Who says Dirk Da Davo thinks The Neon Judgement! Even if this band remains one of the pioneers and true references in the Electro-Underground scene, Dirk has been involved with numerous other projects. The recently released album “Retrospective 1987-2023” is an opportunity to discover those projects; a fine selection from Dirk Timmermans’ (he’s real name) work over the thirty six past years aside from The Neon Judgement. The album has been released on vinyl format by Je M’En Fish and features ten songs. Each title of the work inspired me to ask a questions to Dirk. This is a short story of this Belgian living legend of Electronic music… and more…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The album takes off with “King Of Fools” which is probably the most surprising song from the album. It sounds sexy while the slide guitar has something pretty American-like. What is this song all about and what does it say about the music you’re listening to?  

DDD: The song is about the feeling that got created during the lockdown and the absurdity of certain measures taken which oppressed the people like never before. And I am questioning that in the song. ‘Will you obey the king of fools? Is there a way to neglect his rules? In a way he seems modified… Do you think he is justified?’ It is about this new created normality which I can’t get used to.

Musicaly it is not that far away for me. As a young kid I grew up with my father’s western music compilation records. And the music you listen to when you are a kid, stays forever in the back of your head… It’s a bit American/Western. It’s not the first time that it shows up. With The Neon Judgement we did the albums “Blood And Thunder” (1989) and “The Insult” (1991)who also have a American Tex Mex vibe in some album tracks. 

Q: “Ozz” is a track you composed together with Jean-Marie Aerts. I didn’t exactly expect you both composing music together. How did you get in touch and how was it working together? 

DDD: I know Jean-Marie already for a long time. He produced some album tracks for The Neon Judgement’s “Blood And Thunder”-album in 1989. He played the bass on The Neon Judgement’s “Jazzbox”-single in 1998 and we even did some experimental dub vinyl releases together in the 90s. And in a way we stayed connected. I live in Spain and Jean-Marie and his wife decided to come over for a vacation. I have a recording studio in the place where I live. It took exactly 2 days after his arrival and we started recording jam sessions. We finalized an EP and we decided to call our project DDDJMX. We released the digital EP in 2017 by the same title: “DDDJMX”. At the end he visited me 3 times which resulted in 10 recordings we digitally released in 2020 as the “Oceaned”-album. It was interesting. Jean–Marie left me completely free in production , arrangements and all regarding the tracks. An honor for me that he gave me his confidence! I feel flattered.

Q: “The Unreal” sounds to me as ‘modern’ The Neon Judgement. Are you sometimes nostalgic when evoking The Neon Judgement and do you think it’s really over now -especially because you went back on stage again since the so-called farewell concert in the A.B.? 

DDD: Oh really? It was not intended like that. No, I am not a nostalgic person at all or it must be about my childhood. I always prefer to look ahead and try to find new challenges. That is where the oxygen is! We had a fantastic trip with The Neon Judgement; I’m grateful to the fans but one day you have to call it a day. But never say never, I like to keep these things open… What I enjoy now is recording new music and develop myself further as a musician, not to play the same tracks over and over again. 

Q: “Where Even Angels Fall” sounds definitely 80s like. How much of the young Dirk Da Davo from the 80s do you still recognize in your music and approach today?  

DDD: That is a difficult question. I think through all my career I kept my personal touch, but it might have been influenced with the musical surroundings at certain periods… But I still carry the DDD label over all I think. No compromises for better business.

Q: “Sexhead” definitely is my favorite song from the album which reminds me of Cabaret Voltaire. I think to know Cabaret Voltaire have been one of your influences. What did you like in their sound and did you ever got the chance to get in touch with Richard H. Kirk -who passed away in 2021?  

