M-Tronic &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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

Post industrial ambient project Kilmarth launches all new mini-album ‘Better Days’ feat. a singer for the very first time

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 12:08:06 +0000

The Belgian dark idm ambient project Kilmarth has released an all new 5-track strong mini-album, “Better Days¨. Behind Kilmarth we find the Belgian musician Cedric Wattergniaux.

Small but important detail, Cedric used to write for Side-Line and with his project he is the 5th (ex)member of the Side-Line team who has released music next to Ronan Harris (VNV Nation), Benoit Blanchart (Aiboforcen), Seba Dolimont (Aiboforcen) and Stephane Froidcoeur (Nebula-H).

Cedric’s work is the kind of work you would link to productions released on labels such as Ad Noiseam, Tympanik Audio, Ant-Zen, Mindtrick Records and M-Tronic. Wattergniaux, who has been active in the dark music scene since the early 90’s, first as writer for various fanzines including our very own Side-Line magazine up until a few years ago, and now with Kilmarth, the project he debuted in July 2017 with the 3-track single “The End of Humanity”.

On his newest EP, out now on all digital platforms, we find (female) vocals for the very first time by the the Nigerian singer Blessing. Also included are two remixes from the IDM project, D-Fried.

You can download the release right below from Bandcamp.

Better Days by Kilmarth

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!

Click Interview with Lith: ‘A Global Vision Of Humanity’s Action On Our Planet’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Lith is a French solo-project set up in 1996 by David Vallée (also involved with EKS.Center). Lith this year released the new opus “Anthropocene” which next to be a great Tribal/IDM/Industrial work also is an album with a deeper significance. The title refers to ‘the geological era, succeeding the Holocene, during which the impact of human activity becomes preponderant on the evolution of the terrestrial ecosystem, ahead of all the other natural factors predominant until then.’ An interesting concept transposed into an intelligent sound format that has been released by the French label M-Tronic.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Lith is now active for nearly thirty years. How do you perceive the evolution of your sonic project and how much of the early recordings do you still recognize in your newest work “Anthropocene”?

David: The sound of Lith today is quite different from that of the beginning. There is no specific sound guideline for composing my albums, even if there is an Industrial music base. Lith is constantly evolving, the sound has been enriched by various musical influences over the years, sometimes quite eclectic, like Hip-Hop, Dub, Bass, IDM, Experimental music… The ideas also varied, refined, soothed though intensified. Except perhaps the use of distortions or tribal syncopated rhythms, I don’t think we can recognize the Lith from the beginning with the Lith of “Anthropocene”. We can find the firstfruits of this album in “Hiroshima”, released in 2015, from a musical point of view, but hardly earlier.

The original Lith was raw, aggressive and dirty, the “Anthropocene” Lith is deep, precise, intense and cinematic. There is also in terms of ideas and subtlety of the sound something similar to the album “Gaia”, released in 2006, “Anthropocene” is a bit of a continuation.

Regarding the sound technique, as well as the composition, the recording has changed a lot. I learned, I trained on sound techniques, and then, for the finalization of “Anthropocene”, I asked for the help of Rémy Pelleschi (QFG Studio, Mlada Fronta) who is an outstanding sound engineer. This collaboration made “Anthropocene” the album that I think is the most complete in my career, technically speaking at least.

Q: Lith has been always an engaged project which is again reflected in “Anthropocene”. What are the deeper thoughts and concept you try to express and what’s the impact of this action?

David: You are right, LITH has always been a committed project, dealing with ecology, speciesism, the attacks carried by the human being against Nature. Usually, each track of an album could deal with a subject. “Anthropocene” is in this sense different because it deals with a general subject, that is to say a concept album. The word “Anthropocene” is a term more or less recognized in the scientific world, defining a geological era succeeding the Holocene, where the action of the human being becomes preponderant on the evolution of Nature. This term is not officially recognized, but it perfectly represents the concept I wanted to develop in this album.

Whatever the subject dealt with in the various tracks that make it up, they are all bound by the idea that the world of today is totally transformed by the hand of the Human, both biological, marine, atmospheric and geological. In addition to this major transformation, I also wanted to express the rage, despair and anxiety generated by this destructive impact of our actions. Previous albums of LITH denounced what human beings can do, with a notion of hope that it will not change, “Anthropocene” is full of defeatism, a hopeless realization that nothing will change, on the contrary that it will worsen.

I know that my action does not have any impact, it is even more hopeless. My music will be able to convince those already convinced, at best make react the time of some thrill, but most listeners of this album will not react. The video projections during the shows could have an impact, but I think it’s minimal. But I need to try.

Q: How did the preparation and finally composition and production of “Anthropocene” happened? What have been the different stages you’d to go through to achieve this album?

David: After the album “Hiroshima”, I searched for a long time for a new sound, bringing new musical influences to my work. At the same time, I did a lot of research on the themes usually covered by Lith, but I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of information I could use to create my tracks, not to say alarmed by the exponential speed of the destruction of our environment. This could be compared to what is called eco-anxiety. I made the decision in the end to express what I could feel, to say what there was to say in the form of a single idea: Anthropocene, a global vision of Humanity’s action on our planet.

The composition of the tracks was very fast, less than two months, at the end of 2019. During this period I composed about thirty tracks, eight of them clearly stood out. In early 2020 I started working on the sound design of these tracks, I wanted to get something Cinematic, a kind of Soundtrack of the Anthropocene. That was the longer part, because I had a clear idea of what I was looking for. It took over a year and a half to achieve the desired result. The work was even longer as I voluntarily changed my method of work, everything was to be relearned. I really wanted something different, new, specific. The mixing phase ended, I made contact with Rémy Pelleschi who, as a sound engineer, understood what I was looking for, and carried out an exceptional mastering work: the precision, the atmosphere and the coloring I wanted.

The last part was the graphic design. This is a very important phase because for me the imaging of an album completes the music. I called the French artist Sophie Vizzone who has been accompanying me for several years for the conception of my parallel project EKS.Center. Her work was prodigious, she perfectly embraced the subject and understood what I wanted to express, creating a graphic mixing organic and geometry.

Q: “Anthropocene” sounds to me as one of your most eclectic albums. How do you perceive the sound of the new Lith-album and what have been the main sources of inspiration? Do you’ve an idea how you want to evolve in sound on further works?

David: It’s funny because I find that this album is the most homogeneous of all the ones I composed, but it’s rather at the level of the sound technique used that I hear it. I concentrated more on the sound, the atmospheres, the emotions and the sensations, which is maybe why I perceive this singularity. It’s a bit of a sound piece composed of several acts.

The main sources of inspiration for this album are the ideas and emotions I wanted to express. Hence the compositions, in terms of the arrangement of sonorities capable of expressing these ideas and translating these emotions. I haven’t thought about style, I think all my musical influences are reflected in my songs, but I did it unconsciously. Ideas and emotions were the only sources of inspiration.

In terms of future work, I don’t know. The evolution of my sound comes from the aspirations of the moment, from my state of mind, instinctively. The only thing I know is that I want something more Cinematic, more transcendent, hypnotic.

Q: How demanding and self-critical are you with your own compositions? Do you’ve specific references and criteria to say a song/album is finished?

David: I am very strict and critical about my work. Even if the composition is instinctive at first sight, the tracks are constantly reworked, altered, corrected, both in terms of sound and composition. I listen to every detail, I am very precise, almost maniac! For me, a song is finished only if it ‘slides’, if it doesn’t catch anything, if no sound is unpleasant, if the rhythms are perfectly linked, if each sound is heard and has its place. The song must constantly evolve, surprise, not be boring. Sometimes I work on two compositions in parallel so that they are linked as well as possible, because the order of the tracks is already more or less established from the beginning, in the sense of the chain of ideas within the album.

An album is complete when I finish expressing the story I wanted to tell, and the last point is brought up: the design is finished, the graphics are ready.

Q: “Anthropocene” is your first album released by M-Tronic. Considering the decline of physical sales today what do you expect from a label? And how do you expect things evolving?

David: “Anthropocene” is the first Lith album published by M-Tronic, but this label has already published the “Clouds” and “Murmurations” albums of my parallel project EKS.Center.

I decided to collaborate with M-Tronic for their support, their network, but also for their respect for an artist’s work. We agreed on a small edition of “Anthropocene”, few copies were pressed, and this mainly to the attention of amateurs and collectors, from where the care brought to the object itself. We know that physical diffusion is in decline and we agreed that a small series was enough. Nevertheless, M-Tronic also broadcasts this album on many streaming and downloading platforms (like Spotify or Bandcamp).

