Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German-Swiss trio Nine Seconds announced their fourth full length album with the surprising EP “Love Will Tear Us Apart” featuring cover versions of legendary bands Joy Division, Bronski Beat, Trans-X and Starter. The new album moves on the same formula revealing a few more cover versions.

Content: Next to the already familiar cover versions from Joy Division, Bronski Beat and Trans-X the trio accomplished more cover versions from Fad Gadget, Propaganda, Fancy, Paul Hardcastle, Front 242, Depeche Mode and Mando Diao. This kind of experience is always fun for the band, but a challenge to convince the fans. Nine Seconds perfectly adapted most of the songs into a very own, Body-Pop approach sometimes adding female backing vocals next to Oliver Spring. Mind.In.A.Box made a remix of “Lie To Me” while the less familiar Membran 66 remixed “Living On Video”. 

+ + + : I’m always skeptical with this kind of releases and especially when it concerns legendary hits from the 80s like “Ricky’s Hand”, “Love will Tear Us Apart”, “Dr. Mabuse”, “Lie To Me”, “Living On Video” or “No Shuffle”. I must admit that the way they adapted Fad Gadget’s “Ricky’s Hand” is absolutely well done. But the most surprising and probably best song is the Italo-Disco hit “Slice Me Nice” from Fancy, which still sounds a bit Italo-Disco like, but with a naughty, evil and rough touch on top. Mind.In.A.Box did also a great job remixing Depeche Mode’s “Lie To Me” into something space-like and still danceable.

– – – : A few songs couldn’t convince me at all; the aforementioned “Lie To Me” and “Love will Tear Us Apart”. I’ve also some reservations about the impact of such a ‘conceptual’ work, but on the other side it’s also a way to pay tribute to bands and songs you like and bring young music lovers to discover legendary tracks from the Electronic scene.

Conclusion: I definitely prefer when Nine Seconds are composing their own music, but they for sure did an honest job covering such legendary bands.

Best songs: “Slice Me Nice”, “Ricky’s Hand”, “Dr. Mabuse”, “Hit That Perfect Beat”, “Lie To Me – Mind.In.A.Box Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.nineseconds.de / www.facebook.com/nineseconds

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

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: Dark-electro, industrial-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Six years have passed since the last Menschdefekt-album “Touch Of Madness”. “Cursed” might be seen as the comeback for this German-Swedish formation featuring Fredrik Croona as singer. This album comes as an appetizer to the new opus “Empty World”.

Content: “Cursed” takes off with the title song as “Single Version”, which is a kind of dark-electro song accomplished with a catchy, poppy chorus. The vocals are harsh, but the melodic lead has something elevating. This is a song to all together sing and dance to.

We next get 8 remixes by Ruined Conflict, Frame Of Mind, Reichsfeind, X-Horize, BloodConnek7ion, DV8R, Nine Seconds and Mechanical Moth. 

+ + + : There’s no better way announcing a new album by such a sonic bomb! “Cursed” is a song you’ll rapidly keep in mind and before you realize it, you’ll be contaminated. You’ll spontaneously start to sing the chorus again and again to finally repeat the song again. I also heard several cool remixes like the more poppy- and minimal like one by Ruined Conflict. I also like the job done by Frame Of Mind, DV8R and Mechanical Moth.

– – – : It’s just a pity this EP only features one song and an endless list of remixes; good for the DJ’s, but I’m expecting a bit more so let’s wait for the album.

Conclusion: Menschdefekt strikes back with a dancefloor killer!

Best songs: “Cursed – Single Version”, “Cursed – Ruined conflict Remix”, “Cursed – Frame Of Mind Remix”, “Cursed – DV8r Remix”, “Cursed – Mechanical Moth Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.menschdefekt.com / www.facebook.com/official.menschdefekt

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

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, wave-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Three years after their third full length (cf. “Agent Provocateur”) Nine Seconds (the members of No Comment plus Ex-Sleepwalk singer Oliver Spring) are back on track unleashing this new EP as a teaser to their upcoming album “That Perfect Beat Will Tear Us Apart”.

