Ivan Iusco &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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

www.side-line.com

Ivan Iusco reveals 3rd video from new album and lands score for Cyberpunk 2077 videogame

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:44:04 +0000

(Photo by Olga Diasparro at LACMA, Los Angeles) Ivan Iusco, the Italian award-winning film music composer, is back with a brand new album on Minus Habens. “Synthagma” includes twelve tracks, using dominant and multi-layered synthesizers. It also features three songs co-written with the Greek singer and musician Kid Moxie (“Head On Fire”, “Fly’s Heart” and “The Other Side”) who is well known for her past collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch Foundation.

The music videos for “Head On Fire” and “Sabotage” were already available on YouTube, but now we also get served the 3rd one for the track “The Other Side”. “The Other Side” was directed by Alexo Wandael and is a tribute to the videogame culture of the past and to its icon par excellence, Pac-Man, that is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year.

Here are the two other videos.

Music for Cyberpunk 2077 videogame

In further news, Iusco scored music for the videogame Cyberpunk 2077. Ivan: “I never imagined that in 2020, I would have the chance to work on one of the most anticipated video games of the last few years. Today, I can finally reveal it! I had the honor of composing two new tracks with singer and musician Kid Moxie for Cyberpunk 2077. This futuristic action-adventure game featuring Keanu Reeves is out now.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a 2020 action role-playing video game developed and published by CD Projekt and is released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One. It will come out for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. The story takes place in Night City, an open world set in the Cyberpunk universe. Players assume the first-person perspective of a customisable mercenary known as V, who can acquire skills in hacking and machinery with options for melee and ranged combat.

Cyberpunk 2077 was developed using the REDengine 4 by a team of around 500 people, exceeding the number that worked on the studio’s previous game “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015). CD Projekt launched a new division in Wrocław, Poland, and partnered with Digital Scapes, Nvidia, QLOC, and Jali Research to aid the production.

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!

Ivan Iusco to release brand new album ‘Synthagma’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 17:23:30 +0000

“Synthagma” is the new album by Ivan Iusco, the Italian composer based in Los Angeles and author of numerous soundtracks for feature films, TV shows and new media.

“Synthagma” includes 12 tracks of which 3 are co-written with the Greek singer and musician Kid Moxie (“Head On Fire”, “Fly’s Heart” and “The Other Side”). You might remember her from her past collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch Foundation. Iusco also engaged the Russian soprano Maria Bochmanova and Leo Gadaleta, the violinist from Bari, who has played with such musicians as Ennio Morricone and Antony and the Johnsons.

The recordings were made between 2018 and 2019 in Los Angeles, with the exception of the title track, for which vocals were recorded at the historic PRS Studio in St. Petersburg, Russia.

“For some time I had been planning to compose an album starting from a precise historical period of my path, in which electronic music began to have a powerful impact on a global level, interacting on different fronts, including the cyberpunk cultural movement. I am of course referring to the 90s. I had the feeling of having left unwritten a chapter linked to those times. In 2018 this thought popped up once again and so I decided to conceive an album that looked through the eyes of that period at the materialization of our fragile post-human contemporaneity”, says Iusco.

The cover image “Untitled”, is taken from the “When Light Casts no Shadow” photo series (2008) by Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins and portrays one of the runways of the Santa Maria airport located on the archipelago of the Azores. Edgar Martins is a former NY Times collaborator and he released covers and portraits for Pink Floyd, Madonna and The Streets.

“Synthagma” will be released by Minus Habens.

The music videos for “Head On Fire” and “Sabotage” are available on YouTube, two songs that preceded the release of “Synthagma” by a few months.

Head On Fire (Official Music Video)

Sabotage (Official Music Video)

About Ivan Iusco

Ivan Iusco is an Italian award-winning film music composer based in Santa Monica, California.

He has composed diverse and evocative scores for feature films, TV shows, documentaries, video art, choreographies and art exhibitions. He debuted in the film industry in 1999, scoring the Italian cult movie “LaCapaGira” directed by Alessandro Piva that won Best Soundtrack at the Valencia Film Festival (Spain, 2000).

His scoring career also includes the Italian blockbuster “Ho Voglia Di Te” (2007) by the Spanish director Luis Prieto. In 1987, he founded the pioneering music label Minus Habens (involving international artists such as Brian Eno, Angelo Badalamenti, Aphex Twin and Depeche Mode) through which he explores and publishes avant-garde and cutting-edge music.

Ivan Iusco’s forthcoming projects include two original soundtracks for films currently under development and two original songs for one of the most anticipated video game of 2020.

1999 album ‘True Lies’ by Dive reissued as double vinyl – get your copy now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 11:25:59 +0000

Dive’s “True Lies” 1999 album gets a re-release on 2LP vinyl. The reissue comes as a limited edition of 550 copies on double blue vinyl with gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeves and numbered card.

