Genre/Influences: Electronic, cinematographic, ambient.

Background/Info: You probably know Manfred Thomaser as the compositor behind !Distain, but he’s also busy with some side-projects. Next to Arsine Tibé, he from time to time also releases instrumental music under the moniker of The Independent Seasons. Three years after the debut album he unleashes this new work featuring four tracks.

Content: This music has nothing in common with the electro-pop of !Distain. It remains an electronic composition, but Manfred Thomaser explores ambient & cinematic fields built up with electronics. The opening track reminds me of Kraftwerk atmospheres and has this typical 80s flavor emerging at the surface. Quite progressively the tracks are taking you away on an imaginary trip. The sound is melodic, atmospheric and definitely dreamy. The last cut –just as the first one, is more elaborate and you here also will notice some guitar sounds.

+ + + : This cinematic experience has something relaxing. It’s the right music to enjoy after a stressful day. The songs don’t have a clear visual appeal, but you feel transposed into a parallel dimension filled with prosperity. I especially like the “The Kindergarten Detectives” for its analogue approach and some links with Krakftwerk.

– – – : This music is a kind of challenge; it’s easy going, but not exactly appealing to a wider audience.

Conclusion: This project makes me think to an intimate composition exorcising some hidden ideas from the musician who’s interested in different music genres and not only in electro-pop.

Best songs: “The Kindergarten Detectives”, “Seyhan II”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.theindependentseaons.com / www.facebook.com/theindependentseasons

About The Independent Seasons

The Independent Seasons is an instrumental side-project of Manfred Thomaser, the German musician also known for his electro-pop project !Distain and his ambient-jazz alias Arsine Tibé. Thomaser has continued releasing music as Arsine Tibé since, including “The Lounge Noire Sessions (Episode III)” in 2026 and the 2026 mini-album “Reclaimed” with Suzanne Letting.

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: Synth-pop.

Background/Info: Alexander Braun and Manfred Thomaser are getting back to their last year released full length “Farewell To The Past”. After “SynthPopBoy” and “Maid Of Freedom” this is the third EP taken from this successful opus.

Content: The title song was without a shadow of a doubt one of the best songs from their album while also reflecting intelligent lyrics. “Wer Im Kreise Geht” has been remixed by Cyborgdrive (Spain), Nature Of Wires (UK), DMT Berzerk (Mexico) and Alex Stroeer  (Germany).

We also get a new song plus an extended version of “Waiting For A Song” and a remix of “Der Hirtenmann” (another essential piece from the last album) by Elektrostaub (Germany).

+ + + : I can’t ask for more when you get an EP with a great and carrying title song in the purest synth-pop tradition and a few interesting remixes and especially the harder, bouncing one by Cyborgdrive plus the remix of Elektrostaub. This EP brings diversity and as little bonus the exclusive song “Xavier’s Dream”. This EP also reminds us that the last album of Distain! stands for a well-written and accomplished production.

– – – : I regret the EP is maybe missing a harder ‘club version’. It this way remains sweet and classical synth-pop music… but that’s good enough!

Conclusion: Distain! is one of those German synth-pop bands, which has no longer anything to prove. They don’t really renew themselves, but bring efficient pop music to get people happy.

Best songs: “Wer Im Kreise Geht – Album Version”, “Wer Im Kreise Geht – Cyborgdrive Remix”, “Der hirtenmann – Elektrostaub Remix”, “Wer Im Kreise Geht – Alex Stroeer Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.distain.de / www.facebook.com/distainofficial

Label: www.echozone.de / www.facebook.com/EchozoneMusic

About Distain

Distain is the German synth-pop duo of Alexander Braun and Manfred Thomaser, active since the 1990s. The band’s debut album, “Cement Garden”, appeared in 1995, followed by “Raise The Level” in 2007. “Wer Im Kreise Geht”, reviewed here, is the third EP drawn from the duo’s eighth studio album, “Farewell To The Past”, released on Echozone in 2018, following the earlier “SynthPopBoy” and “Maid Of Freedom” EPs.

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

Alexander Braun and Manfred Thomaser both remain the single members on board of !distain. This German electro-pop formation is active since the 90s and their debut releases became an instant success. !distain has this ‘typical’ German synth-pop sound and belongs together with bands such as De/Vision, Beborn Beton, Melotron… to the cream of German synth-pop. By the end of 2018 they released their eight studio album “Farewell To The Past” on Echozone revealing !distain in good shape. I’d a chat with Alexander and Manfred.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries / Pictures by Barbara Andres)

Q: What does this new album means to you when you realize your debut album “Cement Garden” was released in 1995? Do you still feel the same emotions? 

Alexander: Wow, it´s an amazing period of time. What still feels the same is the love for music. And at the same time of course so much has changed! That time we had a producer and we even spent the nights at his home. Today I really love to produce the music on my own. Naivety changed to ‘wisdom of age’… ha, ha. So this album (and its success) means a lot to me. We are still here, and it is still a very important part of my life!

Q: More than making simply music together, I think there must be a kind of chemistry to keep a band alive for such a long time. What makes this chemistry and partnership between you?

Manfred: In my opinion, respect is the most important thing. Alexander and I do have a lot in common, but we are very different, too. Those who can’t accept that other people may have other opinions, feelings, etc. may never find a way to deal with that. So, you need to understand the character of every band member. And you need to learn how to react to all the differences. Up to this the band is more important than the ego.