Content: The title of the EP directly will ring a bell. Nine Seconds are going back in time, and accomplished cover versions from what probably are some of their favorite 80s songs. You for sure remember the most legendary Joy Division hit, which has been also remixed by Mind.In.A.Box and Ruined Conflict. Bronski Beat’s “Hit That Perfect Beat” has been covered as well, but you’ll discover the Nine Seconds version on the album. We here get a remix framework. Next comes another cover version, but a less famous one this time. “Victim” originally composed by Starter is also a 80s song. The version features disco effects. We next get a remix of “Living On Video”. The original cover edit will be featured on the album as well. The main- and most famous original songs are easily recognizable for their melody line. 

+ + + : Nine Seconds did a cool ode to some legendary artists and simply to songs they seem to love. The main strength of the songs is the melodic aspect, but No Comment and later on Nine Seconds have always been talented melody makers. I personally like the “Victim”-song, and the Italo-disco homage to Trans-X’ “Living On Video”. 

– – – : This kind of cover concept is pure fun, but it has no real effect of surprise. I think some songs would for sure have their impact during a live show, but aren’t always convincing when you have the original versions in mind. It remains a challenge and covering an iconic song such as “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is somewhat tricky.

Conclusion: This EP is a perfect teaser to the new Nine Seconds album, which will bring us only cover versions. It’s not exactly the best way to discover Nine Seconds, which has previously released their own and original electro-pop music.

Best songs: “Victim”, “Living In Video – Remix”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.nineseconds.de / www.facebook.com/nineseconds

Label: www.infacted–recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted–Recordings/124099254321690

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, future-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Dortmund (Germany) based Rroyce is back on track unleashing their second EP taken from their last album (cf. “Patience”).

Content: “My Dearest Enemy” was the second song from the “Patience”-album. Speaking for myself, I didn’t consider it as one of the best cuts from the album although it’s an efficient piece of danceable electro-pop music with some little future-pop elements on top. The song takes off with a sequence reminding me of Rammstein’s “Du Hast”. The song evolves a typical electro-pop way revealing an elevating chorus.

We next get remixes by Dominatrix, Aircrash Bureau, Frame Of Mind and Nine Seconds.

+ + + : I’m still convinced this is not the best song taken from “Patience” although I have to admit it had more impact on me now. The song is driven by great danceable, pop vibes and some empowering guitar riffs. The chorus has this transcendental effect, which makes a song accomplished and efficient! Among the remixes, I especially like the remix by Dominatrix, which clearly appears to be the most inspired band here.

– – – : I remain a bit skeptical when it comes to EP’s with only remixes. I also expected a bit more from the different remixes, Dominatrix being the single project adding a bonus.

Conclusion: No doubt about it, “Patience” is an album from which you can release several EP’s. Rroyce also is one of the newest electro-pop sensations from the past few years.

Best songs: “My Dearest Enemy – Original Mix”, “My Dearest Enemy – Dominatrix Remix”, “My Dearest Enemy – Frame Of Mind Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.rroyce.de / www.facebook.com/RROYCE.official

Label: www.infacted–recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted–Recordings/124099254321690

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: German duo Christian Purwien and Thomas Kowa(lzik) are back on track unleashing 3 new EP’s entitled “Drei – 80s”, “Drei Disko” and “Drei Vegas”. Christian Purwien gained some fame as the singer of Second Decay while Thomas Kowalzik will be always linked to No Comment and since a couple of years to Nine Seconds.

Content: Let’s start with “Drei 80s”, which is meant as an ode to the 80s, as it was written during the glorious and early days of electronic music. The songs indeed sound pretty 80s-minded, but quite electro-pop as well.

“Drei Disko” reveals 6 more songs, which indeed now and then have been accomplished with some good-old disco tricks. But here again the electro-pop sound rules while the unique timbre of voice from Christian Purwien clearly reminds me of Second Decay.

Last, but not least “Drei Vegas” is the most exotic part featuring 6 other cuts. From dubby-pop to pure exotic and even Brazilian influences to end with a cover version of Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas”, this is for sure the funniest part of “Drei”.

+ + + : The 3 EP’s are pretty different from each other and yet you’ll easily recognize the great vocals of Purwien. But I also have to mention the accomplished music production by Kowa, which especially on the three first tracks from “Drei Disko” reveals his great composition skills. All the songs have been masterly written and even the funniest “Vegas”-part makes sense. The duo here explores new influences, which I like for some of the lounge-like passages.

