(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Piston Damp press release) Out today is the brand new single from Piston Damp, a synthpop duo from Norway consisting of Jonas Groth (known as keyboarder in Apoptygma Berzerk and as being Stephan Groth’s little brother) and his friend since childhood, Truls Sønsterud.

Since their debut album, ‘Making The World Great Again’ in 2021, they have released a string of singles, with ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘All The Edges I Can Fall’, leading up to ‘I’m Losing You (A New Tale)’ released November 17th 2023.

The single contains three tracks; a single version and an Extended Remix of the song, and ‘The Day Of Departure (Black Sky Version)’ as a bonus track.

It is still catchy synthpop, this time more up-beat and chorus driven, and with a sound and a beat that is sure to be a winner in their booked and upcoming live gigs in Sweden and Germany, of which there are many!

Live dates Piston Damp

• November 17, 2023: Helsingborg, Sweden
• March 16, 2024: E-Only Festival, Germany
• April 27, 2024: Jönköping, Sweden
• May 4, 2024: Sarpsborg, Norway
• July 19, 2024: Chemnitz, Germany

Listen to the tracks right here!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Techomancer press release. Photos: Tarjei Krogh) Out now is the new album from the Norwegian synthwave act Technomancer a.k.a. Alexandria “Alyxx” Digre (she/her). She debuted with the album ‘System Failure’ in 2013, and now, almost 10 years later, the second album ‘Hyperfuel’ is finally being released!

Originally from the Northern town of Mo I Rana, Norway, Alyxx moved to Sarpsborg in 2014 and had already started working on the album at that point. Realizing that the next album had to be of much higher quality than the debut album, Alyxx started working on honing her production skills, getting plenty of practice on her side projects Zone Tripper and Laboratory 5, as well as doing numerous remixes for bands/artists such as Die Krupps, Nitzer Ebb, Anne Clark, Naked Lunch, Attrition, Robert Marlow (RIP), Apoptygma Berzerk and several others.

After ‘System Failure’, a departure from the former sound was set almost immediately. The sleek futurepop style was cast aside in favour of a heavier influence from the 80’s, with The Sisters Of Mercy providing a strong influence on the new sound. Together with Zone Tripper, Technomancer adopted very much an early synthwave sound which since then has become a signature sound for Alyxx’ productions as a whole. The new album relies heavily on sampled guitars and drum machines to give a much heavier retrowave feeling, which should please fans of synthwave acts such as Dance With The Dead and Scandroid.

The album has been co-produced by Stephan L. Groth (Apoptygma Berzerk) and his brother Jonas Groth (Piston Damp, Apoptygma Berzerk) who both have also provided guest vocals on the album. Frequent collaborator Per Aksel Lundgreen (Angst Pop, Cronos Titan, Chinese Detectives, Shatoo) has also been involved.

Ole-Espen Kristiansen (OK Minus, Elec This!) has mastered the album and also mixed a couple tracks. Ole-Espen has also done mastering and live mixing for Apoptygma Berzerk and Piston Damp.

Wanting to know more about this release, we contacted Alyxx to have some questions answered.

S-L: You’ve gone from furutepop to synthwave – what’s the next step in your evolution?

Alexandria Digre: Well, I really don’t know. I’ve been listening to harder stuff lately. I especially loved REIN’s album, ‘Reincarnated’ and really loved that kind of old school EBM sound making a comeback. I also finally got around to listening to some Nitzer Ebb stuff, especially their legendary ‘That Total Age’ album. Some of my recent demos have been more in the vein of that, combined with some influences from Empirion.

I also saw Sierra in Gothenburg this summer and really loved the harder synthwave sound she had going. I’m definitely still in the synthwave scene and been listening to a lot of stuff there lately, so that might still be an influence going forward. I don’t think the next album will take a decade to make so I also doubt it will be as much of a new direction. But we will see, it all depends on where my writing takes me.

Right now I have some ideas for a new album but nothing solid, as I rarely do in the early stages. I actually wrote a few futurepop/techno tracks at the start of making ‘Hyperfuel’ that ended up not really fitting in, but I might use some of that for the next album if I can find a new sound they would fit in. But so far I’ve been wanting to draw more on early 90s EBM influences like Front Line Assembly and that early EBM sound.

S-L: How has the feedbacks on the album been so far?