Alexander: Yes, and another very important aspect is that we would not be able writing these songs on our own. The quality of the song-writing is a result of combining our individual skills. There were so many moments when I thought the song is ok and then Manfred added some magic and it became something special…

Q: How much of the early work and writing process do you still recognize in the new work “Farewell To The Past” and how did you see yourselves evolving/growing as musicians?

Manfred: To me “Farewell To The Past” is mostly connected to “Raise The Level” which we released in 2007. Both records appear with deeper atmospheres and meanings. More melancholia than on “on/off” for example. The writing process on the other hand is more connected to “25 Frames A Second” when we spent a lot of time in the studio together working on the compositions and arrangements. This changes from time to time.

Alexander: The fact, that we now produce and mix the songs completely on our own gives us much more freedom. After so many years of making music it is the first time we have enough self-confidence doing everything on our own (besides mastering). I think in the course of time we get faster in realizing what works and what doesn´t, faster in singing the line with the best possible feeling and so on…

Q: Is there any particular and maybe explicit meaning behind the title of the new album and what have been the main lyrical themes you tried to achieve?

Alexander: Yes, the title of the album on one hand connects to Rick leaving !distain and the problems of the past. And on the other hand it is the chorus of one of my favorite songs on the album: “Letter To Myself”.

Manfred: The lyrics vary from being personal like “Wake Me Up” to being socially critical like “Der Hirtenmann” and “Wer Im Kreise Geht” or being a crime- and ghost-story like “The Guest-House”. Life is fragile. It can end every second. This is a theme maybe all lyrics deal with in the end.

Q: The song “SynthPopBoy”, which has been also released as EP-title track has something funny, but what did you try to express and what does it say about your own perception of the electronic music today?

Manfred: The basic idea is that there seem to be a lot of people who dislike something because they think it is common sense to dislike this something… which can be a song, a music style, a novel, art… whatever. For “SynthPopBoy” we have chosen Synth-Pop, which the ‘real tough guys’ do not like because everyone who listens to Synth-Pop is declared to be a weak person. And tough guys can’t be weak. Image means mostly everything to these people. By the way: we received a lot of reactions from fans saying ‘I know who you are talking about’… In the end “SynthPopBoy” is about accepting who you are. You like Synth-Pop? Why not? You like EBM? Why not? You like both? Why not?

Alexander: My perception of the electronic music of today is that it often should be kind of hard and aggressive stuff. Because then it is cool. But deep inside our hearts we all love melodies and positive feelings. The song calls for standing by it!

Q: A lot of things have changed and evolved since you started composing music. How do you experience all these changes – referring to technology & equipment, social media, streaming platforms, CD sales etc?  What do you see as the pros and contras?

Alexander: Yes, so many things have changed. Besides the decline of CD sales there are some good things, too; we get close to our fans via Facebook and other social media. The feedback to our music is much more direct and immediate. Making money with music has become so difficult, but on the other hand there is the chance to be discovered via streaming platforms. There are algorithms like ‘similar artist’ that maybe let people hear our music… although they don´t know us.

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.

Background/Info: Ano 2018 German synth-pop formation !Distain became a duo. Alexander Braun and Manfred Thomaser both remain the only members on board and strike back with a new chapter in the !Distain discography. It’s the band’s eight album since their set up in 1992. The work was preceded by the singles “SynthPopBoy” and “Maid Of Freedom”. Alex Braun also release a solo-EP with cover versions entitled “Eiskalt”.

Content: !Distain remains faithful to their original influences. The band is driven by ‘classical’ synth-pop music, which moves from ‘happy-pop’ songs to sweet sounding songs with a Vince Clarke flavor on top to somewhat harder passages to an instrumental-cinematographic cut. !Distain remains a band that will appeal to lovers of Depeche Mode, Human League and related bands in this genre.

+ + + : “Farewell To The Past” became a rather diversified opus, but still easily recognizable for all lovers of this band. The songs and production both reflect maturity. The arrangements are delicate, creating a truly sensitive approach. It also is a music that will get you happy and I especially refer to the opening song “The Cosmic Revolution” featuring Seyhan, but still a sound that will get you into dance (cf. “Wer Im Kreise Geht”, “Der Hintenmann”, “Targets”). One last noticeable song is the already familiar “SynthPopBoy” for its funny lyrics.

– – – : The album is enjoyable, but is missing ‘real’ hits. That’s a bit what I regret and especially compared to the early years of !Distain. I think some songs are missing some extra catchy touch.

Conclusion: It always is a pleasure discovering new work by !Distain although I must say that the initial magic from the early years is definitely gone. The music becomes sometimes too predictable.

Best songs: “Wer Im Kreise Geht”, “SynthPopBoy”, “Der Hintenmann”, “Targets”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/distainofficial

Label: www.echozone.de / www.facebook.com/EchozoneMusic

About Distain

Distain is the German synth-pop duo of Alexander Braun and Manfred Thomaser, active since the 1990s. The band’s debut album, “Cement Garden”, appeared in 1995, followed by “Raise The Level” in 2007. “Farewell To The Past”, reviewed here, is the duo’s eighth studio album, released on Echozone in 2018 after the EPs “SynthPopBoy” and “Maid Of Freedom” and Alex Braun’s cover EP “Eiskalt“. Distain returned the following year with the EP “Wer Im Kreise Geht“.

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

!Distain’s Manfred Thomaser is releasing another solo-album under the Arsine Tibé flag. A first track “Obligation” taken from the mini-album “An Ambience Of Dying” can now be previewed below. The instrumental download release contains five songs and can be downloaded now from Amazon.

“An Ambience Of Dying” is the follow-up to last year’s “Istanbul” album. Here’s “Obligation”.

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. 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!

side-line.com