DDD: An influence is perhaps a big word. We felt more like-minded. I liked the way they approached music from their first album on. The sound –experiments, the search for something new and with that sound they represented the times in which we lived. I met Richard once yes; I think that was during the first half of the 80s. We shared a venue in our hometown, Leuven, a venue named Lido with as line-up: The Neon Judgement, Cabaret Voltaire and 23 Skidoo. Oh what a night full of impressive music! ! 😉 

Q: “Meat Cathedral” is another 80s song which was released by your side-project If It Moves. It’s a project you set up with Glenn Frank -who also contributed to songs of The Neon Judgement right? What was this project all about?  

DDD: The project happened by coincidence. I joined Glenn’s band Street Ducks at the time as an extra guitar player. We shared a rehearsal room and one evening I was there alone with him. We started to program some industrial beats, I took a guitar and Glenn a microphone and what you hear happened on the spot. A week later we were recording the track together with Ludo Camberlin in his studio and it got released on vinyl. Glenn was part of The Neon Judgement for a short period as a bass player, but not as a song writer.  

Q: “157” reminds me of the early minimalism from Front 242. I can’t remember you ever did something together with the guys of ‘242’. Was there a connection or friendship? Rivalry? Just respect? 

DDD: There was an undercooled friendship, for sure no rivalry no. I remember a big party we had together in the 80s in Sweden, were we shared the stage in a double bill. We ended up throwing tables to each other during the after party, but it was just for fun! 🙂 Tour stress that is! 😉

Patrick Codenys also helped me out preparing the recordings of The Neon Judgement’s “Mafu Cage”-album. We were getting into sampling, but we didn’t have a sampler ourselves. That is when Patrick proposed that I could come over to his house to prepare samples for the “Mafu Cage”-sessions because they had a sampling machine.

“157”is one of my favorite Neon Electronics recordings produced by Glenn Keteleer (Radical G) who is my partner in the project now since 10 years. 

Q: “Strive” is one of your ‘new’ songs but what are you actually busy doing? And who are you working with? And is there an artist you really would like to work with?  

DDD: I am busy doing what a musician does: making music and enjoying it. And I try to run my digital label as good as I can. 

I am all the time working on songs and demos with Sanchez (the Mexican) under DD Sanchez, solo etc… Hopefully after summer we can produce new Neon Electronics music.. After summer I will release a digi-EP with new DDDJMX music. There is always something going! There’s not really a musician that I can directly think of , but for sure I would like to deliver music for a Quentin Tarantino movie if that counts also!  

Q: Talking about Sanchez, “Cities In Dust” is a song from your project together with him. The project DD Sanchez remains one of the most surprising ones and I dare to say a kind of antidote to your involvement with The Neon Judgement. What’s the ‘bonus’ in your career of DD Sanchez?  

DDD: It’s a challenge for myself. From the beginning of the project (first release 2019 “Z”-EP) I had the intention with DD Sanchez to write and create a less dark kind of music. A real challenge when you are mostly known in a darker scene and maybe not so wise but a musician should always follow his instinct and his heart . We released a full digi-album October 2022 and it got titled “HappyGrey” The title carries the load: it not really happy Pop music and neither very dark music. So it is “HappyGrey” music. 

Q: “In Dreams” was originally written in the early 90s and sounds to me as The Neon Judgement injected with Techno. What did you keep in mind from this (r)evolution in sound called Techno?  

DDD: “In Dreams” was recorded and released on vinyl format under DDD Program in 1992. During those times I was into club music and Techno. I think the Techno scene took over the thing that we started as the next generation. They distilled it down to its essence. Nowadays I still enjoy quality Techno music. I am a secret fan of Amelie Lens, also a Belgian DJ artist, but don’t tell anyone !

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

DALMA.NET is Sunao Inami’s sub live unit from Japan. The band reunited for the first time in 15 years on December 2021 and played live in Osaka on December 19th 2021. That recording has now been released.

You can order the download or the CD right now from Bandcamp.

In case you don’t know DALMA.NET, it has a sound close to early ‘80s Cabaret Voltaire. Sunao Inami himself has been featured two times already on our free charity download compilations, including on “Face The Beat: Session 6”.

The live recording and concert itself is their personal tribute to Richard H. Kirk from Cabaret Voltaire.

