on his plate. I was delighted that he agreed to do the foreword though, as you say he is a legend and I’m extremely lucky to be able to call him a friend.

SL: Could you please name artists you met during your research or with whom you had conversations on the topic? By the way, who is your biggest hero from the electro music scene?

When I first started work on the book I did intend to talk to as many people from that time as possible, but I actually changed direction quite early on in the process simply because a lot of those people don’t actually remember the details very well after all these years. Instead I went to the original music and popular culture media from 1978 to 1983 and collected as many interviews, reviews, features and news pieces as I could – literally thousands of them – from magazines and papers from the NME, Sounds and Melody Maker to Smash Hits, The Face and ZigZag and constructed the narrative of the book from those original materials. Where I was fortunate was in having access to a number of those people who were available to answer questions, join the dots and provide extra clarification when I needed it. Vince Clarke and Andy Bell of course but also people like Martyn Ware, Neil Arthur, Rusty Egan and Daniel Miller.

I don’t know that I have a biggest hero as such, but in the summer Karl Bartos from Kraftwerk published a book, ‘The Sound of the Machine’, with Omnibus Press, the same publishers who are putting out my book ‘Listening to the Music the Machines Make’, and I was able to go to one of Karl’s events and was introduced to him afterwards which was a huge thrill. He was absolutely lovely and very funny.

SL: You jokingly said about yourself that you live in constant fear that people will ask you about your favourite record. Is that really such a difficult question to answer? Could you name at least three records that have had a big impact on your life?

It really is a difficult question to answer. There are so many great records and my favourite one day might not be favourite the next day depending on what I’m listening to, how I’m feeling and what sort of a mood I’m in. So here are three electronic records which I absolutely love and which I never get tired of listening to: The League Unlimited Orchestra’s ‘Love & Dancing’, Propaganda’s ‘A Secret Wish’ and Depeche Mode’s ‘Ultra’… but it really is an impossible question. If you were to ask me again in half an hour I would probably choose three completely different records!

SL: In the last two years, the music industry has also been hit hard by the pandemic. Many tours had to be cancelled or postponed. Which band did you see live for the last time from the electro music scene? Are there still concerts on your personal wish list?

A few weeks ago I saw Front 242’s concert in London which I think I was supposed to see in 2020 and which had been rescheduled four or maybe five times before it finally happened. It was a great show though. And I’m off to see Blancmange next week which I’m looking forward to as I really like their new album. As for a concerts wish list, I never saw the Eurythmics so I think they would be top of the list for me.

SL: We, electro music fans, are already very excited about your upcoming book. And what are you reading right now when you have a little “me time”?

I’m currently reading Martyn Ware’s ‘Electronically Yours Vol. 1’ as I will be interviewing him about the book at my event in a few weeks time. It’s very good, he has done some extraordinary things and has been involved in some amazing projects, so I’m very much enjoying it.

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Cyber-Goth.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: British Torturetekk was originally set up as a side-project to Athamay. They released the album “Revelling In Perversion”, which remained their single opus till Sean and Jo brought the band back to life in 2019. Lisa J became the new singer and they released “Nightfall” by the end of 2020.

Content: It’s nearly impossible comparing this album with its predecessor although there’s a similar taste for simple, but dark atmospheric Electronics. Mixing elements of Electro-Wave and Cyber-Goth, the songs have a melodic- and danceable touch. Some passages have been accentuated by guitar riffs. Lisa J has a totally different timbre of voice than the former singer Jess Highmoor. The album also features 2 cover versions; one of NIN (cf. “Closer”) and the other of Eurythmics’ (cf. “Sweet Dreams”).

+ + + : I first of all salute the comeback of this band. I’d the honor to write some lyrics for their debut album so it’s with great pleasure I discovered this new work. I personally like the last part of the album revealing a few more elaborated and punchy songs. “Win Your Love Club Mix” is a pretty efficient dancefloor cut. I also have to mention “Falling For You”, which sound-wise reminds me of Athamay.

– – – : The sound mixing is rather poor and somewhat undermining the global production. The songs are also missing some elaboration –except the last songs.

Conclusion: It’s great to see Torturetekk back in business, but this work is not exactly a major success.

Best songs: “Win Your Love Club Mix”, “Faling For You”, “Alpha One”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.facebook.com/torturetekk

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

(By our local correspondent János Janurik) “Hey, Janos, there you go…” It’s cool to be in email contact with Vince Clarke, founder of bands like Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure. He may not be a wordsmith, but good-humouredly, the living synthpop legend had answered my questions before he went on a well-deserved vacation. At the end of October he is going on a tour through the UK and Europe with his long-time bandmate, Andy Bell. As a small appetizer for the upcoming concerts, Erasure’s latest album “The Neon Remixed,” will be released at the end of July, featuring remixes of their 2020 work “The Neon,” as well as a brand new track “Secrets.”

Certain electropop tracks are often more successful in remixed version and sometimes sound better than the original. This genre of music simply suits remixes well. The same goes for Erasure. Although I’m not a big fan of remixes from the last two decades, this time I was very pleased with what I heard. The remix of “The Neon” includes partly complete new productions, partly extended maxi versions in the classic sense and of course there are enough tracks to dance along to. “The Neon” is also remixed and in this revised version it is a pure electropop perfection! “The Neon Remixed” features reinterpretations from artists like Kim Ann Foxman, Hifi Sean, Octo Octa, Paul Humphreys (OMD), Andy Bell & Gareth Jones, Brixxtone, Theo Kottis, and others. My first question to Vince Clarke was of course about this upcoming remix compilation.

SL: One year after the release of your last album „The Neon” its remix version will be released at the end of July. Whose idea was this remix compilation? Did you want to take a new turn with „The Neon” songs to take them in a new direction or was that the idea of the record company?

VC: The remix album was the idea of Mute Records. They wanted to extend the ‘life’ of the album, hopefully right up to the start of the „Neon” Tour.

SL: Old friends and colleagues of you, like Paul Humphreys or Gareth Jones, as well as a lot of new DJs and remixers can be found among the participating artists. Who selected and requested them for these remixes?

VC: Neil Blanket from Mute came up with the list of remixers. (Neil Blanket is the Head of Marketing at Mute – author’s note)

SL: The „Violate Flame” album also had a similar remix version, but my favorite one is still „The Two Ring Circus”. I would be glad to hear live that stunning remix version of „Leave Me To Bleed” by Vince and Eric Radcliffe one day in my life. Are there any such remixes from your back catalogue, which you think are even better than the original?

VC: I’m very fond of Orbitals remix of „Ship Of Fools”.

SL: As mentioned before „The Neon” album is already one year old. How did it affect you the last time you heard it? Do you still have the same favorite songs on the album? By the way, what are your current favorites?

VC: I tend not to listen to an album once it’s been released unless of course, I’m preparing tracks for our up and coming tour.

SL: This year there is another anniversary in the history of Erasure: Your debut album „Wonderland” was released 35 years ago. Many of the fans think that your current album has a lot in common with your first album. Have you noticed any similarities in the sound or in terms of the production work?

VC: I think there are similarities. Both albums are upbeat and positive looking and the sounds and arrangements are less cluttered.. (I think?)

SL: This October you are going on tour according to your plans. Have you put the new setlist together yet? Which are the songs that already have a fix place on the setlist?

VC: We’ll obviously be doing songs from ’The Neon’, a few old favorites and a couple of lesser known tracks from our back catalogue.

SL: There’s a rumor that Andy wants to sing the Eurythmics classic „Love Is A Stranger”. Are you planning to perform this cover version on the upcoming tour?

VC: ‘W & S’… (Wait and see.) 🙂

SL: In these Corona times it is difficult to make preparations for a tour. When can you meet each other to rehearse live?

VC: We start rehearsals in London, two weeks before the first show in Scotland.

SL: At your London concert you are going to have Blancmange as the opening act. I have always liked their music and a lot of fans know about the contact with Depeche Mode (Blancmange were the opening act on Depeche Mode’s 1981 and 1982 tours) and with Vince. Vince, you remixed „Living On The Ceiling” a few years ago and your fans are also eagerly awaiting the joint work with Neil Arthur. Where is this project lying right now?

VC: We’re hoping to finally mix our ‘collaboration’ at the end of July although it rather depends on UK and US travel restrictions.

SL: Vince, you’re also a label manager and host of an online radio show about the world of synths. Are there any news from the home of VeryRecords?

VC: There’s not a lot going on at the moment… perhaps a new release in 2022?

SL: And let’s not forget that your son son Oscar has just released his debut work. Vince, please, tell us a few words about this record and about your possible involvement on it.

VC: I contributed very little. My son did pretty much everything including getting it on Spotify etc.

SL: Back to the subject of touring. You are giving six concerts in Germany during the forthcoming tour in October. The German fans have always been very loyal to you. Do you have a story in your mind about Erasure and Germany that you still remember?

VC: Our very first show in Hamburg comes to mind. We played a venue called the Markthalle which was probably about half full. We were not well known in Germany at the time but I remember the audience was amazing… So warm and enthusiastic.

The fans are still waiting with great enthusiasm to finally see their idols live on stage again. Hopefully the Corona situation will get better and then we can enjoy Vince and Andy on a concert! Here you can see the tour dates once again. See you there!

“The Neon Remixed”

CD TRACKLIST (CD 1)

1 Secrets
2 Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Hifi Sean Remix)
3 Nerves of Steel (Andy Bell & Gareth Jones’ Sapphire and Steel Mix)
4 Fallen Angel (Saint Remix)
5 No Point in Tripping (John “J-C” Carr & Bill Coleman 808 BEACH Extended Remix)
6 Shot A Satellite (GRN Extended Remix)
7 Tower of Love (BSB’s Stella Polaris Remix)
8 Diamond Lies (Armageddon Turk Extended Remix)
9 New Horizons (Matt Pop Extended Remix)
10 Careful What I Try to Do (Brixxtone Extended Remix)
11 Kid You’re Not Alone (Theo Kottis Remix)

CD TRACKLIST (CD 2)

1 Secrets (Kim Ann Foxman’s Heaven Mix)
2 No Point in Tripping (Can Love Be Synth Remix)
3 Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Hifi Sean Dub)
4 Careful What I Try to Do (Brixxtone Synthwave Dub)
5 Nerves Of Steel (Gareth Jones’ ElectroGenetic Terabyte of Love Mix)
6 Kid You’re Not Alone (Paul Humphreys Remix)
7 Secrets (Octo Octa’s Psychedelic Visions Disco Dub)

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

The Los Angeles, California based dark electronic act Of The Dark I Dare has launched a brand new single on Valentine’s day, namely a cover of the Eurythmics hit “Sweet Dreams”. You can download the attractive version as a single right now from Bandcamp, check below.

