The Danish duo BlackieBlueBird released their fourth album this year on Aenaos Records, and it’s a particularly special project. Heidi Lindahl and Nils Lassen selected 10 tracks from their previous albums and reimagined them to create “A Symphony Of Shadows”. The result is a stunning and artistic production that blends Dream-Pop and Ethereal-Pop. Each song is filled with emotion and subtlety, highlighted by Heidi Lindahl’s graceful vocals. In my opinion, it’s one of the best albums of the year, so I had a few questions for Nils about the creative process. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did BlackieBlueBird come into being, and what brought you together to start this musical journey? Could you also share the story behind your unique band name?

Nils: Once upon a time I walked into a local club, and I heard this magnificent girl singing her songs. I was blown away (and still am!;) by Heidi Lindahl’s fabulous voice. We started to record a lot of songs (and threw some away), that eventually ended up as “Ghost River”. We laughed through the whole process and still do, which is a good thing, when working together. And I hope it’s somehow audible behind all the wistful songs and soundscapes.

I guess the BlackieBlueBird name just popped up in the process, as the songs came about. It suited the music perfectly, we thought,  and then the music also somehow started to suit the name in a cool spooky way.

Q: Your music feels like a blend of various influences rather than fitting neatly into one specific genre. How do you perceive your sound, and what can you tell us about the key inspirations behind it?

Nils: Maybe 90% of what’s incorporated into your music, you have absolutely no control over –it’s mostly just based on a gut feeling from when you created your own identity at some point in life. (Like a goose following the wing leader when it is migrating?) You can choose to go with the flow, and just be who you are instead of trying to fit in. To me it’s all about the process and not the result as such. It sounds easy, but it’s not 😉 We started out with the drumless soundscape, because that would create the space for Heidi’s timbre and soft voice. Instead of trying to fit in, we just enforced the powers we had.

Q: Reflecting on your three previously released albums, what were the main themes or emotions you aimed to express? How do you view your creative evolution across these albums?

Nils: We got an overwhelming response from all over the world to the first albums. From Bangalore, India via Cairo, South America, US, UK to all of the continental main cities. That made you think about what the common nominator is for all of those people in general. What is it that give us all the drive and meaningfulness that makes us get up every morning and continue do what we do? Without sounding too clever, I think it’s something about longing. Longing for something better, for something more meaningful in life. BlackieBlueBird’s music has that in it –the longing. And then it’s about refining and alternating that feeling in the music and the lyrics.

Q: Speaking of evolution, your latest album, “A Symphony of Shadows”, features 10 reworked versions of earlier songs. How did the idea of reworking these tracks come about, and what was that process like? Also, how did you choose which songs to rework, as it seems like it wasn’t an obvious selection?

Nils: We started working with the renowned Danish drummer Tomas Ortved (of Sort Sol fame) and of course you get inspired when working with a capacity like that, and then you start asking yourself what if? What if we took our favorite BlackieBlueBird tracks and started adding drums to them?? –how would that sound ?? And when we opened that box one thing just led to another!

Q: What inspires your lyrics, and how important are they in shaping the overall feel of your music?

Nils: We had the concept of ‘the wistful longing’, you know with mermaids wailing in the background. Every lyric that fitted into that image would be okay.

Q: Is “A Symphony Of Shadows” a stepping stone for future projects? Are there any new songs in progress, and what can we expect from you in terms of future releases, live performances, or music videos?

Nils: We are currently taking a bit of a break. We have released so much material in the last 5 years and it’s been hard work. It’s still great fun, but it’s been a bit uphill since the Covid period. It broke a bit of the momentum we had, but then again it goes for everybody, I guess. We have the outline for the next album ready, but when and where it’s going to materialize, only time will tell.

Heidi is working on her own material and released a cool EP last year. As Nils Lassen I’m working on a solo album release called “Fingerprints”, and I hope it will be out worldwide in the beginning of 2025 through the German record company Aeanaos. And as a side-project I’m fiddling about with an instrumental album with ‘dark surf’. Tracks are being recorded as we speak. How it is to be released is to be announced. The beat goes on!

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

Korinthians is a Belgian formation from Ghent. The band name refers to the Corinthian people in antiquity. The band comments: ‘They were called barbarians by the Athenian elite, but actually they had a very egalitarian society. They tossed out their kings and ruled as a group. They gave women a prominent role in decision-making. And then you have the Letter to the Corinthians in the Bible, which many know as an ode to love. But it also contains a series of guidelines to the women in Corinth. That they should wear a veil, and pray, and are not allowed to speak up. Isn’t that ironic?’ In that case, Korinthians prefer to be barbarians of Corinth. After having released a promising debut album “Chaos Control” in 2020 they this year stroke back unleashing “A Major Walk”. This self-released new opus sounds as an offspring between different music genres like Post-Punk, Electronics, Indie-Pop/Rock, Cold-Wave… but as Mattias (vocals & guitar) and Kenny (drums) say:

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Who’s hiding behind Korinthians and what’s your musical background and eventually references when it comes to song writing?

Kenny: I was always a rock drummer. I had no background in the genre whatsoever. To not mess things up, I try to play as little as possible, which is always a good thing in the end. Plus, when I’m with other drummers discussing their gear and chops and shit, I honestly think I’m not a real drummer. When you add those things up, I get something that seems to work just fine for the band. When it comes to songwriting, I stay away from the lyrics as far as a can, but do my part when it comes to the arrangements. I know a good synth hook when I hear or play it, and I’ve been known for throwing out a verse or two to keep the song short and sweet, or, in case of the previous record, making Mattias play five-minute guitar solos.

Mattias: I suppose I am the songwriter of the band. As all four of us, I wasn’t ‘born’ into 80s music. I think we’re all kids of the 90s, really, which meant that we grew up with the sound of overdriven guitars, rather than analogue synths. I got into the music much later, when I discovered bands like The Soft Moon, Agent Side Grinder, Linea Aspera And Boy Harsher. Also acts outside of the genre are an inspiration, such as Mogwai, Goose, Kite and M83. In terms of song writing, I went from doing straightforward hardcore riffs in the 90s, to being in awe of compositions with many layers –Electric Light Orchestra, was an example for some time.

Q: Interesting to read you claim to be ‘children of the 90s’ as your music still sounds 80s Post-Punk-like with a catchy Electronic touch on top. What is it really all about?