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 Chris Carter) Out on 28 January 2022 via The Grey Area (Mute) is the reissue of the 1979 album “The Bridge” by Thomas Leer And Robert Rental. This new reissue will be available on limited edition white vinyl and CD, both featuring new sleevenotes.

The reissue of Leer and Rental’s sole collaboration will coincide with “From The Port To The Bridge”, an exhibition detailing the duo’s work and legacy, due to run at The Horse Hospital in London from 21 January through to 10 February 2022.

Discovered by Throbbing Gristle

Thomas Leer and Robert Rental, both from Port Glasgow in Scotland, were at the vanguard of a DIY electronic scene that went on to influence and inform the 80s synth-pop movement. After self-releasing two solo 7” singles, they came to the attention of Throbbing Gristle and signed to their label, Industrial Records. Their one and only collaboration, “The Bridge”, was originally released in 1979, the first non-TG / associated release for the label.

Recorded at Rental’s home over two intense weeks using equipment provided by Throbbing Gristle (with only rudimentary explanation of how to use it), their album was cited by a number of electronic musicians at the time, including John Foxx, Matt Johnson (The The) and ABC.

Listen to “Monochrome Days”.

The late Robert Rental retired from the music industry

Robert Rental (who sadly died in 2000), went on to collaborate with The Normal – Daniel Miller and Rental’s live album, “Live at West Runton Pavilion, 6-3-79”, was released in 1980 by Rough Trade. Rental also released a single on Mute, “Double Heart” / “On Location” in 1980 and produced music for the Comic Strip’s “A Fistful of Traveller’s Cheques”, before retiring from the industry.

Thomas Leer continued to release music

Thomas Leer went on to release albums on Cherry Red and Arista, formed Act with Claudia Brücken (formerly of Propaganda) in the late 80s who released on Trevor Horn’s ZTT label. After a hiatus, he re-emerged with a series of releases from 2001, and currently lives in Greenock.

About The Grey Area

The Grey Area was founded in 1990 to restore and reissue albums by important and influential artists, initiated by catalogue deals between Mute and Throbbing Gristle, Can and Cabaret Voltaire.

The label went on to be the home for the catalogues of DAF, Virgin Prunes, SPK, Swell Maps, Dome, The Radiophonic Workshop and The Hafler Trio as well as key early works by Wire, Buzzcocks and Einstürzende Neubauten.

Dormant for a few years during the 2000s, The Grey Area emerged again quietly in 2013 with the re-release of Cabaret Voltaire’s Virgin period work, Richard H. Kirk’s solo work, the Sandoz catalogue and a new agreement with Throbbing Gristle.

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

Shocking news reaches us from the Cabaret Voltaire headquarters. In an update on the band’s official Facebook page this afternoon the band and its label Mute records announce the sad news that Richard H. Kirk (born on 21 March 1956) is no more.

The news update reads like this: “It is with great sadness that we confirm our great and dear friend, Richard H. Kirk has passed away. Richard was a towering creative genius who led a singular and driven path throughout his life and musical career. We will miss him so much. We ask that his family are given space at this time.”

Richard H(arold) Kirk specialised in electronic music since the 1970s. He was best known as a member of the influential industrial music band Cabaret Voltaire, formed in 1973. His first release as a solo artist, Disposable Half-Truths, was released in 1980 and he maintained a career as a solo artist alongside Cabaret Voltaire until the band’s dissolution in 1994

He reformed the band in 2014 as the sole remaining member, performing sporadically with all-new material more akin to his solo work than the output of the original incarnation of Cabaret Voltaire.

During the 1990s his solo output increased considerably. Kirk’s works explored multiple types of electronic/dance music under many pseudonyms. His prolific work resulted in AllMusic calling him contemporary techno’s busiest man. He released projects under his own name and as part of various groups, including Sweet Exorcist. He used a ton of aliases including but not limited to Agents With False Memories, Al Jabr, Anarchia, Biochemical Dread, Blacworld, Chemical Agent, Citrus, Cold Warrior, Countzero, Dark Magus, Destructive Impact, Dr. Xavier, and so on and so on.

