Austin, Texas-based electronic solo artist SINE – the project of Rona Rougeheart – has released a new album, “La Mordre,” on Metropolis Records. The 10-track record is out now in digital and vinyl formats. An official video for the previously released single “Blood + Wine” also dropped, you can view it below.

“La Mordre” contains ten tracks, four of which appeared as standalone singles before the album release: “Trauma Bondage” (September 2024), “Succumb To Me” (September 2025), “Blood + Wine” (27 February 2026), and “Cruel” (3 April 2026). The remaining six tracks are new to this release.

Several tracks were self-produced by Rougeheart; others were co-produced with Curse Mackey (Pigface, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult) and AwareNess (calm.). Mastering was handled by Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto).

Rougeheart describes the album’s narrative arc like this: “When I started to gather the demos that I really wanted to include on the album, I saw a story unfolding. The songs, in order, put together a picture of someone navigating a new and exciting but seemingly treacherous path with eyes on this ‘big prize’ or breakthrough – and they’ll do anything to get it. It’s a seductive tale with vampiric tendencies and a little loosening of moral values; a glittery story that will hopefully make you want to know more.”

SINE Divine Creatures Tour – US dates August 2026

SINE will tour the US in August 2026 on the Divine Creatures Tour, joined by Seattle-based act Nuda. Curse Mackey will DJ at select shows. The confirmed dates are:

• 7 August – Seattle, WA – Funhouse
• 8 August – Portland, OR – Coffin Club
• 9 August – Eugene, OR – The Sparrow & Serpent
• 11 August – Reno, NV – Holland Project
• 12 August – San Francisco, CA – Above DNA
• 13 August – Bakersfield, CA – Jerry’s Pizza
• 14 August – Los Angeles, CA – Monty Bar
• 15 August – Coachella, CA – Red Falcon Dispensary & Lounge
• 16 August – Phoenix, AZ – Lighthouse Kava Bar

Further dates will be announced.

About SINE

SINE is the solo project of Rona Rougeheart, a drummer, vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Austin, Texas. Rougeheart uses the term “Electronic Boom” to describe the project’s sound, which blends sub-bass, beats, and industrial elements with lyrics that incorporate sarcasm, humour, and social commentary.

The project’s early releases appeared on Austin’s eMERGENCY heARTS label. SINE’s 2021 album “Desire, Denial and Paramania” was released on 7 October 2021 and featured collaborations with Curse Mackey, producer Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, 3Teeth), and vocalist Chris Connelly (Pigface, Revolting Cocks). The album also included a Meat Beat Manifesto remix by Jack Dangers.

In January 2022, SINE released a remix of “Attack” by Adrian Sherwood on eMERGENCY heARTS, and in August 2022 issued the EP “Mantis 2” on the same label.

SINE signed to Metropolis Records ahead of the 2024 album “Luxuria”, released on 19 January 2024. That record was produced by Claus Larsen of Leæther Strip and included the single “From Beyond” featuring Leæther Strip.

Over the course of her career, Rougeheart has collaborated with Adrian Sherwood, Meat Beat Manifesto, Clan of Xymox, Chris Connelly, Mark Pistel, Andee Blacksugar (KMFDM, Blondie), Xiu Xiu, and the late Mark Stewart of The Pop Group.

“La Mordre,” her second Metropolis release, arrives roughly two years after “Luxuria” and marks a step into a longer, more expansive album format.

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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SINE (aka Rona Rougeheart) released the single “Cruel” today April 3 via Metropolis Records. The track previews “La Mordre“, the first full-length album for the project since signing to Metropolis Records. “La Mordre” will be out on May 22 in digital, CD, and LP formats.

The song follows the earlier album previews “Trauma Bondage”, “Succumb To Me” and “Blood + Wine”, all of which are included on “La Mordre”.

Rougeheart described “Cruel” as a song “about people who purposefully choose to be cruel to others. The words are both sarcastic and serious and I like the contrast of the lyrical content against the upbeat nature of the music, which otherwise makes it a fun dance track.”

The album is up for pre-order on Bandcamp as digital, CD, and vinyl.

About SINE

SINE is the Austin, Texas project created by singer and drummer Rona Rougeheart. Rougeheart started SINE in 2016 as an electronic band.

Rougeheart’s first full-length under the SINE name was “INSOMNIÆ”, released on January 11, 2019. That was followed by “Injected” on November 1, 2019. In 2021 she released “Desire, Denial and Paramania”, an 11-track set that pulled together earlier material and collaborations with Chris Connelly and Curse Mackey, plus remixes by Meat Beat Manifesto and NITE.

In 2022, SINE released “Mantis 1” on May 6, followed by the “Mantis 2” EP on August 26 and “Until (Clan of Xymox Remix)” on October 14. In 2023, Rougeheart issued “Find Me” with Sasha Darko and released “From Beyond” featuring Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip. The 2024 album “Luxuria” was produced by Claus Larsen and released in digital, CD, and vinyl formats before Rougeheart moved on to Metropolis Records and issued “Trauma Bondage” in September 2024.

In 2019, Rougeheart opened for Bauhaus in Orlando, which later led to David J bringing her into Shiva Saves. Over time she has also worked with Adrian Sherwood, Chris Connelly, Mark Pistel, Clan of Xymox, Meat Beat Manifesto, Andee Blacksugar, Xiu Xiu, and Mark Stewart.

After the Metropolis signing in 2024, SINE returned with “Succumb To Me” on September 26, 2025 and “Blood + Wine” on February 27, 2026, leading to “Cruel” and now “La Mordre”.

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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US electronic artist SINE has released the new single “Blood + Wine” via Metropolis Records. The track appears as a two-song digital single on streaming services, with the main version and an instrumental mix, and as a standalone digital release via SINE’s Bandcamp page.

“Creating this song was about capturing the tension of chasing something that always feels just out of reach; the feeling of an endless pursuit,” SINE’s Rona Rougeheart says. Mastering was handled by Mark Pistel, known for his work with Meat Beat Manifesto and Consolidated.

“Blood + Wine” is Rona Rougeheart’s first fully self-produced track. Time on the road during 2025 limited her studio schedule but changed her approach: “There was little time to focus on making my new album in 2025, as I was often away on US tours with Clan of Xymox, PIG and Nitzer Ebb. However, being around them taught me a lot. Once home, I started applying the knowledge I had absorbed, which led to this new track. It became a first real test of self-producing, and I was genuinely happy with the result. I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made.”

The single follows the recent Metropolis releases “Trauma Bondage” (2024) and “Succumb To Me” (2025).

About SINE

SINE is the electronic/industrial project created by New York-born, Austin-based drummer and multi-instrumentalist Rona Rougeheart. She began developing the project in 2016, drawing on her background as a drummer before taking on vocals, programming, and production.

Early releases were self-issued via Bandcamp, with the debut album “INSOMNIÆ” arriving in January 2019, followed by the “Injected” collection (November 2019). In 2021, Rougeheart released the label compilation “Desire, Denial and Paramania” via Austin’s eMERGENCY heARTS. The “Mantis” EP series followed in 2022, alongside the “Until (Clan of Xymox Remix)” single; “Luxuria” appeared in 2024, leading into a Metropolis Records signing the same year. SINE issued “Trauma Bondage” in September 2024, then returned with “Succumb To Me” on 26 September 2025 while working toward a 2026 album.

Rougeheart’s collaboration and remix credits include Curse Mackey, Chris Connelly, Adrian Sherwood, Mark Pistel, Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto), and Clan of Xymox. The 2019 debut included “Drugs” featuring Curse Mackey. She released the single/video “Desolate District” featuring Chris Connelly in 2020 and issued “Attack (Adrian Sherwood Remix)” in 2022. In 2024, she released the full-length “Luxuria” and related edition projects.

Also in 2024 she signed with Metropolis Records and released the single “Trauma Bondage” a preview of a 2025 full-length. That first single was followed by the single “Succumb To Me”, co-produced by Curse Mackey and again mastered by Mark Pistel. “Blood + Wine” is her first fully self-produced single on Metropolis.

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 US electronic/industrial project SINE, led by drummer/multi-instrumentalist Rona Rougeheart, releases the digital single “Succumb To Me” today via Metropolis Records. The track is co-produced by Rougeheart with Curse Mackey (Pigface) and mastered by Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto).

“While working on my next album, I decided to open a new session and start something fresh just for fun,” Rougeheart says. “As another track began to form, I was really loving the vibe, so I anchored it around two deep synth bass hits that pan right and left to give the listener a surround sound experience… The lyrics are cheeky and a little sinister, with a dash of sex appeal. It’s definitely one of my favourite SINE tunes to date!”

Rougeheart describes the sound as mixing industrial textures with “dirty disco” and sub-bass, an approach that literally has become her signature sound. Co-producer Curse Mackey is a frequent collaborator; mastering engineer Mark Pistel has previously worked with Consolidated and Meat Beat Manifesto.

The project signed to Metropolis Records in 2024 and issued the single “Trauma Bondage” in September 2024, accompanied by the video below.