– – – : The concept is pretty funny and original, but I can’t say all the songs have fully convinced me. I especially expected a bit more from the “80s”-EP while the “Vagas”-part sounds as pure fun;

Conclusion: Purwien & Kowa features 2 talented and old servants from the electro-pop scene, which clearly like to work together and probably have a lot of fun. I’m however convinced this duo can do much better!

Best songs: “Observer”, “Es Ist Wie Es Ist”, “Sleepless In Vegas”, “Viva Las Vegas”, “Komm Zu Dir”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.purwienundkowa.com / www.facebook.com/purwienundkowa

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

It always is something special when interviewing artists you know personally. It even becomes a bit tricky when you like the persons hiding behind the artists, but you don’t necessarily like their music. With Nine Seconds it’s totally different. They’ve released a new and simply great album entitled “Agent Provocateur”. It also is their first album on Infacted Recordings, which reveals a harder sound mixing EBM and electro-pop. I get in touch with singer Oliver Spring (ex-Sleepwalk), Thomas Kowalzik and René Ebner (both ex-No Comment).

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You guys are already involvement with music since quite a long time. So how did No Comment finally get in touch with the singer of Sleepwalk to set up Nine Seconds and what kind of sound did you’ve in mind when setting up the band?

Thomas: Rene and I made once a remix for the Sleepwalk track “Wheel Of Time’, so we did know Oli virtually. On the European tour we made with No Comment supporting Apoptygma Berzerk we then met in person. When I moved to Berne, Switzerland, I remembered Oli was living there and so we met for a beer. By then he had already left Sleepwalk and we started with recording vocals for his new project Tear!down. Since the chemistry between Rene, Oli and me was very good, we decided to go back to the roots. So we started NINE SECONDS as a project with 3 boys, that just want to have fun and create a mixture of EBM/harder electro-pop. Because this is the music we grew up with and which touches us most.

Q: You’re now active since a few couple of years. How do you look back at previous albums and how did you finally come to sign on Infacted Recordings?

Oli: We like all our albums, but it is hard nowadays to get attention as a new band, especially with the small record company we were signed to. So the next step was to get in touch with Torben from Infacted Recordings, who was immediately interested in NINE SECONDS.

Q: Who’s this ‘agent provocateur’ and what does the clip of the song reflect about the title and maybe lyrical themes you’re dealing with?

Rene: An agent provocateur is a double agent. For us this is just an impersonation of somebody that tells one thing, but does the other. There are lot of agent provocateurs around today, Trump for example follows an own agenda. The world is full of fake news and the people who spread it are not stupid, they also follow their own agenda, like an agent provocateur. So basically the song is about honesty and how you can proof trust.

Q: I experienced “Agent Provocateur” as your hardest album to date and in a way a bit like you reinvented your sound. What’s your impression about this evolution and what have been the possible sources of inspiration?

Thomas: With No Comment we made the typical evolution every EBM band makes from hard electronics to synth-pop to guitar-pop, and we try to avoid this for NINE SECONDS. So we always try not to sound too soft and since you think “Agent Provocateur” is our hardest album I think we did well (laugh).

Q: Sound-wise “Agent Provocateur” is moving on the edge between EBM and electro-pop, which in a way (and only for the influences) is a bit comparable to the early years of No Comment, don’t you think? But how do you see your evolution as artists all over the years?

Thomas: You’re completely right, since the old No Comment records like “Drawback Infect” were our reference, when we created NINE SECONDS. And since we made all this artist evolution with No Comment before, we don’t need to prove, that we’re able to write a catchy pop song. For us it is more important – since we’re getting older – that we are still able to record a kick-ass electro-track.

Q: Thomas and René, you’re now making music together for about 30 years, right? What makes the chemistry between you both and how does it feel working with Oliver today? What brings the future?

Rene: Yes, that is right, we know each other now for more than 40 years, when we started playing football in the same club and make music for more than 30 years. So I guess, we’re friends. With Oli it has not changed, we’re just 3 old boys with the same music taste, no one has a big ego, and we have fun together. Since bands often fail because of personal problems we were sure, this is not going to happen with NINE SECONDS and that is why we started it.