AD: Well, even as the singles came out, it was usually positive. But as for the album, it really seems people are loving it. Everyone I’ve sent it to has enjoyed it and hasn’t really had much bad to say about it. Which is both flattering and a bit concerning. I really hope someone really goes into depth on the album at some point. I love praise and knowing people are connecting with the music, but I also love to know where I can improve going forward. After all, ‘Hyperfuel’ wouldn’t be the album it is without the criticism I got from ‘System Failure’.

S-L: You got some covers here – tell us more about how they came to life!

AD: ‘Puppets’ came to life as I was invited to contribute to a Depeche Mode tribute project. I made the original version on my own in my studio and on a journey with Stephan (Apoptygma Berzerk) I played it for him and Per Aksel (Angst Pop) and Stephan really loved what he heard. He not only advised me to release the cover myself, but also allow him to do it together with me. I was floored by the fact Stephan straight up asked to work with me on something, so naturally I agreed.

He spent a few days in his studio recording some additional synth riffs on his Korg MS-20 and recording the vocals, which we then added to the mix. We then spent a while in my studio producing the track with Per Aksel.

So yeah, very glad I didn’t just release it as a tribute album track. It ended up becoming a lot more than that, and I have so many good memories with ‘Puppets’. Only downside is I doubt I could perform it live without Stephan. It wouldn’t feel right, haha!

‘Ecstasy’ was a song I’ve wanted to cover for a long time. I’ve been a fan of Black Lab since I heard their cover of the Transformers Theme from their ‘Technologie’ EP, where ‘Ecstasy’ was also featured. I immediately connected with the song and it has always been my favourite Black Lab track.

‘Ecstasy’ was actually always intended to be on the album. I think it was on the first demo I brought Per Aksel right after I had moved to Sarpsborg. On the demo version, I did all the vocals myself, but I always wanted someone with me on it. Per Aksel suggested Stian Joneid as a candidate, and we also considered Dag Brandth (Shatoo) to do it with me. Honestly, Dag might have been perfect for it, but due to circumstances that never worked out, so I ended up choosing Jonas Groth (Piston Damp) since I was recording my final vocals in his studio for the song and he’s the best singer I know.

Jonas’ vocals really helped bring the song to another level and I am so happy we got to work together on it. Him and Truls Sønsterud did an amazing Piston Damp remix of it by the way that you can find on the single.

‘The Outsider’ was a song I originally did for a Psyche tribute album, ‘Unforgotten Rhymes’. It was also the second music video I did after moving to Sarpsborg, with Per Aksel directing and shooting it. It sort of became the first single from the album actually, featuring the signature sound I would be going for. It’s always been a song I connected with on a personal level, so having it on the album felt natural to me.

S-L: What’s next up for you?

AD: Working on a new Zone Tripper album and some other side projects. Lab5 has been dormant for a while and I am itching to get some of our material out there. Also working on a synthwave project called Neo Hyperdrive together with Hexebyte and Max Static from Lab5. There will also be a 2CD Deluxe Edition of Hyperfuel that will also be available on my Bandcamp. I’ll announce a release date for that later on.

The album was released digitally worldwide on November 4^th 2022, with a Deluxe Edition also available on 2xCD via Sector Industrial (www.sector-industrial.com) and digitally exclusive via the Technomancer Bandcamp, which includes 5 additional tracks and remixes by Machinista, Echo Image, Piston Damp, Substaat and Christian Espeland of Code 64. Release date for the Deluxe Edition will be revealed later.

Get it at Bandcamp along with more of the discography, or have a listen at Spotify!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange) The Danish/Norwegian duo Piston Damp, consisting of Jonas Groth and Truls Sønsterud, released their debut album ‘Making The World Great Again’ today, June 10th. The band was formed in 2000, but remained a hobby project for 20 years until Jonas wrote the song ‘Something in me‘ in 2020, Read more about that and their other singles, ‘Loose Ends‘ and ‘Runaway‘, in our previous articles on Piston Damp.

Now it’s finally album release, and we got some words from the band in between their launch party and the actual release.

Side-Line:  How has the reception of the album been so far?
Jonas Groth: It’s actually been quite overwhelming. We’ve worked hard on this album, and we are definitely happy, but I’m not sure that we expected this reaction. Everything from reviews to interviews, and from social media comments to posts all over the web – everything has been extremely positive.
Truls Sønsterud: We definitely have to catch our breath from time to time and try to cope with everything that is happening everywhere right now. We are really focused on working hard on the promo, but we also manage to enjoy the fact that people actually really like what we have done so far.

