Signal Aout 42 &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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.

Signal Aout 42 back with all new single: ‘Memories’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:06:34 +0000

Belgian industrial-electro pioneers, Signal Aout 42, have unveiled their latest single, “Memories”. This track, the third single from their forthcoming album “Ex-Voto”, is now available via the Out Of Line Music label. Fans can anticipate the album’s release on 13th October.

Jacky Meurisse, reflecting on “Memories”, shared, “It’s a homage to those who have passed away but have left an indelible mark on me, shaping the person I’ve become.”

“Ex-Voto” boasts 12 tracks and will be accessible both as a double LP and on CD. Additionally, a fresh T-shirt design will accompany the album.

Tracing back to 1981, Signal Aout 42 was originally conceived as Signal, a casual live improvisation endeavour by school friends Jacky Meurisse, Damien Vandamme, and Luc Vandamme. However, due to a naming clash with a popular local toothpaste brand, they opted for Signal Aout 42. This name references the launch date of the German Wehrmacht’s propaganda magazine, Signal. Despite some misconceptions linking the band to far-right ideologies because of this association, Meurisse has firmly clarified that such assumptions are unfounded. Following a ten-year break, the band re-emerged in the late 2000s.

Discography:

Pro Patria – 1989
Contrast – 1990
Conviction – 1993
Transformation – 2007
Vae Victis – 2010
Inspiration – 2013
Insurrection – 2019

Enjoy their new single below.

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!

Peter Renkens, original frontman of the New Beat cult act The Confetti’s, has passed away

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:27:38 +0000

Sad news, as the news reached us that Peter Renkens, frontman of The Confetti’s, has passed away. He was just 55 years old, the news was confirmed by his former producer Serge Ramaekers.

The Belgian New Beat group The Confetti’s had a massive hit in the late eighties with the song “The Sound of C”, with the band performing on stage with Renkens as singer and frontman accompanied by 4 dancers. Renkens was inspired for the group’s name by the discotheque “Confetti’s” where he worked as a waiter at the time. The song “The Sound of C” was originally created as a publicity stunt for this Antwerp discotheque. But the song became a real hit in the early 1990s.

Their crazy approach, and the long singer’s red Canadian costume, did their work. The brain behind the Confetti’s, the producers, were Serge Ramaekers and Dominic Sas.

The band existed from 1988 until its disbandment in 1992. During that period, The Confetti’s achieved international success with songs like “The Sound of C,” “C’ day,” “C in China,” and “Put ‘m Up”. After the split of the group, Peter Renkens became Mister X (actor/dancer) for a while in a discotheque in Wuustwezel and spent some time in psychiatry.

With the resurgence of 80s and 90s music, the project was revived in 2009. As of 2019, the group had a new show concept, The Confettis 2.0.

What was New Beat?

New Beat was a Belgian electronic dance music genre that fuses elements of new wave, hi-NRG, EBM and hip hop (e.g. scratching). It flourished in Western Europe during the late-1980s and early nineties. New beat spawned a subgenre called “hard beat” (a blend of EBM, new beat and acid house) and became a key influence on the evolution of European electronic dance music styles such as hardcore techno and gabber.

The genre was “accidentally invented” in the nightclub Ancienne Belgique (AB) in Antwerp when DJ Dikke Ronny (literally “Fat Ronny”) played the 45 rpm EBM record “Flesh” by A Split-Second at 33 rpm, with the pitch control set to +8. In addition to A Split-Second, new beat was also heavily influenced by other EBM acts such as Front 242, Signal Aout 42 and The Neon Judgement, as well as new wave acts such as Fad Gadget, Gary Numan, New Order, Nitzer Ebb, Boytronic and Anne Clark.

Psychosomatik – Re/In/Trospective (Album – Psychosomatik)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: French duo Michael Roussel – Frederic Lecieux are already active for numerous years, but didn’t release new stuff on a regular basis. This album features a selection of new songs, remastered old cuts and remixes.

Content: The French project is devoted to retro-EBM and that’s an influence you’ll instantly recognize. The dark style and unpolished production has something pretty 90s like. Some elements in the production are vaguely evoking giant bands such as Front 242 and FLA. The album also reveals 2 instrumental songs revealing a more elaborated approach. Remixes have been made by Signal Aout 42, Destillat, Blut Reaktor and Shane Aungst.

+ + + : If you like vintage EBM and you’ve a preference for the 90s style, Psychosomatik will definitely give you an adrenaline boost. The influences are quite familiar, but the band tries to create an own approach with an extra dark touch on top. “Bullfighter” is a familiar song from the band and still remains one of their best exponents. The spooky, distorted vocals inject an extra dark touch. There’s also something to say about both instrumental edits “State Of Oppression” and “GroundZero”. Among the remixes I’ve to mention the great contributions from Signal Aout 42 and Destillat.

– – – : The rough and unpolished mixing and production sounds a bit amateuristic, but is an essential aspect to get back to this retro-style.

Conclusion: Psychosomatik brings some good-old memories alive, the album mainly appealing for all those who are into rough and unpolished EBM.

Best songs: “Bullfighter”, “State Of Oppression”, “No Time To Lose – Signal Aout 42 Remix”, “Bullfighter – Destillat Remix”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Psychosomatik-official-110573057735813

Implant – Cognitive Dissonance (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, 2CD.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rate: (8).

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

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

Out now – all new Implant album ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ – available in a limited 2CD box edition as well

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:01:00 +0000

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

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

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

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

Cognitive Dissonance (Bonus Tracks Version) by IMPLANT

About Implant

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

Since 2004 Implant is signed to Alfa Matrix for which Len Lemeire has also been mastering quite a lot of releases.

Signal Aout 42 – Insurrection (CD Album – Out Of Line)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 20:00:17 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, new-beat.

Background/Info: Earlier this year Jacky Meurisse struck back with a new full length from his EBM project Signal Aout 42. It all started back in the early 80s, SA42 rapidly becoming a reference when it comes to EBM. The new album is the first one since the “Inspiration”-full length released in 2013.

Content: “Insurrection” makes me think of the songs Meurisse released during the past few years under his own name. It’s an electronic melting pot on, which he remained faithful to the EBM roots of the band –and which is easily noticeable in the solid bass lines and dark sequences, but also got back to his new-beat experience (let’s keep in mind Jacky Meurisse was involved with successful projects such as Amnesia, Pleasure Game ao). “Insurrection” brings the best of new-beat and EBM together. The ultimate song to understand this fusion is “Out Of Control”, which sounds a bit like an adaptation of the famous Amnesia hit “Ibiza”. Signal Aout 42 makes music to dance with the typical deep growls of Jacky Meurisse on top.

+ + + : If there’s one thing Jacky Meurisse is an absolute master it for sure is the sound quality of his work. The power and high tech quality of the sound makes the difference with numerous EBM bands. He is also an expert when it comes to compose solid bass lines merged with haunting atmospheres. But this album is first of all a real challenge on which the artist brings his favorite music genres together. It sounds a bit vintage-like and features multiple potential dancefloor killers.

– – – : If you never liked new-beat this album will be not your cup of tea!

Conclusion: Jacky Meurisse has nothing to prove, but remains a great inspiration for young musicians. Signal Aout 42 has this particular sound-DNA related to EBM with that little new-beat on top! Nothing surprising, but a great piece of music!

Best songs: “Technocra(z)y”, “Out Of Control”, “Insurrection”, “Under Pressure”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .facebook .com /Signal –Aout -42-SA 42-Official -193170830706573

Label: www .outofline .de / www .facebook .com /outoflinelabel

Signal Aout 42 return with ‘Insurrection’ on 7 June 2019 – here’s the album trailer

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 08 May 2019 11:57:55 +0000

Signal Aout 42 (aka Jacky Meurisse) is back with a new album “Insurrection” to be released next month. The release comes 6 years after “Inspiration” and sees this belgian EBM legend focus on all that SA42 has done until today.

You can find the trailer for the album below.

From EBM to New Beat

When they started, back in 1981, Signal Aout 42 (which was at the time simply called Signal) was the project of a bunch of schoolmates (Jacky Meurisse, Damien and Luc Vandamme). What most people don’t know is that the final name refers to the date that Signal, a German propaganda publication in the Second World War, came out. Meurisse would later on also embrace New Beat and work on several projects such as Amnesia, Boris, Pleasure Game, Le Park, DJPC, … that were quite successful at the time.

V/A Awake The Machines Vol. 8 (3CD – Album – Out Of Line)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 19:30:35 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, dark-electro, future-pop, electro-pop, gothic, industrial-rock, industrial-metal.

Background/Info: The latest volume of the Out Of Line compilation “Awake The Machines” brings us 3 CD’s for a total of 45 artists.

Artists: Blutengel, Solar Fake, Rummelsnuff, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Heimataerde, Rave The Reqviem, Fear Of Domination, Davey Suicide, Combichrist, Rabia Sorda, Ost-Front, Solitary Experiments, Melotron, Hocico, Signal Aout 42, Accessory, Dive, Suicide Commando, Amduscia ao.

Content: The first disc is the most eclectic one although more focalized around gothic-inspired formations. The second disc reveals the ‘newest’ direction of the label, which is inspired by metal-related formations. This is an opportunity to discover different bands that aren’t (or not yet) signed to Out Of Line. Finally we get the last disc revealing electronic bands that have made the name and reputation of Out Of Line.

+ + + : This new edition is quite fascinating for its diversity revealing a label, which has seriously enlarged its sonic horizon throughout the years, but especially during the past few years. The tracklist is impressive and confirms the leading status of the label. When a label has bands such as Blutengel, Suicide Commando, Hocico, Dive, Solitary Experiments, Ost-Front, Combichrist, Ordo Rosarius Equilbrio, Client ao flying under their wings you only, but agree this is a major company.

– – – : From a very personal point of view I’m not totally convinced by the metal direction of the label although it clearly will catch the attention of a wider -and different audience. But my main regret is that the familiar bands have been featured with known songs. I even noticed Angels & Agony with a song from 2015!

Conclusion: This is a colossal compilation, which is really interesting if you’re not that familiar with Out Of Line and/or simply you’re a die-hard fan of the Berlin-based label.

Best bands: Blutengel, The Ritualists, Heimataerde, Rave The Reqviem, Rabia Sorda, Solitary Experiments, Massive Ego, Chrom, Dive, Amduscia.

Rate: (7).

Label: www.outofline.de / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

Grandchaos – The Day Disappears Only To Reappear (Vinyl Album –Urgence Disk Records/Lynch Law Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 20:30:12 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, minimal-EBM.

Background/Info: Belgian electro veteran Tcheleskov Ivanovitch can look back at a considerable discography. Being involved with different projects he now gets back to Grandchaos. This album (kind of mini-album) featuring 8 tracks has been released on an artistic picture disc and strictly limited to 300 copies. It has been released by the Swiss label Urgence Disk Records and Belgian label Lynch Law Records.

Content: Grandchaos stands for electronic minimalism, mixing elements of EBM together with early technoid influences. The production has this little vintage touch, which totally fits with the danceable aspect of the work. Tcheleskov sings with this typical grave timbre of voice and with a cool French accent. Some tracks are clearly reminding me of the work of his good-old friend Jacky Meurisse (Signal Aout 42), with whom he’s involved with Grand((Ø))Signal.

+ + + : I remain totally devoted to the minimal creation of Grandchaos. It has this retro-like approach, but with some extra and personal influences on top. Sometimes moving at the edge of techno music and early new-beat, it is the kind of production that will possibly reach a wider range of electronic lovers. I like the sound treatments and most of the bass lines. There also is a spooky touch created by the vocals. Last, but not least the picture disc really is a great piece of art!

– – – : The B-side features a few cuts, which are less convincing; a bit like having composed in a hurry. If you’re familiar with the “Days + Memories”-release(s), you’ll recognize a few cuts.

Conclusion: Grandchaos never has been the most renowned artist from the Belgian community and yet it remains one of the most original and efficient formations in the genre!

Best songs: “I Hope I Die”, “Alone In The Dark”, “The Light In The Mist”, “The Day Reappears”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .grandchaos .be / www .facebook .com /grandchaos

Labels: www.darksite.ch/urgences/urgences /

www .facebook .com /URGENCE –DISK –RECORDS -101329779912757 / http ://lynchlawrecords .com / www .facebook .com /LynchLawRecords

Akalotz – Confront (CD Album – Electro Aggression Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 18:30:53 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: German duo Akalotz is back on track unleashing their second full length. The band deals with ‘pure’ EBM and got very positive reactions on the debut album “Shift To Evil” released on Electro Arc (2014).

Content: “Confront” stands for good-old EBM, which reminds me a bit of early Frontline Assembly mixed with 90s dark body-music elements. It makes me think of a symbiosis between FLA, Front 242 and Signal Aout 42 mixed with a very own touch on top.

This work stands for solid bass lines, dark atmospheres, danceable kicks and charismatic vocals in English. You sometimes will hear typical metallic percussion sounds and a few spoken samplings.

The album features 16 new cuts plus 5 remixes by Serpents, Plastic Noise Experience, Pyrroline, à;Grumh… and KFactor.

+ + + : “Confront” is a great piece of EBM, but it also reveals great writing and global production. Akalotz is a band that has seriously improved the major elements of their production. The sound became not only more mature, but especially more elaborated. This is not the ‘simple’ EBM, but an album with more sophisticated passages. It however remains in the pure EBM spirit!

I also have to admit that Akalotz have chosen great bands to remix their music. It’s not that usual to get a remix from à;Grumh… although the most noticeable one for sure is the one by Plastic Noise Experience. Last, but not least it’s not that usual to get an album featuring 16 songs plus 5 remixes.

– – – : I think that some cuts are a bit short, but that’s again the in the truest EBM tradition! My only regret is that there’s not an absolute hit featured on the tracklist, but just a lot of cool songs.

Conclusion: If you’re an EBM ‘purist’ you definitely are going to like “Confront”. This is good-old EBM composed with knowledge and efficiency! Definitely an album to look out for, composed by a band, which is slowly growing.

Best songs: “Escalate To Dominate”, “Warzone”, “No Signal Response”, “Man On The Run”, “Exit”, “No Signal Response – Nuclear Remix by Plastic Noise Experience”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /akalotzebm

Label: www .electroaggressionrecords .com / www .facebook .com /ElectroAggressionRecords

Grandchaos – Tempest (CD Album – EK Product)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 18:30:37 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electronics, EBM.

Background/Info: Belgian based artist Cheleskov Ivanovitch is back on track with a new album full of remixes. Devoted to minimal EBM carried by analogue sound, Grandchaos became a reference in the vintage- and minimal EBM style. The third and so far last album “We Suffer When The World Changes” was released in 2014, and still serves as a source of inspiration to get new remixes.

Content: “Tempest” features 12 remixes plus one new version of “Memories In Poison”. Granchaos again selected a fine list of bands to remix 6 songs from the last album plus one cut (cf. “Ressurection”) that was originally released on the second album “Rumours Of My Life”.

There’s a cool diversity between truly minimal-EBM songs in the vein of the original edits and more personal remixes with some extra ‘dance’ elements on top or techno grooves, and also more ‘classical’ EBM and even experimental cuts. Among the remixes you’ll find bands such as Di*ove, Electro Synthetic Rebellion, Signal Aout 42, kFactor, Bak XIII, 8khz Mono, Akalotz and a few less familiar names such as Fatal Aim, Mechaload, Krawallchuck and Big Toxic.

+ + + : There’s an interesting diversity between the remixes, but especially 2 songs emerge from this remix-orgy. ESR did an impressive and pure minimal-minded work remixing “Man On Fire” while Signal Aout 42 transformed “The Tempest” into a kind of free-electro-dance and body-driven version. I expected Akalotz to transform “The Tempest” into a pure old-school EBM cut, but they still held onto the minimal format of the song achieving a cool remix. The so-called “Storm Cloud Version” of “Memories I A Poison” is another noticeable song that will please the lovers of Grandchaos.

– – – : I know Chesleskov Ivanovitch is simply fond of remixes, but I get the impression he’s a bit abusing from this recipe. After having released the EP’s “Days” and “Memories”, which already were into remixes, he moves on with the same formula. I should say it’s time now for new stuff!

Conclusion: DJ’s will for sure get some new potential dancefloor killers on “Tempest”, which I especially like for its variety and nice cocktail of interesting bands.

Best songs: “The Tempest – Signal Aout 42 Remix”, “Man On Fire – Electro Synthetic Rebellion Remix”, “Memories Is A Poison – Storm Cloud Version”, “The Tempest – Akalotz Remix”, “Tell Me You Love Me – Di*ove Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www .grandchaos .be / www .facebook .com /GRANDCHAOS -144968152245744

Label: www .ekproduct .com / www .facebook .com /EKProduct

Click Interview’ with Grandchaos: ‘I Don’t Find Digital Synths Appealing At All’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 19:15:27 +0000

Tcheleskov Ivanovitch is already into music since the late 80s. He together with his brother set up the Belgian project Ivanovitch Dans L’Ombre, but gained more recognition during the past few years with his Grandchaos project. Several productions have been released on labels like Urgence Disk Records and EK Product and are pure lust for lovers of good-old vintage and minimal electronics. More recently Tcheleskov Ivanovitch together with Jacky Meurisse (Signal Aout 42) set up a common project Grand((Ø))Signal, which is another minimal electronic experience.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: From the early days of Ivanovitch Dans L’Ombre towards Grandchaos and now Grand((Ø))Signal clearly appears to be a serious move in sound, writing and production as well. What explains this evolution?

Tcheslov: When my brother Trevosky and I founded Ivanovitch Dans L.ombre in 1982, we were at the beginning of the ‘democratization’” of electronic instruments and recording techniques. The production costs were steep, but making music was an enthralling experience mainly because we both entered uncharted territory. It was a labor of love and a way to take part in politics for most punk acts. For Grandchaos et Grand((Ø))Signal (my collaboration with Jacky Meurisse), I took advantage of the creative possibilities offered by modern technology, but it remains quite difficult to attain a tight rhythm section and ‘solid groove’. Machines are just instruments and you need to find inspiration to write music and create magic moments.

Q: Getting back to the early years of your music career, what have been your main sources of inspiration and references in electronic music?

Tcheleskov: As a child, I was very fond of Kraftwerk and J.M Jarre, but they were not revolutionary artists by any means. Fortunately, the punk and DIY ethic made good use of synthesizers to create spontaneous and aggressive melodies. In my humble opinion, Suicide and Cabaret Voltaire were the marquee acts of that period. “Frankie Teardrop” and “Nag Nag Nag” are absolute masterpieces that will remain engraved in my mind forever!

Q: Grandchaos clearly reveals a minimal- and somewhat vintage EBM approach, but still a passion for hardware equipment! What does it says about you as a musician/producer and your perception of contemporary electronic music?

Tcheleskov: I’m irremediably old school! I don’t find digital synths appealing at all. Touching an instrument is essential to me. When I see my synths and drum machines I feel like a kid in a candy store. Music nourishes me. I am always looking out for new bands. Creative musicians continue to explore new sounds and they never cease to amaze me. Record labels continue to play an instrumental role in scouting new talent.

Q: Except the fact that Grand((Ø))Signal is a duo and Grandchaos a solo-project, what are the main differences between both formations and especially when it comes to aspects like sources of inspiration and global production?

Tcheleskov: Grandchaos is a therapy to overcome my personal problems as it allows me to express how I feel. Dark themes such as suffering and death have haunted me for many years. The loss of loved ones as well as my serious health issues may have accentuated the dark tones of Grandchaos lyrics. With Grandchaos, I feel somewhat close to the ‘EBM United’ movement that gained popularity across the globe. The ‘No Pain No Gain’ slogan resonates well with the human nature. Grand((Ø))Signal, for its part, is a joint project between Jacky and me. We put in practice what we have learned throughout our long musical journey. The sound and image have been purified and geared towards the dancefloor. We would like to make retro-futurist music ‘made in Belgium’ that would appeal to fans of Gesaffelstein or Schwefelgelb. The release of our debut album “Aktivation” on Unknown Pleasures Records will definitely prompt us to pursue this project and play live shows.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the choice of the artists who contributed to the remixes on “Days + Memories” and are there some inspiring remixes for the further work of Grandchaos?

Tcheleskov: Every time I discover the work of an artist that inspires me, I add his/her name to my address book and I contact them when the opportunity presents itself i.e when I start compiling remixes. For the “Days” and “Memories” EP’s, I ‘ve had the pleasure to work with mega-talented artists such as Nicole & Anne (2XNI), Noamm or Franck Kartel to name just a few.

Q: A new album (cf. “Tempest”) has been just released on EK Product featuring a new list of remixed songs. What do you like about remixes?

Tcheleskov: 2016 was indeed a very prolific year, and 2017 will be even busier! The “Tempest” compilation just came out on the Italian label EK Product. Many friends took part in this project such as Jacky Meurisse (SA42), Vince (ESR), Dada (BAK XIII) or Arthur Plata (Mechaload) to name a few. My last album “We Suffer When The World Changes” was reinterpreted by artists from across the globe and I’m really glad that Amedeo and his label EK Product decided to release this project. Grandchaos has a long story with the remixes. One could even say that Grandchaos took off with the double disc compilation “In Sedens” compiled by the old school electro purist Nader Moumneh who now runs the highly-regarded record label Electro Aggression Records (EAR) specialized in old school EBM and complex, multi-layered dark-electro. Nader is also the co-founder of the rising synthpop/Italo Disco record label NADANNA with Marc schaffer of Anna Logue Records.

Grandchaos has been remixed over a hundred times and I’m a serious candidate for the Guinness records. On a more serious note, I truly enjoy the reinterpretation of my songs by other artists. It is a formidable sensation and we learn a lot when we listen to the music of other artists with an open mind.

Q: What brings 2017 for Grandchaos and your other projects?

Tcheleskov: For Grandchaos, a mini-album titled “The Day Disappears Only To Reappear” is slated for a June 2017 release. It will be released as an ultra-limited picture disc via 2 exceptional record labels: Urgence Disk Records (CH) and Law Lynch Records (BE).

Trevosky and I would like to release a compilation featuring unreleased material by IDLO but since the original material was recorded on tapes, it is gonna be a long and daunting task. We will see how it plays out.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Jacky Meurisse Project – Crystal Blackout (Digital Album – i-Traxx Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:30:01 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, new-beat, electroclash, techno-body.

Background/Info: Jacky Meurisse is one of Belgium’s EBM pioneers and an artist who has been praised for his involvement in the new-beat period (think of Pleasure Game, Amnesia). He’ll always be linked to Signal Aout 42, but he’s also involved in ‘newer’ projects like Grand O Signal and last year he took me by surprise releasing the impressive solo-album… “Crystal”. “Crystal Blackout” clearly appears to be a re-release on i-Traxx Recordings.

Content: This opus remains an impressive piece of music on which Meurisse mixes all the influences he has been dealing with over the years. You take the best of EBM and some icy new-beat tunes plus a big kick and put it all together in a solid sound shaker. The result is alluring electro-body-clash and new-beat like production.

It sounds vintage-like and the fusion of all elements is absolutely working. Jacky Meurisse didn’t add a lot of vocals on top of the compositions, but just a few and somewhat fragmented words.

+ + + : “Crystal Blackout” sounds a bit like a challenge, but Jacky Meurisse perfectly knows the way to get people on the dancefloor. Minimal-EBM and new-beat are closer than what you might imagine. The great and dry-like bass lines remain one of the best links between both styles, and also the global vintage electronic sounds. The album only features 8 songs, but there’s not one single cut to throw away. This work is a complete success and the ultimate dance piece for underground parties.

– – – : “Crystal Blackout” brings nothing new if you already discovered the album originally released on New Fabrikk while I can imagine that some EBM die-hard freaks will be disappointed with some new-beat influences.

Conclusion: “Crystal Blackout” sounds like a sonic exorcism where Jacky Meurisse brought all of his old sonic demons together. It’s a dangerous album that will instantly contaminate you.

Best songs: “Crystal”, “No Pity For The Killers”, “Groovy Style”, “Diskoteka”, “Never Say No No More”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www .facebook .com /jacky .meurisse

Label: http ://musex –industries .es / www .facebook .com /I –Traxx –Recordings -581744748516067

Synths Versus Me duo to issue 12 inch ‘1987’ in October – vintage EBM which you can preview here

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 19:34:30 +0000

Synths Versus Me is a duo formed by Vanessa Asbert and Nico Cabañas and based in Lloret de Mar (Spain) – yep Benidorm style that is. In the past they had several releases out via Oráculo Records and now have moved onto Mecanica to release a fresh 12″ vinyl release: “1987” (which can be ordered now).

The music is a mix of minimal synth, EBM and cold wave and this 12” EP includes 2 brand new tracks and 2 exclusive remixes. The original version of “1987” is pure vintage EBM in the vein of Signal Aout 42 and Front 242. The track was remixed by Dirk Da Davo from The Neon Judgement adding some drums, guitar samplers and sequences.

On the B-side there is the original mix of “Aimless Device”, which is a rather catchy electro-pop tune featuring female voices. The remix version was delivered by American artist Boy Harsher.

Here’s what you can expect on this vinyl release.

Equitant – Operative (Digital Single – Black Montanas)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:00:10 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal EBM.

Background/Info: Ray Heflin is a Texas based artist who gained all my respect with his minimal EBM. Equitant released an impressive number of digital releases while the “Retrospekt 2008-2013”-CD released by EK Product was a kind of consecration for this musician.

After a long silence Equitant seems to be back unleashing this digital single on Heflin’s own label Black Montanas.

Content: “Operative” sounds in the familiar dark and minimal EBM style of this genius musician. The song clearly evokes early EBM influences reminding me to the early years and success songs of Belgian pioneers A Split Second and Signal Aout 42.

The vocals are in the good-old half-spoken format, creating a spooky touch to the song.

+ + + : Equitant confirms its fine taste for minimal and vintage inspired body music.

– – – : “Operative” is definitely not the best song I’ve heard from this project and it’s the single track featured on this release.

Conclusion: Equitant is one of those formations belonging to the newest generation of EBM although inspired by the old standards.

Best songs: “Operative”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .facebook .com /Equitant

Label: www .blackmontanas .com / www .facebook .com /blackmontanas

Astma – 600 Pounds Of Body (DCD Album – Electro Aggression Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 23:48:37 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Content: Astma is a familiar name at the wider fields of EBM. This Swedish formation is not what I would call a leading band in the genre although an interesting combo dealing with hard EBM since 2001, which gained some reputation from their live performances.
Electro Aggression Records gave them the opportunity to release an official full length featuring 23 (!) songs plus an extra disc with some great remixes.

If you’re not familiar with Astma, you can imagine an hybrid between Orange Sector and Pouppée Fabrikk. This is a rather classical ‘hardcore’ version of EBM, which sounds in the purest tradition of the genre. There’s no real innovation, but this kind of EBM definitely appears to be vaccinated against any new element. You better prepare yourself to ‘move your body’ with the 23 (!) songs of the main disc. The tracks are pretty short – in the 2- 3 minute range, but driven by maximum injection of testosterone.

The sound formula is no longer a secret for EBM lovers. You get a fast cadence joined by dry bass lines and some extra metallic percussion plus heavy shouting vocals. It’s as simple as that and it still works. I however can’t say that Astma has the potential to become a new sensation in the genre, but they have the power to make you move. In the end I would say that this is exactly what we expect from this kind of music, isn’t it?

Behind the ‘cliché’ Astma tries to put their own stamp on the EBM sound. It’s not exactly about their sound, but some of their funny lyrical parts, which are more into punk. “Cut It Short” is one of these songs, where they sing about wanting to cut the hair of hippies. One of the hardest cuts is the so-called “New Version” of “A Global Game” featuring a weird chorus about football. Another funny cut is “Body In Japan” for the mishmash of Japanese words. It doesn’t mean that much, but it’s pure fun and it works.

One of my favorite songs is also one of their most elaborate. Astma added a cool, raw lead on “Suffer And Pain”, which adds more elements to the song although it still remains a pretty simple and efficient. I just regret there are no more variations in the songs like on this track.

The 2nd disc will definitely catch your attention if you’re a real EBM freak. Nineteen bands have been asked to make a remix and you’ll discover bands like Signal Aout 42, Armageddon Dildos, The Psychic Force, Plastic Noise Experience, MRDTC, Autodafeh, Invoke The Insult, Cardinal Noire, Serpents, DRP, Brigade Werther, kFactor ao. This is a truly sonic orgy resulting in several great remixes.

In my opinion, one of the best remixes is the one of “Mr. Miller” by Full Contact 69. This is not exactly the most famous name on the list, but maybe the most creative one revealing a minimal EBM touch reminding me a bit of PNE. Other noticeable remixes have been accomplished by Plastic Noise Experience, Autodafeh and Invoke The Insult. The bands injected their own touch to the work, which brings more diversity to this disc.

Conclusion: A stereotypical-, but solid EBM release with an impressive list of remixes.

Best songs: “Suffer And Pain”, “Cut It Short”, “Tune In The ESP”, “Body In Japan”, “A Global Game – New Version” +” Mr. Miller – Full Contact 69 Remix”, “Suffer And Pain – Autodafeh Remix”.

Rate: (DP:7½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/Astma-164850410224999

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords