The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix releases the twelfth volume in its “Matrix+ Downloaded” series to coincide with the label’s 24th anniversary. The digital-only set collects 69 tracks across the label’s current spectrum – EBM, dark elektro/industrial, synth pop – and newer Spleen+ additions spanning post-punk, goth rock and coldwave. The compilation is offered as a free/pay-what-you-want download via the label’s Bandcamp page and also includes a PDF booklet.

On the cover you will recognize Erica Dunham from Unter Null.

Artists included on this free download compilation include: Studio-X (feat. Kyoko Baertsoen), Rector Scanner, Aesthetische, Cut.Rate.Box, Kant Kino, Frontal Boundary, C-Lekktor, Acylum, Diffuzion, Implant, Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls (feat. Aux Animaux), Noemi Aurora, Suicidal Romance, Llumen, Hanging Freud, Lederman/De Meyer, The Ultimate Dreamers, Aiboforcen, Digital Factor, Armageddon Dildos, Helalyn Flowers, Krystal System, The True Union, Freakangel, Totem Obscura, Lovelorn Dolls (feat. Dero Goi), The Breath of Life, The Names, ImJudas, Synapsyche, Miseria Ultima, Unter Null, Alien Vampires (feat. Dani Divine), Venal Flesh, Helle9, To Avoid, Pouppée Fabrikk, Stahlgeist, Nigra Nebula, Aengeldust, Circuito Cerrado, Matthew Creed, Cubic, Metroland, The Psychic Force, Komor Kommando, First Aid Tech, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Plastic Noise Experience, AD:Key, Elektroklänge, 808 Dot Pop, Avarice in Audio, Elektrostaub (feat. Echo Image), Cryogenic Echelon, Entrzelle, Neuroactive, Technoir, Mondträume, Star Industry, Stray, Psy’Aviah (feat. Sorrow Stories), Zombie Girl, Darkness on Demand, Circumpolar, Dunkelwerk, and Lights A.M.

A&R manager, Sebastien Dolimont says: “In 2025, Alfa Matrix proudly celebrates 24 years of existence. Nearly a quarter of a century fighting for dark alternative music, discovering new talents, and keeping the underground alive. This anniversary is not just about us and our artists – it’s about you, our fans. Because without your constant support, there would be no label, no releases, no future for the scene we all love.”

And he add: “In a world where indie labels are disappearing, streaming revenues collapse, and risks of signing new talents are higher than ever, we are proud to still stand strong — but we can only do it with you by our side. By downloading this compilation, you are not just enjoying music — you are actively supporting 69 artists and helping keep our scene alive, fresh, and forward-looking. From all of us at Alfa Matrix and Spleen+, and on behalf of all our artists: thank you for 24 years of loyalty, passion, and support. Together, we’ll keep writing the future of the dark underground.”

About Alfa Matrix

Alfa Matrix is a Brussels-based independent label founded in 2001. The catalogue focuses on electronic subgenres including industrial, EBM, dark elektro, and synth pop, later expanding into post-punk/coldwave via the Spleen+ division. The label’s team includes label & artists manager Seba Dolimont, promo manager Bernard Van Isacker, and head of design Benoît Blanchart.

From the early 2000s, Alfa Matrix used series-based releases to build international reach. Notable strands include “Sounds From The Matrix” (label samplers), “Re:Connected” (digital label overview), and the club-oriented “Endzeit Bunkertracks” multi-CD anthologies (first “Act” released 21 March 2005, featuring 60 tracks with 50 exclusives).

In 2023, Alfa Matrix inaugurated Spleen+, a division centred on post-punk and adjacent styles, and followed with multi-artist projects and catalogue building, including the “Resurgence” 7-CD box that assembled 133 contemporary bands from the post-punk family.

The label has since the very start focused on a direct contact with its fans and customers via their online webstore and Bandcamp.

Eldrina Mich

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

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For nearly two decades, Noemi Aurora has been an electrifying force in the electro-industrial and alternative metal scene, known for her striking work with HELALYN FLOWERS. But with “Kintsugi”, her debut solo album, she steps into a new dimension – one entirely of her own making. The album is out now via Alfa Matrix in various formats including two vinyl versions.

Written, performed, produced, and mastered by Noemi Aurora herself, “Kintsugi” is more than an album; it’s a journey through resilience, reinvention, and raw emotion. Inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, the record turns vulnerability into strength, weaving darkwave, electro-industrial, post-punk, and ethereal pop into a deeply personal sonic tapestry.

In this exclusive interview, Noemi Aurora opens up about the challenges of full creative control, the deeply personal themes behind “Kintsugi”, and the alchemy of transforming life’s fractures into something luminous and powerful.

Understanding Noemi Aurora’s Artistic Vision

S. “Kintsugi” is an incredibly personal album, both in its themes of healing and resilience and in the fact that you crafted every aspect of it yourself. What was the most challenging and rewarding part of taking full creative control?

N. The most challenging aspect of assuming full creative control was the weight of responsibility in ensuring that every facet of the album resonated authentically with my vision. It demanded a deep level of introspection and commitment to translate my innermost emotions and experiences into tangible musical expressions. However, the most rewarding part of this journey was the profound sense of empowerment and fulfillment that arose from witnessing the project materialize exactly as I had envisioned it. Seeing each note, each lyric, and each melody come together in harmony with my soul’s essence was a transcendental experience that reinforced the significance of following one’s artistic intuition. When I embarked on the songwriting process for my album, I found myself in a state of complete mental freedom and absence of a final goal, unlike the approach often taken when collaborating with others. This was simply because I had no intention of releasing it. It was a deeply personal endeavor born out of necessity for self-expression and exploration. The absence of external pressures allowed me to delve into the depths of my creativity and authenticity without constraints, resulting in an album that encapsulated the pure essence of my being.

S. The album’s title, “Kintsugi,” refers to the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, turning flaws into beauty. How does this philosophy reflect your personal and artistic journey?

N. The philosophy of “Kintsugi” resonates deeply with my personal and artistic journey, as it speaks to the transformative power of embracing our flaws and scars as part of our beauty, and it deeply embraces my role as the alchemist of my life. I chose the title “Kintsugi” after reading about this beautiful Japanese art form in a magazine. This ancient technique allows us to elevate and value things that would otherwise be discarded due to being shattered. Metaphorically, Kintsugi can be applied to our lives, transforming soul wounds into powerful energies that make us wiser and aware of our goals. Instead of seeing wounds as weaknesses or missing pieces, they become our strengths. Just as broken objects can be enhanced with gold dust, we can transform our wounds into the gold of awareness. As I read about the practice of repairing ceramics and highlighting the broken spots with gold, I felt an immediate connection. I thought to myself, “I am deeply in tune with that object; my warrior soul has risen stronger than before.” Feeling myself hanging in my Multiverse in a state of precariousness, where losing all hope would have made me sink into the abyss and nothingness, was a call to music as the key to my survival. I was struck by how many people around the world must go through similar journeys of resistance and healing, and I wanted to speak to them through this album.

S. Your music blends elements of electro-industrial, darkwave, post-punk, and ethereal pop, evoking influences from Siouxsie Sioux to Massive Attack. How did you approach shaping the sonic identity of this album?

N. Shaping the sonic identity of “Kintsugi” was a meticulous process of blending diverse musical influences to create a sound that felt both familiar and innovative. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of genres allowed me to craft a unique and compelling sonic landscape that reflected the emotional depth of the album’s themes. When I compose, I don’t have the habit of drawing inspiration from a particular artist or album. It is the result of years of listening to various genres that give life to my sound. This album is mostly imbued with dark wave electronic, synth-pop, ambient, and industrial, all revisited by my taste to refine or, on the contrary, exaggerate some elements of the genres themselves. In “Kintsugi”, I experimented a lot, recording endless layers of vocal parts, both dry in high definition and drowned in effects that I mixed live during the recordings. I played with my vocal cords, making them travel in ethereal and whispered modes, as well as extending them to full voice, which is typically associated with my trademark of Helalyn Flowers. This method allowed me to give a broad and atmospheric overview to the vocal melody, while simultaneously remaining focused to intimately speak to the listeners.  Regarding instrumental experimentation, I can tell you that the fact that this album was born without the purpose of being released left me in a carefree state that was useful in uninhibiting me. I picked up my recorder that I had set aside for years. I used it as a child, having fun tracing some guitar scores by Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, or Steve Morse, duetting with my older brother on rhythm guitar. I used samples from my audio gallery that encompass various sounds and noises that I love to record during my outings in the woods, by the lake, or in the metropolis. Ethnic instruments that I had purchased over the years, I recorded and distorted them, fragmenting them into many pieces of “Kintsugi”, and recomposing them into rhythms with an exotic industrial flavor. Not having the pretension to define myself as a guitarist, I also experimented with this instrument without the pretense of a professional approach, but borrowing it to emit dark sounds or hypnotic rhythms that act as a shield.

S. Some of the most emotional moments on the album come when you sing in your native Italian, such as on “Dal Giardino Di Algos” and “Too Late To Die.” What inspired you to include songs in Italian, and how does it change the way you express emotion in your music? 

N. My decision to include some songs in Italian was driven by the personal and intimate nature of the lyrics, which were initially written like entries in a diary. By using my mother tongue, I could express emotions and thoughts in a more genuine and unfiltered way, capturing the true essence of the experiences and feelings I wanted to convey. There are symbolic references and specific Italian terms that in English would have lost their original meaning. Singing in Italian also brought a deeper and richer dimension to the music, intensifying the emotional impact of the songs. It was also a personal challenge for me, because I didn’t have any great references sung in Italian in my genre, and this led me to unmask myself from any protection. It was a conscious decision to establish a stronger connection with the content and to evoke a sense of openness and closeness, enabling me to communicate emotions in a more subtle and authentic manner, and adding an element of intimacy and vulnerability to the music that surpasses linguistic boundaries.

S. You’ve collaborated with many artists over the years, but this album is your solo statement. How does “Kintsugi” differ from your past work with Helalyn Flowers, and what does it reveal about you as an artist?

N. “Kintsugi” differs from my past work with Helalyn Flowers in its deeply personal and introspective nature, serving as a solo statement of my artistic vision focusing my role in an uncompromising definition. It reveals a more vulnerable and intimate side of me as an artist, showcasing a depth and complexity that may not have been as readily apparent in a collaborative setting. Certainly, my extensive career of over 20 years with Helalyn Flowers has undeniably shaped my solo album. As a member of the band, my role extended beyond just vocals to include producing, composing, arranging, and more. In contrast, my solo project required me to take on 100% of these responsibilities, which were typically shared with Maxx in the band setting. This change allowed me to delve into diverse concepts and genres that may not have been feasible within the collaborative nature of a group. While my aim was to experiment with fresh sounds and showcase various aspects of my artistry, the foundation laid by my musical journey with Helalyn Flowers was always present. I firmly believe that each project contributes to my evolution as an artist, so even as I recognized the creation of something distinct, elements of my past work naturally influenced the process. It became a delicate balance between honoring my roots and embarking on new creative paths.

S. The album comes in stunning physical editions, including a collector’s vinyl and a double-CD with a bonus remix album. How important is the visual and physical presentation of your music, and how does it enhance the overall experience of “Kintsugi”?

N. The visual and physical presentation of my music is absolutely crucial to the overall experience of “Kintsugi” as it serves as an extension of the music itself. Since I am always the one who takes care of the graphic aspect of my albums, it contains fragments that complete my expression, showing photographs and illustrations that I feel are part of the kingdom of “Kintsugi”. In addition, my portraits were taken by Helalyn Flowers’ Maxx who perfectly knows my communicative need and can represent me better than anyone else. The tactile nature of the collector’s vinyl and the design of the double-CD with bonus tracks/remix album are integral parts of the storytelling process, providing a tactile and immersive journey for listeners that complements the sonic landscape of the music. The visuals serve as a portal into the world I’ve created, enriching the auditory journey and inviting listeners to fully immerse themselves in the depths of the album’s themes and emotions. Each detail, from the artwork to the packaging, is meticulously crafted to enhance the sensory experience and transport the audience into a realm where sound and sight intertwine to create a multiversal tapestry of storytelling.

S. “Kintsugi” feels like a deeply cathartic journey. If there’s one message or emotion you hope listeners take away from the album, what would it be?

N. In the depths of “Kintsugi,” one can find a profound message echoing through the cathartic journey. It is a reminder that even when gazing into the abyss, we have the choice to either rise from its depths or succumb to its shadows. Without solid ground beneath our feet, we cannot propel ourselves forward. Thus, the album serves as a beacon of hope and resilience, urging listeners to find strength in their vulnerabilities and embrace the transformative power of healing. The underlying message is one of empowerment, encouraging individuals to turn their scars into sources of beauty and strength, ultimately emerging from the darkness with renewed purpose and interior lighting. My final message for all those who feel lost is a phrase from my album: ‘It’s too late to die’!

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!

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The Italian Noemi Aurora is of course best known as the singer of Helalyn Flowers. Both members have also launched their solo careers in the meantime and after a few singles, the debut album “Kintsugi” is now released, which is already a double disc.

Noemi Aurora’s style can be found somewhere in the magic of 80s Wave-Pop, with which she makes her own thing. She transforms it all into a kind of black, dark, Pop where deep bass lines and cold bleeping sequences color the atmosphere. The already well-known cover of The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” is also not missing. But the greatest strength of this artist remains first and foremost her voice. It is not without reason that she has already been invited by many groups and artists as a guest singer. Musically it all sounds okay, but with another singer this album would not reach high peaks. The second album is chock full of remixes – mainly by Alfa Matrix groups) and where Metroland and Korinthians (now that’s a group for Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix) do the better work. This album sounds fresh and fun, but give me Helalyn Flowers. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Shining”:

Read the news on ‘Kintsugi’.

About Noemi Aurora

Noemi Aurora is the stage name of Italian vocalist, songwriter and producer Noemi Rotondi, who co-founded the industrial metal duo Helalyn Flowers in Rome, Italy, with Massimiliano Campagna. Aurora launched a Patreon campaign in March 2021 to fund a solo album, then signed to the Belgian label Spleen+ and released her debut solo single, “Shining”, as a free download on June 28, 2023. The single “Blood As Lipstick” followed on October 31, 2023.

