The Brussels-based Spleen+ label (a division of Alfa Matrix) has prepared a deluxe 7CD collector’s edition – “Resurgence” – which brings together 133 active bands from across the globe, spanning the diverse sub-genres born from post-punk’s iconic roots. You can order it now from the Alfa Matrix webstore and in digital download format from Bandcamp.

The release comes housed in a luxurious vinyl-sized box, and comes accompanied by a 28-page book. The book holds interviews from renowned producers like John Fryer and Jean-Marc Lederman, label managers, journalists, and iconic artists (including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, William Faith, No More, Skeletal Family, Mona Mur, KaS Product, And Also The Trees, Clan Of Xymox, Attrition, Das Ich, Merciful Nuns, The Names, The Breath Of Life, etc).

Spanning 23 different nationalities, the music included is a genre-spanning mix of post-punk, cold wave, dark synth, ethereal, and minimal EBM with such bands like Boy Harsher, A Cloud Of Ravens, No More, Skeletal Family, Collection D’Arnell Andrea, Underviewer, Attrition, Merciful Nuns, Lederman/De Meyer, Local Suicide & Sekelesys, Star Industry, Ataraxia, Czarina, Helalyn Flowers, Ascii.Disko, Je T’Aime, The Ultimate Dreamers, Lycia, Opera Multi Steel, The Breath Of Life, Auger, The Names, Whispers In The Shadow, Lovelorn Dolls, Astari Nite, Chiasm, Saigon Blue Rain, Omnimar, Still Patient, Creux Lies, Golden Apes, and many more.

You can already check out a few tracks here.

Apart from the 7CD vinyl size deluxe carton box format, “Resurgence” will not be available on mainstream digital platforms, except exclusively via the label’s Bandcamp page.

There is also a special combi pack including the 7CD set plus Darkness On Demand’s “Panic In Reserve” CD and To Avoid’s “All Gods Are Gone” 2CD.

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

1. Bestial Mouths . Hex (The Spell)
2. A Cloud Of Ravens . Parable
3. Boy Harsher . Give Me A Reason
4. Czarina . Wonderland
5. Collection D’arnell Andrea . Waiting For Meaulnes
6. Krystal System . La Lame Dans Ta Main
7. Je T’aime . Out Of Sight
8. Aeon Rings . Fully Operational
9. The Ultimate Dreamers . Polarized
10. Partikul . Nothing Good In Me
11. Cosmobrigade . Spacepit
12. Aeon Sable . From Witchcraft To Deviltry
13. Stereoskop . Deep Down
14. The Breath Of Life . Slowly Crushing
15. Faust Project . Rats Lullaby
16. Al . Mistake
17. N.E.L. & J.P . Desinteresse
18. Zeitgeist Zero . Scream
19. Voyna . Moulding Heart

Cd 2

1. Blackbook . You Are Strange
2. Auger . My Heart Is Glass
3. Dekad . A Deadly Show (Video Edit)
4. Love In Cage . A Logical Secret Collection
5. Helalyn Flowers . Halos
6. Soft Scent . No Wounds
7. Sweet Ermengarde . Sweet Sacrifice
8. Martin Dupont . Bent At The Window (2023)
9. The Names . Far From The Factories
10. Boxes Of Blow . Melting Faces
11. Mirror Of Haze Feat. Primitive Heart . Reckless
12. A Slice Of Life . Seven Days
13. Then Comes Silence . Pretty Creatures
14. Nite . Inside Of My Head
15. Astari Nite . Bowie In Daydreams
16. Korus . Złote Światło Pierwszego Zachodu
17. Lovelorn Dolls . A Heart Cries
18. Whispers In The Shadow . Revenants
19. Merciful Nuns . Oneironauts

Cd 3

1. Lederman – De Meyer . Heartbeat
2. Local Suicide & Skelesys . Surface Of The Sun (Radio Edit)
3. Punx Soundcheck Feat. Ascii.Disko & Princess Superstar . Gasoline
4. No More . Sleepers And Trains
5. Mitra Mitra . Memories For Company
6. A Copy For Collapse Feat. Simona Pietrucci . Faded
7. Alien Skin . Depress Me
8. White Mansion . Cancel The Sky
9. Apnoie . Splash Your Bile
10. Celluloide . Compte Les Ombres
11. Risk Risk . Streetwalk
12. Total Chroma . Northern Lights
13. Opera Multi Steel . À Nos Moments Perdus
14. Lycia . Simpler Times
15. Noemi Aurora . Blood As Lipstick
16. Novus . Ess
17. I Ya Toyah . Death’s Kiss
18. Katcross . Rest
19. Winter Severity Index . Speak To Me

