Tangent – SIDE-LINE

Swans share all new track from their sixteenth studio album soon out on Mute Records

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 24 May 2023 11:57:15 +0000

Swans have shared a new track from their sixteenth studio album, “The Beggar”, due for release on Mute / Young God Records (N America) on 23 June 2023. “The Beggar” will be released on double vinyl in a brown chipboard sleeve (with a download card for accessing an additional 44 minutes of music, also included on the album’s CD version), as a double CD in a brown chipboard digi-pack, and digitally.

Listen to “Los Angeles: City of Death” below.

The band’s extensive touring for 2023 started last week and continues through spring and summer with UK dates in August, and North American dates in September. In addition, Swans have confirmed a string of new dates across Europe in October and November – full details below.

“The Beggar” was recorded and mixed at Candy Bomber Studio, Berlin, engineered by Ingo Krauss and mastered by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose, Berlin. The album was written and produced by Michael Gira and features contributions from recent and former Swans, members of Angels of Light, as well as guest Swan Ben Frost.

Michael Gira adds: “After numerous pandemic-induced cancellations of tours for the previous Swans album leaving meaning, and an apparent bottomless pit of waiting, waiting, waiting, and the strange disorientation that came with this sudden but interminable forced isolation I decided it was time to write songs for a new Swans album and forget about everything else. They came relatively easily, always informed by the suspicion that these could be my last. When I finally was able to travel, songs in hand, to Berlin to work with my friends recording this record, the feeling was akin to the moment in The Wizard of Oz when the film changes from Black and White to Color. Now I’m feeling quite optimistic. My favourite color is pink. I hope you enjoy the album.”

Primary contributors to “The Beggar” were Michael Gita, Kristof Hahn, Larry Mullins, Dana Schechter, Christopher Pravdica, Phil Puleo and Ben Frost. Backing vocals are provided by Jennifer Gira, Lucy Kruger and Laura Carbone.

Swans, an experimental rock band from America, was established in 1982 by Michael Gira, a multi-talented artist serving as singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. This band is one of the rare survivors from the no wave scene of New York City, successfully transitioning into the subsequent decade. They are renowned for their dynamic musical style, shifting and exploring across various genres including noise rock, post-punk, industrial, and post-rock.

