Foretaste &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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.

The Overlookers return with new single and video ‘Undercover’ preceding upcoming album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:33:09 +0000

Electro-pop duo The Overlookers, comprising XY from Foretaste and JB from Dekad, are back after a four-year hiatus since the release of their debut album, “Teenage Wet Dreams”. Having previously explored the world of 1950s America with Elvis Presley and colourful Cadillacs, the band has decided to jump three decades into the future for their latest project.

Their forthcoming album, titled “Videodrama”, delves into the world of 1980s nostalgia, embracing VHS technology and the era’s distinctive analog synth chords. However, despite the overtly retro-inspired sounds, The Overlookers are keen to remind fans that the Devil is always in the details.

To give you a taste of what’s to come, the band has released their first – excellent – digital single, “Undercover”, from the new album, accompanied by a music video. Fans can pre-order the limited edition 12″ vinyl LP or CD album now via the BOREDOMproduct webshop.

Check out the interview we have with The Overlookers a while back to get an idea what the project is all about.

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!

‘Click Interview’ with Dekad: ‘Music, Art In General Is More Than Necessary Today’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Set up as a solo-project by ‘JB’ French Electro-Pop project Dekad released its debut album “Sin_lab” in 2005. This year Dekad released its fifth album “Nowhere Lines” again on BOREDOMproduct. For the very first time JB joined hands together with an extra member. ‘XY’ who next to be involved with Foretaste also set up together with JB the side-project The Overlookers, got actively involved. The work sounds as Kraftwerk mixed with EBM influences. A great and sophisticated piece of Electronics which incited me to get in touch with JB.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Nowhere Lines” is the first new Dekad album in seven years and the fifth one in the project’s discography. How does it feel to be ‘back’ and how do you see Dekad today compared to the early years and the first album “Sin_lab” (2005)?

JB: Most of the songs had been written for a long time, but the pandemic made things much more complicated.
The mix and the mastering took some time too but the result is here.

In fact this release was a real liberation. There were other projects I really wanted to focus on (the side-project The Overlookers).

When I compare the 2022 Dekad version to the early years version, I’m rather satisfied by the evolution of the sound and the vocals ! Listening to “Sin_Lab” brings me a mixed feeling of nostalgia and kindness. There were really good ideas in that album and I wish I could go back in time and make it a little different.

Q: You just mentioned The Overlookers side-project which you set up together with ‘XY’ from
Foretaste who also contributed to the new Dekad-album. How do you look back at the experience with The Overlookers and what makes the connection and chemistry between both of you?

JB: XY and I have many things in common! We share the same taste for music, movies, good food and a questionable sense of humor! Things are so easy and at the same time so challenging when you work with XY.

Easy because a single listen of a demo is enough to find the right words and the way to perform the song.

We did not even have to meet during the making of the album. A phone call or an e-mail was enough. It is also challenging because I’m so amazed by his technical skills and his song writing. I must do my best to be worthy. Spoiler alert, a second album should be out in 2023.

Q: “Nowhere Lines” seems to be inspired by uncertain times we’re living in. It’s an item numerous citizens all over Europe and the world are concerned about. What did you try to accentuate and how do you experience changing times for musicians and arts generally speaking?

JB: For the last few years, it is obvious that things are getting worse. When you see those shootings in the US, this unreal war in Ukraine, this non-stop violence everywhere… And no need to talk about our sick climate… This world is crazy!

Music, art in general is more than necessary today. I always keep in mind that I’m lucky to live in a country where freedom of expression still means something. Hopefully this is an exciting time for people who want to make music. Everything is so simpler than 30 years ago. But at the same time very talented musicians will be lost in this huge offer and will never get the attention they deserve. Many are called, but few are chosen…

Q: How did the writing of “Nowhere Lines” happened? What have been the funny moments and satisfactions at one side and elements of frustration at the other side?

JB: For the first time, I decided not to put too many pressure on myself with deadlines. I just let the songs come. Sometimes, I could stay away from the machines during several weeks, that was not a problem.
And as I stressed earlier, the mood of this album is influenced by the times we are living. This is why it is so dark.
For me, the moment of satisfaction is always the same. It is when I plug the mic and start putting vocals on the first track I wrote. Most of the time this is also a funny moment because the result is usually awful, or at least, unexpected! The frustration usually arrives when the album is finished and sent to BOREDOMproduct. This is when I start to hear all the little imperfections, the things I could have done wiser.

Q: You released a clip for the song “A Deadly Show”. Is it still important releasing clips today –especially as an underground artist? What did you try to express by the imagery (clip)? And what are the further plans now the album has been released?

JB: In my opinion, a single needs a clip. It would be a nonsense not to use a platform like Youtube or Wimeo when you know that it gives you the opportunity to reach millions of people. For the single “A Deadly Show”, I wanted a striking idea to illustrate the subject of the song. And this ‘Day of the Dead’ lady was for me a good illustration.

As for further plans, there will be a third single called “Promises” in the next few weeks. Here again, the imagery should appeal to you…

Q: I never asked this questions to any other band signed to BOREDOMproduct, but there’s a common ‘sound’ and connection between all bands of the label. You sometimes get the feeling there’s only one single artist dealing with multiple projects. What’s the true connection and common thread between all artists? And do you feel something like a ‘label family’-thing?

JB: Well, there is a common denominator: ‘Member U-0176’! We have been working together for 17 years now and I must admit that his advices and artistic choices are always relevant. He has very set ideas about what is good and what is bad for a song. The result is here. People who listen bands from BOREDOMProduct always stress the quality of the production.

I would talk about a strong fellowship rather than a ‘family’ thing. We know that we can count on each other if necessary. To give you an example, if it was not for XY and XX, I would never spend hours and hours learning Foretaste songs and go onstage with them! But it is so much fun every time we get together that they could take me with them anywhere! I just wish we could see each other more often.

Solitary Experiments return with 3rd single ‘The Great Unknown’ featuring Elena Alice Fossi (Kirlian Camera / Spectra*Paris)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 14:40:17 +0000

Coming up is the third single of the upcoming album “Transcendent” by the future pop act Solitary Experiments. “The Great Unknown” features Elena Alice Fossi, the Italian singer of Kirlian Camera / Spectra*Paris.

Regarding the upcoming album “Transcendent”, for the first time in the almost 30-year band history, frontman Dennis Schober welcomes guest singers for a Solitary Experiments album.

On the band’s 8th album Dennis Schober invited Kirlian Camera singer Elena Alice Fossil and Dirk Ivens. On the bonus disc we find four new songs with four guests (In Strict Confidence’s Nina De Lianin, Vanguard’s Patrik Hansson, Me the Tiger’s Gabriella Åström and Beyond Obsession’s Nils Upahl). It also holds 5 additional remixes of album tracks plus 3 more remixes of earlier tracks.

Also to be released is deluxe set holding and exclusive bonus CD with further collaborations. We checked the tracklist and found the following guys singers: Helix, Julia Beyer, Adam is a Girl, Schmoun, Omnimar, Foretaste and Distorted Reality.

The new album will be out on October 28th.

Solitary Experiments announces new album ‘Transcendent’ for next month

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 19:11:25 +0000

Out on October 28th is the all new Solitary Experiments album “Transcendent”, their 8th so far. The first print of the album comes as 2CD digibook edition. On the album frontman Dennis Schober invited two guest singers, Kirlian Camera singer Elena Alice Fossil and Dirk Ivens.

On the bonus disc we find four new songs with four guests (In Strict Confidence’s Nina De Lianin, Vanguard’s Patrik Hansson, Me the Tiger’s Gabriella Åström and Beyond Obsession’s Nils Upahl). It also holds 5 additional remixes of album tracks plus 3 more remixes of earlier tracks.

Check out the video for the album track “Wonderland”.

