The Slovak electro and minimal-wave project ImiAFan – aka 4mg Records founder Imrich Végh – has released a digital EP, “Elmúlt idő” (Passed Time), on Bandcamp, with a wider streaming release scheduled for early June. The EP pairs the original title track with a set of remixes.

Alongside the original title track – first issued at the end of 2025 – the EP features remixes by Bornia (Andy Dufter, ex-Staatseinde), Hadron Lundgren (Budapest) and Keen K (Berlin electro/italo), plus a MANASYt “Bigfoot Mix” of the older track “Stupaj.” The lyrics draw on a four-line fragment by Szenes Iván, taken from Kovács Kati’s landmark Hungarian electronic track “Kérdés önmagamhoz” from 1980.

About ImiAFan

ImiAFan is a Slovak electro, synth-pop and minimal-wave project led by Imrich Végh, active since around 1999–2000. The project describes itself as an “electro / synth-pop project producing probably the most microscopic hits based and forgotten in Slovakia.” Long-time collaborator Miki Bernáth (of Damolh33) handles mixing and mastering, while Végh also runs the 4mg Records label.

Side-Line has covered the band on several occasions, including a 2019 “Click Interview” with ImiAFan vs. 4mg Records, in which Végh described himself as “more like a music activist,” and a 2019 report on the project’s 12-inch release via Falco Invernale Records. The project also appeared in Side-Line’s coverage of the Synth Slovakia 2017 compilation.

The new digital EP, “Elmúlt idő” (Passed Time), was self-released via Bandcamp on May 29, 2026.

About 4mg Records

4mg Records is a dedicated non-profit underground music label, founded in 2003 in St. Catharines, Canada, by electronic musician Imrich Végh (aka ImiAFan). The label underwent a major geographic shift when it relocated to Slovakia in 2006. Operating out of Central Europe ever since, the imprint focuses on cultivating a tight-knit international network of underground artists, prioritizing artistic expression and cultural connection over commercial success.

Sonically, the label explores the darker and more experimental corners of electronic music, with a catalog deeply rooted in minimal synth, darkwave, ambient, and industrial sounds. 4mg Records has become a trusted home for both emerging acts and seasoned veterans of the avant-garde scene, featuring releases and collaborations with iconic names like The Legendary Pink Dots, Edward Ka-Spel, Isobutane, and Click Click. Their curated compilation projects, such as the Wave Earplug series, are wellknown for showcasing diverse, global underground talent.

4mg Records bypasses mainstream distribution models to focus heavily on tangible, collectible formats. The label routinely presses music onto high-quality vinyl, cassettes, and limited-edition compact discs.

Some of the band’s best-known releases include:

Albums & cassettes

• Edward Ka-Spel – A Carrington Event (2024): A highly sought-after cassette album from the iconic frontman of The Legendary Pink Dots, delivering trademark psychedelic and avant-garde ambient textures.
• The Legendary Pink Dots – Live At The Rave Milwaukee 20 June 2000 (2025): A curated archival live concert release preserved on limited-edition cassette for collectors of industrial and experimental music.
• IMIAFAN – Clearly Defined (2024): A minimal-synth and hardware-driven electronic LP from the label’s founder, Imrich Végh.
• Isobutane – – to 0: A release from Slovak electronic producer Isobutane, exploring intricate IDM and ambient landscapes.
• Click Click – Gelsenkirchen 1997: A documentation of the historic UK EBM/industrial band’s raw electronic energy.

Compilations

• Wave Earplug Series (e.g., Wave Earplug No. 7): The flagship vinyl compilation series from the label, showcasing an international roster of artists spanning raw electro, synthwave, darkwave, and pumping acid sounds.
• Vinylized Series (e.g., Vinylized Vol. 1): Co-released with Stroboskop, this compilation series shines a spotlight on Slovak electronic innovators, weaving together experimental synth-pop, acid, and IDM.
• 2023 – 2003 = 20 Years of 4mg Records (2024): A comprehensive anniversary compilation celebrating two decades of the label, featuring tracks from Edward Ka-Spel, Sololust, Click Click, and Isobutane.

You can check out these and other releases directly on the 4mg Records Bandcamp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Approximately 25 years ago, Slovak artist and 4mg Records owner Imi Végh introduced the world to his project, Imiafan. Fast-forward to 2024, and his latest release, “Clearly Defined”, invites listeners to experience eight brand-new tracks. Staying true to the foundations of the project, the album delivers a pronounced Electro/Minimal-Wave sound enriched with Experimental elements that evoke the essence of the 80s. The production is crafted with vintage sound treatments and features sterile, icy vocals. Balancing an atmospheric chill with danceable grooves, “Clearly Defined” once again showcases Imiafan’s ability to create captivating and successful productions. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Pred Výbuchom”:          

About Imiafan

Imiafan started as a solo-project set up by Imrich Végh in Slovakia in 1999, working in a minimal-electro style. Miki Bernath later joined, and Imiafan continued as a duo sometimes completed by extra guests. Most Imiafan releases have come out on 4mg Records, the Slovakian label Végh founded in 2003.

In a Side-Line interview, Végh discussed running both Imiafan and 4mg Records from Slovakia, around the release of the “Videnie” album on the French label Falco Invernale Records. Imiafan followed with the “Clearly Defined” album reviewed here in 2024.

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: Minimal-Electro, Electro-Wave, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Cassette.

Background/Info: “HyteParade” is the first new release by the collaborative duo KéPESLAP. Driven by Makina Girgir (France) and ImiAFan (Slovakia), this work features five new songs plus the four original songs from the EP “Random Generator” originally released in 2010.

Content: “HyteParade” perfectly stands for the vintage Minimal-Electro music of this duo. It brings us back to ‘sterile’, cold Electro experiments from the 80s. It’s an essential aspect you also find back in the vocals although there are also instrumental songs featured. One of these instrumental edits is a bonus song to the digital release featuring a song that was originally released at the great compilation “Wave Earplug 3” (4mg Records).

“Random Generator” originally released in 2010 reveals the same ingredients, pure Electro-Wave/Minimalism. The song has been remixed by Charles Kent, Click Click and Legowelt.

+ + + : When 4mg label owner and Imiafan instigator joined hands together with his old French mate Makina Girgir, you only, but can expect great Minimal-Electro in the purest tradition of this music style. Great retro sound treatments for a cold production and sterile vocals. The title track seems to be inspired by à;Grumh and totally stands for the approach of KéPESLAP. But I also must mention “Nespravodivá Sinusoida” and the more bombastic “Passed Time”. The work is also an opportunity to rediscover the brilliant “Random Generator” and a cool remix by Click Click. The main strength of this collaborative project is that the music doesn’t need complex and elaborated structures to be fully efficient; that’s precisely why it’s that minimal-like.

– – – : I regret there are no more ‘new’ songs featured at this production. A few passages are more into Experimental music, which aren’t the best cuts.

Conclusion: KéPESLAP makes a noticeable return, which is a formation I especially recommend for lovers of Minimal-Electro and Experimental Electro-Wave.

Best songs: “Random Generator – Original Version”, “HyteParade”, “Nespravodivá Sinusoida”, “Random Generator – Click Click Remix”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/imi242 / www.facebook.com/makina.girgir

Label: www.facebook.com/4mgRecords

About KéPESLAP

KéPESLAP is an international collaboration formed in 2008 between ImiAFan, the Slovakian musician Imrich Végh who also runs 4mg Records, and the French artist Makina Girgir. The duo mixes Minimal-Electro and Electro-Wave built on analogue-sounding sequences and spoken or flat-toned vocals.

The first releases followed in 2010: the limited CDr maxi “Náhodný Generátor (Random Generator)” on 4mg Records and the limited white-vinyl 12″ EP “Power And Darkness” on Falco Invernale Records. Tracks by the duo have also appeared on Slovakian and French compilations, among them “Zvuková Vlna 5 / Sound Wave Of Slovensko” in 2009 and the 4mg Records anniversary tape “2018 – 2003 = 15 Years Of 4mg Records”.

Végh discussed the label and his approach to releasing music in a Click Interview with ImiAFan Vs. 4mg Records. “HyteParade” arrived in 2021 as a limited cassette co-released by 4mg Records and Falco Invernale Records, the duo’s first new material in eleven years.

