Syntec &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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

HELLO DESTINY by BLIND PASSENGER feat. DENNIS SCHOBER (SOLITARY EXPERIMENTS)

Blind Passenger returns with all new album ‘Teamwork’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 03 May 2022 12:02:27 +0000

The German electronic-pop act Blind Passenger has released their new album, “Teamwork”, last week. For this album Nik Page and Sebastian Arp invited quite a few friends from the dark scene, such as Dennis Schober (Solitary Experiments), Leæther Strip, Rob Dust, Outsized and Syntec.

Recently released was the new single from the album: “Hello Destiny”.

Blind Passenger is the follow-up band of Blind Passengers (mark the plural) and was the solo project of Nik Page soon joined by Sebastian Arp.

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!

Top 10 best-selling labels in the industrial music world in 2017 were…

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 18:17:29 +0000

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

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

The Top 3

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

The rest of the Top 10

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

And on spot 11 and 12…

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

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

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

Versus – Freakwaves (CD Album – Dark Tunes Music Group)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 18:15:32 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Versus is a German electro-pop band, which I remember from the cool album “Different Twilight Places” released in 2010 on Echozone. So we might say that “Freakwaves” is a kind of return for this band claiming to compose ‘AhoiPop’. It stands for ‘catchy melodies, epic hymns, addictive ballads and smart clubhits. AhoiPop stands for honest, poignant and profound lyrics’. I guess that’s not that different from numerous electro-pop bands!

Content: “Freakwaves” is a pleasant and danceable electronic work, which is alternating German- and English vocal parts. Some of the songs sung in German remind me a bit of Beborn Beton while the most danceable and melodic pieces might evoke some Syntec elements. The Syntec-link is quite interesting as I discovered after the listening that Toby Hartwig (Syntec) contributed to one of the tracks. Other noticeable guests are Vasi Vallis (Frozen Plasma, NamNamBulu) and Nils Upahl (Beyond Obsession).

But Versus first of all is a band trying to compose a unique sound. They like diversity, and experiment with a few different influences. Some songs are softer and a bit into electronic ballad style while other cuts are carried by some EBM elements. I also noticed a song with a rather minimal-like approach (cf. “Gloaming”).

+ + + : “Freakwaves” is a successful return for Versus. This is the right work to bring the band back on the electro-pop map. The songs are diversified and well-crafted. There’s a perfect balance between melodies, danceable vibes, German- and English vocals. The album is maybe missing an absolute hit song, but there are several great tracks. Last, but not least Versus also invites interesting guests who contributed to a few songs while Krischan Wesenberg (Rotersand) did the production.

– – – : There are no real minor points about this work. As I already mentioned the album is maybe missing a real hit while the few softer cuts aren’t the main strength of Versus.

Conclusion: Versus is back on track and has accomplished an exciting piece of dance electro-pop music. The right definition for ‘AhoiPop’ is maybe and simply ‘intelligent electro-pop’!

Best songs: “Wir Sind Anders”, “Freakwaves”, “Love2Go”, “Gloaming”, “Immer Dann”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .versus –music .de / www .facebook .com /Versus 2

Label: www .darktunes .com / www .facebook .com /darkTunesMusic

Pos.:2 – Circuits (CD Album – Echozone)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 22 Jan 2017 20:30:34 +0000

Genre/Influences: Synth-pop.

Background/Info: Thorsten Krüger and Matthias Grod took the electro-pop community by surprise in 2015 unleashing their successful debut album “Now”. The work revealed a classical, but well-crafted synth-pop format featuring several great songs and especially the hit “Only Electropop”. Pos.:2 are back on track unleashing a new opus with 13 songs.

Content: Pos.:2 compose stereotypical electro-pop music. There’s no real innovation in the format, but the production is accomplished with danceable kicks, catchy sequences, melodic and carrying choruses and Thorsten Krüger as the talented vocalist.

“Circuits” has a retro-like feeling, which reminds me of Syntec. The songs are well-crafted and always accomplished with the right melody line. Most of the lyrics have been sung in English, but there are also a few tracks sung in German.

+ + + : “Circuits” is a kind of reference when you think about electro-pop music. The sound formula sounds easy, but it’s not that simple to compose a majority of synth-pop songs driven by danceable vibes, featuring melody lines that you’ll keep in mind and lyrics you spontaneously start to sing together with the singer. “Circuits” is maybe missing a new “Only Electropop” although songs like “So Lonely” (previously released as EP-title song) and “Tonight” are both new potential hits. There are also a few softer cuts like the beautiful “I Wanna Be Free” featuring Jeannette. This is a beautiful song with male- and female vocals.

– – – : I already mentioned my only little ‘frustration’ about missing an absolute hit like there was one on “Now”. The slower songs aren’t my favorites (except “I Wanna Be Free”), but that’s just a question of taste.

Conclusion: After a successful debut work it’s not easy to confirm on the second album, but “Circuits” reveals an increased maturity in the global production. Pos.:2 definitely is a new rising talent in the electro-pop universe.

Best songs: “So Lonely”, “Tonight”, “I Wanna Be Free”, “I’m Waiting”, “Wie Im Traum”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .pos 2-music .de / www .facebook .com /pos 2 music

Label: www .echozone .de / www .facebook .com /EchozoneMusic

Syntec – The Beginning (CD Album – Infacted Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 19:00:17 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: German duo Uwe Kallenbach (music) – Tobias Hartwig (vocals) set up Syntec in the early 90s. They quickly got signed to the legendary Machinery Records and became a successful electro-pop formation with multiple hits. They recently struck back after a hiatus of 21 years unleashing the cool EP “Catch My Fall”. “The Beginning” indeed sounds like a new beginning and is the 3^rd full length by the German formation.

Content: It sometimes sounds like Syntec has never disappeared. The electro-pop arrangements and catchy tunes are rapidly coming through while the title song of their last EP remains a great electro-pop song carried by danceable vibes and by the great singing skills of Tobias Hartwig.

Syntec also dares to innovate with a somewhat vintage-like and electroclash inspired song entitled “Liberté”. The cover of “Send Me An Angel” (originally written by Real Life) is not into innovation although a noticeable song from the album.

A last and rather important part of the work consists of the more electro-ballad songs, which is not that new for the band, but composed with a different approach than during the early years.

+ + + : It’s not that easy –even for a talented formation, to strike back after more than 20 years and numerous comebacks have turned out to be real disasters. Syntec confirms their writing skills and this secret sound formula to write great electro-pop songs. That’s what they illustrate on a few cuts of this album and I especially want to recommend “Catch My Fall”, “Devil In Heaven” and “Liberté”. The Eurythmics cover also is a song that will catch your attention. There’s a perfect harmony between sound and vocals.

– – – : Despite of some real noticeable songs, I have some difficulties with the softer side of this work. I don’t have anything against so-called electro-ballads, but these songs aren’t the best ones from the album. There’s no real climax and it even ruins a my enthusiasm a bit for the danceable pop cuts.

Conclusion: This album reveals a real fascinating and successful side although I’m not totally convinced by their softer songs. As the title indicates, this is just ‘the beginning’ so let’s wait for further releases to see if Syntec can reach back their 90s status of hot electro-pop formation!?

Best songs: “Catch My Fall”, “Liberté”, “Send Me an Angel”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .syntec –band .de / www .facebook .com /syntec .official

Label: www .infacted –recordings .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Infacted –Recordings /124099254321690

Syntec feat. Blind Passenger – Catch My Fall (CD EP – Infacted Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 18:45:52 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, synth-pop.

Background/Info: This is another surprising comeback! Syntec is a band I perfectly remember from their early work, which takes us back in the early 90s and the great label Machinery Records. EP’s like “It Takes A Word”, “Puppets” and “Angel” plus the albums “The Total Immersion” and “Upper World” definitely belong to the collective memory of the 90s synth-pop music.

The band was only active for a few years and now strikes back after a hiatus of 21 years unleashing this new song featuring Blind Passenger (Nik Page).

Content: Uwe Kallenbach (music & production) and Tobias Hartwig (vocals) didn’t really change their ‘old’ influences, which instantly bring us back to the essence of electro-pop music. “Catch My Fall” is a cool song composed with great sound treatments and a real enjoyable chorus. You don’t get the impression that 21 years are separating this song from their last work (1995). It sounds mature and well-produced while the vocals of Tobias Hartwig are still efficient and totally appropriated to this kind of music. The song has been sung in English although features a few German passages as well.

We next get 3 remixes taking off with a cool space-pop remix by Enter And Fall. My personal favorite remix is the one by Versus (signed on Trisol) while there also is a final remix by Scott Bells.

+ + + : The main and maybe only challenge was to know if Syntec ano 2016 still sounds credible!? The answer is YES, “Catch My Fall” is a well-crafted electro-pop song carried by danceable vibes, poppy sound arrangements and cool vocals. It clearly appears that Syntec hasn’t lost their original potential and creative mind to compose alluring pop music.

– – – : One single song and a few remixes by other bands is not enough to speak about a fully, successful comeback so let’s wait for more new songs to get a more objective point of view. “Catch My Fall” sounds cool and fully enjoyable although I don’t find the early magic from songs and hits back in the day like “It Takes A Word”, “Puppets” and “Angel”.

Conclusion: More than simply a comeback, this is a resurrection from one of the hottest synth-pop formations of the 90s, which illustrated the leading status of Machinery Records and the rise of German electronics. “Catch My Fall” is a cool song, but let’s waits for their full length “The Beginning” to see if they’ll get back to a place at the top.

Best songs: “Catch My Fall”, “Catch My Fall – Ahoi Pop Rework by Versus”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .syntec –band .de / www .facebook .com /syntec .official

Label: www .infacted –recordings .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Infacted –Recordings /124099254321690

Diorama to release new ‘Zero soldier army’ album this Fall, re-issue ‘Pale’ album with bonus tracks

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 18:04:55 +0000

3 and a half year after their latest album, the German electropop band Diorama returns with their all new album, “Zero soldier army”. The 12-track album will be out in September and can be ordered right now.

In related news, the 2005 re-release of Diorama’s debut album from 1999, “Pale” has been re-printed, will be available again from late August and can be pre-ordered already. This re-release will be including 3 bonus-tracks.

Diorama was founded in 1996 as a musical project of Torben Wendt and soon picked up by Adrian Hates of Diary of Dreams. With his support and the support of Rainer Assmann (Daf/ Fad Gadget), a debut-album “Pale” was released in 1999. The rest is history.

Here’s how they sounded back in 1999.

Syntec hint at new album with new ‘Catch my fall’ single

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 17:45:25 +0000

The German electronic music act Syntec was one of the first bands to fuse synthpop and electronic body music and together with bands such as Dance or Die or Oomph! they have been part of the famous ‘Machinery’ label.

More recently the band saw the release of their ‘best of’ classics compilation “Puppets & Angels” (you can order it right here) which marked the return of the band after a break of 21 (yes, twenty one) years.

And now the time has come for brand new material as Syntec will release a brand new single, “Catch my fall” (feat. Blind Passenger), later this Fall. The single acts as a pre-release to their upcoming new full-length “The Beginning”. See the album art below.

The single features 4 tracks (the title track and 3 remixes) and can be ordered right here.

Syntec – Puppets & Angels (CD Album – Infacted Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 21:15:39 +0000

Genre/Influences: Synth-pop, body-pop.

Background/Info: Uwe Kallenbach (music) and Tobias Hartwig (vocals) were both involved in several electronic bands during the 90s, but their main and most successful band remained Syntec. They got signed to the legendary Machinery Records releasing amazing EP’s and two great albums. The band has been now reactivated and a new album is announced for later on this year.

“Puppets & Angels” is part of the ‘classics series’ and features some of the band’s most famous hits.

Content: Some of the songs sound a bit ‘old-school’, but globally speaking most of the compositions still sound pretty contemporary. Syntec first of all was a band composing magic sound treatments with a perfect balance between melody and power. The vocals were pretty catchy and passionate. Most of their songs have this unique ‘elevating’ characteristic, which mainly came through on their 2^nd album “Upper World”. The three title songs of their EP’s (cf. “It Takes A Word”, “Puppets” and “Angel”) still remain their biggest hits. They haven’t lost their original efficiency and can still light dancefloors on fire.

The album has been remastered featuring a few rare versions, but it first of all is an opportunity to rediscover a real talented electro-pop formation.

+ + + : The catchy arrangements, powerful choruses, danceable cadence and passionate vocals remain the main ingredients, which made this band successful.

– – – : A few songs are a little less out dates, but it here concerns only a few exceptions.

Conclusion: I’m really looking forward to discover new work of Syntec, but this album is an excellent opportunity to revisit the genius of this great, early 90s formation.

Best songs: “Angel – Radio Mix”, “Talk To The Upper World – Isolated Dance Mix”, Puppets”, “It’s A Lie”, “It Takes A Word”, “The Blind Love The Blind – Club Mix”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .syntec –band .de / www .facebook .com /syntec .official

.infacted –recordings .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Infacted –Recordings /124099254321690

Syntec return with their hits compiled on ‘Puppets & Angels’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 17:15:31 +0000

A few months ago we announced that the former Machinery Records Syntec would return to the electro/pop/EBM scene. It quickly became clear we were right as the band booked its first festival appearances soon after.

Uwe Kallenbach & Tobias Hartwig aka Syntec now return with a collection of their greatest hits, rarities and unreleased material united on the 16-track compilation “Puppets & Angels”. All tracks have been completely remastered. You can order this limited edition release (only 1000 copies were produced) right now.

And that’s not all, 2016 will also see the launch of an all new album.

The German band Syntec is generally considered as being the first band to fuse synthpop and electronic body music. In its original line-up the band consisted of Tobias Hartwig (vocals and lyrics), Uwe Kallenbach (music, synthesizers, and programming), and Jens Meyer (keyboards).