Kraftwerk &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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!

Kraftwerk sampling dispute moves back to Germany after CJEU pastiche ruling

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:26:25 +0000

Kraftwerk, the Düsseldorf electronic music group, have received a legal setback in the long-running “Metall auf Metall” sampling dispute after the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered its judgment in Case C-590/23, “Pelham (Concept of ‘pastiche’)”, on 14 April 2026. The ruling clarifies how the EU copyright exception for pastiche can apply to sampling.

However unlike what other reports say, this does not close the German proceedings. The Federal Court of Justice in Germany must now apply the CJEU’s interpretation to the case.

The dispute concerns an approximately two-second rhythm sequence from Kraftwerk’s 1977 track “Metall auf Metall”. “Metall auf Metall” originally appeared on the 1977 release “Trans-Europe Express”. The sequence was electronically copied and used as a continuous loop in “Nur mir“, a 1997 song by German rapper Sabrina Setlur produced by Pelham GmbH. The recording also appeared again in 2004.

Below is a German documentary on the issue.

What the Kraftwerk copyright case ruling says

The CJEU ruled that the pastiche exception can cover creations that evoke existing works while remaining noticeably different from them. The court said this can include sampling when the new work enters an “artistic or creative dialogue” with the earlier work. It also said that the user’s subjective intention is not required; the pastiche character must be recognisable to someone familiar with the source work.

The court also set limits. The exception is not a general permission for any creative use of protected material, and it does not cover concealed imitation or plagiarism. The EU IP Helpdesk however notes that a reproduction which merely repeats an element without evident creative interaction does not meet the pastiche test.

We previously covered the earlier 2019 EU ruling in Kraftwerk wins sampling case in EU top court: permission needs to be obtained to sample another musician’s song. That ruling stated that unauthorised sampling could infringe phonogram producer rights unless the sample was modified into a form unrecognisable to the ear.

The latest ruling changes the legal route for the post-7 June 2021 part of the dispute, when Germany introduced a copyright exception covering caricature, parody and pastiche. The CJEU noted that the German court had described “Nur mir” as engaging artistically with the rhythm sequence from “Metall auf Metall” while using it in another genre and at a reduced tempo. The German court still has to decide the pending dispute.

About Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 around Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. The project grew out of the West German experimental scene after Hütter and Schneider’s earlier work in Organisation, whose album “Tone Float” was issued in 1970. Early Kraftwerk lineups changed often, with later members including Wolfgang Flür and Karl Bartos before the group settled into the better-known 1970s formation.

The band’s release history moved from the early albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2” to “Ralf & Florian”, before “Autobahn” in 1974 marked a wider shift toward electronic instrumentation. Kraftwerk followed with “Radio-Activity”, “Trans-Europe Express”, “The Man-Machine”, “Computer World”, “Electric Café” and “Tour de France Soundtracks”.

Schneider left Kraftwerk in 2008 and died in 2020. Hütter continued the group, with Henning Schmitz, Falk Grieffenhagen and Georg Bongartz as live members.

Kraftwerk sees early broadcast recordings released on two (not so official) releases

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:06:50 +0000

Something for the hardcore fans of Kraftwerk. Out soon are two archival live broadcast titles of Kraftwerk: the 5CD box “Die Broadcast Sammlung” on the bootleg label Expensive Woodland (out October 24, 2025) and the single-disc “Pop und Avantgarde [Frankfurt Broadcast 1974]” out on yet another bootleg label Yard Stick (out July 4, 2025).

The 5CD set compiles official radio sessions from 1970–1981; the Frankfurt disc documents a January 25, 1974 HR1 performance. You will not find these recordings in Germany, we’ll explain why in this article.

Tracklist of Kraftwerk – ‘Die Broadcast Sammlung’ (5CD box, Expensive Woodland)

CD1 – Soest 1970: “Vom Himmel Hoch”, “Ruckzuck”, “Stratovarius”, “Megaherz”.
CD2 – King Biscuit Radio 1975: “Kometenmelodie”, “Autobahn”, “Morgenspaziergang (Part 1) / Kling-Klang”, “Morgenspaziergang (Part 2) / Tanzmusik”.
CD3 – BBC Broadcast in Concert 1975: “Kling-Klang”, “Tongebirge”, “Tanzmusik”, “Ruckzuck”, “Prolog im Himmel / Kometenmelodie 1”, “Die Sonne, Der Mond, Die Sterne”, “Kometenmelodie 2”, “Autobahn”, “Mitternacht”.
CD4 – Utrecht 1981: “Introduction”, “Nummern”, “Computerwelt”, “Metropolis”, “Das Model”, “Geigerzähler / Radioaktivität”, “Computer Liebe”, “Autobahn”, “Taschenrechner”. Captain Video 1981 – Part 1: “Nummern”, “Computerwelt”, “Heim Computer”, “Computer Liebe”, “Das Model”.
CD5 – Captain Video 1981 – Part 2: “Neonlicht”, “Geigerzähler / Radioaktivität”, “Die Stimme der Energie / Uran / Die Sonne, Der Mond, Die Sterne / Ohm Sweet Ohm”, “Autobahn”, “Spiegelsaal”, “Mitternacht / Schaufensterpuppen”, “Trans Europa Express / Metall auf Metall / Abzug”, “Taschenrechner”, “Die Roboter”, “It’s More Fun to Compute”.

Tracklist of Kraftwerk – ‘Pop und Avantgarde [Frankfurt Broadcast 1974]’ (CD, Yard Stick)

This recording took place at the large broadcasting hall of Hessischer Rundfunk (HR1), Frankfurt, January 25, 1974; including a rare line-up with Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Wolfgang Flür joined by Klaus Röder (electro-violin/guitar).

Included are “Klingklang” (10:34), “Ruckzuck” (10:55), “Atem” (3:24), “Tongebirge” (2:28), “Tanzmusik” (7:15), “Kometenmelodie 1 / Kometenmelodie 2” (14:10), “Autobahn” (27:14).

How come these bootlegs are available outside Germany?

In the EU/UK, broadcasting organisations’ neighbouring rights last 50 years from first transmission. So 1974–75 broadcasts are now past that broadcaster-right term (from 1 Jan of the following year). Labels often rely on this to press “radio broadcast” CDs.

But that doesn’t automatically legalize a CD. Performers’ and phonogram producers’ rights on sound recordings run up to 70 years if a fixation was lawfully published/communicated (“use-it-or-lose-it” rules came in with the 2011 directive; implemented in the UK/EU in 2013). So even if broadcaster rights lapse, performer/phonogram rights can still block a commercial release.

Only Germany enforces hard. Selling bootlegs there is unlawful and can trigger injunctions, damages and even criminal liability (§§ 97–98, 106 UrhG). German law firms routinely issue takedowns/abmahnungen against bootleg sellers. That’s why many retailers mark these as “not for Germany.”

The 1974/75 radio sets (e.g., “Pop und Avantgarde – Frankfurt Broadcast 1974” on Yard Stick) sit right on the 50-year broadcaster-right threshold, which is why UK/IE/SE shops list them. But the 1981 content in the 5×CD box is well under 50 years on broadcaster rights, and performer/phonogram rights can still apply – so it’s still a classic grey-market situation, not cleared product.

Who are these labels?

Discogs lists Yard Stick explicitly as a bootleg label. The Kraftwerk “Pop und Avantgarde (Frankfurt Broadcast 1974)” appears via mainstream retailers, indicating that it’s circulated in countries where sellers assess the risk as acceptable.

Expensive Woodland Recordings from its side is also a bootleg label and has released dozens of “broadcast/air” releases (especially rock heritage acts). Also this release is stocked by retailers and major marketplaces, you even find them in supermarkets across Europe.

About Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk formed in Düsseldorf (West Germany) in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, evolving from the experimental scene later dubbed krautrock.

Early releases on Philips/Vertigo include “Kraftwerk” (1970), “Kraftwerk 2” (1972) and “Ralf & Florian” (1973). These preceded the international breakthrough album “Autobahn” (1974).\

A run of influential albums followed: “Radio-Activity” (1975), “Trans-Europe Express” (1977), “The Man-Machine” (1978) and “Computer World” (1981). Their later catalogue includes “Electric Café” (1986), “The Mix” (1991), “Tour de France Soundtracks” (2003), the live set “Minimum-Maximum” (2005) and the remastered “The Catalogue” / “Der Katalog” (2009/2012; expanded as “3-D The Catalogue” in 2017).

As of 2025, the live line-up features Ralf Hütter, Henning Schmitz, Falk Grieffenhagen and Georg Bongartz.

Kraftwerk: La Máquina Humana (The Human Machine) – Muzikalia publishes first Spanish-language biography of the electronic pioneers

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:54:12 +0000

“Kraftwerk: La Máquina Humana (The Human Machine)” is the latest release from Spanish publisher Muzikalia, marking the first Spanish-language biography of the German group Kraftwerk, one of the most influential acts in the history of electronic music. Written by journalist Pablo Ferrer Torres (“La Santísima Trinidad”), the book offers a detailed exploration of the band’s history and legacy, with a foreword by Servando Carballar of El Aviador Dro.

The biography dives into the origins and evolution of Kraftwerk and provides readers – especially newer generations – with a close look at a band whose influence spans electro, techno, hip hop, and synthpop, as well as broader avant-garde art movements.

Founded in 1970 by former Düsseldorf conservatory students Florian Schneider and Ralf Hütter, Kraftwerk launched their sonic experiments from their Kling Klang studio, producing cult albums like “Autobahn”, “Trans Europa Express”, and “Computerwelt”. These records helped establish the foundations of modern electronic music and inspired artists across a wide spectrum, including Björk, Daft Punk, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, and Radiohead.

“Kraftwerk: The Human Machine” begins in 1970 and traces the band’s evolution from a visionary student project into a global cultural icon. The book is now available via Muzikalia.

Extra details about ‘Kraftwerk: La Máquina Humana’

Pablo Ferrer Torres, known for his previous work “La Santísima Trinidad” (covering Depeche Mode, New Order, and Pet Shop Boys, also published by Muzikalia), brings his expertise in electronic and synthpop music to this project.

Carballar is a Spanish musician and founder of El Aviador Dro, provides a foreword that connects Kraftwerk’s legacy to the Spanish music scene. Aviador Dro, formed in 1979, was directly inspired by Kraftwerk, adopting a similar electronic and futuristic ethos. Carballar is credited with coining the term “tecnopop” in Spain, and his involvement adds a unique perspective to the biography.

As an independent Spanish publisher, Muzikalia has carved a niche in music journalism and publishing, with Kraftwerk: La Máquina Humana being their ninth book. Their focus on electronic and alternative music makes them a fitting platform for this biography.

Wolfgang Flür (Kraftwerk) fooled by Daft Punk impersonator

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:22:55 +0000

Wolfgang Flür, iconic member of Kraftwerk from 1973 to 1987, has fallen victim to a bizarre hoax involving a fake Thomas Bangalter – one half of the electronic duo Daft Punk. The impersonator tricked Flür into what he believed was a legitimate collaboration for his new album “Times”, released on March 28, 2025.

The album features real contributions from electronic pioneers like Boris Blank (Yello), Peter Hook (New Order), and Juan Atkins. But two tracks – “Monday to the Moon” and “Über All” – were falsely credited to Thomas Bangalter under the alias “Thomas Vangarde”.

Check the two falsifications below.

The deception started with a message Flür received on Facebook. The sender, posing as Bangalter, praised Kraftwerk’s influence on Daft Punk’s iconic robotic aesthetic and requested a signed copy of Flür’s 2022 album “Magazine 1”. Flattered by the outreach, Flür invited him to collaborate on a space-themed track. The impersonator responded with audio material that Flür and collaborator Peter Duggal then worked into their compositions.

The ruse went undetected for over two years.

A representative for Daft Punk finally set the record straight on March 31, 2025 – just days after “Times” dropped – stating that Bangalter had no involvement in the project and does not use the alias “Thomas Vangarde”.

PSA: recently a "Thomas Vangarde" was credited on Wolfgang Flür (of Kraftwerk)'s latest album, and it was assumed/reported that this was an alias of Thomas Bangalter. This is confirmed false!! Unfortunately it is not Thomas of DP on the project and news otherwise is inaccurate 💔
— Artie 🍉 (@sodasprouts) March 31, 2025

Even more puzzling: the supposed collaboration had already been public knowledge since February 2023, when Flür detailed it in an interview with Blitzed Magazine. In that conversation, he described how the connection started and praised the supposed Bangalter’s warmth and professionalism. Yet no one close to the real Thomas Bangalter flagged the claim or intervened.

Neither Flür’s team nor the label, Cherry Red Records verified the contributor’s identity. The hoax, which persisted for more than two years, was only debunked after the tracks were officially released and media interest spiked.

What are the chances there will be a new Kraftwerk album in 2025?

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:55:20 +0000

The last Kraftwerk studio album already dates from 2003 (“Tour de France Soundtracks”). Speculation about a follow-up pops up every now and then, but the odds of it ever happening are close to zero. Let’s see why that is.

Kraftwerk’s album output has slowed dramatically since their 1970s heyday. In the 1970s and early 1980s, they released a string of influential albums roughly every 1-3 years (“Autobahn” in 1974, “Radio-Activity” in 1975, “Trans-Europe Express” in 1977, “The Man-Machine” in 1978, “Computer World” in 1981). After 1986’s “Electric Café”, however, the band’s studio output nearly halted – aside from 1991’s remix collection “The Mix”, no new original album appeared for 17 years.

They finally broke the drought with “Tour de France Soundtracks” in 2003, an album that itself arrived over two decades after their early ’80s peak. Importantly, “Tour de France Soundtracks” remains their most recent album of new material. It has now been over 20 years without a follow-up, which is the longest gap between new Kraftwerk albums in their history.

Since 2003, the group has focused on remastering and re-presenting past work (for example, the comprehensive “Catalogue” box set and the 2017 “3-D The Catalogue” live recordings) rather than composing brand-new tracks. Kraftwerk’s creative energy has nowadays been channeled into refining their legacy and live experience instead of traditional album releases.

Not surprisingly, a major North American tour is scheduled for March-April 2025 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Autobahn”.

Kraftwerk and its lineup changes

Major lineup changes have influenced Kraftwerk’s studio activity. Co-founder Florian Schneider’s gradual exit (he stopped performing live in 2006 and officially left the band in 2008) left Ralf Hütter as the sole remaining original member. Some observers believed Florian’s departure might free Hütter to pursue new directions – indeed, Hütter hinted in 2013 that with the classic catalog performances complete, they could focus on “album number nine” and Hütter himself stated that Schneider hadn’t been actively contributing for a long time before he left.

However, others feel the band went into “autopilot” after Florian left, doubting that truly new material would emerge without his presence.

Florian Schneider passed away in 2020, closing the door on any reunion of the classic line-up. At this point Kraftwerk is essentially led by Ralf Hütter with a supporting lineup of longtime members (Fritz Hilpert, Henning Schmitz) and newer additions (Falk Grieffenhagen, etc.). There is no evidence they are involved in composing new studio material – historically, Kraftwerk’s writing was driven by Hütter (and Schneider, in earlier decades, plus Karl Bartos during the late 70s/80s). The current lineup’s role appears focused on live performance and technical production rather than songwriting. This means the burden of creating an entire new album would fall primarily on 78-year-old Ralf Hütter.

Given his age and the fact that he has already spent much of the last two decades revisiting existing works, one could question how eager or energized he is to undertake a start-to-finish album project at this stage. It’s not impossible, but it’s a factor to consider.

‘Recent’ interviews and statements

Ralf Hütter has periodically teased the prospect of new Kraftwerk music in interviews – though these hints now date back several years. In April 2012, during Kraftwerk’s multi-night retrospective at MoMA in New York, Hütter told the New York Times that the group was working on new material. When pressed on a release date, he answered simply, “Soon.” At the time, media noted that any new album would be their first since 2003, marking a very long wait

The following year, in June 2013, Hütter gave a rare interview to The Guardian in which he said that a new Kraftwerk album was indeed in progress adding: “Now this is done, one to eight. Now we can concentrate on number nine.” – referring to the completion of performing their eight-album catalogue, and confirming the intent to make a ninth studio album.

The remarks gave fans genuine hope that Kraftwerk’s long-promised next album was actively being developed.

However, as years passed, no album materialized. Hütter continued to be coy about it in subsequent interviews, but the frequency of such comments decreased. According to one account, in 2015 Hütter was still giving the familiar answer – when asked in an interview about new music, he said the question was “difficult” and that the answer is mostly “soon”, i.e. the album will be released as soon as it is finished, “it’s always been that way”.

After 2015, there have been no known public statements from Hütter or other Kraftwerk members explicitly discussing a forthcoming album. In a 2017 interview (largely about their 3-D tour), Hütter spoke about many topics but did not announce any new studio work – by that point, the focus was on the live presentations and the legacy of their catalogue.

It appears that after repeatedly saying “soon” for a few years, Hütter (or the band’s management) chose to stop addressing the new album question, perhaps to manage expectations. The lack of any update in recent years is telling – if a release were imminent or actively in the works, one might expect at least a hint or teaser in the media. Instead, the topic has essentially gone silent. This could indicate that whatever material Kraftwerk started developing in the early 2010s either failed to coalesce into a releasable album, or it was indefinitely put on the back burner.

Some fans speculate that Hütter’s talk of “album number 9” may have morphed into the “3-D Catalogue” release (since it was a major output, albeit of old songs). In any case, since around 2017, Kraftwerk interviews have avoided promising new original music. The absence of denial (they never said “we will not make another album”) means it hasn’t been ruled out, but the earlier optimism has certainly faded.

One revealing comment from Ralf Hütter sheds light on why a new album might be a low priority. He described Kraftwerk’s creative philosophy as an ongoing process rather than something captured on a traditional album. “Kraftwerk is a living organism… Music is never finished. It starts again tomorrow. The record is just a record, but for us it’s nearly boring. We like better the programs that we can operate with… we are updating continuously. There’s continuous reprogramming going on…”

This was Hütter’s explanation in 2012 of how Kraftwerk constantly tweaks and evolves their music using new technology. The implication is that the band doesn’t see a studio album as the definitive goal; instead, they enjoy iterating on their material in live shows and through minor updates. If making a “record” feels like a static or even “boring” exercise to them, it’s understandable that Hütter might not be highly motivated to lock themselves in the studio to craft a fixed set of songs for release. It’s the same mindset which we actually find back with The Sisters of Mercy.