 S-L:  The title is obviously a pun of the MAGA slogan we’ve all seen the last 5-6 years – a hope for things getting back to normal again, or something else?
JG: It’s a pun, yes, but the expression is more than 80 years old, and has been used in various settings since WWII. For me, the title (which came before the song) is about trying to calm down a world that has totally lost its groove and rhythm after the Internet came about. With most of the lyrics on the album I’m trying to encourage people to take a stand against the brutal reality of the distance that the so-called “social” media has created. It’s a fact that there has never been more loneliness and social anxiety than there is now, and in my opinion the internet is the main reason for it.

S-L: Happy with the launch party June 5^th? I saw most of it, seemed like a good vibe going on there! 🙂
JG: We had a blast. We still don’t have a record company or a management behind us, so this is all us and our best friends and closest family having fun together. Truls and I have been friends for 25 years and never really had an argument, so this is just great fun.
TS: Yeah, we really enjoyed that. Like Jonas says, we know each other very well, so we make each other good, and we pull the same end of the rope. That helps a lot when we’re planning and going through with these kinds of things in a good way.

S-L: The vinyl release already postponed – someone mentioned December at the launch party?
JG: The vinyl release comes late because there’s a 5–6-month delivery on vinyl now. And we’re doing a double LP which also doesn’t make the process go any faster. If we could have had them at the same time, we would. We expect them to arrive for Christmas.

S-L: Got any live gigs or other plans for the album as the corona restrictions are gradually being lifted?
JG: We haven’t decided on anything yet. We’re still waiting for the world to wake up from its slumber, and hopefully we will be ready for whatever happens. We’d love to play live, and maybe support someone on a tour. We’re open for everything.
TS: We hope to play at least a couple of gigs this fall, but if not we will be all set for whatever comes in 2022. We are working on some new remixes that I guess you will be hearing in a not too distant future, and we have started the working on our live setup. 

Buy or listen to the album at your favorite streaming service (https://orcd.co/aamyvko)!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Sub Culture Records press release) The Danish/Norwegian duo Piston Damp, currently residing in Sarpsborg, Norway, are releasing their debut single on October 16^th. Have a listen at the first track available at Bandcamp at the bottom here!

The duo consists of Jonas Groth and Truls Sønsterud; Jonas being the singer/songwriter/producer, with more than 20 years’ experience from both stages and studios all over the world, mostly connected to his brother, Stephan’s band, Apoptygma Berzerk. He also has
connections to various other acts like Magenta and The Anix. His production partner is Truls; musical arranger/keyboardist/songwriter, connected to various bands since the late 90’s.

Their new track ‘Something In Me’ was written and recorded this summer, with Stephan Groth serving as pre-production supervisor. It is mixed by Ole-Espen Kristiansen (Elec This!) at STUDIO+/-, and mastered by Carlos Perón (ex-YELLO), at Liquid Gold Mastering.
Something In Me also has a version called Noget I Mig with Danish lyrics, and both versions have several remixes (‘Pegboard Nerds Remix’, ‘The Anix Remix’, ‘Technomancer Remix’, ‘Extended 12”
Remix’, and more…).

Tracklist:

1. Something In Me
2. Noget I Mig
3. Another Pain (Blue Hearts Version)
4. Something In Me (Pegboard Nerds Remix)
5. Noget I Mig (Pegboard Nerds Remix)
6. Something In Me (The Anix Remix)
7. Something In Me (Technomancer Remix)
8. Something In Me (Kleinmelker Remix)
9. 9. Something In Me (Extended Remix)

All tracks written by Jonas Groth
Recorded, arranged, produced and programmed by Piston Damp at Brakka Studio, Tveter
All vocals arranged and recorded by Jonas Groth at Love Studio, Greåker
Snare drum on Another Pain by Truls Sønsterud
Tracks 1-3 and 6-9 mastered by Carlos Perón at Liquid Gold Mastering
Tracks 4 and 5 mixed and mastered by Alex “O” at PBN Headquarters, Hamar
Tracks 1-3, 7 & 9 mixed and engineered by Ole-Espen Kristiansen at STUDIO +/-
Track 6 recorded and mixed by The Anix
Track 7 recorded and mixed by Technomancer at The Technomantic Zone
Track 8 recorded and mixed by Kleinmelker
Track 9 remixed by Jonas Groth at Love Studio, Greåker
Final compiling and editing by Tomas Siqveland at Lydmuren. Greåker
Logo and design; Espenoo
Pre-production supervisor; Stephan L. Groth
Production office; Per Aksel Lundgreen
Worldwide digital distribution by Sub Culture Records – “Making everything great again”