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: Minimal-Electro, Electro-Wave, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Slovakian artist and label owner (4mg Records) Imi Vegh is back with a new full length album featuring ten songs. Miki Bernath contributed to the work, which is inspired by Slovakian, Hungarian and German poems.

Content: ImiAFan remains faithful to a kind of retro-styled Minimal-Electro/Wave. The sound treatments are pure vintage-like, carried by some solid bass lines, robotic bleeps and good-old strings. The songs are pretty short and have been sung in Slovakian.

+ + + : ImiAFan is a project I deeply respect for its retro approach although it has something refreshing. ImiAFan has its own sound and I even dare to speak about a real sound DNA with a modern touch on top. The album is varied, even a bit versatile –featuring Experimental passages, and absolutely interesting. Pay some attention to “Sezóna”, which is an absolute masterpiece driven by a hard-beating kick (that’s part of the modernism of the composition). I also have to mention “Sekundenzeiger” for its impressive bass line. And the last cut I want to mention is “Pod Čiarou V Mestách”, which is pure Minimalism, but still a cool, danceable song.

– – – : I regret there are only ten (short) cuts featured while I’m not a huge fan of the Experimental passages.

Conclusion: ImiAFan is a project I can only, but highly recommend for its vintage approach, but with this personal touch on top.

Best songs: “Sezóna”, “Sekundenzeiger”, “Pod Čiarou V Mestách”, “Ipoly”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/imiafan

Label: www.facebook.com/senkrechtrecords

About ImiAFan

ImiAFan is the minimal-electro and synth-pop project of Imrich Végh, started in Slovakia in 1999. Miki Bernath later joined and the project continued as a duo, at times completed by guests. Most releases came out on 4mg Records, the label Végh founded in 2003. He discussed running both in the November 2019 ‘Click Interview’ with ImiAFan Vs. 4mg Records, around the release of the vinyl mini-album Videnie on the French label Falco Invernale Records, reviewed on Side-Line in October 2019.

“Te Is Tudod” was released by the Hungarian label Senkrecht Records on CD, limited to 200 copies, and as a download. The artist’s Bandcamp page dates the release to 13 February 2021; the label’s page gives 11 February 2021. The ten tracks, recorded between 2013 and 2019, are “Ipoly”, “Loptička”, “Te is tudod”, “Sezóna”, “Odpovedz”, “Pod čiarou v mestách”, “Sekundenzeiger”, “Na druhú stranu ulice”, “Aj naše šaty” and “Deje sa to”. Végh wrote the music, with Bernath co-writing “Ipoly” and “Sezóna” and Clive Pierce co-producing “Loptička”. The lyrics are poems by Ivan Štrpka, Sajó Sándor, Szőcs Kálmán and Hans Arp. Végh and Bernath mixed the album, István Gazdag of First Aid 4 Souls mastered it and Brian Pfeffer made the cover.

The project appears on the compilations V/A Wave Earplug No.4 (4mg Records, 2020) and V/A Synth Slovakia Vol.2 (2021), both reviewed on Side-Line. Later releases are the album Clearly Defined (4mg Records, 2024), reviewed in January 2025, and the digital EP Elmúlt idő, self-released on 29 May 2026. “Te Is Tudod” is the album that preceded those.

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: Gothic, Minimal-Electro, Electro-Pop, Wave-Pop, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The title of the album speaks for itself; this is Electronic music made in Slovakia! A first compilation was already released a few years ago while we now get a fine selection of eighteen bands hailing from Slovakia… and the Czech Republic.

Artists: Eight Chances, Adrian Ulik, 580 Miles, Eclipsed, Gladia Moony, Lightune, Grawlix, ImiAFan, BisTros, Havran228, IAmNot, MFLS feat. Milan Monte Bartalsky, Montage, Love My Science, The Silence, The Opposer Divine, The Roben, Chebeaff feat. Key Head feat. Solo.

Content: I have to admit I wasn’t familiar at all with most of the featured bands. I only knew ImiAFan, Eclipsed and The Opposer Divine, which both are great projects. But I now got the opportunity to discover numerous ‘new’ names. The bands are dealing with much diversified genres, but as the title of the compilation indicates it’s mainly Electro! A lot of songs have been sung in the artists’ Mother tongue while others sung in English.