M-Tronic’s strength in communication helped me to release this album. I could have produced it myself, but I didn’t want this album to remain confidential, not having this promotional capacity. And then, the members of the label are above all passionate friends, and I wanted “Anthropocene” to be released.

For the future, we’ll see. I would like to continue to work with M-Tronic, physically or digitally, depending on the music industry at the time and the demand from the audience. But I admit that I enjoy producing physical objects!

Lith – Anthropocene (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Tribal, IDM, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: David Vallée aka Lith strikes back with a new album which also is the first one in seven years. The title refers to ‘the geological era, succeeding the Holocene, during which the impact of human activity becomes preponderant on the evolution of the terrestrial ecosystem, ahead of all the other natural factors predominant until then.’

Content: The theme of the album has been transposed in a sophisticated production mixing slow Tribal rhythms together with icy atmospheres and deep blasting bass sounds. The sound is cold and the cadence often has something sensual. Some passages are fetching and inciting. The last track is a remix of the title song by Conjecture.

+ + + : Lith is back and that’s a damned good thing. This artist has already produced multiple great works and this new album only confirms his nose for great underground music. Somewhere in between Industrial, Tribal, ambient and simply Electro he creates a true melting pot between different influences. I like the Tribal cadence and especially when it becomes slow. The work has something shamanic which is mainly emerging on “The Limits To Growth” and “Amazon Ashes”.

– – – : The album has something complex and therefor not exactly a bite-size piece.

Conclusion: “Anthropocene” deals with a sensible, but important concept which inspired the artist to create a visionary piece of music.

Best songs: “The Limits To Growth”, “Amazon Ashes”, “Collapse”, “Anthropocene”, “Ruins”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.lithsite.net / www.facebook.com/lith.music

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

C.H. District – Live At XIX Wroclaw Industrial Festival (Album – Zoharum)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Industrial, IDM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Set up in 1996 by Miroslaw Matyasik, C.H. District will evoke good souvenirs to fans of labels like Tympanik Audio and M-Tronic. This album is the first one in years. It features a live performance that took place in 2020 and one bonus track.

Content: The live track at the XIX Wroclaw Industrial festival is a long duration piece featuring the main ingredients this artist has always injected in his music. Slow rhythms and harder kicks have been mixed with Industrial sound treatments while other, more sophisticated, and minimal-driven bleeps create a space-like effect. A harder kick emerges during the last part of the track.

The bonus cut has been recorded during a home studio transmission (which also is the title of the song) and reveals similar influences.

+ + + : This artist is a kind of sound alchemist, manipulating analogue sounds with effects and rhythms to create a sophisticated -although bit chaotic, production. I especially like the Industrial sound treatments, which have something heavier and darker. Both tracks are moving towards a crescendo with heavy sound blasts and -kicks.

– – – : C.H. District has never been the most accessible project. It has something Experimental and chaotic, but it also is a suitable alternative to play at Industrial festivals.

Conclusion: I don’t know if many people were awaiting a new album by C.H. District, but I’m sure lovers of creative and more minimal sound experiences will be pleased.

Best songs: “Home Studio Transmission (Bonus Track)”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063736443487

Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum

Post-industrial ambient Kilmarth releases 2-track single ‘Baryum’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:17:54 +0000

Today is the release date of the new single from Kilmarth: “Baryum”, a dark post-industrial ambient track. “Nanikuli” is the B-side and is an upbeat song mixing EBM, IDM and experimental music.

Behind the project we find former Side-Line contributor Cedric Wattergniaux, his work is the kind of work you would link to productions released on labels such as Ad Noiseam, Tympanik Audio, Ant-Zen, Mindtrick Records and M-Tronic.

You can get it on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms.

Baryum by Kilmarth

V/A Table Of Elements Volume 5.0 (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, Minimal-Electro, Industrial, Ambient-Electro, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Twenty seven tracks to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the French label M-Tronic. As the title indicates, it also is the fifth volume in the Compilation series “Table Of Elements” which started in 2004 with ten tracks.

Artists: C.H.District, Cathode Ray Tube, Alpturer, Amantra, An Hedonia, Plaster, Mono Peninsula, Valance Drakes, Nearfield, Syl Kougaï, Tineidae + Comforting Darkness, EKS Center, DEF, Obscure Formats, Snowbeasts, Martin Dupont & Philippe Petit, Xorcist, Flint Glass, Ermanspeed, Shizuka, Leitmotiv Rainbow, Lith, Cruise [ctrl], NSP.

Content: The impressive tracklist perfectly stands for the particular and minimal-driven sound of the M-Tronic roster. It’s an avant-garde vision of the Electronic underground scene featuring an intelligent, sophisticated and complex approach of Electronic music. Most bands are familiar names from the label roster although you’ll discover other bands as well.

+ + + : M-Tronic is a label I’ve always respected for its visionary approach. Electronic music is much more than artists repeating each other and music genres without innovation. M-Tronic brings visionary music and always have dared to sign unknown bands with an intelligent sound. But intelligent music often stands for a rather restricted number of fans. I however remain an adherent of this label and this compilation simply confirms the good taste of the French label. And when you realize the label also released albums of bands like Millimetric, Mlada Fronta, Ex_Tension, Displacer, Geomatic ao, which aren’t featured on this compilation, you only, but have to agree this label stands for high tech productions.

– – – : A few more explicit Experimental passages aren’t my favorites one, but you don’t hear me to complaining.

Conclusion: Electronic music with an uppercase E!

Best bands: Tineidae + Comforting Darkness, Ermanspeed, S.H.I.Z.U.K.A., Lith, C.H. District, Leitmotiv Rainbow.

Rate: 8½.

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Antiage is a new synth rock formation around ex-Mnemonic member Sebastian Schulz

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:47:20 +0000

Antiage is a new synthpop / synthrock band from Friedrichroda / Thuringia (Germany). They have now released their debut single “Lone” from their debut album to be released in Autumn. You can check “Lone” below.

The band’s keyboardist and producer Veto Lestard (aka Sebastian Schulz) was a co-founder and long-time member of the EBM / IDM formation Mnemonic, which has been producing albums on labels such as Alfa Matrix, M-Tronic, Halbsicht & AntZen.

You can expect a mix of electronica, melodic pop and rock.

Dark ambient act Dead Voices On Air joined by Snowbeasts on new album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:01:56 +0000

“Dead Voices On Air : Snowbeasts” is the newest album by the dark ambient acts Dead Voices On Air and Snowbeasts. For those who might have forgotten, Dead Voices on Air is Mark Spybey’s experimental and industrial project formed after his departure from Zoviet France. Dead Voices on Air has collaborated with artists such as Not Breathing and cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy.

But back to the joined effort which started out when Dead Voices On Air’s Mark Spybey – who played at a festival in Providence RI – was helped out by Rob Galbraith from the band Snowbeasts. He drove Mark back to Boston to catch his flight home. It resulted in Rob and Mark eventually talking about working together.

During the first Covid lockdown, in the summer of 2020, the duo started working on a new Dead Voices on Air album. Rob and his partner Beth sent so much music to Mark that when he started to assemble the finished project, he worked out that it was at least a double album’s worth of material. He suggested that the bulk of the work that Rob and Beth had contributed might work as a Dead Voices on Air and Snowbeasts joint CD.

Even the artwork seems to have been a collaborative effort as the band’s artwork guy Marco Roberti assembled the sleeve for the CD from photographs by Rob, Beth and Mark. The CD was mastered by another member of the Dead Voices on Air family, Anatoly Grinberg from Moscow.

The album is out now via Re:Mission (inlcuding as a limited CD edition of just 100 copies), you can check it below.

:snowbeasts: dead voices on air: by :dead voices on air: snowbeasts:

About Snowbeasts

Snowbeasts is the duo of Robert Galbraith and Elizabeth Virosa. The project was formed in 2014 in Providence RI. Earlier releases were cinematic modular landscapes and droning dark ambient while later tracks can be more beat oriented.

Snowbeasts has numerous releases scattered across their own Component Recordings and the fine Paris based label M-Tronic. They have also recently completed a trio of albums with beat oriented noise artist, Solypsis including two for Ohm Resistance.