UPDATED October 15th: Check their music video!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange. Cover art by Halvor Bodin)
Exactly a month after the previous release ‘Faceless fear‘, Apoptygma Berzerk and Pitch Black Drive Productions followed up on May 1st with another digital compilation, ‘Disarm – A collection of B-Sides & Rarities’. In a busy time working on several projects Stephan Groth found time to elaborate on this release and more, and there’s even releases from his side projects in the pipeline!

Side-Line: The ‘Disarm’ compilation – any major differences as a concept from ‘Faceless Fear’?

Stephan Groth: It is basically the same concept, and a follow up to “Faceless Fear”. We are making rare APOP tracks available on all digital platforms, including the Pitch Black Drive Bandcamp page. We have so many B-sides, rare remixes and even unreleased versions of APOP songs lying around. A while back Per Aksel and I started to compile them and put them together in an album format. Because of the corona virus situation, we finally found the time to realize the project, and we are already working on Vol. 3! 😉

S-L: ‘Kathy’s Song – Litteraturhuset versjon’ is one of the more unexpected tracks here, and as I was present myself the first time it was performed I found it very surprising and pleasing seeing it on the track list.

STP: Yes, the ‘Litteraturhuset versjon’ of ‘Kathy’s Song’ is extremely rare! The song was only performed live once at a very exclusive show in Fredrikstad called “Menneske/Maskin/Musikk”, a concert we did playing only Kraftwerk songs as well as APOP songs in Kraftwerk’ish versions. The ‘Litteraturhuset versjon’ is not a live recording from that show though, but a touched up version of the rehearsal track that Jonas and I would rehearse to before the show.

S-L: The track ‘Disarm’ – never released before, right? Ever played it live?

STP: Correct, it was never released and never played live before.
It was supposed to have been put out many years ago but for some reason it just never happened. So, now was a good time to let people hear it, and the feedback has been great. It seems like people are really appreciating us doing this.

S-L: It took literally just seconds before ‘Disarm’ trumped the original Smashing Pumpkins version IMO. It’s named ‘Alex O. Mix’ – does that imply there’s other versions too? I think the track deserves it’s own single release in multiple versions!

STP: Better than the original, well… I don’t think so, but thanks for the compliment 🙂
It is an amazing song by an amazing band, a song that was very important to me earlier in my life.
There are other versions of Disarm, yes, but I never got around to finish them. Alex Odden (Pegboard Nerds/Drugwar) made this mix years ago, and it only needed a little touch-up before it was ready to be released.

He is an extremely talented producer, someone I will be working more closely with in the future. We just revived our project DRUGWAR, something that you`ll hear more of on the ‘Nein Danke!’ EP, as we did a remix of the song ‘A Battle For The Crown’.

S-L: What’s up next? Lots of plans postponed due to the corona situation?

STP: I have quite a few projects in the works at the moment. I already mentioned Drugwar, and I am also working with Echo Image for some new releases as well as a very interesting project with Mortiis, who I am currently recording with. This project will definitely be on the more experimental side of the electronic music specter, and we will use elements of both bands broad palettes.

There will also be a follow-up EP to the recently digitally released ‘Before You Came Along’ CD-Maxi with Fairlight Children, consisting of previously unreleased mixes from back then, mixes that are way to good to be left on a shelf somewhere.

Now that ‘Rocket Science’ will be released on vinyl for the first time on the same date as the ‘Nein Danke!’ EP, we will also be working on getting ‘You And Me Against The World’ out on 2xLP, hopefully together with yet another brand new EP.
So, we’re not getting bored down here in FRXTA! 😉

Next out is the 12″ and CD of ‘Nein Danke!’ EP, preordering have started in Germany at Poponaut and Infrarot, in US/Canada at The Electric Fox, in Denmark at Braincorp, in Sweden at Hot Stuff, and finally: in Norway at Retro Vinyl in Sarpsborg (phone or e-mail only).
Meanwhile check out the teaser @ Bandcamp!