Spleen+ and Alfa Matrix announced Aurora’s debut solo album, “Kintsugi”, on February 10, 2025, in a digital edition, a two-vinyl “Shining Version” (sunburst and galaxy-color gatefold pressings limited to 150 copies each), and a deluxe two-CD “Disaster” edition. The Disaster edition adds a bonus disc, “Magnetica”, with eleven remixes by artists including Metroland and Korinthians, and a cover of The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”. Side-Line published a full interview with Aurora about “Kintsugi” on June 13, 2025.

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.

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Noemi Aurora, frontwoman of the Italian electro / industrial / electro metal duo Helalyn Flowers, has released her solo album “Kintsugi”. The album is a double CD which is also available on two vinyl formats. You can order from the Alfa Matrix / Spleen+ webstore and as download via Bandcamp (where you can also order the other formats directly from Noemi).

Unlike what you get with most solo endeavors Aurora did write, record, produce, perform, and master every track on “Kintsugi”. The album combines electro-industrial elements, dark wave influences, post-punk, and ethereal tones. Mainly sung in English the album also includes two Italian sung tracks: “Dal Giardino Di Algos” and “Too Late To Die”.

Thematically “Kintsugi” addresses themes of pain, healing, and resilience. It draws on the Japanese art of ‘kintsugi’, the practice of repairing broken pottery with gold, to symbolize strength in imperfections.

The album is available in 3 physical formats including 2 limited vinyl editions (150 copies each): a sunburst solid white vinyl and a black and galaxy transparent red vinyl.

The deluxe digipak double-CD “disaster” edition includes the bonus disc, “Magnetica”, with 11 remixes by artists such as Implant, Aiboforcen, and Metroland, and a cover of The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”.

The various formats can be found below. Read the review of ‘Kintsugi’.

• Noemi Aurora – Kintsugi (Shining Version) (Galaxy Color Gatefold) Vinyl
• Noemi Aurora – Kintsugi (Shining Version) (Sunburst Color Gatefold) Vinyl
• Noemi Aurora – Kintsugi (Disaster Version) 2CD Box
• Spleen White Sunburst Vinyl Pack (Noemi Aurora, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Names)
• Spleen Red Lipstick Vinyl Pack (Noemi Aurora, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Names)
• Spleen Implanted 4-Cd Pack (Implant, Noemi Aurora, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Names)

Eldrina Mich

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

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Following the release of “No More Flies On The Windscreen” a few months ago, Implant now presents the second part of their trilogy, “The Chaos Machines”. This album is available not only in a digital edition but also in two distinct vinyl versions. It features some ‘Vinyl Versions’ of tracks from the previous album, including “I Wasn’t There” featuring Noemi Aurora, alongside new songs that allow Len Lemaire and his Belgian band to further explore and diversify their eclectic electronic sound. Ranging from highly danceable tracks to darker atmospheric pieces, and even moments with experimental, analog elements, the album’s cohesive thread is its solid bass lines. “The Drive – Vinyl Version” stands out as the album’s ultimate climax. Through it all, Implant maintains its distinctive, uncompromising style of composition. (Rating:8).

Listen to “The Drive – Vinyl Version”:

Read the news on ‘The Chaos Machines Part 2’.

About Implant

Implant, the Belgian electronic act formed in 1992 by Geert Machtelinck and Len Lemeire, quickly crafted a distinctive sound that fused dark electro roots with dance-oriented electronic music. In 1996, they released their debut album, “Soft Flesh-Hard Steel”, under Celtic Circle Productions, following the single “Fun”. Two years later, they expanded their catalog with the “BrainFX” EP.

In 2000, Implant shifted toward a more dance-driven sound with their album “Kmputor”, incorporating goa trance influences and signaling a bold new direction. They continued this evolution with the double-CD album “Unidentified Flying Frequencies”, released via Flatline Records. When Flatline Records ceased operations, Implant transitioned to the Belgian label Alfa Matrix. Under this new partnership, they released “Planet Euphoria” in 2002, introducing a trancier vibe to their sound. This album also featured a collaboration with Canadian singer Jennifer Parkin.

Their production output continued with the albums “Horseback Riding Through Bassfields” (2003), “Self-Inflicted” (2005), “Implantology” (2009), “The Productive Citizen” (2013) and 2017’s “Oxynoxe-X”.

In 2021, Implant revisited a harder, more EBM-focused sound with the release of “Cognitive Dissonance”. The single “The Drive” followed in December 2023, it was the lead single from their upcoming 12th studio album. The track blended old-school EBM and industrial vibes with a futuristic edge, setting the tone for their subsequent albums, “The Chaos Machine Part 1: No More Flies On The Windscreen” and “The Chaos Machine Part 2: Scratching The Surface“.

Beyond their band productions, Len Lemeire produced and remixed tracks for numerous other bands. In 2004, he collaborated with poet and singer Anne Clark. With “Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines Part 2”, released on digital and vinyl, the band continues the trilogy it started earlier in 2024.

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.

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

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

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

You can already check out a few tracks here.

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

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

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

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

Cd 2

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

Cd 3

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

Cd 4

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

Cd 5

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

Cd 6

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

Cd 7

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Today Implant today officially releases two different vinyl versions of “Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines part 2”, the latest offering from the band centered around Jan D’hooghe and Len Lemeire. You can also download this release via Bandcamp of course.

“The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface” follows “Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” and is available exclusively on vinyl (with a digital download) in two different colors: clear transparent and black. Each color is limited to just 150 copies worldwide, making it a must-have for collectors.

This release features extended versions of tracks like “The Drive” and the chilling “Tales From The City”, alongside the electro-pop single “I Wasn’t There”, featuring the lush vocals of Noemi Aurora.

Also included are new tracks such as the old school dark electro track “Responsible” for which a video is available now too. Other tracks include “It Will Mutate” and “Why Don’t You Sin Like Me?”.

Below are the two vinyl versions.

The Bandcamp version can be checked out below.

Note that Implant also released the 3-track single “Responsible” today on Spotify and all other platforms.

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!

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Belgian studio project Aiboforcen has been a fixture in the music scene for over 30 years. However, its operator, Benoit Blanchart, has taken a more relaxed approach to releasing new albums. Their latest, the 7th studio album, arrives after a six-year hiatus and features an impressive 22 tracks. Longtime collaborator Patrice Synthea (Regenerator) continues to contribute as a vocalist, appearing on several tracks. Blanchart also enlisted a wide array of guest artists, including Jan Dieckmann (Norderney), who shines on multiple tracks, Mari Kattman (Helix), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Emke (Black Nail Cabaret), Sorrow Stories, and even Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Implant & Pouppéé Fabrikk (singing together), and Numb.

The album primarily consists of original compositions, but it also features a few alternative versions, a remix by Patrick Codenys, and a cover of a Death In June-song. The sound remains unmistakably Aiboforcen—a blend of Electro influences that lies somewhere between EBM, Future-Pop, and their unique, freeform style. The music is intricate and sophisticated, offering a compelling mix of tracks that are both listenable and danceable.

Jan Dieckmann’s vocal performance left a lasting impression, his voice evoking shades of Ronan Harris but with a subtler, more sensual delivery. His duet with Noemi Aurora—unquestionably one of the finest vocalists in the scene—creates a truly euphoric moment. While I’m unsure if this is my all-time favorite Aiboforcen album, it certainly showcases some of the project’s best work to date. (Rating: 8½).

Listen to “Heaven Knows”:

About Aiboforcen

Aiboforcen is a Belgian electronic band founded in 1993 in Charleroi by Benoit Blanchart and Séba Dolimont. The project blends elements of electronic body music (EBM), industrial, and synthpop. Blanchart handled music, synths, and sampling, while Dolimont provided vocals, lyrics, and additional sampling. Their earliest work, the demo “Black Slang”, appeared in 1993 in fewer than 100 copies, released via Side-Line’s former tape label.

In 1995, Aiboforcen released their debut album “Elixir Lytique” through Khazad-Dûm, a sublabel of Celtic Circle Productions. Their second album, “Face (of) Death”, followed in 1996. After a period of inactivity, both members co-founded the Belgian label Alfa Matrix in 2001, the same year Aiboforcen returned with “Sons Palliatifs”, concluding the trilogy begun with “Elixir Lytique” and “Face (of) Death”. “Kafarnaüm” followed in 2004, then “Dédale” in 2011 and “Sense & Nonsense” in 2018.

“Between Noise & Silence” is Aiboforcen’s seventh studio album, arriving in 2024 to mark the project’s 25th anniversary. It features collaborations with Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Henrik Bjørkk (Pouppée Fabrikk), and Don Gordon (Numb), alongside vocal appearances from Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines part 1” has been released by Alfa Matrix and is the twelfth album by the Belgian Implant duo. At the same time, it is also -as the title somewhat indicates, the first part of a trilogy. IMPLANT releases a complex, intelligent yet danceable Electronic album. It is a varied work supported by analogue sound treatments that sometimes sound surprisingly dark. One song is featuring guest vocals by Noemi Aurora. From EBM to Space Electronics, IMPLANT is starting a promising trilogy. (Rate:8)

Listen to “I Feel No More”:

About Implant

Implant is a Belgian duo fronted by Len Lemeire, working across EBM, industrial and dark electro. “No More Flies On The Windscreen” opened the band’s “Chaos Machines” trilogy, continued by “Scratching The Surface” and closed by “Judging Sinners,” each subtitle drawn from a line in the trilogy’s first released track, “The Drive.”

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

When a band signs his 12^th studio album, “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen”, and can be proud of an impressive eclectic discography and music legacy ranging from industrial dance to harsh EBM through electro pop and dark synth, we could not resist to meet with Len Lemeire, the voice and driving force behind that unique Belgian sonic UFO called Implant … And before he asks me, yes Len, I did have my Implant today 😉!

The new “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” album is out via Alfa Matrix and available from Bandcamp and from the Alfa Matrix webstore.

SL: “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” is the first chapter of a trilogy. What inspired you to embark on this ambitious project, and what themes or ideas can listeners expect to explore throughout the trilogy?

LL: It evolved into this indeed! We started composing on this album with the idea to release the typical Alfa Matrix 2CD limited edition. We have been doubting the concept of a CD and a remix CD for quite a while. With oxynoxe-x we wrote a 2^nd cd using only the modular synths. But we did this after we finished composing the first disc. This time we wanted to do something similar, but instead of composing 2 entities, we wanted to work on the 2^nd disc while working on the first one. To give the tracks more room to grow. At one point I started singing on these soundscapes, and it worked very well. And hence we started to re-arrange these tracks, but with vocals in mind. Along this process we realized that the 2 CDs were starting to intermix, to blend. So, the idea grew to release them as 2 separate albums. And somehow make clear they belonged together. We also wanted a 12” vinyl. Because we like to smell vinyl J. Alfa Matrix liked the idea, but only if the vinyl had some exclusive content. So, we decided to make a trilogy out of it.

SL: The album is described as a clash against algorithms and a journey into chaos. Can you elaborate on how you approached creating music that embodies these concepts of chaos and defiance against digital norms?

LL: It is a bit hard to talk about defiance against digital norms when a lot of the chaos is actually circuit based. Defiance implicates that one refuses to obey to something. I don’t think we are trying to refuse to be bound by norms or anything. It’s not a statement or a quest to redefine things.  I think we embrace chaos more than we used to. We gave more space to the machines themselves. Sometimes synths can be rooted in such ways that chaos is more imminent. And we took that as a concept. we incorporated this while writing the songs. And eventually ended up adding chaos to unexpected places.

IMPLANT’s sound in this album ranges from psy-trance industrial cuts to electro-pop with influences from early SKINNY PUPPY and KLINIK. How did you blend these diverse styles to create a cohesive listening experience?

LL: I’m not sure if we always succeed in blending it all to a cohesive entity. But I guess that is one of the liberties you get if you work with chaos. You can hide behind the concept and claim that blending styles chaotically was part of the idea. The truth is far more pragmatic. Sometimes you must let a track take you on a little journey in the studio. And the final product should be judged by its quality, not its style. In the end the intersection between all the tracks is IMPLANT.  It has always been a part of IMPLANT to experiment with elements from different styles. I think this has been our strength over the years. But I guess, one could easily argue that it is a weakness.

SL: Noemi Aurora’s lush vocals are a highlight on this album. How did her collaboration come about, cos it’s not the first time you guys work together,  and what do you feel she brings to the overall sound and atmosphere of “The Chaos Machines”?

LL: I am a huge fan of Noemi’s voice, and she already collaborated with us on ‘phantom pain’. While writing the lyrics, I always had in mind to make it a duet. 2 sides of the story. She was the first one I had in mind. It took a while to set it up. But the result really works. She has this kind of power voice, and it was exactly what this track needed. She also collaborated on a track that will be released on ‘the chaos machines part 3’. It is very different from this track. But I think even more essential to the track than her contribution to ‘I wasn’t there’!

SL: Your declaration, “No boundaries, no compromises, only chaos and machines,” sets a powerful tone for the album. How does this philosophy influence your songwriting and production process?

LL: It is always a bit of a marketing tool to try and work with catchy slogans. But again, something I have always done with IMPLANT. The phrase ‘did you have your implant today?’ is something I have been using since the start. For the chaos machines I wanted to try and find a phrase that fits the concept. It’s kind of a justification for it all. We did not want to be restricted by boundaries, not in musical styles, not in sound design. We have tried to avoid compromises, although totally avoiding them is never possible. We did stress the limits of the technologies at hand. We never stopped taking a track into a certain direction because it was not scene friendly. And so on. And we did try and let the machines take over at some points. Most of the time this resulted in very chaotic sounds or textures. So, with all this in mind, the catchphrase does make some sense. And it can be used as a glue between the 3 releases.

SL: The album is filled with both dark moments and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. How do you balance these contrasting elements to maintain the album’s intensity while also keeping it engaging and enjoyable?

LL: A day without laughter is a day wasted. Or so they say. I think it’s trying to add another layer to the music.  Lyrics is a place in art where an opinion, a vision, a feeling … can be expressed. But one can also use it for the obvious. Compare it to a painter. One can paint a very social critical painting, or one could draw a few lines on a canvas and claim it to be social critical.  I never got the painter that painted lines and claimed to expand our thinking. To me, there are different mediums for different outlets of creativity. If lyrics is your forum for creativity, you should try and use it. A song is a little journey that can blend melodies with words. I’m not that keen on wasting this medium for the obvious.  If it can make you smile or look at things differently it’s not wasted. If I use it to express some darker things, then It’s probably something that is bothering me or something that needs to be addressed. There is a lot of “me” in those lyrics. I hope I wrote them in such a manner that it leaves room for interpretation. I once read a scientific article on the correlation between dark humor and alzheimer disease, and I remember thinking: “shit, I’m going to die as a fool”. (laugh)

SL: Given that this is your 12th studio album, how has IMPLANT’s sound evolved over the years, and what new directions or experiments did you undertake specifically for this project?

LL: I always think it’s kind of impressive talking about a legacy of 12 albums. Not sure if that was the goal when I started all this. I guess this kind of happened. But yes, with each release I’ve tried to experiment with different things. The balance between soundscapes and more conventional tracks is the place we tried to experiment on these 3 releases. I think each song is a little experimental trip on its own. With its own merit. Either it’s the break, the intro, or the whole track. Or sometimes just the approach of the routing of the synths. To me the whole transition from the early years to now makes a lot of sense. It is what it is. We could not have made (or remade) the album we did 3 albums ago, and back then we would never have been able to create this album. if the creative process can be digitized, it will be done by machines. Surprising the algorithm is what differentiates us from automated processes.

SL: You mentioned that it’s always more fun to pick up the pieces with IMPLANT. Can you share an example from the making of this album where embracing chaos or an unexpected twist led to a particularly memorable or successful outcome?

LL: Ha, this might be the hardest question of the interview. Because you must understand how ‘intentional’ all this chaos actually is. Maybe I can explain this with a little example. If you work with modular synths, connecting cables is the routing of the sound. The fun thing is that anything can be connected to anything. So, if you have a hihat triggered by a clock-divider, you can feed it a clock (mostly the BPM of the track). But you can also feed it an LFO. If you do this with a modular, you can probably control the LFO-time or shape by a knob or connect another LFO to control the time or shape of the first LFO (and hence the rhythm of the hihat). Before you know it, you’ll end up with something very chaotic, but partially controllable. In like 99% of the cases this will turn into something that can’t be used (although some bands make full tracks out of this. And some of these tracks are surprisingly interesting). If you use the possibilities to control things (like a knob for the speed of the LFO), eventually you’ll end up looking for a sweet spot. Resulting in a sound or rhythm that can be blended with the track you are working on. All this is pretty time consuming. But the result no matter how chaotic it may sound, is very intentional. One could say that the chaos is planned, and the actual outcome more of a coincidence.Jan has this module called “morphagene” by Make-noise. This is one of those modules that create instant chaos. I have been nagging at him a lot to use this one in a track. Eventually he used it on the samples in ‘The drive’. And I think it works great. We remixed that track for the 12” and it has more of those samples. To me, this is a fine example of the beauty of a chaos machine.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

The Belgian cult dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen has announced its 7th studio album, titled “Between Noise & Silence”. The new release will be out via the Belgian label Alfa Matrix at the end of May, but can already be pre-ordered.

The 22-track album again shows a blend of electro pop, future pop and dark pop but also includes a cover of Death in June’s “Break The Black Ice”. The album is available as a double-CD digipak with a 16-page booklet and as a download via Bandcamp.

ATTENTION: The first 50 orders (!!) from the Alfa Matrix e-shop include a signed version with a bonus mini-CD “Eliza Effect” featuring four exclusive tracks.

Benoit Blanchart this time worked with Patrice Synthea from Regenerator, Patrick Codenys of Front 242, Poupee Fabrikk, Implant, Numb, and female vocalists Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories. Also Jan Dieckmann of Norderney joined in.

This new album was teased earlier with the 7-track EP “Cycle Of Life” featuring collaborations with artists such as Jan of Norderney and Noemi Aurora. The EP included a mix of new songs and exclusive non-album tracks, and it’s still available on Bandcamp with a digital booklet containing lyrics and artwork.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Body-Pop, Future-Pop, Electro.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Belgian Aiboforcen remains driven by core member Benoit Blanchart assisted by different guest singers -although he now considers Patrice Synhtea (Regenerator) as a constant member. This EP comes as an appetizer to the announced seventh album “Between Noise & Silence”. Patrice Synthea (Regenerator) was in the company of Jan (Jordernay) & Noemi Aurora, Mari Kattman and Tina Forlom.

Content: This EP features 7 songs -including remixes and alternative edits. The title song reveals a great, danceable Electro piece with a strong melodic chorus and male-female vocals by Jan (Jordernay) and Noemi Aurora. You’ll also discover a ‘Club’-edit and a remixed version by Elektrostaub. The other songs remain in the line of Aiboforcen while featuring different vocalists. One of these cuts has been remixed by Aesthetische.

+ + + : “Cycle Of Life” is for sure one of the best and most accomplished songs ever written by Benoit Blanchart. He remains a very unique musician you can’t compare to any other. The title song sounds not just danceable but also reveals a true sound intelligence while the duo vocal parts between Jan and Noemi sound better than intercourse. There’s such a great complementarity between both artists while Noemi’s heavenly voice is mainly emerging on the final part of the song. This track has something NVN-Nation driven but transposed into Aiboforcen’s sound DNA. The “Club-Mix” is pretty cool as well. Among the other songs left I especially recommend “Heaven Knows – Single edit” also sung by the duo Jan – Noemi Aurora. “Katarsis” featuring Patrice Synhtea is another cool cut and I here especially like the Acid sequences running through the song.

– – – : I expected a bit more from the remix of Aesthetische and Elektrostaub which don’t add a true bonus to the EP.

Conclusion: The song “Cycle Of Life” is a real masterpiece and I can only hope we’ll hear more doings from this level at the announced album.

Best songs: “Cycle Of Life – Club Mix”, “Cycle Of Life – Single Edit”, “Heaven Knows – Single Edit”, “Katarsis”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Aiboforcen

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

About Aiboforcen

Aiboforcen is the Belgian dark electro and future pop project led by Benoit Blanchart, released on Alfa Matrix. Patrice Synthea of Regenerator is a regular vocal collaborator, alongside guests including Noemi Aurora, Mari Kattman and Tina Forlorn. The “Cycle Of Life” EP, featuring Jan of Jordernay and Noemi Aurora on the title track plus remixes by Elektrostaub and Aesthetische, served as the appetizer to the band’s seventh album, “Between Noise & Silence”, released in 2024.

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.

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Lots of you have probably heard Noemi Aurora and her very attractive and unique voice within Helalyn Flowers, as well as through her numerous guest vocal appearances over the years. A first solo album is planned for early next year via the Belgian label Spleen+, and a first teaser came a few weeks ago in the form of an EP, “Blood As Lipstick”, which is available on Bandcamp. 

We wanted to know a bit more about what the lady had to offer…

SL.  Your latest single, “Blood As Lipstick,” is described as a rebellious hymn to inner strength and resilience. Can you delve into the inspiration behind the song and how it ties into the broader themes of empowerment and courage?

‘Blood as Lipstick’ can be interpreted as a symbolic representation of personal transformation and empowerment through the alchemical process of transmuting pain and adversity into beauty and strength. 

Overall, ‘Blood as Lipstick’ portrays the story of a woman who transforms the pain and wounds of her life into something beautiful and empowering. It emphasizes the alchemical process of transmutation, where the individual uses their experiences to cultivate strength, resistance, and inner beauty. 

My lyrics encourages embracing challenges and using them as catalysts for personal growth and transformation.

I dedicate this anthem of mine to all the women warriors who fight against discrimination and submission. But not only that, they are also dedicated to all human beings of any sex and origin, since anyone who knows pain and suffering deserves to find the strength to react to adversity and injustices.

‘Blood as Lipstick’ ties into broader themes of empowerment and courage by encouraging listeners to embrace their authenticity, find their voice, and overcome obstacles with unwavering determination.

SL. The press release mentions a range of musical influences from Kate Bush to Dead Can Dance and Zola Jesus. How do these influences shape the sonic landscape of “Blood As Lipstick,” and how do you incorporate them into your unique and captivating sound?

The musical influences mentioned in the press release, such as Kate Bush, Dead Can Dance, and Zola Jesus, play a significant role in shaping the sonic landscape of ‘Blood As Lipstick’.

These artists have distinct styles and sounds that have inspired and influenced my music. These artists are just a tiny selection from the multitude that I have been listening to for years and years until today. I could add many others such as Siouxsie, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Dalbello, Roxy Music, Joy Division, Visage, Madonna, Doris Norton, Franco Battiato and an infinite multitude of high listens from various decades that have worked in my subconscious until emerging in a distilled from my compositions. The artists selected in the press release represent different generations because I enjoy giving space to both the more historical artists who have always been part of my musical background, as well as the younger ones who I have discovered and who have a common fanbase with me, and who have a message to offer and a unique sound. I always like to stay curious and open to discovering new sounds that can suggest an interesting vibe and enrich my cultural baggage.

Going into detail, for example talking about Kate Bush, I draw inspiration in terms of her experimental approach to songwriting and her ability to create atmospheric and ethereal soundscapes. This influence can be heard in the dreamy and otherworldly elements present in ‘Blood As Lipstick.’

For me she is a brilliant artist, when as a child I discovered her on video and listened to her voice hitting very high notes with such a unique timbre, I was truly impressed. She also combines music with theatricality, dance and visual arts which are also basic elements of my artistic journey.

Dead Can Fance’s influence can be seen in the incorporation of world music elements and the use of unconventional instruments.

In Blood As Lipstick, as well as other songs from my next album, I played the wooden recorder which was my first instrument that I studied since my childhood. I approached the study of this instrument in an obsolete way because I used to duet with my brother by playing the guitar scores of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. A truly original and bizarre result I must say! As for the rhythmic part, I overdubbed ethnic artisan rattles and microphones environmental

Their fusion of different cultural sounds has inspired me to explore and incorporate diverse musical elements into my own work, adding depth and richness to the overall sound of ‘Blood As Lipstick’.

Zola Jesus, I discovered her thanks to the fanbase we share and which allowed me to get to know her music, leaving me pleasantly impressed. 

I found some common traits in her regarding the intention and the way of managing her vocal delivery and expression.

I strive to create a sonic landscape that is both familiar and innovative, by blending elements from my background with my own musical ideas and experiences, I aim to create a captivating and distinctive sound in ‘Blood As Lipstick.’

SL. Can you provide some insights into the concept and themes that will be explored in coming  album, and how it might differ from your previous works with Helalyn Flowers?

As a solo artist, my upcoming album ‘Kintsugi’ will explore themes of personal growth, self-discovery, and introspection. 

Kintsugi is a beautiful Japanese tradition that involves repairing broken objects with gold dust, highlighting the intricate joints. This ancient technique allows us to elevate and value things that would otherwise be discarded due to being shattered. Metaphorically, Kintsugi can be applied to our lives, transforming soul wounds into powerful energies that make us wiser and aware of our goals. Instead of seeing wounds as weaknesses or missing pieces, they become our strengths. Just as broken objects can be enhanced with gold dust, we can transform our wounds into the gold of awareness.

In contrast, my previous works with Helalyn Flowers often focused on different themes such as dystopian worlds or even the exploration of darker emotions. While there were elements of introspection and personal reflection in our music, the overall tone and approach were different.

With my solo album, I have the opportunity to delve deeper into my own personal experiences and emotions, allowing for a more intimate and introspective exploration. The music will have a more stripped-down feel, with a focus on storytelling and emotional connection.

While Helalyn Flowers is known for its fusion of industrial, electronic, and rock elements, my solo album will incorporate elements of dream pop, ambient, and alternative genres to create a sonic landscape that is both haunting and captivating.

Overall, my solo album will offer a different perspective and musical experience compared to my previous works with Helalyn Flowers. It will be a deeply personal and introspective journey, exploring themes of self-discovery and vulnerability in a more electronic, experimental and atmospheric musical setting.

SL. The press release describes “Blood As Lipstick” as a symbolic ode to female empowerment and the lunar side of intuition. Can you elaborate on the symbolism and themes explored in the song, especially in relation to the transformative moments when blood turns defiantly into lipstick?

‘Blood As Lipstick’ is a song that explores the themes of female empowerment and the transformative power of embracing one’s pain and turning it into something beautiful. The symbolism of blood turning into lipstick represents the strength of women, as well as their ability to transform their experiences of pain and adversity into sources of power and beauty.

In the song, the act of turning blood into lipstick is a metaphor for the process of reclaiming one’s own narrative and finding empowerment in the face of challenges. It represents the defiance and determination to rise above difficult circumstances and transform them into something positive and strengthening.

The lunar side of intuition mentioned in the press release refers to the connection between women and the moon, which has long been associated with feminine energy and intuition. The moon symbolizes the cyclical nature of life, with its phases representing the different stages of growth and transformation. By exploring the lunar side of intuition, the song highlights the innate strength and wisdom that women possess, and the importance of embracing and trusting their own intuition in navigating life’s challenges.

With ‘Blood As Lipstick’ I encourage women and anyone else who feels involved, to embrace their own power, trust their intuition, and find empowerment in their own unique journeys.

SL. From your cover of The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” to the original compositions, your work showcases a wide range of styles. How do you maintain such versatility in your artistry, and what challenges or joys does this bring to your creative process?

Maintaining versatility in my artistry is something that I prioritize and actively work towards. I believe that exploring different styles and genres allows me to continually grow as a musician and expand my creative horizons. It also keeps my music fresh and exciting for both myself and my listeners.

One of the joys of being versatile is the freedom it gives me to experiment and explore new musical territories. It allows me to constantly challenge myself and push the boundaries of my creativity. I find great joy in the process of discovering new sounds, experimenting with different instruments, and incorporating diverse musical elements into my compositions.

However, this versatility also presents its own set of challenges. It requires a deep understanding and appreciation of various musical styles, as well as the ability to adapt and embody different musical personas. It can be a daunting task to switch between genres and styles seamlessly, but it is a challenge that I embrace as it goes hand in hand with joys of maintaining versatility in my artistry. 

While it can be demanding and require a lot of effort, the rewards are immense. It allows me to constantly evolve as an artist, connect with a wider range of listeners, and create music that is diverse, dynamic, and true to my artistic vision.

SL. As a solo artist, how does your approach to creating music differ from your collaborative work with Helalyn Flowers? Are there aspects of the creative process that you find particularly liberating or challenging in both scenarios?

As a solo artist, my approach to creating music differs in several ways from my collaborative work with Helalyn Flowers. 

The main difference between my solo project and the work with Helalyn Flowers, where we are a duo, lies in the total management of the songs. In Helalyn Flowers we had to balance the more rock/metal characteristics in a different way. In my solo project, as a producer, I have the opportunity to highlight certain characteristics during the mixing, production and mastering phase, which were not possible to share in Helalyn Flowers.

This level of creative freedom can be both liberating and challenging. On one hand, it allows me to fully express myself and experiment with different musical ideas and styles. I have the flexibility to take risks and push the boundaries of my creativity without the need to consider the preferences or expectations of others. This can lead to exciting and unexpected musical discoveries.

On the other hand, this freedom also comes with the responsibility of making all the creative decisions on my own. It requires a strong sense of self-awareness and clarity of vision to navigate through the creative process and make choices that align with my artistic goals.

In both scenarios, whether as a solo artist or in a band, the creative process is a deeply personal and introspective journey. It involves tapping into my emotions, experiences, and inspirations to create music that is authentic and meaningful. The challenges and rewards may differ, but the underlying passion and dedication to creating music that resonates with myself and my audience remain constant.

SL. As fans anticipate the release of “Kintsugi” and further explorations into your solo work, is there a message or feeling you hope they take away from your music? How do you envision your connection with your audience in this new phase of your musical journey?

“Kintsugi” represents a metaphorical exploration of the cracks and imperfections of the soul, and I hope that listeners can find solace and strength in embracing their own vulnerabilities and scars.

In this new phase of my musical journey, I aim to create a sense of connection and understanding with my audience. I want them to feel seen and heard, to know that they are not alone in their struggles and experiences. I hope that my music can serve as a source of comfort, inspiration, and empowerment for those who listen as I want to create a space where they feel safe to explore their emotions and reflect on their own journeys. 

I want my audience to feel a sense of catharsis and transformation and to carry that feeling with them long after they have listened.

Additionally, the best connection being made with my community is through my Patreon page. This platform which allows my fan club to be in close contact with my artistic experience, from the creative phase to the group chat, allows us to explore the concepts expressed in my songs and to create a connection from a daily point of view which is truly an inspiring experience. 

I invite all those who want to actively participate in my Multiverse of Sounds and Visions to subscribe to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/noemiaurora 

Thank you very much for this space and I greet with great affection my dearest Shining Disasters who support me since the dawn of time!

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital, Vinyl. 

Background/Info: Brussels (Belgium) based Je M’En Fish strikes back with the fourth installment of their “Anthologies”-compilation series.

Artists: The Frozen Autumn, Noemi Aurora, Helalyn Flowers, The Dreamside, The Neon Judgement, Flesh & Fell, Imjudas, Am Tierpark, M73.

Content: The compilation features a few artists which are already familiar with Je M’En Fish, Alfa Matrix-artists (Italian formation Helalyn Flowers and the band members’ side-projects Noemi Aurora and Imjudas) plus a few other  names. The content is quite diversified and features songs from the 80s, 90s and 00”.

+ + + : Diversified compilation covering songs from very different and sometimes distant eras; from the very 80s Flesh & Fell Electro-Experiment (1985) to Ethereal-Pop of The Dreamside (1994) to the melancholic Dark/Cold-Wave of The Frozen Autumn (1996) to 80s inspired Electro-Pop from Danish Am Tierpark to contemporary Electro-Metal-Pop of Helalyn Flowers. There also is a live version from The Neon Judgement’s “Tomorrow In The Papers” from 1984 revealing the band during their early, glorious, days.

– – – : This compilation series sounds to me more as an item for collectors instead of DJ’s. No bad thing but maybe a reason why this compilation will remain under the radar.

Conclusion: Diversified Electro-underground music and related genres throughout the years.

Best bands: The Neon Judgement, Imjudas, Noemi Aurora, Am Tierpark, Flesh & Fell.

Rate: 7.

Label: www.facebook.com/JemenfishBE

Listen to the compilation:

About Je M’En Fish

Je M’En Fish is a Brussels (Belgium) based project running an “Anthologies” compilation series that gathers Dark-Wave, Dream-Pop, Wave-Pop, Cold-Wave and Electro tracks spanning several decades. Earlier volumes in the series compiled songs from the 1980s through the 2000s from underground and cult acts in these genres. “Anthologies 4” is the fourth installment, featuring The Frozen Autumn, Noemi Aurora, Helalyn Flowers, The Dreamside, The Neon Judgement, Flesh & Fell, Imjudas, Am Tierpark and M73.

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.

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A few months ago, Helalyn Flowers‘ Noemi Aurora revealed the first song from her solo project, the upbeat pop-wave tune “Shining“.

It was the first teaser for the release of the solo-album “Kintsugi” from this Italian solo-project expected soon on the Belgian post-punk label Spleen+. “Shining” is also included in her new single “Blood As Lipstick”.

The new 3-track single “Blood As Lipstick” mixes the dark wave of the 80’s with cinematic electronic industrial. Included in this single is also her cover of The Cure’s classic “Friday I’m In Love”.

You can download the single right now from Bandcamp.

Noemi Aurora describes her new work as “an ouroboros of musical influences that started from my listenings when I was a teenager, while I wandered around the country with my inseparable cassette walkman, without any fear of being judged as the ‘strange’ gothic girl, wearing my headphones and listening to my 80s/90s mixtapes which contained from the most underground darkwave bands, to rock/alternative, non-commercial electronica, up to even extreme metal. My project was born from there, from the roots, and branches out until today…”.

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!

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Alfa Matrix, the renowned Belgian label, commemorates its 22nd anniversary with yet another mastodont compilation on Bandcamp. The latest installment in the acclaimed “Matrix Downloaded” series, titled “Matrix+ Downloaded 011”, is now available as a free download on their Bandcamp page. Packed with 60 tracks, including new signings and a preview of the upcoming Spleen+ label releases, this compilation showcases Alfa Matrix’s diverse music repertoire.

“Matrix+ Downloaded 011” soared to the top of the industrial Bandcamp charts within hours of its release, claiming the coveted number 1 position.

The collection holds 60 tracks in total including several new signings. These are the bands present on this brand new free download compilation: Hanging Freud, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath Of Life, Psy’Aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories, ImJudas, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, The True Union, Freakangel, Avarice In Audio, Siva Six, Alien Vampires, Synapsyche, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio, Technoir, Entrzelle, Llumen, Noemi Aurora, Aiboforcen Feat. Jan D., Reichsfeind, Mondträume Feat. N-Frequency, The Psychic Force, Digital Factor, Implant, Darkness On Demand, Aesthetische, Komor Kommando Vs. The True Union, Matthew Creed, C-Lekktor, First Aid Tech, Pouppee Fabrikk, ELM, Die Robo Sapiens, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Stahlgeist, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Suicidal Romance, Miseria Ultima, First Aid 4 Souls, Neikka RPM, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Helle9, Diffuzion, Acylum, Circuito Cerrado, Aengeldust, Studio-X, 808 Dot Pop, Cubic, Metroland, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Cosmic Armchair, Lights A.M.

You can download “Matrix+ Downloaded 011” for free via Bandcamp.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Nine years after the release of their first tribute to The Cure, titled “A Strange Play – Tribute to The Cure“, Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ have joined forces to create a follow-up tribute album. The second volume in the series, “A Strange Play (Vol. 2) – Tribute to The Cure“, features 27 tracks, including electro, synth pop, EBM acts from Alfa Matrix and cold wave, post-punk, and gothic rock bands from their Spleen+ division and is out now via Bandcamp, the label’s webstore and all other platforms.

The album includes reinterpretations of classic hits and lesser-known B-sides, shedding new light on the original tracks or giving them an entirely different sonic perspective. The tribute album itself this time is a collaborative effort between both established and emerging artists from the Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ rosters.

Compiled by and for The Cure fans, this new tribute adventure brings together a growing roster of Spleen+ artists, including Noemi Aurora, Star Industry, Imjudas, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath of Life, and Lovelorn Dolls. Additionally, the album features synth and electro cult acts, as well as upcoming Alfa Matrix artists, such as Neuroactive, Armageddon Dildos, Implant, Darkness on Demand (formerly Dance or Die), Helle9 (an Alien Vampires side-project), Metroland, Aesthetische featuring Zombie Girl, Aiboforcen, Technoir, Kant Kino, Digital Factor, Regenerator, Lights A.M (an Essence of Mind solo project), Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls, Diffuzion, Avarice in Audio, Elektroklänge, Circumpolar, and Cosmic Armchair.

In conjunction with the release of “A Strange Play (Vol. 2),” goth-metal/darkwave act Lovelorn Dolls has released a single and accompanying video clip for their cover of “Lullaby.” The music video, created entirely using artificial intelligence, tells the story of a girl pursued by a mysterious, threatening, yet alluring man. The video’s creator, Kristell, was inspired by her own childhood experience of being both fascinated and frightened by The Cure’s original “Lullaby” music video.

Here’s the track list for the new volume which is available now on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore and as download via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page and the Spleen+ Bandcamp page.

Here’s the first volume.

Side-Line also covered The Cure’s ‘s ’.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Italian vocalist, songwriter, and music producer Noemi Aurora, who is also the co-creator of the Italian electro-metal rock duo Helalyn Flowers, has released her debut solo single on the brand new Belgian post-punk / minimal electro label Spleen+. The single is available now for free download via her Bandcamp page.

“Shining” is born out of moments of isolation during the lockdown, “during which I channelled the trauma of inner seclusion into illuminating emotional surges” so she says. The track is an infectious minimal pop song with a hint of cold wave darkness.

This is the inaugural song heralding an incredibly diverse “Kintsugi” solo album, where listeners can anticipate energetic percussion, dark synth ambiances, dance-inducing electronics, and Noemi’s vocal prowess.

She characterizes her new creation as “a cyclical amalgamation of musical influences that originated from my teenage years, as I roamed the countryside with my trusty cassette walkman, unafraid of being labelled the ‘peculiar’ gothic girl, donning my headphones and immersing myself in my 80s/90s mixtapes which ranged from the most obscure darkwave bands, through rock/alternative, indie electronica, to even the most intense metal. My project sprouted from these roots and has grown and evolved to the present day…”.

The single is available for free download on her Bandcamp page. Highly recommended!

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: CD. 

Background/Info: Belgian ‘Passenger S’ has been very prolific the past few months. Next to a new Metroland-album plus different EP’s he also released a new album of his 808 Dot Pop project. The album is a kind of trilogy dealing about crystal radio and related themes. The album got the contribution from Kraftman and guest vocals by Lis Van Den Akker on a few songs. 

Content: The format and approach remains the same. The songs are mixed like a broadcasting revealing the light and melodic, robotic, pop style of this artist. You’ll find similar songs with a few little nuances at the ‘AM frequency’ as on the previous ‘FM frequency’ but there’re also different songs. This work sounds a tiny darker but is perfectly recognizable and complementary to the previous opus. 

+ + + : I refer to the “FM 88.2” album, the songs being similar although a bit darker -especially for the bass lines. I like the sound treatments but also the great writing skills of the artist. I got impressed by the elaboration and intelligence of “Sinpo” which is maybe one of the most sophisticated songs ever written by the 

artist although Gary Hunter (Kraftman) contributed to the song. I personally prefer this album to the “FM-88.2” the ‘new’ songs being also the best ones. 

– – – : Just as for the first album I’m not entirely convince by Lis Van Den Akker singing on 808 Dot Pop. I would have prefered another singer like Noemi Aurora who sung on the first album “The Colour Temperature”. 

Conclusion: A different frequency but similar music which became a bit darker although still pretty retro-pop like.   

Best songs: “Sinpo”, “Radio Waves”, “AM/FM”, “Jan Moedwil – Radio Belgie”, “Germanium”. 

Rate: 8½.

Artist: https://808dotpop.com / www.facebook.com/808dotpop 

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

About 808 DOT POP

808 DOT POP is the solo electro-pop side-project of Metroland’s Passenger S, signed to Alfa Matrix. The debut album, “The Colour Temperature”, followed three singles, “Blackbodies – pulsation”, “Blackbodies – variation” and “Jingle Pop”, and was released in 2020 on CD and via Bandcamp, with the download edition including an exclusive 20-minute megamix. Passenger S described the project as lighter and more playful than Metroland, built around the TR-808 drum machine, with Noemi Aurora on guest vocals for that first album. The crystal-radio-themed “Pop Radio” project followed, released on 25 March 2023 in three variants, “FM 88.2”, “AM 1350” and the download-only “MW720”, each featuring contributions from KRAFTman and guest vocals by Lis van den Akker. The project includes a cover of OMD’s “Radio Waves”, recorded with permission from Andy McCluskey.

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

Aesthetische, the EBM/electro band from Brazil founded by former members of Aghast View & Biopsy, is back with a brand new EP: “Boiling Over”.

On this new EP, the Aesthetische duo (aka Fab Viscardi and Gui Pires) offer the follow-up to 2022’s full-length “Rvprty”. The new EP contains 5 tracks, with 3 versions of the title track – “Boiling Over” – including a smashing (!) remix by label mate Sebastian Komor and two other versions executed by Aesthetische themselves.

The title track can be described as a return to the roots of EBM, but with a range of modern elements mixed in. To complete the 5-track piece, you will find two other tracks – “Dopamine Hyperdrive” – a dark and moody technological piece, and “Final Flow” – an instrumental piece designed to fill club floors.

Not sure what to expect? Fabrício Viscardi explained the sound of the band a few months ago in an interview: “Aesthetische definitely has solid influences from Aghast View and Biopsy, but it is more polished and with influences from Trance and Techno too.” Add to that an exquisite production.

Personally, I’d describe their sound as a very clubby blend of Front 242’s “Front By Front” era mixed with catchy trance elements. A must-have for fans of Front 242, Front Line Assembly, and similar bands, especially if you are into a superior production approach.

Here’s the new EP “Boiling over”.

Signed to the renowned Belgian Alfa Matrix label, the duo draws on their rich history in the EBM and electro scenes. As a result, they have managed to forge a distinctive sound that sets them apart from their peers, all while staying true to their roots. With each release, the band continues to push the boundaries of the EBM and electro genres.

Starting in 2012, they made a powerful entrance with their debut album, “Powerswitch [LTDPWR]”. The following year, they expanded their sonic horizons with the release of the “Nachtbrenner EP” and “Statement / Amplitude Zero EP”, further showcasing their versatility. Building on this momentum, the band released the impressive “HybridCore” album in 2014, followed by the “Colder Lights EP” later that year. They continued to push their creative limits, delivering the mesmerising “Cold Is Clean EP” and “Dirt And Basslines EP” in 2015. Their 2016 release, “We Follow Blindly EP”, proved that they were far from slowing down.

Collaborating with Noemi Aurora in 2017, they introduced the appealing “In My Aurora EP” to their growing discography. The band then continued work on their 2019 album, “Co3xist3ns3”, followed by the “MMXX EP” in 2020. Entering the new decade, they didn’t miss a beat, releasing the excellent “Overflow EP” in 2021. Most recently, in 2022, the band has treated fans to yet another album, “Rvprty”, solidifying their place in the EBM/electro scene as innovative trailblazers who consistently deliver enjoyable and engaging music. They ended the year with a splendid remix of “Ukraina” from the charity EP with the same name, released via Side-Line’s own Bandcamp page. Read the review of ‘Boiling Over’.

Discography:

• Powerswitch [LTDPWR] (Deluxe edition) (2012)
• Nachtbrenner EP (2013)
• Statement / Amplitude Zero EP (2013)
• HybridCore (Deluxe edition) (2014)
• Colder Lights EP (2014)
• Cold Is Clean EP (2015)
• Dirt And Basslines EP (2015)
• We Follow Blindly EP (2016)
• In My Aurora EP (2017)
• Co3xist3ns3 (Deluxe edition) (2019)
• MMXX EP (2020)
• Overflow EP (2021)
• Rvprty (Deluxe edition) (2022)
• Boiling Over EP (2023)

Side-Line also covered Aesthetische’s ‘Confidence Is Silent’.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Punk-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German duo Diana and Boog aka Junksista are back unleashing their fifth full length album. It also is their first album released by COP International. “0A” features ten songs and an impressive list of guest singers.  Yvette Winkler (Vaselyne), Lis van den Akker (Psy’Aviah, Die Krupps, Grendel), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Maria (Omnimar) and Emke (Black Nail Cabaret) got invited to sing on a few cuts.

Content: Time has passed but Junksista held on to their initial sound approach revealing a kind of ‘evil-punk-pop’ style. The songs are driven by electronics and empowered by guitar playing. The work is pretty diversified and accentuated by the different contributors. Now danceable and carried by Trance leads and then cold and groovy the album also reveals darker and colder passages.

+ + + : Junksista hasn’t lost their ‘anarchistic’ sound approach. It’s not a coincidence they sometimes call it ‘dirty-pop’ as it clearly sounds atypical; not classical Electro-Pop but with a sharp Punk touch on top. I especially recommend the last track “Fuck Your Pretty Face” which also is one of the hardest and darkest cuts but still a cut with menacing guitar play and hot female vocals. Other highlights are the opening song “Phoenix” and “Fragile” featuring Maria Mar (Omnimar).

– – – : The songs with guest singers unfortunately aren’t the most convincing ones although they for sure make this work really exciting. Junksista remains faithful to their initial sound formula although the early magic is a bit gone.

Conclusion: Junksista is Pop music for tough people.

Best songs: “Fuck Your Pretty Face”, “Phoenix”, “Fragile featuring Maria Mar”, “Do you Wanna feat. Emke”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Junksista

Label: www.facebook.com/copint

About Junksista

Junksista is a German duo formed by Diana Noir and Boog, working in an electro-pop and punk-pop register. “0A” is their fifth full-length album and their first release through COP International, issued on October 7, 2022 with ten songs written and produced by the duo themselves. The album features guest vocals from Yvette Winkler (Vaselyne), Lis van den Akker (Die Krupps, Grendel, Psy’Aviah), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Maria Mar (Omnimar) and Emke (Black Nail Cabaret).

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

This summer Helalyn Flowers launched a remix contest for “Halos”, the last single taken from their “Àiresis” album (available as download and double CD). “Halos” is the opening track of the album and also the most (synth)poppy song of all.

This remix EP holds 13 tracks with remixers reinterpreting this rather addictive song with their own soundpallet. Besides the 6 winners of the remix contest that are Restriction 9, Vdoc, Blue Ant, Digital Shadows, Aggrax Kouture and Luca Truzzo, the Italian artists Noemi Aurora and Maxx Maryan also invited long-time friends and other label-mates in the likes of Aiboforcen, Elektrostaub, People Theatre, Aesthetische, Junksista and Simon Carter to offer their remix skills.

The EP is available right now on Bandcamp and will be distributed on other platforms on October 21st.

For the occasion the band also releases a video for the album edit.

Eldrina Mich

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

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Genre/Influences: Industrial-Pop, Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info:  Maxx Maryan got some recognition as member of the Italian duo Helalyn Flowers. He also set up his own solo-project Imjudas and released two EP’s. “Yrjudas” is the artist’s debut album which is also available as limited edition featuring one extra disc.

Content: The main influences of Imjudas are clearly getting us back to 80s Electro-Pop music. There’s a catchy 80s Pop touch running through the work which makes me often think of Duran Duran. But there also is an ‘evil’ side in this work which is empowered by harsh guitar play and reminding me of Marilyn Manson.

+ + + : “Yrjudas” is the sonic fusion between Pop and Industrial music. I like this mix which has something original; catchy and yet harsh! The second half of the album features the best cuts and I especially recommend listening to “People Of The Blame (Canned Anger)” and “Origin”. You’ll also rediscover cool songs from the previously released EP’s like “Without Us You’re Nothing” featuring female backing vocals by partner in crime Noemi Aurora.

– – – : Side-projects are cool but often from a lower level as the main project. The first half of the album is missing a climax.

Conclusion: “Yrjudas” is an interesting debut album for its influences and global approach but not a major success.

Best songs: “People Of The Blame (Canned Anger)”,  “Origin”, “Without Us You’re Nothing”, “Outcast”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/IMJUDASofficial

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

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

Since the release of the “Tulpa” EP in 2017, ImJudas has appeared on various compilations, including our very own “Face The Beat 5” with the track “Without Us You Are Nothing”. With the 6-track EP “Ritual”, Italian artist Maxx Maryan – male half of the electro rock duo Helalyn Flowers – launches the last EP before the launch of his debut solo album “Yrjudas” scheduled for an early 2022 release.

Besides the title track we also find an Aiboforcen remix of the B-side “So Untrue” featuring Noemi Aurora, and 4 remixes of “Ritual” by 808 Dot Pop, Cubic, Reichsfeind and Acylum.

You can download the EP right now from Bandcamp, check the previews below.

And this is the debut EP which was released in 2017, “Tulpa”.

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

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Pop, Electro, Experimental.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Belgian Implant duo is back on track, unleashing their eleventh album in history. Len Lemaire and Jan D’Hooghe have been inspired by the ongoing pandemic and the impact on humans. It resulted in a double disc featuring numerous remixes on the second disc. Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers) contributed to some songs of the album.

Content: Implant already revealed a different approach in sound on the previous –and great, album “Oxynoxe-X” while the last year released EP “Phantom Pain” confirmed this evolution although getting more into Electro-Pop fields. It’s quite significant for this new opus, which is bringing elements such as Minimal-Electro and a kind of Industrial-Pop together. The ‘Trance’ roots of the band are far away, but still present on a few cuts. The main evolution of the sound is due to the use of analogue gear, which becomes pretty explicit at a few shorter, instrumental pieces. Noemi Aurora is singing on 3 songs, creating a weird, but cool match with the growls of Len Lemaire.

The work features remixes by Suicide Commando, Signal Aout 42, Aiboforcen, Q’Pnz, 808 Dot.Pop, Növö, Armageddon Dildos, AD:Key, Neuroactive and Helalyn Flowers. The second disc also features a few extra songs by Implant. Last, but not least The Breath Of Life simply covered one of the songs instead of making a remix.

+ + + : I truly respect the global evolution in sound Implant has made during the past years. It still sounds Implant-like, but the Belgians seem to have found new sonic paths to explore. The analogue sound treatments create this minimalism, but also very original sequences emerging at the shorter ‘intermezzo’ cuts. Noemi Aurora remains to me one of the most talented singers in this scene and she adds a graceful-, sensual- and artistic touch on top of the songs. “Phantom Pain” remains a cool track, but she also sings on “The Last Record”, which clearly appears to be a potential hit –and has been remixed by several artists. One of my favorite songs however is “The Room” for its extra robotic dimension plus deep, resonating bass line and “Nutshell” for its minimalism. The opening song “I Don’t Trust The Machine” is another attention grabber with a strong dance/club appeal and driven by an amazing lead.

The list of remixers is also a noticeable aspect of the album. I here want to mention the work by Suicide Commando and Trance-driven remix by the Belgian producer Q’Pnz. The Breath Of Life did a great job covering “The Last Record”; this is a beautiful and sensitive version. Last, but not least Implant put 2 more great pieces on this disc (cf. “Censorship Through Noise Part III” and “Lied 13”.

– – – : I regret some short, instrumental cuts from the main disc haven’t been more worked out; “Nutshell” is not only one of the best tracks, but unfortunately it’s just a kind of break. Despite the impressive list of remixers, I definitely expected a bit more.

Conclusion: Implant is now active for nearly 30 years and has already found new new horizons to explore.

Best songs: “The Room”, “I Don’t Trust The Machine”, “Nutshell”, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, “The Last Record”, + “The Last Record – Cover by The Breath Of Life”, “Run To The Lights – One Messed Up Mix by Suicide Commando”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.implant-music.be / www.facebook.com/Implantmusic

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

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: Industrial, Industrial-Rock, Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD & 2CD.

Background/Info: TheItalian act Helalyn Flowers duo strikes back with their sixth full length to date, which comes three years after the astonishing “Nyctophilia” (2018). This album wants to be a reflection about our lives and habits or as the work has been introduced as ‘the antidote against sterile chatting, obsessive mechanization and the excessive culture of hype’.

Content: One of the first aspects that caught my attention is that Helalyn Flowers don’t repeat themselves, but try to explore new paths with each new album although their sound remains easily recognizable. First of all there’s the great, sensual and passionate way of singing of Noemi Aurora who literally injects a soul into the music. And next there’s the music itself composed by Maxx Maryan and Noemi. It’s hard to define the sound, which clearly appears as the offspring between different- and sometimes opposite genres. The result is a hard piece of music mixing elements of Rock-, Industrial- and Metal music, which are polished with an unexpected –but already familiar, Pop touch.

The bonus disc features remixes by Jean-Marc Lederman,  Mario Rühlicke, Junksista, Implant, Alien_Nation, ImJudas, Planet Pop, ExoPhantom feat. Xyren Version, Digital shadows and DJ Und3rmin3r. There also is an interesting “2015 Version” of the song “Skyland”.

+ + + : Helalyn Flowers is a band you can’t really compare to others; they have something very personal in the global sound production being a true sonic osmosis between styles, but also –and mainly, driven by one of the best female singers from this alternative scene. Noemi Aurora not only has a great timbre of voice, but she injects different emotions to her voice. She can be sweet and passionate and even enraged. There’s a great balance between her vocals and the music. But the music itself resulted from a perfect harmony between guitar and electronics; guitars to inject rage and electronics to bring some extra melody and even elevating moments.

Among the remixes I salute the work of Jean-Marc Lederman, the punching remix by Mario Rühlicke, the more electro-driven remix by Implant and the club-friendly remix by Planet Pop.

– – – : It’s sometimes pretty hard to catch Helalyn Flowers; that’s what makes them original, but at the other side the songs aren’t always the most accessible. They this way create a perfect symbiosis with the concept of the album -an antidote against the excessive culture of hype. I already heard better works from the Italian duo.

Conclusion: Helalyn Flowers became a true antidote to established music genres, mixing all these genres together in a very own sound.

Best songs: “Metropolis Necropolis”, “Cosmic Ants”, “Halos” + “Suicidal Birds – Trensity Remix by Mario Rühlicke”, “Suicidal Birds – Waves, Trash And Garlic Mix by Implant” and “Before The Sunshine – Planet Pop Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/helalynflowers

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

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

Implant’s 11th album is a fact and officially out since this morning! The Belgian electronic act recently released the “Phantom Pain” EP and video clip as a teaser for what was to come, and now the band has finally released the full length “Cognitive Dissonance” in 2 physical versions: CD and a very limited 2CD.

You can expect an array of sounds on the new album, from industrial dance over dark elektro and melancholic chanson (“The Last Record”) to upbeat future pop and techno pop. For the album Implant could count on vocal contributions by Helalyn Flowers’ front woman Noemi Aurora on several songs.

The limited deluxe double-CD digipak edition of the album (available here) holds the “When Prophecy Fails” bonus disc featuring 2 exclusive tracks and an eclectic selection of remix collaborations with such artists and bands like Breath Of Life, Suicide Commando, Armageddon Dildos, 808 Dot Pop, Signal Aout 42, Aiboforcen, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, AD:keY, Q’pnz and Növö.

You can check the tracks from the album below on Bandcamp (where you can also pre-order the release).

About Implant

Implant was formed in 1992 when Geert Machtelinck and Len Lemeire attended the same university. It took them till 1996 to release the first CD album (“Soft flesh / Hard steel”) which was followed by 2 MCD’s (“Fun” and “Brain FX”). The band then took a swing in unexplored territory of psy-trance, becoming one of the first psy-electro bands. They later on returned to a more eclectic electro approach incorporating various electronic influences in their work.

Since 2004 Implant is signed to Alfa Matrix for which Len Lemeire has also been mastering quite a lot of releases. Read the review of ‘Cognitive Dissonance’.

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!

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While the Helalyn Flowers album “Àiresis” is just out, the band’s front woman Noemi Aurora has now started a Patreon page to fund her solo album.

Noemi: “After many years, I have finally decided to release my solo album. It will simply bear my name, Noemi Aurora, and will collect all my influences, without limits of genres, without fear of failing, only with the need to erupt an infinity of experiences that I have collected for over 20 years now. It will be an immense pleasure, and also a challenge for me, to share my progress while writing my very own first creation as a solist, which I started sketching last spring, in total lockdown. The previous month I’ve released the 6th album from my band Helalyn Flowers, and I will start a new collaboration as a visual artist for the creation of a new artwork that I will unveil in my exclusive posts!”

You can choose from several perks that include yearly autographed postcards, exclusive backstage content, your name in the crowdfunding credits of her next music release, loops and tools from her personal archives, audio/video files and bonus material, access for exclusive Patron content, exclusive merchandise and so on and so on.

You can check out all of the several perks on the Patreon page.

Noemi also posted a video explaining the Patreon page’s purpose as you can see below.

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

Out today is “Àiresis”, the brand new 6th studio album by the Italian female fronted electro-rock act Helalyn Flowers. The release is available in 3 formats, a normal 10-track CD (available here), a 21-track double CD (available here) and a download via Bandcamp (available here) and on all other download and streaming platforms.

The double CD includes a 11-track “Skepsis” bonus disc featuring remix collaborations with Jean-Marc Lederman, Implant, Imjudas, Junksista, Alien_Nation, Planet Pop, Exophantom, Digital Shadows, Mario Rühlicke and DJ Und3Rmin3R.

The limited deluxe edition of the new album features exclusive artwork design by Noemi Aurora herself (www.toxic-visions.com).

Videos

Featured on this new album are also the 2 tracks “Metropolis Necropolis” and “Suicidal Birds” which both got the video treatment.

Official video clip for “Metropolis Necropolis”

Official video clip for “Suicidal Birds” Read the review of ‘Àiresis’.

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

Out now is a brand new video for the cult Belgian electro act Implant and more precisely for the title track of the recently released EP “Phantom Pain”. You can view the video below.

With this new EP Implant has broken 3 years of silence announcing the release of their 11th studio album “Cognitive Dissonance” in early 2021. You’ll notice the backing vocals by Helalyn Flowers’ frontwoman Noemi Aurora.

Here’s the video.

You can download the full EP right now from Bandcamp or stream it from all other platforms.

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

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Trance-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Implant is back on track! Three years after –what was maybe their best album to date “Oxynose X”, the Belgian duo strikes back with a new EP announcing their eleventh album planned for 2021. This work features three new songs plus six remixes.

Content: “Oxynose X” was a styled and minimal-like album. “Phantom Pain” opens a door upon new sonic horizons, Implant becoming more Electro-Pop than ever before. The title song is something of a Dance-Pop piece featuring female backing vocals by Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers). The song has something 80s-like, but still revealing Trance elements. The other new cuts are diversified. “The Sinner Has Gone” is a minimal-driven track while “The Devil Made Me Do It” is a mix of Hardcore, Gabber and Trance.

Remixes of the songs have been made by True Zebra, People Theatre, Vuduvox and Pre.Emptive Strike 01. Implant accomplished 2 remixes as well.

+ + + : Implant is not repeating themselves; it’s maybe a pity after their great last album, but on the other side this new work reveals different influences. The title track is pretty danceable and that’s what an EP needs. It also is a melodic cut with a great balance between male and female vocals. The song “The Devil Made Me Do It” is the perfect illustration. Implant is a true sonic chameleon, always exploring new ideas and walking on new sonic paths. This song is a weird fusion between different genres, but in the end it simply works. Among the remixes I especially recommend the remix of “The Devil Made Me Do It” by Vuduvox.

– – – : Most of the remixes sound a bit uninspired; and that’s maybe of Implant’s complexity.

Conclusion: I’ve a double feeling with this EP; will it be totally representative to announce the new album or not? Implant however remains an ‘experience’!

Best songs: “Phantom Pain”, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, “The Devil Made Me Do It – Vuduvox mk1 Rmx”;

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.implant-music.be / www.facebook.com/Implantmusic

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

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

The cult Belgian electro act Implant breaks 3 years of silence with a surprising new EP announcing the release of their 11th studio album “Cognitive Dissonance” in early 2021. The EP holds 9 tracks offering 3 new compositions and remixes and is available for download on Bandcamp and also on other digital platforms.

Len: “With “Phantom Pain” Jan and I decided to bring the Implant ship to unexplored electro pop waters, plunging our upbeat electro industrial style into a melodic bath of catchy synth lines, addictive sequences and sensual backing female vocals by Helalyn Flowers’ frontwoman Noemi Aurora.”

This title track received the remix treatment by the band itself, and also by new Belgian upcoming electro act True Zebra and the French techno pop act People Theatre. Next to that the EP holds the exclusive non-album song “The Sinner Has Gone”. The third new track is the cyber industrial / dark elektro oriented “The Devil Made Me Do It”. The track was remixed by Implant themselves and French veteran Vuduvox (aka Buzz) and Pre:Emptive Strike 0.1.

You can check the EP below on Bandcamp and on all other platforms. A video will also be released in the next days. Read the review of ‘Phantom Pain’.

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

808 Dot Pop, the new side-project from Metroland’s Passenger S, releases an exclusive fanbase bundle of 3 (!!) exclusive 7” vinyl releases, each limited to 150 copies and available right here via Alfa Matrix.

Across these 3 vinyl singles, 808 Dot Pop serves us the result of various collaborations (with Italian singer Noemi Aurora of Helalyn Flowers and with Belgian sound guru Franky Deblomme aka CUBIC) remaining very focused on the project’s own sonic trademark made of melodic synths, analogue drum machines, fresh dynamic bubbly sequences and floating electronics.

This vinyl collection is a nice extra to the very well received “The Colour Temperature” CD album. You can order the bundle straight from the Alfa Matrix label.

2 new downloads and an exclusive 7 inch vinyl for “Kelvin”

Next are new versions of of “Kelvin” spread over 2 separate download singles: “Kelvin (7300)” and “Kelvin (5600)”. The “5600” mix comes alongside the brand new and exclusive song entitled “Boltzmann’s K” while the “7300” 3-track single reveals both “7300” and “4500” versions of the title song next to the “Boltzmann mix” of the “Planck’s H” track.

808 DOT POP’s “Kelvin” is also released in the unique 7inch vinyl which you find in the above mentioned 7 inch vinyl bundle.

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

(Photo by Noemi Aurora / Toxic Visions) Black Shine Fever is the newborn project from Maxx Maryan, who we know from the female-fronted electro pop-metal sensation duo Helalyn Flowers and the industrial rock act ImJudas. He also used to be the behind some rather well-known black metal acts such as Okkultum Magnificentia and Arimonium Rex as well as various extreme metal side-projects like The Wet and Blackcore.

It’s that black metal and dark/ goth side which we now find back in this all new project Black Shine Fever which now debuted with the album “Via Negativa”.

Note that there is a collaboration with G/Ab Svenym Volgar Ustorh Dei Xacrestani of Deviate Damaen who delivers some spoken word on “Diakrisis”. The splendid artwork and photos were executed by his real life partner in crime Noemi Aurora for Toxic Visions.

You can check out the album right below and get it here on Bandcamp. Worth your attention!

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

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Belgian ‘Passenger S’ has now been active in the electronic scene for numerous years. But for the very first time he started with a solo project. After the promising “Black Bodies”-EP series he unleashed the debut album of 808 Dot Pop. The title of the album reveals a conceptual approach about the colour temperature, which is a way to describe the light appearance provided by a light bulb. It is measured in degrees of Kelvin (K) on a scale from 1,000 to 10,000.

Content: The titles of the songs and the computer/robotic voices are connected with the concept of the work. But more important is the content itself. 808 Dot Pop is not that far away from Passenger S’ main project, Metroland. But this project sounds ‘lighter’ and is also more elaborated. Catchy sequences and melodic leads have been mixed with Metroland’s robotic voices. The album features the already familiar “Blackbodies” featuring vocals by Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers) and the upcoming single “Incandescent”.

+ + + : “The Colour Temperature” could have been a catchy, conceptual Metroland album, but instead it’s a promising debut full length by Passenger S. Comparisons with Metroland are unavoidable, but this work sounds less sterile. It’s more catchy driven and I also dare to say more elaborated. We all know who’s hiding behind 808 Dot Pop and I’ve to say this is without a shadow of a doubt the most accomplished work I’ve ever heard from Sven Lauwers. “Thermal Contact” sounds to me as the ultimate song revealing a musician excelling in song writing by using great sound treatments. “Inside The Light Bulb” is another song that might serve as reference. “Black Bodies” remains a great song as well and especially the way Noemi Aurora has contributed to this track is worth mentioning. This album reveals a  fascination for vintage sound treatments getting us back to the magic decade of analogue synths.

– – – : The Metroland spectre hangs over this album… and that’s rather logical.

Conclusion: This debut album will definitely appeal for Kraftwerk-pop lovers and of course to all Metroland fans! 808 Dot Pop is more than simply a side-project!

Best songs: “Thermal Contact”, “Inside The Light Bulb”, “Blackbodies – Radiation”, Illuminants”, “Incandescent (Iridium)”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

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

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.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: After the “Variation” and “Pulsation” edits of “Blackbodies” we now get the “Radiation”-EP from 808 Dot Pop. This is the solo-project from Belgian artist ‘Passenger S’ who’s still involved with Metroland. Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers) has been featured as a guest singer on previous “Blackbodies”-EP’s.

Content: “Radiation” features a new version of “Blackbodies”, which sounds darker and rough while Noemi’s vocals have been ‘computerized’ adding a sterile touch to the work. We next get two songs and especially “RGB (Red To Green)” is an interesting cut for its sophisticated approach. After the experimental debut, this track accentuates the minimal approach of the EP. “Gamma Rays” is the other new song. Both songs have been remixed as well; first one by Cubic and the other one by Kraftman.

+ + + : This is for sure my favorite EP from 808 Dot Pop and the right work to announce the debut album “The Colour Temperature”. While it sounds pretty ‘Kraftwerk-ian’ like and still close to Passenger S’ main project, the new song “RGB” is maybe one of the best songs I’ve heard from this musician. There’s an intelligent sound approach, which is different from what I’ve heard before. It’s minimal and yet pop-like. It sounds more like music to listen to and yet it has something danceable. The computer vocal effects are cool, but here again reminding me of Metroland. Both remixes are cool and especially the beautiful synth lines on top of Kraftman’s remix of “Gamma Rays”.

– – – : Just like Metroland, 808 Dot Pop likes to release several productions around the same song(s). I was a bit skeptical about this new work, but I have to admit it’s my favorite one! Time for the album now!

Conclusion: This EP makes me think 808 Dot Pop is not just an entertaining side-project, but there’s a potential hiding in it. I hope the album will confirm the accomplishment of this work.

Best songs: “RGB (Red To Green)”, “Blackbodies (Radiation)”, “RGB (Green To Blue)”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

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

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

At of the moment of publishing, Italy is still under complete lockdown, with extra rules being implemented, and this to cope as much as possible with the fallout of the Corona virus causing the hospitals to be inundated with victims. We spoke with Noemi Aurora and Maxx Maryan from the Rome-based electro metal act Helalyn Flowers and the electropop project ImJudas, plus with Audioglobe boss Sebastian Koch to know what this lockdown actually means.

Coincidentally, Helalyn Flowers’ recently released EP is called “Suicide Birds”. But I don’t hear suicide birds when speaking to the couple who is locked up in their flat in Rome.

But first here’s a report from Sebastian Koch, from Audioglobe, one of if not the most important distributor for the alternative scene in Europe, based in Seto Fiorentino.

SL: How has the corona outbreak touched you as a company manager and how is it affecting you in a personal level?

Sebastian Koch: We as company (Audioglobe Srl) will decide today, whether we send home all workers for next (hopefully only) 2 weeks. As all shops in Italy have to remain CLOSED from today, we can only continue supplying mailorders/online-shops (Amazon, Feltrinelli, Mondadori, Internet Book Shop etc. etc.). We will offer our workers the option, to choose themselves, whether they want to stay home, or continue working. There is enough work, also with shops closed.

On a personal level: As I have the sole custody for a 12 years old daughter, and with schools closed until (at least) April 6, I have to organize day by day – find a place, where my daughter can stay during the day – or remain at home myself. With some mothers of other children, we created a sort of ‘help yourself group’, and on Tuesday it was my turn, to have 4 Girls at my home. We were cooking together, playing, doing school homeworks, and we had a walk in the village, to buy some Ice Cream and play at the playground. But… as of today, also such elemental necessity as buying Ice Cream has become a big problem: The few food shops, that are still open, have a strict limit, of how many people may enter the shop at the same time – so each shop has a looooooooooooooooooooong queue in front, and you have to wait up to 2 hours, to be allowed to enter a shop. A good way to avoid these queues, is to go to tiny small food shops – like I did this morning. There was no queue at all, but each shop has a small table in front with disinfection fluid, and you must disinfect your hands, before entering the shop.

SL: What’s the atmosphere like with you and your family and friends? Is it a complete lock down as only seeing your own family members?

Sebastian Koch: For the time being, we are still able to go to work. But this might change within the very next days. Let’s see. The atmosphere in my family (consisting of my daughter, our cat and myself) is VERY bad. My daughter is crying a lot and very scared – myself I’m worried about the near future of our company, Italian economy (which is already bad without Virus…), our family, our life. My daughter is missing school and is very sad and down. Same for myself… It’s no ‘fun’. It’s like living in a bad ‘Science Fiction’ movie, really. Only that’s it’s for REAL.

From Seto Fiorentino we head for Rome to talk with Noemi and Maxx…

SL: How is it to live in Italy now that it is under complete lockdown? What do you notice as restrictions?

Noemi Aurora : We are trying to live as calmly as possible on these days, even if the situation is of an extreme emergency. Italy was officially declared a protected area yesterday evening. Cinemas, museums, schools have all been closed for days and any type of public assembly is prohibited. There are restrictions and hygiene rules to be followed to keep this virus from spreading. We are respecting every rule of course in these dark moments.

We are not really alarmed though, by respecting these precautions you can easily avoid being contaminated. Nevertheless, there are people who feel these rules are too invasive for the private life, they are rebelling in a rather childish way, looking for loopholes which in my opinion are useless. I believe that a short-term sacrifice by all of us is the bare minimum to avoid even more drastic measures in the future.

Maxx Maryan: The situation is constantly changing and in the last few hours the alarm has spread and the whole nation has been declared a ‘red zone’. I haven’t been out since yesterday morning, to go shopping and have some supplies for a week, but since our Prime Minister last night declared the maximum alert and quarantine, people stormed the supermarkets. As if someone had told them that food and food resources would end shortly after. Let’s say collective stupidity is always a highlight and in cases like this it makes its way more than ever (laughs).

The biggest restriction is that of being segregated at home, but, believe me, it doesn’t bother me in the least since everything I do, even professionally, happens here in the house and I am absolutely not someone who has a great social life! (Laughs)

SL: The area where you live has 100 confirmed infections, what are the precautions you take?

Noemi Aurora: It is spreading rapidly, and the local structure is forced to transfer cases that require intensive therapy to the Spallanzani hospital in Rome which as you can imagine has a limited number of beds, despite having increased them by 50%. There is a sort of manual of behaviors to be followed or avoided to combat the epidemic: first of all wash your hands frequently, therefore avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes if you have not had the opportunity to do so, and avoid attending crowded places.

We appeal to our individual responsibility, we ask ourselves whether going out is absolutely essential and we hope that others will do the same.

Maxx Maryan: First, avoid going out, except for specific emergencies. This is the biggest precaution we can take. Others, like washing your hands often, is not a problem for me since I am obsessive in nature and I always wash them for anything! (Laughs) There’s more, do not greet each other warmly with kisses and hugs, no problem: I hate to be touched! So, it’s kind of like I always live under virus alert, now that I think about it, ha ha!

SL: How has your daily life changed now? You are not allowed out I guess, how do you kill your time?

Noemi Aurora: Personally we are not experiencing this period with panic or extreme discomfort. Fear feeds the disorder which is the worst enemy of these situations. We rationally agreed to stay in the studio and took advantage to focus even more on our musical projects. After all, it doesn’t differ much from our habits. We have always had a similar lifestyle, spending hours and hours in the recording studio to compose and create without realizing the time that passed. In some cases it is better to grasp the positive side of what happens to us. I will certainly remember this period as the most profitable on a creative level!

Maxx Maryan: It is also not a problem for me, since I always have a thousand things to do at home and everything I plan and implement takes place at home. I do what I always do: I spend hours in the studio, especially now that I’m working as a producer / engineer for a French band that I will be able to mention in due course! Not to mention that I’m also finally finalizing the latest tracks for the ImJudas debut album. In addition, I always study guitar, I read piles of books and magazines and I listen to piles and piles and piles of records!

SL: What effect does it have on the local music scene besides concerts being canceled?

Noemi Aurora: It is definitely affected. Most of the concerts have been canceled. Major names like Dardust or Modà are forced to postpone their dates. The thing that does not fit at all is that access to public transport, gyms and shopping centers should also close, which has not yet been done. It’s a bit of a contradiction …

Maxx Maryan: I am now reading the updated list of the concerts canceled so far and I can tell you that there are many and especially those announced in the stadiums for next summer. No name for which I go to tear my hair, of course. I just hope this will help to kill pay-to-play and to change jobs for so many assholes who don’t give a shit about music.

SL: In Germany a band called K.I.Z. said during a concert that Corona only hits white old males… I suppose that this kind of nonsense would not be tolerated in Italy?

Noemi Aurora: It is not even something I want to comment on … I am noticing a sort of mass reaction in giving the worst of oneself during these days of tension. Unfortunately there are always those who say stupid sentences, it is inevitable. If you think that in Italy there have been cases of beating by young boys against Chinese people, accusing them of being the cause of the Coronavirus. This form of injury is intolerable. Fortunately, there are also many people who contrast this delusion with solidarity and empathy. I hope they remain a majority.

Maxx Maryan: I don’t know that band, so I don’t even know if they said that by provocation, but, even if it were, this is not the scope and the period to make situationism about this thing. So, I would say that it is a bit like some stars and stripes big red-cock-head that insists that “a flue must not stop life and the economy”.

I simply think that much of what will come out of so many mouths these days will end up anonymous in the web’s algorithms. The smart thing would be to ask questions about what’s going on, but always not underestimating the dangers of the virus, because “the threat is real”, as someone sang.

SL: The news we get here says that hospitals are really under pressure or near collapse due to the huge amount of sudden influxes of sick people to hospitals. Do you hear anything from this?

Noemi Aurora: Yes it is the truth. It is necessary to select the patients to be hospitalized on the basis of age and pathologies. This is terrible. Any of us would like to avoid living this experience. For this reason we must comply with the prevention and contagion measures so that the health system is not brought to a definitive collapse.

Maxx Maryan: It is happening in Northern Italy, and more precisely in Lombardy where 6000 cases have been recorded. There are already rumors of doctors who choose who to live and who to die … Obviously, conspiracy fiction is also a virus!

SL: Here in Belgium, up until today life continues as if nothing happened, measures are not forced, but just advised (as of March 12 there are finally some restrictions in place). I see countries like France, Austria taking a lot more measures. What do you think of that?

Noemi Aurora: Probably the number of cases is very low and does not put the population in a state of alert. But preventing the spread of Covid-19 would be the most intelligent move you can make, just to not end up like Italy.

Maxx Maryan: Here everything happened very quickly and who knows that in a few hours the same will not happen in other European countries.

SL: Do you have friends or family up north in the most affected regions? What do they tell you?

Noemi Aurora: No we don’t. But I know that people are very upset about this situation because until a few days ago in northern Italy people continued to frequent bars, restaurants and crowded places as if nothing had happened. I understand avoiding an attitude of panic or paranoia, but I do not share this attitude of carelessness and selfishness. It harms them and others.

Maxx Maryan: No, no family members, but a bunch of friends and acquaintances who are all well. They only had to face specific restrictions orders before us Romans.

SL: I saw images of people queuing early in the morning to get access to supermarkets although the Italian government said there would be enough goods delivered everywhere. Is this panic omnipresent? And how do you see it?

Noemi Aurora: Some people have no balance. First they pretend that nothing happens, then they unleash compulsive panic shopping. Disrespect is also noted in these attitudes. Stocking up for a whole year and leaving the shelves empty is a form of exaltation. It only feeds the atmosphere of fear.

Maxx Maryan: It is stupidity that is omnipresent. Mass hysteria is a proven phenomenon of psychology. I have heard of people who have emptied the shelves just to deprive others of their purchase and therefore to resell that merchandise at exorbitant prices at a later date. Can we say that situations like this allow the rottenness that is already inherent in people to emerge freely?

SL: A friend of mine who lives in Sicily said that Italians really act very correct as far as respecting the anti-contamination rules, like keeping 1 meter distance in coffee bars etc.. Is that typical Italian? Here in Belgium people still kiss, give handshakes and go to concerts.

Noemi Aurora: Not everyone is so respectful. I don’t think it’s an Italian or Belgian problem, it simply depends on the individuals themselves. What distinguishes us Italians at the moment is an efficient public health system. I hope, however, that all will end as soon as possible with the least possible number of victims. It is only up to the collaboration of us individuals to know how to stem it at best.

Maxx Maryan: I don’t know, there is likely to be more civilization in Sicily. As far as I’m concerned, yesterday I had to brutalize a lady who was stuck to Noemi and I see people going to have aperitifs in bars, or people who complain because they want to go out anyway because they get bored at home. One wrong thing, in my opinion, is that the Italian government focuses so much on self-responsibility, when in reality people do not understand a shit and, on the contrary, need a gendarme who reminds them of the ordinances.

SL: And good advice you can give us?

Noemi Aurora: I believe that the moment we are living must make us think and cheer on the things we have taken for granted. Virtualization, climate change, taking human relationships and reciprocity for granted. It seems it’s time to tidy things up and enjoy these days of falling smog, enjoying the moments of reflection and taking advantage of these days to find our passions that routine had made us forget. If we join forces we’ll make it!

Maxx Maryan: What I would like to advise is not to be afraid and to always maintain a strong objectivity in processing the news and information that come to us. The reasoning extinguishes the ardor of the disturbance. Use this period of segregation as a chance for yourself as an individual, as the smog is disappearing from the cities so your heads will also lighten, perhaps never being afraid to ask you questions about what is happening.

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

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: “Blackbodies” has been released as two different digital releases. Next to the “Pulsation”-edit featuring two cuts, “Variation” brings extended versions of both songs plus one extra song. 808 Dot Pop is the solo-project of Sven Lauwers aka ‘Passenger S’ from Metroland and in a previous life Ionic Vision.

Content: We first get extended versions from the title track and “Cie 1960”. Both songs are more elaborate. You’ll notice the dry bass lines running through “Blackbodies” and the sensual vocals by Noemi from Helalyn Flowers. “Cie 1960” sounds more ‘synthetic’, but still old-school driven and a bit harder than the title song. This EP also features an extra song, which is another instrumental cut with a happy-feeling.

+ + + : I personally prefer this EP for its extended versions of “Blackbodies” and “Cie 1960”. It’s also quite surprising to hear Noemi singing on such a ‘poppy’ project, but her sensual and somewhat sterile vocal’s production is perfectly fitting with the music of operator Passenger S. “Cie 1960” remains my favorite song although it’s less ‘clubby’.

– – – : I’ve a similar comment as for the “Pulsation”-edit; this is nothing really new! It sounds a bit more poppy and sweeter than Metroland, but you clearly hear similitude.

Conclusion: I’m really wondering how the debut full length of this project will sound-like. It will clearly appeal for the Metroland fan base.

Best songs: “Cie 1960 – Expanded Color Space”, “Blackbodies – Variation”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

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

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.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The name of this project clearly refers to the legendary rhythm box TR 808 from Roland. This project set up by Metroland’s ‘Passenger S (aka Sven Lauwers) assisted on the title track by Helalyn Flowers’ singer Noemi Aurora, resulted from the artist’s passion for electronic-pop music. “Blackbodies” is the first take from the announced debut album “The Colour Temperature”. It has been released in two different versions, the “Pulsation”-edit is more a single revealing two songs.  

Content: The title track has this typical ‘Kraftwerk-ian’ touch, but the song also comes close to Metroland, but with an extra poppy touch on top and featuring the vocals of Noemi. She sings a less powerful way than what we’re used to hearing from Helalyn Flowers.

The B-side cut sounds a bit harder, but still into the retro electro-pop vein. This song is an instrumental edit.

+ + + : “Blackbodies” is a cool song and the right title-track for an EP or single. I like the vintage format of the song, which will clearly appeal to lovers of80s electro-pop. “Cie 1960 (Color Space)” is much more than simply a B-side track; it’s an efficient piece confirming there’s a real potential hiding behind 808 Dot Pop.

– – – : Even if it’s retro-like and for this reason totally matching with the approach of this project, I don’t like fade outs! 808 Dot Pop sounds a bit different from Metroland, but there are much more links than only the presence of ‘Passenger S’. I personally prefer the B-side song instead of the title track.

Conclusion: This is an honest debut for a new project, which doesn’t sound that new at all…

Best songs: “Cie 1960 – Color Space”, “Blackbodies – Pulsation”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

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

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

Out now is the brand new single/EP by the electro metal / rock act Helalyn Flowers!

With “Suicidal Birds”, the band offers the first material from their forthcoming album announced for Spring 2020: “Àiresis”. On the EP you can expect Noemi Aurora’s unique vocal dimension mixed with solid electro sequencing intermingled with edgy guitars.You’ll discover a mix of the band’s roots and background references including early electro wave, 90’s nu-synth era and 21st century industrial pop.

On the EP the Italian duo collaborates with 3 bands offering radically different versions of the title song “Suicidal Birds”. 808 DOT POP offers a mix with old-school EBM patterns and pumping basslines while Llumen opted for a more orchestral rendition of “Suicidal Birds”. The 3rd collaboration is with the pop electro from ImJudas.

You can download this single / EP as a HQ audio from Bandcamp or stream it right here on Spotify (and of course also on other platforms)

Check the official lyrics video for the title track on YouTube.

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

Alfa Matrix has some more good news coming up today. They also have announced the signing of the new side-project from Metroland’s Passenger S: 808 DOT POP. When you are a lover of vintage electronic music and you like the synthetic sounds of bands like Kraftwerk, Metroland and co then this your thing for sure.

The band’s label decided to immediately release 2 download singles on Bandcamp, with other services to follow in the next week.

The double single “Blackbodies” paves way to the upcoming 808 DOT POP conceptual album “The Colour Temperature” featuring the vocals of Italian singer Noemi Aurora of the electro metal act Helalyn Flowers.

“Blackbodies” is released in two different download sets, a 2-track single edition backed with the song “Cie-1960 (color space)” and a 3-track maxi edition, with 2 extended versions and an exclusive 3rd song entitled “Kelvin (3500)”, all referencing the album’s concept. You can check the two singles below!

For more on Metroland, see Metroland’s Passenger S launches debut album under 808 DOT POP moniker on Side-Line.

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

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Stefano ‘Mannequinetik’ and Marco ‘Katatronik’ (vocals) better known as the Italian formation Synapsyche joined Alfa Matrix last year to unleash the EP “Mirror Terror” as an appetizer to this new album. It’s the band’s third full length, which has been released as a limited edition as well.

Content: Synapsyche remains faithful to their sound exposed at the previous album “The Abyss Effect” released in 2016 on SkyQode. The songs are driven by pumping dance kicks, harsh vocals and the unavoidable cold-trance like leads. It’s an ultra danceable piece of music, which however contains a few ‘softer’ cuts such as “Diva Paranoia” sung in Italian and featuring guest vocals by ‘Noemi Aurora’ (Helalyn Flowers).

The second disc is the remix section. We get 13 remixes by Venal Flesh, Nano Infect, Complex Mind, Technoid, Neikka RPM, Pax Sono, Marcoda, H.O.W., Aiboforcen, Shades Of Hell, UCNX, Tolchock and Avarice In Audio.

+ + + : If you like ‘dark’ dance music Synapsyche will be a perfect company to get you on the dancefloor. Hard and pumping, but still elevating and well-produced. This is the perfect dark-electro cliché without any pretension to innovate, but just to give people fun on the dancefloor. I’ve been impressed by the list of remixers featured on the bonus disc. I here especially like the somewhat surprising remix of “Mirror Terror” by Venal Flesh, which has something psy-trance driven. Last, but not least, I also have to say a word about the cool, artistic digipak.

– – – : Alfa Matrix definitely pushes Synapsyche to the forefront, releasing a double disc for their debut album on the label. I’m sure this is the perfect ‘dancefloor’-album, but the songs all sound pretty similar and are just as on their previous album dominated by the same kind of easy-trance leads. The work becomes rapidly predictable and that’s why I definitely prefer the bonus disc.

Conclusion: “In Praise Of Folly” would have been a possible class-act 10 years ago, but ano 2019 I’ve heard too much similar albums.

Best songs: “Mirror Terror”, “Paraphiliac”, “Diva Paranoia feat. Noemi Aurora” + “Mirror Terror – Venal Flesh Remix”, “Who The Fuck Are You? – Complex Mind Remix”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/synapsyche

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘In Praise Of Folly’.

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

Out now is the all new album by the Brazilian dance electro duo Aesthetische. CD1 of “Co3xist3ns3” holds 10 new tracks, including a track featuring nobody else but Sascha Mario Klein from German electro stars Neuroticfish. This song is also featured here as a club mix and as a remake by label mates Psychic Force.

The bonus disc offers a selection of 10 more songs which were featured on previous digital-only releases. You can order this limited 2CD set right here.