+ + + : This is the kind of compilations I particularly like and support. This is a way to discover new artists from countries we’re not used to hearing Electronics… although I have to confess Aliens Production remains one of my favorite labels while 4mg Records is another (smaller) interesting label. So there’s a scene in Slovakia and thanks to this compilation I got the opportunity to hear a few cool songs. I want to mention the Minimal-Electro from Adrian Ulik, the somewhat harder Lightune, the instrumental track from Grawlix, the Front 242-reminiscent IAmNot, the intelligence of Montage and the Wave-Pop of Love My Science. ImiAFan remains another sensation if you’re into Minimal-Electro treatments.

– – – : There’re a few forgettable songs, but you don’t hear me to complaining as I truly like this kind of samplers.

Conclusion: Buy a sonic Electro ticket to discover unknown, but promising names from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Best bands: ImiAFan, Grawlix, IAmNot, Montage, Love My Science.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.synthslovakia.sk / www.facebook.com/SYNTHSLOVAKIA

About Synth Slovakia

Synth Slovakia is a Slovak initiative, run together with Culture Point, that promotes electronic and synthesizer music from Slovakia. Its first compilation, released in 2017, was covered by Side-Line as a 30-year overview of Slovak electronic music.

“SYNTH SLOVAKIA Vol.2” followed on 12 December 2020, curated by Robert Herceg and expanding the selection beyond the first volume’s scope to include stage music, instrumental work, ambient, retro, synthwave, darkwave, electro and EBM, with eighteen acts from Slovakia and the Czech Republic represented, according to the compilation’s Bandcamp credits.

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: EBM, minimal-electronics, experimental, wave-pop.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: The “Wave Earplug”-compilation series is without a shadow of a doubt one of my favorites. Set up by the Slovakian label 4mg Records, this compilation also brings an important amount of unknown artists dealing with minimal-electronic music. Label owner Imi Vegh (still involved with the great Imiafan project) has selected ten new artists from different horizons for this new volume.

Artists: ManasyT & Beta Evers, Stonewall Cops, Arsenic Of Jabir, End Off … Exist Not, Abstract Deity, I Tpama I Tvrame, Projket203, Little Green Bag, Makina Girgir, Angaudlinn.

Content: The global spirit and sound of this new edit is not that different from previous releases. Bands from all over the globe (Bulgaria/Germany, Sweden, Colombia, Belgium/Canada, France, Hungary, Albania/Kosovo and Slovakia) have been selected. From EBM to minimal electronics and from pure electro-experimental to rough-pop, the minimalism of all the bands remains the main characteristic of the compilation. I already had the opportunity to discover formations such as Makina Girgir (France), Projekt203 (Slovakia) and I Tpama I Tvrame (Albania/Kosovo), but I can’t remember to have ever heard the other ones.

+ + + : I think there are two types of compilations; the ones featuring big names and/or hit songs, which are eventually remixed to get a ‘new’ version and the educative ones! “Wave Earplug”  is pure education! It always features artists we’ve never heard of before and hailing from places we sometimes don’t link with this kind of music. But the compilation also gives us an opportunity to discover hidden treasures; talented bands with true potential. I discovered ManasyT (Bulgaria) & Beta Evers (Germany) revealing a cool EBM song mixed with sensual female vocals. Another essential cut is the minimal-electro song by Stonewall Cops (Canada). In a different minimal approach I also recommend the already mentioned I Tpama I Tvrame (Albania/Kosovo) and the French minimalism from Makina Girgir. My favorite from this series is probably the very own electro-pop approach of Little Green Bag (Hungary).

– – – : It’s all about personal taste and favorites, but this new edition of this great compilation is not my favorite one. It however remains an interesting album I can only, but fully recommend!

Conclusion: Lovers of minimal-electro music and vintage sound treatments must purchase this original compilation series!