From an industry standpoint, bands often slow down studio output when touring becomes a primary revenue and engagement driver, especially legacy acts. Kraftwerk’s situation fits this pattern: they can successfully tour on the strength of their classic catalog (enhanced with new technology), meaning there’s less pressure to produce new songs to attract concertgoers.

If we observe their public calendar, it’s evident that touring (and related preparations) has consumed most of their time in the past 10-15 years. Unless they deliberately take a hiatus from live performance to concentrate on writing, the chances of a new album – again – remain slim.

On a side-note, the band’s last tweet on X already dates from 2022.

No, there won’t be a new Kraftwerk album

Taking all the above into account, the likelihood of Kraftwerk releasing a new album in the foreseeable future appears low to indeed non-existent. The ‘evidence’ we have (longstanding delays, focus on touring, aging leadership, and the cessation of “album coming” talk) points toward the idea that a new album is not a priority at all and may never come to fruition. And Hütter’s own words about the creative process being continuous, and records being “nearly boring,” hint that the concept of a traditional album doesn’t excite the group anymore.

Nevertheless, the Kling Klang studio remains active.

A more realistic outcome might be the release of single tracks or special collaborations rather than a full album. For example, Kraftwerk contributed a short jingle “Expo 2000” in the late ’90s and have done one-off pieces for multimedia projects – similarly, they might in the future put out an isolated new piece (perhaps as part of a compilation or soundtrack). But the classic format of a start-to-finish Kraftwerk concept album (like “Autobahn” or “Computer World”) seems increasingly unlikely as time goes on.

Hütter’s answer was always “soon” – but “soon,” in Kraftwerk’s world, has become indefinitely long.

About Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk formed in Düsseldorf, West Germany, in 1970, founded by Ralf Hütter (organ, synthesizers, vocals) and Florian Schneider (flute, synthesizers, vocoder, vocals), who had previously played together in the group Organisation. Wolfgang Flür (electronic percussion) joined in 1973 and Karl Bartos (electronic percussion, vocoder) in 1975, forming what is regarded as the band’s classic lineup. “Autobahn” (Philips/Vertigo, 1974) was the group’s international breakthrough, followed by “Radio-Activity” (1975), “Trans-Europe Express” (1977), “The Man-Machine” (1978) and “Computer World” (EMI, 1981).

Flür left the band in 1987 and Bartos in 1990; longtime engineers Henning Schmitz and Fritz Hilpert became the touring and recording unit through the 2000s. Schneider left in 2008 to pursue solo work and died on 21 April 2020. Kraftwerk’s most recent studio album, “Tour de France Soundtracks,” was released on EMI in 2003. The live album “3-D The Catalogue” (2017) won a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2018, and the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

Ralf Hütter has periodically referenced new material in interviews without confirming a release date. In 1981, Chris Martin wrote to Kraftwerk requesting permission to build the Coldplay song “Talk” (from “X&Y,” 2005) around the synthesizer riff from “Computer Love” (“Computer World,” 1981); Hütter granted the request. No new Kraftwerk studio album has followed “Tour de France Soundtracks” (2003), and Ralf Hütter has not confirmed a release date for further material.

Kraftwerk LP ‘Autobahn’ turns 50: Elektroklänge releases tribute single – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 13:51:45 +0000

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Kraftwerk album “Autobahn”, Swedish minimal electro-pop ensemble Elektroklänge has released its latest EP, “Auf der schönen grauen Autobahn” today on Bandcamp and all other platforms. This release concludes their trilogy honoring Kraftwerk’s pioneering influence on electronic music.

Preceded by the “Abfahrt” EP and the full-length album “Motorik”, this three-track EP includes a radio edit of the title track and an expansive 22-minute “umleitung mix”, which offers listeners a dynamic journey through evolving melodies and rhythms, paying homage to Kraftwerk while introducing new elements. Additionally, the minimalist piano demo “Glitzerstrahl” (“wohltemperierte klavier mix”) provides an insight into Elektroklänge’s creative process.

Auf der schöne grauen Autobahn EP by ELEKTROKLÄNGE

About the Kraftwerk album “Autobahn”

Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”, released November 1st 1974, marked a pivotal moment in electronic music, introducing a minimalist aesthetic and innovative use of synthesizers. The album’s title track, a 22-minute exploration of the German highway system, became emblematic of the band’s forward-thinking approach and has influenced countless artists in the electronic genre.

Produced by Kraftwerk’s founders, Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, alongside engineer Conny Plank, “Autobahn” also marked their shift towards self-production and studio control. The album cover, designed by Emil Schult, who would become a longtime collaborator, featured a stylized highway scene, encapsulating the futuristic, minimalist aesthetic of the album.

The genesis of “Autobahn” began in the early 1970s, with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider’s vision to capture the experience of driving on Germany’s highways through electronic music. Both musicians were drawn to the minimalist landscapes of repetitive sounds, influenced by early electronic experimentation, including the work of Karlheinz Stockhausen and the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley and Steve Reich. By 1973, they had begun developing the concept of “Autobahn,” not merely as a song but as an auditory journey that would mimic the sensations of motion, rhythm, and space found in a car ride.

Schneider and Hütter started experimenting with various synthesizers and audio devices, including the Minimoog, EMS Synthi AKS, and custom-built vocoders to give the album its signature sound. These innovations allowed them to break away from conventional instrumentation, which they felt limited their creative ambitions. They also collaborated with Conny Plank as mentioned above, a sound engineer known for his pioneering work with electronic and experimental artists. His expertise in audio manipulation helped bring their ideas to life.

The concept was also heavily influenced by the cultural context of 1970s West Germany, where the Autobahn highway system symbolized postwar modernization and mobility. For the band, the autobahn represented the modern German identity, and they saw it as an icon of progress and movement. Rather than creating a traditional song, they wanted the music to evoke the hypnotic, meditative experience of long-distance travel, capturing both the solitude and the exhilaration of the open road.

To round out this sound, they brought in artist Emil Schult to co-write lyrics and develop visuals for the album, solidifying the Autobahn concept as a cohesive audio-visual experience. Schult’s input helped transform the music into a holistic work of art, with lyrics that were sparse and repetitive, much like road signage, and album artwork that emphasized sleek, streamlined aesthetics.

The rest is as we say history.

AD:keY interview on new ‘0609’ album out now via Alfa Matrix

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:33:31 +0000

Last September, Alfa Matrix released the 7th studio album from AD:KEY, “0609” (available via Bandcamp): a release full of energy, strong old-school EBM basslines, catchy synth melodies, and addictive choruses, all highlighted by their unique male/female vocal interplay. NITZER EBB’s power meets KRAFTWERK’s melody for a smashing album evoking AND ONE or FRONT 242!

0609 (Bonus Version) by AD:KEY

S. First of all, congratulations on the release of “0609” and your wedding anniversary! September 6th must hold a lot of personal significance for you both. Can you share how you spent your anniversary this year and what this date means to you in both your personal and professional lives?

R. Thank you for your kind wishes. September 6th has a very big meaning for us indeed. We wanted to show the whole world that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. This year we spent our 16th wedding anniversary at the NCN Festival. The night before I performed at the NCN with Orange Sector. Andrea and I met at a festival 17 years ago, married 16 years ago and gave our first AD:keY concert in Kassel on that very day. So a wedding concert!

S. “0609” is described as your most personal album to date, reflecting your deep bond as a couple and bandmates. How did your relationship influence the creative process behind this release? Were there any moments that felt especially emotional or cathartic during the making of the album?

R. We are married, but at the same time we are best friends. We can tell each other anything and don’t shy away from criticizing each other. Because we have set up our studio at home, we can work on music at any time. Alone or together, whatever suits us. Of course there are emotional moments. Especially when a track gives us goosebumps at the same time. I think especially with the songs “Your Eyes” and “Two Souls” we felt a sense of deep connection…

S. The male/female vocal interplay is a core element of your sound. How do you approach balancing your voices and perspectives in the music? Are there specific tracks on “0609” where you feel this dynamic really shines?

R. That’s a tough question! My favorite on the album is “Your Eyes.” The song is based on Andrea’s voice. My voice can only be heard in the background during the chorus. Where a female voice is needed or rather a male voice, we also use it. Andrea finds the outro of the album, the song “0609”, particularly successful. Here both voices appear in a balanced ratio…

S. This album celebrates not only your relationship but also your dedication to the EBM genre. How do you see your sound evolving on “0609,” and what were your main influences or inspirations while working on this album?

R. I think we have undergone a lot of development in the last few years. Our songs seem (at least we think so) more grown-up, more mature than on the first albums. They are more classic, melodic old school EBM songs with a somewhat rough instrumentalization. We only use hardware synthesizers, many of which are analog devices. This makes the sound warm and rich – and somehow everything sounds a little like electronics from the end of the 80s. I think this is a new quality feature of “0609”. We like that sound because we grew up with it. These are our sources of inspiration. Our song “The Evil God,” for example, makes me think a little of Bigod 20 with its sounds and samples, for example the tracks “Kreusch” and “The Big Bang.” I’m a big Bigod 20 fan. Or the sequencer runs on the songs “Heartbeat” and “By Your Side” could perhaps have come from Nitzer Ebb. Andrea has been a Nitzer Ebb fan since she was a child. Some of the sounds on “0609” sound a bit like Armageddon Dildos, which I was a keyboard player for on stage for years. Uwe Kanka, the mastermind of Armageddon Dildos, finally insisted on contributing the vocals for our song “Feel the Beat” in the chorus. We have been friends with Uwe for years; after all, Uwe is originally from Kassel, just like Andrea. They even attended the same school, except that Uwe learned there a bunch of years before Andrea (laugh). I would perhaps mention Terence Fixmer and Miss Kittin as further influences – and of course Front 242 and Kraftwerk.

S. The album comes with a bonus CD featuring remixes by artists like ORANGE SECTOR, ZWEITE JUGEND, and even your side project RECTOR SCANNER. How did you decide which artists to collaborate with for these remixes, and how does it feel to have your music reinterpreted by others?

R. First of all, thank you again to all the remixers. Almost all of us know each others personally and are mostly friends with each other. Whenever we hear a remix for the first time, we are amazed at how different such new recordings are from the original and what new ideas the remixers have contributed. Since we know what our friends’ music sounds like with their own projects, we could already guess in advance which direction the mixes could go. With the Bodewell (Orange Sector) remix we knew it was going to be a club number that was going to be a blast. The TC 75 mix would be more ambient – and “Zweite Jugend” will sound like “Zweite Jugend”. “Aktion:Fiasko” definitely had to be there because the project is new, crisp and fresh. Franzi (the front woman) lives a few doors down from us. But we didn’t know that we would be presented with such a bright mix of “The Evil God” that will certainly attract attention in the club. The Miseria Ultima remix was also a big surprise because we had only known this band for a short time.

S. Considering the intimate nature of “0609” and your long-standing relationship as both partners and bandmates, how do you manage to maintain that balance between personal life and the creative energy needed for your music?

R. For us, making music is part of our private lives. It mainly takes place on the weekends, after dinner on Friday or Saturday evening. If the creative energy isn’t there, we do something different: we meet up with friends, go to concerts, or go to readings in my favorite bookstore “Otherland” in Berlin Kreuzberg where we gather strength and find new ideas.

S. As you celebrate this milestone with “0609,” what does the future hold for AD:KEY? Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or special plans that fans can look forward to?

R. Of course we pause for a moment when a project like a new album that we have been working on for almost 4 years is finished. It’s like closing a book you’ve read. And then you look around for something new, you look around and start the next project. We will definitely play some concerts, for example in March 2025 at the E-Only Festival in Leipzig. We have some remixes in the pipeline for other bands. There are already a few song ideas for our Rector Scanner project. In the future there will be a new Rector Scanner album. At the moment we are planning another AD:keY single from the current album, which should be released in the next months. Another AD:keY song is also finished, which was originally supposed to be on the album “0609”, but ultimately didn’t fit thematically. This song was sung by Martin Bodewell (Orange Sector). We also want to release this song somewhere! Andrea has also been active as a guest singer with VillaBorghese (side project of Ex Trial / Trilogy) in recent months and will certainly be heard there more often. In addition, Andrea is planning a project that she would like to launch together with exclusively female musicians, including Franzi from Aktion:Fiasko and Lily from MDS 51. Female Electronic Music – “FEM”.

Metroland presents 2nd EP in a four-part series: ‘Cooperation’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:49:46 +0000

“Cooperation” is the second EP in a four-part series (“Industry” being the first) from the Belgian electronic act Metroland. The new EP emphasizes the key theme of the 2023 World Economic Forum: ‘Cooperation in a fragmented world’.

Cooperation EP by METROLAND

The purpose there is to encourage world leaders to join forces in tackling the complex challenges of energy, climate, and nature, in addition to investment, trade, infrastructure, emerging technologies, industrial resilience, job creation, skills development, social mobility, health, and geopolitical collaboration in a multipolar environment.

“Cooperation in a Fragmented World” as featured on the album “Forum”, has undergone significant alterations even after the initial mastering process. Metroland therefor opted not to assign specific remix names to each track. Instead, every version was designated with a distinctive and original title. Rather than the anticipated labels such as ‘radio version’ or ‘edit,’ the title was creatively transformed to “Cooperation in a shortened world”.

Also included is a 9-minute extended version, “Cooperation in a Lengthened World”. A gimmic that Metroland wanted to enhance can be heard in “Cooperation in a surrounding world”. This version is made up of a series of sounds that were featured in previous iterations before the original version was recorded.

The first part in the series was the “Industry EP.

Industry EP by METROLAND

The tracks are featured in their original version on “Forum”.

Forum (Exclusive Bandcamp Version) by METROLAND

About Metroland

Metroland is a Belgian electronic band formed in 2012 by the duo Passenger A and Passenger S. Drawing heavy inspiration from the electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, their music combines elements of synthpop, minimal wave, and electronic body music (EBM). Metroland is known for their thematic albums, often focused on urbanization, technology, and transportation, particularly the metro systems that gave the band its name.

Their debut album, “Mind the Gap” (2012), explored themes related to subway systems and transportation, establishing their unique conceptual style. They continued this approach with subsequent albums such as “Triadic Ballet” (2015), inspired by the Bauhaus art movement, and “Men in a Frame” (2018), which centered around photography and the concept of framing.

Metroland’s sound is characterized by repetitive beats, analog synthesizers, and vocoder-treated vocals, staying true to a retro-futuristic aesthetic. They have released multiple albums and singles via the Belgian label Alfa Matrix.

Side-Line also covered Metroland’s ‘Activity’.

Suburban Spell premiers ‘When I Die’ video now on Side-Line

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:37:34 +0000

Premiering now on Side-Line is the brand new Suburban Spell video for “When I Die”. “When I Die” is about euthanasia and the ability for oneself to choose to die with dignity. Peter Endall explains that “it’s a first person view of reaching the final stages of life and is what I think you would be thinking about when you have to make that decision.”

And he adds that lyrically “the track offers a mixture of pathos, humour, confusion and perhaps the fear and hope that your years of dedicated atheism is about to be tested (…) the song has a very dark theme, but I didn’t want it to be too turgid or dour, I wanted the music to be in contrast with this and lift the overall message to another place with a wry sense of humour. There is also reference to the life partner and recognition of the difficulties that they will have to face when presented with this scenario, hopefully this somber message is balanced with the decent pop song sensibilities.”

The video clip for this song was shot at an old Nun’s convent, apt for the song’s central theme. The Video was filmed and edited by Dingo Cross Films.

Suburban Spell is the project of the Melbourne, Australia-based artist Peter Endall who was the keyboardist for 1980s Melbourne synthpop band Schizo Scherzo. He recently took up songwriting again after a long hiatus. Influenced by 1970s and 80s synth pop and electronica, Suburban Spell is an instrumental project merging modern electronica through the lenses of Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre with edges of shoegaze guitar pop.

The Cassandra Complex announce USA leg of their World Tour 2024 – Tickets available now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:00:27 +0000

(Photo by Roger op den Camp) COP International Records and Strict Tempo announce the USA leg of the CX40 World Tour by the legendary Anglo-Irish post-punk group The Cassandra Complex. The band has been celebrating their 40 year anniversary in 2024 with an extensive world tour spanning Europe and the Americas.

As part of the tour they will be making a rare visit to play in the USA in September – October, starting with an appearance at the Cold Waves festival in Chicago, and continuing through the West Coast of the USA. The last time The Cassandra Complex played in America was almost 20 years ago, so this will be a unique chance to see their live show. The second leg of the tour will commence with shows in the USA and Latin America in the Fall, followed by more shows in the UK and EU later in the year.

The band will be supported on USA shows by DJ Vox Sinistra and on European shows by the Swedish post-punk duo Sjöblom. Tickets can be order now.

29 Sep 24 Chicago IL, Cold Waves Festival
30 Sep 24 Portland OR, Dante’s
02 Oct 24 Seattle WA, Central Saloon
04 Oct 24 San Diego CA, Corazón del Barrio *
05 Oct 24 Long Beach CA, Que Sera *
06 Oct 24 Albany CA, The Ivy Room (SF Bay Area) *
12 Oct 24 Ciudad de México, Foro 28
15 Oc t24 San José Costa Rica, Amon Solar
18 Oct 24 Santiago Chile, RBX
19 Oct 24 Sao Paulo Brazil, Madame
23 Nov 24 Leeds UK, The Old Woolen
24 Nov 24 London UK, The Black Heart
26 Nov 24 Reading UK, The Facebar
28 Nov 24 Bochum Germany, Matrix **
29 Nov 24 Bielefeld Germany, Movie **
30 Nov 24 Cologne Germany, Blue Shell **
04 Dec 24 Berlin Germany, Urban Spree **
05 Dec 24 Copenhagen Denmark, Lygten Station **

* with Vox Sinistra
** with Sjöblom

About The Cassandra Complex

The Cassandra Complex was formed in 1984 by Rodney Orpheus (vocals, synths, drums machine), Paul Dillon (electronics), and Andy Booth (guitar, keyboards). Musically they bring a synthesis of post-punk, goth, EBM, and industrial music, coupled with Rodney Orpheus’ voice.

