Genre/influences: Electro-Wave, Dark-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/info: Last year Brazilian Individual Industry celebrated the 25^th anniversary of their second full length “Ice-Water”. Driven by core members Alex Twin (Wave Records owner) and Maurizio Bonito, “Ice-Water” was originally released by the legendary Cri Du Chat. The record was produced by Roberto Verta (still involved with Harry) while Danyela Rocha was the vocalist. The album has been remastered and features a few extra songs/remixes.

Content: You can quickly tell that this album was produced several years ago now. It stands for a sweet and somewhat intimate Electro/Wave-Pop style. The compositions have something minimal, even a bit rudimentary. There’s an interesting cover version of French legends Kas Product and another song featuring Opera Multi Steel.

The bonus songs are remixes made by Marcelo Gallo (Pitch Yarn Of Matter) revealing a Trip-Pop approach.

+ + + : This reissue evokes to me good-old souvenirs as I especially liked the Cri Du Chat label roster. You’ve to place this album in its context; 90s Electro/Wave-Pop driven by great synth lines. The cover version of Kas Product’s “Tina Town” is a pretty cool track. I also have to mention the sweet and intimate opener “Cubic” for which the band made a clip to promote this reissue. I also have to say a word about the great work -which is a true transformation, by Marcelo Gallo who injected a somewhat sensual Trip-Pop touch to the work. It sometimes reminds me of Everything But The Girl.

– – – : While the remixes are bringing some modernism, the original songs are a little bit suffering from the weight of time. The songs are missing a bit of elaboration.

Conclusion: This album is a must have for the fans and pure nostalgia for Cri Du Chat fans.

Best songs: “Tina Town”, “Cubic” + “Primer – Marcelo Gallo Tripping 97 Remix”, “Abbot – Marcelo Gallo Iceland 97 Remix”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/individualindustry

Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / www.facebook.com/waverecords

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

Internet is getting artists closer, giving birth to new bands. Before the new millennium it was nearly impossible to imagine a duo featuring the singer living in Germany and the musician living in Brazil. Wintry was the daylight thanks to the internet. Anne Goldacker (ex-Obsyre) and Alex Twin (3 Cold Men, Individual Industry, and still owner of Wave Records) joined hands together. They released a debut album “Atmosphere Around Us” in 2009 and struck back in 2017 with the single “Ausweg”. “Timeline” has been released as a collaboration between Wave Records and Young And Cold Records, but also got released in the US by Cleopatra Records. Their music reminds the golden years of 4AD and will appeal for lovers of X-Mal Deutschland, Cocteau Twins, Bauhaus and others. I got in touch with Anne and Alex. (Picture credits by Falk Scheuring).

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Wintry has been set up in the 90s as a solo-project and became a duo when Anne Goldacker joined in for the debut album “Atmosphere Around Us”. How did this meeting happened and what did Anne brought to Wintry expect her beautiful timbre of voice?

Anne: Alex and I met thanks to Bruno Kramm. Alex was looking for a singer and Bruno recommend me. The main part is my voice, the second part are the lyrics, which I write myself.

Q: The single “Ausweg” has been released in 2017, but it took you ten years to release a successor to the album “Atmopshere Around Us “. How do you explain this long absence and what motivated you to start again?

Anne: For me, music is an important part of my life. But first of all I have a demanding profession, which takes me lot of my attention. As a dentist you certainly need to get a balance and I found it in music. But time goes fast and it takes a little longer to finish an album.

Alex: I’m involved with many others projects, so I can write new music when there is some free time. But I also have to take care of the label and the e-shop. It’s not that easy when you’re doing this all alone while it takes much time.

Q: When did the writing of the new album “Timeline” started and what kind of album did you try to accomplish?

Anne: I don’t know exactly when. For me the work started with the musical basis from Alex. I got my ideas for singing when writing the lyrics. And the result is an album giving us satisfaction after a long period of creation.

Q: How did the writing-, recording- and production of the album happened? And how did it happened for the vocals as you don’t live in the same country? And what has been the real input of both guest artists?

Anne: In times of internet, the distance is no problem. I went to a friend‘s studio to record my vocals and send it to Brazil. Alex did the rest.

Alex: I compose the songs and send them to Anne. After getting back the vocals, I sent it all to our guest musicians, Franck from Opera Multi Steel on bass and Audret from Scarlet Leaves to play guitars. The final production has been done by Marclo Gallo (Pitch Yarn Of Matter), who’ s doing mixing, production and mastering for years now here in São Paulo.

Q: Wintry is often linked to some bands from the legendary 4AD roster. What did this label mean to you and what do you consider as the real sources of inspiration?

Alex: I think the main bands active in the dark scene and dealing with post-punk, dark-wave, ethereal and related genres are influenced by the 4AD era. These bands were the pioneers of dark music.

Things are a bit different today. Bands no longer  compose music like 4AD artists did. We have these bands in mind, but there also is the influence from ‘new’ bands. We must move ahead and listen more to new music than only to the ‘old ones’, at least that’s how it works for me. Actually I listen much more to new stuff than old work. Wave Records get many demos every week and trust me, I have heard numerous great new bands since 2010.

Q: “Timeline” has been of course released on your own label, Wave Records, but still here in Europe on Young & Cold Records and in the US on Cleopatra. Why releasing an album on three labels when we all know the CD format no longer sell? What are the further plans for Wintry?

Alex: After I had finished the Wintry master, I got a message from A&R from Cleopatra, and he asked me about some bands I released. So I sent him the new Wintry and we got a deal for North America exclusively. Young & Cold Records are partners for selling recrods via the e-shop, but Wintry also has 70% of the tracks in German, so we just found a deal for the vinyl release exclusively for Europe. The CD edit features bonus tracks and Wave Records sell it worldwide.

About the CD sales, I can tell you this format is still  selling, but not like in the 90s. But we have many customers only buying CD editions. Of course vinyl is growing the last years, but the main people at least in Brazil just buy CD’s. I think releasing 3 different formats is a good way to reach all kind of customers.

The plans for Wintry are to compose more tracks next year so a new album will be probably released for 2021/2022.

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: Wave-pop, goth-pop.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Wintry resulted from the collaborative efforts between German singer Anne Goldacker (ex-Obsyre) and Brazilian musician and label Wave Records label owner Alex Twin (3 Cold Men, Individual Industry). They released a debut album “Atmosphere Around Us” in 2009 and struck back in 2017 with the single “Ausweg”. “Timeline” has been released as a collaboration between Wave Records and Young And Cold Records, but also got released in the US by Cleopatra Records. Notice by the way the digital and CD edits are featuring four bonus songs.  

Content: Wintry is a project that clearly sounds devoted to the 80s new/cold-wave spirit. The songs remind me of X Mal Deutschland –also because of Anne Goldacker’s timbre of voice, but also to Bauhaus for some of the guitar parts. Most of the songs are sung in German, but you’ll also discover two English sung cuts. The album opens with the single title song “Ausweg” while the last song is the single’s B-side “Auch Ohne Dich”.

The bonus cuts feature two remixes by Marcelo Gallo (who produced the album and who was previously involved with Pitch Yarn Of Matter) and 2 other ones by Pieter Nooten (Clan Of Xymox).

+ + + : If you’re nostalgic of the 4AD golden years, Wintry will sound as a relief. There’s a similar spirit in the writing, mixing dark 80s atmospheres mainly accentuated by the guitar playing and refined with electronic arrangements. I like some of the electronic parts for their minimalism. The global production stands for delicacy and dark, evasive songs. Anne Goldacker is a truly talented singer who put her stamp on this work. Last, but not least I also have to recommend the album for its artistic artwork –at least for the CD format!

– – – : The album is fully entertaining, but I’m missing this kind of hit to speak about a total successful release.

Conclusion: Wintry evokes some real good souvenirs, getting me back to some legendary 4AD bands such as X Mal Deutschland, Cocteau Twins, Bauhaus… while the contribution of Clan Of Xymox member Pieter Nooten is also a wink. 

Best songs: “Dependence”, “Sehnsucht”, “Ausweg”, “Schmerz – Remix by Marcelo Gallo”, “Sehnsucht –  Remix by Pieter Nooten”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/wintryofficial 

Labels: www.waverecordsmusic.com / www.facebook.com/waverecords  / https://youngandcold.de /

www.facebook.com/youngandcoldrecords

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