Best bands: Little Green Bag, ManasyT & Beta Evers, Stonewall Cops, I Tpama I Tvrame.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.facebook.com/4mgRecords

About 4mg Records

Founded by Imrich Vegh, who also records minimal electro-pop as Imiafan alongside Miki Bernath, 4mg Records started in Canada in 2003 before Vegh relocated it to Slovakia in 2006, where it has operated as a non-profit outlet ever since. The “Wave Earplug” compilation series, now in its fourth volume, gathers new and lesser-known minimal-electronic artists from around the world, continuing a format the label has run across its earlier volumes.

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

ImiAFan started as a solo-project set up by Imrich Vegh in 1999. Later on Miki Bernath joined in and ImiAFan moved on as a duo sometimes completed by extra guests. ImiAFan is mainly dealing with a minimal-electro style. Most of the productions got released on 4mg Records, which is a Slovakian label run by Imrich Vegh. ImiAFan this year released a new album entitled “Videnie” on the French label Falco Invernale Records. It gave me the idea to get in touch with Imrich Vegh to get a bit more information about ImiAFan and 4mg Records.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Let’s start with the beginning! Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us how you got involved with electronic music, which brought you to set up ImiAFan and 4mg Records?

Imrich: My name is Imrich Vegh. I live in Slovakia. Music has been my favorite hobby since my childhood, which I spent in the 80s listening to synth-pop and new-wave music. Later on, I was listening also to EBM, dark-wave, ambient and many other music styles. In the 90s, I felt a need to exhale my musical creativity and my first computer gave me an easy opportunity to play with sounds. Computer worked well as a recorder and sampler using tracker type music software. That was in around 1998. The idea of creating the label came up a bit later in 2003. At that time, I lived in Canada and I needed some kind of platform to socialize with musically like-minded people. This has been working since then till today. I made many friendships from all over the world thanks to my music activities.

Q: You’re hailing from Slovakia so how does the electro/industrial/goth scene looks like in your country (referring to artists, labels, event organizers, media, DJ’s ao)? What are the main difficulties you encounter when operating from Slovakia and how do you try to reach a wider/international audience?

Imrich: Slovakia is a small post-communist country in Eastern Europe and the scene here is specific of that kind. There are not many club activities in the electro/industrial/goth scene. I know about Aliens Production label releasing dark-ambient, EBM music on CDs. I am aware of EBM bands like The Dark or Terminal State, the death-rock band Last Days Of Jesus and a harsh industrial project called Einleitungszeit. The local media support is poor. I exist musically mostly by being connected to a virtual world of friends and supporters without borders. I live in the countryside, in the middle of a farm land with my family; I have a daily job, etc.

Moreover, I don’t even listen to much new music anymore, compared with the past. I enjoy the outdoor noise without wearing headphones.

Q: When I’m listening to ImiAFan I immediately hear a connection with 80s electronics. What do you try to express with this music project and how do you see the evolution in influences and the composition process from your early work till the newest release “Videnie”?

Imrich: I got into minimal-synth music accidentally by releasing my first 12” and later 7”. Those releases generated some interest of people from the minimal-synth scene, but till then, I was not aware of that such music scene even exists. Then I found out about Veronica Vasicka’s weekly Minimal Wave radio shows she used to air in around 2004 from Brooklyn. I still keep those shows downloaded to my archives. She even played my tracks and later on we made a track together. Of course, the main influence is the 80s music because that was the time when I inhaled the music the most. The life was slower and we were able to spend a lot of time listening to entire albums in a very relaxed mode on repeat for days and weeks. I have been a huge fan of early Depeche Mode. It was a very intense love for their music behind the Iron Curtain that time. There was also an interesting social phenomenon of Depeche Mode-fans and heavy metal fans here who were sometimes even fighting among each other in gang style. Funny times.

Our composition style is not changing much. In the last 7 years I have worked with my music partner Miki Bernath who comes from the neighboring village. He is coming from the minimal techno scene so our sound is affected by his own influences, too. Miki is the studio producer, mixer and engineer in ImiAFan right now. It seems to me that our sound, thanks to him, became a bit cleaner with more depth. The sound changes also depending on what gear we use. The tracks are built from basic ideas -often random or accidental ideas/loops/demos brought by him or me, but the final word on each track is mine. Sometimes, we are jamming in my house, playing over rhythms and record on fly what we like. I always try to catch the breath of a moment when the ‘accidental’ melody comes.

Q: What is “Videnie” all about? Tell us a bit more about the composition and the lyrical content?

Imrich: “Videnie” (“Vision” in English) is basically a bunch of songs recorded from 2015 to 2018. Those six tracks on the 12” were selected by the label from a collection of (I guess) 9 proposed tracks. Using the poems of the Slovak famous writer, Ivan Strpka, whom I know in person, works well in our music. Many years ago, I was his driver and translator at a poetry festival in Hungary. Mr. Strpka is happy that I use his poems this way. I have a few of his books, which I am reading while listening to loops and music ideas and in last years I found many of them fitting nicely to our music. I like Strpka’s surreal pictures and situations created in his short poems. We have more unreleased tracks (even a few newer ones) with his lyrics. I think, it is a good idea to use poems in this kind of music. The vinyl format also gives space to put the lyrics on cover with translations so everybody can read them. The cover design gives the first visual feeling before listening, so the release is artistically a quite complex artefact with music, poetry and graphics in one package. I also love using various languages in our music.

My first language is Hungarian (same for Miki), because we are members of the Hungarian minority living at the border with Hungary here in Slovakia. Therefore, we use  that language as well and it sounds totally different. In the past, I worked with other vocalists, such as Sololust, using English, or Dario Seraval, using Slovenian. There are no limits. I love all languages of this planet.

Q: “Videnie” has been released by the French label Falco Invernale Records. This label is run by Makina Girgir who had a side-project with you called Képeslap! Is this project still active and/or are there new plans for the future? And how comes you don’t release your own work on 4mg Records?

Imrich: Képeslap is in a lazy mode right now. We had a nice 5 tracker mini album called “Power And Darkness” out in 2010 at Falco Invernale Records. Since then, we recorded 2 tracks for various compilation releases. The last track called “Este Van” released on the “Wave Earplug”-compilation is the one which you reviewed earlier this year. We work remotely between France and Slovakia. All depends on our free time and on what life brings. We never plan anything, but to be honest, I would love to make a new mini-album under Képeslap moniker again.

I have to correct you though, because most of the ImiAFan releases  came out on 4mg records. Please, just check our discography and you will see.

I am always open for releases on other labels so I don’t have to take care about distribution and finances that much.

Q: Can you give us more information/details about the label philosophy of 4mg Records? I also want to ask you for a bit more details about the real interesting “Wave Earplug”-compilation series you set up and, which is featuring a great canvas of electro-minimal artists?

Imrich: 4mg Records exists as non-profit organization and it is basically a platform to support the music scene and the artists I like. This support happens often in the form of compilation releases. It started in 2003 with a CD series “Melodies & Structures” with 2 volumes. It continued with the “Vinylized” series with local underground music of various styles with foreign guests from time to time –giving the chance to local projects to release their music on vinyl format. This year we have just released the 8th volume. Additionally, 3 volumes of “Experimental Studio Bratislava” on LP and CD in one package, mapping the archives of the Slovak national radio’s music concrete recordings from 60s, 70s and 80s were released.

You mentioned the “Wave Earplug” compilation. We released the third part earlier this year and this is the one which is the closest to my heart. It’s focusing on new-wave, synth-pop, old-school EBM, minimal-electro and similar stuff. The “Vinylized” and “Wave Earplug”- projects are both financed by the participants themselves or by their supporters. It is kind a collective self-release. The whole pressing is equally divided, sent to each participant and he/she/they may use it for their own needs of promotion, trade etc. This way we don’t depend on any distributor. The release is out in various parts of the world depending on who participated and cross promoting all artists involved at the same time.

During the last years, I also released cassettes from two of my ‘music heroes’; namely Edward Ka Spell of Legendary Pink Dots and Adrian K Smith of Click Click. I love cassettes, they bring back memories of the old, analog times of the 80s. Thanks to my label, I see myself more like a music activist. It is not about business at all. I am just doing my small part.

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: Minimal-electro, electro-wave.    

Background/Info: ImiAFan has been set up around 1999. The Slovakian project is driven by Imi Vegh (4mg label owner) and Miki Bernath. Several productions were released thus far by different labels. For their latest work, Imiafan joined hands together with the French label F.I.R. (run by Makina Girgir, which also is a very interesting minimal-electro project).

Content: “Videnie” features 6 songs. The sound is clearly inspired by good-old 80s electro influences, which are sometimes polished with an electro-wave arrangement. The songs are pure old-school like and driven by a slow cadence. One of the most eccentric elements remain the Slovakian vocals.

+ + + : I think there are not enough projects like Imiafan active at the electro scene. This band deals with a very personal retro approach creating a refreshing element. It has something unique, which is accentuated by the Slovakian lyrics. The vinyl format perfectly matches with this retro approach. The work features 6 different songs, which makes it more exciting than a traditional EP with numerous remixes. I like the minimalism emerging from bleeping sequences and cold atmosphere recovering the work. Notice by the way there’s a translation of the vocals at the back cover.

– – – : It’s just regretting this project has no wider recognition. It probably doesn’t sound as a ‘commercial’ format, but will catch the attention of fine tasters.

Conclusion: Imiafan only confirms its fine taste for electro-minimalism carried by 80s elements.

Best songs: “Kto?”, “Bez Úst, Bez Ozveny”, “Stupaj”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/imiafan

Label: www.facebook.com/Falco–Invernale–Records–FIR-200712330014950

About Imiafan

Imiafan started as a solo project set up by Imrich Vegh in Slovakia in 1999. Miki Bernath later joined as a second member, and most Imiafan releases have come out on 4mg Records, the Slovakian label Vegh founded in 2003. By his own account, Vegh discovered the minimal-synth scene almost by accident after his early 12″ and 7″ releases drew attention from Veronica Vasicka’s Minimal Wave radio show, and has worked with Bernath – who handles production, mixing and engineering – for the past several years.

“Videnie”, reviewed here, was released on the French label Falco Invernale Records in 2019. In a Side-Line interview published shortly after this review, Vegh discussed running both Imiafan and 4mg Records from rural Slovakia, and described the “Videnie” sessions as drawn from songs recorded between 2015 and 2018.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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The french label Falco Invernale Records presents new vinyl release. It is a 6 tracker 12″ mini album titled “Videnie” (Vision) by the slovak dark synthpop act Imiafan. You can expect dark beats and vibes coming from Slovakia featuring poetic lyrics by Ivan Strpka.

The 12 inch vinyl is limited to 300 hand-numbered copies. Below are some snippets.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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KePESLAP is an international (on distance) collaboration side-project between Imiafan (from Slovakia) and Makina Girgir (from France). The project formed in 2008 after the two met up in Berlin in 2006. Musically KePESLAP is faithful to its members own projects styles as synth-pop, cold wave and dark wave.

The project released a vinyl mini album “Power and Darkness” back in 2010 on the Falco Invernale Records label in France. During the following years the duo participated on a number of compilation releases across Europe.

Their newest track / single “Este van” (in English: “It is evening”) was recorded at the end of 2018 and was released recently on the “Wave Earplug No.3” vinyl compilation LP.

Here’s the video for the track.

Older videos

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, experimental, electro-wave, EBM.

Background/Info: Slovakian label 4mg Records moves on supporting the real minimal- and underground electronics by the second volume of the “Wave Earplug”-series. The album has been released as vinyl format and features 10 international artists (hailing from Canada, The Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, Sweden and Slovakia).

Artists: ImiAFan, The Revolving Eyes, Arsenic Of Jabir, Staatseinde, Brigade Rosse, Stilus Együttes, Noisebrigade, Makina Girgir, Sololust and Machinepop.

Content: The tracklist is pretty diversified although always pretty electro-minimalistic. This is the kind of compilation that will for sure appeal for old-school electro lovers. If you like the taste of pure vintage electronics this album really has a lot to offer.

+ + + : You have to like electro-minimal music to fully enjoy this work. I’m totally devoted to this ‘concept’ bringing good-old electronics alive. ImiAFan (still 4mg Records owner) remains one of my absolute favorites, but I also have to mention the Belgian The Revolving Eyes (which got already featured at the first album) and the French Makina Girgir. This compilation is a great opportunity to get familiar with unknown, but talented DIY artists.

– – – : I don’t have any single minus point about this great compilation, but I hope that music lovers will become a little less more curious to discover small, but interesting labels as 4mg Records. You often discover better productions on small, but tasteful labels instead of major and world-wide recognized companies, which are often repeating themselves because sales are often more important than pushing new artists dealing with less conventional electronics.

Conclusion: “Wave Earplug” is a great compilation series I can only, but hardly recommend to discover. This is the opportunity to enlarge your electronic music horizon.

Best bands: ImiAFan, The Revolving Eyes, Makina Girgir, Arsenic Of Jahir.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.facebook.com/4mgRecords

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-ambient, experimental, IDM.

Background/Info: Miki and Gabriel Bernath both are Slovakian producers. Miki Bernath got some recognition as Imiafan. Both artists have accomplished this work featuring 6 cuts plus 2 bonus tracks for the digital format. The cassette is limited to 70 copies!

+ + + : This is an interesting trip through electro-ambient compositions with astral sound treatments. A few spoken samplings can be heard. The tracks are progressively revealing slow and broken beats, dark bleeping sequences and especially a minimal approach that comes mainly through at both bonus cuts.

– – – : Nevertheless the experimental influences of this record, “Flat/Surfaces” also reveals a great sonic intelligence. It’s a sophisticated- although accessible work with some cool space-like atmospheres recovering most of the songs. The slow cadence gets the music even more accessible. Both bonus tracks are my absolute favorites so you definitely have a good reason to discover the digital version while the cassette release is a nice collector’s item.

Conclusion: Miki Bernath and Damolh33 have achieved a work with a great electronic intelligence. It’s just a pity ‘intelligent’ music remains often praised by a restricted number of music lovers. Well, I can say they won’t be disappointed discovering “Flat/Surfaces”.

Best songs: “Flat Surfaces”, “Press Gives”, “Search”, “Life Goes”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/mikulas.bernath.1

Label: www.facebook.com/4mgRecords

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

Here’s a new compilation that caught our attention: “Synth Slovakia 2017”. The release will be out on November 11 and is a collection of 15 synth-pop electro oriented bands/projects based in Slovakia.

Included in the line-up you’ll find such bands as Monte Rosa / Missandtroops / The Silence / Sound Ministers / Projekt203 / Imiafan / H.O.H / Black Rose / Martin Joy / Force / Coriolis / 2FF Project / Mfls / Chebeaff / 3C 273. Known, lesser known and amateurs, exactly how it should be. Since we are always keen on new names, we can warmy recommend this release!

You can preview/download the release below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Electronics, electro-wave, minimal-electro, experimental.

Background/Info: 4mg Records is a Slovakian label set up by Imiafan and devoted to promote DIY artists. This vinyl is the first series dealing with wave music from all over Europe.

Bands: Imiafan, Venin Carmin, Paralelo, The Revolving Eyes, Angaudlinn, Exhausted Modern feat. Zarkoff, Trois traffic, Staatseinde, Second Planet.

Content: This compilation features 9 artists coming from Slovakia, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic & Croatia. It first of all is a way to discover multiple hidden talents and who knows maybe some bands will even break through. Most of the songs are into electro-minimalism and mainly mixed with electro-wave elements. There clearly is an inspiration reminding the great 80s decade.

+ + + : This is the kind of concept I really encourage and fully support. It reveals a nice sonic cocktail of unknown bands dealing with refreshing electronics. I know it might sound a bit contradictory when saying that music is refreshing while it’s inspired by 80s sounds, but most of the bands have created a fascinating sonic bridge between good-old new-wave and contemporary minimalism. I heard some excellent contributions from Belgian formation The Revolving Eyes, the minimalism of Imiafan, the more into dance-pop sounding Trois Traffic and the electro-wave of Staatseinde. It also is a real great idea to release this ‘vintage’ sounding music on vinyl format.

– – – : The artwork of the vinyl cover could have been more creative and professional, but I guess that’s also a part of the DIY attitude… which I like by the way!

Conclusion: If you’re bored of compilation featuring big names and their latest hits, you better can spend your money a clever way by buying an original compilation, which will make you discover interesting (and mainly) new names.

Best bands: The Revolving Eyes, Imiafan, Trois traffic, Staatseinde, Venin Carmin.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.facebook.com/4mgRecords

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