Mattias: We definitely do not confine ourselves to the genres of Wave or Post-Punk. I spoke to a music journalist recently who declared himself a ‘fake goth’, since he liked so much music outside of the genre. To some extent, I identify with that term. Personally, I’ve never liked being put in one category. And I think that for the Post-Punk and Goth scene, which distances itself from the dominant Pop culture, it really makes no sense to put people in boxes.

Q: What’s the usual procedure to write a song?

Kenny:In terms of songwriting, the procedure has changed dramatically during the pandemic. Nowadays, Mattias brings his Ableton creations to the rehearsal, and then there’s three scenarios. One, we think it’s crap, don’t say it out loud, but waste a rehearsal to let Mattias notice for himself. Two, the composition is totally perfect and we have a new song within minutes. Three, I or someone else ends up re-arranging the song in Cubase or something, and Mattias approves, or not. Then of course, when we play through the song during rehearsals and each band member cleans up their parts. We also try to take the songs to the stage asap, to see how the audience responds.

Q: How do you perceive the evolution from your debut album “Chaos Control” towards “A Major Walk”? Did you want to improve and/or change certain elements of the production? 

Mattias:I think it’s very clear that this is a much more synth-driven album. Contrary to our debut album, on “A Major Walk” the guitar is subservient to the overall sound. Often guitar play is limited to an eerie Post-Rock tune.

Overall, the album also sounds a bit more Electronic, something we’ve trying to do from the start; play music with a classic trio of instruments (acoustic drums, bass, guitar) and then add synths and samples, so it starts to sound more Electronic. I didn’t realize until after the record was finished, but it also contains a lot of straightforward, punchy songs. Dance music, really.

Q: The lyrical content of your work clearly reflects a darker side and/or -perception of our society. Where does it come from and what did you try to express and maybe exorcize? 

Mattias:I don’t necessarily intend to write dark and brooding lyrics. I guess that is what happens spontaneously when I write. What I usually do is writing one specific scene and develop lyrics from that. For instance, for a new song we’re working on, I use a snippet of a newspaper article I found a while back, talking of a newborn baby found dead in the dunes of the Belgian coast. I imagine what it must be like to give birth to a baby, all alone, crying, bleeding. And leave it behind. In “No Future”, our latest single, I describe the scene of a guy sitting in his house, smoking cigarette after cigarette, watching the news, while the ground floor is on fire. And he stays where he is. Sometimes I write something which comments on broader social issues, but usually it’s just about a compelling story.

Q: How would you define Korinthians as a live band and how do you transpose the songs from the studio to the stage? 

Kenny:I would certainly define Korinthians as a live band. The songs are created during rehearsal with the instruments we have, and all of the songs have been played live many, many times before we end up recording them. And during recording, we try not to go overboard with overdubs and stuff. Firstly, because we cannot afford to go overboard with anything during expensive studio time, and secondly, we also can’t afford to hire additional musicians.

Q: Korinthians clearly seem to be a ‘Do It Yourself’ band. Is it a deliberate choice you made or just because there has been no interesting label deal so far? How do you manage all different aspects of being ‘independent’?

Mattias:Well, it’s not that we oppose the idea of having a label. But I’ve come to realize that I like to control as much as I can the artistic and commercial process. That means, indeed, that you’re keeping a lot of balls in the air. You write songs, you record them, you make art work, you make music videos, you launch online promotion campaigns, you release albums and singles, you write press sheets and send them to journalists, online magazines, labels and whatnot, you reach out to other bands, venues and promoters, you make dedicated merchandise and offer it to your audience, you send parcels all over the world from sales on the band website.

Running a band is hard work. On the other hand, it’s wonderful to have gathered around us a group of people who believe in us; our sound guys Björn and Bart, William at Sonic Rendezvous, our distributor, Malcolm Nix our booker and tour manager, Klaas at RUZD who has been doing a lot of our artwork and design lately. We couldn’t do what we do without their quality work and their dedication.

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

(Interview by János Janurik) About a year ago, I had the honour to ask Gareth Jones about his studio work on Erasure’s legendary “Wild!” album. Back then he mentioned his upcoming solo electronic music project. The long wait is finally over. The studio magician’s long-awaited debut album will be released on the 18th September. On that occasion, I asked him my questions again.

SL: In our last conversation last year, you summarized your memories of working on Erasure’s “Wild!” album. The Erasure guys have just released their new album “The Neon”. At the online launch party they also mentioned your name concerning a new remix to “Nerves Of Steel”. Could you please tell us a few words about this project?

GJ: Andy had an idea for an approach to a remix, and I was delighted to help him realise that idea. It is a mix full of respect. It’s an homage in fact. I love Andy and Vince. It’s family.  It’s always amazing to work with them, so I jumped at the chance to collaborate on this remix.  I also created a second ElectroGenetic remix, which is a different kind of thing. Darker perhaps. 

SL: When we run back over the past and take a look at your massive CV, we can see that you have been active in the music biz for four decades. You were the sound engineer on John Foxx’s cult debut album from 1980. Do you remember how you got your first studio job?

GJ: A musician and record producer called Mike Finesilver owned a small 8 track studio in Newington Green called Pathway. He generously gave me a chance to work in his studio. Thank you Mike! I’m forever grateful.

SL: Your name is closely linked to the Hansa Studios in Berlin where you experimented with recording atmospheres and the method of sampling. In 2018 the film “By The Wall” was screened, which narrated as a kind of documentation what had happened musically in the Hansa Studios between 1976 and 1990. What are your most noteworthy experiences about these legendary Hansa times?

GJ: So many great musicians from whom I learned so much. Diamanda Galás, Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten, Adrian Sherwood, Ideal, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Conny Plank, Roma Baran, Daniel Miller, Fad Gadget, Palais Schaumburg, Wire, Holger Hiller, Crime and the City Solution. These are my teachers.

SL: Through your work with Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, and also with Nick Cave you have made a name for yourself among music producers. But your portfolio also includes younger artists and bands like Apparat, Wovoka Gentle, Compact Disk Dummies, and Polly Scattergood. Do you receive these requests for joint work directly from the newer generation of musicians? I mean, do they know you and your previous work well? And vice versa, do you have your finger on the pulse of contemporary pop music? Could you name some new pop artists who you think are exciting enough?