On this club oriented bonus disc you’ll get remixes by Neuroticfish, DK Simon Carter and the duo itself. You can also expect collaborations and featurings with singers in the likes of Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Diana S. (Junksista) and Xev (Diffuzion).

You can already listen to the album below (the bonus disc is ONLY available on CD and not as download). Read the review of ‘Co3xist3ns3’.

Side-Line also covered Aesthetische’s ‘s track ’.

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

Pleasant days at Toxic Visions, the Art factory owned by Noemi Aurora Of Helalyn Flowers. Located in the heart of renowned mystic and naturalistic area south of Rome, American singer/ model Carley Girl landed to reach Noemi and get a killer photoshoot done by her for Angelspit’s side project Miss Ballistic.

We were allowed backstage while Maxx Maryan of Helalyn Flowers took some pictures of the work in progress. Noemi Aurora from her side took care of the make-up and actual taking of the pictures.

Kickstarter campaign

Miss Ballistic’s debut album “Blood and Glitter” has been produced by Angelspit and holds 10 electro tracks featuring the vocals of Carley Girl, Maeze, Cel and Melanie Jade. The theme is violence and beauty: “Violence is served as entertainment everywhere. It’s our turn to be aggressive and share an empowering message dripping with glitz and glamour.”

A kickstarter campaign has been launched to promote and fund the album, so make sure to check it out.

When electro beauty queens join forces uniting violence and glamour

For the visuals Noemi Aurora based her photowork on the band concept, that is about light-hearted blood thirsty tales about winning a beauty pageant, tackling issues of body image, the beauty myth, unwanted physical contact, the press’s lust for youth and the unachievable body image still being projected onto women everywhere. Next to that she also included Miss Ballistic’s main visual key-elements like tiara, glitter melted make-up, sash etc..

The debut album will be released through Black Pill Red Pill. A few months ago you could already listen to the below track, “Less Wardrobe More Malfunction” (Single Edit).

Backstage at the photoshoot

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

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

Background/Info: Junksista Duo Diana S. and Boog are back on track and have unleashed their fourth full length album in five years. A few artists such as LayZee (Mr. President), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Emke (Black Nail Cabaret) and Erlend Eilersten (Essence Of Mind) have been invited on a few songs with guest vocals.

Content: The first (and regular) disc features 12 new cuts revealing the particular electro-pop approach Junksista has always deal with. It’s an pop format sometimes mixed with minimalistic elements, but also moving on the edge of indie music. Junksista is also in for some experiments such as Monster” featuring rap vocals by LayZee.

The bonus disc featured at the limited edition features 12 extra songs, which are remixes by Psy’Aviah, Metroland, Kant Kino, Ananel’s Voices vs. At0shima 3rr0r, Wasserkraft Manifest, T-Error Machinez, Space March, Technolorgy, Nerd Revolt, XMH and 2 remixes by Flesh Eating Foundation.

+ + + : Junksista has gained their success and reputation because they have their own style, which often was linked to punk meeting pop music. This new opus is less punk-like, but still revealing a proper sound DNA. It’s a well-crafted composition moving in between minimalism and even experimentalism at one side and indie-music at the other side. There are great sound treatments featured on this work, but I especially like the menacing bass lines from “Love Makes People Stupid”. I also like the duo vocals featuring Diana S. and Noemi on “Celebration Fornication”. Among the remixes I especially recommend the work accomplished by Psy’Aviah, Metroland and Space March.

– – – : Junksista remains a very particular experience in sound, but I regret they’ve lost a bit of their original naughty and punkish sound. This work sounds ‘softer’ while I personally prefer their darker and harder work from the early years.

Conclusion: Far away from the classical electro-pop standards and clearly sounding like a solid antidote to the numerous Depeche Mode clones, “Promiscuous Tendencies” is a shocking title for an intriguing band although this new work is not my favorite one!

Best songs: “Celebration Fornication”, “Freak At Heart”, “Control”, “Bitch This Is My Party” + “Love Makes People Stupid – Psy’Aviah Remix”, “Freak At Heart – Metroland’s Art Of Bleep Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.junksista.de / www.facebook.com/Junksista

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

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: Dance, techno, electro-pop.

Background/Info: Behind this new name reinforcing the Alfa Matrix roster is hiding Simon D Carter. This British DJ and producer was already involved with several projects, but got some fame as part of Studio-X (feat. Simon Carter). “Lost In Time” is a solo-album and yet not totally solo as he asked several female guest singers to join in. We earlier this year already discovered the “Rise”-EP featuring Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers) while a previous album “Retro Electro Wave/The Remixes” got released as well.

Content: I honestly didn’t know what to expect and got really surprised by the dance-stuff approach. Simon Carter clearly deals with techno and dance music while he also experiments with some d’b’n patterns and a few electro-pop influences. He got the help of seven female singers. Most of them are totally unknown, but the most noticeable names are Noemi Aurora (singing on “Rise”) and Lis Van Den Akker (who already sung on Psy’Aviah songs).

+ + + : All I can say is that this is a professional and high tech production, which will appeal to lovers of dance music and other commercial techno productions. The contribution of most vocalist is one of the main strengths of the work. Simon Carter clearly has a nose to find talented singers. It remains pretty surprising to hear Noemi Aurora singing on more ‘commercial’ music, but all the vocalists are absolutely fabulous. Sound-wise “The Girl From The Station” is one of the single cuts with some pop approach and I would have liked to hear more from this.

– – – : This album is a real challenge and especially as being released on an ‘underground’ label. This work has nothing in common with underground music and even sounds miles away from traditional electro-pop fields. This work is a great production, but maybe not on the right label.

Conclusion: I’ve been quite surprised discovering this album, which is clearly meant to conquer dance and techno clubs. I guess if Simon Carter wouldn’t have been familiar with Alfa Matrix, this album would have never been released on this label.

Best songs: “The Girl From The Station”, “Naphill Atrebas (Part III) – Starry Nights”, “Rise”.

Rate: (6).

Band: www.facebook.com/SimonCarter.AlfaMatrix.Records

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

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.

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

Background/Info: The fans of Belgian goth-rock formation Lovelorn Dolls for sure are familiar with the band’s front lady Kristell Lowagie. She set up her own project Sin.Sin and now has unleashed her debut opus after 2 noticeable EP’s. This album has been produced, mixed and mastered by Max from Helalyn Flowers who also did some extra programming.

Content: The album takes of with the main song of her debut-EP (cf. “Fairytronics”), which remains a great piece of evasive pop music revealing the sweet vocals of Kristell L and the cool pop style. Sin.Sin is not a typical electro-pop formation, but rather experiments with a ‘free-pop’-style which is now evasive, then raw and finally still into a kind of indie approach.  I now and then get the impression of hearing an underground version of Madonna.

The album is also featuring the “Blacklist”-song featuring Noemi Aurora (Helalyn flowers), which was the title song of the second Sin.Sin EP. The final track is a folk and intimate remix by The Breath Of Life.

+ + + : There’re a few great cuts featured here and I especially refer to the already familiar “These Pretty Things”, which has something magical because of its great chorus. I also enjoyed the rawer and unpolished style, which even sounds a bit into industrial-pop while accomplished with cool effects. I’m also pleased with the more indie-pop sounding “I Am So In Love” and “Mother” for the amazing vocals performance. I think the production skills of Helalyn Flowers mastermind have been quite important to get the final sound of this work.

– – – : There’re some great cuts featured, but still a few cuts with less substance. I can’t get away from the feeling that Kristell L still has to find her path in the electro-pop universe while she now feels a bit like an orphan who has lost her dear parents (aka her main band Lovelorn Dolls).

Conclusion: “Nobody’s Heroin” is moving from cool and noticeable cuts towards a few songs without real substance or sound identity.

Best songs: “These Pretty Things”, “Mother”, “Dress Machine”, “I Am So In Love”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/sin.sin.official

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

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

Back in March 2017, UK techno/breakbeat DJ Simon D. Carter formed SD-KRTR via which he launched the “Rise” EP. Out now and available here for ordering is “Lost In Time”, his debut album. For those who prefer downloads, go straight to Bandcamp to get yours.

For the full length album Carter teamed up with half-a-dozen female vocalists taking you from catchy upbeat synthpop songs to slower tracks with some breakbeat elements and of course the signature club-friendly dance-floor slammers.

The guestvocalists include Katie J., Patricia, Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Gemma Macleod, Lis Van Den Akker, C.L. and Charmae. You can discover the complete album below.

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!

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Over the past few months we have noticed quite a lot of releases that featured artwork by the Italian artist Noemi Aurora under the Toxic Visions umbrella, who many will also know as frontwoman of the electro goth metal act Helalyn Flowers. The Psychic Force, Elyose, The Wet, BlackCore, Sin.Sin, these are just a few bands who have teamed up with this young graphic artist (check her official website).

We hailed Italy for an interview.

SL: When did you decide to found your factory Toxic Visions? What did push you to express a part of yourself into art?

N: The art project Toxic Visions borns from the need to express dissociative moods, emotions and feelings by combining different forms of visual arts and photography. I’ve always been into creative arts since my childhood. I started as a dancer, when I was about 6 years old, and I used to design a lot.;I first approached design through analogue means like black and white drawing, acrylic painting and mixed media.

Originally, it was more a therapy, a way to self-expression rather than commercial purpose or for publicity. As time passed by, I felt I had to unite my passion for both music and art, so I embarked on my career of band designer and visual merchandiser, with a special focus on band photography. What led me to focus on my work as a band designer is the conceptual relationship of the visual arts with the music. I conceive Toxic Visions as a double-sided project. You can figure it as a moon of arts, where one side is completely obscured and unknown to the world. It’s made of artworks, pics and paintings I create only for myself, driven by a very intimate mental situation. These works are kept apart, hidden, and I never use to watch them. Then there’s the public side, which includes my commissioned works, fine art, artworks for sale, photography and all the works you can see published.

SL: What’s ‘toxic’ in your visions? Do you see yourself like a visionary?

N: The name Toxic Visions was born back in 1999, during my years at the high school of arts and is inspired by my own way to conceive my subjects. May it be painting, digital artwork or photography, they are visions inspired by the intoxicating life, fragments of experiences and emotions that appear before my eyes like flashes. I even define my inner self ‘toxic’, as the contamination between the abstract idea and the physical realisation of my visions.

SL: What about Noemi – the persona?

N: I’ve always been a silent girl, thoughtful and a careful observer of the surrounding world, though my personality is chaotic, reluctant to the superficiality of the contemporary world but extremely bond to the mystery of industrial and metropolitan realities.

SL: You’re also a contributing photographer of Getty Images Germany next to working with other companies. Some of your photographic opus is also vailable on EyeEm, your gallery is quite an impressive one. Do you consider yourself more of a photographer than an artist, or vice versa?

N: I don’t use to define myself a photographer but a visual artist because I use photography as a means of expression and I adapt it to my own creative needs. I reserve the technical approach to commercial and editorial photography, its purpose is to faithfully reproduce reality.

SL: Your works are often perceivable like fragments of a big visual story with lots of cinematic influences. Is film direction a field that you wish to explore one day as well?

N: My way of conceiving an artwork is definitely cinematic indeed. I idealise my subjects like paused frames in a scene of a movie, arranging elements like on a stage. My artworks are born from the union of a photographic realism, for which I use subjects photographed by me during my daily life, and pictorial irrealism, that may be digital or analogue. During the process of an organic painting, I use mixed media, favouring acrylic, oil, watercolour, inks, lipstick and even my own blood. I’d love to explore the field of short films, getting inspiration from Italian horror movies. Some kind of dark psychological steamy tales, dealing with surreal scenarios, blood and lust. It’s been fascinating me for years, but I never had the chance to approach it so far.

SL: What about upcoming projects? Maybe a book? Could be great!

N: Yes, I’d love to release a concept book collecting my main artworks and photography. Actually, the project that I have in mind would be to collect boards and audio tracks inspired by different abstract locations. I’ve also started to work on a series of dark t-shirts and accessories inspired by the esoteric and modern design. I expect to realise it somewhere in 2017.

SL: In today’s world of social networks where everything gets old so fast, how do you try to stand out? What’s the actual compromise between strategy and true artistic needs?

N: I prefer to stay in the background and move only when it’s worth it because I want to respect and honour my work and myself. So, I don’t think that being present at any cost is necessary for me, in my art as in my music. It would be a violence to yourself and to what you do to spread your art in uncomfortable and reduced situations that are only blocking your ideas and your self-expression.

SL: Is there a work of yours that you’re particularly fond of?

N: One of the works that signed my artistic experience is definitely my painting ‘Pan’. This canvas is a mixed media painting representing the god of the wild and of the nature. The colours are warm and meticulously mixed. I used oil on dried brushes, inks and my blood and I created the frame using raw wood and nails. My aim was to arouse some kind of panic with the viewer. The subject is claustrophobic, chaotic and magnetic. This work was selected and exposed at the Contemporary Art Gallery of Savona, for the Espoarte exhibition back in 2003.

SL: You have worked with bands like The Psychic Force, Elyose, The Wet, BlackCore, Sin. Sin, Delirium Age, have taken care of the whole artwork of the Alfa Matrix tribute to The Cure as well as always managed visual for your main band – Helalyn Flowers. How should a band approach you for your art contribution?

N: Every band can ask for my collaboration, no matter how famous they are or what genre they’re playing. What I ask them is dialogue and an open mind. I’m not a technician but an artist. They will find in me a personality able to suggest, interpretate and revolutionise basic ideas. I’m not interested in simply executing other’s requests. I do need to do my own. Those who ask me must have the heart to rely on me. Usually, I ask for some previews of the band’s music, especially some from the new album which artwork I’m taking care of. This allows me to enter their own world, taking a byte of it and recreating the most appropriate mood.

SL: What can you tell us about your official site? We noticed that there is an ‘audio section’ in your factory!

N: Yes, everyone can contact us for both visual arts and music production (mixing, mastering, restoration and so on). You know, I’ve always had a complementary conception of music and visual art. In fact my Toxic Visions factory covers both the audio production of the albums, with the collaboration of Max from the AzTech Room audio division, and the realisation of the entire visual aspect.

Toxic-Visions.com is essentially a point of reference for those who are showing some interest in my factory, although it shows only a highly concentrated selection of my works. Most of them are exclusively addressed to art exhibitions and/or printed media. Also, it includes selected news and interesting backstage reports. I love to reserve a little exclusive world to those who run into my exhibitions and publications.

SL: Thanks for the chat, keep up with the good work!

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