Dekad – Nowhere Lines (Album – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Body-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: French formation Dekad strikes back with a new album, which is the first one in seven years. In the meantime, core member ‘JB’ set up together with ‘XY’ (Foretaste) The Overlookers. And ‘XY’ joined hands together with Dekad for this fourth full length inspired by questions and uncertainty about the human race.

Content: Dekad brings a styled and polished Electro-Pop work, which features the ‘robotic’ sound of Kraftwerk and the ‘power’ of EBM. It resulted in a fine and efficient production revealing multiple bleeps, effects, menacing bass lines and cool strings.

+ + + : Dekad is a formation I was missing on BOREDOMproduct. I already heard great stuff from this artist who only confirms his talent on “Nowhere Lines”. The songs have been achieved with great sound intelligence becoming sophisticated cuts. Most of the songs are danceable and especially the last part features ‘harder’ tracks like “Never Sleep Again” and the previously released single “A Deadly Show”. But I also have to mention the instrumental “Last Chance” which sounds as a true tour de force, the opening piece “A Strange Attraction” giving me the sensation to listen to the new Kraftwerk and “Watching You” which has been progressively built up.

– – – : I was less convinced by the few ‘softer’ pieces, which rather sounded like short breaks.

Conclusion: Dekad has this typical sound DNA which is familiar for BOREDOMproduct bands, but this band -and especially this album, has something more, which sounds futuristic and visionary.

Best songs: “A Strange Attraction”, “Never Sleep Again”, “A Deadly Show”, “Last Chance”, “Watching You”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/dekadmusic

Label: www.boredomproduct.fr / www.facebook.com/boredomproduct

Electropop duo Pegasus Asteroid returns with yet another electropop pearl: ‘Dark Blue Ice’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 11:50:19 +0000

Out now is “Dark Blue Ice”, a brand new single by the synthpop / darkwave duo Pegasus Asteroid. The single marks their come back after a two year hiatus and features two tracks, “Dark Blue Ice” and “Radio”, as well as their instrumental versions.

Pegasus Asteroid is a synthpop duo which was formed in January 2009 by frontwoman Anastasia Sokolova and Mikhail Sokolov (who is known as one of the founding members of the well known acts Stillife and Lesnikov-16). The band was also featured on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” with the track “Mechanical Heart”.

We can recommend this material especially to fans of Marsheaux, Parralox, Foretaste and the like. Here’s the single on Bandcamp.

Dark Blue Ice by Pegasus Asteroid

TourdeForce – Compendium Vol.1 2009-2013 (Album – Space Race Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Without becoming a leading Electro-Pop formation TourdeForce became a familiar name in the Electro-Pop scene. Several albums have been released over the years. This work brings us back to the years between 2009 and 2013. It’s an opportunity to discover remixes from songs of that period, but also demo tracks, cover versions and previously unreleased stuff.

Content: The main source of inspiration is Electro-Pop music, which has been now mixed with pure Dance-Pop and then moving into catchy, melancholic songs. Foretaste, Syrian, Luca Urbani, Dekad, Porta Vittoria and TourdeForce took care of the remixes while there’s also one song featuring Nova Pulsar. There are also cover versions of Novy Svet and Diorama. Most of the songs are sung in English, but you’ll also notice Italian vocals.

+ + + : This is not just a ‘best of’ from a period in time, but the originality is that it’s much more than simply remixes as most of the band still contributed by vocals. The previously unreleased songs and demo cuts are adding a little bonus to the work. I’m more into the ‘classical’, catchy, Electro-Pop songs like “Dancing Days” and the 2022 mix of “One July Night”. There’s also something to say about the minimal remix of “Masterplan” by Foretaste and the cool remix of “Modern Affair” by Luca Urbani

– – – : I’m not that much into the pure Dance-Pop opener “Falling In The Dark” revealing a too commercial approach. I realize the previously unreleased cuts and demos are less convincing.

Conclusion: I’ve never been totally convinced by the sound of TourdeForce, which according to me is missing an extra catchy touch.

Best songs: “One July Night”, “Dancing Days”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/tourdeforce1

Label: www.facebook.com/SpaceRaceRecords

7 years after their last album Dekad returns with ‘Nowhere Lines’ album on BOREDOMproduct

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 10:06:08 +0000

The French electropop act Dekad is back with a fifth, 11-track strong, album, “Nowhere Lines” on the fine French label BOREDOMproduct. Promoted by its first single “A Deadly Show”, “Nowhere Lines” sees the French act returning after a seven year hiatus.

For the first time the material was co-produced by Foretaste’s XY member who co-wrote The Overlookers’ “Teenage Wet Dreams” album three years ago.

You can order the album right below on CD and as a digital download.

Nowhere Lines (Album) by Dekad

Check out the video for “A deadly Show” right below.

Italian electro pop project TourdeForce revisits past in ‘Compendium vol. 1’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:09:51 +0000

The Italian project TourdeForce, aka Christian Ryder, sees a first compilation released of his older work, called “Compendium vol. 1”, but in reworked versions.

The tracklist of this compilation includes a selection of fourteen songs made between 2009 and 2013 during the “Colours in Life” era and the material has been remixed by such bands as Syrian, Foretaste, Luca Urbani and Dekad. The remixers also added extra vocals to their reworks.

Next to this you get brand-new mixes, rare and unreleased tracks such as “Falling in The Dark” (produced in 2012 for the Japanese Eurobeat market), an episode featuring Nova Pulsar (Ecuador) and two demo versions.

Here’s a videoteaser.

French electropop act Dekad back after 7 years of silence with all new single / video ‘A Deadly Show’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 06 May 2022 12:29:05 +0000

The French electropop act Dekad is back after 7 years of silence with a brand new single and video, and it’s called “A Deadly Show”.

This new track is being released ahead of a new 11-track album entitled “Nowhere Lines”. Expect catchy choruses bathing in electro pop and fat bass lines. The new material was co-produced by Foretaste’s XY who co-wrote The Overlookers’ “Teenage Wet Dreams” album three years ago.

The new single is available on all digital platforms – including Bandcamp – and offers two versions of the title track, including a remix by Foretaste’s XY.

A Deadly Show by Dekad

Here’s the video.

Along with this new track and video, the project’s label BOREDOMproduct is now accepting the pre-orders for the forthcoming new album “Nowhere Lines” to be released at the end of June this year.

Suicide Commando is back with a triple bang! All new MCD ‘Bang bang bang’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:42:02 +0000

(Photo by Sandra Sturm) To kick off the forthcoming album by Belgian hard-electro pioneer act Suicide Commando, Johan van Roy and co. present a foretaste of what to expect: “Bang bang bang”. This 4-track maxi CD is available now on MCD in strictly limited edition of 500 copies worldwide.

Johan explains the track: “Each day too many people die from gun violence! Even though the song actually is about gun violence, it now also got an extra dimension with the current war in Ukraine. How power, greed, and hate can cause destruction & war. Make music, not war!”

In addition to “Bang bang bang”, the single “Trick or Treat” which was released on Halloween 2021 is also included on the maxi, along with a remix of each of these tracks.
Watch the video below.

You can check the full MCD below.

Italian electro-wave project TourdeForce releases tribute to Death In June: ‘Six in the Key of Death’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 17:22:17 +0000

Out on February 21st is “Six in the Key of Death”, a tribute to Death In June by TourdeForce, the electronic music project founded by Christian Ryder in Bergamo, Northern Italy in 2004.

The release, a mini-album holding 6 tracks, comes after the conclusion of the “Anger Trilogy” (“Jedem das Seine” – 2014, “Very Industrial People” – 2018, “Vargtimmar” – 2021). The tracks covered are: “Fields of Rape”, “Holy Water”, “The Calling”, “Nowhere Street”, “She said destroy” and “Come before Christ and murder Love”. You might want to order this release pretty fast as there are only 200 copies available.