For more upcoming APOP action:
www.theapboffice.com
www.facebook.com/ApoptygmaBerzerk
www.pitchblackdrive.bandcamp.com

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange. Photos by Tarjei Krogh and Jan Ronald Stange)

An extensive interview with Stephan Groth of Apoptygma Berzerk, about the “Exit Popularity Contest” album release, that’s what we were after and that is what we got! We were accompanied by Per Aksel Lundgreen (ex-member of Apop, currently aiding with the marketing), at Per Aksel’s workplace, the amazingly stuffed Retro Vinyl og CD (recordstore) in Sarpsborg, Norway (September 29th 2016). Note that the album will only be available in physical formats, so get your copy of the very limited cassette, CD or vinyl right here!

SL: What is the background for issuing three 12’’ and finally an album instead of a more usual Apoptygma Berzerk studio album?

Stephan: At the time I started on “Stop feeding the beast” about three years ago, I was in a bubble listening to John Carpenter and similar music, and I wanted to make the same kind of music. I was also somewhat in limbo regarding a new Apop album. I had worked on it for many years already, but both a lack of motivation and a viable alternative from the record industry has made it hard to complete.

SL: You have been critical of Spotify and the use of new media by the music industry?

Yes and no. As an alternative to radio and mixtapes, or as a promotion tool, Spotify is ok. But when is replaces a physical release, that’s when I say “no, no, that does not work!” I find it horrific and sad that today’s kids can’t experience the joy and curiosity of physical releases; to enter a record shop, hold the release in their hands, see the artist photos, read the cover to see who has worked with the music. At the end of the 80s, there were six record shops in Fredrikstad; now there’s just one left in the next city, and that’s where we are now! That’s where we met and discussed music. The physical experience, finding and discovering new music is no longer possible.

And that was much of the idea behind “Stop feeding the beast”. The release should be just like when synth music was released on vinyl, and only available on a physical format, and in limited editions. I wanted to do something exclusive, and it worked well. It culminated with the twelve-inches “Videodrome” and “Xenogenesis”. Then everybody thought it was awesome, and wanted releases on CD, Spotify, etc. But I draw the line at Spotify. I dig vinyl the most, but am also fan of CDs, which is a fantastic format with great sound. My deliberate choice to listen to and buy vinyl again was also part of what started these EPs – to bring back that feeling of how it used to be, the ritual of dusting off the record, turn it half way through, move the needle, and all the other physical things you must do to listen to music.

I have been carried away, raiding second-hand markets, where I always make sure to get at least ONE record I haven’t heard of before. It is okay to discover new stuff on YouTube, but nothing beats the feeling of coming home and playing something you have found on a fleamarket in Sweden. My record collection has tripled in size the past years!

The thought behind limited edition vinyl records was for it to be a small piece of art, something to touch and feel, something that still has value. I too don’t believe that giving away an MP3 file in exchange for an email address is a good promo strategy. The relationship between the value of the music and the “payment” of an email address makes no sense. With a limited edition vinyl record, with extras, such as magnets, flexidiscs and more included, you are guaranteed that the value will not decrease, making it an investment for the buyer. You purchase something of value, to hang on the wall, and which can be resold without a loss. And something more “real” seems more fair to the hardcore fans than an MP3 file, which is worthless.

One thing followed the other during this process, and not until I was almost done with «Xenogenesis» did I realize that everything fit together. I had to sit down with Halvor Bodin (cover designer) to see how we could make it all work in a trilogy format.

With hindsight, I think we’ll find that releasing an album incrementally like this was smart. There was a certain crowdfunding-feel about it, without being crowdfunded. In a way, you are working with the inner core of fans, who get the music early, while the rest read about it and look forward to the CD release. And, nothing has been leaked!

SL: How has this been of inspriration to others?

I’ve had several inquiries from other bands about the equipment and instruments that I use, and how the process has been. It seems I have ignited inspiration in bands in several countries. I too have been inspired lately. I mentioned John Carpenter, and I was lucky to see him live a couple of months ago. And we had Kraftwerk visiting Den Norske Opera in August – 8 concerts in 4 days, more than they had previously played in Norway in the past 25 years.