“True Lies” was originally released in 1999 on Daft Records and was produced by Ivan Iusco (Minus Habens Records, Nightmare Lodge) and Eric Van Wonterghem Insekt, Monolith).

“True Lies” is available here for the first time on vinyl with all original songs plus extra tracks from the singles “Two Faced Man” and “Broken Meat”, some old compilations and a bunch of cover versions to classics by Suicide, The Normal and The Klinik. You can order this set right here from Bandcamp!

Tracklist:

A1. True Lies One
A2. Sidewalk Sinner
A3. Breathing
A4. Give It To Me
A5. Two Faced Man

B1. Be Yourself
B2. Dreamhunter
B3. Voodoo Child
B4. Are You Awake
B5. True Lies Two

C1. Waiting And Burning
C2. Blindness
C3. In The Glasshouse
C4. The Human Race
C5. Skullscraper

D1. Obsession
D2. Cheree
D3. Warm Leatherette
D4. Moving Hands
D5. Ghostrider

You can order the latest Dive releases right here on vinyl.

‘Click Interview’ with Dive: ‘My Wish Is To Continue Another 3 Years And Celebrate 30 Years Of Dive On Stage’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 17:00:06 +0000

It’s now 27 years ago that Dirk Ivens (the legendary singer of The Klinik) took the world by surprise unleashing the self-titled debut album “DIVE”. The sound revealed a heavy, industrial and unpolished production mixed with charismatic vocals. This work was the debut of a successful career featuring numerous great albums and essential songs. The music remained dark and industrial, but still featuring electronic treatments. But after the “Behind The Sun”-album (2004) the fans had to wait for 13 years to get new studio material. “Underneath” has been released on Out Of Line and is featuring good-old guest contributor Ivan Iusco (Nightmare Lodge and owner of Minus Habens Records) and Rafael M. Espinosa (Geistform) who already collaborated on “Behind The Sun”.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Did you ever thought to come back with a new Dive-album and what was the ‘click’ to start working again on new stuff?

Dirk: . After the definitive chapter to stop The Klinik from my side and the decision to take a long break with Absolute Body Control after the intensive touring, I suddenly realized I had all the time of the world to work in all quietness and peace on a new DIVE album. People asked me for years about new material and I realized it was more than a decade ago since the last album “Behind The Sun”.

Q: What kind of album did you’d in mind (sound- & lyrical wise) when starting the composition of “Underneath”?

Dirk: The ingredients are always the same; dark atmospheric electronics with a haunting voice. Of course there was a lot happening in the world during the last decade. We got confronted with terrorism, which is heavy cutting in the minds of Western people. The world will never be the same as we knew it and I try to capture that image and feelings also in my lyrics.

Q: You asked Ivan Iusco and Rafael M. Espinosa to help a hand. What’s the real impact of both musicians on “Underneath”, which according to me became your most accomplished album ever?

Dirk: As a non-musician I like to work together with other people otherwise every album would sound like the first DIVE record. With Ivan I used to work a lot in the past and with Rafael I collaborated on the last one. This time I asked them both to send music in the style that would fit in the DIVE concept, we discussed about the tracks and made changes where needed, I wrote the lyrics and did the singing. Beside that I also composed a few tracks and this way of working is perfect because this brings variety in sound and structures and keeps it very interesting. On stage DIVE is and will always be a one man project, but on recordings I always worked together with others.

Q: “Underneath” also sounds as a refreshing work and a kind of antidote to all dark-electro and industrial-like bands which all sound pretty similar to each other. What’s your perception of the ‘scene’ today?

Dirk: I don’t listen that much to other electronic bands because there is not much development in that genre, everything has been already done thousands times before. Originality is the keyword, bands like Twice A Man or Portion Control are still making excellent albums, but most of the younger generation sounds like a copy of Nitzer Ebb or DAF, really not my thing. For the “Underneath” album I went to a factory and recorded the banging noise on my discman, just like during the old days. So, be creative instead of using all the same sounds.

Q: I noticed there’re 27 (!) years between your self-titled debut-album and “Underneath”. How would you analyze the evolution of Dive throughout the years and what does it mean to you as an artist/performer?

Dirk: The very first DIVE gig was indeed in 1990, it’s unbelievable how time runs fast. For me music is the red wire in life, I feel like a fortunate person who could do musically what I wanted to do with all of my projects. I have seen a lot of technologic changes, from recording on two track tape desks to digital with all formats in between. The world changed and so do I, my wish is to continue another 3 years and celebrate 30 years of DIVE on stage, a nice way to end this story, right?

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

www.side-line.com

Dive – Underneath (CD album – Out Of Line)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 19 May 2017 19:45:48 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-industrial. Background/Info: Dive aka Dirk Ivens (The Klinik, Absolute Body Control, Sonar, Blok 57) is back with his legendary solo-project. While many industrial lovers thought that Dive would never again release a new opus, “Underneath” comes to break the silence after 13 years. Ivens asked some good-old collaborators to join in for this new adventure. Ivan Iusco (Nightmare Lodge and Minus Habens owner) plus Rafael M. Espinosa (Geistform) contributed to this new work featuring 10 fresh songs. “Underneath” also is the first new studio album released on Out Of Line. Content: If you’re familiar with the electro-industrial sound of Dive this album will sound pretty familiar. “Underneath” is based on the good-old sound formula mixing electro-minimalism and harsh industrial rhythms. During the 90s Dive was a revolutionary artist although inspired by the industrial work of Esplendor Geometrico, and also influenced by legendary artists Suicide and Fad Gadget. “Underneath” doesn’t sound that different although it’s without a shadow of a doubt the most elaborated work in Dive’s discography. The duo Iuso – Espinosa sound like they’re simply part of Dive. This work is pure electro-minimalism carried by vintage sound treatments and the charismatic, spooky and sensual vocals of Dirk Ivens. + + + : I honestly was a bit skeptical when listening to this album, but Dive took me by surprise. The album sounds dark, sometimes a bit tormented, always danceable through the heavy, industrial kicks and pure vintage-like with the magic of the electronic treatments. Time is passing by, but the vocals of Ivens have never been better. This work reveals numerous great songs and no doubt about it you here will find some new tracks that will enter into history. “Let Me In” is probably one of the most unusual Dive songs I’ve heard, but still one of the most sophisticated ones. It’s pure innovation and carried by brilliant, minimal sounds. – – – : Some tracks are maybe a little too short, but it always has been a kind of trademark of the artist. Among the 10 songs there’s just “A Man Came”, which can’t convince me. Conclusion: Dive is back with a new album and that’s already a major thing! The bad news for ‘young’ artists is that this electro veteran is showing them how you compose a creative, intelligent and efficient work! Best songs: “Let Me In”, “Sacred Skin”, “Far Away”, “Something”, “I Want You”. Rate: (8½). Band: www .dirkivens .com / www .facebook .com /dirk .ivens .3 Label: www .outofline .de / www .facebook .com /outoflinelabel

Read the news on ‘Underneath’.

www.side-line.com

Dive returns with ‘Underneath’ album on a very limited vinyl and CD

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 19:00:49 +0000

Belgian electronic pioneer Dirk Ivens returns with a new album of his Dive project: “Underneath”. The release comes after a hiatus of more than a decade. For the new album, Ivens has again teamed up with Ivan Iusco (who he worked with on “Concrete Jungle”) and Rafael M. Espinosa (his collaborator on “Behind The Sun”). “Underneath” is released on CD and as a limited LP edition in classy dark green vinyl, containing the CD in a slip case as bonus. You can order the sets right here.

Read the review of ‘Underneath’.

Ivan Iusco – Transients (CD Album – Minus Habens Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:26:31 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, soundtrack.

Background/Info: Veteran Ivan Iusco entered into the history of electronic and industrial music as the owner of Minus Habens Records, one of the ‘guest musicians’ contributing to some of Dive’s most legendary songs, but he first of all became a respected and renowned soundtrack composer.

I remember his first experiment “La Capa Gira”, which is a soundtrack I still like to play from time to time.

Content: From the very first notes and arrangements you directly get into poignant orchestral passages and a heavy bombastic sound. The piano playing and some violin passages inject a refined and sensitive neo-classic touch. Ivan Iusco definitely became an expert when it comes to compose cinematographic music. The work is dark and quite heavy and features numerous layers.

Next to the ‘classical’ side of the work a few cuts reveal explicit electronic writing. It all remains pretty bombast and even epic-minded, but it also is a way to (re)discover the experimental side of the artist. Let’s not forget that Minus Habens released work of Sigillum S, Blackhouse, Nigthmare Lodge and other experimental/industrial artists. Ivan Iusco mixed elements of glitch and industrial bombast.

At the end of the album he also experiments with a kind of industrial-pop approach featuring female vocals by Tying Tiffany. This song reveals great electronic manipulations next to delicate piano playing.

+ + + : The orchestral/epic aspect of this work is grandiose while Iusco still remains an interesting experimental/industrial composer.

– – – : The diversity of the work might be seen as one of the album’s main strengths, but it also creates a lack of a compact feeling.

Conclusion: You have artists that dream of becoming talented and respected soundtrack composers, and there you have Ivan Iusco. There’s an enormous hiatus between both categories, which will become clear when listening to “Transients”.

Best songs: “The Arrival”, “Unformed”, “Circuitless feat. Tying Tiffany”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .ivaniusco .com /home / www .facebook .com /ivan .iusco

Label: www .minushabens .com / www .facebook .com /MinusHabensRecords