TourdeForce are currently working on a special album for EK Product, featuring 15 previously unreleased tracks: all new songs, a cover-version for a song by Diorama, remixes of TdF-tracks by Foretaste, Dekad, Syrian and others plus a number of demos.

For now, check out the trailer for the Death In June tribute right below.

And here is a video for the track “Nowhere Street”.

‘Click Interview’ with Foretaste: ‘This Album Is About The End Of Everything’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 17:00:00 +0000

French Foretaste duo this year unleashed their sixth album in history. The work has been again released on BOREDOMproduct. Driven by C_XX and X_XY, Foretaste also released their first new full length since 2016. The production remains Minimal/Electro-Pop like, but appears to be the band’s most intimate work to date. “Happy End” is an intriguing title released during uncertain times of the ongoing pandemic. The music doesn’t sound happy at all, but reflects a dark- and sometimes experimental approach. I asked a few questions to both protagonists.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Happy End” is your first new album in five years. How do you see and consider this work in Foretaste’s discography and your personal evolution as artists?

C_XX : We are aware that this album may sound different from previous ones. When we started writing songs 2 or 3 years ago, we wanted something very intimate and not over-produced.

C_XY : At the same time we also wanted to experiment with new things in terms of production, getting our sound a bit dirtier. It’s not always easy to get out of your comfort zone, and for the first time we tried to make our songs as light as possible.

Q: “Happy End” has been composed and recorded in 2020 and is obviously connected with the ongoing pandemic. What did you try to express in sound and lyrics? Did the pandemic had an impact on your way of working and the release of the album?

C_XX: To be honest we wrote all the songs one year before the pandemic and 50% of the production work was done before 2020. Fortunately we had time to see each other and record the vocal parts before the first lockdown.

C_XY: So during the lockdown I was able to fine-tune the production of the album. I don’t think that this crisis has changed anything on this album, even the title “Happy End”! was found before the pandemic. I don’t know if we can call it a happy accident…

Q: I can’t get away there’s a cynical undertone in the title of the album, but how do we have to understand it?

C_XX: Of course it’s cynical, several fans wrote to us asking if this was also the end of Foretaste. I would like to reassure them that this is not the way we have planned the end of the band.

C_XY: Globally this album is about the end of everything because we are passionate about this subject and we would be very curious to see how the end of the world would look like.

Q: The song “Pure Madness”, which according to me is one of the best pieces, is dedicated to ‘spacejumper’ Felix Baumgartner. What inspired you to write a song about him?

C_XY : I was fascinated to see the video of his jump. The image that stays in my mind is seeing him standing at the door of his capsule. He was watching the earth alone in space, I always wondered what he was thinking about at that moment. It really inspired me.

Q: I got the feeling the new album also is your darkest one to date, but still sounding more intimate, Experimental and even Cinematographic. What’s your perception about it and what inspired you in the production process?

C_XX: It’s funny because the demos were not sad at all, some of them were quite happy! We didn’t want too many instruments in addition to my voice to give the album a more intimate dimension.

C_XY: Our previous album “Space Echoes” was like a super-production to us and it also was very hard to produce. We decided to use the 2 or 3 analog synths that we liked the most so that we didn’t get bogged down in technology. Even the drums were recorded with these synths.

Q: How do you see the future of Foretaste and the solo-project Creature XY?

C_XX: We are already writing new songs together and we would also like to play live again one day…

C_XY: I’m finalizing the 2^nd album of The Overlookers with JB from Dekad. Then I’ll try to work on my solo-project.

Foretaste – Happy End! (Album – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The previous Foretaste-album was released in 2016. The sixth album “Happy End!” got preceded by the EP “Lost: Run!” which let us discover three songs that are featured on this new opus. “Happy End!” has been composed and accomplished during the disastrous pandemic year of 2020.

Content: Does the title of this album reflect a positive plot of the pandemic? That’s at least what this album seems to indicate, but sound-wise it doesn’t sound at all as the most ‘happy’ work from the French formation. The songs are darker, sometimes even a bit Experimental while some sound treatments remind me of a ‘poppy version’ of Die Form. This is pure, retro-like Electro-Pop recovered by doom atmospheres, but created by delicate and sensitive sound treatments. Just a few songs are more danceable, the main part of the tracklist remaining more Experimental and filled with total minimalism. One track (cf. “Robotic blues”) sounds a bit Cinematographic and is mainly sung guest singer JB (Dekad) while the female vocals by Creature XX remain the lead.

+ + + : Foretaste didn’t repeat themselves although you still easily recognize the band’s typical sound. This is robotic-pop music, which is more into Minimalism and Experimentalism than ever before. I’m not surprised the best songs of the album are the ones, which are a little bit more danceable (cf. “Lost For Seven Years” and “Happy End!”). The main strength of the band is the very unique and intelligent composition. Foretaste is not exactly a band you can compare to another, but they clearly sound in the purest tradition of BOREDOMproduct and their label mates of Celluloide.

– – – : “Happy End!” is not what I would call the most accessible work from this formation. It’s more sophisticated and still into Experimentalism, which will maybe not catch the attention of a wider audience.

Conclusion: “Happy End!” is an album without compromise; it doesn’t sound happy at all and yet you are quickly going to like the dark Electronic moods of Foretaste.

Best songs: “Lost For Seven Years”, “Happy End!”, “Pure Madness”, “In My Game”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/foretastemusic

Label: www.boredomproduct.online.fr / www.facebook.com/boredomproduct

Foretaste release new album ‘Happy End’ and brand new video ‘Lost For Seven Years’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 15:40:38 +0000

Out now is “Happy End!”, the brand new record from the delicious French electropop act Foretaste. It’s the band’s sixth album to date and is being accompanied by a brand new video for the track “Lost For Seven Years”. If you haven’t ordered your copy of “Happy End” yet, you can do it right here via the BOREDOMproduct webshop.

The release comes four years after their album “Space Echoes”, and the new album was recorded during a year that didn’t really go as planned and whose title and sleeve are the ironical echoes of these very peculiar times.

As far as the direction of the album, you could already get a sneak preview in December thanks to the “Lost: Run!”. You can thus expect a harsher and more raw sound still mixed with well-crafted melodies.

Here’s the video for “Lost For Seven Years”.

You can preview the complete album below.

Happy End! by Foretaste

Novocibirsk returns with 2nd installment ‘Télévision 1945 (Volume II)’ – Kraftwerk fans pay attention

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:06:39 +0000

Here’s a release which will interest the more eclectic readers. The ‘Novocibirsk’ project is the product of experiments conducted by Hervé Isar between 1982 and 1993 in his home studio, connecting a network of synthesizers and analog sequencers to test their communications or synchronize their messages and speed multiplication, testing multi-oscillators pads out of mono generators, trying octave distribution, voltage additions and substractions.

The result is artificial music inspired by pioneers of the 70’s and raw minimalism of the underground of the 80’s. Listening to the material you’ll inevitably will think of Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze. The whole is enriched with vocoder chants. Five of the tracks recorded back then are now being released on “Télévision 1945 (Volume II)”, the second series of Novocibirsk’s recordings that is being released on the productionB label.

“Télévision 1945 (volume II)” will be released on February 26. 2021, as digisleeve CD album and digital download and a 12″LP vinyl edition might be released later this year. Pre-orders are available here.

Here’s an edit of “Nuclear Propagation”.

About Novocibirsk

Hervé Isar, the brain behind the project, is actually a French law professor at the university of Aix-Marseille. Unlike other musicians Isar has always considered his ‘music’ to be a technical research rather than music. Nevertheless in 1997 his album “Excerpts And Experiments” was released on the newborn French label BOREDOMproduct (home to Celluloide, Dekad, Foretaste, …).