About SINE

SINE is the electronic/industrial project created by New York-born, Austin-based drummer and multi-instrumentalist Rona Rougeheart. She began developing SINE in 2016, drawing on her background as a drummer before taking on vocals, programming, and production.

Early releases were self-issued via Bandcamp, with the debut album “INSOMNIÆ” arriving in January 2019, followed by the “Injected” collection (November 2019). In 2021, SINE released the label compilation “Desire, Denial and Paramania” via Austin’s eMERGENCY heARTS. The “Mantis” EP series followed in 2022, alongside the “Until (Clan of Xymox Remix)” single; “Luxuria” appeared in 2024, leading into a Metropolis Records signing the same year. SINE issued “Trauma Bondage” in September 2024, then returned with “Succumb To Me” on 26 September 2025 while working toward a 2026 album.

Rougeheart’s collaborations and remix history include work with Curse Mackey, Chris Connelly, Adrian Sherwood, Mark Pistel, Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto), and Clan of Xymox. SINE’s catalogue features “Drugs” (with Curse Mackey) on the 2019 debut, the Connelly-featuring single/video “Desolate District” (2020), Sherwood’s remix release “Attack (Adrian Sherwood Remix)” (2022), and the 2024 full-length/edition projects around “Luxuria”.

Touring in 2025 included the Electric Exorcism Tour with Curse Mackey and Void Palace, plus selected dates supporting Clan of Xymox across the US and Canada. SINE also appeared at Cold Waves XIII – Austin on 19 September 2025 at Mohawk (Austin, TX).

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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VampireFreaks have announce the line-up for the 3-day music festival Dark Force Fest which takes place in Parsippany, NJ (one hour from NYC) on May 2nd to 4th, 2025.

The festival features 35 bands performing across two stages: including ORGY, The Birthday Massacre, Covenant, Suicide Commando, Aesthetic Perfection, Genitorturers, Funker Vogt, Razed In Black, Calabrese, SITD, Haujobb, Klutæ, TRAITRS, Beborn Beton, God Module, Flesh Field, Dead On A Sunday, Rosegarden Funeral Party, Amelia Arsenic, NYXX, Panic Priest, 2 Shadows, Seraphim Shock, Dancing Plague, genCAB, Occults, SINE, Circuit Preacher, Corbeau Hangs, Die Sexual, Frenchy and the Punk, Everything Goes Cold, Contracult, Project .44, and Whorticulture.

You can order your tickets here.

Dark Force Fest takes place at the Sheraton Parsippany, a castle-style hotel that features 44,000 square feet of event space and 370 hotel rooms. While the hotel rooms in the main venue sold out within days of announcing the festival, there are still overflow hotels in the surrounding area.

In addition to 35 bands, Dark Force Fest activities include:

• Over 100 Vendors
• Sideshow Performances
• Drag Queens
• DJ Club Events (Playing Goth-Industrial Music)
• Classes & Activities
• Panels and Presentations
• Food Trucks

Below is a preview of what to expect.

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

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

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

You can already check out a few tracks here.

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

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

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

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

Cd 2

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

Cd 3

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

Cd 4

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

Cd 5

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

Cd 6

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

Cd 7

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Photo by Bobby Talamine) Sine, the brainchild of New York-born drummer/multi-instrumentalist Rona Rougeheart, is back with an all new video, “Trauma Bondage”. Musically Sine mixes beats with industrial noise, Sub-bass and synthesisers.

Having issued records via the Austin indie media company eMERGENCY heARTS, Rougeheart recently signed to Metropolis Records and has released a brand new single entitled “Trauma Bondage” today. The track is taken from an album to be issued in early 2025. The self-written song was co-produced with US hip-hop producer AwareNess with musical contributions from Curse Mackey and mastering by Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps.

About Sine

2019 saw Rougeheart open for Bauhaus in Orlando, Florida, which led to the ongoing band project Shiva Saves SITE formed by their bassist David J that also features industrial darkwave artist Curse Mackey, plus a revolving cast that includes Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner.

Examples of other artists she has collaborated with are Adrian Sherwood, Meat Beat Manifesto, Clan of Xymox, Chris Connelly, (Pigface, Revolting Cocks), Mark Pistel (Consolidated), Andee Blacksugar (KMFDM, Blondie), Xiu Xiu and the late Mark Stewart (The Pop Group).

As Sine, Rougeheart recently opened for Nitzer Ebb and Clan Of Xymox and will support the latter on an American tour right after her debut appearance at the 2024 edition of the Cold Waves festival in Chicago on 29th September.

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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Irish musician and artist Gavin Friday (Virgin Prunes) is back with his first solo album in over a decade, “Ecce Homo”, set for release on October 25 via BMG. Produced by Dave Ball of Soft Cell and Michael Heffernan, this marks Friday’s first album since 2011’s “Catholic”. Along with the announcement, the title track is now available as a digital EP featuring two remixes and an instrumental version.

Friday, known for his role as the frontman of Virgin Prunes, has a career spanning four decades, collaborating with artists like U2, Sinead O’Connor, and Scott Walker. His work extends beyond music into visual arts and composing for films, earning Ivor Novello and Golden Globe nominations for “In The Name of The Father“.

“Ecce Homo” blends electronics and acoustic sounds, exploring themes of anger, independence, love, and loss. Friday describes the album as his “most honest, reflecting on personal and collective struggles.”

The album’s first single, the title track “Ecce Homo”, is a track confronting societal challenges. Accompanied by a video created entirely with AI, Friday calls it “a personal kick in the head and kiss on the cheek to a world gone very wrong.”

The album will be available digitally, on limited-edition vinyl, and as a deluxe CD featuring bonus tracks and remixes.

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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Emmo.biz Records is releasing a special 10″ red/transparent vinyl edition of the “V.A. 16. Elektrisch Festival” compilation on October 19th. The festival compilation is part of a series of releases celebrating the Elektrisch Festival, which focuses on electronic body music (EBM) and industrial music.

This limited release – available for ordering right here – features exclusive re-recordings from Cat Rapes Dog and Digital Factor, special edits by Accessory and Calva Y Nada, and two exclusive cover versions of Calva Y Nada classics by Supreme Court. Only 222 copies will be available.

Additionally, there’s a special festival package that includes a T-shirt, bag, and sticker which you can order here.

Here’s the tracklist of the compilation.

Side A:

1. Calva Y Nada – “Aufprall” Vinyl Edit (4:06)
2. Digital Factor – “Sexmachine” Freier24Mix (3:40)
3. Accessory – “Braindead” Vinyl Edit (5:57)

Side B:

1. Cat Rapes Dog – “American Dream 2024” (4:40)
2. Calva Y Nada – “Los Santos Inocentes” Elektrisch Version by Supreme Court (4:28)
3. Calva Y Nada – “Schlaf” Elektrisch Version by Supreme Court (4:28)

About Emmo.biz Records

Emmo.biz Records is a German label established in 2012, specializing in electronic body music (EBM), industrial, and synth-pop genres. Founded and managed by Jörg Freier, the label quickly gained recognition.

Despite its success, Emmo.biz Records ceased operations at the end of 2017. Jörg Freier decided to close the label due to time constraints from his other business, a butcher shop, which required his full attention. The label’s closure was marked by a huge sale to clear out remaining stock.

After years of silence, emmo.biz Records returned in 2024 and started reissuing Calva Y Nada. Regarding the label’s resurrection, Jörg Freier stated, “If you love and live music, there are always incentives to re-release things. I was always in constant contact with various bands… When Calva Y Nada finally agreed to play the sold-out 16th Elektrisch Festival, the decision was made to resurrect the label.”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The Belgian electro-pop duo Metroland released “Forum” a few months ago, an electrifying conceptual hymn to the industrial revolution of the 21st century, a sonic journey exploring the crossroads of innovation and nostalgia. Fresh and experimental vintage electronic prowess for fans of the melodic Düsseldorf synth style. We talked with Passenger A and Passenger S about this new album, while new singles from this album are in the pipeline. 

The album is available on Bandcamp and on CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore.

SL. “Forum” is described as a continuation and evolution of your previous work “0”. Can you explain the conceptual link between these two albums and how the EP “Industry” serves as a bridge between them?

Passenger A&S: When “0” was not yet released and seriously delayed by many different factors, we were toying with the idea to extend the ‘World Economic Forum’ concept around the industrial revolutions. We planned 5 EP’s, each with a variance of the song “Industry 4.0” alongside new tracks. However, once “0” was out, we no longer had the urge to release these foreseen EP’s. We both felt it was simply not enough and, to be honest, it was close to being even pointless. After some creative discussions and a Belgian beer or 2 (make that 4) an album felt better, more significant and certainly in the afterglow of “0”, unfinished business.

The album indeed draws inspiration from the World Economic Forum in Davos. How did this influence shape the themes and musical direction of “Forum”?

Passenger A&S: It is in fact almost never the theme itself that shapes the songs or the direction. We mostly start from a sample, a sound, or a title. While building the song we come across other sounds and samples and even then what we had in mind to start with could turn out totally different from that. “Forum” is an album which is not as dark as its predecessor, but you can surely put it alongside the atmosphere and direction of it.

Tracks like “Happy Nothing”, “The Great Reset”, and “Infotainment” showcase your melodic side. Can you discuss the inspiration and creative process behind these particular songs?

Passenger A&S: These 3 songs all started from a totally different base. “Happy Nothing” came from a textual idea, whereas “The Great Reset” was built on a sampled baseline and “Infotainment” started from a melody. While melodies are a continuum of Metroland’s way of working, we don’t really have 1 way to go about a song, nor do we start together in the studio every time. It is quite possible that a Passenger comes up with a demo or a loop of a few seconds.

“Forum” includes experimental song structures and fresh sounds. What new techniques or approaches did you explore in this album that differ from your previous work?

Passenger A&S: Every album is an occasion to broaden our sound palette and discover new electronics. However, we never set out from the start with a clear goal; it mainly comes along during the creative process; our more ‘experimental’ side you could say. Sometimes, we even delete parts of a song or a sound, and yes, even sometimes a complete song is being omitted. We have around 5 to 6 songs that never make it on a release, and we never re-use any of these either. We do have our special things and tricks that we tend to do with shifting notes, trying different layers or strange effects. But we never look back, never try to copy something from our past, or use any of the sounds we used before. Every new release is a fresh new audio canvas where we use different approaches in sound scaping.

The EP “Industry” features different versions of the industrial revolutions, culminating in a 10-minute epic experience on the CD edition. How did you conceptualize and create this multi-part industrial journey?  And why these different versions always between CD, digital, vinyls… it’s quite conceptual for METROLAND isn’t it?

Passenger A&S: Apart from the music, there is art, there is concept, there is hard work. So, if you “only” want digital, you might get less. We strongly believe in the item as an entity to complete our message. It is only by holding, reading the booklet and seeing the full package that you understand what that message ought to be. Digital platforms should be an argument to buy a physical version on an album and not “the end”. We want to deliver value to those who appreciate it. That requires much more input from our end, more songs, more art, but in the end, it brings much more value. And yes, this is a harsh view, we confirm. But since we entered the music business in 2012 with “Mind The Gap” we get the appraisal for that from our loyal fan base.

Your music often reflects a blend of innovation and nostalgia. How do you balance these elements to create a sound that feels both fresh and rooted in the vintage electronic tradition?

Passenger A&S: It is the blend of our very rich background and music collectors from 80s to modern, from dark wave to electronics and everything in-between that results in the typical Metroland sound. Where Passenger S is inspired by dark music but loves the high-pitched sequences, Passenger A loves club stuff but prefers not to make things too jolly. We push each other in both directions and extremes, but we meet each other in the middle. It is that synergy that keeps us going, that delivers that Metroland attitude.

The tracks “Activity as a Timetrigger,” “Baukultur,” and “Quantum” continue the trajectory set by “Industry.” Can you delve into the themes and messages you wanted to convey through these electro-infused pieces?

Passenger A&S: We never thought of it that way. We never make a song, deliberately thinking of a message or a link with another album track. We do read and discuss often about the concept and about what would/could be the right direction to take, both music and art wise. Things just happen, albeit everything is linked to the theme. The current concept we are creating songs for is basically an easy one, opens a lot of opportunities, but is the hardest one for us to give it the right approach in art, when looking at all our endeavours.

As a duo, how do Passenger A and Passenger S collaborate in the studio? Can you share some insights into your creative dynamic and how it influenced the making of “Forum”?  And how different is it for both of you compared to your respective solo-projects?

Passenger A&S: Usually, we meet up weekly in the Underground Studio and work on no matter what upcoming release. There is never any pressure, but once someone holds the final result, he or she can be sure that everything is meticulously planned to the hilt, from every little stroke of art to the very last second of every song. But we never follow the same pattern or path; nor for music nor for art, and the further we can step outside of the box the more we like it!  The solo-projects are clearly without the influences of the other Passenger and music wise, although both electronic, it is very different for 90% (some things are in our DNA and we cannot ignore it. But that feels natural after working together for more than 30 years). The biggest difference is that the synthpop from 808 DOT POP (Passenger S) is built around concepts and more sequence based, whereas LECTREAU (Passenger A) works in singles only and aims for the club floors. The mutual aspect is electronics; that will remain a fact, no matter what.

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

UPDATE: Impala reached out to us and gave extra input and feedback, this has been added to this article.

Impala, the Independent Music Companies Association, has published the findings of its first survey examining the economic advantages of adopting sustainable practices within the European independent music sector. According to the survey there are multiple benefits for labels that implement sustainability measures, including cost reductions, enhanced innovation, and improved brand perception.

Let’s have a detailed look at what they communicate. You can download the business case right here. But first this…

Danger of Greenwashing

Below you can read what Impala indicated as being ‘sustainable’ practices. But, in some cases you can actually wonder if it’s not about greenwashing, because the cost for instance of producing lightweight vinyl is lower but the prices in retail will often remain the same. So, it could often be a cost element that plays, and not really the sustainable idea.

Impala reacts to us by saying that they strongly refute that assertion: “First, it is important to highlight the goal of the business case itself, which is to promote action among our members and in the supply chain. IMPALA is committed to aligning with climate science and works closely with expert advisors to ensure our approach is appropriate.

Furthermore, the report and IMPALA as an organisation don’t promote making sustainability claims without scientific backing, which is detrimental to both climate action and the organisation’s reputation. Should any companies want to display their commitment to the cause, it’s great to know that there are organisations like B Corp working on providing certified credentials.”

Greenwashing is when companies mislead stakeholders about their environmental practices to appear more sustainable than they are. Greenwashing can undermine genuine efforts, erode trust, and misguide consumers and industry stakeholders.

No Sign of the Famous Unplayed Catalogue Tracks Server Cost

Strangely enough we don’t see any mentioning of the huge cost that comes with unplayed tracks on Spotify. As we reported, Spotify will not be paying royalties for songs with fewer than 1,000 streams in a year.

But the deeper issue is the cost related to tracks that never get played. Nearly 25% of the tracks on streaming services had no streams at all. With the constant growth of the music catalog, unstreamed songs are predicted to reach a whopping 100 million by 2028.

The cost of maintaining these platforms has increased dramatically, from $35 million in 2019 to more than $130 million in 2022. So removing the unplayed tracks from Spotify would be a real sustainable move as it would mean less energy use to keep servers up with unplayed tracks.

In a reaction Impala says this: “Regarding streaming, IMPALA has had a position on the scope of responsibility for a while now, which we included in our ‘standards’ report published early last year. In a nutshell, while we’re working closely with DSPs to encourage greater transparency and support them towards measuring and reducing the impact of streaming, their emissions are excluded from the responsibility of labels, who we represent.

You can find the full report here, and I’ve also included the relevant text below. We’ll also include this in our business case report to avoid future misinterpretation. Thank you for bringing that to our attention.”

This is the relevant text that we were sent by Impala:

Standardising the sector’s approach on streaming is vital. The group reviewed the whole chain and reached a key set of conclusions related to the scope of responsibility concerning digital distribution.

Emissions from downstream digital distribution (the distribution of digital recordings through Digital Service Providers [DSPs] and consumption by fans through streaming services or digital download) are excluded from the responsibility of labels for the following reasons:

• Scope of responsibility – labels do not own or control DSPs which are the responsibility of third parties who are already taking responsibility for the relevant emissions.
• Influence – record companies have no direct control over the distribution of digital files once they have distributed to DSPs, or influence over emission reduction programmes.
• Size – due to a lack of available data, it’s not possible for the recorded sector to estimate with accuracy the size of emissions from digital distribution. The necessary data is controlled by DSPs and their downstream partners. Some DSPs are working towards gathering data from their operations and are establishing emissions calculation methodologies. We refer to this, as availability of data is part of the GHG protocol, but as noted above, scope of responsibility and lack of influence mean that DSP emissions (including subscriber emissions) are not counted as record company emissions. (This is the same as for other downstream areas of activity in the music market, such as physical retail.)

Digital distribution is a vital part of our industry and makes up a significant portion of income for our members. We’re therefore working closely with DSPs to encourage greater transparency and will support towards measuring and reducing the impact of streaming. As part of the Music Climate Pact and our own Climate Charter, we call on DSPs to work collaboratively to share data and knowledge on this issue.

Here is what Impala says in its current version of their business case regarding sustainability.