GJ: I do get approached directly and many of the younger generation know some of the amazing musicians I have worked with in the past. I don’t have my finger on the pulse. I’m a drifter. A feather on the breath of God.

SL: When I got the news about your solo album, I immediately got interested. I belong to the generation that not only appreciates albums of their favourite bands, but also the work of those who work in the production background. So you’ve always been a hero of mine. As I said, I was curious how this personal work would sound from you. How long have you been working on this album? What was the main motivation behind its creation?

GJ: I made a commitment to myself to complete an album in the year 2019. This personal contract with myself helped me to cross the finish line. I’ve been working on the album for 50 years. The motivation was not to let myself down.

SL: To what extent was this work different from your previous studio works on the albums of different artists? How did it feel for the first time being your own boss and that having an opportunity to realize your own ideas without compromise?

GJ: I really enjoy working with collaborators. And getting hired to work for other artists. One of the great things about it is that the person you are working with always inspires you and pushes you forward. My ELECTROGENETIC project is a solo work, so I was stuck alone with myself (and my dreams and fantasies) and this meant that I had to inspire and encourage myself. Not always easy. I learnt a lot about the creative process, the joy and pain of commitment, and had to negotiate intensively with my inner critic in order to get anything done. Also, I acquired an even deeper understanding of the challenges that so many of my dear friends and colleagues have been through over the years in making their own music and art.

SL: The album title “Electrogenetic” can have several meanings. Through creation we, humans, are similar to God – at least for a certain period of time. I thought of something spiritual when I had a first look at the album cover. What about you? What were you trying to say with it? What`s behind the title and the cover?

GJ: With the title I am trying to express my feelings about the generative power of modular electronic synthesiser patches. Often, when working with modular synthesisers, we build a patch and it offers something beyond what we could imagine or expect. This certainly happens for me often and it is part of the deep power of the modular synth creative process. So in a sense the electronics give birth to the music, and I am a kind of midwife, a birth father to the process. I am trying to emphasise and echo this process in my choice of name: ELECTROGENETIC.

The ankh and the wedding ring in the photograph on the cover hang of a lamp over my desk where I write my journal and create music at home, so I see them every day and when I took a series of photographs of these powerful symbols I realised I had my album cover right there. The wedding ring was my father’s. The font that I use for ELECTROGENETIC is from an old fashion stencil that I found in the basement of my father-in-law’s house. I love the dirty analogue outlines of the font – it enhances and reflects my aesthetic and music.

SL: When I first listened to the album, I immediately got a “this is the kind of atmospheric electronic music with goose-skin effect I’ve long missed” thought. Everything is very poetic and the listener is immediately tied up. Where did your ideas, themes and musical expression come from to this work?

GJ: This is my first solo LP, so it probably contains images and feelings from my entire life, and it is inspired by everything I have experienced, so that would be a very long list! 

The album emerged because I made a commitment to myself to complete a project within that year. I found this to be a very powerful process, the contract with myself. I really wanted to honour that contract and this which drove me forwards to completion, to the finishing line. Also my mother and my mother-in-law had recently died (my father and father-in-law died some years before) so in some way everything changed. This experience distilled into the entire project. In some sense I hope it is a loving Requiem for my parents and all the ancestors, the four billion year chain of life that precedes me.

SL: It’s hard to choose “favourite tracks” from the album because it’s a coherent musical concept, but are there parts of the whole that are of very personal importance to you?

GJ: Every track on my LP connects to every other track. In some sense they’re all important to me, and in another sense it’s “all for nothing“ – supremely important, and completely insignificant at the same time. That’s my life. I hope some listeners will go the whole journey with me and listen to the LP from top to bottom, that is how it is designed to be listened to. And I hope you will enjoy the journey.

SL: The last thing I want to ask is about your collaboration with Daniel Miller under the pseudonym “Sunroof”. Your special performance of the Depeche Mode album “Construction Time Again” 10 years ago in Berlin attracted the attention of Depeche Mode fans. Just as popular are your joint remixes. Are there such works still to be expected from you? And what are your further plans for the near future?

GJ: “Sunroof” goes back many years now and I hope it will extend many years into the future. My musical relationship with Daniel is one of the great important relationships of my life and we have always enjoyed making music together, and I hope we always will. Watch this space!

For more information on ELECTROGENETIC, including Gareth’s notes on each track, visit the album website.

Track list: 

1. The Beginning 
2. Trinity 
3. Mercury 
4. Michigan 
5. Farewell 
6. Goonhilly 
7. Safe Travels 
8. I Believe 
9. Alone Together 

You can pre-order / buy the album on Bandcamp.

János Janurik

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

(Interview by János Janurik – Photo by Phil Sharp) Erasure is going to release their 18^th studio album, ‘The Neon’ on 21st August. Their first single has already made it clear for the fans that Vince Clarke and Andy Bell are still world champions and hit guarantors in the synth-pop genre. Let’s forget about the Corona crisis and the shadow-side of life for a while now, let’s turn on the NEON lights and let our hearts and souls warm up in their lights! The boys are back in town! Vince and Andy joined Janos Janurik / our co-editor for an exclusive interview.  Enjoy reading!

JJ: It’s been more than 3 years since our last online interview. On the one hand, nothing has changed – and I am referring to international politics here; on the other hand, we have to face all the harshness of this Corona pandemic. One might think that the follow-up of ‘World Be Gone’ (2017) would be an even gloomier record. However, even after the first single (‘Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)’) we knew that the new sound would be something ‘optimistic, more upfront’ – as you described it yourself. I also think that this is exactly what the fans – their ears, souls, hearts and minds – currently need to enjoy a bit of the beautiful side of life with the help of your music. The album will be released at the end of the summer, but still gives the listener the impression of a little bit of sunshine. Have you appointed this release date in order to help the fans go through these difficult times? Could you please tell me some words about the “Neon” online album launch party?

Vince Clarke: The release date was chosen by the record company. It was put on hold for a while but then they thought, despite the lockdown, that the fans would appreciate some new music. It’ll be an opportunity to chat about the new record, answer some fan question and talk to some of the people from Mute, involved in the “Neon” process (and drink beer).

JJ: Let’s stay with this first single release topic. Although the song was written before the Corona era its lyrics could not even be intentionally more up-to-date. ‘Walk through the city singing Hallelujah, wish for a lover’s touch’, ‘Head for the city feeling kind of lonely, I gotta play the part’. Andy, you also mentioned on your online video chat on the 1^st of May that you were living far away from your spouse at that time. In another interview you also mentioned that you could also interpret the song “Nerves Of Steel” – which will be the second single and will surely become an absolute fan favourite – in a way that you can do anything and survive alongside a beloved partner. How has the pandemic affected your private life? I suppose these times have also taken on your ‘nerves of steel’. How can you protect yourself emotionally as a highly sensitive artist right now?

Andy Bell: I think for Vince & I it was very fortuitous that we got the album mixed & the photos just right before the pandemic broke. Of course it is very sad & frustrating to be away from your partner especially when you could do with some help, but really he was a great inspiration in all honesty when I was writing the lyrics in Atlanta. I have never lived on my on ever since leaving my childhood home so this is a very good exercise in independence & it proves that I can look after myself though I prefer to be with someone. London has been a completely different place without all the cars & people it is slowly coming back to life but I prefer it to be quiet.

JJ: Vince, in that sense, you’re in a better position to have your wife and son right next to you. And if you want to experiment with your synthesizers alone you just go to your basement where you have your own home-studio. On the new album you grabbed more for classical analogue stuff that added more warmth and 80s’ flair to the new songs. I really like those space-like instrument parts in songs like “No Point In Tripping”, “Shot A Satellite”, “Diamond Lies” or “Careful What I Try To Do”. For me, this is one of the true essences of Erasure’s music, why I’ve been your fan for over 3 decades now. They guarantee goose-bumps and make the fans of the classic analogue synth sounds happy. What can you tell us about the development phase of the musical basis of the new songs? Was it a pure coincidence that you just picked these synths (like Sequential Circuits Pro-One and Moog) out of your huge collection? Is there a favourite synthesizer the sound of which you like best? 

VC: I never have a really clear idea of how the songs should sound in the beginning. My process has always been about experimentation. I do have my favorite synths but I try and incorporate as many different machines as possible. It’s more interesting for me and hopefully results in less predictable sound.

JJ: The new album is full of potential hits. The fans already know the pre-released single “Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)” and the song “Shot A Satellite”, released as an appetizer but there are several more that are sure to become fan favourites. Let’s think of the beautiful mid-tempo song “Nerves Of Steel” or of “Fallen Angel”, which is an energetic up-tempo song and immediately lures you to sing along. Another absolute favourite of mine is the synth-disco-anthem “No Point In Trippin”. “Diamond Lies” with its catchy oriental motifs is also a highlight of the album. Radio stations should play these songs in heavy rotation. Do you already have personal favourite hits from the new album? Which song is going to be the next (third) single?

VC: My personal favorite is “New Horizons”, cos I’m an old romantic at heart.

AB: My favorite is “Nerves of Steel” I just keep playing it over & over again it’s sounds like electro rock to me & I can`t wait to perform it live hopefully next year. It is a song about the grit & determination that it requires for a relationship to last. It is a celebration of world lovers no matter in which form. The last single will be “Fallen Angel” which is a roller coaster ride of emotions.

JJ: What I am also very happy about is that after a long time we finally have an Erasure ballad with piano underpainting again. “New Horizons” is definitely one of the most beautiful Erasure songs ever released. The music, Andy’s voice and the lyrics – everything fits perfectly! The song caresses the soul and gives new hope. Do you believe in the healing power of music? Which song touched you emotionally for the last time?

VC: For me, music has always been a comfort. I think that’s especially true right now. I’m not sure music is a healer but it certainly gives us hope. “Life In A Northern Town” is my current favorite comfort song.

JJ: The end track “Kid You’re Not Alone” also goes straight to the heart and brings the album to a nice conclusion. It reminds me of such crowning album closing tracks as “Because You’re So Sweet” or “I Bet You’re Mad At Me”. I am sure that fans will choose the brilliant ‘Neon’ album – which is colourful, warm and brings light to the world, just like its title – as their favourite. The only thing missing is a tour to have the work well done celebrated together. And then we, ‘kids’ will ‘not (be) alone’. I know that it is very difficult to plan live appearances at the moment, but is there a chance to see you at least on the Internet until live shows are considered safe?

VC: There might be a couple of small events happening soon but there are no plans for a full concert, especially because Andy and I are 3000 miles apart.

JJ: Please tell us a few words about the successful artwork which beautifully completes the musical content. Fans who have pre-ordered the special edition are sure going to be happy about the coloured NEON design.

VC: The artwork was inspired by a photo shoot we did at “Gods Own Junkyard”. A museum dedicated to the history of Neon.

JJ: In addition to Erasure, you also have your side projects such as Andy’s Torsten trilogy or Vince’s new discoveries on his VeryRecords label. Not to mention his radio program about the magical world of synthesizer music with Reed Hays. What releases are still to be expected from you until we can see you on tour again? Andy recently put an interesting playlist of his favourite mute songs together. I’ve also heard rumours about Vince’s possible collaboration with Neil Arthur of Blancmange. What does your musical life look like outside of Erasure?

VC: There is a new Alka album coming out soon on VeryRecords. The Neil Arthur collaboration is on going. It’s nearly finished but at the moment there is no release date.

JJ: Erasure are not only in the studio but also on stage in top form. As I mentioned before, these times are not necessarily favourable for tours. But Andy spoke in a radio talk in May about a possible US tour starting next March and about further UK/EU concerts in the autumn of 2021. Are you looking forward to meeting the fans? What would your message be to your fan community?

VC & AB: We are both really looking forward to begin a tour next year and properly showcase the new album. “Hang on in there” would be our message to the fans.

The new Erasure album can be (pre) ordered at Mute.

Erasure – “The Neon” tracklisting

1. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) 
2. Nerves Of Steel
3. Fallen Angel
4. No Point In Tripping
5. Shot A Satellite
6. Tower Of Love
7. Diamond Lies
8. New Horizons
9. Careful What I Try To Do
10. Kid You’re Not Alone

Editor’s Note: I’m giving this album a 5 star rating.

© JJANURIK

János Janurik

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

Genre/Influences: Cold-wave, post-punk.

Background/Info: The Brussels based Whispering Sons were set up in 2013 and became one of Belgian hottest newcomers from the past few years. They won a very famous national contest, released two singles (on Weyrd Son Records and one EP (on Wool-E-Tapes), became a successful live band (in Belgium, but also abroad) and now signed to the German Smile Records to unleash their debut album. The album has been released in the USA on Cleopatra.

Content: “Image” features 10 songs, which from start on clearly evoke some of the darkest bands from the 80s cold-wave movement. The typical, mewing guitar parts are sometimes evoking The Sisters Of Mercy while the low, resonating bass play definitely sounds as cold as death. The songs have been progressively built up and nearly always reaching a total apotheosis. Some cuts have something trance-like; a bit comparable to the sensation of elevation. On top of it all you’ll hear the dark and growling timbre of voice of their female singer Fenne Kuppens.

+ + + : Whispering Sons confirm on their debut album all their potential. This band is probably one of the darkest ones I’ve heard in years. It clearly sounds inspired by the most obscure and chilling cold-wave music from the 80s, but they still have something very personal. The guitar parts are simply genius. There’s a kind of power emerging from the guitar playing, which becomes magic. It has a real impact on the listener and that’s probably why I sometimes experience it as ‘trance’-like. But be careful because this album also has something suicidal. The ultra dark atmosphere hanging over the music is not exactly the kind of thing that will get you happy… Well, that’s just what I like to hear when listening to this kind of music and that’s what reminds me of The Sisters Of Mercy, Joy Division, Bauhaus and co. Last, but not least, Whispering Sons didn’t spare any effort to release a real opus magnum, recording their work in a professional studio while assisted by real professionals (like the mix done by Bert Libeert from Goose).

– – – : I don’t have any single minus point about the songs properly speaking, but there’s just one little intriguing point about this work. Despite of the professional recording and crew I get the impression the global mix could have been better. It can be something intentional to recreate the original sound of the 80s.

Conclusion: Whispering Sons confirm on “Image” their talent and this band could simply become one of the new leaders in their music genre. “Image” definitely is a major release from 2018!

Best songs: “Hollow”, “Waste”, “Stalemate”, “Alone”, “No Time”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.whisperingsons.com / www.facebook.com/WhisperingSons

Label: https://www.smile–records.com / www.facebook.com/SmileRecordsHamburg

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: Dark-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: American solo-project Council Of Nine aka Maximillian Olivier is back on track, unleashing a             new conceptual work. The fourth solo-album is inspired by a horrible drama that happened on March, 22^nd, 1997 in Rancho Santa Fe (California) where 39 members of the ‘Heaven’s Gate’-cult committed suicide.

Content: “Exit Earth” sounds like an invitation to dive into a dark sonic abyss where the listener will be submitted to overwhelming- and vibrating sound waves. You now and then will get the impression to feel a presence, which is only accentuated by ghost-like voices in the distance. Quite progressively the ‘travel’ becomes a bit more dreamy-like although flavored by a solid dark sound atmosphere.

+ + + : Council Of Nine has proven over the past few years to be a real reference when it comes to dark-ambient/cinematographic music. The new work doesn’t sound that different and is mainly characterized by an impressive sound mix and –production. I get the feeling of hearing resonating sound waves in a cathedral, which is something freaky and will give you goose pimples. Especially the opening tracks create this sensational effect, which for this kind of music can be considered as a qualitative criterion. The music already reveals this unique visual appeal, which will get you throughout imaginary cellars and other abyssal depths.

– – – : I first listened to the album and next discovered its concept. It remains a cool opus, but I have to admit I would have expected something darker and especially more disturbing when considering the concept that has inspired the music.

Conclusion: Despite of the horrible drama behind this conceptual release, it rather feels as a dark sonic caress.

Best songs: “Time Is Running Out”, “This World Has Not Been Kind”, “Red Alert”, “Death Shrouds”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Council–Of–Nine-728531383895261

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

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: Dark-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: ‘Veluvian’ aka Plamen Kolev is a visual and sound-constructivist and post-artist from Bulgaria. Adonai Atrophia seems to be his main project, which is inspired by ‘cosmic shamanism’. I noticed some contributions to compilations, but “Metahistory” is the real debut album of the artist.

Content: “Metahistory” is moving in between traditional dark-ambient music and pure cinematographic music. It all clearly sounds like music for ghosts or the kind of atmosphere you might imagine resonating throughout haunted houses. The ghost-like effect has been accentuated by multiple vocal effects and manipulation. The tracks have been progressively built up reaching their total climax during the second part of the album.

+ + + : If you’re into ghost-like music, “Metahistory” will definitely give you goose pimples. It’s a great and visual sound experience, which has been meticulously constructed and finally resulting in a few outstanding cuts. “The First Sunset” is a true masterpiece for the global sound treatments, haunting vocals and progression of the cut. The sphere emerging from this release totally fits with the concept of the project.

– – – : When you get an album with some noticeable tracks, you always expect more and more. There’re just a few passages, which can’t totally convince me, but you don’t hear me complaining.

Conclusion: Adonai Atrophia is a real nice discovery revealing the perfect sonic hybrid between dark-ambient and pure soundtrack music.

Best songs: “The First Sunset”, “Egregores”, “Malah Ga-Havet”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/adonaiatrophia

Label: www.facebook.com/eighthtowerrecords

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: Industrial-metal, new-wave, electro.

Background/Info: Third self released album (EP) of this underestimated Belgian band, described as Praga Khan meets Rammstein, that was formed in 2010. Twincest Games is a story about a twin of which one doesn’t survive the pregnancy. The other one gets born with a tremendous sense of loss and needs to fill that void. A cocktail of beauty and strange relationships are destructive but a good surrogate. Every song tells another chapter of this story.

Content: “Cupid’s Dance” opens the album in a brilliant way: synth- and guitarriffs are perfectly combined with the harsh voice of singer Karl. “Twincest” is released as a first single and carries the typical Doganov concept: slowly built up verses followed by an exploding climax in the choruses. The guitars are more dominant on “Grimm”, while “Take The Night Away” has a very melodic chorus. “Receiver” is a track that easily can fill a dancefloor, a nice combination between electro and guitars, in the Goose-style! Track 6 is a smashing remix of “Endear You” (from the first album “Something Dark To Dance To”) done by Jürgen Engler of DIE KRUPPS. The very danceable Doganov-remix of “What You Need” from Goose is also featured while the last track “Whack This Guy” from La Muerte also got a nice Doganov remix-treatment.

+ + + : 8 high-quality songs are presented on this limited edition EP that was produced by the band itself. Doganov keeps following the same road as before, bringing danceable dark songs, full of modern electronics with a layer of smashing guitar-riffs over it!

– – – : This band should already have been picked up and signed by a label for a long time!

Conclusion: If you’re into electronics combined with guitars, check out Doganov! Step by step this promising band is reaching a wider audience. Make sure you see one of their explosive live-gigs as well!

Best songs: “Cupid’s Dance”, “Twincest Games”, “Receiver”, “Endear You (DIE KRUPPS remix)”, “What You Need – Goose (Doganov remix)”.

Rate: (9) WH.

Band: www.doganov.be / www.facebook.com/doganov.be

Label: www.doganov.be

Set up and driven by the creative spirit of Florian Schäfer and Oliver Goetz, German formation Noyce™ is already active for more than 20 years now. They released their fourth full length album “Love Ends” at the end of 2017, which also was their first new opus in eight years. The album released on Focile Art Tribe belongs to one of the best productions from 2017. It’s an opus filled with delicacy and passion resulting in a truly artistic piece, which you can’t really compare to any other band. I got in touch with Florian Schäfer who perfectly transposed this ‘passion’ in his answers. A fascinating read…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The least I can say is that Noyce™ is not releasing new albums on regular basis. So how does it feel to have achieved this fourth full length in history and what explains the gap of time between the albums?

Florian: I know… 4 albums in a period of 21 years is at the first view not a massive output and I understand that you and others ask why there is always that big gap between the releases. Well… we are 100% independent and so we’ve to pay everything ourselves. Instruments, studio costs and mixing, CD-artwork and CD-printing, DJ- and print promotion, advertising… everything. On the other side we try to hold up the high level we build in the past with good songs and meaningful lyrics, a brilliant sound and a special artwork. So it costs a lot of money and our songs always need a lot of time to get accomplished.

Our songs are ready when we feel the goose bumps on our skin… when we think the sound pictures are now nearly perfectly painted. But nothing matters more than the fact that we do music because we love it and because it is our passion. So the best and logic answer to your question will be ‘we do music because we love music and not longing for being commercial, successful or to get 45min of fame on a festival stage’!

Q: “Love Ends” is a somewhat pessimistic and melancholic title while lyrical wise we all can feel it’s a very intimate piece of work. What did you try to express and maybe exorcize on “Love Ends”?

Florian: Even if “Love Ends” is a pessimistic- and yes… a melancholic title, the album should express love. Love is always a better answer than hate. A ‘hello’ is better than a ‘go away’. We have songs about the new nationalism all over the world, refugees, hates peech, populism… the world change because some people fear that this have an impact of their lives. but is that fear that big? I mean in “Die Ungeliebten” we count dates of terrorism attacks from the last back to the first which is 9/11. But it needs that date to understand what the song is about? Strange, isn’t it? I mean you normally should remember the closer dates. Maybe this is a kind of human protective mechanism or simply ignorance. Is it indifference or missing empathy? At the end we tried all songs should spread love and hope so that we all start questioning about our lives and that humanity and empathy both play again a bigger role in the future.

Q: Sound wise Noyce™ remain a mystery to me. Your music is not exactly belonging to an established music genre rather than bringing multiple influences together. It might also explain a part of your success, but what’s your own perception of this success story?

Florian : Oliver and me grew up with bands like Yello, Ultravox or Depeche Mode, but we also liked Nine Inch Nails, And Also The Trees, The Young Gods or Clan Of Xymox. I guess if you mix all these bands together you will get something what sounds like NOYCE™. It has always been our claim not to copy ourselves. I mean it would be easy to do an album full of “Fall[out]”-songs, but where is the creativity then? I guess most of the people buying our CDs expect something special… simply the unexpected. In my point of view nothing is more boring in music than when every song sounds the same; if just the lyrics, the bpm’s or the sounds change a little bit… but more or less every song is equal. If a band cover their own songs in the eternal loop!

Of course, it always depends on what and how you want to reach your goal with your music. If I want to earn money then it is like a job. You need to be commercial. But this is not our motivation because we love what we do. We want to make music with an artistic aspect; music with a repertoire and value in a fast-moving and instant fame-oriented world. So simply… music we love! And if you understand music as art like we do then it doesn‘t need a genre, but it simply needs the listeners and their opinion… they’ll like it or not.

Q: You didn’t spare any effort to get the album the best as possible asking famous producers like John Fryer and Krischan Wesenberg to contribute to the album. How was it working with those renowned artists and what has been their impact at the final result?

Florian: We asked John Fryer because Oliver an me love some albums he mixed and produced in the past. “Pretty Hate Machine“ from NIN, “Medusa“ from Clan Of Xymox, “Head/Down” from Moev to give you a few examples. So we contact and simply ask him if he would mix 3 songs. We’d fun working together, but he doesn‘t produced the songs, so there were no ideas or sounds from his side. It was simply not possible because when he starts with “The World Is Quiet“ he lived in Norway and when he worked on the mixes of “Brave New World“ and “Propaganda“ he lived in Los Angeles.

About Krischan, we know each other for a couple of years now and he mixed “Heimat“ and in 2012 he helped us to give “Fall[out]“ the right sound and a great mix. He would say his impact was not that big, but all the sessions in his studio plus the coffee breaks where we discussed about the music scene gave us the right motivation to start working again with him. Sadly it was not possible to do more songs because he is very busy and we… well… are very slow in producing songs.

The main part of the album was mixed by sound fetishist Adrian Le Monde. He gave “Love Ends“ that brilliant homogenous sound for that we are longing for and he did some awesome mixes as well. To make it short, it was a real pleasure working with those great people.

Q: What’s the link between the title “Brave New World” and the famous novel of Aldous Huxley? Do you feel close with the so-called ‘dystopian writers’ such as Huxley, Orwell, Burgess and co?

Florian: There is no direct link but if then our “Brave New World” describes the revolution against Huxley’s world. It is the last wake up-call for a revolution to wake up and don‘t let it happens. But if you open your eyes you can see some parts from Huxley’s world are becoming real in some countries. Turkey, United States, Russia, Syria, North-Korea have all leaders who don’t serve the people. The rebirth of nationalism in Europe, Populism where lies are sold as truth, hate speeches on internet or the end of laws and jurisdiction. We don’t need science fiction books…  we sadly write new ones.

Q: I remember your previous band Silence Gift, so are there some elements and influences you still recognize from this band in Noyce™? I’m also wondered what you think about the evolution in the music writing, production techniques, social media ao between the 90s and today?

Florian: Silence Gift was exactly what we wanted to do in the beginning of the 90s, but it sounded very pop/wave and cut our musically freedom. This is why we found NOYCE™ to do whatever we want to do.

I think most of the NOYCE™ songs sound just like Silence Gift would have sound today. I’m sure that in the future we will continue to dress Silence Gift songs in a NOYCE™ robe as we have already done with some songs.

I‘m not quite sure if there still is an evolution in the music scene. Sure it is not easy to do something completely new, but most of the newer bands just try to sound like VNV Nation, Suicide Commando or Rammstein. As I explained before, it is the best way to get your 5 minutes of fame, but musically it is boring. Production-wise it is sad that a lot of these newer bands are not able, even with today’s possibilities, to reach the production level of… for example Skinny Puppy‘s “Worlock“. I mean the song is nearly 30 years old! So some of them produce their stuff at home using some apps for free, load up at Facebook and think, after receiving 13 likes, ‘we are the ones everybody is waiting for even no producer or mixer involved’! So the quality is poor. The next step is that they pay to play at festivals. They don’t see that this is ridiculous.

The last newer band who are really brilliant and unique in my eyes is Empathy Test. It’s very well produced and mixed featuring great lyrics and well-done artwork. Sure not every new band is crap and not everything from the past is brilliant, but in my point of view there was simply a lot more variety. One thing is for sure, music has lost its value through Spotify and others. Even if people still listen to music, the result will be that in some years only equal commercial music will survive.

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: Death-industrial, noise-ambient.

Background/Info: Shift was set up in the late 90s by Swedish artist Martin Willford. He released several productions, which were mainly characterized by a harsh and death-industrial inspired approach. The new work has been accomplished together with some guest artists revealing 4 new cuts. The album is also available on vinyl format (released on Unrest Productions).

Content: The key to understand the sonic universe of this album hides in its title. “Abandon” is a terrific feeling, which has been transposed into an extreme sonic creation. Shift appears to be a kind of sonic ogre, transforming sounds into harsh, boiling noises. Resonating sounds and industrial guitar parts are accentuating “Abandon”.

+ + + : This work is quite diversified although characterized by heavy noises creating a state of terror. The tracks have been progressively built up although to reach an ultimate apotheosis. That’s precisely what happens on the final cut “Armed, Disturbed, Hostile” accentuated by a slow cadence. When you’re just reading the titles you directly can imagine the tormented atmosphere hanging over the album. This sensation is empowered by the heavy, vibrating sound waves, which when played at a higher volume will give you goose bumps.

– – – : “Abandon” is a fully enjoyable album, but it doesn’t really reveal anything new. I got the impression to have already heard this kind of work before.

Conclusion: Shift is not releasing new albums on regular basis, but this new opus definitely belongs to the band’s best productions to date!

Best songs: “Armed, Disturbed, Hostile”, “Recaptured II”.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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: Electro-pop, indie-pop.

Background/Info: Charlotte Maison and David Baboulis better known as Soldout are back on track unleashing a new full length album. The Brussels based formation strikes back with their first ‘regular’ studio album since “More” (2013). In the meantime they released a noticeable soundtrack album (cf. “Puppylove”), which gained a ‘Magritte award’ for best soundtrack and last year released the free-digital “Live”-album.

Content: Soldout always has composed a very personal electronic sound, which during the early years of the band has been often linked with electro becoming a kind of Belgian answer to Miss Kittin and The Hacker. Throughout the years the sound evolved and became more personal and intimate, which reaches  its climax on “Forever”.

Most of the songs are sweet and filled with some melancholic passages. Charlotte’s timbre of voice became warmer, but still sounds sensual. “Forever” is pop-reverie although featuring a few more danceable cuts. These cuts feature some technoid reminiscences and it’s not a coincidence that they worked on one song together with Goose.

A few more guests have been invited to accomplish “Forever”. Maya Postepski (member of the Canadian formation Austra) is one of the artists you definitely will have to keep in mind. She’s now accompanying the band on stage on the drums.

+ + + : Soldout again evolves in their global approach revealing a mature and ultra professional studio work. The production of sound and vocals both have been so impressive. Sound-wise Soldout don’t really repeat themselves and are like in constant motion experimenting with new elements although holding on their unique electro treatments. They also like to work with guest artists and “Do It Again” featuring Goose is a real great piece of music. I also enjoyed “Fake” for its aggressive bass line. The more technoid-like “Oppression” is another attention grabber. The vintage sound approach of the band remains very present, but the ultimate song in the genre is “Because Of You”.

– – – : I have to admit I remain nostalgic of the early work of the band, which was rawer and less polished. Soldout moved towards a more mature and styled production revealing multiple sweet songs. It becomes more indie-like and definitely accessible for a wider audience. You don’t hear me complain, but I can imagine earlier fans will have a similar feeling.

Conclusion: If you go back to the first song of their first album (cf. which was the legendary cut “I Don’t Want To Have Sex With You”) and you compare with the songs from “Forever” you’ll notice the impressive evolution of this band. Technical-wise this new opus is definitely their most accomplished work to date!

Best songs: “Fake”, “Do It Again”, “Oppression”, “Because Of You”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.soldout.be / www.facebook.com/wearesoldout

Label: www.flatcatrecordings.com

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

Doganov, the unsigned Belgian industrial-metal/new-wave/electro band, made a great remix of the Goose song “What You Need”. Goose chose both remixes of B-Sights and Doganov as winners out of 117 participants of a remix contest, organised by Belgian radio station Studio Brussel.

The remix will be part of the soon to be released “What You Need” remix-EP of Goose (featuring other bands such as Digitalism)!

The Doganov remix can be heard here

Doganov already remixed the song “Skin Tight” of I:Scintilla before, which can be found here

On Saturday 5 November they will play at Dubhfest Festival in Poperinge (BE) together with Merciful Nuns, Freakangel, Der Klinke, Here Be Flames, Whispering Sons and Near Earth Orbit.