You can read an interview that Side-Line’s S. Froidcoeur had with him right here.

Rest In Peace Richard, our sincere condolences to friends and family.

About Cabaret Voltaire

Cabaret Voltaire were an English music group formed in Sheffield in 1973 and initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk, and Chris Watson. The group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, the Zürich nightclub that served as a centre for the early Dada movement.

The early work of Cabaret Voltaire consisted primarily of experimentation with DIY electronics and tape machines, as well as Dada-influenced performance art, helping to pioneer industrial music in the mid-1970s. Finding an audience during the post-punk era, they integrated their experimental sensibilities with dance and pop styles. They are often characterized as among the most innovative and influential electronic groups of their era.

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

Cabaret Voltaire has shared a new track, “Billion Dollar”, taken from the “Shadow Of Funk” EP, out February 26 on digital platforms. The new EP follows the 2020 album “Shadow Of Fear”, Cabaret Voltaire’s first release with Richard H. Kirk as the sole member of the band.

This new 3-track EP is a companion piece to the album and shows a harder side reflecting the album’s live performance. “Shadow Of Fear” and the “Shadow Of Funk” EP are interconnected and part of a series of 4 releases that continue into the spring with the release of two drone albums.

The first of these, a 50-minute piece entitled “Dekadrone”, is due out March 26. The second, and final release in the series, the 64-minute piece “BN9Drone”, will be released on April 23.

Originally active between 1973-1994, Cabaret Voltaire featured Chris Watson until 1981 and Stephen Mallinder until 1994. The group was inactive for 20 years until – with Kirk as the sole remaining member – the 2014 performance at Berlin’s Atonal festival.

You can view the video for “Billion Dollar” 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

Genre/Influences: Electronic, Experimental, Cinematographic, Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Cabaret Voltaire is back with the first new studio album since “The Conversation” (1994). Richard H. Kirk remains the single member of the legendary Sheffield (UK) formation. Cabaret Voltaire belongs to the pioneers of Electronic music and remained an influential project throughout the years while Richard H. Kirk focused on other music projects

Content: Cabaret Voltaire’s new opus sounds diversified, mixing good-old sound treatments and arrangements with new ideas. Richard H. Kirk can look back to a serious discography; he experimented with multiple styles and influences and that comes through at this album. The tracklist has been progressively built up from accessible Experimental cuts driven by slow beats towards more danceable cuts, which you can hear in the final part of the work. From Electro-Wave to funky sequences and from Electro-Ambient to Trance passages, this work covers an impressive sonic canvas. The vocals have been replaced by spoken samplings.

+ + + : The name Cabaret Voltaire was directly taken from the legendary place where the artistic movement called ‘Dadaism’ was created. It was a kind of anarchistic arts movement without that much restrictions or rules. And that’s precisely what I experienced listening to “Shadow Of Fear”. Richard H. Kirk is just doing his thing; it remains Cabaret Voltaire for the great effects, fragmented samplings and some of the bass lines, but some songs are also harder and more danceable. “Vasto” is an absolute masterpiece driven by transcendental sequences. It’s the kind of song confirming the genius of Richard H. Kirk who remains a visionary artist. I also have to mention “Universal Energy”, which progressively builds up to a total climax.

– – – : The first part of the album is not as exciting although revealing great sound treatments and impressive effects. This is not a new “The Crackdown” or “Micro-Phonies”, but just a cool album you have to place in the right context; we’re no longer in the 80s, this is 2020!

Conclusion: Speaking for myself I consider Cabaret Voltaire as one of the most creative and visionary Electronic bands in history. This project always has had something unmatched, which is again confirmed with the new work!

Best songs: “Vasto”, “Universal Energy”, “Papa Nine Zero delta United”, “The Power Of Their Knowledge”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/CabaretVoltaireOfficial

Label:  www.mute.com / www.facebook.com/muterecords  Read the news on ‘Shadow Of Fear’.