1. Financial Savings and Environmental Impact Reduction:
   • Companies reported important savings in manufacturing, distribution, energy, and travel costs. For instance, labels like K7! Music have reduced costs by opting for green vinyl (PET), which cuts energy consumption by 70-80% compared to PVC.
2. Internal Innovation:
   • Embracing sustainability has driven internal innovation. For example, some companies have optimized logistics by shifting from air to sea freight and encouraged remote meetings, maximizing staff efficiency​. The introduction of new formats, like 140g vinyl instead of 180g, has proven cost-effective with minimal impact on audio quality.
3. Supply Chain Improvements:
   • Sustainable practices have led to operational efficiencies and cost savings. Local sourcing and just-in-time inventory management have minimized excess stock and lowered storage costs. For instance, labels reported benefits from using lightweight materials, reducing transportation and packaging costs​.
4. Strengthening Supply Chain Relations:
   • Enhanced transparency and collaboration within supply chains foster positive changes. Suppliers publishing their sustainability data and collaborating on certification systems have presented new opportunities for large-scale sector improvements.
5. Competitive Position and Brand Awareness:
   • Sustainability has bolstered companies’ competitive positions. Labels such as Secretly Group and Beggars Group have seen improved brand perception and competitive advantage through their sustainability efforts. For instance, public engagement and recognition as sector leaders have enhanced their visibility and appeal.
6. Regulatory Compliance and Financial Resilience:
   • Proactive sustainability measures help companies stay ahead of regulatory changes. By implementing tools like the Impala Carbon Calculator, companies can prepare for future regulations and tax incentives, ensuring long-term financial resilience.
7. Attracting and Retaining Talent:
   • Sustainability initiatives have positively impacted employee recruitment and retention. Companies noted that a focus on sustainability fosters a purpose-driven work environment, attracting younger generations who value social responsibility.
8. Attracting Artists:
   • Labels with strong sustainability reputations attract more artists. Artists increasingly engage with labels on sustainability practices, contributing to positive public perception and industry leadership.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted through ‘qualitative interviews’ with selected Impala member labels from different territories, sizes, and stages of their sustainability journey. Research projects from entities such as Music Declares Emergency, British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and Key Production supported the survey findings, showing that music fans prioritize climate action and are willing to pay more for sustainable products, so Impala claims.

Impala itself offers tools like the Carbon Calculator to help members track and report their carbon footprint. The program aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. It encourages members to take action by measuring their carbon footprint, reducing emissions, and investing in environmental projects.

About Impala

Established in 2000, Impala represents over 6,000 independent music companies across Europe. Known for their innovation and artist discovery, these companies produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs.

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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Bérèche You press release) Hello gorgeous electropop lover! The brand new Bérèche You single “Head Over Heels” featuring Cassiel Agrippa is available everywhere today.

The song is a tribute “to all the gorgeous people out there, and a celebration of falling “head over heels” in love,” so the band adds. The music represents a fresh and uplifting vibe, with a hint of 80s synthpop nostalgia.

This release follows the synthpop album “Business of Love” released on May 10th. Bérèche You is the new project from Crab Key Records and producer Isak Rypdal (Dr No, Freeloader, Electro Spectre).

Listen to the song and watch the video now, and let it define your mood for the late Summer nights!

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… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

The Oklahoma City-based record label Re:Mission Entertainment is a regular visitor in our news section with their roster of bands.

Out via Bandcamp as a free download (and on a very limited edition CD as well), is “2023 Label Compilation”, holding 23 tracks including material from Dead Voices On Air, The Mystic Underground, Ex-Hyena, Sidewalks And Skeletons, Dread Risks, Suffer Ring, Miss Trezz, Warm Gadget, Kota Kira, BARA HARI, :Waijdan:, Archon Of The Fairlight, Maduro, SINE, Emergency Sequence, Black Agent, Drenched In Fire, Shhadows, Reign Of Roses, SORROWS, Snowbeasts, Dracula Party, and Dedalos.

Re:Mission Entertainment is looking forwards to an abundant release schedule coming 2024: “Confirmed 2024 releases include albums or EPs by the likes of Ex-Hyena, SINE, Reign Of Roses, Fact Pattern, Left Spine Down, RaizdByWolvz, Dread Risks, Sidewalks And Skeletons, Archon Of The Fairlight, SØLVE, Warm Gadget and more. We will also release a brand-new series of compilations simply titled “RE:MX” which will focus on collaborative remixes between fellow label mates and friends.”

You can download the album below from Bandcamp or get the release on CD (only 100 copies).

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

(Photo by Maf Lewis) On Friday, January 19, Austin (TX) based band SINE (the project by Rona Rougeheart) will release a new album entitled “Luxuria”. “Luxuria” was produced by Danish industrial artist and producer Claus Larsen from Leaether Strip. The album will be available on digital, CD, and vinyl formats, and pre-orders are already open on Bandcamp through eMERGENCY heARTS and Re:Mission Entertainment.

Here’s what Claus says about working on the album: “Working on these great songs was hyper-inspiring for me. It was such a pleasure to be let into her dark universe with its slow, captivating grooves. Rona (Rougeheart) has huge talent, and working with a fellow artist with such passion is an honor for me.”

Rona Rougeheart adds: “When I sent Claus my demos for the album, I didn’t have any particular direction in mind for him. I didn’t want to influence him. I wanted him to be inspired in the moment. The final production of the songs he sent back was everything I hoped for in our collaboration and more!”

Along with Larsen, hip hop producer AwareNess from Denver (CO) also contributed to the album with a song entitled ‘Dark Matters’. It was the last song added to the album, resulting from a collaboration between AwareNess and SINE.

Rona explains how the collaboration came about: “I had been discussing a potential collaboration with the artists Time and AwareNess (who have a project called calm.) for a while. It wasn’t until one day when AwareNess randomly sent me a music sample and asked for my thoughts. I liked it but suggested, “You can go darker…like, way darker”. He quickly returned with a sample of the darkest, sexiest soundtrack, which was incredible! It’s one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to do more with him!”

The album also saw additional production, mixing, and mastering by another Denver-based artist and producer, Chase Dobson. Dobson’s resume includes production work for Curse Mackey’s two solo albums, various solo endeavors, and live production with artists such as Kanye West, Rihanna, M83, Tycho, Rüfüs Du Sol, and Röyksopp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Out now via Re:Mission Entertainment/ eMERGENCY heARTS is the all new single from the electro industrial act SINE, “From Beyond”. The release features Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip, on vocals.

“From Beyond” is the lead single to SINE’s forthcoming album, “Luxuria”, which is also produced by Claus Larsen.

Here’s what Claus says about working on the album: “Working on these great songs was hyper inspiring for me. It is such a pleasure to be let into her dark universe and slow captivating grooves. Rona has a huge talent, and working with a fellow artist with such a passion is an honor for me.”

SINE’s Rona adds: “When I sent Claus my demos for the album, all songs but one had lyrics and vocals, so I asked Claus if he would want to do a guest vocal on the track for fun. He agreed and said he was thinking the same thing! It was great! I did not coach him on what to do. I told him to go with his inspiration, and when he returned the track, I knew it had to be the first single! I love it!”

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

Experimental multi-genre music composer/producer, game developer and writer Sasha Darko and SINE’s new collaboration single “Find Me” is out now. It turns out to be a dark and heavy electro-industrial song about struggling to find a person one could love.

The single holds 2 tracks, the title track and an alternative version of that song.

The music composed and performed by Sasha and was influenced by Ludwig Göransson’s work for Christopher Nolan’s “TENET”. SINE is an electro-industrial project from Texas run by Rona Rogueheart, who had previously worked with Clan of Xymox and Meat Beat Manifesto.

Below is the single, “Find Me”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Sine is an American project driven by female artist Rona Rougeheart. “Manthis 2” is the artist’s newest EP featuring five cuts.

Content: The songs are touched by minimalism. It’s an Electronic composition empowered by few guitar parts and sensual, female, vocals on top. The last cut sounds more Cinematic.

+ + + : I like the minimalism of Sine, which is mainly emerging at the debut cut. “Virtual Realitease” is a great opener, which reminds me a bit of Depeche Mode with dark and menacing sound treatments and great effects on the vocals. I also like the Industrial touch hanging over the songs. 

– – – : I can’t find a potential hit among the tracklist.

Conclusion: Minimalism isn’t always the most accessible format for Electronic music, but there’s a potential hiding behind this project.

Best songs: “Virtual Realitease”, “Jetset”.

Rate: 6½.

Artist: www.sine.band / www.facebook.com/RonaRougeheart1

Label: www.emergencyhearts.com / www.facebook.com/emergencyhearts

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 Austin, Texas based solo-act Sine has announced the release of a new five-song strong EP, “Mantis 2”. This EP is the second in a trilogy. Released by the Austin-based record label eMERGENCY heARTS it is available now.

“Mantis 1” and “Mantis 2” were produced by Sine founder, Rona Rougeheart in collaboration with audio engineer Charles Godfrey at Scary American Studio in Austin, TX. Godfrey, in his two decade plus career, has been engineer/producer on over 75 recordings, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “It’s Blitz!” and “Mosquito”, The Black Angels’ “Indigo Meadow”, and notable work for Trail of Dead, SWANS, among many more.

The new EP also has a cover of The Glove’s song “Sex-Eye-Make Up”.

Rona Rougeheart tells us why she chose that song to do a cover: “The Cure is one of my all time favorite bands. When I was growing up, I loved Robert Smith and followed everything he did musically, which led me to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Glove. When I found out that The Glove was Robert Smith and Steve Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees, I had to get it! It’s still one of my favorite albums – the song “Sex-Eye-Make Up” is one of my favorites on the album, so it was a natural choice. I don’t usually do covers, but oddly enough, the only other SINE cover is of The Cure song, “Like Cockatoos”. I guess all roads lead to The Cure!”