Of The Dark I Dare consists of the trio Tracy Lorin on vocals, RickEy Lumpkin II on keys and Matt Lucich on drums. The production was executed by eLi Parr and RickEy Lumpkin II. The mixing was done by Alex DeGroot (Zola Jesus) with mastering done by Gentry Studer.

“Sweet Dreams” (or “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” as the official title sounds) was the title track of their album of the same name and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in early 1983. The song became their breakthrough hit, establishing the duo worldwide. Following its success, their previous single, “Love Is a Stranger”, was re-released and also became a worldwide hit.

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

Lauren Mayberry, frontwoman of the electropop act Chvrches, has called out the music industry for “promoting records by sexual abusers and rapists”.

In an interview with Dazed she says the following: “There hasn’t been a shakedown of the music industry in the same way as there has been in the film industry, maybe because it’s not unionised in the same way. But I keep thinking, ‘one day these dominoes are going to fall, surely’. Dr. Luke’s in the cold, but beyond that, has there really been much change? We’re still promoting and selling records by sexual abusers and rapists. You can’t say no to one thing and yes to another.”

And she continues in the interview by saying: “You can’t kick Harvey Weinstein out of the canon but still have Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and Bill Cosby in there. Come on, guys! Let’s be consistent with our changes!”

New album to be released in May

Last month, Chvrches confirmed details of their third album “Love Is Dead” (to be released on May 25) with the release of the new single “My Enemy” featuring guest vocals from The National’s Matt Berninger. Chvrches began work on their third album in February 2017 in Los Angeles, California together with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. The production was however completed by Greg Kurstin.

Chvrches are a Scottish synth-pop band from Glasgow and formed in September 2011. The band consists of Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty.

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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Marilyn Manson was crushed by two giant pistol stage props after he tried climbing it. The singer midway through singing the Eurythmics track “Sweet Dreams” at his New York concert on September 30th when the incident took place.

Manson was stretchered off minutes later after breaking him free from beneath the props. He was later rushed to hospital as you can see in the tweet below.

First picture of Marilyn Manson on his way to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/wBHMmKUJsC

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 1, 2017

Below is the video of the incident.

Video of Marilyn Manson getting injured on stage. pic.twitter.com/8EN0z9Qku5

— Stav ? (@Stav_Per) October 1, 2017

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: German duo Uwe Kallenbach (music) – Tobias Hartwig (vocals) set up Syntec in the early 90s. They quickly got signed to the legendary Machinery Records and became a successful electro-pop formation with multiple hits. They recently struck back after a hiatus of 21 years unleashing the cool EP “Catch My Fall”. “The Beginning” indeed sounds like a new beginning and is the 3^rd full length by the German formation.

Content: It sometimes sounds like Syntec has never disappeared. The electro-pop arrangements and catchy tunes are rapidly coming through while the title song of their last EP remains a great electro-pop song carried by danceable vibes and by the great singing skills of Tobias Hartwig.

Syntec also dares to innovate with a somewhat vintage-like and electroclash inspired song entitled “Liberté”. The cover of “Send Me An Angel” (originally written by Real Life) is not into innovation although a noticeable song from the album.

A last and rather important part of the work consists of the more electro-ballad songs, which is not that new for the band, but composed with a different approach than during the early years.

+ + + : It’s not that easy –even for a talented formation, to strike back after more than 20 years and numerous comebacks have turned out to be real disasters. Syntec confirms their writing skills and this secret sound formula to write great electro-pop songs. That’s what they illustrate on a few cuts of this album and I especially want to recommend “Catch My Fall”, “Devil In Heaven” and “Liberté”. The Eurythmics cover also is a song that will catch your attention. There’s a perfect harmony between sound and vocals.

– – – : Despite of some real noticeable songs, I have some difficulties with the softer side of this work. I don’t have anything against so-called electro-ballads, but these songs aren’t the best ones from the album. There’s no real climax and it even ruins a my enthusiasm a bit for the danceable pop cuts.

Conclusion: This album reveals a real fascinating and successful side although I’m not totally convinced by their softer songs. As the title indicates, this is just ‘the beginning’ so let’s wait for further releases to see if Syntec can reach back their 90s status of hot electro-pop formation!?

Best songs: “Catch My Fall”, “Liberté”, “Send Me an Angel”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.syntec–band.de / www.facebook.com/syntec.official

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.

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