Swans live dates

25 May – Zilina SK, New Synagogue
26 May – Ljubljana SL, Kino Siska
27 May – Innsbruck, AT, Heart of Noise Festival, Treibhaus
29 May – Bologna IT, Teatro Duse
31 May – Lyon FR, Transbordeur
2 June – Barcelona ES, Primavera Sound Festival
4 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest – SOLD OUT
5 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest
6 June – Faro PT, Teatro Das Figuras
9 June – Madrid ES, Primavera Sound Festival
11 June – Athens GR, Vraxon Theatre
13 June – Thessaloniki GR, Moni Lazariston
15 June – Antwerp BE, Bourlaschouwburg – SOLD OUT
16 June – Utrecht NL, Hertz Theatre – SOLD OUT
11 Aug – Brighton UK, St George’s
12 Aug – Manchester UK, Albert Hall
15 Aug – Newcastle UK, Boiler Shop
16 Aug – Glasgow UK, St Luke’s
18 Aug – Bristol UK, Arc Tangent Festival
19 Aug – Leeds UK, Belgrave Music Hall – SOLD OUT
21 Aug – Dublin IE, The Academy
23 Aug – Norwich UK, Waterfront
24 Aug – London UK, Troxy
26 Aug – La Tour-De-Peilz CH, Nox Orae Festival
2 Sep – Dallas TX, Granada Theater
3 Sep – Austin TX, Paramount Theatre
7 Sep – Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom
8 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room
9 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room
12 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall
13 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall
15 Sep – Portland OR, Revolution Hall
16 Sep – Seattle WA, The Crocodile Showroom
19 Sep – Omaha NE, Waiting Room Showroom
20 Sep – Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe
21 Sep – Chicago IL, Cabaret Metro
23 Sep – Detroit MI, Magic Bag
24 Sep – Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom
26 Sep – Toronto ON, Phoenix Concert Theater
27 Sep – Montreal QC, Theatre National
29 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg
30 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg
16 Oct – Hamburg DE, Kampnagel – NEW DATE
17 Oct – Copenhagen DK, Vega Store – NEW DATE
19 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE
20 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE
22 Oct – Stockholm SE, Slaktkyrkan – NEW DATE
24 Oct – Helsinki FI, Tavastia – NEW DATE
25 Oct – Tallinn EE, HALL – NEW DATE
27 Oct – Riga LV, Mežaparks Great Bandstand – NEW DATE
28 Oct – Vilnius LI, St John’s Church – NEW DATE
31 Oct – Warsaw PL, Progresja – NEW DATE
1 Nov – Praha CZ, Divadlo Hybernia – NEW DATE
3 Nov – Wien AT, Arena Wien – NEW DATE
4 Nov – Budapest HU, Akvarium – NEW DATE
7 Nov – Belgrade RS, Dom Omladine – NEW DATE
8 Nov – Zagreb HR, Kino Sc – NEW DATE
10 Nov – Foligno IT, Auditorium San Domenico – NEW DATE
11 Nov – Milano IT, Conservatorio di Milano – NEW DATE
13 Nov – Paris FR, Élysée Montmartre – NEW DATE
14 Nov – Metz FR, Les Trinitaires – NEW DATE
16 Nov – Brussels BE, Botanique – NEW DATE
18 Nov – Bochum DE, Christuskirche – NEW DATE
19 Nov – Den Haag NL, Amare – NEW DATE
21 Nov – Berlin DE, Admiralspalast – NEW DATE

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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‘Click Interview’ with Caverna Delle Rose: ‘Creation Is A Kind Of Trance’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Caverna Delle Rose is a project driven by AimA Lichtblau (Les Jumeaux Discordants, Allerseelen), Evor Ameisie (Nrthgte, Camerata Mediolanense) and Diego Cinquegrana. The name of the project has been explained by the trio as ‘an intimate poetic figure, you can transfigure as you prefer, without limits of interpretation. Alternatively look at this as the possibility of inflorescence of the mystical sacral dimension of the rose within the darkness of a cave, where darkness is nevertheless a necessary condition for loss that precedes revelation and ecstasy. It is also the name of the Swedish method of condemnation / torture in the thirteenth century. It sounds romantic and the meaning is also almost similar also from this point of view’. The band’s debut-album “Elysian Chants” has been released last year on the French label Slaughter In Art. It’s an artistic creation with a strong Ritual sound and Ethereal voices. I talked about this brilliant exposure of intelligent Ritual music with AimA.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Carverna Delle Rose features experienced artists, involved with different bands. What brought you together and what incited you to start this new project?

AimA:I have known Evor for over twenty years and we have always found tangent points in the way we see things. This is very important for the purpose of fluidity during the creative act.

He knows me very well and I don’t need to speak to explain where I’m going to go. This is because generally the concepts start from me, it is true, but the seed of every concept is still hiding in all members, both from a cultural and a creative point of view: this is fundamental.

The same is for Diego.

We have chosen each other over a long time; not simply because we wanted to create a musical project. Let’s say that the common denominator is our life experiences, our way of seeing things, our desires, our utopias.

I am sure that collaborators are not chosen, but they’re travel companions, which is a very different thing. As for collaborations, I believe they are rarely good things.

Q: What’s your way of working together? What’s the precise input of each member and what are the main instruments you’re using? And what can you tell us about the production of the vocals?

AimA:Normally I start from the concept that it is almost always a need, driven by particular experiences that are not necessarily earthly.

In the case of this work we started from the Orphic Hymns which in themselves already have a great depth both from a conceptual and spiritual point of view.