About Cabaret Voltaire

Cabaret Voltaire formed in Sheffield, UK, in 1973, among the earliest British acts working with electronics, tape manipulation and sampling. Founding members Richard H. Kirk, Chris Watson and Stephen Mallinder recorded at their own Western Works studio; Watson left in 1981, and Mallinder departed after 1994’s “The Conversation”, the last album before the group went inactive for two decades.

Kirk revived Cabaret Voltaire as a solo vehicle in 2014, debuting the new incarnation at the Berlin Atonal festival and developing further material for live performance across subsequent European shows. “Shadow Of Fear”, recorded at Western Works and released via Mute on 20 November 2020, is the first Cabaret Voltaire studio album in over 20 years.

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 a brand new track by Cabaret Voltaire. “Billion Dollar” is taken from the “Shadow Of Funk” EP, out on 26 February 2021. The new EP follows 2020’s album “Shadow Of Fear”, Cabaret Voltaire’s first release with Richard H. Kirk as the sole member of the band.

Listen to “Billion Dollar” below.

“Shadow Of Fear” and the “Shadow Of Funk” EP are interconnected and part of a series of 4 releases that continue into the Spring with the release of 2 drone albums. The first of these, a 50-minute piece entitled “Dekadrone”, is due out on 26 March 2021. The second, and final release in the series, the 64-minute piece “BN9Drone” is released on 23 April 2021.

Kirk explains the following regarding his inspiration for the new material: “The current situation didn’t have much of an influence on what I was doing – all the vocal content was already in place before the panic set in – but maybe due to my nature of being a bit paranoid there are hints in there about stuff going a bit weird and capturing the current state of affairs.”

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: Experimental, electronics.

Background/Info: Behind The Anti Group (TAG) is hiding Adi Newton. He was previously involved in The Future and later on created Clock DVA. Together with S.J. Turner he set up TAG as a project of multi-media research & development active in different areas. Several members have been involved in the project, but Adi Newton always remained the ‘supervisor’. This work brings a nice selection of tracks that were originally composed during the 80s and 90s.   

Content: This album is a perfect opportunity to re-discover the experimental approach of TAG, and also a more intelligent sound, which clearly was the basis to Clock DVA. One of the tracks (cf. “Big Sex”) clearly inspired one of the most famous Clock DVA cuts. I’m sure you’ll recognize the samplings. The debut part of the album is definitely experimental while the last part became more sophisticated.  

Both last songs are attention grabbers as they are remixes by Richard H. Kirk (Cabaret Voltaire), which have been produced and developed this year by Adi Newton. 

+ + + : First of all this release reveals a great DVD digipak format including a 16 page booklet. But this album is also a perfect opportunity to get back to the particular sonic universe of this group. The album reflects the experimental spirit of the 80s next to the sound genius of Adi Newton, which totally emerged during his Clock DVA period. The sophisticated format clearly appears during the last tracks. I recommend listening to “Morpheus Baby”, “Big Sex” and “Broadcast Test – Transmission 1”. The remix of “Zulu” by Richard H. Kirk is another great piece of music.

– – – : Some of the most experimental cuts sound like pure improvisation and aren’t my favorite part of the TAG.

Conclusion: Bringing TAG to life is a real great idea to rediscover a somewhat forgotten treasure from the 80s, but still a way to rediscover the genius of Ady Newton. He according to me remains one of the Godfathers of intelligent electronic music!

Best songs: “Big Sex”, “Morpheus Baby”, “Broadcast Test – Transmission 1”, “Zulu – Dub Remix produced by Adi Newton from Richard H. Kirk Remix Version”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: https://armcomm.co.uk / www.facebook.com/adi.newton

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

About The Anti Group

The Anti Group Communications (T.A.G.C.), also known as The Anti Group, is an avant-garde art and music project from Sheffield, England, founded in 1978 by Adi Newton and Steven Turner as a spin-off from the industrial band Clock DVA. It operates as an open-membership collaborative researching psychoacoustics across sound, film, video and performance, often accompanied by liner notes explaining the theoretical basis of its recordings.

The group’s discography includes “The Delivery” (1985), “Digitaria” (1986) and “Burning Water” (1994). T.A.G.C. disbanded in 1996; Adi Newton revived the project in 2009 with new releases and live performances.

“4×12” gathers tracks composed during the 80s and 90s, including two closing remixes by Richard H. Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire produced and developed by Newton for this release.

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 industrial new wave cult act Cabaret VoltaireE have announced the first-ever vinyl release of “Methodology ’74-’78. Attic Tapes”, which collates the band’s early recordings. Out on December 6, the 7-piece clear vinyl box set is available right here in a limited edition of 500 units worldwide and comes with an art print signed by Richard H. Kirk.

Listen to the “Methodology ’74-’78. Attic Tapes” of their classic track “Nag Nag Nag” below.

The release charts the development of Cabaret Voltaire starting from their early experimental period of ’74/’75. The package contains recordings made during the same period as those featured on the recently reissued album, “1974-76”, originally released on Industrial Records.

It features the original recordings of tracks such as “Nag Nag Nag”, “No Escape”, “The Set Up”, “Baader Meinhof”, “Here She Comes Now” and “Do The Mussolini (Headkick)”, all of which were later re-recorded with new equipment and released by Rough Trade in the late ’70s.

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

The cult act Cabaret Voltaire have announced the release of their 1979 soundtrack, “Chance Versus Causality”, which will be available officially for the first time since the film’s release. “Chance Versus Causality” will be out on limited edition transparent green vinyl, CD and digital formats on August 30 via Mute.

On the same day, “1974-76” will get its first vinyl release. The album, originally released on cassette via Industrial Records in 1980, was reissued on CD by The Grey Area of Mute (a division of Mute dedicated to reissues) in 1992 and will be available on limited edition transparent orange double vinyl and digital formats. “1974-76” is a selection of material recorded by Cabaret Voltaire in their formative years. Recorded in Chris Watson’s attic on a domestic reel-to-reel tape recorder, a number of the recordings were included in the now legendary limited edition cassette released by the band in 1976.

The lost “Chance Versus Causality” tapes

“Chance Versus Causality” was recorded in 1979 as the soundtrack for director Babeth Mondini’s film of the same name. The band originally met Mondini at the infamous Brussels Plan K show which saw Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire and William Burroughs share a bill, and soon after, Mondini asked them to create the soundtrack for her film.

The soundtrack was recorded live by the original Cabaret Voltaire line up – Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson – at the band’s Western Works studio with no prior knowledge of the film or instruction from the director.

Only one copy of the soundtrack existed on 2 reels of tape that were sent to Holland for inclusion in the split-screen 16mm film which was given a limited release and never even seen by the band. Around 15 years ago, the tapes were returned to Cabaret Voltaire and only recently resurfaced during discussions with Mute. The artwork for “Chance Versus Causality” was executed by Richard H. Kirk and Phil Wolstenholme.

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

Richard H. Kirk is a world-wide recognized artist who started his ‘career’ in the 70s! He of course will always be linked to Cabaret Voltaire, which is considered by numerous music lovers as an electronic/industrial pioneer. Next to Cabaret Voltaire, Richard H. Kirk has been involved in multiple projects (Sandoz, Electronic Eye, Acid Horse, Biochemical Dread…) and worked with numerous artists. He this year released a new album (cf. “Dasein”) under his own name and on his own label Intone. Richard accepted answering a few questions about this new work.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Richard, you’ve released an endless list of productions featuring songs & albums, which entered into history so what does your newest opus “Dasein” mean to you?

Richard: It’s about the world we live in today. Too fast, too violent, too much reliance upon technology, and social media and it’s about my place in that world. It’s about the lack of spirituality, and the manipulation of people by religious organisations… It’s also about the idea of living for now, as we are not immortal (yet).

Q: Did you’d some specific ideas, concept or a kind of guiding line in mind when starting the writing of Dasein?

Richard: Not really, but as world wide events unfolded over the years during the making of the album, the narrative presented itself and could not be avoided. Syria/Russia/Trump/North Korea and, of course, Brexit and the sorry state of affairs in my own country which is in a state of permanent austerity – a cruel ideology and completely unnecessary. The shift to right wing and fascist ideas in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Q: “Dasein” sounds a bit to me as a sonic summary of your work; moving from pure vintage electro (80s) experiments to groovy and danceable passages. What’s your own feeling about this work and what did you try to accomplish?

Richard: Just a progression of different ways of working, using both old and new technology, and to give something that can’t be achieved by computer programs – my own voice and guitar playing.

Q: I think you’re one of those artists dealing with a real ‘sound DNA’ a listener directly recognize and, which is also unique. What does it say about your perception of sound research and-creation?

Richard: I’ve been making music / sound for over 40 years and have learnt a lot along the way, but really I work instinctively and don’t think about things too much before entering the studio.

Q: Composing electronic music seems quite easy today; you just need a few software programs to make music, but in the end most of the productions sound all the same. What’s your perception of this evolution and the new techniques?

Richard: I agree. Too much music is being made just because people can. It’s too easy and a lot of it sounds the same. Really, the technology is not that important to me. What you need is an idea and it should come from the heart and soul.

Q: You’re into music since the late 70s so how do you look back and analyze your evolution as musician throughout the years? 

Richard: I leave that to other people, self analysis is never a good idea. I just carry on and follow where my instinct leads. Holger Czukay of Can, who sadly passed away recently said many years ago, ‘always look to the past or the future for your inspiration in music, never take too much influence from what’s going on in the present’. Or words to that effect.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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: Experimental, electronics. 

Background/Info:  Sheffield based Richard H. Kirk entered into history as founding member and creative spirit behind the legendary Cabaret Voltaire. Active since the late 70s Richard H. Kirk now released his first solo-album since “Reality Is Opposite”.

Content: Time has no real impact on the creation and sound of Kirk. “Dasein” sounds a bit like a contemporary version of Cabaret Voltaire. You’ll rapidly recognize similar arrangements, vintage sound treatments, industrial guitar play, saxophone intrusions and tons of effects, samplings and other sonic manipulations. Richard H. Kirk remains a creative spirit who makes no compromises, but simply exorcised his very own music ideas.

But “Dasein” is not only into Cabaret Voltaire reminiscences; you’ll also discover more contemporary tracks carried by groovy sequences and even EBM bass lines. Most of the tracks are instrumentals, but you now and then also will hear vocal lines.

+ + + : Richard H. Kirk hasn’t lost his initial spirit to create an experimental and intelligent work. He remains a very unique and visionary artist. “Dasein” still has that good-old avant-garde touch emerging from the songs. It also is an album that gets back to the early, experimental roots of the artist, but mixed with more contemporary elements he experiences with during the early millennium years. The opening cuts of “Dasein” will definitely appeal for the fans of Cabaret Voltaire; great vintage electronics mixed with industrial/abstract guitar playing and a maelstrom of effects.

– – – : There’s a kind of hiatus between the debut songs and the second part of the album, which becomes more groovy. It however remains in the truly spirit of the Richard H. Kirk sound-DNA so you don’t hear me complaining.

Conclusion: I’m always grateful when a pioneer like Richard H. Kirk is showing the path to follow to younger generations. This album stands for intelligence and the creative spirit of a genius who doesn’t care about fashion trends and established standards. “Dasein” is a great work and I dare to say an essential album in the late career of this musician.

Best songs: “Nuclear Cloud”, “Let’s Jack”, “Lear Jet”, “Do It Right Now”, “20 Block Lockdown”.

Rate: (8½).

Band & Label: www.richardhkirk.com / www.facebook.com/richard.h.kirk.5

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