Cd 4

1. Systeme Paradoxe . Comme Le Sable En Hiver
2. Aiboforcen . Break The Black Ice (Original Mix)
3. Chiasm . Cut Right Through (Emileigh Rohn Edit)
4. Saigon Blue Rain . Dolls Dresses
5. Her Own World . Mistrust
6. Still Patient Feat. Minu-Schirin Samimi . Blind Vision
7. Creux Lies . Playtime
8. Der Klinke . Curtains (Your Life On Hold Remix)
9. On The Floor . Crying On The Dancefloor
10. Numa Echos Feat. Red Zebra . Waisted Items
11. Factheory . The Day (Ok Lion! Mix – Short Version)
12. Antiflvx . Crystal
13. Flor Concreta . She’s Closer
14. Golden Apes . Ash Trees
15. Glis . Blue Sky Night
16. Ataraxia . The Source
17. Hanging Freud . Grooming
18. Ok Lion! . Get Away
19. Yuzna . Queen Of The Eels

Cd 5

1. The Breath Of Life Feat. Implant . The Last Record
2. The Halo Trees . Happy Man
3. Palm Ghosts . Tilt
4. Your Life On Hold . Imprisoned (Merciless Radio Edit)
5. Götterdämmerung . Common Existence
6. Jenni Sex . Sin Chimes
7. Denner . She Radiates Darkness
8. Imjudas . I Love You
9. Black Needle Noise . Dollhouse On Fire
10. Dead Souls Rising . Dysmorphobia
11. The Waning Moon . Annabel
12. Korinthians . Leader Of The Night
13. Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio . Mantis (Auger Remix)
14. Omnimar . The Matrix
15. Synapsyche Feat. Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) . The Last Dying Flame
16. Dance My Darling . Criminal
17. First Aid 4 Souls Feat. Emke Of Black Nail Cabaret . Das Messer
18. Supernova 1006 . Tell Your Name (Mix)
19. Suicidal Romance . Runaways

Cd 6

1. Ascii.Disko . Loslassen
2. Vioflesh . Emotions
3. Dina Summer . Who Am I (Club Version)
4. Pleasure Victim . Rascheln
5. Pink Opake . Pronta
6. Thewalkingicon . The Trail (Radio Edit)
7. Psy’aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories . Healing
8. Seasurfer . Collapsing
9. Lakeside X . Fire In The Sky (Radio Version)
10. Darkness On Demand . Hang On (Winterhart Remix)
11. Star Industry . Selling Icons (The Dreamside Remix)
12. Alphavox . Dark Satellite
13. Yama Uba . Shapes
14. Lifeless Past . Anxiety
15. Pink Turns Blue . Not Gonna Take It
16. Social Union . Waiting For Red
17. Sine . Until (Clan Of Xymox Remix)
18. Sorry, Heels . She Burns (We Burn) Version
19. Lights A.M . Clouds

Cd 7

1. Useless/You . Echo
2. Attrition . The Great Derailer
3. Children Of Zeal . Taking Over
4. Octolab . Friend Or Foe
5. Vague Phonique . The Last Man
6. Midnight Poetry . Black Hole
7. The Overlookers . Undercover (Edit)
8. La Machine . Vamos A La Playa (Radiomix)
9. Die Sexual . House Of God
10. Carrellee . Morning Sun
11. Underviewer . Was Soll Ich Tun (Aiboforcen Remix)
12. Night In Athens . Words Unspoken
13. Neila Invo . Alienation
14. Skeletal Family . My Own Redemption
15. The Murder Mystery . A Girl Named Red
16. Princess Ugly . For A Moment I Forgot The Desolation
17. Instant Lake . Ivory Dreams
18. Vision Video . Balaclava Kiss
19. La Scaltra . Dancing On Debris

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Genre/Influences: Dream-Pop, Dark-Wave, Cold-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: French formation Love In Cage don’t release albums on a regular basis. This is the band‘s third full length album which has been released eight years after the previous opus. “Trans-Reality” has been released in November 2023 and features nine songs.

Content: If you’re a bit familiar with this band you might know what to expect. I however experienced “Trans-Reality” as being more into Dream-Pop while reminding faithful to the good-old 80s Wave-music genres. The songs are mixing guitar and electronics; from pure icy Cold-Wave strings to harder Post-Punk driven guitar songs the album is quite diversified and yet still homogenous.