20 years later the French label launched a subdivision called productionB focusing more on minimal electronic works and decided to reactivate Novocibirsk, releasing ‘old’ songs for the very first time on CD. “Télévision 1945 (Volume I)” was released in 2019 with “Télévision 1945 (Volume II)” being released in 2020.

You can read an interview with Hervé Isar right here.

‘Click Interview’ with Novocibirsk: ‘The Approach That Was Mine, Was Not To Compose Music’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 17:00:37 +0000

Electro-pop lovers know the French label BOREDOMproduct. This label is the host of bands such as Celluloide, Dekad, Foretaste… but do you remember the first ever released album on the label? It brings us back to 1997 and the album “Excerpts And Experiments” by Novocibirsk. It was a minimal-electro production inspired by the sound and especially the machines from Kraftwerk. It also remained the single CD-album ever released by Novocibirsk. More than 20 years later the French label launched a subdivision called productionB. The label seems to focalize on more minimal electronic works and decided to reactivate Novocibirsk, releasing ‘old’ songs for the very first time on CD. I’d a chat with Hervé Isar.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The album “Télévision 1945 Volume 1” takes us back from the early 80s till the early 90s. Can you remind us what incited you to set up Novocibirsk and what were the main sources of inspiration?

Hervé: My first source of inspiration is Kraftwerk and in particular “Radio-Activity”, since I bought the LP when it came out: In 1976 “Radio-Activity” (the single) was played on many radios. It was an unexpected success and a small report was broadcasted on TV. This is where I saw for the first time a synthesizer (Minimoog type if my memory is good and actually only a few seconds) and especially a kind of electronic drum (apparently handmade by the band), but of which came out percussive and metallic sounds that immediately captivated me. In addition, this repetitive music brought me a feeling of certainty and security that hypnotized me.

So I immediately went by bus down the Canebière where was, at the time, the ‘big’ record store from Marseille. I entered the store for the first time, and asked for the ‘Germans that are played on the radio’. They had it, I paid, and I rushed back home to listen to the record on my father’s record player once, twice… a hundred times! I still have this record that I keep as a kind of relic. Then it was Tangerine Dream, especially “Rubycon” and “Stratosfear” and finally a concert of Klaus Schulze related to the album “Mirage”. I do not remember the date, but, I think I was 13 years old or so. So, very young, and almost by accident I met this type of music, that I had no idea how it was made, as long as I did not see with my eyes this concert of Klaus Schulze, which took place in a cathedral. It was a complete hallucination. I had a cousin older than me, very into music, who offered me to go and see a concert of Klaus Schulze in Marseille. I had never been to a concert, I did not know what it was, and no idea who was Klaus Schulze then. The concert was held in the cathedral of Les Reformés at the top of the Canebière.

My parents dropped me there and went to the cinema, while we went to see the concert. And I went into a universe that I really did not know; I did not know what a modular looked like, for example… let alone a concert of junkies, because you had to see the wildlife that populated a concert of Klaus Schulze at that time, there was about a meter of smoke of canabis that covered the whole church, there are even people doing injections… it was still rather ‘particular’.

It was during this concert that I discovered, finally, what a synthesizer looked like -what I did not know, and that I decided to assign my first salary to it: I thought ‘the day you work, your first salary will be spent on the purchase of one of these machines’. I did not know how much it costs, or anything else, of course. Then I continued to listen a lot to this type of music, and then one day I had a first salary. I was 20 years old and I went for a synth… but it did not exist anymore. We were already entered a period the digital was making its appearance, we were at the beginning of digital, almost at the time of the appearance of the DX7 which would become the fashionable machine.

But I was not interested at all by a DX7, I wanted a Moog or a modular, which I had seen at Klaus Schulze’s concert. This is where I realized that it was not available anymore. So I did all the music stores in Marseille and the surrounding area, visiting their cellars and that’s how I started to build my collection, my ‘studio’, piece by piece, with synthesizers of collections that people no longer used, which nobody wanted. As a result, this machines often did not have a user manual, and for someone who did not know anything about it, without instructions for use, without knowing what a VCO or ADSR is… believe me, it took me quite some time to worked it out! That’s how it began.

Q: And so you set up Novocibirsk, but have you been involved with other projects and were you still in touch with the electronic underground scene?

Hervé: Absolutely not. I was never involved in one way or another in a group or linked to a scene… I spent my time experimenting in my apartment, without any other ambition.

Q: A lot of things have changed/evolved throughout the years; from the equipment (analogue towards digital) to the format (cassette and vinyl towards CD towards streaming) to recording techniques to the rise of social media etc. What do you think about all these evolutions? Pros and contras?

Hervé: I think that the technological evolution, both of the synthesizers and music diffusion, has increased tenfold -at least, the possibilities, but I do not have the feeling that the imagination in term of musical creation, the innovation in term of composition or experimentation has changed a lot.
The potentialities seem to me today much better than those I have known, but the imagination that could have accompanied these advances, I do not see it in the same proportions.

Q: How did the re-release of “Télévision 1945 Volume 1” happened and what’s your feeling about the final result –the songs having been re-arranged and re-mastered?

Hervé: These songs were absolutely not intended to be diffused and were only recorded for reasons of technical constraint to simply hear what I did.

But I met someone insane enough to be released in this kind of things, to whom I gave these cassettes, unsorted, in a plastic bag. He digitized them, sorted them, which gave names to the tracks and next followed a first confidential edition in CDr and cassette, very amateuristic way.

Then with this same person, and the creation of this new label (productionB) these pieces have been given an official release, CD, LP and streaming.

Q: I get the impression you were more focalized on the creation of sounds instead of writing a ‘classical’ song format (chorus – verse). What was it really all about and what can you say about the equipment you used?

Hervé: You’re absolutely right, the approach that was mine, was not to compose music, but to use electronic machinery to try to master it technically, to create sounds and sequences that I liked. And besides, the structure of the songs is systematically the same, it is a form of “Bolero”, with tracks (even if it is not really about tracks since at the time everything was live) which are layered on each other one by one. In fact, it’s simply because I increased the volumes of each synthesizer manually, and then when these volumes were almost where I wanted, I pressed keys to change the notes, mainly to keep the oscillators syntonized.

The objective was mainly associated with the production of sounds, the mixing of sounds, but not necessarily with the elaboration of a piece of music with a melodic structure, an organization in the time… I didn’t really think of it. In fact, these pieces are just technical tests.

Since these machines were relatively rare (and less expensive than today), I bought them when I found them. And I made new tracks, especially when I had a new synth, to test its abilities and make it communicate with the others. I did not feel any limitation, since I was always testing a new machine and networking with others, which was the second goal of my approach. I would say, it was both ‘tension’ and ‘trigger’. Things have been built over the constitution of the collection.

Q: Are there some plans to re-release other ‘old’ Novocibirsk productions and do you’ve plans to release new material or getting back ‘into business’ again?

Hervé: Back to ‘business’, well, I’ve never really been into it, and it’s been a long time since I have unfortunately no time to control VCOs anymore… so I do not think so, no… even if I think that I would always have a great pleasure in playing with these machines.

I think I still kept a bag with several cassettes… it would have to be found somewhere in the cellar of my parents, but the most interesting things have certainly been digitized already. Of course, it’s the label that decides, and I think there’re plans for “Volume 2” and maybe another album. I’m already satisfied like that, but I will not oppose other releases, of course.

Click Interview with The Overlookers: ‘We Wanted To Break The Rock‘N’roll Codes’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 17:00:45 +0000

The French electro-pop label BOREDOMproduct doesn’t often sign new bands. So I was really wondering who was hiding behind this new name added to the label roster. ‘JB’ from Dekad and ‘XY’ from Foretaste joined forces creating The Overlookers. After the promising debut EP “Driving Fast” (2018) they now have unleashed their debut full length “Teenage Wet Dreams”. The albums sounds in the purest tradition of the BOREDOMproduct bands, but with a funny concept dealing with aspects of the 50s and 60s American society.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: It all looks like Foretaste + Dekad = The Overlookers! How did this project saw the daylight and what new sonic challenges do you purchase?