Along with Snowbeasts, Virosa and Galbraith produce techno under the name Obscure Formats and electronic dance as Pattern Behavior.

About Dead Voices On Air

Spybey started his career in the North-East of England with Zoviet France in the late eighties before moving to Vancouver. It was here that Dead Voices On Air were formed. Spybey also worked under the name Propeller and was an original member of Download, which included members of Skinny Puppy. Spybey was the voice of “The Eyes of Stanley Pain” in 1996.

After leaving Download he started a series of collaborations, appearing on over 50 albums in a five-year period including that of CAN guitarist Michael Karoli’s band Sofortkontakt!. Spybey was a close friend of Michael Karoli prior to his death in 2001 and toured with him as part of legendary CAN vocalist Damo Suzuki’s Network in 1998 in North America, appearing in the German TV film by Peter Braatz, “On the
Air”.

Spybey was part of the band Beehatch with the late Phil Western of Download, who released three albums and toured Europe. In 2004 he formed Reformed Faction, a duo with founding member of Zoviet France and Rapoon mainstay Robin Storey. The band has released a number of albums and have played live in both Europe and North America.

He now resides in his native Yorkshire, in the UK.

The End of Humanity by Kilmarth InkrapinbbaN (Single Version) by Kilmarth Catharsis by Kilmarth The White Willow by Kilmarth

Belgian IDM/experimental act Kilmarth returns with all new EP

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:56:54 +0000

Out now is the newest EP from the Belgian IDM/exprimental act Kilmarth. Titled “Derrière le Miroir” it contains 3 new tracks as well as remixes of the band, the French experimental project Zumaia and the Belgian compatriots of Aiboforcen. This release should please the fans of labels in the likes of Hymen, ant-zen, M-tronic, Cold Spring and Cryo Chamber.

You can download the EP right now from Bandcamp or stream it from various services worldwide.

Derrière le Miroir by Kilmarth

About Kilmarth

Kilmarth is the solo instrumental project of Cedric Wattergniaux who has been active in the dark music scene since the early 90’s. First as writer for various fanzines until he started writing for our very own Side-Line magazine until a few years ago. Also featured on the album is his son Elias Wattergniaux, playing guitar on “Mirrors”.

The project debuted in July 2017 with the 3-track single “The End of Humanity”, followed by the 1-track single “InkrapinbbaN” in March 2018 before releasing a first EP one month later, “Catharsis”, which was also released on CD.

Two years later, in July 2020 a new single was released, “The White Willow” and now a brand new 6-track EP.

Kilmarth back catalog

‘Click Interview’ with SNOWBEASTS: ‘I Don’t Want To Be Doing The Same Thing Over And Over Again’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Hailing from New England (USA) Rob Galbraith (aka ‘Raab Codec’) and Elizabeth Virosa are now active for several years as SNOWBEASTS. They already released an impressive number of productions and last year unleashed their newest opus “Energy”. The album was released on M-Tronic, revealing an impressive mix of influences; from IDM and Techno to Minimal-Electro, Trance and Electro-Industrial the album is characterized by a very personal approach. “Energy” is an absolute masterpiece and definitely one of my favorites from 2020. I’d a chat with Rob and Elizabeth.

(Picture credit by Lüke Haughwøut / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You guys are involved with different music projects like MONTAUR, PATTERN BEHAVIOR, OBSCURE FORMATS and of course SNOWBEATS. Which projects are still active today? How do you make the difference between the projects and is there a different approach?

Rob: Right now SNOWBEASTS is our primary project and outlet for musical creativity. SNOWBEASTS is spread across several different directions so it can be a bit hard to pin down. Typically we start with an overall concept when we start a new album -is it going to be more atmospheric? Is it going to be more dance oriented? And then go from there. “Energy” was an attempt to bring more of the Dark-Techno that we play live into our recorded works. With SNOWBEASTS we try to bring more organic elements in to the music and use more acoustic sound sources like waterphone, bone trumpet, and zithers.

OBSCURE FORMATS is the other active project and the scope is more narrow and Techno-oriented. The three OBSCURE FORMATS albums that came out last year were all done in a very short period of time (a couple weeks each for the first two). For that project I try to keep things a bit more raw and really try to avoid overthinking.

We are talking about doing some new PATTERN BEHAVIOR tracks in 2021, but that is really just in the planning stages right now. MONTAUR is a bit different in that we were working with our friend, David Dodson, on it so it brings his personality and influence in the mix as well. We have talked about doing more tracks together but nothing yet.

Q: SNOWBEASTS is now active for several years and has already released an impressive discography. Where does this creativity comes from and how would you analyze the evolution from the early work till the newest album “Energy”?

Rob: For me the creativity comes from all over the place. I really try to keep my ears open to both the music I love and the things that I’m not so into. It could be just a matter of hearing the way a drum loop is processed or a simple click in a sound that gets me thinking about a new track. Emotion also plays into what I put into music. It may not always be completely articulated, but it definitely plays a huge role.

I think the evolution may be in part due to my short attention span. I get bored easily and as a result, I don’t want to be doing the same thing over and over again. I sort of see three distinct evolutionary points in SNOWBEASTS starting with the Dark-Ambient of the first album, and then moving to the Down-Tempo beats of “Instincts”, and then the third being the more dance oriented tracks on “Energy”. That being said, I totally feel comfortable moving back and forth within those realms.

Q: “Energy” has been released nearly one year ago now. How do you look back at the writing and production process of the album and can you give us more details about the concept, sound and influences?

Elizabeth: Before working on the album we discussed trying to attempt to create a dark atmospheric sound at a faster BPM and seeing if we could accomplish that. The time it took us to complete the album was a bit slower than it typically takes us to complete albums in the past as this took us about a year to complete. There are a few tracks with lyrics. Those I would write after adding more indistinguishable vocalizations just to come up with a melody or rhythm to go with the drums or other sounds Rob added. Sometimes we kept those if they worked.

Rob: For influences, I don’t think we can particularly pin it to particular artists, but I was definitely listening to a lot of Techno while writing “Energy”. I wanted to fuse that with more organic elements and the moods and atmospheres we explore with SNOWBEASTS.

Q: How do you guys work together? What makes the complementarity between you both?

Elizabeth: In general Rob is behind the computer using the daw while I’ll contribute and record vocals or record instrument samples or drones or pads from synths although sometimes I take over while he records drums or baselines or other sounds from Eurorack equipment. We pretty much both work on the arrangements together. I might start it or he will until one of us finishes it.

Typically most tracks begin with a sound from an instrument we might have acquired say a bone trumpet, field recordings or maybe a Eurorack instrument. Something that is typically new for us to explore and has the characteristics and color we are looking for.

Where I complement his approach and style is typically in the process of slowing things down enough to analyze things, but without paralysis. Basically, I ask questions and give a lot of feedback while we are working unless it does not need it and sounds amazing.

Q: I noticed more and more artists are getting back to modular- and analog gear to write their music. What makes the magic of vintage equipment and what did it add to your work?

Rob: For me analog synths provide a sense of immediacy and tactile interaction. I love to be able to twist and modulate sounds in real time without having to map a controller. With modular, it comes down to the absolute freedom of things and being able to made something new and predictable every time I turn on my modular cabinets. I am by no means an analog purist and mix a fair amount of drum samples and VSTs in to the mix. It really comes down to what works best for you and your workflow. I have heard people do amazing things with very minimal computer based setups-so you don’t necessarily need a wall of modular gear to make interesting music.

Elizabeth: Rob introduced me to Eurorack systems a few years back when we first started working on SNOWBEASTS, when working with these types of tools what I suppose seemed magical was when we created sounds that were unexpected and powerful while playing in the studio. Sometimes the way modules patched together did not seem to fully explain its sound and that way it seems as if there is something else influencing the final outcome.

Q: Next to “Energy” you also released 2 albums together with SOLYPSIS. How did this collaboration happened? Was there a specific focus and/or concept in this collaborative work?

Rob: SOLYPSIS had originally reached out to have Elizabeth’s voice on one of his tracks. We were all really happy with the results and decided to work on the first SNOWBEASTS & SOLYPSIS album together. The first album was written mostly while I was on furlough from my last job. James and I would bounce ideas and files back and forth during the day and then Elizabeth would add to the tracks when she finished up with work in the evenings. James and I work really well together and he brings a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm to the project. The first album felt like an artistic success and we got a really good response from it so it seemed only natural to do a second album which brought us to “Fever Dream”. Right now we are compiling a remix album of the track on “Fever Dream” and have some amazing remixers on board.

Scorched Earth Policy Lab – Escape From Hyperreality (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Dark-Ambient, cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Scorched Earth Policy Lab is a rather new side-project by French artist Thierry Arnal. He’s still involved with other projects such as Fragment, Amantra, Flex, TH.A ao. With this new project he has released an impressive number of self-released works since 2018.

Content: The work features 2 long duration tracks; each 20 minutes. This project wants to show the darker Ambient side of the artist and I must admit the opening piece reveals Dark-Ambient elements like a constant boiling sound wave, which is progressively running throughout the song. The next piece is not that different; linear while holding on a dark mood.

+ + + : Both tracks have been progressively built up. It’s the kind of music I can imagine accompanied by a visual performance or a movie/documentary instead of pure Dark-Ambient music. The opening track “Hyper” especially has an interesting potential. This could be the right track for a soundtrack.

– – – : If “Hyper” reveals some potential “Reality” seems to show the limits of this production; it’s too linear and repetitive, but this track is too long. Less is happening and I’m missing a climax.

Conclusion: Scorched Earth Policy Lab is not exactly the most promising project I’ve heard from the high qualitative M-Tronic roster while I’ve already heard better projects from Thierry Arnal.

Best songs: “Hyper”.

Rate: (6).

Artist: www.facebook.com/groups/238660059532801/user/100001356047716

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

EKS.Center – Murmurations (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 20:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Set up in 2008 by David Vallée, this French artist gained some recognition with his Lith project. EKS.Center this year unleashed its fifth full length.

Content: “Murmurations” clearly sounds like a step back to the past; the early experiments with Electronic equipment, which sound Experimental and pretty astral like. The songs are instrumental edits although you can hear some voice manipulated passages. The tracks are driven by slow rhythms while the sound treatments have this good-old analogue magic.

+ + + : “Murmurations” is influenced by 80s Electro experiments, but still has a refreshing and contemporary touch on top. The sounds are retro-like while the production sounds more contemporary. This way the album creates an imaginary sonic bridge between the past and today. It’s an easy listening piece of music revealing a few highlights like the ominous sounding “Still On The Road” and the more sophisticated last track “Event Horizon”. I like the astral dimension running through the work, which has been accentuated by dreamy string parts.

– – – : There are several cool songs featured at this album, but no total climax has been reached. It’s nothing more than an entertaining piece of music.

Conclusion: The new work by EKS.Center will appeal for old-fashioned Electronic lovers; a kind of back to the roots!

Best songs: “Still On The Road”, “Event Horizon”, “Bboys Style”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.ekscenter.net / www.facebook.com/ekscenter

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Cruise [Ctrl] – It’s Happening Again (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, Electro-Ambient, Minimal-Electronics, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The Belgianduo of Cruise [Ctrl] has been active since 2006. Driven by John Cultiaux and “Gore”, they have already released productions on very different labels. This new opus is the first in four years and still the first one released on the French label M-Tronic.

Content: Cruise [Ctrl] remains faithful to their original influences; a pretty minimal composition built up with electronic treatments moving from IDM to Ambient passages to total Experimentalism. The main difference with the previous releases is maybe the accentuated Cinematographic approach at some tracks, but also a more explicit Minimal-Electro format. The global production sounds cold, sometimes mysterious and now and then danceable. The tracks are instrumental edits except “Juste” featuring spoken vocals by Alice Juste.

+ + + : Cruise [Ctrl] remains one of the best hidden secrets from Belgium. Well, it’s not that secret, but I never have understood why this duo is not more recognized. They’re composing a very unique sound, which already brought them to work with famous guests. This opus is a new exploration of creative Electronic fields. I like the band’s approach and their taste for minimalism. The tracks have been progressively built up, covering different influences and reaching a true apotheosis at songs like “Juste”, “Black Orb” and “The Fireman’s Hope”.

– – – : It’s a pity this artistic album is not available in a physical copy. I also regret the album only features 7 songs although this is the magic number of alchemists…

Conclusion: “It’s Happening Again” feels a bit like watching a surreal movie without images; you get the sound and have to imagine the story. It’s a fascinating experience made in Belgium!

Best songs: “Juste”, “Black Orb”, “The Fireman’s Hope”, “White Sands 45”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.cruisectrl.be / www.facebook.com/CRSCTRL

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Obscure Formats – Cryptid (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Techno-Body.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Obscure Formats is a side-project of Snowbeasts and mainly of Raab Codec. An impressive number of productions have been released in a very short lapse of time, “Cryptid” being the third album of Obscure Formats for 2020. The title of the work deals about ‘a creature of legend’.

Content: I expected something totally different when I knew what the title of the album is all about; something more Ambient or ritual-like. But Obscure Formats deals with the dark side of Techno music! The songs are driven by heavy beats while the electronic composition is characterized by EBM-inspired bass lines and dark atmospheres. The work has something linear, but that’s what Techno music stands for.

+ + + : “Cryptid” is a powerful production; a dark and perverted Techno format for parties in dark cellars. Pure underground! I like this approach, which is comparable to some Berliner productions in the genre and yet, this is also different. It’s more obscure and underground-like. “Basilisk” and “Ahool” both are very efficient compositions to understand the approach of this artist. I also have to mention “Tatzelwurm” driven by a phenomenal, cold tune and carried by a strong bass line. The repetitive sequences have something exciting creating a trance effect.

– – – : Some passages are a little bit too repetitive creating an unaccomplished effect, but in the end that’s often what Techno reflects.

Conclusion: If you think you’ve already heard the darkest formats of Techno music, Obscure Formats will open a forbidden door to an unknown dimension!

Best songs: “Basilisk”, “Ahool”, “Tatzelwurm”, “Mothman”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/snowbeasts

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Snowbeasts – Energy (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, Electro-Industrial, Trance, Minimal-Electronics.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Raab Codec and Elizabeth Virosa are now active for several years as Snowbeasts. Bothg American artists are still involved with other common projects such as Obscure Formats, Pattern Behavior and Mon >O< Taur. The band’s discography is already quite impressive while they this year added a new album “Energy” released on M-Tronic.

Content: “Energy” takes off with a rather wafting and mysterious track featuring female chants reminding me of the imaginary call of sirens. Quite progressively the work becomes sophisticated and into pure IDM. Industrial sound treatments and slow rhythms joined by other female chants and spoken-like vocals are noticeable elements of the album. But there also is an explicit Trance-approach, which is created by dark, repetitive sequences and bouncing beats. The work becomes cold and ending a more minimal-like way.

+ + + : “Energy” is an album that took me by surprise leaving me sometimes breathless. The tracklist is meticulously built up, taking off with mysterious spheres, but slowly reaching in the midst of the album a total state of Trance; a pure sonic orgasm emerging at “Rebirth”. This song is a true masterpiece, one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year. The deep, resonating sound blasts, which sound like a horn, create a Trance/Ritual effect. A somewhat similar impression is also reached on the next song “At Least I Have My Heart”. Elizabeth Virosa’s spoken-like and sterile kind of singing accentuate the global sensation of mystery, trance and rite. After these both amazing songs the album moves towards more minimal-like impressions, which are still intelligently written by great vintage sound treatments.

– – – : There are no minus points about this album; it’s just regrettable this project remains pretty unknown for a wider audience.

Conclusion: “Energy” is a fully accomplished piece of intelligent Electronic music composed by artists who still take care to create their own sound and style.

Best songs: “Rebirth”,“At Least I Have My Heart”, “Kanashibari”, “Glass Souls”, “Entity”, “The Storm Inside”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/snowbeasts

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Cathode Ray Tube – Katabasis (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 20:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, IDM, Electro-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Charles R. Terhune is a French artist who’s already busy for a while under the Cathode Ray Tube moniker. He mainly released his work during the past few years on Component Recordings, and this year released his third work on M-Tronic. “Katabasis” is an album driven by what’s happening in the world today; the impact of the pandemic getting some richer and others poorer.

Content: The sound universe of this musician brings different influences together. He creates a minimal kind of Electronics, which can be more IDM and then move more towards Ambient. Some passages have a strong cinematographic degree. You’ll hear a mix of IDM, groovy sequences and refined bleeps plus astral atmospheres.