As previously said, it is important that members share similar ways of seeing things: this avoids having to explain the concept and the work and it allows to start creating immediately. By this I mean that our creations are very instinctive, never too thoughtful.

Evor creates atmospheres where my voice finds a way to express itself very easily, even crossing with his voice that I find incredibly beautiful.

Diego embellishes with sounds and soundscapes, also taking care of the whole visual part.

“Elysian Chants” was born during these years of poor mobility, so we worked mainly at a distance, but I think it would happen even without this type of prohibition to which we have been subjected.

As I said the feeling is so high that we don’t need to talk that much and this also affects the creative flow which becomes very instinctive and felt.

As for the voices, I generally work on all the voices and I also do their editing. The peculiar thing that I have never said is that what you hear is what was instinctively created during improvisation. I never remake the ‘melodies’ except for parts where I have to correct the pitch. This is because in my opinion the creative act is always inspired, we are only means. Therefore creation must not be too filtered by the mind.

Q: You already mentioned the conceptual approach of the project but can you give us more details about “Elysian Chants”?

AimA:As I was saying the work started from the desire to express the atmospheres coming from some Orphic Hymns.

I simply wanted to bring the atmosphere of the Night, the magic of the West Wind, the fierce rush of the Erinyes, the cosmic explosion of Creation, the icy wind of the Moira. I simply wanted to do this, sometimes not sticking to the lyrics, but deriving only the invocatory status

Q: Sound-wise the songs have a strong Ritual approach mixed with Ethereal chants. How do you perceive the content and the sound you create? Did you handle specific criteria and/or references during the writing- and production process?

AimA:No, exactly as I said, creation is a kind of trance for me. I don’t compose because I wouldn’t be able to. The melodies come from a deep feeling, from a connection that is beyond this world. Otherwise I would find no sense in making music or writing.

When I write or sing I do it in a kind of possession state that is very different from creative inspiration. This can also happen during live shows. I leave this earthly part for a moment and I am captivated by something that I can’t define, but I like it.

Q: The album wants to be a ‘bridge between ancient practices and beliefs and contemporaneity’. That’s an interesting- and ambitious aspect as I think our ‘western world’ has seriously lost the connection with ancestral rites and practices. How did it happen and what’s your perception of ‘modern world’ and ‘modern times’?

AimA:I feel I can speak for all three, but for convenience I will use the first person. It is true that modern times, especially in Western civilization, have lost much of their ritual traditions, but this is not the case for everyone.

If you live in a big city you may be more easily engulfed by these ‘modern times’, but in less contaminated places (for example where I live) the absence of worldly things and an overbearing presence of Nature, easily lead you to a connection with everything what appears to be lost.

Perhaps we have lost the collective rituals, but I believe that everyone could recover their contact with Nature (for example), living in Her rituals what has always belonged to us. It is quite another thing to recognize the energies that operate around us, but it would be a long speech.

However, the work that takes its cue from the Orphic Hymns goes through with simplicity and effectiveness even those that are archetypes and emotional states with which everyone can measure themselves.

Q: “Elysian Chants” has been released in times of ongoing pandemic. What does that mean for musicians and especially for a new project like yours? How do you expect things evolving and what are the further plans for Caverna Delle Rose?

AimA:Yes, as I told, we had no problem in creating during this period and it won’t be different in the future. We live faraway and we all have a busy life, then it is not easy to meet. But what I can say is that we don’t need it at the same time.

Personally, the pandemic has pushed me to slow down the pace of work and therefore to have more time not so much to create, but to put myself in the mental and soul state to welcome that ‘spirit of creation’ that does not always appear and that the daily life does not always allow to welcome.

As for upcoming projects, we certainly still have a lot of things to say, so it won’t be long for you to have our new ones.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Tangent Strategy – Revenant (Album – EK Product)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, EBM, Power-Noise.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Tangent Stratery is the newest signing to EK Product. Based in the US, this Japanese solo-project was set up in 1996 by chd.y. After several productions “Revenant“ is an album that will maybe catch the attention of a wider audience.

Content: The album features 2 parts; brand-new songs and older cuts originally released on EP. The sound is hard to define yet always driven by Electro-Industrial elements. It takes off in a rather Dive style, but rapidly evolves incorporating other influences to the work. You’ll notice EBM bass lines, but still harder cuts coming closer to pure Power-Noise. Some of the older cuts also reveal a colder electro style, which might remind you of Mortal Constraint and The Klinik. On top of it all you’ll discover ghost-like vocals while a few cuts remain instrumental edits.

+ + + : The originality of this project is its atypical approach. It’s much more than simply Industrial music, but a true offspring between Industrial, EBM, Power-Noise, Dark-Electro and even vague Techno and Acid elements. This project is a sonic chameleon, which will however appeal for Industrial lovers. I like the album’s diversity and the spooky produced vocals. The album is a discovery and a true sonic trip in Industrial music. I personally like “Dead Reckoning (Reverse/Action)” for its harder, danceable approach with a kind of Acid sequence on top. In a more Dark-Electro way I recommend “Accept Death” and “Hark! For I Am The Portent Of Misery”; both songs having a strong 90s sound. Last, but not least I also want to mention “And The Lies”, which sounds to me like ‘Industrial Prodigy’.

– – – : The main strength of the album might be also be seen as its weakest spot: a mishmash of influences.

Conclusion: Tangent isn’t really innovating although creating an atypical, original Electro-Industrial sound.

Best songs: “Dead Reckoning (Reverse/Action)”, “Accept Death”, “Hark! For I Am The Portent Of Misery”, “And The Lies”, “Fountain Square”, “The Rising Sun And The Behemoth”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://tangentstrategy.net / www.facebook.com/tangentstrategy

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

Revenant by Tangent Strategy

About Tangent Strategy

Tangent Strategy is the solo project of chd.y. Discogs states that the project began in 1996 as an outlet for chd.y’s musical exploration, starting with guitars, bass and found percussion before moving into computer sequencing and sampling.

“Revenant” was released by EK Product on 26 November 2021 as a limited CD and digital download, and is the only Tangent Strategy release documented on Discogs. Bandcamp credits chd.y with voice, guitar, noise excavation and sound sculpture, and states that the songs were written and produced between 1998 and 2021, with the compiled recordings made between 2003 and 2021 in Washington State, USA, and Tokyo, Japan. The same page notes that tracks one to four come from lossy compressed sources and that “Serenade For Hana” is dedicated to Hana Kimura.

The seventeen tracks are “The Invocation”, “Engine”, “Un coeur de glace, un esprit d’hiver”, “Fountain Square”, “Dead Reckoning (reverse/action)”, “and the lies”, “The Doctrine of Overwhelming Force”, “The Execution of Zealots in the Marketplace Square”, “Angel of Black Desire”, “Meatgrinder”, “The Rising Sun and the Behemoth”, “Accept Death”, “Hark! for I am the portent of misery”, “Machigatta Guuzen”, “Floodgates Now Opened”, “MQ-9A” and “Serenade For Hana”.

This review is the first Side-Line coverage of the project, and no later Tangent Strategy release has been documented in the archive since.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Tangent – Evolutionary Cycles (Album – n5MD)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Ambient, Experimental, Cinematographic, IDM.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Hailing from The Netherlands the Tangent duo Ralph van Reijendam – Robbert Kok has been active for numerous years. After noticeable works released by Mindtrick Records and the defunct Tympanik Audio they signed to n5MD. “Evolutionary Cycles” is the duo’s sixth full length album featuring eight new tracks.

Content: The title of the album probably has nothing to do with the band’s own evolution, but there clearly is a link when you know the band’s career. Tangent remains faithful to some of their early influences, but there always is an evolution. This new work sounds as the perfect offspring between Electronic-, Ambient-, Industrial-, Glitch-, Experimental- and Cinematographic music. I forgot to mention some IDM treatments so in the end you get a pretty diversified opus.

+ + + : I think it’s a challenge to hold on your influences while never repeating yourself. That’s precisely what this album stands for. Tangent has created their very own style, this album being more focused on dreamy, Experimental passages accomplished with dark- and Industrial sound treatments while driven by slow, broken rhythm patterns. I like the progression of the tracklist, the last part of the album becoming more ‘danceable’ and I especially recommend listening to the title track. I also have to mention “Errors Of Conclusion”, which is more into Industrial experimentation, but also a great last cut to a fascinating and diversified work.

– – – : This is the kind of album, which you’ve to listen to a few times before you can get into it.

Conclusion: Tangent creates the illusion to compose music from an imaginary outer-space sonic lab.

Best songs: “Evolutionary Cycles”, “Errors Of Conclusion”, “Empty Waves”, “The Origin Of Structures”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://musictangent.wordpress.com / www.facebook.com/musictangent

Label: https://n5md.com / www.facebook.com/n5Mafia

Evolutionary Cycles by Tangent

About Tangent

Tangent is the Dutch duo of drummer and sound designer Ralph van Reijendam and vocalist and sound engineer Robbert Kok. Discogs lists a self-released promo album “I” (2012), the debut “1mk2” on Mindtrick Records (2013) and “Transience” on the US label Tympanik Audio (14 June 2014). The duo then moved to n5MD for “Collapsing Horizons” (16 September 2016) and “Approaching Complexity” (5 October 2018). Tangent also appears on the Mindtrick compilations “Frequencies Of The Mind II” and “III” and on the n5MD anniversary set “Twenty Years Away” (2020).

“Evolutionary Cycles” was released by n5MD on 12 March 2021 as an LP limited to 200 copies and as a download. The eight tracks are “The Origin Of Structures”, “Imminent Transformation”, “Empty Waves”, “The Appearance Of Forms”, “Isolated Mechanisms”, “Evolutionary Cycles”, “Unrealistic, Unrestrained” and “Errors Of Conclusion”. Tangent created all sounds and music and mastered the album; Robbert Kok made the art and Mike Cadoo the typography.

The limited minidisc release “Acquiesce” followed on 5 November 2021 and the album “Presence Reverts To Absence” on 14 April 2023, both on n5MD, where the duo also contributed a remix to the 2023 collection “Reflections/Revisited”. “Evolutionary Cycles” is the sixth Tangent album and its first Side-Line review.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Atiq & Enk – Paradigm (EP – Mindtrick Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 18:30:13 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Guido van den Brink (Atiq, Mindtrick Records label owner) and Pim Arnoldus (Enk) have already released a few productions together, but “Paradigm” is their first new experiment since the albums “Fear Of The Unknown” (2013) and “Embracing The Unknown” (2014).

Content: Time goes fast, but some values remain! “Paradigm” remains faithful to the earlier productions from this duo dealing with IDM. The work features 5 cuts, which are characterized by deep, blasting bass sounds, minimal bleeps, and astral synth lines and down tempo rhythms. Zinovia Arvanitidi has been asked to sing on one of the tracks (cf. “Moth”) while Tangent (another familiar project from the Mindtrick roster) has been featured at the last cut (cf. “Redemption”). One of the tracks (cf. “Leviathan”) is moving into a more cinematic experiment.

+ + + : This EP (or mini-album) is a remarkable comeback from this talented duo. Atiq & Enk are complementary artists and should just consider never making music without each other! The sound intelligence and global minimalism of the composition both remain intact; the magic is still operating. You can hear it throughout the blasting bass sounds, but still the little sonic effects –which are more noticeable by using headphones, confirm the genius of the project.

– – – : The main point with intelligent electronics is that it only catches the attention of a restricted number of music lovers. I can only encourage the duo to move on and hopefully release a new full length album.

Conclusion: Atiq & Enk belongs to this imaginary list of visionary electronic artists; musicians who only look forward opening paths for the further generations of composers!

Best songs: “Relativity”, “Within The Realm Of My Headlight”, “Moth”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .atiq –enk .com / www .facebook .com /atiqenk

Label: www .mindtrick –records .com / www .facebook .com /mindtrickrecords

About Atiq & Enk

Atiq & Enk is the Dutch duo of Guido van den Brink, who also owns the Mindtrick Records label, and Pim Arnoldus. The pair had already released the albums “Fear Of The Unknown” (2013) and “Embracing The Unknown” (2014) before returning with “Paradigm.” Later in 2020, Guido van den Brink continued working under the Atiq name on the label, teaming up with Eusebeia and Arlow for the “Transfiguration” EP.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Backcatalogue Tympanik Audio label available again – in limited quantities and at rock bottom price – here’s the link

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 09 May 2017 18:00:17 +0000

Loyal Side-Line readers will remember that we always have had a soft spot for the now defunct idm, electro label Tympanik Audio which launched in September 2007. The Chicago-based electronic music label closed in March of 2016 and as a result its back catalogue ceased being distributed… until now!

The fine people from Storming The Base have taken over the complete back catalogue stocks and are selling it now at rock bottom prices (US,98 per CD album) via this hidden link.

Attention: For the US-readers, keep in mind that Storming The Base is offering free shipping from US$100 on, so you might want to take advantage of this by filling your basket with plenty of goodies. The same goes for overseas fans as the shipping diminishes a lot per item once you buy in bulk.

Tympanik Audio’s artist roster includes: Totakeke, Displacer, Ad·ver·sary, Stendeck, ESA, Unterm Rad, Pneumatic Detach, Broken Fabiola, Integral, Atiq & EnK, Geomatic, Flint Glass, Haujobb, Erode, Tangent, Normotone, Disharmony, Anklebiter, Comaduster, Tineidae, Known Rebel, C.H.District, MultiColor, Subheim, [Haven], Fractional, c.db.sn, EyeScream, Zentriert ins Antlitz, SE, Black Lung, Worms Of The Earth, r.roo, Access To Arasaka, Ex_tension, Candle Nine, Tapage, Zinovia, Meander, Dirk Geiger, Endif, Zeller, Lucidstatic, Undermathic, Autoclav1.1, Opposite Exhale, Pandora’s Black Book, Famine, and Aphorism.

Recommended!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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V/A Frequencies Of The Mind III (CD Album – Mindtrick Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 28 Jan 2017 20:00:38 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, rhythmic-ambient, IDM, dubstep, experimental.

Background/Info: Mindtrick Records was set up in 2007 by Guido (Atiq) v.d Brink and is operating from Rotterdam (The Netherlands). While the label this year celebrates its 10th anniversary this label compilation got released at the end of 2016 featuring 16 bands plus an intro.

Bands: Atiq, Tangent, Rlyeh1, He3dless, Delete, Suboctane, Funckarma, Aeon Waves, Huron, The Travel, SB-Six, Known Rebel, The Travel ao.

Content: I always have considered Mindtrick Records as one of the most visionary labels in electronic-underground music. This is the kind of label, which really brings a bonus to the contemporary underground music by having a nose for intelligent and often avant-garde minded electronic bands. This new compilation is the right sound canvas to discover established bands from the label like Atiq, Delete, Tangent, Sb-Six, Huron, Aeon Waves, Rlyeh1, Known Rebel, He3dless, The Travel… but also a few guests, new names and possible next new signings. Funckarma is for sure the most famous name among the list.

While the first part of the sampler is more based around different kind of ambient music styles, the second part features the most sophisticated and danceable cuts leading the listener towards a sonic horizon made by IDM, dubstep and rhythmic-ambient.

+ + + : A compilation often is the right way to get an idea about a label’s music taste. I think it still is a more appropriated format then streaming, but we all know the CD-sales are going downwards. And yet there are CD’s you better put your hands on especially when they’re exposing such fascinating and well-crafted music like “Frequencies Of The Mind”. Known Rebel and Delete both are without a shadow of a doubt my favorite bands on this series, both composing great sound sculptures supported by fascinating atmospheres. I also have to mention Suboctane and the more indus/IDM cut by Huron.

– – – : It’s not really a point, but I was rather surprised by the more ambient approach featured in the first part of the album. I’m more used to hear more dynamic work from some of these formations.

Conclusion: “Frequencies Of The Mind” is the right work to get more familiarized by the future-electronics of Mindtrick Records.

Best bands: Known Rebel, Delete, Suboctane, Rlyeh1, The Travel.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www .mindtrick –records .com / www .facebook .com /mindtrickrecords

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‘Click Interview’ with Paul Nielsen/Tympanik Audio: ‘Digital Music Is Here To Stay And Label Owners Just Need To Accept That And Meet The Demand’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 19:30:50 +0000

Set up in 2007 by Paul Nielsen, the Chicago-based label Tympanik Audio rapidly became one of the most visionary underground labels dealing with electronic- and industrial music. I felt deeply sad when Paul Nielsen earlier this year announced to close the doors of the label. He has no further plans to continue in the music business. Paul has been involved in this field for over 20 years, from Dj-ing, to music journalism, hosting radio programs, organizing events, to eventually running Tympanik. I can only speak for myself but Tympanik Audio is a label I’ll seriously miss for its innovation and creative spirit. This interview is meant as a homage to this great label and his instigator. Respect Mr. Nielsen!

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: A few months ago now you made this terrible announcement about the end of Tympanik Audio. I guess it must have been one of the hardest decisions in life so how did you come to close the doors of the label?

Paul: Indeed it was a very difficult decision to close Tympanik – it affected me quite deeply on a personal level – like the end of a long relationship. I had been struggling to keep the label going for the last few years, but the financial burden finally took its toll on me and it reach a point where I really had no other choice but to shut down the label. I’m just glad I was able to get Tympanik this far.

Q: During the last year I noticed you started to release digital productions. Was it an option to keep the label running by releasing only digital work?

Paul: Yes, I began focusing on digital releases the last year in an effort to not only keep our costs down, but to cater to digital-only listeners. The interest in physical media such as CDs and vinyl have dropped significantly over the past few years so releases that I would have normally produced on CD had to be released digitally.

The important thing was to still have an outlet for the artist’s music under our banner. My main goal has always been to get the music out to our audience, so even thought the release format changed, I still felt the quality was there and the music was still accessible to our listeners, even more so since some of the digital releases were offered as ‘pay-what-you-want’ via Bandcamp.

Q: All labels are complaining about streaming and digital downloads getting CD sales downwards. What’s your point of view about it and is it indeed the main point that hurts?

Paul: I certainly understand the frustration of digital pushing CD releases into the background. This use to bother me quite a bit, as I had always intended Tympanik to be a CD-based label only. Eventually I realized that I couldn’t fight the digital music aspect of the business any longer and in order to perpetuate the label’s existence as well as meet the needs of our audience, I needed to adapt to the changes. Bandcamp was a great way for Tympanik to offer both CD and digital options to our listeners.

I’m still disappointed that CDs do not play such a significant role in music these days. I’ve always enjoyed holding music in my hands and exploring the visual aspect of it (artwork, booklets, tracklistings, credits, etc.). To me, digital music is a much colder medium; it’s a file on your device – very impersonal and in my opinion doesn’t allow that personal connection to the listener that physical formats do. Digital music is here to stay and label owners just need to accept that and meet the demand. There will always be collectors out there like myself who want to own CDs, tapes, vinyl of the music they love – I have no doubt that the demand for physical media will never go away, I just don’t think it will ever be as prevalent as it once was.

Q: What has been the feedback from ‘your’ bands so far and do you see new opportunities for some of them?

Paul: Honestly I think a lot of our artists saw this coming – I don’t imagine it was a big surprise for many of them when I made the announcement, but most have expressed gratitude for being a part of the Tympanik family. I think this closure has offered a lot of our artists new opportunities to project their music to even larger audiences by moving on to other labels and getting more involved in the promotion of their works. It’s good to see some of our artists like ESA, Autoclav1.1, Tangent, Subheim, Totakeke, Displacer, and others find new homes for their music, and I’m confident that many others will move on successfully as well.

Q: Tympanik Audio will be reminded as a label with a visionary taste so what was the original concept all about and did you notice an evolution throughout the years?

Paul: The original concept was to promote music that I felt deserved more attention – unknown and up-and-coming artists who were self-promoting and had no label to help them reach a wider audience. I was hosting a radio program in Chicago for many years in an effort to achieve this, but eventually I felt that starting a label and releasing music on CD would significantly expand the audience for these artists’ work. In the early days of the label, my music tastes were quite eclectic, ranging from industrial, ambient, IDM, rhythmic-noise, etc., so I was initially attracted to artists that not only fell into these broad genres, but were able to combine these styles successfully. I think in the first few years there was a larger focus on industrial-style music, but eventually I began choosing albums to release that weren’t so easily labeled; a hybrid of music styles set on a foundation of originality and accessibility. Artists like Zinovia, Tangent, Idlefon, Tineidae, and MultiColor, are a few that come to mind. Prior to my decision to close the label, I felt like I had found our niche style-wise and I was looking forward to progressing that in the future.

Q: What did you keep in mind from your activities as label owner and I’m especially thinking about some positive experiences?

Paul: I thoroughly enjoyed running Tympanik Audio. There was a lot of stress, financial investment, time, and hard-work involved, but it was a dream for me to work with so many talented and wonderful people over the years. It’s an experience that I feel very fortunate to have had. Everyone involved were so supportive and generous – Tympanik Audio would not have been what it was if it were not for the dedication of everyone involved. I will cherish it always, that’s for sure.

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Atiq – Sonorous (Digital EP – Onset Audio)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 19:26:22 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, ambient, d’n’b.

Background/Info: Guido Van Den Brink aka Atiq also is the owner of Mindtrick Records. This label from The Netherlands rapidly became a reference when it comes to discovering new talented artists active in the wider fields of IDM, dubstep and related genres. “Sonorous” has been released on the American d’n’b-inspired label Onset Audio and features 7 cuts.

Content: “Sonorous” has been presented as the ‘new’ sound from Atiq. I rather experience this work as an evolution in sound. The intelligent and sophisticated electronic basis of the Atiq sound remains pretty similar. It’s featuring a mix between IDM, electro-ambient, dubstep and d’n’b influences. The work once again reveals this meticulous approach in sound creation and a kind of fascination for little bleeps and delicate treatments.

The new songs are absolutely amazing featuring Tangent (known from their work on Mindtrick Records and Tympanik Audio) on the debut cut.

The final part features 3 remixes by Red Army, Aeon Waves and DYL.

+ + + : The global sound creation and –production of Atiq remains a must have for lovers of progressive electronics. The new Atiq songs reflect a high degree of sound intelligence featuring multiple impressive sonic details, beautiful sequences, deep-vibrating bass blasts and poignant atmospheres and sensual rhythms. The 4 new cuts are brilliant, but I have a preference for the somewhat tribal-minded “Real Life (Awaits Us)”.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of the remixes. They reveal a more explicit d’n’b approach, but none of these cuts can really compete with the original Atiq versions.

Conclusion: Atiq once again takes me by surprise unleashing a new visionary piece of electronic music. It definitely sounds like music from the future and a real relief to cheap productions and artists repeating themselves.

Best songs: “Real Life (Awaits Us)”, “The Euclidean Perspective”, “Hiraeth”, “Sonorous feat. Tangent”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www .facebook .com /atiqenk / www .facebook .com /GuidoAtiq

Label: www .onsetaudio .com / www .facebook .com /OnsetAudio

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