In discussing the recording process, Rougeheart says: “I worked with producer Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto). He took my bare demo and added more instrumentation and those super cool, dreamy vibes you hear. When I heard our final mix, I felt like I wanted to cry tears of joy! I’ve imagined doing this cover for years, so it was an absolute thrill to have Mark help me with it.”

Here’s the video for “Virtual Realitease”.

And here is the new EP.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, Electro-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Kriistal Ann and Toxic Razor strike back with the fifth album of their sonic brainchild Paradox Obscur. They also released the “Singles & Rarities”-album (2021) which was their first work released on Metropolis.

Content: The modus operandi hasn’t changed; Paradox Obscur working only with hardware equipment so there is no software editing and other tricks. The work remains minimal-like, definitely reminding me of 80s Electro-Minimalism accentuated by low bass line resonation, icy sound sculptures and the bewitching vocals of Kriistal Ann. Toxic Razor is singing on a more EBM-driven piece. All songs have been sung in English except “Stellaire” sung in French while you’ll also notice some German passages.

+ + + : Paradox Obscur is a band I’ve always supported. I remain addicted to their raw and ‘no-nonsense’ sound. It remains pure and powerful while the global writing became more elaborated. The work appears to be a true sonic bridge between 80s influences and a more personal touch. I like the cold and aggressive sequences, the deep bass lines, the production of the vocals and the sexy accent of Kriistal Ann (especially when singing in French on vocals written by François Ducarn from Factice Factory and Sine Silex.  

– – – : I realize I’m always complaining about the rather short tracks composed by the projects Toxic Razor is involved with. It’s not that different for “Morphogenesis” while there are only 9 songs featured. That’s also positive as it means the work is good!

Conclusion: Hard to say if Paradox Obscur has achieved their best work to date but it clearly is a great album and for sure their most accomplished one to date.

Best songs: “Evo-Devo”, “Animal Reactor”, “Stellaire”, “Cocoon”, “Krankes Herz”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.paradoxobscur.com / www.facebook.com/paradoxobscur

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Out via Metropolis Records on the 29th of April is the all new Wumpscut EP “For Those About To Starve”.

Last year’s “Fledermaus 303” already saw the return of the cult dark electro act after four years of deadly silence. Now, in 2022, the Bavarian electro grand-master Rudy Ratzinger returns with a new EP which features 4 new tracks and 4 instrumental versions.

Here is the tracklist:

1. Justin Kohlenklau 8:18
2. Scared Half To Death 9:39
3. Kühlwalda 11:38
4. Nullum Crimen Sine Lege 6:51
5. Justin Kohlenklau (Instrumental) 8:27
6. Scared Half To Death (Instrumental) 9:37
7. Kühlwalda (Instrumental) 11:48
8. Nullum Crimen Sine Lege (Instrumental) 6:53

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The Austin (Texas) based electronic rock act SINE will release a brand new remix by legendary producer, Adrian Sherwood, on the eMERGENCY heARTS record label. The remix is for the forthcoming single by SINE entitled, “Attack”. The new remix will be available for download worldwide on Friday, February 11, 2022.

Singer and drummer Rona Rougeheart says this about getting a remix by Sherwood: “Never in a million years did I ever think I would see the name ‘SINE’ next to the name ‘Adrian Sherwood’! I’m still beside myself stunned at this! It was an absolute honor to have Adrian remix a brand new SINE single. I love the remix so much…it’s definitely one of my favorites! I’m so very happy and thankful that eMERGENCY heARTS brought us together to work on music. Who knows…there may be more in the future!”

This is the latest remix from eMERGENCY heARTS in their Producer Remix series that features legendary and innovative producers and artists taking on classic and current electronic and experimental sounds. Label owner Scott Crow explains: “It has been an amazing journey to collaborate on this series with visionary artists like Adrian Sherwood, Meat Beat Manifesto, Mark Stewart, Dead Voices on Air, Televangel, Clan of Xymox, Front 242, The Orb and others who have created audio disruptions and interpretations of other great artists sounds.”

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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Dark alternative electronic band Sine to release upcoming album “Desire, Denial and Paramania”, an 11 track collection featuring select songs from the group’s albums, “Insomniæ” and “Injected”, recorded between the years 2016-2020.

The album includes collaborations with Curse Mackey (Pigface, Evil Mothers, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult), producer Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, 3Teeth, Slayer) and Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface) with remixes by Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto), DÐ, and dark pop duo, Nite.

“Desire, Denial and Paramania” will be released in CD form as well as digitally worldwide on October 7, 2021. The release is out via Emergency Hearts, an indie collaborative music label/ media project in Austin, TX founded by author, musician and gallery owner Scott Crow (Lesson Seven, Audio Assault).

Here is a video to check out, “Desolate District” featuring Chris Connelly in a Meat Beat Manifesto remix.

About Sine

Sine is an alternative rock/electronic band created and led by singer and drummer, Rona Rougeheart. She has stepped from behind the kit to create her own female fronted project that weaves dance beats with industrial noise and layers of booming bass, synths and guitars.

Rougeheart, born in New York, grew up as a military child, living all over the U.S. and in Okinawa, Japan. Her father was a musician who taught her how to play keys and guitar. Early in her musical career, she played drums for multiple bands in Austin, TX, catching the eye of Gretsch Drums who, in 2012, gave her her first endorsement. Gibraltar hardware also added her to their roster.

In April, 2019, she landed a direct support slot for Peter Murphy in Orlando, FL for the 40th Anniversary of Bauhaus Ruby Tour with David J. The night seemed ill-fated when Peter was unable to perform, but was revitalized when she joined David J, Curse Mackey, Mark Gemini-Thwaite and Marc Slutsky for an impromptu performance of Bauhaus tunes.

From that night, a new project emerged between David J, Curse Mackey and herself.

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 on August 17th is a remix by the English avant-dub innovator Adrian Sherwood of International Thief Thief’s “Media Song”. Side-Line offers you an exclusive preview of this remix right below.

The remix is a result of the collaboration between Texas based label/creative hub eMERGENCY heARTS and Adrian Sherwood. Sherwood will work on a variety of tracks of the label’s artists and remixes for release during 2021-2022 including: Mark Stewart, Consolidated, Nun Gun, Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltiare)/ Eric Random, scott crow/Energy Fools, SINE, Lesson Seven, International Thief Thief (see the below photo).

The label will be releasing one track per month, then will collect the entire series for release as two 12” vinyl LP compilations featuring the remixes and dub versions in 2022. Additionally, the label will issue a remix EP of Adrian’s collaboration with his daughter Denise from her 2020 album “This Road”.

Listen to this exclusive preview of Adrian Sherwood’s take on International Thief Thief’s “Media Song”.

About Adrian Sherwood

Producer, remixer, and founder of the British dub collective/record label On-U Sound, Adrian Sherwood has long been regarded as one of the most innovative and influential artists in contemporary dance music.

Born in 1958, Sherwood first surfaced during the mid ’70s and formed On-U Sound in 1981. While the On-U Sound crew’s original focus was on live performances, the emphasis soon switched to making records and Sherwood began mixing and matching lineups, resulting in new acts including New Age Steppers, African Head Charge, Mark Stewart & Maffia, and Doctor Pablo & the Dub Syndicate.

Sherwood’s distinctive production style soon began attracting interest from acts outside of the dub community and by the early ’80s Sherwood was among the most visible producers and remixers around, working on tracks for artists as varied as Depeche Mode (remember the completely bizarre “Are People People?” / the ON-USound remix of “People Are People”?), Cabaret Voltaire, Nine Inch Nails, Primal Scream, Einsturzende Neubaten, Ministry, Sinéad O’Connor, Skinny Puppy, The Stone Roses, and so on. This is kinda endless.

In 2003 he launched his solo artist career with “Never Trust a Hippy”, which was followed in 2006 by “Becoming a Cliché”. Both were released by On-U in conjunction with the Real World label. In 2012 he issued his third solo album “Survival & Resistance”, and began an ongoing collaboration with Bristol-based dubstep don Pinch. The pair released their debut album “Late Night Endless” in 2015.

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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Absolution Fest announces it’s return. The festival takes place in Tampa (Ybor City), FL on October7th-9th and they have just announced the line-up.

The Absolution Fest features artists from the Post-Punk, Industrial, Darkwave, and Synthpop scenes. Headlining the festival this year will be the synthpop electro act Mr.Kitty, post-punkers Actors, and electropop duo Korine.

Absolution Fest also features the industrial/pop artist Kanga, and the industrial artist Curse Mackey. Additional artists playing include Rosegarden Funeral Party, Bellwether Syndicate, Astari Nite, The Kentucky Vampires, Kiss of the Whip, Hallows, Death Loves Veronica, SINE, Cold Medicine and Gulf Blvd.

Full day festival passes and single day tickets are available now right here.

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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Cristian Camporesi is an Italian musician/producer/live performer/sound designer who has been involved with an endless list of projects. His latest solo-project CHRIS SHAPE is driven by old-school EBM, Minimal-Electro and Techno vibes. He last year released the debut album “Shaped To Deform” on Unknown Pleasures Records, which sounds a true masterpiece. Thirteen songs driven by power and danceable vibes featuring guest singers  HIV+, ALBERTO FRIGNANI, IV HORSEMEN, DAVE INOX, BLACK ASTEROID, RAFFAELLE VENTURELLI, VELVET KILLS and BLIND DELON. It for sure is one of the best EBM productions from 2020.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You’ve been involved with an impressive number of projects/bands dealing with very different music styles. What do you consider as your main accomplishments and how did you finally come to set up CHRIS SHAPE?

Chris: This is simple: I’m an old man with a long career: this is why I was involved in lots of projects. My roots are in the 80’s New-Wave, Electronic and Punk music. I started my career in some local New-Wave bands in late 80’s, but in the early 90’s I was hit by Techno music and started to work with the historic Cocorico Club resident DJ in lots of projects from Techno to Psy-Trance to Hardcore to Eurodance. I was involved in lots of projects ‘cause my goal was to raise money, lots of money’.

In the early 2000’s I was very disappointed by the Techno scene and my accomplishment. When I met DJ Franz I realized that my New-Wave origins could mix with Techno giving life to a project without any pretension. A new project made for the pleasure of writing music and not to earn money: FRANZ & SHAPE became one of my greatest success. We started a tour that lasted 10 years and that took us to play all over the world. After the split in 2011 it took me years to start again; I had to understand who I was and what I wanted to convey with my music. In 2017 I decided to start again on my own, continuing what I had done with FRANZ & SHAPE, but also emphasizing leaving messages to try to sensitize people on introspective ‘difficult’ issues and denounce a capitalism that has made us unaware slaves. The first message was ‘Eat the bankers’!

Q: What does this project brings you in comparison with all others you’ve been involved with? Did you’d a specific idea and sound in mind how CHRIS SHAPE had to sound?

Chris: Now I’m naked! I’m myself, without shame, no masks. I understood that art ends where the money goes and I do simply what I feel. Nothing is left to chance, from music production and the use of sounds from vintage analog gear to the production of contents, images, videos everything must follow a logical thread. It took me a long time to find my way, but now I see it well!

Q: You last year released the debut album “Shaped to Deform”, which is featuring an impressive number of guests/friends. Tell us a bit more about how this work took shape and how did the collaborations with the other artists happened? What have been their input?

Chris: During the years in which I was looking for my own way I produced a lot of music, but I left all these songs unreleased because I had to find a wire that could connect all or at least a lot of them. Once I ‘had enlightenment’ it was easy to adapt everything to fit into an album. I have always enjoyed working with singers despite having produced Techno music without vocals for years. I had lots of demos written on purpose to be sung so I started sending them to several friends put together with a long work on social media and it was easy to target the right demo to the right singer. Usually my collaborators send me a vocal part which I then readapted on the song. Except for the song “Mind” where BLIND DELON besides singing have also brought a notable sound contribution.

I have to thank very much Pedro Penas Robles who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to print my album on Unknown Pleasures Records helping me in all aspects of production and endure all my mistakes!

Q: Like you’ve said, the songs are clearly driven by 80s elements like EBM, but still by some Minimal-Electro approach and Techno influences. What does it say about your personal sources of inspiration, the love for analogue equipment and the connection with the 80s vs. the cover version of DEATH IN JUNE’s “Heaven Street”?

Chris: DEATH IN JUNE together with THE SISTERS OF MERCY, THE CURE, BAUHAUS, CHRISTIAN DEATH, DEPECHE MODE and many more… were one of my favorite bands during my New-Wave period. Then during the Techno years I put all these records of mine in a closet. Only recently I discovered that all these records have continued to play in my head and have always influenced my productions. There is no escape from the rule: black is forever! I often found in my productions parts of ideas that I unconsciously ‘stole’ from DEATH IN JUNE or those 80s New-Wave records. When Pedro from Unknown Pleasures Records asked to do a cover for a DEATH IN JUNE-tribute I was very happy because I was finally able to pay homage to one of the groups that influenced me the most. In 2 days I had the instrumental version ready, everything magically built itself.

About my love for vintage analog gear there isn’t much to say: I’ve worked years with digital synths, but when I went back turning on my old synths I discovered the warmth they give off that I wasn’t ready to perceive before. What I love is what drove so many musicians to digital: imperfection. For about 10 years I have forced myself not to use the computer anymore and I have begun to travel to the studios of friends who have mythical synths that I can’t afford or incredible self-built modular systems. I have recorded hours of sessions, a lot of my past and future music comes from these sessions.

Q: Can you give us an idea about your way of working? Do you follow a precise pattern and do you need to be in a specific mood to compose music? And when do you know a song/album is finished?

Chris: The first rule is: there are no rules. The second is: there are never rules. The third rule is: error is human, perfection is for robots. ‘Mr. Mistake’ and I have finally become good friends and have a great time in our studio.

HAHAH Inspiration is not something linear, it is a large sine wave with a variable wavelength. I write music only when it reaches its highest peaks, I have also spent dark years in which I did not see it return, then I realized that if you call it sooner or later it arrives. I have developed a quite effective recall system and now I can get it to arrive with a few days’ notice: I am a sponge and absorb everything I like until the moment when I am full and everything is downloaded in one or more songs.

Knowing when a song is over is like looking at a painting, seeing that every brushstroke and every nuance are put at the right place and the whole vibrates something inside you. It is something absolutely individual, but when someone who has listened to one of my songs writes to me telling me that he has felt the vibration, I have reached my goal and that pays for every effort of mine, much more than money.

Q: In which way have you been affected as artist and simple citizen by the ongoing pandemic? How did you try to keep yourself busy during the lockdown and what are your further artistic plans?

Chris: I have been living with my daughter and my wife in the countryside for almost 20 years, surrounded by nature between river and hills, I have no neighbors, I have no television, I have not been ill for decades, I cut wood in the woods for heating, I cultivate my vegetable garden. The only information that reaches me is what I decide to come from books or the internet. Living in lockdown is essentially my way of life. Only on weekends I go out to work in clubs. Thanks to all of this I can see this pandemic situation for what it is: a huge propaganda work to promote the globalist agenda. The virus exists, but it is only an excuse, it is not strong enough to justify what they are imposing on us. Democracy is dead; we are in full dictatorship, big pharma is more powerful than any state and can afford to corrupt everyone. I am very sad to see so many people plagiarized by propaganda, but also very pissed off: they have destroyed the art world and left millions of people unemployed. I had to look for a new job out of the club world and now I have a lot less time to devote to my music than before. We will never go back; we are in a new Middle Ages: social networks have replaced our constitutions and allow themselves to censor what they do not like. In any case, history teaches: truth always finds a way to come out and whoever seeks it will find it. I can’t live without music so I’m always working for new stuff, new album, new collaborations, new remix 😉

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Ritual.

Format: CD.

Background/Info: Anthony Armageddon Destroyer has been very prolific during the past few years with his Paranoia Inducta project. After some split releases he now strikes back with a new album, which is the final chapter of a trilogy that is meant as a tribute ‘to all those people who died, were killed, deceived, humiliated or stalked by the Catholic Church’. The album features eight tracks.

Content: “Viri Probi” is an album that will remind you of early Dark-Ambient productions with the use of Gregorian- and other liturgical chants. It creates a kind of sacred & ritual ambiance, which is fitting with the concept of the work. Next to the omnipresent chants the work is carried by Industrial sound treatments, low resonating vibrations and field recordings. It all together results in an icy and obscure production leading the listener into a mystic and anxious sonic trip. 

+ + + : This album is maybe the most ‘cliché’ production I’ve heard from Paranoia Inducta, but it also is the most accomplished work. You can’t remain unmoved when listening to this opus. The ritual aspect of the work mixed with deadly sound treatments will make you anxious. The visual appeal created by the songs and accentuated by the different chants will lead you into a state of stupor and maybe panic. You can feel the danger, which is emerging from this inhibited, but masterly written composition. The album features multiple great songs, but I recommend listening to “Ibuente Deo”, “Viri Probi” and “Civitas Dei”.  

– – – : I sometimes get the feeling this artist is missing a few details to reach an absolute climax at his work. That’s exactly what this work is missing to consider “Viri Probi” as a true masterpiece.

Conclusion: If you like the cold sweat sensation of a Dark-Ambient production I can only, but highly recommend this new opus by Paranoia Inducta.

Best songs: “Ibuente Deo”, “Viri Probi”, “Civitas Dei”, “Nil Sine Numine”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/paranoiainducta

Label: www.heerwegentod.cba.pl

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

(Photo by Dean Wallflower) Icelandic artist Sólveig Matthildur has released a new single, “Venus”, available right now on all streaming platforms. You can check it below, and it was also added to our playlist on Spotify.

Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, Sólveig Matthildur is one of the founders of the post-punk band Kælan Mikla and also runs the record label Hið myrka man. In 2015 she moved to Berlin where she started a solo project under her own name working primarily with synthesizers, strings and voices circling around 20 hz sine waves that eventually start beating with your heart.

She has previously released two full-length albums on Artoffact Records. In 2020, Sólveig has used the pandemic downtime to release a series of singles on streaming platforms, and the new single “Venus” marks the fourth to be released this year.

The series of singles will culminate in 2021 with the release of Sólveig’s third full-length.

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: Dark-ambient, cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Departed” can be seen as a milestone in the history of this project driven by Johan Levin. It indeed is the tenth full length of the Swedish artist, which two years after the great “Vita Arkivet”-opus strikes back with a new work meant as a ‘soaring meditation on mortality’.

Content: “Departed” clearly features classical elements of dark-ambient music. The work reminds me of the magic of the project’s early releases, composing overwhelming sound waves and ghost-like atmospheres. The darkness is accentuated by some mysterious choirs, which you’ll notice running throughout some cuts. There also is a passage with delicate piano playing, which also empowers the spooky format of the album.

The opus features six tracks, but the digital- and CD formats both have a bonus of 3 more cuts. You will discover reworked edits of familiar tracks featuring the famous “Deadbeat”-track originally released on Desiderii Marginis’ second album (2001).

+ + + : Johan Levin is clearly getting back to the essence of dark-ambient music; an obscure sonic voyage elaborated with haunting atmospheres and multiple little noises and other details. Some cuts create an intimate, but morbid atmosphere. It totally matches with the concept of the album. “Through A Forest Of Empty Armors”, “An Immense Hardened Shadow” and the reworked version of “I Am Without Rule (Sum Sine Regno)” sound pretty grimly. The reworked version of “Deadbeat” is another attention grabber and I especially like the kind of trumpet sound, which has something icy and like predicting a nearby disaster.

– – – : It’s hard to find minus points, but I just want to mention the third track “The Silence Of A Thousand Years”, which couldn’t convince me. No reason to complain!

Conclusion: “Departed” sounds like back to basics; an album in the purest dark-ambient tradition and reminding us the genius of this Swedish Master in the genre.

Best songs: “Through A Forest Of Empty Armors”, “An Immense Hardened Shadow”, “I Am Without Rule (Sum Sine Regno)”, “Deadbeat – MMXIX”, “Departed”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Desiderii-Marginis-172940436056471

Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw

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

Austin, Texas-based artist Curse Mackey (Pigface, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult) will perform his first solo livestream on June 26th at 9pm CST. The event is entitled “Curse Mackey: Live Exorcism” as Mackey will be performing material from his album “Instant Exorcism” along with a with live chat, post-show Q + A and virtual art gallery showing of Curse Mackey original art pieces.

Before the COVID19 pandemic caused wide sweeping cancellations for artists around the world, Curse Mackey enjoyed a successful 2019 that saw the release of his solo album “Instant Exorcism” on Negative Gain Productions. Mackey was also poised to extensively tour the US throughout 2020 and into 2021. Fast forward to June 2020 where to this point, Mackey has had over 60 shows cancelled. The cancellations began in March as Curse was mid-tour with Clan of Xymox and the decision to cancel the rest of the tour was made on March 15th.

If not live in person, at least live in virtual

In collaboration with Rona Rougeheart of Austin dark electronic act SINE, Mackey began to build a micro soundstage and TV studio in their rehearsal space. Mackey and Rougeheart went live for the first time on June 5th with an eighty-minute live program that debuted the new SINE single “Desolate District” and featured a guest appearance and interview with Chris Connelly (Ministry, RevCo, Pigface etc).

The forthcoming livestream concert will be Curse Mackey’s first solo livestream concert. It can be viewed on the following channels and will take place on June 26, 2020 9pm CST.

www.twitch.com/cursemackey
www.facebook.com/cursemackey1
www.youtube.com/c/cursemackey
www.facebook.com/villianswearblack

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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Alternative electronic act Sine aka musician Rona Rougeheart releases her first video single of the year from their forthcoming album, “Mantis”, with the track “Desolate District”. The song features Chris Connelly (ex-Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface), marking one of Connelly’s first appearances since announcing his departure from the previous 2020 Ministry tour.

The song was written in December of 2019, before the pandemic drastically changed our lives. Chris’ lyrical content and song title seemed to predict our future, which makes this song quite relevant to the current times.

Connelly had this to say on why he sang on “Desolate District”: “I felt a really strong connection to SINE’s music so it was an honour to be asked to collaborate. The music is compelling, intelligent and that always pushes me in a very inspired direction, as far as my words, vision, and voice goes. Can’t wait to do another some time.”

Rougeheart adds: “I met Chris Connelly about 2 years ago through my partner, Curse Mackey, who is his bandmate in Pigface. I never really got to talk to Chris much until November 2019 when Pigface played their last show of the tour at Thalia Hall in Chicago, IL. We were all backstage chatting and he commented to me that he liked my music. I was so happy he said that, to which I asked if he was ever into collaborating and he said, “Yes!”. At the time, I had just completed music for a SINE song along with Curse, but had no vocals on it, nor did it have a title. I decided to send it to Chris and let his creativity flow!”

“Desolate District” was co-produced by Curse Mackey, known for his solo work as well as in Pigface, Evil Mothers and My life with the Thrill Kill Kult. This marks the third Sine track that Mackey has contributed to.

The video was produced and edited by Rona Rougeheart in the early months of 2020 and was filmed in Austin, TX, Chicago, IL and Singapore. The idea was to compile footage from herself, Chris Connelly and performer, Sher Chew. She met Sher Chew through another performer she worked with previously last year, Vangeline.

Here’s the video!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is a Brazilian project driven by Hélio Peixoto joined by Australian singer Michael Aliani (Chiron, ex-Ikon). After some digital EP’s, this album is the official full length by this duo who got some assistance as guest singer from Greek femalevocalist Kriistal Ann (also involved with Paradox Obscur, Sine Silex ao) and bass player Dino Molinaro (Ikon, Chiron).

Content: Some previously EP-tracks like “Colours Of Pain” and “Darkness” are featured on this album as well. The Colours Of Silence is clearly inspired by the darkest hours of the 80s dark-wave movement. Some of the vocal parts remind me now and then of Ian Curtis. The songs have been accomplished with electronics and guitar plus bass guitar. The electronic parts inject a melodic trace while the guitar is clearly awakening the good-old 80s spirit. The last song features Anna Michailidou aka Kristall Ann while Aliani is doing the backing vocals. Notice by the way there’s one more ‘hidden’ track coming right after this duo. 

+ + + : Michael Aliani once more confirms his amazing vocal skills. He injects the spirit into this album. Sound-wise the work doesn’t bring that new, but it’s a well-crafted and successful 80s inspired production. The tracklist is diverse, but especially the melodic side and carrying choruses make this album worthy of examination. I noticed great songs such as “A Light In The Dark” and “Darkness”. “Burn” is another attention grabber for its Eastern-sounding melody line. But “Dreams And Desires” featuring Kriistal Ann sounds like the cherry on the pie. This song also features a pop touch while the both vocalists sing in a passionate way. Last, but not least I also have to say a word about the cool artwork of this digipak format.

– – – : The album is maybe missing a few more highlights, but this is more than a honest debut album!

Conclusion: If you don’t yet know The Colours Of Silence, their debut album will for sure convince you. This is a promising debut featuring many noticeable songs appealing to dark/cold-wave lovers.

Best songs: “Colours Of Rain”, “A Light In The Dark”, “Darkness”, “Angels Of Desire”, “Burn,”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/thecoloursofsilence

Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / www.facebook.com/waverecords

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

(Photo credit Radiant Inc) Curse Mackey (Evil Mothers, Pigface, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult), along with Rona Rougeheart of SINE, at the request of David J filled in for Peter Murphy who was unable to perform due to illness. A statement from Peter Murphy was issued on his website. Mackey was in attendance initially to appear as a guest vocalist for SINE when he was approached by David J side stage during the SINE set.

Rougeheart (who as SINE was the sole opener for Peter Murphy’s rescheduled, final date of a monumental 5-month, ninety-four date world tour) and Mackey joined David J along with Peter Murphy guitarist Mark Thwaite and drummer Marc Slutsky in what David J described to a near capacity audience as an “Improvised, mash-up, deconstructed Bauhaus in dub” set.

A video of Mackey singing the Bauhaus hit song “In The Flat Field” with the ensemble can be seen below.

Mackey will be releasing his debut solo album “Instant Exorcism” May 10th on Negative Gain. On “Instant Exorcism” Mackey fuses post-punk atmospherics with dark electronics and industrial dance beats.

Mackey: “This record for me is like a personal exorcism. The songs had to get out of my system. Working from a solo project perspective presented an opportunity for me to write with a clean slate, to broaden the brush strokes and create something that represents where I am at today. Influenced by the past and all the experiences of my life to this point but not constrained or obligated to it.”

Instant Exorcism was produced by Curse Mackey and Chase Dobson (Tycho, Black Tape for a Blue Girl) with additional recording sessions with Charles Godfrey who engineered the last two Yeah Yeah Yeahs records and has worked with …Trail of Dead and Explosions in the Sky. The album was mastered by Stephen Seibold who has worked extensively with Mackey as members of Pigface.

Check out the first 2 singles below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Electro-wave, minimal-electronics.

Background/Info:  Greek artist Kriistal Ann released “Delirious Skies” on Werkstatt Recordings in 2014. From the very first time I heard the minimal-electro-wave style of this artist with a very particular timbre of voice I get totally seduced by her minimalism in sound. I also discovered great side-projects such as Resistance Of Independent Music, Paradox Obscur and Sine Silex.

“Delirious Skies” has now been re-released on Wave Records featuring the original tracklist plus one bonus song.

Content: Kriistal Ann deals with electronic minimalism and sterile electro-wave music. The song structures are quite simple while composed with less material, but the simplicity remains the main strength of this artist’s work. The vocals are bewitching for the mix of sensuality and coldness. Anna Michailidou’s (real name) timbre of voice is sometimes reminding me of Elena Alice Fossi (Kirlian Camera). The bonus song stands for a dreamy final.

+ + + : Kriistal Ann remains an artist I fully support and encourage listeners to discover. She’s animated and inspired by great vintage electronics creating a sterile and yet sexy electronic style. The sweeps and icy leads together with the way of vocals create the magic of the sound. One of the songs (cf. “Remembrance”) reminds me a bit of one of the absolute hits of Belgian formation Bedtime For Bonzo (cf. “The Bloody Violation Of Mickey Mouse’s Virginity On 59th St.”) while “Ashes Of Hope” is another cool song and pretty intriguing because of the Greek lyrics.

– – – : The album “Cultural Bleeding” remains my personal reference from this artist’s discography. You can hear this album has been composed before. There’s not the same impact and elaboration.

Conclusion: This re-release is a good opportunity to get more familiar with Kriistal Ann although if you don’t know her music yet, you’d better discover “Cultural Bleeding” first!

Best songs: “Remembrance”, “Aches Of Hope”, “Punisher”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/kriistalann2

Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / http://pt–br.facebook.com/pages/Wave–Records/110635789015082

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-wave & pop.

Background/Info: Sine Silex is the meeting between Greek artist Kriistal Ann (also active under her own moniker and member of Resistance Of Independent Music, Paradox Obscur) and Swiss artist Chroma Carbon. This debut album features 10 songs, which have been released on Werkstatt Recordings, which is a quite familiar label to all lovers of vintage electro sounds. Notice by the way that the album is also available on cassette format strictly limited to 12 copies!

Content: Kriistal Ann is an artist devoted to minimal electronics featuring typical vintage synth sounds while she also is a singer with a particular and bewitching timbre of voice. Sine Silex sounds a similar way, but reinforced by the Chroma Carbon. Both protagonists bring an interesting symbiosis between French and English vocal parts.

As already mentioned the electronic format of this work is minimal and clearly evoking good-old 80s electro-wave and pop influences. The sounds are cold and atmosphere pretty evasive-like. Sine Silex deals with this typical ‘sterile’ sound atmosphere from the 80s.

+ + + : I’m not going to say that Kriistal Ann transforms all projects she’s involved with into gold, but the magic of her voice and the old-school minimalism of her music both remain pure magic. And that’s precisely what “Schachmatt” stands for. But next to this vintage approach, there’s a perfect complementarity between both singers. Chroma Carbon sings in a particular and somewhat sterile way, reinforcing the 80s feeling. One of the most noticeable songs from the album is “Modeliste” on, which Kriistal Ann sings in French with a real sexy accent. It also is a specific track as the title and the lyrics clearly sounds like an ode to Kraftwerk’s “The Model”. I fully enjoyed the minimalism of the songs and the harmony between both vocalists.

– – – : My only regret is that the album only features 10, rather short, cuts. It’s in the 80s tradition, but this work appeals for more.

Conclusion: Sine Silex has accomplished a great retro-like electronic album, which will definitely please all nostalgic electro-lovers.

Best songs: “Modeliste”, “Operative”, “Les Nimbes”, “Antidote”, “Rifle”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/pg/sinesilex

Label: www.facebook.com/werkstattrecordings

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

Kriistal Ann refers to the word ‘crystal’ and the real forename Anna of this Greek artist. The name was invented by Anna’s partner who got inspired by Annihilator’s  song “Crystal Ann”. Anna is involved in different bands, but her solo-project caught my attention for its versatile aspect when it comes to mention all influences. The album “Cultural bleeding” released on Wave Records revealed a fascinating electro-minimalism, which made me decide to know a bit more about this artist.

The blue vinyl version of “Cultural bleeding” can be bought here, the normal black version right here.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You were involved as singer in Resistance Of Independent Music and Paradox Obscur so what were the reasons and maybe the sound you’d in mind that pushed you to set up Kriistal Ann?

Anna: I remain a main member of both aforementioned bands. And we’re still making music.

Creating Kriistal Ann project was a need for something purely personal; a self appraisal of my abilities, self-expression, my placement in time… a reflection of my being.

Q: Kriistal Ann is a solo-project, but you clearly seem to like working with other artists and I refer to Aidan Casserly (Empire State Human, The Garland Cult) on your latest album “Muse”. Tell us a bit more about it and especially the kind of sound you’d in mind?

Anna: I love working together with like-minded people. With Aidan we have a deep friendship. We have common views and share the same love for art in general. So this collaboration came naturally, so instantaneously!

He suggested us to do an acoustic album which does not resemble anything of what we have done so far… where we will unite our sensibilities, our mutual passion for music as a means of emotion, which one will be inspired by the other to create a unified whole. It’s an acoustic bed, which we would expand and add more ambient-, dark and acoustic vocal genres over sonically. There’s a jazz edge as well as a pop and ballad influence. These musical roads, where the beginning points into the songs and then into this, we poured our own hearts and souls and our poetry too.

Q: “Muse” indeed sounds pretty jazzy compared to an album like “Cultural Bleeding”, which is into minimal-electronics. What does it say about your influences and how did you manage the move from one album to another?

Anna: My first influence in music was classical music. I started playing piano when I was 5 years old. I grew up in an art-loving environment and this has fostered in me the need to follow these paths.

I never adhered to a particular genre of music, I love contemporary jazz, rock, soundtracks for movies etc. So it was something familiar for me to point retraction in such a musical environment like “Muse” album.

Over the last 10 years, I engaged myself in electronic music. My mentor ‘Toxic Razor’ learned me a lot about this genre and I combine all elements with some concrete knowledge I had about the orchestration.

The truth however is that most fans of my music come from different scenes such as metal- & rock music, despite both from minimal electronic, which for them may seem strange or perhaps not so familiar with the experiments and intense vocals.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your way of working and more especially about the creation of sounds, equipment, recording and mixing?

Anna: Obviously we belong to the few last ones, my solo-work and the bands I run with my partner, where we maintain the traditional way of recording. Using hardware synthesizers and recording in real time.

Life maybe gets more difficult so, but the result always justifies me/us, because the sound retains its naturalness, spontaneity, raw beauty and feel of vintage..

Usually there first is a rough planning of drums and tempo, then I try finding a suitable and satisfactory bass line, which I played live until the end of the song. After this process I moves on building the basic melody by selecting a suitable sound and so on… At the end framed vocals, preceded the writing of the lyrics. The final mix is made in the console, without any use of software.

Q: I noticed you’re not only involved into music so tell us a bit more about the other artistic projects you are dealing with?

Anna: Art is a soul retreat. It is an instrument that ennobles people. However, to enable you to enjoy it, you should be trained in this and has to devote time to develop the aesthetic criteria.

I dig out beautiful things by reading literature and poetry. Learning to flee the center of myself. I entered the process to write some short stories and poems which I usually do the setting to music. One of which has been issued, in short stories collection. But all this more for personal pleasure and to have to share with like-minded people in my life. To share our views…

I deal with photography as well, loving the B&W analog photography. I especially like the portraits, when I find people who are willing to offer me a little of their personal lives and their time, I capture them… Someone can find a small sample of my work , in my Flickr page as Kriistal Ann.

One art form is capable of affecting the other and function as a means of inspiring. As well the acts and human’s life..

Q: Do you already have new work in the pipeline?

Anna: I’m currently working on the completion of two new albums, this time for one of my new projects that is called Sine Silex, where I undertake the music production. It will be released by the end of the year. This will have the taste of dream-pop with intense atmospheres and transitions, with French – English lyrics.

Next there’ll be the third album of Paradox Obscur revealing dark, cold-wave and minimal 80s synth-wave influences. This album is planned to be released for next year.

And there’s more; my last solo-album “Cultural Bleeding” has just been re- released on vinyl edition by Wave Records.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

The Italian neoclassical band Ataraxia is in reissue mode, on vinyl this time. Their classic album “Simphonia Sine Nomine” sees a reissue, the 7th (!!!) so far, but for the first time ever on vinyl. This 11-track reissue is the first of a series which Infinite Fog will be releasing on vinyl only. You can get one of the few copies right here, be fast.

The Vinyl comes with a full colour outer and separate inner sleeve and refreshed artwork. And of course all tracks have been re-mastered, by Peter Andersson (Raison d’être) more precisely.

“Simphonia Sine Nomine” recalls in many ways the works of Dead Can Dance, Elijah’s Mantle and other neoclassical bands of the early 90s as you can hear below. You can hear the lead female vocalist Francesca Nicoli singing in Italian and Latin over synths, keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, and occasionally drum machines.

Check out these tracks from the album which can now be ordered.

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