+ + + : “Katabasis” is a well-crafted and elaborated piece of music. The songs are supported by dense Ambient atmospheres, which can sometimes become a tiny psychedelic. I however prefer the IDM side of the work, which emerges at “Merchant Of Dekay”. This is the kind of music reminding me of the genius of Lassigue Bendthaus. But there’s also something to say about the minimalism of “Volcano Song” and the groovy-driven “Diginal Dub (For DA)”.

– – – : “Katabasis” is alternating real great and intelligent passages with less inspired cuts. The more cinematographic and Experimental part of the work aren’t my favorite ones (cf. “Sideways Circuits”, “Algoriphonia”).

Conclusion: “Katabasis” is a modern piece of Electronics revealing an artist who’s mixing multiple influences together.

Best songs: “Merchant Of Dekay”, “Diginal Dub (For DA)”, “Volcano Song”, “Derelict 19”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.charlesrterhune.com / www.facebook.com/crtmusik

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Amantra – Alteration (Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Techno, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Amantra is another solo-project driven by Thierry Arnal (TH.A, Scorched Earth Policy Lab ao). Under the Amantra moniker he already released works on Thisco, Ohm Resistance and Kvitnu. He released collaborative productions together with Rasalasad, Luke Lund or Submerged. I know the artist for his Cinematographic and somewhat Experimental approach while this new work, which comes closer to a mini-album, has been introduced as something different.

Content: The (mini)-album features 6 cuts, taking off with a heavy Industrial-Techno piece filled with multiple effects. This approach is quite representative for the entire work although I noticed a few ‘softer’ passages supported with an extra Ambient atmosphere. The last track is clearly composed to set dancefloors on fire; carried by a solid bass line and the perfect symbiosis between Techno and Industrial.

+ + + : Thierry Arnal clearly sounds fascinated by sounds and noises he likes to transpose into something new; like injecting his own stamp into the original sound. He empowered this sonic puzzle with heavy beats, creating this somewhat experimental format of Industrial-Techno music. And especially the already mentioned final cut “Anthropocentrism” is a real smasher. The track is also more elaborated than the others. Among the ‘softer’ pieces I also have to mention “System Failure”.

– – – : Amantra is not composing the typical Industrial-Techno sound and I even have a doubt if it’s the original intention. That’s probably why it remains pretty Experimental and maybe too complex for dancefloors.

Conclusion: “Alteration” sounds like a new approach of Industrial-Techno; complex and pure sonic anarchy!

Best songs: “Anthropocentrism”, “System Failure”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Thierry.Arnal70

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

Nightcrawler – Visionary (Album – Nightcrawler / Electric Dream Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:30:56 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, cinematographic, indie-pop.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: George Gold is a Spanish producer mainly inspired by horror- and sci/fi movies mixed with electronics. After a few previously released albums he this year strikes back with “Visionary” featuring ten songs and the contribution of several guest singers.

Content: You rapidly notice the cinematographic inspiration running through the work. It’s not only about the instrumental edits of these songs, but still the global spirit devoted to soundtrack music. But there indeed is a kind of electro-pop touch on top, which has something danceable. Somewhere in between electro-pop and technoid arrangements, the songs remain fully accessible. Nightcrawler invited four guests; Celine (who you maybe remember from an album released a long time ago on M-Tronic), Maxthor, Mental Exile (aka Damasius Venys, also involved with Mondträume) and Sonja to add vocal lines on a few songs.

+ + + : The main strength of this album is for sure its diversity and interesting fusion between different music styles. You don’t exactly expect cinematographic music mixed with electro-pop and even darker techno elements. The songs with vocals inject something extra to the work while accentuating diversity. The instrumental “Gain Therapy” however is my favorite song for its hard kick and icy techno sound treatments. Another attention grabber is “Catharsis” featuring Mental Exile; I here like the down tempo plus the magic of the vocals.

– – – : I’m sometimes missing a little bit more coherence between several songs; it’s a creative format, but missing a true catharsis.

Conclusion: “Visionary” is an interesting album for its global approach and creative exposure. This is film music you can dance on!

Best songs: “Gain Therapy”, “Catharsis”, “Enter”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.nightcrawlermusic.com / www.facebook.com/nightcrawlermusic

Label: www.electricdreamrecords.com / www.facebook.com/electricdreamrecords

Mlada Fronta – No Trespassing (CD Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 21:00:23 +0000

Genre/Influences: Body-techno, IDM.

Background/Info: Active since the early 90s French musician/producer Rémy Pelleschi went through several music ‘periods’. He ever started with EBM-inspired work and progressively evolved towards tribal/trance productions. His previous album “Outrun” (2016) clearly revealed an evolution in sound, taking some distance with the trance sound. “No Trespassing” moves on where previous songs stopped.

Content: It’s not that easy to define the sound of this work, but it has something soundtrack-like (mainly because of the instrumental format) mixed with danceable beats. Mlada Fronta this way moves further exploring new sonic horizons, but his work first of all remains characterized by his great skills in sound creation and sonic manipulation.

+ + + : Rémy Pelesschi is a studio-master and that’s an aspect you clearly can hear on his newest work. He creates unique sound treatments like scratching sound blasts, a few terrific bass lines and dark atmospheres. Pelesschi once again revealed himself as a sound-wizard. He refreshed his sound with good-old synth lines (“Arcade Rider” featuring a brilliant synth) and simply brings people to dance.

– – – : The only regret I have is the similar sound formula getting back on each track. I’m missing some diversity and that’s probably the main difference with the important trance/tribal period of the artist.

Conclusion: Mlada Fronta remains a visionary musician, but who’s maybe abusing a little bit of his new sound formula. But if you like intelligent dance music this album will bring you satisfaction!

Best songs: “Deathdreams”, “The Warriors”, “Arcade Rider”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.mlada-fronta.com

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facedbook.com/mtroniclabel

Ele Ypsis – Linga Dei (Digital Album – Ele Ypsis)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 18:30:06 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, experimental, ambient.

Background/Info: Ele Ypsis has been set up now 10 years ago and is the artistic fusion between Belgian composer Derenne Stélian and French artist Laure Le Prunenec (still involved with the more renowned Igorrr). The most noticeable work from their career has been for sure the “Meiosis”-album released in 2017 on M-Tronic. They now strike back with a new and self-released opus.

Content: It’s not an easy thing to define the sound of Ele Ypsis. There are multiple sources of inspiration running through their work, which in the end all become very cinematographic. One of the main characteristics remain for sure the impressive and artistic voice of Laure Le Prunenec. She sometimes elevates the songs towards a higher artistic dimension.

+ + + : This work is supported with great atmospheres, which became refined and sensitive throughout the multiple neo-classic arrangements and passages. Piano- and violin sounds are pretty important and only accentuates the sensitive touch of the work. It also creates a delicious twist with the great vocal parts. Laure Le Prunenec has a real great impact on the songs. Sound-wise Ele Ypsis is a truly enigma, but still a remarkable fusion between all different kinds of influences. The epic arrangements –mainly emerging during the title track, are impressive, but I also have to mention great incoming drum sections, which you also can hear on other cuts.

– – – : Some passages are a bit chaotic so I sometimes get the impression to lose the feeling and interaction with the work. It’s maybe because too much influences and ideas are coming together.

Conclusion: I wasn’t that familiar with Ele Ypsis, but I have to admit that this album positively surprised me for its noticeable artistic exposure.

Best songs: ”Linga Dei”, “Syngue Sabour”, “Oro”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www .eleypsis .com / www .facebook .com /EleYpsis

‘Click Interview’ with Kilmarth: ‘Music Is A Legal Drug That Has The Immense Power To Make Us Escape’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 17:00:14 +0000

Belgian solo-project Kilmarth is driven by Cédric Wattergniaux. I know Cédric for quite a long time. We both got involved with Side-Line magazine. We met at festivals and always had great moments talking about music. I know him as a passionate music lover with an eclectic choice. Throughout the years he started composing music on his own and this way he set up Kilmarth. A first self-released EP “Catharsis” saw the daylight. It might be defined as an electronic mix between multiple influences, but in the end it comes close to IDM and experimental electronics. This interview is an opportunity to get more familiar with this new project.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: It seems you’re already composing music for several years now. How did it all started and how did you finally come to deal with this kind of music?