+ + + : Love In Cage is a band that never disappointed me but it’s just a pity they don’t release new stuff more regularly. This album however sounds as a ‘new’- and great sign of life. I like different influences running through the work; from the more Electronic driven cuts featuring outstanding, old-school, frozen synths to the harder cuts right at the end of the work. There’s also the sexy “Californian Desert” driven by a sexy ‘Western’ guitar playing which is totally irresistible.

– – – : I’m just convinced the production of the vocals could be more professional. I’m missing a bit more passion here.

Conclusion: This is a very personal and achieved production which sounds as a sonic bridge between 80s Wave music and contemporary formats.

Best songs: “Ma Vie Numérique”, “Blue Planet”, “Californian Desert”,   “Somewhere Else”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063203261069

Label: www.asso-trinity.org / www.facebook.com/people/Trinity-webzine-Meidosem-Records/100064411584658

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, minimal-electronics.

Background/Info: “Synthétique” is a kind of sonic ‘documentary’ featuring 13 French formations dealing and/or inspired by electro-pop. The main particularity of the sampler consists of a truly travel throughout the years. It starts in 1982 and stops in 2016. The sampler starts off with Philippe Laurent and comes to an end with the same artist, but with a song from 2016. In between both tracks you’ll discover 12 artists. All the songs have been remastered (by Martin Bowes) while it also is an opportunity to discover numerous previously unreleased songs from somewhat forgotten –or simply unknown, formations.

Bands: Philippe Laurent, X-Ray Pop, Atom Cristal, Adn’Ckrystall, Love In Cage, Guerre Froide, Mad Masks, No Unauthorized ao.

Content: This is an interesting testimony from the French electro-pop underground scene, mainly revealing minimal electronic tracks composed with good-old analogue gear. It creates this unique sterile- and cold sound color reminding me of the early years of new-wave and electronic music, but it also is a kind of sonic bridge between bands active during different periods.

Next to several familiar names it also is an opportunity to discover forgotten or simply unknown formations.

+ + + : I really like and fully support this kind of ‘conceptual’ compilation revealing forgotten and sometimes unknown sonic treasures from the past mixed with contemporary formations with an intelligent approach in sound. Most of the bands belong to the 80s generation of electronic pioneers, but it also is encouraging to see that contemporary formations are still fascinated to re-produce and experiment with the old standards. This is an exciting and fully recommended sampler featuring numerous great songs. Multiple bands are singing in their Mother tongue (French) giving a particular touch to the release.

– – – : I noticed a little error in the tracklist as 2 bands have been switched with each other. You also will notice some differences in the sound quality from band to band. This is not due to the mastering of Martin Bowes, who for sure did a great job, but you simply can’t transform a poorly and old recorded track into a high tech piece.

Conclusion: I simply like this sampler for its concept and I think it would be great –although a tough job, to release similar compilations featuring other countries. But who knows… that’s maybe an idea… Respect to Peripheral Minimal for this great work!

Best bands: Love In Cage, X-Ray Pop, Guerre Froide, And”Ckrystall.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.peripheralminimal.co.uk / www.facebook.com/PeripheralMinimal

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: New-wave, cold-wave.

Content: Love In Cage is a French trio hailing from Rouen, which released a debut album “Position” back in 2011. They now signed to Trinity/Meidosem Records, which clearly is the appropriated label for their sound.

Love In Cage perfectly mixes guitar and electronics, which directly evoke the good-old new-wave decade. This is a pure old-school minded band, bringing souvenirs back to life. One of their main strengths probably hides in some of the choruses. You here can sing along with the band and I like this magic fusion between a band and the listener. It works well at the opening song “Christopher”. A few songs feature female backing vocals adding an extra volume to the work. The songs are sung in French and English.

There’re multiple noticeable tracks. Next to the aforementioned “Christopher” I also have to mention “Boy Next Door” for its great guitar playing and “Cut Up”, which evokes some New Order reminiscences for the electro sequences.

I also like the pure old-school “Automne Monotone” for its cool electronic effects, but the absolute attention grabber is “Short Film Camera”. This is a brilliant composition, which once more doesn’t bring any new element to this music genre, but it simply is a well-crafted piece of music. I like this cold and somewhat sterile mood emerging from the song while the male vocals and female backings create a delicious fusion.

Conclusion: Love In Cage is a band you really have to discover. This band is bringing new-wave music back to life in a fascinating way.

Best songs: “Short Film Camera”, “Cut Up”, “Boy Next Door”, “Christopher”.

Rate: (Elise Din:8)Elise Din.

Band: www.facebook.com/Love-in-cage-129532780397554

Label: www.asso-trinity.org / www.facebook.com/asso.trinity

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com