There are also some old TV series that reuse old sounds, which inspire even further, such as “Stranger Things”. And “The Knick” has an 80s modular, futuristic soundscape. The recent popularity of these series could mean people are interested in the origins of this type of music, rather than that of today. And perhaps take a few steps back to the roots, and find something that has been lost along the way.

The electronic music of today has strayed too far for my taste. Much of it has no longer anything to do with my roots, and many people probably think I am too critical of this. When I have been hard pressed, and asked to clarify what electronic music is to me, I have answered that as long as it has a clear, red line back to Kraftwerk, it is music I can relate to. The further away from the Kraftwerk sound, vibes and vision, the less I understand of it. And Kraftwerk can be a lot – I also love their early prog-releases.

SL: Do fans think you have wandered too much between music genres? Has someone reacted to new directions, missing what used to be?

I have tried on quite a lot, and looking back it’s probably only parts of the future pop period that I am not completely satisfied about. There were too many elements of dance/trance mixed in, and it tainted the genre too much for my taste. The idea might have been good at the time, but now I see that some things were not all good. Some like evolution, others like being retrospective, and others again would rather have a “Welcome to Earth 2”.

“Welcome to Earth” was my “Violator” and the most important record I have released commercially, but I doubt it will ever happen again. You can’t please everyone, there will always be some complaining, but that is only natural and okay. I can feel the same way about bands I like. Even Kraftwerk have had their weak moments, but nothing I would denigrate. In summary it is the genre fans who are more likely to whine and jump ship, rather than the Apop fans. Real fans don’t complain.

SL: An instrumental album is quite different than a «regular» album. Any advantages, disadvantages? And was it to give yourself new challenges?

In a way, it is easier to make – doing only instrumental, rather that needing lyrics, which easily gets trite and mostly used as a filler. It is hardest to make music that has an influence and tells a story without words – you need to tell your story, but also make sure it doesn’t get boring. To get it to add up takes longer time, more build-up, until you get in a mood. Nothing is better when you get in a flow and can let yourself float away.

We had a very long and tiresome «Harmonizer»-tour in our future pop period, going back and forth across continents. When we returned, I realized that ‘I master this expression, and I can’t top it’. Mixed with a breakup and feeling burned out, I lost all interest and motivation, and wanted to do anything but music. I had just had it. What got me going again back then was going back to my roots. I dusted off some old synthesizers, and made the “Fairlight Children” album. Even though it is not an Apop album, it is probably the most important in my career because it gave me the desire to make music again.

That is also the same with the new album; when things become routine I have to make changes and have total freedom to do something new. If that means wearing an Ace Frehley mask and make long, droning synth songs, then that’s the reboot I need to do something exciting again and start a new phase.

SL: Leafing through the album cover reveals fragments of a background story – what is the message or the theme of the album?

♠TP, the dude that made this album, is mentioned in a report inside the cover, written by the psychologist from “Riget” by Lars von Trier. ♠TP has escaped from reality and reinvented himself somewhere else, in another reality, on the other side of the river. It is autobiographical in part, but made more cheerful and fun than my private story at times. ♠TP has moved to a new place, environmentally damaged after too much touring, and can’t wash off the makeup, so he has become his own persona for real. He has moved to a place where people accept him for who he is, and tries to get to know people through his music. By manipulating his own reality he also manages to alter the real reality, and some intelligence agencies become interested and see the potential to use this for military purposes. Then they make the report, that is also an “explanation” of what the songs are about. But not too apparent and detailed – I like that there is plenty room for interpretation and a bit mysterious, not so done served.

I often find that interpretations are both individual and important. I can get feedback that a song has had a special meaning to someone, or has helped someone in a difficult situation, where the listener’s interpretation wasn’t what I meant with that song. Now, I can’t say that is wrong and that I meant something else, but I believe this is part of the art in music; that when passing through the “filter” of the listener, the music can gain new meaning and fit in different situations for different people. Simply beautiful, really. If you google the titles and the content, you get an adventure and a study for almost every song. Many conspiracy theories and interesting topics to discover if you want to and have the time. I started to hint about this on the “Rocket Science” album, and now ♠TP has taken it to a whole new level. And to quote Aphex Twin: “…whether the theories fit or not, they are nonetheless much better entertainment than what comes out of Hollywood”.

You can also enjoy the album without diving into all these details – that’s up to the listener!

This album will only be available in physical formats, so get your copy of the very limited cassette, CD or vinyl!

… but something found its way to the net anyway – enjoy! 😉

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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