Genre/Influences: IDM, electro-ambient.

Content: I’ve never hide my fascination for Aliens Production, which remains one of the most visionary labels when it comes to discover new bands dealing with intelligent electronics. The Russian solo-project Seneptika is only one more name to add to the list.

This artist deals with an interesting mix of IDM-inspired sounds and space-driven electro-ambient music. “Eveseneptika” features 4 songs and 4 remixes. The opening cut directly reveals the poignant atmospheric and totally astral devoted sounds featuring sensual female moaning and whispering. The heavy vibrating vibes emerging at the surface sound like goose pimples music. The slow driven rhythm makes it fully accessible while given you the feeling to dream away throughout unexplored sonic continents.

And that’s just a warm-up as both upcoming songs reach a pure orgasmic level. Both songs reflect a similar vibrating sensation, the rhythm becomes more transcendental and the influences moving into IDM. The sound treatments are raw, sometimes a bit metallic-like while empowered by heavy blasting explosions. “Reboot Me” is a real masterpiece.

The last cut is similar and without a real climax. Nevertheless it again sounds like expressing the fascination of this young artist to create a unique sonic DNA based upon raw arrangements.

The next part features 4 remixes by other formations involved in the wider fields of IDM. Bands like TOD, ISH and Headdreamer are familiar names from the Aliens Production roster while RecFrag is maybe a little less known.

My personal favorites are the remixes by ISH and TOD. “Reboot Me” has been remixed by ISH in a judicious way by injecting an extra boost to the composition while the original piano-like passage brings some extra refinement. “Nostalgia Rzhavo” was remixed by TOD into a somewhat danceable approach while keeping the main ingredients of the song.

Headdreamer reworked “Reboot Me” into an evasive version while the same song has been remixed a more symphonic way by RecFrag.

Conclusion: This is much more than a simple teaser announcing the debut full length album by Seneptika. This EP is a truly successful creation appealing to the fine tasters of IDM.

Best songs: “Reboot Me”, “Nostalgia Rzhavo”, “Dance With Me”, “Reboot Me – ISH”, “Nostalgia Rzhavo – TOD”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/seneptika

Label: www.label.aliens.sk / www.facebook.com/pages/Aliens-production-label/200028820052578

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: Death-industrial, ritual-ambient.

Content: Andrew Grant likes to collaborate with other artists, but for his latest opus he strikes back alone to release one of his most surprising albums ever.

“Only Red” sounds to me more like a conceptual release moving towards ritual-ambient elements. We immediately enter into the strange universe created by The Vomit Arsonist, which embraces disturbing sound creations and reveals genius writing and sound production. The next cuts will simply reinforce the conceptual- and ritual impression of the work.

It feels like an industrial mantra composition composed by heavy resonating and somewhat didgeridoo sounding sound effects. It creates a low vibrating sound wave that will give you goose pimples. I got the impression that real voices (a kind of mantra) have been transformed to reinforce the vibrating element. When you play it loud you really will feel the walls trembling around you.

The tracks have a kind of monotonous aspect, but which is totally appropriated for this kind of creation. You progressively feel like you are entering into a transcendental dimension leading you into a strange rite. The sound waves get heavier and are sometimes joined by screams lost in a kind of endless space. The tracks are pretty long, which gives enough time to have a real freaky impact on the listeners.

Some passages only get darker and darker, and progressively join the ultimate point of horror called “GW (Rdx)”, which features Kristoffer Oustad. We recently discovered the debut album (cf. Filth Haven”) by K. Oustad, which was a successful piece of dark-ambient. “GW” (“Go Without”) is a remix of the title song that was released in 2012. This remix totally matches with the global atmosphere running through “Only Red” and is a perfect cut to end in a freaky way.

Conclusion: What I like on “Only Red” is the easily recognizable sound treatment, which is absolutely terrific, but still rather unique in its genre. This is a genius mix between dark-ambient and ritual elements.

Best songs: “Choice”, “Only Red”, “Nothing Matters”, “GW (Rdx) feat. Kristoffer Oustad”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/thevomitarsonist

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

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: Electro, synth-pop.

Content: Debut album of the Belgian duo Gunther Haegeman (Obverse Reality, Synthetic Dream) and Dries De Vreeze, released on the label of Dirk Ivens (Dive, Absolute Body Control, …) and mastered by Eric Van Wonterghem (Monolith).
A wide sound-spectrum of different styles such as electro, new-beat, minimal, trance, etc. come to mind when listening to this very danceable CD.

Opener “Redhead Sky” throws you right back in the ’80’s and is followed by “Syquest”, a song built up, layer by layer, going from an ambient-like intro towards a full danceable electro-pop song in the style of Goose. “Der Nachtmann” reminded me on “Housewife” of Daan and is a song which could have been part of the repertoire of Vitalic while “Terror Rice” sounds very atmospheric and ‘spacy’, starting from an Antiloop-wise intro.

“Buchstabieren” is for me by far the best (danceable) track and has the potential to become a club-hit and dancefloor-filler! I also recognized the sound of Vitalic in “City Loneliness”, a song where even guitars are used to create the climax.

Another highlight is “Bunkerkopf”, a downtempo song which creates a very dark gloomy atmosphere. Track 8, “Floorlayer” reminded me of Tiga and is for sure very club-minded as well.

“Kontrolieren” I found the least-interesting song while the synths on “Untkalker” (what’s in a name!) also threw me back to the ’80’s. The last piece “Gamebreaker” has a huge new-beat content and is a worthy closing-track of this 57 minute duration album, of which each song has an average playing-time of approximately 5 minutes.
If I have to say one minor point about the music it is that sometimes the drums (roll-overs) sound a bit too simple (basic). But what I like most on this album is the fact that both gentlemen combine different styles which are closely connected to the dark electronic scene although their stuff also fits perfectly in the alternative dance scene.

Also important to keep in mind: the live-sound of this duo is as clear as on CD!

Conclusion: If you are into electro, new-beat, minimal, trance, and fan of Vitalic or Goose, check out this stuff!

Best songs: “Terror Rice”, “Buchstabieren”, “Bunkerkopf”, “Floorlayer”, “Gamebreaker”.

Rate: (WH:8)WH.

Band: www.facebook.com/pages/Karl-Hefner-Hugh-Lagerfeld/128855857266795

Label: www.daft-records.com

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