After a long hiatus, The Cassandra Complex recently returned with the album “The Plague”, recorded during the COVID lockdown. In March 2024 they released “Death & Sex”. Both albums are available from COP International Records on CD and on all streaming services.

Rodney Orpheus has also worked as a producer, remixer, and music technologist, working with artists such as The Sisters of Mercy, Kraftwerk, Beborn Beton, The Future Sound of London, Girls Under Glass, Faith & the Muse, Within Temptation, and many more.

Celluloide – Silences We Shared (Album – Digital/CD/Vinyl – BOREDOMproduct)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

“Silences We Shared” is not an entirely new album from the French Electro-Pop trio Celluloide but rather a tribute to their second album, “Words Once Said,” released 20 years ago. Instead of opting for a simple re-release or remastered edition, the band chose to remix and rework nine tracks from the original album, using period-specific materials and techniques. The result is quintessential Celluloide: refined, ‘bleeping’ Electro-Pop that deserves a spot in the BOREDOMproduct showcase. While the sound may evoke the robotic precision of Kraftwerk, Celluloide has taken that influence and crafted it into something personal. The album delivers a refreshing blend of sweet Synth-Pop, punctuated by harder, more intense passages. (Rate:8).

Listen to “Two Fridays A Week – Tuesday Mix”:

Two Fridays A Week – Tuesday Mix by Celluloide

About Celluloide

Celluloide is a French synth-pop group formed in 2000, releasing its first demo that year and its debut album, “Naive Heart”, in 2002. The lineup consists of Darkleti, Member u-0176 and Patryck Holdwem. The band’s work has been released through the French label BOREDOMproduct, including the albums “Art Plastique” and, in 2020, the eighth album “Futur Antérieur”, which the band discussed in a Side-Line interview.

“Silences We Shared” reworks nine tracks from Celluloide’s second album, “Words Once Said”, using period-specific equipment and techniques, twenty years after that album’s original release.

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.

Elektroklänge interview – A love letter to ‘Autobahn’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:12:13 +0000

On their second conceptual album “Motorik”, the Swedish minimalistic electro-pop act, ELEKTROKLÄNGE revives the vintage Kraftwerkian “Düsseldorf sound” with their topnotch synth-pop signature style. “Motorik” is a sonic journey inspired by KRAFTWERK’s groundbreaking “Autobahn” album, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Curiosity serves as the compass, and humour as the travel companion, as ELEKTROKLÄNGE explores and enhances the lyrical, musical, and conceptual themes presented in KRAFTWERK’s masterpiece… We hacked ELEKTROKLÄNGE’s “Bordcomputer” to better understand how we should best read/listen to all these tiny well-hidden details…

The release is available as download via Bandcamp and other services plus on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore.

Motorik by ELEKTROKLÄNGE

S. “Motorik” is described as a sonic journey inspired by KRAFTWERK’s “Autobahn” album. What drew you to pay homage to this particular album, and how did it influence the creation of your own conceptual work?

F. “Motorik” is basically a love letter to “Autobahn”, a record that has meant a lot to us. “Autobahn” captured (and still captures) our imagination with its hypnotic rhythms and minimalist aesthetic. The electronic textures, melodic motifs, and thematic depth inspired us to explore similar themes in our own work while also paying homage to the iconic soundscapes and visionary spirit of Kraftwerk.

S. You mention curiosity and humour as key elements of “Motorik.” How do these themes manifest in the album’s lyrics, music, and overall concept?

F. For us, curiosity and humour have served as guiding principles in “Motorik”, shaping the album’s lyrical content, musical compositions and visual presentation. We definitely sprinkle in some lyrical and biographical Easter eggs throughout “Motorik” for attentive listeners. There might be a turn of phrase or a specific sound effect that subtly (and sometimes, perhaps, not so subtly) nods to “Autobahn” and other albums by Kraftwerk. Curiosity and humour add layers of depth and entertainment, encouraging listeners to engage with the music on multiple levels. A little bit like a journey down the autobahn, “Motorik” unfolds with twists and turns, surprises and revelations.

S. The album features tracks with titles like “Abfahrt,” “Bordcomputer,” and “AutoRadio.” Can you elaborate on the narrative or thematic journey these tracks represent as listeners progress through the album?

F. Each track on “Motorik” serves as a chapter in our sonic journey. “Abfahrt” sets the stage for the entire album, acting as the sonic ignition for the journey with its pulsating rhythms and playful melodies, evoking the excitement and anticipation of embarking on a journey. “Bordcomputer” (together with the first track “Vorprogrammierung”) explores the connection between man and machine, echoing the thematic exploration present in much of Kraftwerk’s work. As the album progresses, “Autoradio” introduces upbeat melodies and catchy synth hooks that evoke the sound of classic driving music. Just as drivers tune their car radios to find the perfect soundtrack for their journey, this track perhaps explores the significance of music as a companion on life’s road. Or, the lyrics could just be nods to different song lyrics by Kraftwerk.

S. ELEKTROKLÄNGE is known for reviving the vintage Kraftwerkian “Düsseldorf sound.” How do you balance staying true to this classic style while also incorporating your unique modern twist?

F. You could think of it as an ongoing, and sometimes lively, conversation between the past and the future, where Kraftwerk’s legacy paves the way for Elektroklänge’s sonic exploration. We might reimagine a particular melody, chord progression or rhythmic pattern, but recontextualize it within our own sonic and thematic framework. We believe that our commitment to the “Düsseldorf sound” ensures continuity, while our forays into unexpected sonic territories keep the journey exciting and somewhat relevant. We hope that listeners will appreciate the respectful references and subtle nods to the original while also recognizing the melody-driven retro-future sound that makes “Motorik” distinctly Elektroklänge.

S. “Motorik” aims to envelop listeners like passing landscapes on a journey. Can you describe the creative process behind crafting the repetitive yet evolving motifs and rhythms that define the album?

F. “Autobahn” functions as a cohesive journey and we wanted “Motorik” to achieve a similar effect, but through the lens of Elektroklänge. To achieve this, we developed a narrative arc that explores the themes of “Autobahn” from our perspective. This involved crafting a thematic flow between tracks on the album, ensuring they built upon each other and hopefully offer a fresh interpretation of the original concepts. On a song level, this meant meticulously crafting repetitive motifs and rhythms that would become the building blocks of the album. We built upon these motifs and rhythms, adding layers of texture and variation throughout each track. This involved introducing new sonic elements, such as shimmering synth pads or vintage speech synthesis.

S. With tracks like “Glitzerstrahl” and “Auf der schönen grauen Autobahn,” how do you use musical elements to evoke the imagery and feeling of a car journey?

F. We used a variety of musical elements to evoke the imagery and feeling of a car journey. Both tracks build on a steady, driving beat that creates a sense of forward motion and momentum. We also use different synth textures such as lush, evolving synth pads that represent the vastness of the open road ahead, while arpeggios and simple repeating melodies evoke a sense of hypnotic movement akin to watching the scenery fly by. Perhaps most evident on “Auf der schönen grauen Autobahn”, the compositional structure plays a big part. The track (just like the album itself) is structured to mirror the flow of a car trip by combining faster, more intense sections representing high-speed stretches with sections of a more meditative quality reflecting long stretches of highway.

S. What was the most challenging aspect of creating “Motorik,” and how did you overcome it to ensure the album captured the essence of both ELEKTROKLÄNGE and KRAFTWERK’s influence?

F. We hold immense respect for Kraftwerk’s pioneering work and their influence is undeniable in our music. The most challenging aspect was creating an album that paid tribute while retaining Elektroklänge’s distinct sonic identity. We tried to overcome this by focusing on reinterpreting, not replicating. We meticulously programmed sounds and textures that resonated with “Autobahn’s” core aesthetic while adding different layers that reflected our signature style. This involved a lot of experimentation and refinement to ensure each element served the music without cluttering the sonic space. We used “Autobahn” as a sort of blueprint, employing its themes and motifs to craft new compositions that reflect our own musical perspective. In that sense “Motorik” is a tribute to the past, reimagined for the present.

S. As you celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Autobahn,” what do you hope listeners take away from “Motorik,” and how do you want it to impact their perception of electro-pop and its roots?

F. We haven’t given much consideration to that question. But ultimately, “Motorik” isn’t just an homage; it’s an invitation. We invite listeners to explore the roots of what you call electro-pop and appreciate the enduring influence of these musical pioneers. We hope “Motorik” inspires a renewed appreciation for the power of minimalism and experimentation. We also want listeners to rediscover the potential of the concept album format, where music and ideas intertwine to create a more cohesive experience.

Cubic – Back To Basic (Album – Digital/CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Three years after his promising debut album “The Cubic Alphabet”, Franky Deblomme returns with a compelling follow-up album, “Back To Basic”. Preceded by two well-received releases (an EP and a single), this album solidifies the Belgian artist’s status within the growing Kraftwerk-inspired Synth-Pop movement. Alongside label mates like Metroland, 808 Dot Pop, and Elektroklänge, Deblomme emerges as a strong ambassador of this retro-futuristic sound. Back to Basic pays homage to vintage synthesizers and early computer music, weaving together an array of bleeps, cold retro sequences, and solid basslines. The melodies are simple yet effective, enhanced by the occasional robot vocals that add a splash of color to the mix. Cubic expertly blends Synth-Pop and EBM, delivering a mature and efficient production. However, the album’s only drawback is that the tracks can start to feel repetitive over time. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “Off Line (Basic Edit)”:

Off Line (Basic Edit) by Cubic

Read the news on ‘Back To Basic’.

About Cubic

Cubic is the Belgian electronic project of Franky Deblomme, who previously worked in the Belgian EBM project Darkmen. Deblomme began working with Alfa Matrix in 2021, starting with the EP “Alphabet Hymn” in March 2021. His debut album “The Cubic Alphabet” followed in June 2021 via Alfa Matrix, continuing with the EP “Phonic Lessons Part 3” in December 2021. In 2022, Deblomme expanded into a location-themed EP series with “Exit: Frankfurt”, “Exit: Ghent”, and “Exit: Manchester”.

The project returned with the EP “c64” in September 2023 and “c128” later that year, as teasers toward a full-length album. That album, “Back To Basic”, arrived in May 2024 via Alfa Matrix in digital and CD editions. In 2025, Cubic handed the “Back To Basic” source material to 808 Dot Pop’s Passenger S for a full rework, released as the album “Back To 808”.

Metroland – Forum (Album – Digital/CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Belgian Metroland has been highly active in recent years. Their latest album -“Forum,” directly inspired by the economic forum in Davos, delivers a fresh dose of Robotic/Kraftwerkian-Electro. This album was preceded by the “Industry” EP, a song which offers different versions depending on the format (digital or CD). The other tracks remain the same, showcasing a rich and sometimes complex sound. Ranging from Experimental to Kraftwerk-Pop, this new work has much to offer, including a few standout tracks towards the end of the album. Metroland stays true to its signature sound and influences while embracing unexpected concepts. The Belgian duo continues to be a leading force in Electro-Pop, though they no longer surprise me as much as they did in their early years. (Rate:8).

Listen to “World Economic forum”:

World Economic Forum by Metroland

Read the news on ‘Forum’.

About Metroland

Metroland is a Belgian electro-pop duo on Alfa Matrix, working in a Kraftwerk-influenced robotic electro style. The duo released the album “Forum,” inspired by the Davos economic forum, in 2024, and discussed their approach in a Side-Line interview that July, where they described every new release as “a fresh new audio canvas.” Metroland followed “Forum” with the second EP in a four-part series, “Cooperation,” in September 2024, the single “Activity” in February 2025, and the digital EP “Reset” in June 2025, which concluded the “Forum” cycle.

Elektroklänge – Motorik (Album – Digital/CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

“Motorik” is the second album by Swedish electronic artist Elektroklänge. This album serves as a tribute to Kraftwerk’s legendary “Autobahn”, released 50 years ago. The music style is a nostalgic journey, featuring robotic, computerized voices reminiscent of the original “Autobahn”. Rather than covering the tracks, Elektroklänge has reimagined the essence of “Autobahn”, creating a sound that is both sweetly modern and masterfully produced. While the album embodies many familiar Electro clichés, it does so with a high level of craftsmanship. The standout track is the well-known and more intense “Bordcomputer,” which I consider the album’s absolute hit. The rest of the tracks, though enjoyable, tend to be a bit too sweet for my taste. Overall, “Motorik” is a polished and commendable work. (Rating: 7½)

Listen to “Bordcomputer”:

Bordcomputer by Elektroklänge

Read the news on ‘Motorik’.

About Elektroklänge

Elektroklänge is a Swedish minimalistic electro-pop act signed to Alfa Matrix. The project released its debut album, “Komposituation,” in December 2022, followed by the EP “Abfahrt” in February 2024. “Motorik,” released in June 2024, pays tribute to Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn” on its 50th anniversary; Side-Line spoke with Elektroklänge about the album in an August 2024 interview, and the act followed up with a dedicated Autobahn-anniversary tribute single in November 2024.

The Cassandra Complex announce second leg of their World Tour 2024

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:33:46 +0000

(Photo by Roger op den Camp) COP International Records, International Booking Department, and Resistencia Booking have announce the second leg of the CX40 tour of the Anglo-Irish post-punk group The Cassandra Complex. This second leg will take the band, which celebrates its 40 year anniversary, to Germany, Belgium, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Brazil, UK, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

The second leg will commence this summer with festivals in Germany and Belgium, followed by dates in the USA and Latin America in the Fall. The tour continues then with more shows in the UK and EU later in the year. The band will also be supported on select European shows by special guests and labelmates Sjöblom.

You can order your tickets here.

11/08/24 Hildesheim Germany, Mera Luna Festival
24/08/24 Ostend Belgium, W-Festival
25/08/24 Sint-Niklaas Belgium, De Rembrandt Festival
29/09/24 Chicago USA, Cold Waves Festival
12/10/24 Ciudad de México, Foro 28
15/10/24 San José Costa Rica, Amon Solar
18/10/24 Santiago Chile, RBX
19/10/24 Sao Paulo Brazil, Madame
23/11/24 Leeds UK, The Old Woolen
24/11/24 London UK, The Black Heart
26/11/24 Reading UK, The Facebar
29/11/24 Bielefeld Germany, Movie
30/11/24 Cologne Germany, Blue Shell
01/12/24 Bochum Germany, Rockpalast
04/12/24 Berlin Germany, Urban Spree
05/11/24 Copenhagen Denmark, Lygten Station
(More dates to be confirmed)

About The Cassandra Complex

The Cassandra Complex

Aiboforcen interview: ‘Transcending boundaries between noise and silence…’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:28:41 +0000

The iconic Belgian dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen recently returned with their 7th studio album, “Between Noise & Silence”. Led by Benoit Blanchart and featuring the enigmatic Patrice Synthea (REGENERATOR), this album merges melancholic dark synth/EBM anthems with thrilling collaborations! Notable appearances include EBM/industrial legends like Patrick Codenys of FRONT 242, POUPPEE FABRIKK & IMPLANT (in a duet), and NUMB. The album also features outstanding female vocalists from the pop wave scene, such as Mari Kattman (HELIX), Noemi Aurora (HELALYN FLOWERS), Emke (BLACK NAIL CABARET), and SORROW STORIES… Without forgetting the splendid collaboration with Jan Dieckmann of NORDERNEY who sings on several songs and strongly contributes to crafting the album’s magic through moving lyrics, catchy dark pop melodies, and upbeat EBM sequences that often evoke the melodic and emotional depth of VNV NATION! Benoit gave us more insights on his new album…

You can order the new album now on Bandcamp as download and on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore. Note that the 3CD version was sold out immediately.

Between Noise & Silence (Bandcamp Version) by AIBOFORCEN

S. “Between Noise & Silence” is your 7th studio album and features an impressive 22 tracks. Can you share the journey of creating such a substantial body of work, and what inspired the album’s title?

B. I started working slowly on what would become this new album during the covid period. Like many bands, those very special times allowed me to concentrate and spend much mor time in the studio creating new sequences and sounds. After a few months, what was started with no clear objective became to take shape and I started gathering several demo tracks thinking I could use them for an EP or album. It was a very creative period and also (hopefully for me) the opportunity to learn/improve a bit more the mixing and production side of the aïboforcen sound… I thus also started thinking about the right vocalist for each track. The title track “between noise & silence” is actually a sentence coming from a demo track that Tina from SORROW STORIES was working on for me… it became the title for the track but also for the album. It’s a bit of a special track (a bit more complex) that I really wanted to be on the album but couldn’t find the right vocalist for it… Then Tina did a test and she nailed it down!! 😊 It also has a double meaning because since I’m not considering myself as a musician what I create in a studio probably lies in the grey area between noise and silence! 😉

S. On this album it seems that Patrice Synthea and Jan D. play a key role as vocalists? Tell us more about these collaborations?

B. Well, Patrice (REGENERATOR) has been the main vocalist with aïboforcen for quite a long time now and she helped creating some kind of a trademark for us. But I’m always interested in working for certain tracks with other vocalists, either male or female. Of course it can break a bit the cohesion of the album but for me it’s more like trying to avoid the monotony of the album. I see/hear the different voices as new instruments I can play with, and it can totally change the result of the tracks. I also appreciate the fact that I can offer a broader pallet of sounds and emotions. I was introduced to Jan while working on a remix for our label mates of ELEKTROSTAUB. I knew a bit of his project NORDERNEY that I also appreciated a lot and I thought he would be the right vocalist for a track I was working on at the time. I sent him a demo and after a few days he came up with something really brilliant for me. I was so pleased with the result that I asked him to do a second track and the result turned out to be even better… He has such an emotional voice that it really adds another dimension to the song and brings them to a next level. After a while we started swapping ideas but also sequences and sounds and he eventually became more and more involved in the whole process. He helped me a lot giving advises and also programmed several synth lines, what was totally new and unusual for me… it was surprising, challenging and it contributed in creating a more mature and developed sound. In the end he helped for a great bunch of the album in various forms… Therefore the album is also much more balanced between male and female vocals. He also made a duet with Patrice on the track “everything” and I’m pretty sure that it’s something we should try again in the future…

S. The album indeed boasts collaborations with a variety of other artists too, from EBM/industrial legends to outstanding female vocalists. How did these collaborations come about, and what unique contributions did each guest artist bring to the album specifically?

