Celebrating its 30th year, Audioglobe, the most important distributor in the darkwave scene, just shared a statistical review, revealing the shifts and trends in the darkwave (and related) music genre.

Our readers will surely remember that we have reported on these stats for years, until 2018, the first year that Audioglobe didn’t communicate these stats. Sebastian Koch from Audioglobe explains: “Some customers never really cared that much about these, as they have better things to do than reading boring mails from the undersigned. But… Surprisingly there are quite a high number of customers, that sort of ‘complained’ about the fact, that no stats were being done any longer… The reason is: I was simply always far too busy in past years. Anyway: Here we go with the first new stats since 2017!”

So here are some export facts.

Top 10 Bestselling Labels of 2023 (export)

1. FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET
   • She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…
2. METROPOLIS
   • Birthday Massacre, Delerium, Front Line Assembly, A Projection, KMFDM, Legendary P.D…
3. ICY COLD/MANIC DEPR.
   • Twin Tribes, Je T’aime, Traitrs, Kill Shelter, Closed Mouth, Talk to Her, Schonwald…
4. ALFA MATRIX
   • Alien Vampires, Front 242, Metroland, Die Robo Sapiens, Elm, 808 Dot Pop, Helalyn Flowers…
5. RUSTBLADE
   • Claudio Simonetti, Ennio Morricone, Lycia Lunch, Spiritual Front, Ketvector, Legendary Pink D…
6. OUT OF LINE
   • Blutengel, Hocico, Solitary Experiments, Suicide Commando, Signal Aout42, Erdling…
7. TRISOL
   • Sopor Aeternus, Rome, Clan of Xymox, Asp, Ostara, Skinflicks, Nachtmahr, Mantus, Soman…
8. DEPENDENT
   • Kirlian Camera, Girls Under Glass, Spectra*Paris, Mildreda, Black Nail Cabaret, Beborn Beton…
9. ARTOFFACT
   • Actors, Noise Unit, cEvin Key, Kaelan Mikla, Ploho, Sacred Skin, Kauan, Ken Mode, Spectres…
10. AUERBACH
    • Spiritual Front, Sol Invictus, Tenhi, Moon and the Night Spirit, Haavard, Hekate, Orplid…

Best Export Territories of 2023

If we look at the Audioglobe stats, we notice that Germany and Greece remain the company’s strongest markets, continuing a trend that has been consistent for ages. However, the 2023 statistics reveal some notable shifts.

Canada, once a prominent market for Audioglobe, has surprisingly disappeared from the export landscape. In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom have re-emerged as significant territories, marking their return to prominence in the darkwave music scene after several years.

The most unexpected development in 2023 is the rise of Australia as a key market. This growth stands in stark contrast to Switzerland, which, despite its affluence, has seen a sharp decline in sales. Sebastian Koch adds: “The (by far!) lowest sales of all countries where we export to, was to Switzerland… The rich Swiss don’t buy records! Since I left the country (1990), something is wrong back home!”

Here is the top 10 list of export territories:

1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. USA
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. Russia
10. Poland

Not in the top 10, but France, Japan, Malta, Brazil, Sweden, Mexico, and Perù are also good export territories for Audioglobe.

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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Out now via SkyQode is “Dval Canvas”, the third full-length album by the Colombian darkwave bands, Antiflvx.

The band says that ”’Dval Canvas’ is a journey through the duality of the human being, a journey through black and white, through lights and shadows, through love and pain. Seamlessly blending coldwave and darkwave, it weaves a spellbinding tapestry, enriched by the emotive depths of the somber vocals.”

The album comprises 12 tracks, including singles like “Manuscrito”, “Hilos”, “Hacia La Niebla”, and “Silueta de Luz”. In addition to the solo tracks, “Dval Canvas” features collaborations with Viviana Rodríguez (Agatha I), Camila Valencia (Ambivalencia), Eva Red (Red Apple Cvlt) and Ana Gartner.

Below is a lyric video for “Hacia la Niebla (feat. Viv)”.

Antiflvx was started in 2016 by Camilo Alfonso and Leonardo Jaime, who is also the founder and songwriter of the EBM project Resistor. They have released two full-length albums and shared the stage with artists such as Two Witches, Selofan, Minuit Machine, Hante and Void Vision, among others. Antiflvx has also appeared in the Netflix Series “Diablero Season 2” at the end of a chapter with the song “Against All Odds”.

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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Editors note: We completely distance ourselves from the Russian band Ploho on this line-up. They have have done nothing to express their support for the Ukrainian people or to condemn the cruel and unwanted invasion in Ukraine, on the contrary. The organisors of the festival have been made aware of our view on this.

The Greek darkwave and post-punk music lovers are in for a treat as the Death Disco Athens Open Air Festival 2023 announces its line-up. Set to take place at the Technopolis City of Athens on Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23, the two-day event will showcase 14 bands across two stages.

The festival opens on Saturday, July 22, with a diverse roster of acts, including VNV Nation, The Soft Moon, Selofan, Rue Oberkampf, Ploho, Kalte Nacht, and Youth Valley. On Sunday, July 23, the event continues with headliners The Sisters of Mercy, followed by performances from She Past Away, ACTORS, Absolute Body Control, Mecano Un-Ltd., Mechanimal, and Data Fragments.

Located at 100 Piraeus Street, the Technopolis City of Athens is easily accessible by metro, trolley, and bus. To reach the venue, festival-goers can take the Blue Line (Line 3) to the Kerameikos station, trolley No. 21 from Omonoia station to Fotaerio Stop, or any of the following bus lines: No. 049, 815, 838, 914, Β18, and Γ18.

Tickets for the Death Disco Athens Open Air Festival 2023 are now available for pre-sale. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit www.athens-technopolis.gr or call (+30) 213 0109300 or 213 0109324. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to experience some of the best live music in the heart of Athens.

Here is the list of all bands playing:

• The Sisters Of Mercy
• VNV Nation (Do also check out this VNV Nation interview.)
• She Past Away
• The Soft Moon
• Actors
• Absolute Body Control
• Mecano Un.Ltd
• Selofan
• Ploho
• Rue Oberkampf
• Kalte Nacht
• Mechanimal
• Youth Valley
• Data Fragments

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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Genre/Influences: Cold-Wave, Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Letten 94 is a Swiss duo driven by Dolorès and Freddy Van Ballast. The “Empty Landscapes”-EP was released by the end of 2021 and features four tracks.

Content: Letten 94 takes us back to the minimalism of Cold/Dark-Wave. It sounds pretty 80s like, the songs being composed with electronics and guitar while the sound of a good-old rhythm-box only accentuates the retro-feeling.

+ + + : This EP will appeal for lovers of bands like Selofan, Linea Aspera ao. The icy sound treatments have something magic. It also comes through by the production of the vocals revealing sexy, cold, female vocals and passionate male vocals reminding me of Chris Corner (IAMX). The title song is a great opener but I personally prefer “Where No One Goes” and the excellent “Red Lights Soft Skins” which is pure passion. It’s also cool to get an EP featuring 4 different songs from a high quality level.

– – – : I regret this is an EP and not an album; I want more stuff like this.

Conclusion: Letten 94 took me by surprise; this is a great debut release revealing efficient vintage Electro-Wave music.

Best songs: “Red Lights Soft Skins”, “Where No One Goes”, “Empty Landscapes”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/letten94

Label: www.coldtransmission.com / www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

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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Out on March 24th is “A Wound of Love”, a brand new single from Colombia’s coldwave / darkwave duo Antiflvx. “A Wound of Love” is another track taken from Antiflvx’s upcoming third album which will be released on SkyQode.

The track shows the band’s trademark approach of creating somber and melodic songs blending darkwave and synthpop. Apart from the title track, the single includes a non-album track “Manuscrito” and a remix by Expiring Time.

You can download the 3-track single below.

Antiflvx was started in 2016 by Camilo Alfonso and Leonardo Jaime, who is also the founder and songwriter of the EBM project Resistor. They have released two full-length albums and shared the stage with artists such as Two Witches, Selofan, Minuit Machine, Hante and Void Vision, among others. Antiflvx has also appeared in the Netflix Series “Diablero Season 2” at the end of a chapter with the song “Against All Odds”.

Here’s the official music video for “A Wound of Love”.

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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Out since May 28th is the download single “Hilos” by the Colombian coldwave / darkwave duo Antiflvx. It’s the band’s first release after signing with the fine electro label SkyQode in April.

“Hilos” is a brand new track taken off their upcoming third, as of yet untitled album, and showcases the duo’s signature melodic blend of coldwave and darkwave with emotional deep male vocals in English and Spanish. The single also features remixes by two Russian bands – X-Bat (darkwave / synthpop) and Monowaves (synthwave).

Check it out below or buy here.

Antiflvx was started in 2016 by Camilo Alfonso and Leonardo Jaime, who is also the founder and songwriter of the EBM project Resistor. They have released two full-length albums and shared the stage with artists such as Two Witches, Selofan, Minuit Machine, Hante and Void Vision, among others. Antiflvx has also appeared in the Netflix Series “Diablero Season 2” at the end of a chapter with the song “Against All Odds”.

Here’s a video that comes with the release.

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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Genre/Influences: Gothic, wave-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Ronny Moorings is back on track unleashing a new EP from his Clan Of Xymox band. “Lovers” features the title song plus three remixes and an updated version of the ‘old’ song “Going Round”. 

Content: “Lovers” is dark, but catchy song driven with an elevating chorus. Remixes have been accomplished by Hante, Actors and Selofan. “Going Round 2020” is easily recognizable, remaining a cool retro cut for the dancefloors.

+ + + : There’s an interesting duality on this EP. “Lovers” is the right title track for an EP because of its catchy touch and solid, melodic chorus. “Going Round 2020” is definitely old-styled, but still danceable. It also has a great sensual touch on top. Both songs have been composed in different decades, and are clearly revealing atmospheres, but both are danceable! Among the remixes I especially want to mention the great job accomplished by Hante. This remix makes me think of an imaginary dungeon of love and pain… Hante transposed the original edit into something completely different, and I t’s an impressive work.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of the Actors and especially Selofan (which is a band I particularly like for their retro-style).

Conclusion: “Lovers” maybe isn’t the darkest and best song ever composed by Ronny Moorings although it remains a catchy, melancholic piece.

Best songs: “Lovers – Hante. Remix”, “Lovers”, “Going round 2020”.

Rate: (7½).

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

Labels: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords / www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol-Music-Group/104166526285471

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 biggest distributor for the industrial electro scene, Audioglobe, has announced its Top 10 in best selling industrial music labels. The numbers were already out there for the labels to look at it, but here they are also for the regular fans. Note that with 2018, Audioglobe also enters it’s 25th year of existance as the distributor set up shop on 6 December 1993. We will of course have a big extended interview and more with Sebastian Koch regarding this great achievement in a very tough market.

But now the numbers many of you have been waiting for!

The Top 3

First the Top 3. The number 1 label in sales is Trisol which has bands such as Clan of Xymox, Rome, Project Pitchfork, Sopor Aeternus, Nachtmahr, Rotersand, Asp, Mantus etc. under contract. The second label in the list is the Belgian based Alfa Matrix which nurtures the talent of Front 242, Underviewer, Daniel B Prothèse, Metroland, Alien Vampires, Ayria, Leatherstrip, Psy’Aviah, Kant Kino and so many other acts. Note that this label also has a very strong e-shop presence (direct sales are not included in this Top 10 list). The 3rd label is Out Of Line with Blutengel, Combichrist, Hocico, Solar Fake, Heimataerde, Unzucht, Solitary Experiments. Also this label has an own e-shop.

The rest of the Top 10

The 4th label is Fabrika/Dead Scarlet (She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…) followed by ArtOfFact (Legend, Frontline Assembly, Haujobb, Psyche, Noise Unit, Dead When I found her, Pankow…) and Metropolis (Birthday Massacre, Aesthetic Perfection, God Module, Lords of Acid, Skinny Puppy, Delerium…). The 7th place is occupied by Rustblade (Morricone, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Leaether Strip, Lydia Lunch, Legendary Pink Dots, Merzbow…). Also Dependent is still in the Top 10, namely on spot 8 with their label roster (Covenant, Mesh, Pride & Fall, Beborn Beton, Seabound, Encephalon, Frontline Assembly, Clicks..). Place 9 and 10 finally are for Manic Depression (Winter Severity Index, Ash Code, Schonwald, Box and the Twins, Sjoblom, Dear Deer…) and Undo (Marsheaux, Girl One and the Grease Guns, Mesh, Fotonovela, OMD, Nikonn, Mikro, Vienna, Liebe…).

And on spot 11 and 12…

2 labels didn’t make the Top 10, namely Hall Of Sermon (Lacrimosa, Snakeskin, Black Moon Secret, Eyes Shut Tight) and Infacted (NamNamBulu, Grendel, Torul, Reaper, Frozen Plasma, Ruined Conflict, Orange Sector, Syntec…). Both labels ended on place 11 and 12.

Here’s the complete list again. The bands next to the label are listed in order of sales results/total turnover per band in 2017 via Audioglobe.

01 TRISOL (Clan of Xymox, Rome, Project Pitchfork, Sopor Aeternus, Nachtmahr, Rotersand, Asp, Mantus…)
02 ALFA MATRIX (Front 242, Underviewer, Daniel B Prothèse, Metroland, Alien Vampires, Ayria, Leatherstrip…)
03 OUT OF LINE (Blutengel, Combichrist, Hocico, Solar Fake, Heimataerde, Unzucht, Solitary Experiments …)
04 FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET (She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…)
05 ARTOFFACT (Legend, Frontline Assembly, Haujobb, Psyche, Noise Unit, Dead When I found her, Pankow…)
06 METROPOLIS (Birthday Massacre, Aesthetic Perfection, God Module, Lords of Acid, Skinny Puppy, Delerium…)
07 RUSTBLADE (Morricone, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Leaether Strip, Lydia Lunch, Legendary Pink Dots, Merzbow…)
08 DEPENDENT (Covenant, Mesh, Pride & Fall, Beborn Beton, Seabound, Encephalon, Frontline Assembly, Clicks..)
09 MANIC DEPRESSION (Winter Severity Index, Ash Code, Schonwald, Box and the Twins, Sjoblom, Dear Deer…)
10 UNDO (Marsheaux, Girl One and the Grease Guns, Mesh, Fotonovela, OMD, Nikonn, Mikro, Vienna, Liebe…)
11 HALL OF SERMON (Lacrimosa, Snakeskin, Black Moon Secret, Eyes Shut Tight)
12 INFACTED (NamNamBulu, Grendel, Torul, Reaper, Frozen Plasma, Ruined Conflict, Orange Sector, Syntec…)

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 “Monosynth” compilation offering a selection of analog minimal electro was the very first, now legendary, release on Fabrika in 2011 and it sold out almost immediately. The second part is now ready for ordering (out by mid-March) and again presents you unreleased tracks from an international spectrum of artists, among them some Fabrika signees like She Past Away and Selofan who are joining forces for the first time exclusively for this compilation.

The other artists included are the new Icelandic act Kaelan Mikla, the Mexican cold wave act Rise 1945, the Hungarian minimal electronics of Cipolla Variete, the Greek act Impersonate or Die, the Ukrainian post-punk combo Cold Comfort, the French raw electronic act Noir Boy George, the English Qual (which is actually a Lebanon Hanover sideproject), the new joint-project of Argentinian Volkova with the Croatian artist Lana Popsimonova aka Diktatur, and finally the minimalistic Miami based Nina Belief. 11 tracks in total. Check out the actual track list right here.

This second volume will be pressed in a limited edition of 500 copies and includes a download link and inner sleeve.

Here’s the trailer for the compilation:

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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As we reported already, Selofan , the electro-minimal duo from Athens, Greece will be back with a new album, “Sto skotadi/In the Darkness”, in early March. The album will be released on vinyl (available right here) with inner sleeve including all lyrics and a download link.

Available now is the video for the title track “Sto Skotadi”.

“Sto skotadi/In the Darkness” is the band’s 3rd full length album which the duo has released on Fabrika. The B-side of the album has been been completely recorded with Greek vocals. The band also paid attention to recording all instruments live and all analog. Recorded at their home studio in Athens and mastered by Chris Manolitsis, the man behind most of the famous bands to emerge from the Greek new wave scene of the 80s.

The vinyl version of this album can be ordered now.

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

Selofan , the electro-minimal duo from Athens, Greece is back with a new album, “Sto skotadi/In the Darkness”, in early March. The album will be released on vinyl (available right here) with inner sleeve including all lyrics and a download link.

“Sto skotadi/In the Darkness” is the band’s 3rd full length album which the duo has released on Fabrika. The B-side of the album has been been completely recorded with Greek vocals. The band also paid attention to recording all instruments live and all analog. Recorded at their home studio in Athens and mastered by Chris Manolitsis, the man behind most of the famous bands to emerge from the Greek new wave scene of the 80s.

The vinyl version of this album can be ordered now. You can check the band’s last output, the album “Tristesse” (2015) below to know why this release and band are a must-have. The vinyl version of that album sold out in no time, you are warned.

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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