Cédric: As long as I can remember, music has always been an important part of my life. I listened to it, analyzed it, I wrote about it … but my biggest dream has always been to compose it. This dream was buried deep within me, but my ego told me that I was not able to do it. I once made the very late decision to finally take music theory lessons at the local music academy to better understand what music was from a theoretical point of view. Then I tried the classical guitar, which I abandoned by acquiring my first synth, a Korg Triton. As for the musical style, I did not try to get into a current one, it’s naturally the sounds that I liked the most that I chose to compose the music that related to a genre already present that I of course, liked a lot already.

Q: The name Kilmarth is directly linked to the great Daphne du Maurier, but what inspired you in this project name and the work plus life of this author?

Cédric: “The House Of The Strand” is a book I literally devoured when I read it, about 15 years ago. I am passionate about history, it is also my job (I am a history teacher) and the idea of time travelling has always been a child’s dream. The idea also to ask the question… Is it the reality of this trip or was it solely based on the absorption of a drug was a very interesting idea. So, I like to say that music is that drug that can be taken to help us penetrate other worlds, to penetrate the brain mysteries of some great composers of our time or earlier. It also makes me think of this excellent movie, that is for me, “Strange Days” by Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron (1995) where the hero penetrates the recorded thoughts of people by means of an apparatus connected to the brain. Music is a legal drug that has the immense power to make us escape and to paraphrase Dave Gahan, that unites people who are so different.

Q: You recently self-released your debut work “Catharsis”. What is it all about? What did you try to accomplish (sound-wise) and what has been your working method?

Cédric: I fell into a big depression almost two years ago. I could not do my job anymore. Finding myself in front of my DAW and my synth has become gradually a habit and also a therapy to get out of this problem. For 6 months, I almost never left my studio and “Catharsis” was born from that. Fortunately, I was able to count on my family and a handful of friends who have always supported me.

Q: “Catharsis” is the kind of work I instantly linked to productions released on labels such as Ad Noiseam, Tympanik Audio, Ant-Zen, Mindtrick Records, M-Tronic… Do you feel related with these labels? Would you like to get signed by a label or do you prefer the DIY attitude?

Cédric: These are magnificent labels that have written the most beautiful pages in the history of our scene. It would be an extraordinary honor to be part of these record companies. I think that the power of a label to distribute music is a major asset in a society where it is now necessary to put music almost in the ear of an auditor so that he can listen to new things. I do not have the time or the gift to be able to handle all parts of the music business as I should while living a normal life with my family. On the other hand, it is also important, for an artist, to have a free hand in the creative process. It is therefore necessary that everyone can have his own territory for the partnership to be effective. It must also be said that the world of music has experienced an incredible upheaval in recent years. Will these labels still exist in five years? The future will tell.

Q: “Catharsis” is a sonic crossover between numerous genres and influences, but how would you analyze the sound of Kilmarth and how do you see yourself as an artist?

Cédric: I, like many other people before me, served as a sponge to several artistic movements (literary, pictorial, …). The daily life that I could absorb for years and reject in the form of “Catharsis”. It is difficult for me to highlight, for example, a musical genre that I particularly like to achieve this result, although it is obvious that electronic music, in general, remains the one that has the most marked throughout my life. For the rest, I like to control what I do; like composition, production, artwork or even videos. Kilmarth is a personal project, although I like the influences of outside musicians like the help of a friend for one track on “Catharsis”. I would like to see more collaborations like that on future productions.

Q: You’ve been involved with Side-Line magazine for numerous years. What did you learn from this experience as a journalist and does it appear to be a precious experience now that you’re composing music yourself?

Cédric: My Side-Line years were an extraordinary experience. First of all because I was able to meet people who belong to our scene and that I respect a lot: you, Séba Dolimont who remains one of my best friends, Bernard, Benoît… I could also ‘meet’ people who I admire a lot musically like Klaus Kruse (PNE), NoyceTM, Mesh, Das Ich, De/Vision, Iris… It was a wonderful school to discover how the world of music is from the inside. From these different elements, I was able to build my project by being influenced by countless elements that have appeared throughout my life. Composing my music has also brought me even more respect for these artists that I met since the first demo to flamboyant careers. Each piece sometimes hides many efforts and often an incredible job that most people who listen to music or criticism cannot imagine. So I would say that the influence exists in both directions. I cannot criticize an album like I did in the past…

Kilmarth – Catharsis (CD Mini-Album – Kilmarth)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 18:30:33 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, experimental.

Background/Info: Kilmarth is a Belgian project set up in 2007 by Cédric Wattergniaux. After having released several songs at digital platforms and remixing a few bands, Kilmarth now unleashed this debut work featuring 6 tracks (on digital platforms) and one more cut on the limited CDR version. Cédric Wattergniaux has been a good-old colleague of mine in times he was also active (and this for 10 years) as a journalist for Side-Line.

Content: Cédric always has been an interesting guy to speak with about music and other subjects. A man with an open-minded spectrum and that’s rather rare in this music scene. So I wasn’t surprised at all to hear him experimenting with one of the most sophisticated formats of electronic music: IDM! His work is driven by broken rhythms, characterized by dark, deep tones, refined with bleeping sequences, sometimes achieved with a melodic touch, evolving into groovy passages and featuring noticeable studio effects while still featuring one track with saxophone play (played by a guest musician). The work remains instrumental and might appeal for lovers of labels such as Ant-zen, Tympanik Audio, Ad Nauseam, Mindtrick, M-Tronic and related labels.

+ + + : The deep, vibrating bass tones probably are the main characteristic of this mini-album, but I also have to mention the sophisticated drum patterns and other slow rhythms. Kilmarth is mixing different influences together; from dubstep to pure experimentalism to electro-ambient to electro-grooves. I like music that sounds as an invitation to make you dream away. “Catharsis” is definitely too dark to dream on, but it has something of a sonic travel. It’s a sophisticated production featuring noticeable cuts and one absolute attention grabber entitled “Shondell Discipline”. This track is more elaborated and has something dubby I really enjoy.

– – – : I can’t get away from the idea that this work was composed with very limited equipment. I hope Kilmarth can move on, but maybe with the magic of analogue-like gear, which I’m sure, would elevate the level of quality.

Conclusion: Belgium has been really been a main country when it comes to IDM so it’s quite exciting to discover a new talent experimenting with the most intelligent side of electronic-underground music.

Best songs: “Shondell Discipline”, “Basadatrark”, “Spindle”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www .facebook .com /cedri .kilmarth .3

‘Click Interview’ with Mnemonic: ‘I Make Music In A Rather Unspectacular And Traditional Way’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 17:00:09 +0000

Michael Belletz and Sebastian Schulz started making music together in 1997. The early compositions were inspired by EBM, but quite progressively the German duo started exploring new sonic horizons, which finally became IDM-like. Michael Belletz remained the single member on board and has already released a new opus entitled “Aversionen”. The songs reveal a sophisticated and intelligent writing with a great vintage flavor on top. This work released on Hymen incited to me to get in touch with Michael.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Mnemonic has been set up in 1997. What have been the main facts in the band’s history so far?

Michael: After 2 demo releases, the first regular album “Identifikationsstörung” was released in 2001 and three years later the second album “Konstruktive Vergangenheitsbewältigung” followed. Both albums were released by the Belgian label Alfa Matrix and were still very much bound to EBM/electro elements as well as vocals. In 2006 there was a break in style, the vocals disappeared and our music was clearly influenced by IDM. For new releases, we have found a suitable partner, he French label M-Tronic.

After much deliberation, we established our own label Halbsicht in 2008, on which the further 4 Mnemonic albums were published. After the album “Denkmodell” Sebastian left the project and since then I’ve been taking care of Mnemonic on my own. In 2016 and 2017, Sebastian and I came together for 2 gigs to present Mnemonic live for the very first time since we’ve established the project. The album “Result No. 7 “again offered a break in style and was the first step into analog-sounding world.

The album “Moral” appeared as a co. release between M-Tronic and Halbsicht. In 2018, the current album “Aversionen” followed on Hymen.

Q: And what kind of album did you want to accomplish on “Aversionen” plus what are the aspects of the composition you especially like?

Michael: “Aversionen” isn’t influenced by a certain idea or shape/type. Being true to myself is certainly a high premise. I like the complexity and sometimes catchy song structures. I was successfully able to draw a rich musical landscape, I feel very comfortable with. That’s a point which isn’t that easy in several of my works.

Q: You already mentioned the use of anologue equipment, which is a noticeable element on the new work. What makes the magic composing music with analogue equipment?