JB: it started as a recreation. XY had finished his album, mine was just at the beginning and we felt it would be a good thing to try to work on new songs without any pressure, just to see if we could produce something together. We did not intend to make a full album, rather an EP. The obvious challenge was to manage to blend our two universes so that it doesn’t sound exclusively Foretaste or Dekad.

XY: As long as I remember, nothing was planned, we both often have to worry about each other’s demos and that’s how it started. As we work quite quickly, we found out that we had an album in our hands in a few weeks.

Q: The Overlookers has been introduced as a project inspired by American vintage red cars, thriller movies and electronic music. Except the electronic music it all feels like we’re going back to the 50s & 60s. What is this concept all about?

JB: Like a lot of guys from our generation, we are fascinated by certain aspects of the American culture. Nothing very original in fact… Beautiful cars, Western landscapes, movies from the 80s and the American way of life as it could be depicted in movies like “Christine”, “Carrie” or “American Graffiti”. As electronic musicians, we wanted to break the Rock‘n’Roll codes and try to imagine what teenagers from the 60’s would have listened in their jukebox if drum machines and synths had replaced electric guitars and saxophones.

XY: It was just a joke at first, but very quickly it gave the album a common thread. It was very inspiring, there is so much to write about being a teenager.

Q: Your debut EP “Driving Fast” features a wink to the 60s with the cover version of “Unchained Melody”. I rather expect you to make a cover version of Kraftwerk instead of The Righteous Brothers. I guess it was pure fun revisiting this song? How did it happen?

JB: Our boss at BOREDOMproduct suggested that we make a cover of a typical standard of the 60s. What better choice than “Unchained Melody” that everybody knows? The melody, the lyrics sound so 60s! As far as I’m concerned it was quite a challenge to sing that song as it is so far from the way I’m used to sing… Concerning Kraftwerk, even if they started their career in the early 70s playing Krautrock, it is already to recent for us !

XY: I have a real passion for these 50s and 60s torch songs. We had chosen several tracks to cover. “Unchained Melody” was not my favorite one, but we wanted people to immediately recognize the song.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the composition and global production of the album? How was it working together and who took care of what?

JB : We never met during the production of the album. We just communicated by e-mails. In fact, we are used
to work that way. And it works perfectly. It gives us so much reactivity. Sometimes, XY could send me the music in the morning, I could write the lyrics and record the vocals in the afternoon. The song was done at 8pm.

XY: It was really cool to work like that. The objective was not to think too much, we just had to turn the knobs on the synthesizers, find great sounds and record without saving our presets.

Q: The lyrical content is also an interesting item; there’re some links to 60s songs and artists, but still interesting metaphors about life like on “Driving Fast”. Can you tell us a bit more about this aspect and the artwork as well?

XY: On “Driving Fast” we really wanted the listener to be able to project himself into a car, to feel the speed
and life passing by. There’s only one chord in this song like a long straight road. The texts talk about the speed
and death that coexist and give us a good dose of adrenaline.

The artwork was made by BOREDOMproduct even before the album was recorded, it helped us a lot and
inspired us to write the songs.

Q: BOREDOMproduct clearly is much more than simply a label. It makes me think to a kind of ‘electronic family’ featuring artists sharing their common passion for electronic music. How do you perceive it as ‘artists’ and do you feel a kind of ‘label spirit’?

JB: There definitively is a ‘label spirit’ at BOREDOMproduct. We know each other for more than 15 years now. Even if we are not in contact every day, we have as strong sense of cohesion. All
this, based on strong sense of humor as well !

XY: That’s exactly it, I even remember that the label offered to sign this album before even listening to it.
Nowadays artists can do their thing without a label, but with BOREDOMproduct we don’t even ask ourselves the question, we feel confident with them.

The Overlookers – Teenage Wet Dreams (CD Album – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 20 May 2019 18:30:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: The last year released EP “Driving Fast” revealed a new band at BOREDOMproduct. It was not very clear who was hiding behind this ‘new’ project, but the album now brings an answer. I presumed it consists of musicians familiar with the French label and I right I was. ‘XY’ (Foretaste) and ‘JB’ (Dekad) joined hands to set up this crazy project inspired by American vintage red cars, thriller movies and electronic music.

Content: The album takes off with the title song of the EP, which remains the absolute master cut from the album. This is great electro/robotic music with a kind of astral-EBM touch on top. The other songs featured at the EP (except the cover version of “Unchained Melody”) were remixes while the album features the original edits. So in the end we get 6 ‘new’ songs plus 4 familiar ones. The sound remains pretty astral-pop like with the typical ‘bleeping’ sequences –most of the label bands are dealing with, on top. I noticed a few 60s elements, which more sounds as a wink instead of a real source of inspiration.

+ + + : The album is characterized by cool sound treatments, which are also a kind of BOREDOMproduct trademark. It feels like all bands and artists are related with each other. It creates the typical electro-pop sound of the label and The Overlookers are definitely part of it. The songs are sophisticated and sung with rather sexy vocals. “Driving Fast” remains a ‘potential’ hit; it’s an original and efficient song with some EBM dimension on top. The somewhat darker sounding “Inhale” and “Porn Night” are other noticeable cuts. And I also have to mention “Prom Night” for its great bass line. Last, but not least I have to say a word about the cool artwork and especially the front cover of this digipak format.

– – – : I regret some songs remain pretty short. I also have a double feeling with “Give Me More”, which sounds original, but not exactly efficient.

Conclusion: The Overlookers sounds as a successful collaboration between two label mates. The sound is not exactly reinventing the label roster, but will simply please the BOREDOMproduction fan base.

Best songs: “Driving Fast”, “Prom Night”, “Speak To The Devil”, “Inhale”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .facebook .com /theoverlookersmusic

Label: www .boredomproduct .online .fr / www .facebook .com /boredomproduct

The Overlookers’ ‘Teenage Wet Dream’ album out now! Watch ‘Driving Fast’ video clip!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:38:14 +0000

The album “Teenage Wet Dreams” by The Overlookers (dekad/Foretaste) is out now. And the band has also released a video clip for the single “Driving Fast” which you can view below. The 10-track album can be ordered on CD and as a download via BOREDOMproduct’s webstore.

The Overlookers is the secret project of XY (Foretaste) and JB (Dekad). Warmly recommended!

You can preview the complete album below.

Teenage Wet Dreams by The Overlookers

BOREDOMproduct starts minimal electronic side-label productionB – a first preview is available now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 18:53:14 +0000

The people at BOREDOMproduct have seduced us for years with great electropop releases from bands such as Foretaste, Dekad, Celluloide, Neutral Lies, Happiness Project or Thee Hyphen. But as it happens the people behind the label also love electronic sounds composed of sequences and tones. Minimal electronic you might say.

As a result they are now launching a sublabel, called productionB, to release this kind of music. As for the reason not to release it under the BOREDOMproduct umbrella the label says: “We think it’s unfair that some projects should remain unreleased simply because they could be more demanding… For this reason we are launching a second type of production, our production B.”

Here’s an idea of what to expect. A first release is currently being produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4du_xxgEmsg

BOREDOMproduct announces preorders for The Overlookers (Foretaste and Dekad members) album at a special price

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:05:32 +0000

The Overlookers is the brand secret (not anymore) project of XY (Foretaste) and JB (Dekad). The 10-track album “Teenage Wet Dreams” by The Overlookers will be released on march 23 and the label that will be releasing the album, BOREDOMproduct, has now announced preorders at a special price.

You can pre-order your copy now on www.boredomproduct.fr.

“Teenage Wet Dreams” offers a mixture of electronic pop, synthwave and EBM, inspired by: American vintage red cars and thriller movies. Below is already a preview!