Thomas: The only discussion we regularly have, is when it comes to football, Oli hates the teams we support, but since our teams mostly win, Rene and me are happy with that.

Oli: Rene and Thomas are just suppressing all the defeats of their teams, but I remember them all. So I’m happy, too.

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: EBM, body-pop.

Background/Info: You take the former singer of Swiss dark-electro formation Sleepwalk and the German duo of No Comment and you get Nine Seconds. The band previously released two albums on Space Race Records and a few self-released EP’s. The trio is now back on track and have joined hands with Infacted to unleash this new work.

Content: “Agent Provocateur” sounds harder than the previous albums. The songs are more inspired by EBM elements although still polished with electro-pop arrangements. The vocals of Oliver Spring are powerful, but clearer than during his Sleepwalk period.

The album also reveals a few little surprises such as the more disco-pop driven title-song and a few cuts moving into reverie.

+ + + : “Agent Provocateur” reveals a renewed sound for Nine Seconds. The band seems like having inspired by harder electro influences and particularly by EBM. The songs are well-crafted and reveal some complexity, but the final result remains pretty accessible. I like most of the bass lines and also noticed a few cool industrial-like sound arrangements. The vocals perfectly fit with the harder song approach.

– – – : Globally speaking this album took me by surprise and I really like this new approach. The only element I’m (still) missing maybe is a more melodic touch during the choruses.

Conclusion: Nine Seconds was just an interesting band so far, but “Agent Provocateur” will definitely increase the band’s popularity. This is a work that will appeal to lovers of EBM and electro-pop music.

Best songs: “Plastic Fantastic”, “Agent Provocateur”, “Somnambulist”, “Borderland – 3^rd Chapter”, “Lost Love – Part 1”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.nineseconds.de / www.facebook.com/nineseconds

Label: www.infacted–recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted–Recordings/124099254321690

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: EBM, body-pop.

Content: Nine Seconds are back on track with this elf-released EP featuring 10 songs. Both albums of the band have been released by the Italian label Space Race Records while this is their 2nd self-released EP.

The title song originally appeared at their last album “Nothing To Confess” (2014). I expected the usual endless list of remixes, but this EP is different. Except for two remixes of “Antistar Machinery” we get 6 mixes/remixes from six different songs plus a previously unreleased track and a cover version. The original versions of all the mixes/remixes originally appeared on their previous releases. So this is an interesting way to get back to both albums “Poladroids” and “Nothing To Confess”, and also to their debut EP-vinyl “Irresolution”.

I was a little less inspired by the solid EBM orientation for most remixes. It for sure is one of the band’s influences although their work usually sounds more into electro-pop and body-pop. It for sure is a way to conquer dancefloors and that’s precisely what the “Club Mix” of the title song seems to claim. It’s a real smasher driven by a great bass line and a carrying chorus. I once more prefer the vocals of Oliver Spring singing on Nine Seconds instead of his previous band (cf. Sleepwalk).

A few bands were asked to create a remix and Cryo did a sensational job remixing “Waiting For The Last Kiss” into a pure club smasher. The “Club Mix” of “Attractive Lies” is another song I have to tip. The original song was seriously reworked into a divine icy and smashing approach.

Sleepwalk was asked to remix “Girl Panic” and here again the result is absolutely superb. It sounds hard while featuring impressive sound manipulations. MRDTC and Framework were asked as well to make a remix. MRDTC adapted the title song into a different –but still pure EBM style.

Over now to the excellent remix of Invisible Limits “Shadows”. It again sounds pretty EBM and driven by real cool sound manipulations. Last, but not least the new song “Not Guilty By Reason” is filled with modernism and some complexity. It remains pretty body-inspired but constructed by irresistible scratching sweeps and other cool effects.

Conclusion: This EP reveals a harder approach in the work of Nine Seconds, which will appeal to EBM-lovers. Speaking for myself it definitely is their best release to date, which will maybe serve as basis for the work to come.

Best songs: “Waiting For The Last Kiss – Cryo Short Mix”, “Attractive Lies – Club Mix”, “Antistar Machinery – Club Mix”, “Girl Panic – Sleepwalk Remix”, “Shadows”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.nineseconds.de / www.facebook.com/nineseconds

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