Michael: In the last few years, I’ve developed a certain fascination for analogue electric sound, somehow I call original. It adapts meaningfully to my current mood and offers me, with its many facets, a lot of implementation possibilities for my ideas. I’m attracted by unclean, flawed, detuned sounds, as well as flawless, nuanced sounds. I don’t care, if I have a real instrument or a plug-in ‘between my fingers’. The development of software instruments has improved incredibly over the last few years, so now it is possible to generate very good ‘analog sounds’ on the computer.

There is something in me, that can’t escape the spectrum of these sounds. This has always remained in me, but only came to its best on the last albums. I make music in a rather unspectacular and traditional way. I rarely change or modify sounds with the help of plug ins. In my opinion that destroys the real feeling.

Q: The title of the album is quite intriguing so what is “Aversionen” all about? What have been the main elements that inspired you and what does the front cover stands for?

Michael: As on all mnemonic albums, the specification of the album name, as well as the assignment of song titles, has only limited relevance. I’m just trying to make the songs subject of discussion, but of course, everything in context of a field of my interests. But in principle, very superficially, rather directly as profound.

I still do not see myself as a preacher of good and evil. I prefer to keep it short and leave the words to others. This creates a certain freedom in which the consumer has the opportunity to interpret itself.

Mnemonic has been working with graphic artist ‘Qasot’ since the beginning, who is also the head of Halbsicht. He manages to translate the musical mood into pictures. However his exact intentions, only he can put into words.

Q: You’re one of those artists who takes care to create intelligent and unique sound treatments. What are your main sources of inspiration and eventually references when it comes to sound creation?

Michael: I can’t specify certain sources of inspiration that influence my work. I rarely let myself become driven by external environmental influences, movies and so on. If there is a trigger for my activities, surely it is the music of other artists. These I don’t try to copy, they are more a key to some locked doors in me. I trust in my good feeling. It’s more of an inner urge that makes me bring sounds into certain structure. It’s a sublime feeling to force sound into patterns. It’s almost like touching sounds and shaping them according to my ideas and wishes. And when everything merges together, something that has never been heard before in this constellation, results. This is for me, a total fascinating moment.

Q: Considering different aspects such as sound creation, equipment, collaborations with other artists etc… how do you imagine the further releases of Mnemonic and what do you want to accomplish?

Michael: I can’t look far enough into the future to say how Mnemonic’s music will develop. During the past few years Mnemonic has been several times through a ‘musical metamorphosis’ and may do so again. Maybe I also experience a kind of stagnation?

One thing I can say with certainty, the upcoming album will move on the path taken in recent albums.

Mnemonic – Aversionen (CD Album – Hymen Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 19:30:08 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, minimal-electronics.

Background/Info: Set up in 1997 Mnemonic went through several periods. I remember the early demo-work of the band, which was more into sophisticated EBM, but quite rapidly the German duo evolved towards a minimal- and more experimental sound. They released productions on different labels (Alfa Matrix, M-Tronic, Halbsicht Records) and finally signed to Hymen Records for the 11^th album in the band history. Michael Belletz goes back to the roots on “Aversionen”.

Content: “Aversionen” is a fascinating opus, reflecting the sound intelligence and minimalism Mnemonic has always shown. It’s pure vintage electronics, which sometimes feels as an ode to electronic pioneers. The work remains instrumental, which is quite classical for this band. You now and then get some spoken samplings instead.

The old-school electronic music might appeal to fans of Kraftwerk, early Front 242 (“Geography”-album), Jean-Michel Jarre and co. It’s an intelligent writing revealing dry snares, fine bleeps, impressive analogue sound treatments and alluring bass lines.

+ + + : Mnemonic is not reinventing electronic music, but I like this album for its modernized vintage approach. It’s a styled and deeply artistic creation revealing a high tech production. But “Aversionen” also reveals –or confirms, the impressive writing skills of Michael Belletz. This musician became an experienced and visionary sound architect.

– – – : This is a masterpiece so there are no real minus points to mention.

Conclusion: After all these years of involvement Mnemonic has found a new and appropriated label to release its sophisticated music, which can be considered as a truly sonic masterpiece.

Best songs: “Scheelsucht”, “Affektation”, “Rivale”, “Intrigant”, “Aversionen”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www .halbsicht .com / www .facebook .com /pg /music .by .mnemonic

Label: www .hymen –records .com / www .facebook .com /hymenrecords

Servovalve – Necromasse (Digital Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 20:30:45 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, industrial, minimal-electronics.

Background/Info: Servovalve is a French project, which already released a few productions, but seems to strike back at irregular basis. I’ve to say “Necromasse” isn’t really a new album as it was already released in 2016. I get this promo with some delay, but couldn’t resist reviewing this genius release.

Content: “Necromasse” is a without a shadow of a doubt an album that will appeal for lovers of unique sound treatments. The duo is mixing different influences, but the album is characterized by impressive sound blasts and multiple French spoken samples. It’s a minimal work and also pretty industrial-like.

+ + + : It’s been quite a long time ago a production took me this much by surprise. “Necromasse” is a production, which comes pretty close to perfection. I think perfection doesn’t exist, but there’re albums that come pretty close to it. And that’s precisely the feeling I got listening to this work. The sound creation is absolutely genius. It sounds totally vintage-like, but that’s also what makes analogue sounds that particular. But it also is a creative production mixing retro elements together with a great arsenal of influences. Industrial music has been never that intelligent or should I say that IDM never has been that masterly infused by industrial music. This digital version features 3 more songs than the CD version and the least I can say is that there’s not one single cut to throw away.

– – – : You can easily imagine when an album is that close to perfection there simply is nothing negative to mention! It’s just a pity this band remains rather unknown for so many people.

Conclusion: I remember the first time I heard Geomatic released on M-Tronic. This band left me breathless, reminding me why I’m that passionate by music and especially creative and inventive bands. That’s precisely what I experienced listening “Necromasse” as well.

Best songs: “Macrosense”, “Gẖubār”, “L’Erreur”, “Tyson Loess”, “Smut”, “Necrobasse”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www .servovalve .org /2016/necromasse

Label: www .m –tronic .com / www .facedbook .com /mtroniclabel

Reznyck- Muscle Cardiac (CD Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 19:30:02 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, cinematographic, electronic, ambient.

Background/Info: Reznyck is a new French project joining the M-Tronic stable. Next to the CD version the album is also available on vinyl format.

Content: The instrumental format of “Muscle Cardiac” creates a cinematographic and ambient style although the tracks are accomplished with more influences. It now starts into modernism and even a bit technoid (at the opening track), but then and for the major part more into poignant, atmospheric structures. Sometimes a bit horror-like, but then also driven by an aggressive bass line, “Muscle Cardiac” is hard to define and not easy to seize. There also is a remix from Perturbator featured.

+ + + : Reznyck has found the right home joining M-Tronic. This band shares this taste for experiment and innovation. It’s an artist with an original sound and taking care for sound treatments. The production sounds a bit raw and fuzzy-like while accentuated by a heavy, blasting production. It’s a powerful exposure of cinematographic music.

– – – : I’m missing a few vocal lines, which I think would really achieve a few cuts. It’s not that the album sounds monotone, but a little bit predictable after while because of the instrumental format.

Conclusion: Reznyck sounds as a sonic enigma to me! But at the other side “Muscle Cardiac” also resulted from a creative process mixing power electronics together with ambient compositions.

Best songs: “Shock Doctrine”, “Landoverdosis”, “Chryslerpes”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .facebook .com /reznyck

Label: www .m –tronic .com / www .facedbook .com /mtroniclabel

ARM – Bloodbeat (Digital Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:30:56 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electronics, industrial, experimental.

Background/Info: Dan Serbanescu is a Romanian artist you maybe know from his main project Tanz Ohne Musik while he also set up the side-project Alone In The Hollow Garden. ARM is another project he’s dealing with. A debut album entitled “Enheartened” got released in 2014 on tape format while he last year joined hands together with the French M-Tronic label to unleash this new work on vinyl- and digital format.

Content: “Bloodbeat” reveals a kind of dirty, misty and spooky sound. It mixes elements of industrial music together with minimal electronics and even a touch of industrial-pop. The sounds are pretty vintage-like. Ghost-like vocal parts have been added on a few cuts and are perfectly matching with the global approach of this production.

+ + + : ARM clearly appears to be a sonic project with a very personal sound identity. The sound covers different music genres, but characterized by heavy sound treatments, bombastic treatments and other minimal arrangements. There’s a foggy sphere hanging over the tracks, which is one of the main noticeable characteristics of “Bloodbeat”. It also sounds retro-like and that’s one of the main aspects I like.

