Hungarian artist István Gazdag has built a solid reputation within the EBM scene through his primary project, First Aid 4 Souls. A true workaholic, he is also active with side projects such as First Aid Tech. Two years ago, he released the outstanding debut album “Tech Under Your Skin” under this moniker. That impressive work is now followed by a new release featuring—once again—no fewer than 22 tracks.

The influences remain largely unchanged. István Gazdag continues to experiment freely with a wide range of styles, moving from EBM—inevitably inviting comparisons to Front Line Assembly—to Tribal and Psy-Trance elements that occasionally evoke the spirit of Juno Reactor. Acid sequences emerge throughout the album, while guitar passages provide yet another subtle nod to the latter’s signature sound. Despite these obvious influences, First Aid Tech never comes across as derivative. Instead, the music feels like a seamless fusion of the various styles this sound guru effortlessly combines. There are no vocals, although carefully selected samples add extra depth and variety. The tracks frequently exude a menacing atmosphere that perfectly complements the album’s dark overall mood. Once again, Gazdag delivers a meticulously crafted production that merges boundless creativity with sophisticated, high-tech production values.

To my ears, this new opus plays like the imaginary soundtrack to a “Matrix”-esque film. Above all, however, it stands as a brilliant, elaborate, and deeply immersive obscure Electro production. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Play My Game”:

About First Aid Tech

First Aid Tech is a project of Hungarian electronic musician István Gazdag, who is also the driving force behind First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. First Aid 4 Souls, active since 2007, is known for its blend of industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave, often featuring guest vocalists. Stahlgeist deals in EBM that recalls the early years of Front Line Assembly and Wumpscut.

Gazdag has performed and DJed under the First Aid Tech moniker for years, but the project’s first official release, a self-titled techno body EP featuring 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes, only appeared on Alfa Matrix on December 4, 2023. The debut album, “Tech Under Your Skin,” followed on October 17, 2024. In a Side-Line interview, Gazdag described First Aid Tech’s sound DNA as rooted in 90s electronic music, citing Cabaret Voltaire, Orbital, Yello, Juno Reactor, LFO, Underworld, Empirion, and Future Sound Of London as reference points. The project now returns with its second full-length, “Back To Agartha.”

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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 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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With a legacy rooted in electronic music, István Gazdag has long been known for his work with First Aid 4 Souls, a project steeped in conceptual depth and dark sonic landscapes. But with First Aid Tech, he unleashes a different side of his creative vision – one that’s raw, playful, and deeply danceable.

In this exclusive interview, Gazdag takes us inside the DNA of First Aid Tech’s music, a project that channels the rebellious spirit of 90s electronic music while forging its own path. From acid-soaked basslines to EBM-infused club anthems, “Tech Under Your Skin” is a high-voltage ride through the underground sound of yesterday and tomorrow. We discuss the project’s origins, influences, and what’s next for this ever-evolving sonic architect.  Let’s dive in!

SL. How would you describe FIRST AID TECH’s music compared to your other main project FIRST AID 4 SOULS?

I. The First Aid Tech is a naughty project. FA4S is always very disciplined and sombre. In Tech, I let myself go more. More humour, more danceable tracks. It used to be in FA4S, but it really confused the fans. Now FA4S is all conceptual, and Tech is my more danceable world.

S. I have the impression that your music with FIRST AID TECH has a sound DNA that is very rooted in the 90’s electro / techno?

I. Yes, Tech’s main base is the massive electronic music of the 90s. It’s interesting that the project itself was born out of the encouragement of the Kollektiva site to make current, trendy techno music. But the 90’s came out of me as a response. I’m thinking here of the Acid, early Goa, breakbeat, techno and of course EBM music that had fully developed by then.

S. If I ask you giving us some band names that influenced you or that are similar to your music.  Who would you think of?

I. Cabaret Voltaire, Orbital, Yello, Juno Reactor, LFO, Underworld, Empirion, Future Sound Of London, … These bands are the great role models for this project.  I know for a fact that the music of the 90’s is coming back with a vengeance. I’ve always tried to stay ahead of the trends, but now it’s a few months and it’s going to be the trendy sound again!! (laugh)

S. When I play this album to friends around me, many tell me it reminds them of the “re:boot” period of FRONT 242? How do you react to this?

I. Yes, the “re:boot” era of FRONT 242 was when the founding fathers of EBM were successfully laying siege to the club scene. Front 242 wanted to be dance music then. And they were masters at it. It’s a very good parallel, although I have to add that FRONT 242 “re:boot” is a cruel masterpiece.

S. Besides the music, you also sometimes add vocals to the songs which is less conventional for such kind of dancefloor music?

I. The vocals in this segment are purely effect. This helped to make those songs much more violent.

S. How should we understand the album title “Tech Under Your Skin”?   Your Blood? Your DNA?  Humanoid chip or implant?

I. Clearly an implant!  It’s practically an extension of the Electronic Body Music slogan.

S. This release is a sort of double album actually with a more EBM on Acid oriented first part and then a darker part with a disco touch? How did you come up with such artistic approach? 

I. This double album is a compilation of songs from 5 EPs. There are many more songs ready to be released, but I decided to release only the best ones. I spent years polishing them and tried them out live in concert. These are the songs that got people partying. The first part of the material is rooted in EBM music, of course with plenty of acid backing. The second part is much more 90s party music. Let’s say the attentive listener might also detect an Acid Horse homage. That’s a 1989 piece. Not a cover, but a reference to the greats.

S. What kind of gears / instruments did you use to record this album?

I. My wife bought me a TD-3 acid devil for my birthday. The rest is the usual Korg sound and lots of VST.

S. Are you also making remixes for other artists under this FIRST AID TECH moniker? 

I. Very rarely, but yes. In my case, FA4S is definitely the keyword when I remix.

S. Am I wrong to say that besides being a music producer, you also perform as DJ?

I. I think I’m a selector at best at this time. DJ is a separate profession. I respect it, but I personally have no DJ ambition.  I prefer to write the songs myself. In my case it’s also a matter of ego.

S. What are the next plans for you and your various projects?

I. The new Stahlgeist album will be the first to be finished, we’re recording the vocals. Then comes an experimental FA4S EP entirely on the Coil line. Then we’ll have a bombastic surprise album from FA4S. In the meantime, I’ll be singing the Vacuum solo EP. When I’m done with that, yes, there will be a new Tech EP. Until then there will be many more Tech gigs…

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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István Gazdag, the mastermind behind First Aid 4 Souls, unveiled the debut EP of his latest project, First Aid Tech, last year. The 4 tracks from this self-titled EP are now featured on his ambitious full-length album, which boasts a staggering 22 songs. On this release, Gazdag dives headfirst into sonic experimentation, seamlessly blending genres like EBM, Hard-Techno, Acid, and Psy-Trance. His signature EBM basslines remain a standout feature, expertly intertwined with infectious, Acid-tinged sequences. These elements are propelled by thunderous Techno kicks and occasionally accented with trippy Psychedelic layers. While many tracks are instrumental, a few feature vocal elements that add a touch of accessibility to the album. The soundscape occasionally feels like a hypnotic fusion of Frontline Assembly and Juno Reactor, with subtle nods to Front 242. Gazdag’s brilliance as a sound architect shines throughout, demonstrating his boundless creativity and production prowess. Though additional vocal contributions might elevate the record even further, this album is already a triumph of composition and sound design. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “The Fortress”:

About First Aid Tech

First Aid Tech is a project of Hungarian electronic artist István Gazdag, who is also the driving force behind First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. Gazdag performed and DJed under the First Aid Tech moniker for years before the project’s first official release, the self-titled techno body EP, came out in December 2023 on Alfa Matrix with 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes.

First Aid 4 Souls has been active since 2007, mixing industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave, often with guest vocalists. Stahlgeist delivers old-school EBM. In 2025 Gazdag discussed First Aid Tech in the Side-Line interview ‘Exploring a Pulsating Universe’.

“Tech Under Your Skin”, the first First Aid Tech full-length, expands the four EP tracks into a 22-track album and is the release reviewed here.

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: Techno-Body, Industrial-Rave.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Hungarian prolific artist István Gazdag (First Aid 4 Souls) strikes back with a new project. This self-titled debut-EP features four songs plus four remixes.

Content: The inspiration to First Aid Tech becomes rapidly clear; this is Industrial/Electronic music infused with heavy Techno beats and sounds. The songs are carried by solid bass lines and are featuring Trance passages while you’ll also notice very few robotic, sampled, vocals. Remixes have been delivered by Benke, Man+Machine, Ritual Abuse and Bernathy.

+ + + : During the past few years this Hungarian Electro master has unleashed a rather diversified canvas of influences for his major project First Aid 4 Souls. I think it’s a good idea to create a side-project next to the Mothership so István Gazdag can move on exposing his sonic ideas. This kind of project might appeal for lovers of Soman and related artists; hard-pumping Techno stuff melted with dark Electro/Industrial elements. The first three tracks are impressive pieces of aggressive electronic music to get dancefloors on fire. The Benke-Remix of “Bloodwit” is a cool bonus for its Acid sequences.

– – – : Except the remix by Benke all other remixes don’t exactly add an extra.

Conclusion: István Gazdag is not only a talented EBM composer but he also know how to produce powerful Techno music for dark souls.

Best songs: “Breakout”, “Bloodwit”, “Haute Tension”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083230725685

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘First Aid Tech’.

About First Aid Tech

First Aid Tech is an alias of Hungarian musician István Gazdag, known for his main project First Aid 4 Souls, a Budapest-based act he founded in 2007 after his earlier industrial/EBM outfit Vacuum. Under the First Aid Tech name, Gazdag pursues a harder techno and industrial-rave direction. The project’s self-titled debut EP, featuring four original tracks and remixes by Benke, Man+Machine, Ritual Abuse and Bernathy, was released through Alfa Matrix at the end of 2023.

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

Although Hungarian electronic artist István Gazdag (First Aid 4 Souls, Stahlgeist) has been performing and DJing under the First Aid Tech moniker for years, it’s only now that the first official release of this project comes out. This self-titled techno body 8-track EP reveals 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes.

Musically you can expect the artist’s industrial/EBM roots merging with acid / rave influences resulting in techno body.

You can download the First Aid Tech EP right now from Bandcamp.

István Gazdag is also the driving force behind the Hungarian musical projects First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. First Aid 4 Souls is known for its blend of industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave. Active since 2007, First Aid 4 Souls often includes various guest vocalists. Stahlgeist then again brings EBM that refers to the old years of Front Line Assembley or yet Wumpscut Read the review of ‘First Aid Tech’.

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

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Techno-Body.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Hungarian EBM/Industrial producer
István Gazdag remains very prolific and has already unleashed new work on his main project First Aid 4 Souls. This mini-album features seven songs and has been introduced as the fusion between the Hungarian artist’s Techno project First Aid Tech and his Dark-Electro/EBM/Industrial project First Aid 4 Souls.

Content: This is for sure one of the most surprising releases I’ve heard from this project. You still recognize the darker, sophisticated, EBM basis which has been infused with the power of Techno music. The result sounds as an ultra-danceable format; a kind of imaginary hybrid between FLA and Chemical Brothers with some extra Psy-Trance elements here and then. Vocals by familiar singers Mortum and Vic Willow have been added as a kind of effect/sampling.

+ + + : After the last year released Epic-Electro like “I Am The Night”-album First Aid 4 Souls strikes back with something totally different and still featuring the band’s sound DNA. István Gazdag feels comfortable dealing with different influences while holding on to the EBM touch. This album sounds like a modern Body-Techno work. The first part of the work reveals amazing cuts but especially “Burning Horizon” and “Anger” left me breathless.

– – – : First Aid 4 Souls remains creative and prolific but there’s maybe a too big gap between the familiar stuff of the band, the previous Epic album and this new piece.

Conclusion: First Aid 4 Souls doesn’t repeat itself and already explores new horizons of EBM mixed with other influences.

Best songs: “Anger”, “Burning Horizon”, “White Noise White Boys”, “Night Lies”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063628544089

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Dancing At The Abyss’.

About First Aid 4 Souls

First Aid 4 Souls is a Budapest-based electronic project founded in 2007 by István Gazdag, evolving from his earlier industrial/EBM outfit Vacuum. Over time, the project has worked with rotating collaborators and guest vocalists, and has touched industrial, EBM, dark ambient and new wave influences.

Early releases appeared via Some Bizarre, Electro Arc and Poison Girls Records before Gazdag joined the Belgian label Alfa Matrix. Discography milestones include “Deathstep” (2011, CD) and the earlier “Beyond The Galaxy” era, later revisited as “Beyond The Galaxy / Rework” under Alfa Matrix.

“Dancing At The Abyss”, the mini-album reviewed here, followed in 2023. In 2025 the project shifted sound and released “Progenitrix”, a post-punk/darkwave album featuring a long list of female guest vocalists billed as the ‘Divas of the Dark’ (Aux Animaux, Emke/Black Nail Cabaret, Marita Volodina/Stridulum, Kriistal Ann/Paradox Obscur, among others).

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 via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page is an all new mini-album by the Hungarian dark electro act First Aid 4 Souls. With “Dancing At the Abyss” mini-album, Hungarian electronic music artist István Gazdag introduces techno club influences of his First Aid Tech project into the darker industrial mood of First Aid 4 Souls.

Included are 7 new songs that hang somewhere between techno body music and industrial dance mixed with the distorted or manipulated sampled vocals by Mortum and Vic Willow. All this flavored with a darker industrial touch.

This mini-album is out now via Bandcamp as an immediate download and will follow on all other streaming platforms in the next two weeks.

Veteran Hungarian artist István Gazdag, formerly of Vacuum, has been an active participant in the avant-garde electronic/industrial scene since the late 1980s. He has a diverse range of releases on various labels and has done remarkable remix work for legendary bands such as Coil, Soft Cell, Test. Dept., Cabaret Voltaire, and Einstürzende Neubauten. In recent years, he has collaborated with US-based singer Mortum from Human Vault, who has contributed darker lyrics and a harsher vocal style to their joint project, First Aid 4 Souls.

Earlier this year the project released the 70-track release “This Present Darkness” including four full-length albums (“Trash Cathedral,” “Dark Tunnel,” “Keep This World Empty,” and “I Am The Night”) plus the previously unreleased remix album “Your Social Skill Demised”. The four albums have been re-edited, reconstructed, or newly remastered, supplemented with a variety of previously unreleased bonus material. Read the review of ‘Dancing At The Abyss’.

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