Debut single already out

The debut single by The Overlookers, “Driving Fast”, is now available as a 5-track limited edition CD with exclusive bonus and remix. The 4-track digital version is also available on usual platforms, except iTunes that decided to ban the record for some stupid reason.

Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter EP by DIE ROBO SAPIENS

Die Robo Sapiens launch first official video, for ‘Tanz Mit Dem Roboter’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sun, 06 May 2018 14:27:33 +0000

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.

Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter EP by DIE ROBO SAPIENS

Die Krupps side-project Die Robo Sapiens launches first download EP: ‘Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:13:43 +0000

The first EP by the new all-EBM project by the members of Die Krupps is out now under the Die Robo Sapiens moniker. 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.

“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.

BOREDOMproduct launches it’s yearly July 14 sales revolution – guillotine prices!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 08:30:54 +0000

Allons enfants de la Patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé… chez the electropop label BOREDOMproduct home to such great electropop acts like Foretaste, Celluloide, Dekad, … !

The label’s yearly revolution will take place on July 14, that’s tomorrow. Just like every year since the label exists they will use the guillotine to cut off the head of the prices. Place to be tomorrow, the BOREDOMproduct label website!

On this special day all of the label’s catalogue will be available at a special price including 2CD limited sets, T-shirts and lots more, while supply last of course (and you can take that literally as there is only a very limited amount of some of these items!).

In short, it’s the occasion to complete your collection of some of the best bands on French soil.

Aux armes, citoyens…!

Face The Beat: Session 4 by Pegasus Asteroid

Side-Line introduces Pegasus Asteroid – listen now to ‘Mechanical Heart’ (Face The Beat profile series)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 20:00:46 +0000

The 56th track on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” (featuring 92 tracks) is by the Russian synthpop act Pegasus Asteroid.

Pegasus Asteroid is a synthpop duo from Rostov-on-Don, Russia and formed in January 2009. The duo behind this fine electro pop act is frontwoman Anastasia Sokolova and Mikhail Sokolov (who is known as one of the founding members of the well known Russian acts Stillife and Lesnikov-16). Signed to the fine young SkyQode label, this duo will definitely appeal to fans of Marsheaux, Parralox, Foretaste and the like.

The band is currently recording a full album. You can follow them right here on Facebook.

Listen to “Mechanical Heart” below and download it right here.

Check our “Face The Beat: Session 4” page on Bandcamp to discover the other 91 bands. All donations will go to charity.

Vote for your favourite Foretaste remix for the upcoming remix album ‘Alter/Egoes, the remixes selection’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 19:30:01 +0000

You can now vote for your favourite remixes of the (excellent!) french synthpop band Foretaste and see them featured on the forthcoming Foretaste CD “Alter/Egoes, the remixes selection”. The album will feature a selection (which you will be able to decide on) of the Foretaste’s remixes that were originally released on digital singles and which have never been released on CD.

To vote for your most favourite remixes, go right here! The most popular tracks will be selected for the final CD. Via the link you can also pre-order the release.

Note also that a new edition of the since long time out-of-print album “Terrorist TV” by Foretaste is now available again from the BORDEOMproduct webstore, Amazon, Bandcamp etc… The CD now comes in a cardboard digisleeve format.

FORETASTE is a french synthpop band composed by Creature_XX (aka Terrorist_XX or Lover_XX) and Creature_XY (aka Terrorist_XY or Lover_XY).

Celluloide announces final volume in the ‘Numériques’ series – watch the trailer here

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 19:00:05 +0000

The final volume in the “Numériques” series by Celluloide is now announced (and also immediately available for preorder from the BOREDOMproduct label). Just like the previous “Numériques” volumes the CD version includes several singles and remixes but also exclusive material such as several unreleased tracks, new recordings and rarities.

“Numériques (3)” will be released at the end of November. You can already watch the YouTube trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q7sRtPv-NA

Below is the tracklist of the CD version:

01 – Le (Très Long) Baiser Géométrique
02 – People Like Me (Consolation Mix)
03 – This Aching Kiss (Foretaste Remix)
04 – Translation Of Love (Vectoriel Mix)
05 – Make Things Last (Bodymix)
06 – Ordinosaure (U-Mix)
07 – Seven And Forever (8-Bit Instrumental)
08 – Cœur 8-Bit (Pixel Edit)
09 – La Guerre De Cent Ans (Early Instrumental)
10 – Imprévisible (Version Claire)
11 – L’Amour Est Clair (Originel)
12 – The Paradox Of The Mirror Girl (Autumn Mix)

+ CD bonus:

13 – This Aching Kiss (Foretaste Extended Remix, (previously unreleased version, from the Foretaste archives)
14 – Cœur 8-Bit (remixé par Page), from the Cœur 8-Bit digital single)
15 – A Lie (1999 demo)
16 – It needed And End (Instrumental, from the Seven And Forever digital single, remastered from the original demo)

‘Click Interview’ with Foretaste: ‘We Choose To Do What We Love And Not What Our Fans Would Expect From Us’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:15:39 +0000

French synth-pop duo Foretaste is driven by the duo ‘Creature_XX’ (aka Sylvie) and ‘Creature XY’ (aka Pïerre). They’ve released an impressive number of EP’s and recently unleashed their fifth full length album “Space Echoes” on BOREDOMproduct. The new songs reveal a different approach in sound and arrangements, but remains pretty Foretaste-like. This is what the duo has to say about the new work and maybe sound direction…

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Space Echoes” is your 5th full length album so what makes it different from previous releases?

Foretaste: A good definition for “Space Echoes” would be: ‘an intimate and personal work in a megalomaniac production.’ It’s also the first time that our label manager needed more than one listening to feel comfortable with our work!

Q: I indeed experienced “Space Echoes” as the most intimate Foretaste-work ever; I feel more emotion and especially melancholia running through the songs. Where does it come from?

Foretaste: We knew from the beginning that “Space Echoes” would be special. Special because it was the hardest one to write, to record and to finish. So when it became real, it was like a stranger gave us a very weird present… That was very strange. We wanted something very personal and we choose to do what we love and not what our fans would expect from us.

Q: The album has been clearly inspired by ‘space’, but what’s the deeper meaning and fascination behind this theme and what did you try to expose in the lyrical content?

Foretaste: We love human stories more than anything else and we wanted to write something about extreme loneliness and isolation. Ray Bradbury’s “Martian Chronicles” was a precious help because almost all of the action takes place at an emotional and psychological level. We felt in love with the very last words of that story when a family decides to stay on Mars because they feel more ‘martians’ than ‘humans’.

Q: The ‘space’ theme is an interesting one as I always have experienced your music as pretty space-like as well, which is probably due to the numerous little bleeps you’re using. How would you analyze your sound and its evolution all over the years?

Foretaste: Since “Love On Demand” we wanted to put aside our 80’ style and get a stronger sound. With “Space Echoes” we tried to forget everything we’ve learned. We mixed different machines and different technologies by using analog synths with a full virtual orchestra to get that special sound. We also changed our way to write songs, without any limitation, to think out of the box was our leitmotiv.

Q: I noticed some symphonic-like arrangements running through this album. Is it something you tried to innovate and is innovation properly speaking an element you’re busy with?

Foretaste: When we started writing “Space Echoes” we decided that almost all songs had to be pre-recorded as orchestral versions. We tried to make something different during the production steps because we were afraid to lose all our fans but a few songs like “I Know Where To Find You”, “Every Shadow” and “Paradise Of Broken Hearts” were impacted by that orchestral work.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the realization of the clip “Lost In Space” and what did you try to express in the script of this clip?