– – – : “Bloodbeat” however remains an experimental production, which is not easy to define. It might be seen as a visionary work, but is maybe not the most accessible work for music lovers.

Conclusion: ARM reminds me of the early years of electronic music when so-called pioneers were experimenting with their electronic equipment. In a time where most of the electronic productions sound pretty similar to each other it really is a relief discovering artists such as ARM who dare to experiment and innovate.

Best songs: “Hand In Hand”, “Of Pain And Bliss”, “Frozen Eyes”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .facebook .com /dan .serbanescu .77

Label: www .m –tronic .com / www .facedbook .com /mtroniclabel

Mnemonic – Mo:ral (CD Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 20:30:41 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, IDM, EBM.

Background/Info: The German duo Mnemonic is celebrating their 20^th anniversary this year. Last year they released their 8^th album, which saw the band moving back to the French M-Tronic label. M.Belletz and S.Schulz released their first work on Alfa Matrix and joined M-Tronic for their third album (cf. “Monokultur”) in 2006. After three albums released on Halbsicht Records they’re now back on M-Tronic. “Mo:ral” is available on CD- and vinyl format, but the CD features a few extra songs.

Content: Mnemonic remains faithful to their minimal electro approach. The musicians are operating like real sonic surgeon who are construing and recomposing sounds and noises. There’s a logical fascination for analogue sound treatments, which are definitely more matching with the band’s sound.

“Mo:ral” also reveals many EBM influences, which are mainly noticeable in the solid bass lines. It’s a complex composition, which sometimes moves on the edge of soundtrack music. Spooky passages have been mixed with delicate bleeps and a few robotic vocals/samplings. However most of the songs are instrumentals.

+ + + : Mnemonic can be in a way considered as precursors in their style, which has always been hard to define, but fascinating to listen to. Their passion for noise creation and analogue gear excels and results in several outstanding compositions. I like this stubborn attitude creating a band with its very own sound DNA. The first part of this opus is more a kind of warm-up, which progressively moves towards a great finale with multiple outstanding and more EBM-inspired cuts.

– – – : I’m sometimes missing a few more spoken vocals and/or samplings, which I think would make their work more accessible. I also imagine a somewhat sterile female voice.

Conclusion: Mnemonic is a band, which never has gained a deserved recognition. They definitely aren’t inferior to other visionary bands dealing with a similar approach although they always remained a bit out of the spotlight. “Mo:ral” is a real great piece of work!

Best songs: “Disziplin”, “Allmacht”, “Pedant”, “Routine”, “Purist”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /music .by .mnemonic

Label: www .m –tronic .com / www .facedbook .com /mtroniclabel

Kuta – Blueprint (CD Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:33:49 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, indie-pop.

Background/Info: “Blueprint” marks the return of Kuta. It’s the fourth full length album from Sébastien Pietrapiana (ex-Corpus Delicti, ex-Press Gang Metropol). After nine years of silence Kuta is now back on track releasing its first album on M-Tronic. Kuta is a solo-project with the contribution of some ‘friends’.

Content: There are (only) nine songs on this album, but it sounds like a very versatile opus. The main basis remains electro- & indie-pop music, but you’ll also notice a kind of melancholic ballad style, pure reverie passages, which are more into a kind of soundtrack music and a surprising cover version of Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time”. Notice by the way that the album is also available on vinyl format.

“Blueprint” clearly sounds inspired by the 80s new-wave and pop music, and also by David Bowie. Some vocal parts might remind you of Wolfsheim.

+ + + : The opening song “Take On You” is a real fantastic piece with an elevating chorus. There’s a real symbiosis between subtle electronics and guitar. The last song “All The Limits” is quite similar and another attention grabber. I also enjoyed the indie-minded “Catch It When It’s There” and the evasive “Shine Like Satellites”, which is a beautiful song.

– – – : The few ballad-orientated songs can’t really convince me. They have this melancholic touch, which rapidly starts to get a bit monotonous because there’s no real climax in these songs. The cover version of Cyndi Lauper can be fun when played live, but not exactly the best shot from this opus.

Conclusion: “Blueprint” is a quite accessible and diverse piece of work mixing a few real highlights with a few forgettable songs.

Best songs: “Shine Like Satellites”, “Catch It When It’s There”, “Take On You”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .facebook .com /kutamusic

Label: www .m –tronic .com / www .facedbook .com /mtroniclabel

Electropop act Kuta has new album ‘Blueprint’ released on limited vinyl

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 18:19:37 +0000

And we stay in the transparent white vinyl atmospheres today (pure coincidence actually) as Sébastien Pietrapiana – aka Kuta (Corpus Delicti, Press Gang Metropol) – is also back with a new vinyl album counting 9 tracks – full track list and ordering info right here.

The limited transparent white vinyl of “Blueprint”, is the follow-up to the “A Home” album which featured the participation of pianist Mike Garson (musician for David Bowie and Smashing Pumpkins).

“Blueprint” offers electro-pop, a bit more catchy than its predecessors but still melancholic, which hints at the Smiths or movie soundtracks like John Hughes ( “The Breakfast Club”). You can also expect a cover of the classic “Time after Time” by Cyndi Lauper.

The vinyl can be ordered right here.

Here’s the teaser:

Snog sees ‘The Clockwork Man’ album released on transparent white vinyl (200 copies only)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 17:54:44 +0000

Out by early November – and available right here – is the limited full-length Snog album “The Clockwork Man” on transparent white vinyl. The release is derived from the late 2015 album “Compliance™” for which the tracks have been reworked and ‘retooled’ by Aesthetic Perfection, Velvet Acid Christ and other remixers.

The vinyl is comprised almost entirely of new vinyl exclusive remixes and limited to only 200 copies. Below is the teaser for this release.

Mlada Fronta plans red vinyl release ‘Outrunner’ as complement for the CD ‘Outrun’ – get yours now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 21:15:01 +0000

French producer Mlada Fronta is back with a brand new album, “Outrun” offering a mesh of synthwave and electro with a mix of EBM and techno elements. The CD also sees a complement red vinyl release called “Outrunner” which offers 4 exclusive tracks, 3 club remixes next to 1 track that is also included in the CD version.

The artwork above shows you part of the artwork. The vinyl comes as a red transparent vinyl 12″. Excellent work from M-Tronic as always. You can order the vinyl right here and order the CD album right here.

Here’s a teaser from the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg6wmMoREck

Mlada Fronta – Outrun (CD Album – M-Tronic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 20:05:23 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, IDM.

Background/Info: French producer Remy Pelleschi is a veteran of the electronic & industrial scene. He released an impressive number of productions on different labels, but he also went through different period and influences.

It all started pretty EBM-like and progressively evolved into a harder and phenomenal tribal-industrial format. The past few years seem to be the start of a new age.

Content: “Outrun” features 11 cuts, which from start on reveal the impressive technical skills of Pelleschi as producer. He has this patience and knowledge to create blasting sounds, but he mixed them an extremely powerful way. When listening to Mlada Fronta you’ll notice the enormous ‘volume’ of the work and that’s exactly what comes through at “Outrun”.

The influences have been considerably changed. The tribal aspect of the work has been replaced by a heavy space-techno orientated sound, which has been mixed with a dark and somewhat industrial format. Mlada Fronta seems to prove that techno music can be still sophisticated and intelligent.

Some parts of the work have been joined by vague cinematographic elements, which bring a more relaxing touch to the work. The track remain however driven by deep, resonating bass sounds and numerous astral atmospheres carried by a danceable cadence.

+ + + : Mlada Fronta definitely is a band in progress. The new style was already noticeable at the past few releases, but is reaching its zenith at “Outrun”. Remy Pelleschi once more illustrates his genius as sound alchemist and producer.

– – – : If you’re a bit nostalgic you for sure will miss the furious tribal-industrial element of his early work. I can imagine some fans will find this new work a bit too techno-minded.

Conclusion: Mlada Fronta seems to reveal a new and maybe further vision of techno music, which has been simply industrialized and accomplished a more complex way. This album is a high-tech production!

Best songs: “Simulator 1983”, “Speed For Life”, “Dust Cloud”, “Melt Into The Road”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.mlada-fronta.com / www.facebook.com/Mlada-Fronta-official-304461652905453

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facedbook.com/mtroniclabel