B. As I said, when a demo is finished I try to think about what would be the right vocalist and what it would add to the sound of it. Of course there are some people/singer I would dream of having on the album but sometimes I have to stick to reality. My choice is influenced by the music I listen to, people I met through remixing, bands I know and so on… I’ve been blessed in the past working with great artists such as Jean-Luc from FRONT 242 and this album also gathers some legend from the scene such as Henrikk from POUPPEE FABRIKK or yet Don Gordon from NUMB who both helped me deliver the most aggressive cuts from the album. Tina from SORROW STORIES was also really involved in the process, contributing to several tracks that we can find both on the EP and the album but also on the special 8cm cd available with the limited edition. I had met her through a remix I had done for PSY’AVIAH actually and I had been mesmerized by her rather delicate and otherworldly vocals. She is also a very passionate and nice person, and meeting and exchanging with people is another aspect of collaborating on tracks. Then there is also Noemi Aurora who helped us with her very characteristic and powerful voice and it helped adding the extra touch to “cycle of life” and “heaven knows” you can find on the album. It was a pleasure working with her and she’s a professional and also involved and more than passionate with music… Also doing a track with Emese from BLACK NAIL CABARET was really an honor for me. She has one of the most distinctive voice from the scene at the moment and the result is a very captivating cut with upbeat sequences. I really hope listeners will like this track as much as I do…

Mari Kattman also lends her voice on the opening track as well as on a remix of “In My Arms” (a track from the previous album) and she also has a very distinctive and beautiful voice. Last but not least I also worked with Len from Implant since he is a long time friend of us and I was glad to have him back in one form or another. With the lyrics of the track he did evoke, it’s like a celebration of a long-time relationship between us (including also Seba, Bernard, Stephan) and how it was when we started this all as students (the magazine, the label, the bands, the gigs).

Patrice Synthea

S. Your sound is often compared to iconic acts like VNV NATION, FRONT 242 or yet COVENANT. How do you approach honoring these influences while still maintaining your own distinct identity as AIBOFORCEN? “Between Noise & Silence” seamlessly weaves between oppressive industrial assaults and catchy synth-pop tunes. Can you discuss the creative process behind balancing these contrasting elements to create a cohesive listening experience?

B. Well, it’s sure that I’ve been listening to those bands a lot (one of my first vinyl was 242’s politics of pressure, along with Kraftwerk radioactivity’s 7”) but I am also influenced by other acts from inside and outside the scene. I listen to a lot of music from the EBM but also to darkwave, gothic, experimental, industrial or yet metal… All this is ingested and some parts/influences appear here and there in my music. Also I hope that with time I manage to create a bit of my own distinctive sound and style.

As far as VNV NATION is concerned, I have to admit that Ronan has a deep sense for great melodies and a very emotional voice and is an example of what soulful music is. So if we sound a bit like this it’s a good point for us! 😊 Remember he remixed one of our track at our respective very beginning! But I always try to balance catchier tracks/tunes with a rougher sound and more complex structures or experimentations. For me it’s kind of logical and it can create a cohesion because some sounds, fx, way of treating things are the same and reflects the different side of one same “machine”. Also I tend to focus on recording an album with highs and lows rather than a succession of single tracks… so this new album (especially the first disc) needs to be explored and listened as a whole, with the tracks kind of merging one into another. I spent hours / days / months working on sometimes very little details of mixing, samples, eq’s to find the best result I could. I like it when it takes several listening to really get all the details included in the tracks and hopefully surprise the listeners…

S. One of the tracks on the album is a cover of DEATH IN JUNE’s “Break The Black Ice.” What drew you to reinterpret this particular song, and how did you make it your own while staying true to the original?

B. We’ve always tried to include at least one cover song on any of our releases, either for fun or to show where our roots are… I was introduced to DEATH IN JUNE’s music more than thirty years ago and the album “The World That Summer” from 1986 has always been a favorite of mine. “Break the black ice” was an obvious choice because it is a rather simple, dark but catchy song, kind of desperate also and I really liked the version sung by Rose McDowall which is a fragile and delicate dark cut. I thought that Patrice could do it as well and recorded a demo. The first version was really slower and darker than the one on the album. We will feature it on a compilation from our label later this year actually. The final version has a stronger beat and an aggressive lead sound while the original one is softer. Both Patrice and I liked the version very much and what was a the beginning more like a “b-side” became one of the main important track from the album… I hope fans of DEATH IN JUNE and AIBOFORCEN will be pleased by this tribute… the structure is rather close to the original version from DEATH IN JUNE but of course it’s 100% electronics and there are some distortions here and there… 😊

S. The album is described as a high-tension dark elektro masterpiece. How did you approach crafting the sound production to achieve this level of intensity and maturity?

B. I always spend a long time editing, changing, mixing, adding details and I hope it can be reflected in the overall sound of the album. I never intend to choose the easiest way while producing the music and I hope I raised the level a bit more on this new release. I spent much more time on the vocals (cutting, eq’s , volumes, …) than on any other previous releases; there are lot of movie samples (hidden or not), lots of different synths and fx… I can sometimes leave a track for one month and then come back with new ideas and Jan also helped me developing as much as possible this new sound which is probably more focused than before. It still goes into any directions but with a common thread and overall atmosphere throughout the numerous tracks. It was exhausting (especially at the end) but it was worth (at least personally) and I really hope our fans will like it…

S. How important is the visual aspect of your music, and what role does it play in enhancing the overall experience for listeners?

B. It is important, not as much as the music, but it sets the tone for the whole album. We always tried to have eye-catching sleeve or at least mysterious ones that will give the envy to enter into the universe of aïboforcen… When I was a kid, I used to go to a place where you could rent vinyls and I would sometimes rent releases just because the sleeve would attract me in a way or another. On this release we obviously used AI to create the graphics but it was intended and assumed. It was our easiest way to express and get the closest to the images we had in mind while creating the music. And since our music relies on techniques, processors, synthetic soundscapes, it makes sense…

S. Lastly, the first 50 orders from the official Alfa Matrix e-shop received a signed version with an exclusive bonus mini-CD. Can you tell us more about the significance of this bonus content and what fans can expect from these exclusive tracks?

B. When the album was completed and sent to the mastering, I noticed that there were a few tracks left without vocals that couldn’t make it on the album but were a good insight of what it’s like being in the studio and working on new tracks. It is more like demo’s but also I had the feeling that they could stand on their own and give another view on our music. The first of those 4 tracks is called “eliza effect” and is a brand new one that maybe will give some infos of how the future sound of aïboforcen will be (or not). The track “pulsions” (with vocals by Tina from SORROW STORIES) arrived too late in the process of the album but was good enough as well. In the end it gives the opportunity to the die-hard fans to have some extra tracks (unreleased) and have a bit more “intimacy” with the band…

Uwe H. Schmidt faces huge backlash after playing Russian Outline festival

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 16:11:21 +0000

(The visual is AI generated) In July 2024, German composer, musician and producer of electronic music Uwe H. Schmidt (aka Lassigue Bendthaus, Atom™, Atom Heart, or Señor Coconut) headlined the Russian Outline festival, which returned after its last edition in 2016, and this amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Run by the team behind Moscow club Mutabor, the house, techno and experimental festival took place last week (18-24 July) in Taldom, a small town on the outskirts of the capital. Playing were international acts like Atom™, Margaret Dygas and Le Syndicat Electronique who joined local DJs and live acts including Tim Aminov, Denis Kaznacheev and Sofia Rodina.

Present at the festival also was a military recruitment tent and vehicles marked with the letter “Z”, symbols associated with the Russian military effort against Ukraine.

Moscow region July 2023. Outline festival. I pointed out that u should remember those artists in the lineup. Can we tell now that they are officially support genocide of Ukrainians and act as an entertainment at the points of recruiting (mobilization) of russians for the war? pic.twitter.com/gxi5G6SgJf
— Maya Baklanova (@mayabaklanova) July 7, 2023

It didn’t take long before critics, such as Ukrainian activist Maya Baklanova, said that Western artists performing in Russia were normalizing the war and supporting the Russian regime by their participation.

Schmidt responded to the criticism by calling it a “smear campaign” against him. He defended his performance, implying that the accusations were unfounded and intended to damage his reputation. And he added: “It is also painful that at this point in my career I have, for the first time, to make a non-musical public statement of that sort, yet it seems that times require this to be done. (…) I consider myself a profoundly non- or rather trans-political person. Many years ago I had decided to take the path of making true human bonds through music. Unlike politics, which is the mode of separation, I had chosen music, which is the mode of connection.”

Surprisingly Schmidt’s recent performance in Russia was backed by an official support letter, issued by the German Embassy in St. Petersburg.

Liebe deutsche Techno-Community, um @Atom_TM_news, liebes deutsches Generalkonsulat in Sankt Petersburg @germania_online, habt ihr sie noch alle? Im kriegführenden russland die kriegsbejahende Masse mit deutschen Techno-Acts belohnen und damit diesen Terrorstaat normalisieren? pic.twitter.com/8BdGFjA7z8
— Ukrainki_UA (@Ukrainki_UA) July 28, 2024

This letter was accompanied by a meeting with the general consul Mr. Schimandl of which an official post was made on VK by the German Embassy itself. We took a screenshot of said post below.

DJ Atom™ and the Consul General of Germany Milan Schimandl

Criticism continues as for instance even Russian techno producer Pavel Milyakov (aka Buttechno) accused the artists at the festival of attracting people to a war effort, stating that their performances indirectly supported the military budget used for the invasion of Ukraine.

Und wie wird sich versucht rauszureden? @Atom_TM_news will Verbindungen schaffen. Ich bezweifle, dass auf dem Festival Ukrainer sind. Zwischen wem werden also diese Verbindungen geschaffen? Zahlenden Kunden und einem deutschen DJ…? pic.twitter.com/9rfXdDRLaC
— Ukrainki_UA (@Ukrainki_UA) July 28, 2024

His official statements contains some disturbing clues, such as, “this link may be blocked in your free, democratic country,” “this situation, the one of being forced into political obedience,” and “(it) has poisoned music and other arts as it enslaves them to ideology.” He seems to suggest that condemning Russian aggression equates to political obedience.

And that is when, regrettably, we recognize a kind of responses that are typical among artists who support Russia, like for instance Simone Salvatori (Spiritual Front). It’s clear now that Uwe H. Schmidt decided to follow the Russian propaganda narrative instead of using is name and fame to condemn the Russian invasion. His defensive line as if music should be non-political is hereby completely destroyed. Rumor has it also that the DJs playing at the fest received exceptionally high fees.

Sad to see this happening from an artist we used to admire. Not anymore after this.

About Uwe H. Schmidt

Uwe H. Schmidt, born on August 27, 1968, in Frankfurt, Germany, began his musical journey in the early 1980s. Initially playing drums, he soon transitioned to programming a drum computer inspired by the sounds of the Linn Drum. In 1986, Schmidt co-founded the cassette label N.G. Medien, releasing works by international artists, including Frontline Assembly, and his own project Lassigue Bendthaus with “The Engineer’s Love”. His first official Lassigue Bendthaus album, “Matter”, was recorded over four years and released in 1991, establishing his early career.

Living in Frankfurt, Schmidt was influenced by the burgeoning house and acid house scenes. He adopted the alias Atom Heart and released several dance-oriented 12-inch vinyl records under various project names. In 1992, he produced tracks for DJs Pascal F.E.O.S., Ata, and Heiko M/S/O, contributing to the early trance movement. Collaborations with Tetsu Inoue led to the formation of the Datacide project in 1993. Despite challenges with record labels, Schmidt continued to innovate, founding his own label, Rather Interesting, in 1994 to explore diverse musical ideas.

In the mid-1990s, Schmidt collaborated with artists like Bill Laswell and Haruomi Hosono, producing albums under multiple aliases. He met Chilean musician Dandy Jack, and in 1997, they relocated to Santiago, Chile, where Schmidt completed the first Señor Coconut album, “El Gran Baile”. This period marked the creation of his “electrolatino” style, blending traditional Latin music with electronic elements. He continued to release a monthly album on Rather Interesting.

Schmidt’s last Lassigue Bendthaus album, “Pop Artificielle”, released in 1999 under the name LB included electronic cover versions of famous pop songs. His next major project, “El Baile Alemán” by Señor Coconut, featured cha-cha-cha versions of Kraftwerk songs and received approval from Kraftwerk themselves. The album’s success led to international tours, including Europe and an intended U.S. tour. During this time, Schmidt also released innovative works like Geeez ‘n’ Gosh and collaborated with Bernd Friedmann on the Flanger project.

Schmidt continued to remix prominent artists, including Depeche Mode and Air, while touring extensively with his 9-piece Señor Coconut orchestra. The album “Yellow Fever!”, featuring covers of Yellow Magic Orchestra songs, became a major hit in Japan. Schmidt also released the Señor Coconut album “Around the World”, collaborating with artists like Stephan Remmler and Louie Austen.

Cubic interview: ‘Electro, techno and EBM into one package!’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 08:59:30 +0000

Relying solely on hardware synths, drum machines, and fx, the sound of Cubic is made of relentless basslines, vocoder voices, and 4/4 kicks. An explosive fusion of 808 drums, KRAFTWERK percussions, and nostalgic 80’s computer vibes. For the occasion of the release of his new studio album “Back To Basic”, we talked with Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme about synths, computers and floppy disks…

The new album is available from Bandcamp and from the Alfa Matrix webstore on CD.

Back To Basic by CUBIC

SL. “Back To Basic” pays homage to the iconic Commodore computers with its title and previous EP releases “c64” and “c128”. Can you tell us more about how these influences shaped the concept and sound of the album?

F. I estimate that I must have got my first computer ( an Atari 800 XL ) sometime around 1986/1988 . Shortly afterwards it was traded in for a Commodore 64. At that time (I was around 14 years old) I was already very into electronic music . With these computers, I naturally thought that I would now be able to handle everything (which was not the case of course). But the familiar sound of the SID chip (in the 64) and the simple programming of a melody (in BASIC) formed the basis of my further musical path. So it seemed appropriate to release a limited floppy disk together with the new CD, containing a few samples that could be used freely. In addition to the floppy disc, the ‘fan pack ‘ also includes 2 postcards and a CUBIC business card

SL. The album promises an explosive fusion of 808 drums, KRAFTWERK percussions, and nostalgic 80’s computer vibes. How did you balance incorporating these retro elements while still creating something fresh and relevant for modern listeners?

F. In my opinion, it is impossible to make really “new” music, everything has been tried before. Over the years you start (under) consciously storing things you like in the back of your mind, which then come back to the surface when you start making music. So the new album definitely contains a lot of ‘classic’ sounds and structures. It is probably not innovative, but I do try to take these classical sounds to a higher level using modern technologies.

SL. “Computer Alphabet”, the opening track, features vocals by the iconic Speak and Spell computer. What inspired this choice, and how does it set the tone for the rest of the album? I see it also as a bridge with the previous album’s concept?

F. Indeed, the first track forms the bridge between the previous album and the new path I have taken with this new album. The previous album was all about the “alphabet”, so it seemed appropriate to repeat this theme one more time. I think I first got to know the Speak and Spell computer sound through the sample in the track LFO by LFO on the Warp label in 1990, which had a big impact on me. The name ‘speak and spell ‘ is of course even more important in my musical influence : the iconic (and best) Depeche Mode album! And yes, I have an original Speak and Spell computer in the studio (but I think you could already guess that).

SL. You mentioned influences from classic electro artists like Anthony Rother and Dopplereffect. How do you pay homage to these pioneers while also infusing your own unique style and modern twists into tracks like ‘ART INN’ or yet ‘Pleasure Machine’?

F. It has to be said that it is mainly because of Dave Clarke that I got to know the ‘electro’ sound. This through his various compilations ( “X-mix Electro Boogie” from 96 and the “World Service” from 2001). This made me delve further into the genre and I discovered artists like Anthony Rother and Dopplerffect. It is a genre that still moves me after 25 years. And as for Anthony Rother, a lot of respect that he keeps going, I still enjoy his monthly youtube videos in his studio. This “electro” scene is still very much alive : there are still a lot of releases and labels dedicated to this genre. With this album, I hope to conquer a place in this community by combining electro, techno and ebm influences into one package.

SL. “Back To Basic” relies solely on hardware synths, drum computers, and effects. Can you discuss the creative process behind using these tools to craft the album’s sonic palette, and how it differs from working with software-based production?

F. First of all, I have no prejudice between soft or hardware or analogue versus digital. Everyone should use what suits them best. For me this is hardware! For this album I used a specific live setup : 1 drum computer + 3 synthesizers + 1 hardware sequencer. With this I started jamming and laying down the basis for a song. Everything is then recorded ‘live’ on separate tracks into Logic ( through my Soundcraft MTK 22 mixer, usually 8 or so separate tracks). Once this basis was there, I could add things or cut and paste until I had a full song. A way of working that I will also use in the future.

SL. The album features the unique use of the first Belgian Drumcomputer (Modor DR2) and its synthesizer counterpart (Modor NF1). What drew you to these specific instruments, and how do they contribute to the overall sound of CUBIC? I have the impression that your home-studio tends to become a sort of synth museum?

F. I’ve always had a weakness for drum computers. So there wasn’t much resistance to also buying the first (e only) Belgian drum computer. Modor’s products are very tacky and really made for live use. They have a unique sound (although they can sound like the classic analogue machines, their aim is to be just different too). Since Belgium has never been a big player in all these electronic music instruments, it seemed only natural to support this project. I do indeed have a nice collection of instruments by now , but I don’t do this purely for collecting. After more than 35 years, I am still hungry to get to know and discover both new and old instruments. Mind you, to make fine music you don’t need 20 synthesizers . I always limit myself to a few instruments per project!

SL. As an artist, how do you navigate blending genres like electro, techno, and EBM to create a cohesive listening experience on “Back To Basic”?

F. CUBIC has always been a project where I wanted to mix different styles and not limit myself to one genre. Which way this goes often depends either on your mood or on the music you are listening to at that moment. For this second album, this is clearly more ‘electro’ than the previous one. But as said, a next album can then go in a different direction, without really losing your identity. And of course it’s great that the label allows me the freedom to experiment across all these different genres.

SL. What do you hope listeners take away from this album, and how do you see it fitting into the broader landscape of electronic music today?

F. In a certain sense, of course, it remains a niche market in which I operate. But a song like ‘TITT’, with vocals and some nice melodies can certainly find its place within a wider audience. I also notice that the new sounds are generating more plays, so we are heading in the right direction here.

Cubic goes ‘Back To Basic’ with brand new Kraftwerkian album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:05:28 +0000

Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme has just released his brand new Cubic album “Back To Basic”. The new album follows the release of the 2-track singles “c64” and “c128” paying homage to the iconic Commodore computers.

The new album is available as download on Bandcamp and via the Alfa Matrix webstore on CD. You can also buy it in combination with the new Metroland, Aiboforcen and Elektroklänge albums at a discount price.

Back To Basic by CUBIC

Note that there is also a Belgian element to this new album as “Back To Basic” also boasts the unique use of the first Belgian Drumcomputer (Modor DR2) and its synthesizer counterpart (Modor NF1).

Gefundenes Fressen for every Kraftwerk fan out there. Below are already two album tracks. Read the review of ‘Back To Basic’.

https://youtu.be/RGVN0ioEHKU?si=4XlWQlb4h1WV2d8i

Elektroklänge pays tribute to Kraftwerk on new ‘Motorik’ album – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:20:11 +0000

The Swedish minimalistic electro-pop act Elektroklänge have just released their second conceptual album “Motorik”. The album is the follow-up to their 2022 album “Komposituation” and was already teased by the recently released the “Abfahrt” EP.

Musically the project revives the vintage Kraftwerkian “Düsseldorf sound” adding an own signature style. And if you pay attention it will not exactly be a secret that “Motorik” is inspired by Kraftwerk’s groundbreaking “Autobahn” album, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Even the cover artwork is close to that of the 2009 remastered version.

The album holds 10 tracks. You can order the album on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore, or as download via Bandcamp. And for those who want some more electropop in one go, Alfa Matrix also offers a packet holding this album for a very limited time plus the new full lengths from Metroland, Cubic and Aiboforcen at a special price.

Motorik by ELEKTROKLÄNGE

You can check out the band’s previous album right below. Read the review of ‘Motorik’.

Komposituation by ELEKTROKLÄNGE

Metroland lands all new album, ‘Forum’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:17:39 +0000

Alfa Matrix, the Belgian label, has embraced a Kraftwerk-inspired mode, marking the announcement of its third electro-pop release reminiscent of Kraftwerk’s iconic sound. Following Elektroklänge and Cubic, it’s now the turn of Metroland to take the spotlight.

The Belgian duo, comprising Passenger A and Passenger S, is back with a new album, “Forum”, the follow-up to their March 2023 released “0” album. The new album was already teased by the 3-track single “Industry” (which was released earlier on Bandcamp exclusively first and will from tomorrow on hit all other platforms).

The new Metroland album is available on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore and as download / streaming via Bandcamp (and all other platforms).

Forum (Exclusive Bandcamp Version) by METROLAND

Originally considered as a potential concluding single for “0” in 2023, “Forum” has since then evolved into a full-fledged album with a distinct concept. Drawing inspiration from the World Economic Forum in Davos, as their previous album did, “Forum” aims to explore the convergence of innovation and nostalgia, described by the label as ‘a hymn to the 21st-century industrial revolution.’

It’s important to note that “Forum” is available in 2 different versions: the download and streaming formats will feature a unique tracklist compared to the CD version. That’s why the Bandcamp release of “Industry” includes two versions of the title track (5.0 and 6.0), while the CD edition offers a comprehensive 10-minute experience encapsulating all six industrial revolutions, exclusively for CD listeners.

Tracklist CD:

Cooperation in a fragmented world
The great reset
Activity as a timetrigger
Happy nothing
Baukultur (the davos declaration)
Infotainment
Quantum
World economic forum
Industry 1.0 *
Industry 2.0 *
Industry 3.0 *
Industry 4.0 *
Industry 5.0
Industry 6.0

(*) exclusive tracks for the CD version – NOT available on digital platforms

In case you missed the “Industry” single that preceded the album, check below. Read the review of ‘Forum’.

Industry EP by METROLAND

Side-Line also covered Metroland’s ‘Every new release is a fresh new audio canvas’.

Jakojako launches all new track ‘Modus’ from ‘Segmente’ EP (NovaMute)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 21 May 2024 16:59:19 +0000

(Photo by Marco Krueger) Berlin based modular synthesist and DJ JakoJako, aka Sibel Koçer, has shared the first track, “Modus”, from her new four-track “Segmente” EP, set for release via NovaMute on 26 July 2024. All four tracks on this new upcoming EP originated in her live shows.

The new EP follows the “Verve” EP, her debut for Mute, a full length album, “Metamorphos” (2022, Bigamo) and her collaboration with Rødhåd, “In Vere” (2022, WSNWG), both of which came hot on the heels of two remixes for Mute – New Order’s “Be A Rebel” and Martin Gore’s “Vervet”.

Here’s “Modus”.

Koçer started her career working with modular systems and patch cables. Her studies soon progressed into performing regular live sets in Berlin, a Berghain Residency and a position at Berlin electronic music institution, SchneidersLaden.

In recent years she has been involved in several motion sensor dance projects with dancers at Superbooth and Kraftwerk Berlin, and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall with Bonobo, and at the Barbican in London with an improvised ‘Circle Of Live’ performance that featured dance and a specially commissioned art installation.

Jakojako live dates

26 May –Berghain (DE)
8 June – Wurzelfestival DE)
15 June – Danza Futura Festival (PT)
20 June – La Nature Festival (Ambient live set) (BE)
21 June – La Nature Festival (DJ set) (BE)
22 June – Dancity (IT)
14 July – Berghain (DE)
19 July – Detect Classic Festival (Live performance with the Detect Ensemble) (DE)
19 July – Detect Classic Festival (DJ set) (DE)
20 July – Harbour Summer
26 July – 2Nature (IT)
27 July – Junction 2 Festival (UK)
28 July – Äiniwalli (FI)
2 Aug – Whole Festival (DE)
11 Aug – Paradigm Festival (NL)
17 Aug – Ratherlost at Lofi (NL)
18 Aug – TR3 Festival (DE)
30 Aug – Station Nuage (FR)
31 Aug – Doel Festival (BE)
7 Sep – Draaimolen Festival (NL)
14 Sep – Smut Athens (GR)
20 Sep – Klub K4 (SI)
27 Sep – Berlin, Berghain (DE)

Empire State Human offer ‘Robot Love 2002>2009’ compilation – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 08 May 2024 07:38:20 +0000

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Dublin based synthpop band Empire State Human has announced the release of its latest compilation album “Robot Love” aka “Robot Love 2002>2009”. The release is covering the years 2002-2009 and holds 20 tracks featuring songs from the first 8 Empire State Human releases.

Included are their collaborations with Bronski Beat’s Steve Bronski, John Giacobello, Wave In Head, Ganymede, Freezepop and Tycho Brahe. “Robot Love” follows the release of their most recent “Primo” compilation (which covered the years 2010-2021). “Robot Love” is out now via Mish Mosh Records.

Robot Love >2002-2009 by Empire State Human

Lead singer and founding member Aidan Casserly says: “Empire State Human is a project I hold very dear to my heart. Creating Synthpop has been a substantial part of my creativity since the ESH debut album ‘Pop Robot’ in 2002. Electronic pop music has opened many doors for me and I look forward to ’Robot Love’ with great pride and excitement.”

Empire State Human has released 9 studio albums since 2002. They also have worked with ex-Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flur, and had a #1 in the US iTunes dance charts with a cover of John Carpenter’s “Halloween Theme”.

Elektroklänge – Abfahrt (EP – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: While Swedish Elektroklänge have their second full length-album in the pipeline they now strike back with this EP featuring six songs.

Content: “Abfahrt” moves on from where the debut album “Komposituation” (2022) stopped; a new Electro/Robotic-Pop production clearly inspired by the sound of Kraftwerk. The songs are still sweet and soft featuring deep bass lines, endless bleeps and retro strings but also traffic sounds and other noises reinforcing the concept theme of the work. The last song is a remix by Elektro-Müller.

+ + + : If you’re into Kraftwerk-Pop music you definitely going to have to try Elektroklänge. And my favorite cut is the one coming the closest by Kraftwerk. “Bordcomputer – Radio Edit” even sounds as the best song I’ve heard from this band thus far. It’s ultra cliché but also ultra-cool. The songs are well-crafted and easy to listen to.

– – – : The main point that hurts with this type of project is the lack of originality. They adapted Kraftwerk into a sweeter edit but without the magic of the one and only Kraftwerk.

Conclusion: Elektroklänge remains imprisoned in the Kraftwerk-web and is going to catch the attention of fans of the band from Düsseldorf.

Best songs: “Bordcomputer – Radio Edit”, “Glitzerstrahl”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.elektroklange.com / www.facebook.com/Elektroklange

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Abfahrt’.

About Elektroklänge

Elektroklänge is a minimalistic electro-pop project from Stockholm, Sweden, working in a Kraftwerk-inspired robotic-pop style. The project released its debut album, “Komposituation”, in December 2022 on Alfa Matrix, following an earlier EP the same year. The “Abfahrt” EP followed in February 2024, and Elektroklänge continued the Kraftwerk homage later that year with the “Motorik” album and a tribute single marking the 50th anniversary of Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”.

Execunit returns with ‘Rust’ single – Out now on the Danish label Town And Towers Records

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:35:43 +0000

Out now is the single “Rust” (and the video for the track) by the Swedish alternative electronic/industrial synthpop act Execunit. Execunit, signed with the Nordic synth label Town And Towers Records, embarks here on a musical venture characterized by a blend of melodic industrial synthpop.

Originating from Sweden, Execunit’s music adopts a retro-futuristic approach, envisioning a dystopian future where humanity is subjugated by machines. The project was initiated in 2022 by Andreas Rimheden — known for his involvement in electronic music projects like Eternity Range and the 90s dark electronic underground band Morticians.

As far as the concept Rimheden is drawing inspiration from the dystopian outlooks featured in retro sci-fi films and their soundtracks by composers such as John Carpenter, alongside the robotic tunes of Kraftwerk and the abrasive electronic sounds of early industrial music.

The Cassandra Complex to release The Plague and more on CD in March

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:26:29 +0000

Out via Cop International on March 14 is “The Plague”, the brand new album by The Cassandra Complex. The album is their first since 2013 and while the streaming version of this album came out in 2022, it’s only now that the album will see a CD version, albeit in a fully remastered version. It will be supported by a world tour across 12 countries throughout 2024.

The Plague by The Cassandra Complex

The band took a hiatus for several years while Orpheus worked creating some of the most widely used music technology today, as well as production work with other bands such as The Sisters of Mercy, Kraftwerk, Within Temptation, Sinead O’Connor, Die Krupps, and many others. During the COVID lockdown the band got together using online collaboration tech to create 10 brand new songs.

The Cassandra Complex revisits ‘Sex & Death’

Out the same day is “Death & Sex” celebrating the 40th anniversary of the moment Rodney Orpheus, Paul Dillon, and Andy Booth got together in a basement in Leeds, England with a collection of cheap second-hand guitar pedals, synthesisers, and drum machines to start recording material. In 1993 they released the legendary album “Sex & Death” and now the band re-recorded 7 tracks of this classic record from scratch (note the inverted album title).

This new version features the original founders of the band Rodney Orpheus and Andy Booth, with long time additional members Chris Haskett (Henry Rollins Band, David Bowie) on guitar and Mera Roberts (Faith and the Muse, Black Tape for a Blue Girl) on cello, plus new member Brent Heinze (Probe 7) on keyboards.

The Cassandra Complex – First Tour dates 2024

UK – 14/03 Todmorden, The Golden Lion
UK – 16/03 Gateshead, The Black Bull
UK – 17/03 London, The Lower Third
B – 21/03 Charleroi, La Ruche Verriere
NL – 22/03 Amsterdam, Q-Factory
NL – 24/03 Heerlen, Nieuwe Nor
DK – 30/03 Copenhagen, Lygten
CZ – 21/05 Prague, Palac Akropolis

Kraftman revisits ‘Chernobyl’ fallout on new CD

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:12:08 +0000

Out on March 22 is the new album from the electropop act Kraftman, “Chernobyl”. The physical edition is limited to 300 hand-numbered copies and comes in a jewel case holding an 8-pages booklet.

Based in Manchester, UK, this is the music project of Gary Hunter who now offers his 3rd studio album, the follow-up to “Giro d’Italia” (2022) and the debut “Electrique Fabrique” (2021). Musically this should appeal to fans of Metroland, 808 Dot Pop or Kraftwerk.

This time Gary produced an album centered around the Chernobyl disaster, that occured in 1986. The album touches on subjects such as “Radiation”, “Anatoly Dyatlov” (Chief Engineer on duty in Reactor 4, on the night of the incident), “Uranium-235”, “Acute Radiation Syndrome” and more.

The CD edition not only includes the 10 main tracks, recorded for the project, it also includes a special 39 minute “Concept Version” of the album, that features all the main CD tracks, with additional recorded elements, so the listener, can immerse himself into the events that occurred at Chernobyl on that fateful night, as well as, the aftermath and consequences of the disaster.

Check out the album teaser below.

And this is the videoclip for “AZ-5”.

To get an idea what to expect you might also want to check out the “Meltdown To The Core” EP relased in November last year.

Meltdown To The Core EP by KRAFTman

Thor Modem – Ready To Comply (Album – Syrafabriken)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Thor Modem is a Swedish solo-project set up by Mats Ericsson (who has been also involved quite a time ago now with Poetica Grotesque and Blipp!). “Ready To Comply” is the debut album of Thor Modem featuring eight songs.

Content: The influences running through this work are obviously getting us back to the magic of Kraftwerk; robotic Electro-Pop music accentuated by computer-like vocals. Guest artists Anders Nygårds (the singer of Blipp!) and Arvid Tuba (with whom Thor Modem also released common works as Tuba/Modfem) have been featured at the song “Plastique”.

+ + + : The robotic Electro-Pop style is reminding multiple Swedish projects but remains a fascinating experience. The opening song “Just A Machined” and “Speed Of Light” featuring a cool melody line both are the most noticeable cuts revealing the potential of this artist. The retro-sound still has this refreshing sensation which also makes the difference with classical Electro-Pop bands. The artwork of the album is totally matching with the sound.

– – – : Most of the songs are however missing this catchy, melodic, element. So I should say there’re great ideas running through the album but I’m missing this little, essential, extra to speak about a major success.

Conclusion: This debut album gave me mixed feelings; there clearly is a potential hiding behind this project but it doesn’t come through at most of the songs. Let’s however keep an eye on Thor Modem.

Best songs: “Just A Machine”, “Speed Of Light”, “Not Human”.

Rate: 6½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/thor.modem

Label: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063621696110

About Thor Modem

Thor Modem is the solo project of Swedish musician Mats Ericsson, previously involved with Poetica Grotesque and Blipp!. “Ready To Comply,” reviewed here, is Thor Modem’s debut album, released in 2023 and built around the relationship between computers and humans, largely told from the computer’s perspective through robotic, Kraftwerk-indebted Electro-Pop and computer-like vocals.

The track “Plastique” features guest vocals from Anders Nygårds of Blipp! and Arvid Tuba, with whom Ericsson has also released material as Tuba/Modfem.

Kraftwerk gets the dub treatment on brand new tribute album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:57:24 +0000

Out via the Hamburg-based label Echo Beach on March 1st is the Kraftwerk tribute “Kraft”Dub”Werk” by Kid Loco meets Soul Sugar.

Behind Kid Loco we find Frenchman Jean-Yves Prieur, who released singles like “She”s My Lover” and “Love Me Sweet” and the album “A Grand Love Story”. Guillaume Méténier aka Soul Sugar has been featured on numerous Kid Loco productions for more than twenty years.

The Hamburg label Echo Beach, which has already issued dub commissions for a number of pop and new wave classics, now does it again with dub-versions of some of the greatest classics by German cult-act Kraftwerk. One of the tracks was already released on the compilation “King Size Dub Vol.23”.

The release is out on vinyl and on CD, however the CD includes 4 bonus-tracks.

The tracklist:

Ruckzuck
Autobahn (Bass Version)
Radioactivity
Antenna (Vox Edit)
Trans Europa Express
The Robots
Neon Lights
Computer Love

CD bonus tracks:

The Robots (Dub)
Trans Europ Express (Dub)
Antenna (Bonus Beat)
Autobahn (Nb Edit)

Check out “The Robots” below.

Click Interview with Darkness On Demand: ‘More Free To Communicate In Belgium Than In Germany’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

“Digital Outcast” is the third album by German formation Darkness On Demand which is available now on Bandcamp and on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore. After having released two albums on Repo Records ‘Falgalas’ and Gary Wagner signed to Alfa Matrix where they released the “Final Way” EP, the “Hang On (Winterhart remix)” and the “White Clouds” EP. The former Dance Or Die-members now strike back with “Digital Outcast”, a powerful, sophisticated and engaged EBM work. I talked about the album and other things with front man Gary Wagner.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Digital Outcast by DARKNESS ON DEMAND

Q: After a successful career as Dance Or Die you guys are now busy for a couple of years under the moniker Darkness On Demand. Do you perceive significant changes and/or evolutions between both bands or is just a natural evolution? And do you sometimes miss Dance Or Die?

Gary: We actually don’t miss anything of our former career with Dance Or Die. Falgalas and me played together since 1993 and the old producer and composer, who did not go on stage, had not enough material for new songs anymore… that’s why we decided to continue our story under the new flag Darkness On Demand.

The idea was to leave Dance Or Die as a Cult to start with the new material Falgalas had composed. The new songs are more Industrial and EBM and got much more melodies than before. The development of the new tracks started with our first longplayer “Post Stoneage Technology” continues the near future items. Just like the second one “Detoxination” which is concerned with man-machine themes we march on in that genre to keep Science Fiction alive. The astonishing thing was that the old fans expected the new start straight away. We still are the guys they know from stage and the short logo DOD is still up to date.

Q: I was surprised you signed to a Belgian label –Alfa Matrix. Why this move from a German label to a Belgian one and are there also plans for your side-projects?

Gary: Well the main reason for signing abroad was that Belgium is the Walhalla of Electronic Body Music. We are definitely inspired by Front 242, Klinik and A Split Second which come from Belgium. We planned to get the thing more international.

The former label was more concerned with Germany which was pretty all right for the start. But the fact that we were popular in countries such as Sweden, Mexico, USA and the European East pushed us forward to be promoted worldwide. There were music colleges who recommended Alfa Matrix to start that enterprise. We are very happy about that and we know that the label believes in our work.

By the way we still work on our other project Winterhart which is Martial, Industrial and Dark-Folk orientated.

Q: Over now to “Digital Outcast” which is the third full length by Darkness On Demand. The lyrical themes are –once more, very engaged and introduced as an ‘ invitation to reconnect with nature and reality, to escape from that digital world dominated by artificial social medias and credit card consumption’ is really interesting to me. I can imagine it’s a very personal reflection but can you give us more details? And how do you see it regarding the digital world and social media which is that important today for labels, bands etc…?

Gary: “Digital Outcast” is the digital answer to the digitalized world. We fight fire with fire, like we use Electronix for creating our answer to Goth-Rock. Real life turns into a cyberworld which is mankind created and has nothing to do with the real world outside.

In Kraftwerk’s “Computerwelt” you heard the warning of observation and a transparent mankind. The more data they get the more you are controlled by them. The problem in Germany is that they consider you as a conspiracy freak when you know and talk about this. You can have an attitude but the mass medias tell you what your attitude has to be. Quite complicated for bands that came from Punk-Rock .

This moment I feel much more free to communicate with you in Belgium than in Germany.

Q: How do you look back to the writing and production of “Digital Outcast”? Do you’ve any experiences and/or anecdotes you encountered that come directly into mind?

Gary: During the lockdown we found ourselves in ghost towns. Everything was closed, life stood still people were ill and lots of people died. It was a terrible time, we hope it won’t repeat. But in somehow it changed the attitude towards the government. Some were absolutely into the rules of authority, the others questioned it like they did before. Feelings such as loneliness and depressions came to our mind and that influenced our album conception.

One day during that period they closed Schleswig Holstein after we finished our singing recording and I had to leave this Bundesland for a return to Berlin. What a strange situation…

The EP “White Clouds” exactly describes this time I mentioned before.

Q: “White Clouds” sounds as a solid addendum to “Digital Outcast”. Is there anything more you want to say about the EP?

Gary:The EP “White Clouds” exactly describes this time I mentioned before. In some of these happy pills you find a little picture of grey clouds turning to white to take the medicine regularly. Sometimes pretty necessary to avoid a serious illness. Anyway… we still stand for the idea to make great Clubmixes on our EP’s. The dancefloor is still an important fact to communicate with the fans, besides the live activities.

Q: Gary and Heiko, I think you’re now working together for thirty years –or even more. What makes the chemistry between both of you and how do you perceive each other as ‘artist’ and the person behind the artistic creation?

Gary:As I already mentioned we both played the Dance Or Die shows since 1993. After a long break in the early 20th we decided to make new music together. Falgalas created lots of material with Classic sounds and instruments. We added real acoustic guitars and trumpets to form Winterhart. We released our albums on Danse Macabre Records. But then, once upon a time we were a little frustrated that Dance Or Die stood still. Therefore we found Darkness On Demand to return to Body and Industrial music.

Those days Falgalas lived in the middle of Berlin and we worked together at new songs every afternoon. Then he moved to Tönning near the North-Sea und built-up a New Studio he calls Dreiklangstudio. So I got to travel to the North for singing recordings. Less helter skelter than in Berlin. Silence enough for our future stories to keep the Dark Side alive. We turn Future into Reality

Cubic hits back with ‘c128’ EP announcing all new album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:04:28 +0000

Before the release of the new “Back To Basic” full length album, Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme aka Cubic comes out with a second 4-track EP. Titled after the legendary Commodore C128, this EP is the obvious logical successor to the previous “c64” EP.

The new EP features exclusive club oriented and extended versions of “Art In” and “Human Computer”. While “MF2HD” is an exclusive non-album track, Cubic also offers a powerful EBM/industrial dance mix of “B C L” by label-mates Diffuzion.

Kraftwerk comes to mind but with a very refined contemporary sound. The EP is now residing in the Top 10 best selling downloads on Bandcamp in the industrial section. You can find it here on Bandcamp.

c128 EP by CUBIC

About Cubic

Franky Deblomme started out with his EBM-project Darkmen. After having stopped the project he started working under the Cubic moniker. After the excellent “Alphabet Hymn”-EP and having revisited the 808 Dot.Pop-album “Cubic Temperature”, Franky launched Cubic’s debut album “The Cubic Alphabet”. The sound has a clear connection with 808 Dot.Pop and Metroland; a kind of Kraftwerk-Pop with a personal and more diversified touch on top.

Karl Bartos, former Kraftwerk member, to release new soundtrack for ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:17:52 +0000

Out via Bureau B on February 9th is the all new Karl Bartos (former member Kraftwerk) soundtrack “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” which includes narrative film music and sound design for Robert Wiene’s classic 1920 psychological thriller. The film comes digitally restored in 4K by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation.

Musician and writer Karl Bartos has long been an admirer of Weimar-era culture. During his time in Kraftwerk, he helped create the stunning track ‘Metropolis’, directly inspired by a band viewing of the classic 1927 Fritz Lang film of the same name. The original orchestral music composed for “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” by Giuseppe Becce had long been lost and in 2005, after watching the film, Bartos imagined what it would be like, to create an entirely new one in the 21st Century in his home studios in Hamburg.

“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” is his first piece of film music and sound design. The release is planned on double vinyl and digipak CD.

Now with crystal clear images, digitally restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, the film is visually the best quality it has ever been, and now comes with Bartos’ soundtrack.

About Karl Bartos

Born in Germany in 1952, sound, music and culture have been a lifelong fascination for Karl. He studied at the Robert Schumann Conservatory in Düsseldorf, played at the Deutsche Oper and was in several experimental bands before he joined Kraftwerk for their Autobahn tour of the US in 1975. He co-composed tracks and performed with the band until 1990 and is featured on the seminal albums “Radio-Activity” (1975), “Trans-Europe Express” (1977), “The Man-Machine” (1978), “Computer World” (1981), “Electric Café” (1986) and “The Mix” (1991).

After leaving Kraftwerk, he first formed the band Elektric Music (2 albums in 1993+1998), collaborated with Bernard Sumner (New Order), Johnny Marr (The Smiths) for their Electronic band project and with Andy McCluskey (OMD), and released two well-regarded solo albums (2003 & 2013).

In 2021, Karl Bartos was awarded the Early Influence Award / Kraftwerk as a member of the ‘classic line-up’ and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His autobiography “The Sound of the Machine – My Life in Kraftwerk and Beyond” was published in 2022 worldwide.

Below is the original film, albeit in less good quality for reference.

The Jesus And Mary Chain announce new album ‘Glasgow Eyes’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 17:47:24 +0000

(Photo by Mel Butler) The Jesus and Mary Chain today announced the March 8th release of their new album “Glasgow Eyes” via Fuzz Club. Out now is its lead single “jamcod”. The album’s first single, “jamcod,” welds dark electronica with the guitar sound of William Reid. You can check out the video here.

“Glasgow Eyes” was recorded at Mogwai’s Castle of Doom studio in Glasgow, where the brothers Jim and William Reid continued the creative process that resulted in their previous album, 2017’s “Damage and Joy”. The duo incorporated their love for Suicide and Kraftwerk and – surprise – jazz. Jim Reid elaborates, “But don’t expect ‘the Mary Chain goes jazz.’ People should expect a Jesus and Mary Chain record, and that’s certainly what Glasgow Eyes is. Our creative approach is remarkably the same as it was in 1984, just hit the studio and see what happens. We went in with a bunch of songs and let it take its course. There are no rules, you just do whatever it takes. And there’s a telepathy there – we are those weird not-quite twins that finish each other’s sentences.”

“Glasgow Eyes” will be available on CD and on single vinyl. For those who love the sound of vinyl at its purest, there will be a limited edition 45 rpm double-vinyl packaged with artwork by William Reid.

The Jesus And Mary Chain UK and European tour 2024

The duo will further mark their 40th year in 2024 with an autobiography (published by Orion/White Rabbit) and a major UK and European tour.

March 22 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
March 25 – Dublin, IE – Olympia
March 26 – Belfast, UK – Limelight 1
March 27 – Edinburgh, UK – Usher Hall
March 30 – London, UK – Roundhouse
April 2 – Copenhagen, DK – Amager Bio
April 3 – Gothenburg, SE – Pustervik
April 5 – Oslo, NO – Rockefeller
April 6 – Stockholm, SE – Munich Brewery
April 7 – Malmo, SE – Plan B
April 9 – Hamburg, DE – Markthalle
April 11 – Berlin, DE – Huxleys
April 12 – Cologne, DE – Live Music Hall
April 13 – Paris, FR – Elysée Montmartre
April 15 – Geneva, CH – L’Usine
April 16 – Winterthur, CH – Salzhaus
April 17 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz
April 19 – Krems, AT – Donaufestival
April 20 – Heidelberg, DE – Halle O2
April 21 – Tilburg, NL – Roadburn Festival
April 23 – Brussels, BE – AB
April 24 – The Hague, NL – Paard

Parallel Worlds – Applied Maths (Album – Móatún 7)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

#post_seo_title

Genre/Influences: Ambient-Electro, Experimental, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Greek sound engineer Bakis Sirros strikes back again with a new opus of his Parallel Worlds project. I noticed the debut album of the project was released twenty years ago.

Content: The sound universe of this artist remains driven and directly inspired by some of the greatest and most influential Ambient-Electro composers. This work reflects the magic of astral Electronic atmospheres. The music brings us back in time reminding us of the genius of Tangerine Dream and also Kraftwerk.

+ + + : The tracks have been meticulously built up featuring unique, analogue sound treatments. Parallel Worlds never stop improving its composition process which has been accentuated and getting more accessible through slow -and sometimes heavy, rhythms. The work will make you dream and carry you away to an imaginary soundscape.

– – – : My single regret is that I would like to hear the songs with some vocal parts and/or effects or just a few spoken samplings.

Conclusion: Parallel Worlds stands for the true magic of Electronic music and comes as an ode to some of its pioneers.

Best songs: “Virtual Carrier”, “Machinism”, “Tension”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.parallel-worlds-music.com / www.facebook.com/parallelworldsmusic

Label: www.facebook.com/moatun7records

Listen to “Applied Maths”:

Applied Maths by PARALLEL WORLDS

About Parallel Worlds

Parallel Worlds is the ambient-electro project of Greek sound engineer Bakis Sirros. Its debut album was released roughly twenty years before “Applied Maths”, the release reviewed here, on Móatún 7 Records.

Re-issue of two vintage tracks from pioneering NYC synth punks Comateens

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:35:13 +0000

The Comateens tracks “Danger Zone” and “Elizabeth’s Lover” are being reissued by Left for Dead, a label with a long connection to both the band and their guitarist Ramona Jan. The 12-inch will be a limited, very collectible release with 90 copies on orange vinyl and 200 on black vinyl.

The Comateens’ Ramona Jan and Nicholas ‘Nic North’ Dembling had just gotten started when they recorded “Danger Zone” while “Elizabeth’s Lover” marked Jan’s turn from punk rock to new wave. Both cuts were recorded at Mediasound in 1979 with Jan on guitar, North on bass, Byrd on synths and Viderci playing drums. Don Wersheba and Harvey J. Goldberg engineered while Ray Janos was the mastering engineer.

As a sidenote, the band was able to record at Mediasound because Jan was an audio engineer there, one of only a handful of women engineers in the world. She had a lifelong career in engineering and production that led to work with Brian Eno, Talking Heads, Ramones (who wrote “Ramona” about her.) and more.

“Danger Zone” was originally backed with “Cool Chick”, recorded during the same session and released independently on Teenmaster Records. Jan left the band shortly after recording these songs “due to a series of unfortunate misunderstandings”, so this version of “Elizabeth’s Lover” was never released. Jan recorded it again, later, with Dizzy and the Romilars. Left for Dead’s James Reynolds considered releasing the original “Danger Zone” single on his Jimboco Records, however he put out Dizzy and the Romilars’ version of “Elizabeth’s Lover” in 1980 instead, followed by the Ramona Jan-produced NastyFacts single “Drive My Car” in ‘81.

The Comateens were one of NYC’s earliest synth-punk bands, along with Suicide and Kraftwerk one of the few live bands to perform with a drum machine. Jan and North formed the band in 1978. Singer and synth player Lyn Byrd and drummer Harry Viderci joined shortly afterwards. Comateens continued after Jan left the band, recording three full lengths before breaking up in the mid-1980s. Their biggest hit was a cover of the “Munster’s Theme Song”, recorded in 1981.

Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme aka Cubic returns with ‘c64’ EP ahead of new album – available now

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:34:32 +0000

Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme is set to release Cubic’s new studio album through the Alfa Matrix label. The album will feature elements such as 808 drums, percussions reminiscent of Kraftwerk, and references to 80’s floppy discs and vintage personal computers.

Cubic has now released a 4-track EP titled “c64” via Bandcamp, which draws inspiration from the Commodore 64 computer.

The approach of this EP is like a voyage through the vintage synth world. The opening track “TITT” incorporates elements commonly found in classic electro tracks, such as 808 style drums, a dreiklangsdimensionen snare, percussion sounds, analog basslines, and vocoder voices. Following this, “Offline” features a distorted sound with a pronounced kick and a Novation bass station 2 synth element. “Art In” uses 4/4 kicks, a bassline from Analogue Solutions ‘Fusebox synth’, and a Moog Sub 37 patch for its lead sound, reminiscent of artists like The Hacker and Commuter. The final track, “B C L” (an abbreviation for Basic Computer Language), includes a 90’s style bassline created with the Modor NF-1, probably one of the only synthesizers originating from Belgium, and has similarities to the style of electro artist Anthony Rother.

All tracks have been created using hardware gear only. “Nothing beats the fun of twiddling knobs”, says Franky Deblomme.

You can check the EP out below, it’s immediately available via Bandcamp.

c64 EP by CUBIC

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

Notstandskomitee – The Doomsday Layout (Album – Block 4)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, Experimental, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Block 4 owner Malte Steiner strikes back with a new album of his legendary Notstandskomitee project. The German Electro-Experimentalist got instant fame during the 90s and never stopped composing new material. “The Doomsday Layout” features sixteen tracks that have been composed between 2009 and 2023.

Content: For all of those who’re familiar with the work of the artist it will be rather easy to recognize his sound and approach. Notstandskomitee remains first of all devoted to the creation and experiment of sounds. It feels once more like sounds have been assembled in a sonic frame and getting more accessible by slow rhythms. The tracks are revealing endless effects but also deep bass lines and blasts, bombastic sound arrangements and a few vocal effects.

+ + + : Malte Steiner remains a true sonic architect; a studio engineer transposing sounds and noises into a new shape. Some tracks have a visual appeal while other are getting back to early Minimal-Electro experiments. A few other -and more accessible, cuts have this Kraftwerk-touch on top but Notstandkomitee remains first of all Experimental and even Abstract. The minimalism also becomes visionary when listening to the funny entitled song “Watch People Reacting To Music By Notstandskomitee” which has something Techno-like for future generations. The last track “Big Drama In Small Cities” is another great attention grabber for its sensual rhythmic, deep bass line and evasive sensation.

– – – : A very few spoken samplings and/or vocals would be a little bonus.

Conclusion: Music from a true Electro-scientist!

Best songs: “Watch People Reacting To Music By Notstandskomitee”, “Big Drama In Small Cities”, “Expertensysteme”, “Rules Replacing Trust”, “Planning The Unplannable”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063645246848

Label: www.block4.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063867523207

Listen to “The Doomsday Layout”:

The Doomsday Layout by Notstandskomitee

About Notstandskomitee

Malte Steiner set up Notstandskomitee in 1991 as an industrial side-project to his own Das Kombinat, developing a style of postindustrial electronic minimal music built on analogue, digital and software-based instruments he designs himself. He has since released music through further side-projects including Elektronengehirn and Akustikkoppler, and runs the Block4 label he founded in 1989 to release his own catalogue. Steiner discussed his approach to sound design in a Side-Line Click Interview, describing himself as closer to a “sound architect” than a traditional musician.

Working with Fad Gadget and Daniel Miller was an exciting treat says Jean-Marc Lederman

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:41:10 +0000

(Photos from the personal archives of Jean-Marc Lederman) This article draws from various updates posted by Jean-Marc Lederman (The Weathermen, Kid Montana, Jules et Jim, Ghost & Writer, Lederman / De Meyer, Rohn-Lederman…) on his Facebook profile, which we’ve consolidated into a comprehensive piece. This compilation offers a profound understanding of the workings of the indie music industry during its ‘golden era’. Additionally, it provides specific insights into Mute Records, the label of Daniel Miller, as numerous individuals, including Fad Gadget, mentioned in this article have significant associations with the iconic UK label.

Digital Dance (1978-1979) / Daniel Miller

The year was 1979 and I had just quit, well I was sacked tbh, from Digital Dance , the first band I was in.

We were doing post punk/cold wave/new wave stuff and it was really exciting. I started doing bass with them on a..ARP 2600 whci I had bought working on building sites, yeah, far too much of an overkill I agree. We were rehearsing here and there but did a time at the famous Plan K where we supported Joy Division. Actually, that day I went to pick up Ian and Bernard Summers at the very seedy hotel they were in and I drove them to the gig.

They were laughing like kids, you know, young musicians being happy to play abroad. It was such a cold day, everyone was freezing and Ian even came close to Stefan Barbery (Digital Dance guitar player) who was close to an electric heater to tell him “Well, I guess this is why they call it Cold Wave…”

We also opened to Magazine and Fisher-Z and it was becoming too much of a routine for me: the Brussels band that does all the new wave support slots but hasn’t even got a decent recording contract…

Oh, we had one, and they made us record our very fast cover version of Kraftwerk’s “RadioActivity”. At the end of the session, they made me do some terrible sound effects, hoping to catch on the fad of the moment, and it just ruined the whole song. Tells you that if a thing sounds bad and contrived and cheesy on monday, still sounds the same the day after and 40 years later. Sorry Stefan, my fault.

Then Phil Wauquaire (whom I had met from Streets, the punk band he was in and I actually played with them live on a couple of songs with a…AKS, another overkill) joined us and I played synth with a Korg MS20 then with a Yamaha CS50M who weighted like half an olifant after a drinking binge.

Anyway, after a couple of gigs with Digital Dance at the Gibus in Paris, i was let go (which was fine, really). Two days later, I call Daniel Miller whom I had met in London a few months ago. Digital Dance had been foolish and crazy enough to believe that if you go to London you can pretty much be sure you’ll find a gig. All we did was rehearsing (below Beggar’s Banquet where I met Peter Kent from the future 4AD label) and waiting in our hotel off Kings Road. Anyway, we were trying to get Geoff Travis from Rough Trade to listen to our demo and he stopped it 20 seconds in and tell us: if you go to “Better Badges” now, you’ll see a man called Daniel Miller (from label MUTE RECORDS) and maybe he’ll like your stuff….

So, off we went to Better Badges and there we met Daniel, with a green basket full of The Normal badges.

Daniel and I hit directly like if it was an “International Conference Of Synths Fanatics”. I mean: synths weren’t as known or popular then as they were then. It was still a relatively rare sight on stage or in gigs or in bands that weren’t poppy or progrock. No, we’re talking new industrial scene in the UK: noisy and determined, not minimoogs played by long haired musos…

So, Daniel and I exchanged phone numbers and we traded letters and phone calls here and there. So, remember, I’m sacked from Digital Dance and I then realize that if I wanted to really go anywhere in music, Brussels isn’t the place to be and I must move to where things are happening. At that time, London was THE center of music in Europe and I decide that I want to try my luck and the two major chords I know there. I pick up the phone and call Daniel, asking him if he knew any musician that would be interested in moi ?

Yeah, I know someone, he’s on my label now, he’s looking for musicians, call him… His name is Frank Tovey….

Frank Tovey / Fad Gadget #1 (part 1)

The audition was simple: we didn’t even play a note or try to do a song, we just sat and drank coffee and laughed a lot. But there was no try-out, no keyboard or synths tickering… And that’s how Philippe Wauquaire and I became members of Fad Gadget #1 for a few months in 1980: a simple coffee cup meeting and an unmistakable good chemical feeling between us. Frank had played a few gigs on his own but wanted musicians around him so he could concentrate a bit more on being a little bit less concentrated if you know what I mean.

There was Frank: clever, astute, open, funny, with a lot of wit doubled with a good dose of sarcasm: totally my alley. But he knew what he wanted musically, there was no doubt about what he wanted to sound like. The plan was: rehearse at my place in Brussels, a first gig here, then play a few gigs as support for Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft in Germany and going to tour the UK as support for The Monochrome Set.

So, we start rehearsing in my attic: Frank on vocals, Pearl Syncussion and distorted electric piano, Phil on Fender bass and Korg MS 20 and myself on handling the cassette player (each song had its drums/rhythmic parts on a single cassette and I would feed the machine with a new cassette every song) and my 4 notes polyphonic, Yamaha CS 50M. Again, an overkill.

After a few hours of rehearsals, we have our first gig: support-act for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. We are all extremely nervous but the gig goes well: Frank doesn’t go into the mad behaviours he’s known for yet but you can see he’s holding up something big inside, something is boiling there. After the gig, we proceed to the German border and sleep in a motel there. In the morning, I’m being handed an envelope with my per diem (every day allowance a musician gets when on tour): it is the first time someone hands me money for doing something I love doing: playing music. I couldn’t believe it and I took a second piece of bacon and refilled my coffee cup. We are about to go to Dusseldorf to play The Ratinger Off as support for Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft.

Something started to happen at the Ratinger Hof: maybe it was the roughness of the place, the German lager (naaaaah) or the history of the place but this thing Frank had inside him but it slightly came out at that gig. See, there was an animal inside Frank, and that animal was as extrovert as Frank was introvert: Frank was then frontal and loud and, yes, obnoxious but in a gentle and friendly way but he wasn’t the shy Frank. In response to Frank’s changing live attitudes, Phil and I started to play loser and noisier and wilder (and there were far more bump notes on my part) but the band started to make sense.

The crowd wasn’t there for us, they were there for what would later become DAF, but the reaction was good and people liked us. I recall Frank and I going out in front of the place and that guy comes out dressed as a mod, full parka mode with a patch “Remember Brighton” which made Frank laughed a lot, people were out there with their beer and… Omg what am I saying: IT JUST FELT GREAT.

Deutsche Amerikanische Freundschaft at the time was a five piece band and they were fun and chaotic. You couldn’t miss Chris Haas, the synth guy, who was classy and special. He had a very specific body language when playing live: he would stand back, have a smile and just come here and there to play a few notes…He is the real grandfather of EBM as he introduced the famous 1/16th bass line (Korg MS 20 and SQ 10 sequencer) that will be the bone of so many records later on.

The morning after, we went out to the next gig. Daniel, Phil, Chris and myself embarked in my mum’s yellow Civic and we went down the motorway, singing loudly “Fahn Fahn Fahn Auf Der Autobahn” laughing and laughing… I guess Chris must have done that thousand of times before but, for Daniel, Phil and I it meant something different: we were doing it. We were travelling in Kraftwerk’s motherland and going to play electronic music there: it was immense.

We only played one more gig in Germany and then the whole tour was somehow cancelled… Roland Beelen: I saw the animal in Frank I guess a few months later at the Paasfestival in Koninfshooikt (organized by my friend Guy Vanwoensel) I was a stagehand there. Frank smashed a crucifix that was hanging above stage in the hall (parochiezaal)with his magic stick. The whole village was in shock when the news spread the next morning. The vicar organized a special service the next day to please the smashed fallen Christ ! they say he resurrected a few weeks later! All end, good end !

Frank Tovey / Fad Gadget 1980 (part 2)

Something had clicked in Frank after a few gigs: it’s like he had been showed by practice that it could work, that the songs were good, the voice was good but even more than that his FG personnae and ideas had an impact on the crowd. He would go out, do his thing, see people respond to his songs, lyrics and theatrics and then he would retrieve after the gig in the gentle and shy Frank Tovey. Phil and I were providing a background that wasn’t perfect but for Frank it was a great practice for FG future.

When we toured as support for The Monochrome Set, we were sometimes in fire and I could really feel people’s amazement at that born-to-be showman. He would play with the crowd and slowly take them into the show. Our sound might not have been very sophisticated but with Frank’s distorted piano, the CS50 brutal in and out sounds, Phil’s impeccable swirling bass, we were like The Stooges with synths and Frank was a perfect bionic Iggy Pop….I began to be very proud of us, we were quite something indeed and I was going on stage with a mission: to show people the songs and to let them fall in Frank’s performance.

I also remember that after the last show of the tour, possibly at the YMCA gig, one of the roadie came at the CS 50 and started to play some Bach’s prelude. I was stunned and shameful of the snobiness i may have shown the roadies on that tour, or before tbh. I learned a lesson that night and never again would I be feeling above anyone on a stage, or in studio, be them multiple charts success artists or simple roadie.

Something wild happened after our gig at the 100 club. Jock Mac Donalds (from the future Bollock Brothers) was very drunk and he started to look for a fight with us and being extremely aggressive, a bottle in his hand, waving it at us. Phil, FG’s bass player, was a karate black belt and he was looking very calm, coming closer to Jock inch by inch. Suddenly he jumped at Jock, put two fingers on his Adam’s apple and said with a slow voice: “OK, let’s kill”, his eyes deep into Mac Donald’s eyes.

The bottle instantly fell on the ground and the guy just ran out the club swearing loud and clear… Phil and I were sleeping at Daniel’s mom place for a few days and we were making music late at night. One of these nights, Daniel was on Phil’s MS 20, I was trying Daniel’s infamous Korg 700S (the one that was on TVOD and Warm Leatherette) and Phil was on the CS 50M but it was visibly too loud and too late as Daniel’s mum came down and asked us to PLEASE STOP !

Next gig to come was going to be the Clarendon, but we were told this would be our last gig with Frank as he wanted a full band behind him to totally free him from any other duties but vocals. I was devastated…

Frank Tovey / Fad Gadget #1 (part 3)

So, we were invited to headline Stevo’s kinda festival at the Clarendon, on June 27 1980. Stevo was a very colourful character who will make himself known later when managing bands like Soft Cell and The The. The bill was very symptomatic of the time: DAF, Naked Lunch, B.Movie, Vice Versa, Clock DVA,…

So, Fad Gadget #1 had started touring as a relative unknown a few months ago and we were by now talk of the town and headline this festival. It felt good and it felt also important and I was nervous. Everybody was. Frank had a song by Georges Folmby playing before we would go on. Folmby was a Lancarshire working class comedian and he was famous for playing double entendre ukulélé songs. It was a known and safe thing for British people and Frank used it as contrast as chaos would start when we would cut Folmby and go straight into “State Of The Nation” and follow that with most of what is on the album Fireside Favourites.

State Of The Nation
Back To Nature
The Box
Fireside Favourite
Newsreel
Pedestrian
Coitus Interruptus
Ricky’s Hand
Back To Nature

Yes, Frank wanted shock and chaos, and he got that except that at the Clarendon it went a bit further than expected. During one of the early songs, Fad had already taken over Frank, he smashed up his face with one of the two Syncussion drums and it started pouring blood. Phil and I looked at him and he made us understand it was fine and let’s continue…So we continued until someone took Frank off stage as it was just like a fountain of blood by now. The gig was stopped.

We went backstage and Frank was adamant he was fine but Babra (his wife) disinfected the wound and placed a cloth on it. We went back on stage.

The crowd went MAD. Frank was standing there, his white clothes with red blood all over it, singing to the public that was all won. It was an incredible sight, and being on stage, playing the songs with a singer that went beyond the call of duty was something unexplainable. After the gig, we had to take the 5 am ferry. I was sitting on the stairs of the Clarendon and, yes, I was crying, letting all the tension, the fears of the gig off my system but also the sadness I felt after having lived some incredible times with
Frank, as synth player in Fad Gadget. I saw Frank playing with Fad Gadget #2 a few months later and he invited me to play in the encore: we were cool.

Still, I wasn’t done with London and would come back later…

Side-Line also covered Jean-Marc Lederman’s ‘Sci-Fi Revisited’.

About Fad Gadget

Frank Tovey (8 September 1956 – 3 April 2002), an English electronic musician and performance artist, recorded as Fad Gadget, becoming the first artist signed to Daniel Miller’s Mute Records after the two met at the Rough Trade shop in London. His recorded work combined synthesizers with found-object sounds and dark, comic lyrics. Studio albums as Fad Gadget include “Fireside Favourites” (1980), “Incontinent” (1981), “Under the Flag” (1982) and “Gag” (1984), after which he continued recording under his own name, releasing six further albums on Mute between 1985 and 1992. He died of a heart attack at his London home in 2002.

Belgian musician Jean-Marc Lederman played with Fad Gadget in the band’s touring lineup during the early-to-mid 1980s and has recounted memories of touring with Tovey, Daniel Miller and DAF’s Chrislo Haas in interviews, describing Tovey as bringing something unheard in electronic music at the time. Lederman has credited Daniel Miller and Fad Gadget’s early-1980s touring band, including Chrislo Haas of DAF, as formative to his own career.

Dark wave industrial act Synical releases 5th album ‘This Will All Happen Again’ today

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 18:58:42 +0000

Synical, the dark wave industrial act, is set to release their fifth album, ‘This Will All Happen Again’, today on Cleopatra Records. The album promises a unique blend of goth, dark-wave, and post-punk genres.

Based in Los Angeles, California, Synical draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Depeche Mode, New Order, The Cure, Prince, Joy Division, and Kraftwerk.

A string of collaborations on new album with members from Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, …

Synical was founded in 1989 by singer/songwriter, producer, and engineer, Brian Haught, after his departure from the electronic funk band AC Black, which was signed to Motown Records. Since its inception, Synical has evolved significantly, featuring a variety of band members and transitioning through numerous sounds over the years. What started as a solo act for Brian eventually expanded into a duo, then a trio, and finally a full five-piece band.

For their latest album, Brian Haught split his time between LA and Atlanta, writing new songs and recording in both cities. Collaborating with David Black, Jimi Echo, Eric Griffin (Muderdolls), and former Synical drummer Cheney Brannon (Collective Soul), the band also welcomed Noel Page during the recording sessions.

Over the years, Synical has collaborated with a host of musicians, including John Fryer (NIN, Love & Rockets, Depeche Mode), Ivan De Prume (White Zombie), Roy Mayorga (Ministry, SoulFly, Stone Sour), Alex Carapetis (NIN, Julian Casablancas), Robin Finck (NIN, Guns N’ Roses), Cheney Brannon (Collective Soul), and Racci Shay Hart (Dope).

The new 10-track album features guest appearances from members of Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Mary My Hope, Faster Pussycat, Genitorturers, and Murderdolls.

Guns N’ Roses demos for “Chinese Democracy”

In the late nineties, Brian Haught collaborated with Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails/Guns N’ Roses Guitarist) on some of the Guns N’ Roses album demos for “Chinese Democracy”. This collaboration led to the recruitment of new band members to continue his vision for Synical. Joined by guitarist Eric Griffin, bassist Brent Ashley, and Ben Graves, they released their third album “Synical Forever” in 2004 and their fourth “Quit While You’re Behind” in 2012. Following a tumultuous tour of Italy, Brian decided to further reconstruct and update Synical’s members, leading to the current lineup.

Dish Is Nein dedicate final single, a Kraftwerk cover, to the late Dario Parisini

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:05:56 +0000

Out via Contempo Records is the 12 inch “The [Metal] Machine” by Dish Is Nein. This cover of the classic Kraftwerk track “The Man Machine” includes an Andy Selway/KMFDM mix on side 2 of the track “Eva”. The vinyl was originally released on Record Store Day in Italy and is limited and hand-numbered to 300 copies.

There is only a limited quantity made available for normal distribution so if you want one, be extremely fast. The release comes as a 180g transparent vinyl, including printed inner sleeve, and stickered ‘Record Store Day 2023’.

Check it out below.

The 12″ is also meant to represent the end of a cycle for Dish Is Nein after the untimely death of its leader Dario Parisini, to whom this release is dedicated.

Dish Is Nein is an Italian project, born out of the ashes of extremely famous and controversial band Disciplinatha. Disciplinatha was an industrial rock band formed in 1987 in Bentivoglio (province of Bologna) and came to prominence with a repertoire of lashing lyrics grafted onto energetic rock that fused industrial, electronic, and post-punk. They remained most famous for their aggressive and provocative iconography.

Bon Harris (Nitzer Ebb) featured on new The Mobile Homes album, ‘Tristesse’, out in September

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:59:56 +0000

Out on September 22nd, again via the Wild Kingdom label, is the all new album by the Swedish melancholic synthpop act The Mobile homes. “Tristesse” comes two years after their last album “Trigger”. One of the tracks on the new album also features a guest appearance by Bon Harris (Nitzer Ebb).

The album will be out on vinyl and CD, and the CD contains the bonus-track “When Everything is alright”, which is not included on the vinyl version.

The Mobile Homes was formed in 1984, and have since then been active in various constellations. The band’s been collaborating with Julian Beeston (Nitzer Ebb), and Denniz Pop, Karl Bartos (ex Kraftwerk) amongst others. The band has been signed under many labels. It started with Papa Records, but that company didn’t last for long, so they had to search for a new label. Later they changed record company again, and this time they signed up with Hawk Records. At Hawk they released the albums “Hurt” remixed by Denniz Pop, “Nothing But Something” produced by Christian Falk, “Test” produced by Julian Beeston (Nitzer Ebb) and “Meanwhile”.

After a long break they signed under the German company SPV GmbH, and in Sweden under Arcade/CNR. Together with the ex Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos they released the album “Mobile Homes” in 1998. The radio picked up the track “You Make the Sun Shine”, and it was later used in a commercial for the airline SAS.

At Subspace Comunications they released the album “The World Will Listen”, with the singles “Nostalgia” and “The More I Think the Deeper I Sink”. “The World Will Listen” was recorded in the legendary Polar Studios, formerly owned by ABBA. In May 2003 Mobile Homes signed under BMG Sweden and released an EP produced by Sami Sirviö from Swedish band kent and Stefan Boman. In 2009 they released “Today Is Your Lucky Day” on Megahype Records, it was produced by Sami Sirviö.

Juno Reactor – Transmissions (Album – Demon Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 14 May 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Goa-Trance, Psy-Trance, Electro.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Set up in 1990 British collective Juno Reactor released its official debut “Transmissions” in 1993 by NovaMute. This work already got multiple re-releases and is now again re-released on vinyl format by London based Demon Records. The album was released thirty years ago and featured core member Ben Watkins next to Mike Maguire, Stephane Holweck, Jens Walderback and singers Maria Naylor and Annie Fontaine.

Content: Back in time”Transmissions” clearly sounded like a visionary work. Inspired by Goa-Trance influences but also driven by personal elements like Tribal rhythms and mysterious female chants, you clearly notice a sonic basis for the greater work that would come later. I also recognized solid bass lines which would become Watkins’ trademark. There’re also passages featuring a Minimal-Electro touch reminding me of Kraftwerk. Last but not least “Transmission” also has this dreamy, prosper, space-like atmosphere.

+ + + : Thirty years later “Transmissions” still has its original part of magic. “High Energy Protons” and “Laughing Gas” both remain ‘hits’ from the early years but I also have to mention “Luna-Tic” and “Man To Ray”. The last mentioned cut is into pure early Goa-Trance. The songs reflect a sophisticated writing and mature production process so that’s why “Transmissions” still have the power to bring dancefloors on fire.

– – – : The work also has a versatile touch. There are different influences running through the work so in the end it’s less compact and sometimes still a bit hesitant than on the further albums.

Conclusion: “Transmissions” showed from the very beginning a very strong potential which would lead the band to become one of the absolute leading Psy-Trance formations.

Best songs: “Laughing Gas”, “High Energy Protons”, “Man To Ray”, “Luna-Tic”, “Contact”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.junoreactor.com / www.facebook.com/junoreactorofficial

Label: www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk / www.facebook.com/DemonMusicGroup

About Juno Reactor

Juno Reactor formed in 1990 in Brighton, England, as an art project by Ben Watkins and Stephane Holweck, initially built to soundtrack sculptor Norma Fletcher’s “The Missile Project” installation. Watkins has remained the core figure since, working with a changing roster of musicians on a cinematic style that fuses electronic production with global and orchestral elements. The project issued its official debut album, “Transmissions”, in 1993 on NovaMute, with core contributors Mike Maguire, Stephane Holweck and Jens Walderback alongside singers Maria Naylor and Annie Fontaine. Demon Records reissued “Transmissions” on vinyl thirty years after its original release.

Belgian electronica act 808 Dot Pop back with 3 albums in one go + 2 singles

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:11:15 +0000

Metroland’s Passenger S his first solo album, “The Colour Temperature” (2020), and its companion remix album “The Cubic Temperature”, were extremely well received by the electronic music scene. Three years later 808 Dot Pop returns with three albums in one on Alfa Matrix.

Both “AM 1350” and “FM 88.2” are available only on compact disc while “MW 720” is available as a download only. The two CD albums are complementary conceptual releases and are also produced and mixed like a broadcasting where all songs float into each others to guarantee the ultimate radiophonic experience. The download album has seperate tracks that stand on their own.

The project is driven by his passion for vintage sounds and draws inspiration from renowned acts such as Orbital, Komputer and the pioneers of Kraftwerk. The sound is characterized by warm sequences, melodic synth layers, and robotic vocoders. The entire auditory experience is enhanced with the addition of analog drums, paying homage to a legendary drum machine.

Passenger S: “The idea for a pop radio show initially started when I asked (and also received) permission from OMD’s Andy McCluskey in person to cover their track ‘Radio Waves’. However, since the original was so darn good, the decision was soon taken to drop the cover idea. Still the interest to take a deeper dive into the matter of radio waves remained. A further push by Gary Hunter (Kraftman), who co-wrote on several songs, did finally lead to the birth of a new concept around the 1920’s crystal radio and the inventions of Guglielmo Marconi, who paved way for many things in our modern era.”

Guest singer on the release is Lis van den Akker who you can hear on the titles “Marconi”, “The Detector” and “Distant Voices”.

You can check the download only version of “MW 720” below.

MW720 by 808 DOT POP

Here’s the official videoclip for “Marconi”.

2 new singles available as well

You can also downbload 2 new singles: “FM 101.4” and “AM 685”. “FM101.4” and “AM 685”.

The 3-track EP “FM 101.4” holds the single version of “Marconi” (aptly entitled ‘on the radio’) backed with the song “The Detector”, which also features the voice of Lis Van Den Akker. The 4-track maxi EP “AM 685” holds two extended versions, a remix with a clear wink to Passenger S and his love for a particular 80s band and his favourite 12inch (one of their 1983 songs was the very start of the entire concept), and an exclusive 3rd song entitled “Voices”, all referencing to the album’s concept.

Check out the singles below. They are available for immediate download via Bandcamp.

AM 685 EP by 808 DOT POP FM 101.4 EP by 808 DOT POP

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

Metroland’s new ‘0’ album released today: Belgian electronica duo launches on CD & blue vinyl, plus standalone ‘X’ album

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:59:59 +0000

Metroland’s latest album, “0,” is now available on CD, double blue vinyl, and for download. During the pre-sale, those who pre-ordered the double vinyl received a complimentary “X” album CD. This exclusive 75-minute anniversary release features five mega mixes, each representing one of their five studio albums and highlighting the vintage synth music of Belgium.

The “X” album is now solely available as an independent album at the standard album price, on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore and as a download via Bandcamp.

0 by METROLAND

Both the vinyl and CD versions of “0” contain 12 tracks each, with Metroland making a conscious effort to differentiate them through subtly distinct artwork and varied track listings, showcasing that they are not just an ordinary computer pop band.

X by METROLAND

About Metroland

Metroland, a Belgian electronic duo, is known for their unique blend of minimalistic, melodic synthpop and a passion for transportation and urban themes. Formed in 2012, the duo consists of Passenger A and Passenger S, who have managed to make a name for themselves in the electronic music scene with their meticulously crafted soundscapes and engaging live performances.

Passenger A, a talented keyboardist and sound designer, and Passenger S, a skilled programmer and composer, met in the late 1990s while working at a local record store. Bonding over their shared love for electronic music pioneers like Kraftwerk, OMD, and Depeche Mode, they began to collaborate on music projects. This collaboration eventually led to the formation of Metroland.

Metroland’s debut album, “Mind The Gap,” released in 2012, received critical acclaim and solidified the duo’s reputation as a noteworthy electronic act. The album’s concept centered on urban living and public transportation, featuring tracks like “Enjoying the View” and “Inner City Transport,” which demonstrated the duo’s talent for crafting immersive, atmospheric soundscapes that encapsulate modern city life. In our review of “Mind The Gap,” we said: “Metroland’s music flawlessly merges catchy melodies with inventive sound design, channeling the essence of classic electronic acts while forging a fresh and contemporary soundscape.”

In 2015, Metroland unveiled their second album, “Triadic Ballet.” Drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus movement, this album delved into a more experimental and artistic realm, examining the confluence of art, design, and technology. Songs like “Zeppelin” and “Design” displayed the duo’s dedication to pushing electronic music boundaries while remaining true to their origins. The Electricity Club commented on “Triadic Ballet”: “Metroland demonstrates their capacity to evolve and innovate, while maintaining their roots, making this album a must-listen for electronic music enthusiasts.”

“Things Will Never Sound the Same Again,” Metroland’s third album, was released in 2016 as a homage to the late Louis Zachert, a dear friend and mentor of the duo. The album showcased a deeper, more introspective facet of Metroland, with tracks like “Under the Roof” and “Cube” delving into themes of loss and memory. Release Magazine remarked: “Metroland’s ‘Things Will Never Sound the Same Again’ is a poignant tribute to their friend, revealing an emotional depth and introspection seldom witnessed in electronic music.”

In 2018, Metroland returned with “Men in a Frame,” an album inspired by the realm of photography. Collaborating with various photographers, Metroland crafted a one-of-a-kind audio-visual experience, pairing each song with a specific photograph. Tracks like “Shades of Pale” and “Exhibition” underscored the duo’s prowess in evoking vivid visual imagery through their music. Peek-A-Boo Magazine praised the album: “The unparalleled audio-visual experience of ‘Men in a Frame’ cements Metroland’s position as an inventive and groundbreaking electronic duo.”

Side-Line also covered Metroland’s ‘Industry’.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

The new Depeche Mode album ‘Memento Mori’ is indeed probably their best from the past 20 years

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:23:44 +0000

(Photo by Anton Corbijn) The new Depeche Mode album, ‘Memento Mori,’ has been hailed by some as their best work in the past 20 years. However, this praise might be attributed more to the lack of strong releases in recent times rather than the actual merit of the album.

Dave Gahan, the first Depeche Mode member to experience a near-death encounter, survived a severe overdose in 1996 after two minutes without a heartbeat. Tragically, Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher wasn’t as fortunate; his arterial rupture on May 26, 2022, left Depeche Mode as a duo. The unexpected passing of Fletcher added a layer of depth to “Memento Mori” and takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster through its various tracks.

The album does have its strong points, such as Gahan’s return to a more subdued singing style and a shift towards subtler electronic sounds. The evident influence of Kraftwerk can be both a strength and a weakness, as Depeche Mode has long been known for their distinct sound. While it’s refreshing to hear these influences, one cannot help but question if the band is losing their own originality.

What about the production on this new Depeche Mode album?

While the production quality is polished, it falls short of the standard set by Alan Wilder during his time with the band. Some tracks, like “Caroline’s Monkey,” have potential but could benefit from a more refined touch. Other songs, such as “Before We Drown” and “People Are Good,” serve as reminders of the band’s former glory.

The album concludes with 2 quite powerful tracks like “Never Let Me Go” – which has a bit of a post-punkish attitude – and the epic “Speak to Me,” leaving listeners wanting more of this. However, one can’t help but wonder what these tracks would have sounded like under Wilder’s guidance. Especially “Speak To Me” has a lot of potential.

In conclusion, “Memento Mori” is a respectable attempt by Depeche Mode to create a memorable album in the wake of Fletcher’s passing and amidst challenging times. We actually enjoyed it quite a lot. However, it also serves as a reminder that their post-Alan Wilder output has yet to reach the same heights as their earlier work, but the ship has turned in the right direction. Hopefully it will get to the harbour pretty soon.

PS: No thanks to Sony, they didn’t provide a promo of the release.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode’s Secret Gig in LA – An interview with attendee Attosa… on Side-Line.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. “Memento Mori” followed “Spirit” (2017) as the band’s next studio album, and the first released after Andy Fletcher’s death in 2022.

Metroland – 0 (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After having released a few noticeable EP’s as countdown to Belgian Metroland’s fifth album here it is: “0”. There’s a new conceptual theme behind the work. Zero is pronounced in very different ways as it all depends on the language but the album also is anticipating the future announced by Metroland as ‘the fourth industrial revolution’.

Content: Metroland symbolizes the adoration for Kraftwerk; an Electro-Pop style which sounds ‘robotic’ and intelligent. No simple poppy tunes nor catchy lyrics in choruses but a sterile type of Electronics carried by solid bass lines, endless bleeping sequences, dry, danceable kicks and robotic samplings or spoken vocal parts.

+ + + : I can’t say that Metroland are repeating themselves; the concept becomes sophisticated and even complex and so the music is. This is their most Experimental work to date although there are danceable passages which are my favorite parts of the work. “4ir Intelligence”, “Machine 2 Machine”, “Modularity”, “The 2^nd Machine Age” and the more poppy “7 Principles” are the highlights from “0”.

– – – : I’m missing a melody line here and there or simply a more rudimentary approach. This album is not exactly a bite-sized-chunks of songs and needs a few more listening before you can get into it.

Conclusion: “0” sounds like the least accessible work of Metroland although I salute their efforts to be more than a Kraftwerk copy; they definitely have found their own ‘retro-futuristic’ style.

Best songs: “4ir Intelligence”, “Machine 2 Machine”, “Modularity”, “The 2^nd Machine Age”, “7 Principles”, “Big Data”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/metrolandmusic

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Listen to “0”:

0 by METROLAND

About Metroland

Metroland is a Belgian electro-pop duo formed by Passenger A and Passenger S, who entered the music business together in 2012 with the release “Mind The Gap”. Passenger A also records solo as LECTREAU, aimed at club floors, while Passenger S releases concept-driven, sequence-based music as 808 DOT POP. Following “0”, Metroland extended its ‘industrial revolution’ concept through the “Industry” EP, the album “Forum” (2024) on Alfa Matrix, the “Cooperation” EP (2024), the single “Activity” (2025), and the “Reset” EP (2025) that concluded the “Forum” cycle.

Click Interview with Die Robo Sapiens: ‘Don’t Follow Trends, Spearhead Them!’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

What comes in mind when hearing the names Jürgen Engler, Marcel Zürcher and Ralf Dörper? Die Krupps! Right; but since a few years they also started a new side-project called Die Robo Sapiens. This new band moves back to pure Electronic music and will mainly appeal for EBM fans. The German project signed to Alfa Matrix unleashing a debut EP in 2018. We next had to wait four years till by the end of 2022 they released the debut album “Robo Sapien Race”. This work is one of the best EBM albums from the past year which is clearly featuring explicit retro elements. An album filled with power and still a part of fun… and that’s what Die Robo Sapiens is all about. I asked Jürgen Engler a few questions for the interview.

Robo Sapien Race (Bonus Tracks Edition) by DIE ROBO SAPIENS

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You guys have been next to Die Krupps involved in multiple other side-projects but what does Die Robo Sapiens stand for? How did the project come to life and how does it feel to start a new ‘band’ when you’ve been involved in a successful formation like DIE KRUPPS for so long?

Jürgen: The idea for Die Robo Sapiens came to me when I didn’t get the budget from the record company that I needed to produce an Industrial-Metal album. I also realized that I always ended up writing songs from time to time that didn’t quite fit that Die Krupps Industrial-Metal concept. So I decided to leave those songs purely Electronic. I know we also have fans who are more into the Die Krupps-EBM style tracks, so why not cater to them and give them something they will enjoy? It is a fun project for me as well, I can really play around with all my analog synths!

Q: Listening to your music and the debut album I got the sensation Die Robo Sapiens move on there where Die Krupps started to play with guitars. Is this what you mean?

Jürgen: The concept picks up there, but isn’t restricted to staying within that framework. I wanted to create somewhat of a niche for us, merging hard Die Krupps EBM with the sound of Düsseldorf-Electro, and with that I mean the roots. Kraftwerk and Die Krupps may stem from the same city and we know each other quite well, but they were never a direct influence on me. But I understand that Düsseldorf will forever be associated with Kraftwerk, and their music breathes Düsseldorf. So it was a logical progression for me to combine these musical styles. It sounds unique, and expands the genres. Niemals stillstehen!

Q: While your debut EP was already released in 2018 it took a few more years to achieve the debut album “Robo Sapien Race”. Tell us a bit more about the writing and accomplishment of “Robo Sapien Race”? What have been the different stages in the writing and production of the work and what’s the input of each member?

Jürgen:At the time of the EP, I was ready to continue with the project, but the former record company threatened not to release the album if it was an all Electro album. They insisted on getting an Industrial-Metal album, so I was forced to move ahead and finish the new Die Krupps-album first. When that album was completed and the following tour, we continued working on the tracks that fit the concept. During the process it became more and more clear to me what the music needed to give Die Robo Sapiens a sound of its own. To me it’s always important to find your own style and niche. That’s how we did it since the beginning, don’t follow trends, spearhead them!

Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter EP by DIE ROBO SAPIENS

Q: It seems there’s a kind of concept behind this album dealing with ‘the dehumanization and technological dependency of mankind… without it you are nothing…’ How do you face this fact and how do you see the pros and cons of technology in the evolution of Electronic music -especially when compared to the 80s analog era?

Jürgen: I am fascinated by new technology, but I won’t let it dominate my life unless it is useful and making my life easier. Unfortunately, most people let technology dominate their life nowadays, and the balance seems off. We cannot make ourselves completely dependent on computers and machines, I personally refuse to becoming a Robo Sapien in my lifetime! We are the human race and should resist becoming one with the machinery. Although it’s a fascinating thought, it will be the end of humanity. I think the time will come sooner or later that man will be replaced by robo sapiens. I know I won’t be around anymore, and I have a feeling that’s a good thing.

Q: Soundwise you already mentioned the Kraftwerk-touch which is easily noticeable for the sound color and atmospheres but there also is the hard EBM side of DAF… and Die Krupps as well;-). How do you perceive it and was there something as a ‘Düsseldorfer’ scene?

Jürgen: DAF are not a Düsseldorf-band, they were from Wuppertal and part Austrian. But Gabi did start his musical career in Düsseldorf, that’s true. I was friends with him before he even started a band. Ralf and I knew Kraftwerk because we all used to hang out in the same clubs and movie theatres around town back in the 70s. I later became friends with Karl and also Wolfgang. I didn’t get in touch with them regarding guesting on the album, but it’s a nice thought and I will keep it in mind. Regarding the so called Düsseldorf-scene, sure there was a scene, and it was transitional when Punk happened. Kraftwerk, Neu, La Duesseldorf were the first wave, then came DAF, Die Krupps and Propaganda. We had our background in Punk, and not in the late 60s experimental strain of the Hippy scene. Although it produced very interesting bands, the two scenes never really crossed paths musically, until I tried to unite them in the mid 90s, when I brought members of Cluster, Guru Guru, Amon Duul, Faust and Die Krupps together to produce the album “Space Explosion”. It was an eye opening experience.

Q: What brings the future for Die Robo Sapiens? Is the album just a ‘one shot’ project or should we expect more stuff and eventually live shows, remixes etc?

Jürgen:This album is not supposed to be a one off, the project will continue. I am open to all kinds of adventures, even live shows, and I know Ralf is too, if we can find the time to do it. Die Krupps is and will always be our number one, but it feels good to have another outlet for the purely Electro tracks. I enjoy the different approach, and I’m also interested in defining the Robo Sapiens sound even more. The deeper you delve into a musical project, the more you understand its own mechanisms. And I believe Die Robo Sapiens has a lot more potential. Time will prove my point. Die Zukunft hat begonnen!

Kraftwerk’s live set at Tribal Gathering gets the not so official vinyl treatment

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:36:05 +0000

Out via Gimme Recordings on March 3rd is a broadcast recording of Kraftwerk titled “Tribal Gathering”. The most interesting detail about these double-LP sets is that it contains the exclusive track “Tribal” which was never released on any official album.

This not so official release has gotten the vinyl deluxe treatment. The recording will be out on black vinyl and on clear vinyl, both in limited numbers.

The recording was made at the legendary ‘Tribal Gathering’ in May 1997. Their appearance at the Tribal Gathering was the group’s first ever festival set. Tribal Gathering is the original British electronic dance music festival that between 1993 and 2004 catered for different types of dance music cultures such as techno, house and drum & bass.

Track list:

Numbers 5:57
Computerworld 3:40
Radioactivity 7:53
Trans-Europe Express/Metal On Metal/Azbug 9:41
Pocket Calculator 11:22
The Robots 9:50
The Man Machine 5:01
Tour De France 5:28
Autobahn 7:48
Tribal [Gathering] 6:05
Boing Boom Tschak/Music Non Stop 9:09