Foretaste: We had the idea of a little boy dressed like an astronaut and playing with space toys. Our label manager at BOREDOMproduct talked about it to Mark Savage, an Australian film director based in the US. We already knew him because he is big fan of Foretaste and used one of our tracks in his latest film. Mark had the great idea to use 2 children representing us. They discover a new planet in a 50’ sci/fi style. We’re very proud of that clip.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Foretaste – Space Echoes (CD Album – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 18:54:09 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: The French Foretaste duo consisting of ‘XX’ (vocals) and ‘XY’ (machines) has already released so many cool albums on the French BOREDOMproduct. “Space Echoes” is their first album in 3 years revealing 11 songs. We previously already discovered the song “Lost In Space” taken from the self-titled EP plus 2 remixes of other songs featured on the new album.

Content: Foretaste remains faithful to their typical electro/synth-pop sound, which is carried by deep bass lines and bleeping sequences. There always is a vintage touch running through their work, which is mainly characterized by dry snare drums and multiple sound effects reminding me of Kraftwerk. A few tracks are even moving a step further, becoming more experimental.

The songs reveal an interesting progression. The lyrics are pretty catchy, which is an essential element The lyrics are pretty catchy, which is an essential element for synth-pop music. A rather new element is the use of a few symphonic arrangements, which add an extra volume and dimension in the songwriting.

The vocals remain sweet and somewhat fragile, but still icy and sensual. The timbre of voice of ‘XX’ sometimes reminds me of Propaganda.

+ + + : Foretaste remains an easy recognizable band because of their typical sound driven by multiple subtle bleeps. “Space Echoes” sounds more intimate than previous releases. It’s an opus filled with melancholia resulting in a few beautiful songs. But the work still reveals a few more danceable tracks accomplished with some cool retro-elements.

– – – : I experienced this new album as their most intimate one, maybe the most personal work they’ve ever made. But at the other side it also is the less accessible one when it comes to mention ‘danceable’ cuts. There for sure are several danceable songs featured, but most of the songs are more like inviting the listener to sit down, relax and simply listen. That’s a rather new item when listening to Foretaste.

Conclusion: Foretaste remains faithful to their great sound formula mixing vintage elements together with a personal touch. The music remains a beautiful exposure of creative electro-pop. “Space Echoes” sounds as their most personal work to date, but unfortunately not their best one when it comes to find potential ‘hits’. It however remains a great formation and a beautiful album you have to discover.

Best songs: “Higher”, “Paradise Of Broken Hearts”, “First Symptoms”, “One By One”, “Falling Babylon”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .foretaste –music .com / www .facebook .com /foretastemusic

Label: www .boredomproduct .online .fr / www .facebook .com /boredomproduct

Lost In Space by Foretaste

Foretaste launches ‘Lost in Space’ video and releases new album ‘Space Echo’ – listen now on Side-Line !

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 13:52:29 +0000

Out today is Foretaste’s newest album “Space Echo” and that was the sign for the band and its label BOREDOMproduct to also launch a video clip for the track “Lost in Space”. The video is in fact a short film by US-based Australian director Mark Savage.

You can still get the 6-track single right below or on Bandcamp:

The CD and digital download versions of “Space Echoes” are now available via the label’s webstore. “Space Echoes” is also available on the label’s brand new Bandcamp page on CD and as download.

Space Echoes by Foretaste

Just like for previous albums, “XX” and “XY”, the band has chosen a central theme for this new album: space and science fiction. So not only fans of well written female fronted electropop but also fans of classic American Sci-Fi literature are in for a very good treat!

Recommended release!

Listen to an exclusive preview of the new 11-track album by one of France’s best electropop product Foretaste!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 19:30:45 +0000

Here’s great news for all those into great female fronted electropop. The French top electropop act Foretaste returns with a brand new album, “Space Echoes”, on 9 September.

You can already pre-order this gem at a special pre-order price from the BOREDOMproduct label. It is being pre-launched with the almost sold-out “Lost In Space” EP which expands the album’s experience with unreleased tracks and exclusive remixes. Both album and EP have been produced by XY, Celluloide’s Member U0176 and mastered by XX.

“Space Echoes”, a clear reference to the classic Roland echo chamber, is already Foretaste’s 5th album and is the follow-up to the very well received “Love on Demand”. For the occasion the band went searching their inspiration in 1950’s SF novels (the best era for space opera as the true SF fans know).

Production wise the band has now added violins, harps and percussions to the classical electronic background they are known for. It won’t take long before tracks like “One by One” and “First Symptoms” will become fan favourites next to the intense “Falling Babylon” or “Pulse”.

Highly, but really highly, recommended!

We have an exclusive preview to offer from the 11 tracks featured on this new chef-d’oeuvre. You can listen right below.

BOREDOMproduct launches it’s yearly July 14 sales revolution – guillotine prices!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 18:37:40 +0000

Allons enfants de la Patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé… chez the electropop label BOREDOMproduct home to such great electropop acts like Foretaste, Celluloide, Dekad, … !

On this special day all of the label’s catalogue will be available at a special price including Foretaste’s latest limited edition single CD “Lost In Space” or the new edition of the label’s Daho tribute “Pistes Noires” and all of their limited edition CDs, while supply last of course (and you can take that literally as there is only a very limited amount of some of these items!).

In short, it’s the occasion to complete your collection of some of the best bands on French soil.

Aux armes, citoyens…!

Foretaste – Lost In Space (CD EP – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 20:11:45 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Three years have passed since the last album by the French electro-pop duo Foretaste. They’re actually working on their new album and serve us this EP as an appetizer.

Content: Foretaste is one of those electro-pop formations with explicit, recognizable sounds. They have this kind of sound DNA, which is immediately recognizable for its little, astral bleeps, deep bass lines and the sensual and somewhat sterile-like female vocals.

“Lost In Space” doesn’t sound that different and will ravish their fan base. The title song is a danceable and retro-minded cut, which finds its influences in 80s electronics, but refreshed with a personal touch. It’s somewhat dark-pop minded, filling with a delicious melancholic taste, but most important, accomplished with cool sound treatments.

Next to both versions (remixes) of the title song, we get 4 more songs (featuring 2 remixes). “My Absolution” is much more than simply a B-side track. It’s another essential cut in the familiar line of Foretaste.

+ + + : This EP confirms the sound creativity and originality of Foretaste. I’m still totally addicted to the refined bleeps, the low resonating bass lines and the bewitching vocals. The “Hyperspace Remix” of the title song will definitely appeal for lovers of Client and Marsheaux.

– – – : “Lost In Space” is a real cool cut, but maybe not an absolute master hit.

Conclusion: The ‘new’ Foretaste doesn’t reveal an innovative approach, but the typical electro-pop sound of this French formation remains graceful, well-crafted and danceable! I think there’s no better teaser to welcome the new full length album.

Best songs: Lost In Space – Hyperspace Remix”, “My Absolution”, “Paradise Of Broken Hearts – Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www .foretaste –music .com / www .facebook .com /foretastemusic

Label: www .boredomproduct .online .fr / www .facebook .com /boredomproduct

Lost In Space by Foretaste

Preorders for new Foretaste single Lost in Space start now!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:29:14 +0000

The excellent female fronted French electropop act Foretaste will finally release its new album, next September that is. To keep you waiting the new single “Lost in Space” will be released in late April/early May. Like for the previous albums, XX & XY have chosen a central theme for this new album: Space and science fiction. Fans of classic American Sci-Fi literature are in for a good treat.

A 6-track CD version of Lost In Space is now available for pre-order from BOREDOMproduct’s webstore. This is a very limited edition including 2 exclusive tracks and remixes from album tracks, so don’t wait to much to reserve your copy.

Tracklist:

Lost in Space (remix)
My Absolution
I Know Where to Find You (remix)
Paradise of the Broken Hearts (remix)
Diving In Hell – CD exclusive
Lost in Space (hyperspace remix) – CD exclusive

A free download of Lost in Space is also available from the label’s brand new Bandcamp page.

Foretaste to release new single in April + more news

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:39:32 +0000

Great news from the Foretaste camp. The brand new album from this female fronted electropop act will be released next September and will be titled “Space Echoes”.

A new single, “Lost in Space”, will be released in late April/early May. A limited CD edition will be released featuring 2 exclusive tracks and remixes of the forthcoming album tracks. Just like the previous albums, the band has chosen a central theme for this new album: space and science fiction.

And there’s more news. A few months ago we informed that Foretaste’s “Soft and delicate” was selected to be part of the OST of the exploitation movie “120/80 Stressed to kill” with Armand Assante. The movie has now started its theatrical career in the USA and will soon be distributed over Europe.

Here’s a trailer for the movie:

BOREDOMproduct reissues Etienne Daho tribute ‘Pistes Noires’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:00:31 +0000

Released last February, BOREDOMproduct’s latest compilation, a tribute to famous French pop singer Etienne Daho, sold out this summer. But the compilation sees a re-release this October and is available right now from the label’s webshop.

This re-release comes in a new packaging and holds an extra surprise for the fans, as Etienne Daho himself wrote a little message to thank the artists in the booklet. An audio preview of the compilation is available below.

Here are 2 extracts of the album by Celluloide (“Le Grand Sommeil”) and Foretaste (“Ouverture”).

After two previous label compilations (“Synthétique” and “Auto-Reverse”), “Pistes Noires (de préférence)” is an electronic pop tribute to famous french pop singer Etienne Daho. The CD holds no less than 17 tracks: 17 different bands giving their personal view on Etienne Daho’s song a backward trip from the 2014 hit single “En Surface” to his 1981′ debut “Mythomane”. You can buy it here.

Celluloide – L’Amour Est Géométrique (CD Album – BOREDOM Product)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 23:11:54 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Content: Last year Celluloide released their album “Art Plastique”, which already featured a few outstanding electro-pop songs with this typical sound and effects making this band unique in the genre.
This new opus is a kind of revisited version of five songs originally released on the “Art Plastique”-album plus a few new cuts as well.

The work features 11 songs and the CD format is strictly limited to 300 copies. We were really pleased to get a promo copy of this album, which I can already reveal is worthy of examination.

The opening song is a new version of “L’Amour Est Clair”, which was one of the highlights of the last album. It’s a typical Celluloide track, which you can easily recognize by the bleeping treatments, the retro-like input, the warm synth lines and the sensual, magic vocals by Darkléti. There also is a remix of this song by Dekad, which sounds a little less hard and less evasive as well.

Another essential song of “Art Plastique” was “Le Baiser Géométrique”, which was reworked into an extended version. This song remains a great piece of body-pop music carried by an impressive bass line and refined by delicate bleeping treatments.

Label mates Foretaste were asked for a remix, which has been accomplished in a somewhat softer, but still alluring format.
The song “Art Plastique” was reworked/remixed by Missing Square into a pretty cool and somewhat Kraftwerk-inspired composition with some EBM influences on top. But the greatest and somewhat surprising song is the remix of “Gris” by Orange Sector. This version is a terrific and murderous EBM adaptation, which will set dancefloors on fire.

Last, but not least, Opéra Multi Steel is a somewhat surprising band on this album, which has remixed “La Guerre De Cent Ans” into a quiet and moody-like cut, which will bring you into a state of reverie.

Over now to the new songs and little surprises. “Intraveineuse” is absolutely magic for its originality. It’s a cover version of Bel Canto that was translated into French and sounded as if it was originally written by Celluloide. This is a great song, which sounds as pure robotic music.

Another noticeable song is the harder-like “Rêve Idéal”, which was originally written by Eric Ferrand and here again totally transposed into the particular electro universe of Célluloide. This song is one of the absolute highlights.

The two songs left are a kind of breaks, and I especially want to mention the adaptation of Eric Satie’s “Gnossienne N° 1”. This classical song has been reworked into a kind of cinematographic approach with some interesting, but experimental influences.

Conclusion: “L’Amour Est Géométrique” is a fully successful and original way to bring some familiar songs to life in a different version plus great new cuts. This work sounds as the ultimate robotic-music composition.

Best songs: “Gris – Virussé par Orange Sector”, “Art Plastique – Stylisé par Missing Square”, “Rêve Idéal”, “L’Amour Est Clair – Surexposé”, “Le (Long) Baiser Géométrique”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.celluloide.online.fr / www.facebook.com/celluloidemusic

Label: www.boredomproduct.online.fr / www.facebook.com/boredomproduct

Dekad – A Perfect Picture (CD Album – BOREDOM Product)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 18:11:39 +0000

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

Content: This is the 4th full length by the French electro-pop project Dekad, and the first album in 4 years. The previously released EP “Poladroid” served as a real solid teaser to this new work. The rather long hiatus separating this new work from “Monophonic” (2011) seems to have due to a serious change in the line-up, Dekad becoming a solo-project.

There’s no better way to take off than the EP-title song “Poladroid” revealing a perfect balance between a great and dry EBM bass line and the familiar electro-pop elements characterized by divine bleeping arrangements. The song is fully representative for the harder passages of the new songs, which have been also accomplished by an intriguing astral sound dimension. Next to the leading male vocals this song also features female backings by XY (Foretaste).

BOREDOM Product is a real ‘big’ family featuring a few bands and that’s what this album illustrates. Next to the backing vocals of Foretaste’s XY there also is a contribution of Member U-0176 (Celluloide, Thee Hyphen) who co-produced the work while Darkléti (Celluloide) did some backing vocals on “Tied Up”.

It’s maybe a little less subjective to say that the typical bleeping sequences running through this album are one of the Celluloide’s trademarks, but on the other side it once again enforces the philosophy of this label as being a real family.

The entire work doesn’t sound in the vein of “Poladroid”, but there are a few more ‘harder’ cuts like this other EP-song entitled “Tied Up” featuring backing vocals by Darkleti. This is another solid body-pop song with an extra retro-like feeling and interesting lyrics, which sounds as a kinky allusion to life. The harder side of this work comes back at the instrumental “Perfect Picture”, which sounds like a powerful intermezzo. It’s all a question of taste, but this harder side of Dekad is absolutely irresistible and a noticeable evolution in sound. The good-old vintage touch is always hanging over the work and another noticeable song in the genre is “Beautiful Inside”.

“A Perfect Picture” also features softer sounds delivering a perfect balance between harder and sweeter songs. Different songs in this sweeter approach can be heard, but I have a little preference for “Miss Me”, which vaguely evokes Depeche Mode influences. The song reveals a dark theme about death.

A last song I want to mention still is the last one of this opus. “The Guilt” is a real interesting cut as it concerns a rather atypical electro-pop track. This composition is characterized by impressive sound manipulations and fascinating noise signals. It clearly reveals the diversity of the new Dekad work.

Conclusion: Dekad alternates between harder EBM driven cuts and sensitive softer songs supported by dark themes about life. This work reflects maturity and sound creativity!

Best songs: “Poldaroid”, “Perfect Picture”, “Tied Up”, “Slowmotion”, “The Guilt”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.dekad.online.fr / www.facebook.com/dekadmusic

Label: www.boredomproduct.online.fr / www.facebook.com/boredomproduct

Foretaste see debut album ‘Beautiful Creatures’ re-released + special digital single

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 11:22:13 +0000

Out today is the re-release of Foretaste’s sold-out debut album “Beautiful Creatures”. The re-release has been remastered and comes comes in a digisleeve with songs lyrics which were not available in the original release. You can order the CD right here from BOREDOMproduct’s webshop, a digital release of the album will follow soon.

Also out as FLAC via the label’s own download store (and by Friday on iTunes too) is “For Your Own Good”, a 5-track digital single with remixes by Commuter, Dekad and 2 duos with Naveed and Dekad. A video clip of “For Your Own Good” is already availble: