Tympanik Audio &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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!

Tineidae – Mothership (Album – Cryo Chamber)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/info: After two albums released on defunct label Tympanik Audio “Mothership” is the second opus of Tineidae released on Cryo Chamber. “Mothership” was released right before the war in Ukraine. That’s an important element as Pavlo Storonskyi is Ukrainian, but now living in Poland.

Content: Previous album “Exo” (2020) revealed a sonic transformation from early IDM inspired stuff into a Cinematic music. “Mothership” moves on this evolution revealing a new overwhelming sound production and Cinematic influences. The work reveals heavy, epic blasts, buzzing sound waves, analogue sound treatments and field recordings.

+ + + : Pavlo Storonskyi has accomplished a new tour de force. He created a devastating sound production wherein the analogue sound treatments are essential. The writing is sophisticated and even complex, but still features a true harmony. This is a work with a strong visual power and featuring multiple great cuts like “Behind The Seal”, the extremely dark “Ellipsis”, “Manufacturing Facility” and “Reactor”.

– – – : I can’t say there are minus parts running through this work although a very few cuts remain a bit flat.

Conclusion: I’ve always liked and supported the work of Tineidae and it’s not different with this new masterpiece. The album also has something symbolic in times of war and oppression.

Best songs: “Behind The Seal”, “Ellipsis”, “Manufacturing Facility”, “Reactor”, “Biolab”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/71ne1dae

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/cryochamber

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.

C.H. District – Live At XIX Wroclaw Industrial Festival (Album – Zoharum)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Industrial, IDM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Set up in 1996 by Miroslaw Matyasik, C.H. District will evoke good souvenirs to fans of labels like Tympanik Audio and M-Tronic. This album is the first one in years. It features a live performance that took place in 2020 and one bonus track.

Content: The live track at the XIX Wroclaw Industrial festival is a long duration piece featuring the main ingredients this artist has always injected in his music. Slow rhythms and harder kicks have been mixed with Industrial sound treatments while other, more sophisticated, and minimal-driven bleeps create a space-like effect. A harder kick emerges during the last part of the track.

The bonus cut has been recorded during a home studio transmission (which also is the title of the song) and reveals similar influences.

+ + + : This artist is a kind of sound alchemist, manipulating analogue sounds with effects and rhythms to create a sophisticated -although bit chaotic, production. I especially like the Industrial sound treatments, which have something heavier and darker. Both tracks are moving towards a crescendo with heavy sound blasts and -kicks.

– – – : C.H. District has never been the most accessible project. It has something Experimental and chaotic, but it also is a suitable alternative to play at Industrial festivals.

Conclusion: I don’t know if many people were awaiting a new album by C.H. District, but I’m sure lovers of creative and more minimal sound experiences will be pleased.

Best songs: “Home Studio Transmission (Bonus Track)”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063736443487

Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum

Post-industrial ambient Kilmarth releases 2-track single ‘Baryum’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:17:54 +0000

Today is the release date of the new single from Kilmarth: “Baryum”, a dark post-industrial ambient track. “Nanikuli” is the B-side and is an upbeat song mixing EBM, IDM and experimental music.

Behind the project we find former Side-Line contributor Cedric Wattergniaux, his work is the kind of work you would link to productions released on labels such as Ad Noiseam, Tympanik Audio, Ant-Zen, Mindtrick Records and M-Tronic.

You can get it on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms.

Baryum by Kilmarth

Stendeck – Carnage (Album – Hymen Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, Cinematographic, Electro-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD, Double 12” Vinyl.

Background/Info: After a hiatus of six years,
Alessandro Zampieri aka Stendeck strikes back with the sixth official album of his music project. After having released albums on Geska Records and Tympanik Audio, “Carnage” is the first work released by Hymen Records. The album features vocals by Kristi Lyn Scaccia and the voices of Les Voix Obscures Choir. The album seems to be inspired by fake news.

Content: Stendeck remains mainly driven by the sound of IDM; an intelligent Electronic creation driven by broken rhythms, evasive atmospheres and sensual female vocals. Some passages are more into mystic moods while other cuts are pure cinematographic music. This album is without a shadow of a doubt the most versatile work of the artist.

+ + + : Stendeck holds on to its good-old influences, remaining impacted by IDM, but this work is also much more cinematographic than ever before. I however prefer the IDM cuts, which also have something pretty sensual –especially when driven by a slow tempo and the sexy timbre of the voice of Kristi Lyn Scaccia. There are numerous great songs featured on this album, but “New Dark Age” and “Eyeless Creatures Gently Stifle The Ivy Lady” both definitely are outstanding (quite curiously these tracks are instrumental edits).

– – – : I expected a bit more out of the song featuring Les Voix Obscures Choir.

Conclusion: It’s good to see Stendeck releasing a new, visionary album, which clearly stands for the most creative and intelligent side of Electro-Underground music.

Best songs: “New Dark Age”, “Eyeless Creatures Gently Stifle The Ivy Lady”, “Red Neon”, “Queen Of Beauty Tragic Obsession”, “Thirteen Wolves Mass Conspiracy”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.stendeck.com / www.facebook.com/stendeckmusic

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords Read the news on ‘Carnage’.

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

Swiss electro artist Stendeck returns after 6 years with new album ‘Carnage’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 13:24:03 +0000

Out in a few days is “Carnage”, the all new album by Stendeck, an artist based in Lugano, Switzerland. Stendeck ala Alessandro Zampieri released a number of albums on Geska Records and Tympanik Audio but the project didn’t release anything new since 2015.

Zampieri is a classically trained pianist and formed Stendeck in 1999 as part of a growing interest in electronic music. In 2002 he made his first demo album, “A crash into another world” which was followed by the 2005 album “Can you hear my call” on Geska Records in a mastering by Mike Wells of Gridlock. After the release of “Faces” in 2007, also on Geska Records, Stendeck switched to Tympanik Audio for his next album, “Sonnambula” (2009). Two more releases followed, “Scintilla” (2011) and “Folgor” (2015), after which the project hibernated.

Featured on this all new album are vocals of Kristi Lyn Scaccia and the voices of the ‘Les Voix Obscures’ choir. The album is out as a double vinyl (in a limited edition of just 200 copies) and on CD.

Here’s the video for the excellent track “Somewhere nobody knows”. Read the review of ‘Carnage’.

Cellar Graves – Omen (Album – Cellar Graves)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Electro-Ambient, EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Behind this project is hiding Chase Dobson who you may know from his C.DB.SN-project. That was back in time when this artist was dealing with Experimental- and IDM releasing an album on Tympanik Audio. Cellar Graves is another sonic trip. The album “Omen” was already released back in 2018.

Content: “Omen” clearly sounds like an Electro-Ambient exploration, most of the tracks having this astral-like dimension. But the work isn’t entirely into ambient and still deals with early EBM influences, which sometimes remind me of Frontline Assembly. Other songs are featuring Industrial sound treatments, which are still mixed with space-like influences.

The album features 5 songs plus 2 remixes by Blackcell and Statiqbloom.

+ + + : There’s an interesting duality running throughout this work; it has something bombastic at one side and refined with subtle arrangements at the other side. The mix between overwhelming space-driven atmospheres and EBM influences comes mainly through on “Tormented”. This is for sure the best song, which also inspired Statiqbloom to make a cool remix.

– – – : I regret some songs aren’t featuring real vocal lines, Cellar Graves preferring to use the good-old spoken samplings formula.

Conclusion: “Omen” is a promising debut album by Cellar Graves and I’m sure there even is more potential hidden inside.

Best songs: “Tormented”, “The Dig”, “Tormented – Statiqbloom Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/cellargraves

‘Click Interview’ with Tineidae: ‘I Love Telling Stories With Melodies’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 18:00:00 +0000

TINEIDAE is a project I discovered back in 2012 by the “Lights”-album released on the now defunct Tympanik Audio. The next album “Shadows” released in 2014 featured a similar taste for IDM and Electro-Ambient Electronics. But after that second album and the end of Tympanik Audio it became quite silent in the TINEIDAE circle. A lot of things happened and one of the main changes was Pavlo Storonsky left his homeland, Ukraine, to relocate in Warsaw (Poland). He started to compose new music and this year signed to Cryo Chamber to unleash the Cinematographic work “Exo”. The opus reveals an important evolution in sound, but a similar passionate and overwhelming sound experience.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: After the “Shadows”-album released in 2014 it took you several years to release a new full length. You last year released “Slowly Drown In Static”, which already was like a real album and this year you released “Exo”. Why did it take that long to release a new full length and what kind of work did you want to accomplish with “Exo”?

Pavlo: A lot of things have changed since the last full-length album released on Tympanik Audio; from moving to other countries and a job change to having a family life and becoming a dad. So quite naturally it wasn’t an easy thing to come back to music the way I did it before. There was a lot of getting used to, a lot of changes in habits and especially, time management (which I’m still pretty bad at, I have to admit). Music-wise there were small bits and pieces that I’ve started every now and then, but a lot of bigger ideas had to be postponed. Some are still a work in progress since early 2015 to this day and some were finished.

When it comes to “Exo”, initially it was an experiment with a limited amount of tools to be used. You know with a lot of possibilities come an everlasting problem of choice, while limiting yourself you both eliminate that problem, as well as getting deeper understanding of the tools. Well, first iterations of it were just that –seeing what can be accomplished with the bare minimum. Later on it started to grow into something more personal, more meaningful.. There is the narrative, ‘lore’ of sorts, which describes the imaginary story behind the album, but also it is a tribute to my father.

Q: I already mentioned “Slowly Drown In Static” released in 2019, which revealed a different sound approach than what you released in the past. Tell us a bit more about this work and the move towards a more Cinematographic/Soundtrack driven work?

Pavlo: “Slowly Drown In Static” was a change indeed. It is mostly the way it is due to all of the above, like when things change in life drastically, it has an impact on creative output for sure. And this EP/album, I don’t know how to call it myself, is a catharsis of all those happenings. It’s rather short, but I would say it’s condensed, a brief summary of metamorphosis if you can call it that way. We tend to perceive life as a journey from A to B, or at least I was like that, but then you suddenly realize that in the wait of that B point you actually miss your life passing by each second, and this exact moment is the meaning, all that you feel and all who you are in this moment, and not the imaginary point B.

As for the Cinematographic/Soundtrack driven work, it really is something that shapes to be a thing on its own, meaning I don’t really aim to make that, it just becomes what it is naturally. I think it’s fair to say that I’m into more melodic stuff rather than technical and I love telling stories with melodies, so if you take away all the fanciness (which was there at times) of the older works, it will likely result in, maybe less refined, but still quite Cinematic sound.

Q: Your early albums were released by the defunct Tympanik Audio while you now signed to Cryo Chamber. How did you feel about the end of Tympanik Audio, which was like a kind of ‘family label’ and how do you see Cryo Chamber, which is another ‘family label’?

Pavlo: Tympanik Audio is being missed by many for sure (as well as some other labels close in the genre at that time, which do not function anymore). It was an era in Electronic music for me at least which kind of ended at that time, the very mixture of Glitch, IDM and Ambient with a more Industrial sound was introduced and carried over the years by those labels. Some artists still continued making music and experimenting with sound; many stopped and those who continued were harder to find and follow.

It was pretty big at least in my eyes, that too, at least partially, caused a halt in my musical endeavors. The decisions were made, there were personal reasons behind those, so I can understand why it was that way. No hard feelings, only hopes for good future of the people behind Tympanik Audio, including artists. It did feel like a family after all.
Cryo Chamber is another tight-knit bunch of friendly people. We share the same goal –retelling stories with our music. The label is known for a less flashy/synthy music compared to what I usually do, but it turned out my stuff fits in 🙂

Q: “Exo” is for sure your most ‘cinematic/soundtrack’-driven album. What have been your main influences to compose this work and how do you see your evolution as musician/artist from previous releases towards “Exo”?

Pavlo: From Original Soundtracks my main influences were mostly sci-fi/cyberpunk films, games and animation (suffice to say I’m quite a bit into cyberpunk and sci-fi genre in books and films), namely “Ghost In The Shellt, both Bladerunners, Tarkovsky’s “Stalker”, Deus Ex: “Human Revolution”, Nier: “Automata” and some others. When it comes to musicians it’s mainly Access T Arasaka, Lorn, Bad Sector and older works of Atrium Carceri. In general –a pretty mixed bag, but all these are melody-centric and very immersive if you consider the storytelling aspect, and I enjoy it a lot.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing- and production process of “Exo”? What have been the different stages to release this album and tell us a bit more about your way of composing (equipment, noise sources etc)?

Pavlo: Starting off as an experiment “Exo” (it didn’t have a name at the time) quickly formed into a rather long monolithic track, which I later on separated. At that point I realized that it sounds good enough to make something bigger so some parts were dropped (those that clearly were out of the realm of sci-fi) and new parts/movements were created. You know swhen you make something without a bigger idea initially, not all of it fits, and you don’t often know what sounds good and what is just some, what I call, artistic bullshit. So you then work in iterations, creating more stuff and then filtering out and changing and separating what doesn’t fit. Some of the tracks that are now part of “Exo” were the filtered out older stuff which didn’t quite fit the more dynamic earlier sound, so I resampled/re-recorded a bit and it started fitting the mood/narrative after some adjustments.

I feel like I’m in a forge talking about how I hammer some metal parts and what not, but essentially it’s almost like that. Like whenever you create a sound, or work on some recordings/samples and tie them together you act more on what ‘sounds good’ in the moment and only later on you piece the whole picture together, if that makes sense.

Equipment is scarce –most of the stuff is in the box, I only have my Roland JD-XI and some guitar pedals (old Boss distortion and chorus). For the noise sources I try to have my Zoom h2n at hand, good enough field-recording device for most of my needs. I also enjoy lurking on websdr’s and recording some radio static, occasionally some weird modulated voices.

Q: Artistic life has been badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. How do you look back at this experience and how do you expect things evolving? What are the further plans for TINEIDAE?

Pavlo: I am thankful for what I have: family, music, work. The lockdowns and all the things happening around helped me to re-evaluate what’s worth in life. As a pretty closed/introverted person, I can’t say that the lockdown impacted me a lot psychologically. I’m still member of online communities I was in previously, I still try to stay in contact with people close to me and also my wife and kids are a tremendous support and help as well as I try to be for them. Hard to say how things will pan out, I’m not sure everything will return back to how they were pre-Covid, or at least not suddenly. Or maybe they won’t at all. I’m trying to keep on creating regardless, monthly singles that are way further from what one could expect genre-wise from me, remixes, collaborations, but also bigger works too, likely back with Cryo Chamber if I don’t go too far off with my artistic bullshit 😀

Thanks for taking your time and asking me some questions. Stay safe!

Tineidae – Exo (Album – Cryo Chamber)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 19:00:33 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Pavlo Storonskyi is a Ukrainian artist living in Warsaw (Poland). “Exo” is his third full length album and the first one in six years; his previous work being devoted to IDM and released on the defunct Tympanik Audio label.

Content: I didn’t exactly expect Tineidae getting signed on Cryo Chamber, but once you’re listening to “Exo” you rapidly see the link. This work is a well-crafted and overwhelming Cinematographic experience wherein dark reverie and space-like sound treatments are coming together. Some passages feel a bit like improvised while others have been accomplished with upcoming Electronic sequences. The work is filled with numerous little details and sound effects.

+ + + : I’m not affirming “Exo” sounds as a true sound reconversion, but Tineidae definitely reveals a different side of its artistic expression. The production was impressive and mainly carried by overwhelming sound treatments joined by great strings and astral effects. The songs have been meticulously constructed and achieved with analogue effects. There also is a strong visual appeal emerging at the surface. This is detailed Dark-Cinematographic composition featuring multiple outstanding tracks.

– – – : I can imagine some fans of the early work will be a little disappointed discovering an album totally devoted to Cinematographic music.

Conclusion: Tineidae is one of those projects I’ll always link with the great Tympanik audio, which is a label I’m definitely missing. But this is another time and still another Tineidae, which however remains fascinating!

Best songs: “Metal Claws”, “Battle Scars”, “Blacklight Trail”, “Patterns In The Sky”, “Reconnection”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/71ne1dae

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

‘Click Interview’ with Autoclav1.1: ‘I Always Say After Each Release That It Will Be My Last’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 18:00:57 +0000

Tony Young started writing music under the AUTOCLAV1.1 moniker in 2004. Since the first album released in 2005 on Crunch Pod, the creativity of the British artist has no limits. AUTOCLAV1.1 is a prolific project releasing new material nearly every single year. Dealing with different, but related music genres and influences like IDM, Industrial, Electro-Ambient ao Tony Young released his albums on different labels; the already mentioned Crunch Pod, Tympanik Audio, but also Hive Records and WTII Records. EP’s were released on other labels. This year AUTOCLAV1.1 joined hands together with Audiophob to unleash the new album “Nothing Outside”, which is without a shadow of a doubt the most intimate work so far. I talked with Tony Young about his new work and a few more things.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Nothing Outside” has been released during the Covid-19 pandemic, which clearly also inspired this work. How do you as citizen and as artist experience this situation?

Tony: Yeah, this was written as the initial lockdown took hold over here. It’s been tough for everyone really; but I do have the luxury of enjoying my own company. As far as writing music is concerned, there has been little difference for me. I spend a lot of time just messing with music and not really recording it; and this album just came into being. I remember thinking I may write an EP of just piano and Ambient music and when I started I just got out the bass guitar and then of course, beats followed. Covid-19 or no Covid19 there would have been a new album; just probably with a different concept if there hadn’t been a pandemic.

Q: The album also wants us to reflect about what is going on in the world, but I’m afraid less politicians and/or leaders feel really concerned. What’s your critical perception about it all and how do you see things evolving? Do you also see positive things evolving?

Tony: Well, it’s more about my own experiences and environment really than asking anyone else to reflect. It would be cool if it has meant something to anyone else though with regards to his or her own personal experiences in this time. As far as how the pandemic has been dealt with… well, our government has been shocking from start to finish. They’re a bunch of over privileged Tories who just look out for their own; and are now maxing out on an opportunity to stamp out those less fortunate. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a UK Conservative government. I don’t see anything positive on the horizon really. It makes me wish I lived in New Zealand. The UK really is a shambles; and with the compete clusterfuck of Brexit tag-teaming with the pandemic, it’s only gonna get worse.

Q: I’m not affirming that you reinvented the AUTOCLAV1.1-sound at “Nothing Outside”, but the composition sounds more intimate and Cinematographic than ever before, which is probably due to the piano play and arrangements. What did you try to accomplish and did you handle specific references and/or criteria to compose the album?

Tony: I do try to make each release different, but in all honesty, when I start a new album I have no real idea how it’s going to end up sounding at the start, with just a general impression of what I am after.

I wasn’t really planning of having a lot of piano in my newer songs; and “Makeshift Splint” was my first in a while where I only utilized it a small amount. However, I was having an afternoon just playing around with piano giving my fingers a workout, so to speak; and I just hit record and it went from there. I really enjoyed making this one. Song titles are personal reference points in my home environment, apart from the non-piano track “Hiraeth”, which was a nostalgia-fest for me personally speaking. There’s so much I write that I normally just bin; but for the first time ever, I was genuinely happy with everything I was writing. There’s so much I have released in the past that was below par; and if I had chance to re-write a couple of those albums with what I know now programming wise, I would.

Q: You’re a prolific artist, but you don’t exactly repeat yourself; it feels like every single album reveals new ideas while it remains difficult to label your music as one specific music genre. How comes you’re that prolific and where does this eclecticism comes from?

Tony: I listen to a lot of styles of music; and this keeps new ideas forming in my head. I haven’t listened to anything really Industrial in a long time and a lot of my songs are written in the formula of a lot of music I listen to. I listen to more guitar-based music than electronic really. Don’t get me wrong, I still listen to Dark-Ambient and stuff like that; but you’re more likely to catch me blasting out New Model Army, The Wonderstuff, PWEI and The Mission over any Industrial band nowadays. Although I still adore Coil and Swans.

I like to think an appreciation of different styles means I am going to be more adventurous when I write. Although I know I can’t write as well as half the bands I listen to.

Q: As I just said you’re a prolific artist and even started a side-project NATURA EST together with Andreas Davids from XOTOX. What does this project bring you next to AUTOCLAV1.1 and what makes the chemistry between you and Andreas?

Tony: Andy is one of my best friends. We don’t see each other much, but it doesn’t really matter. I always wanted to do a Dark-Ambient project, knowing one day I will stop writing Autoclav1.1; so I wanted a project that seemed more fitting of someone growing older.

I knew Andy liked his Dark-Ambient stuff too. I asked him just the once, if he wanted to do this and got an emphatic ‘Yes!’ immediately. We work well together and I don’t see it as a side-project. It is its own beast, running on its own steam. The possibilities are endless; and we cannot wait for “Real Seasons” to be released. I think because Andy and I have a different style of writing on our respective solo-projects, it filters into a different kind of Dark-Ambient when we combine the stems we write. “We both have had the same vision when writing each album too. I am really proud of the project and I know he is too. There’s a lot of snobbery within Dark-Ambient circles as with other scenes, but we appear to have got our followers now.

Q: Covid-19 is definitely a curse for artists, but don’t you think it’s also a kind of blessing? An opportunity to work on new material, remixes, clips, revisiting old- and/or unachieved songs? What brings the future for AUTOCLAV1.1?

Tony: In no way, shape or form is this a blessing; but I think I see where you are coming from. As far as writing goes, it shouldn’t have an impact on anyone writing Electronic music as most have their own home studios. But I can definitely see how it affects bands playing live. I have missed many a show this year and I am sure I won’t see many next year either.

The future of Autoclav1.1? Who knows? I always say after each release that it will be my last; but I always find myself playing my bass or keyboards one miserable Yorkshire afternoon, where I more often than not, hit the record button once more.

Cellar Graves – Omen (Digital Album – Cellar Graves)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 20:30:44 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark rhythmic-ambient, electro-cinematographic.

Background/Info: Cellar Graves is Chase Dobson, an American artist you maybe remember from C.DB.SN, which released an album on the now gone Tympanik Audio. “Omen” is Cellar Graves debut album revealing 5 songs and 2 remixes.

Content: “Omen” is a fascinating work, which of course reminds me of the legendary movie. It’s not a coincidence there’s something pretty cinematic running through the songs, but the music also moves back to some 90s instrumental electro-industrial compositions. I especially refer to Benestrophe for the dark moods, subtle treatments and fine bleeps.

Remixes have been accomplished by Blackcell and Statiqbloom.

+ + + : Cellar Graves is bringing opposite elements together; there’s something bombastic in the production, which has been mixed with refined arrangements. Bombast and delicacy are joining hands while carried by solid bass lines. “Tormented” and “Omen” both are very efficient exposures of this work while I also have to mention the remix of “Witching Hour” by Blackcell.

– – – : You’ll notice a very few spoken vocals running through the work (Blackcell remix), but I think it would have been interesting to add a few more spoken vocals and/or chants/choir passages.

Conclusion: Cellar Graves is a project to keep in mind. There’s an interesting fusion between different influences running through the work while the vintage touch reminding the 90s is quite exciting.

Best songs: “Omen”, “Tormented”, “Witching Hour”, “Witching Hour – Blackcell Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/cellargraves

ESA interview: ‘I Love To Pick Up Instruments And Use Them As An Extension To Myself’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 18:00:11 +0000

Set up by Jamie Blacker in 2002 Electronic Substance Abuse (ESA) rapidly became a noticeable project dealing with multiple influences such as rhythmic-noise, industrial and electro-ambient. Different productions have been released on defunct labels such as Hive Records and Tympanik Audio. After having accomplished the last part of the “Themes Of Carnal Empowerment”-trilogy on WTII Records, ESA this year stroke back with the impressive “That Beast”-album released on Negative Gain Productions. I asked a few questions to Jamie Blacker while he was busy touring with iVardensphere (a band he’s also involved with).

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Your latest official album “That Beast” has been released a few months ago now. I think it became the most sophisticated ESA-album ever, but how do you look back at this opus?

Jamie: Honestly, I personally would not see it as the most sophisticated ESA release. I would probably hand that title to the last of the “Themes”-trilogy albums (“Penance”), just due to its many moods and disciplined focus on concept.

What I would say about “That Beast” is that it is a result of increased production skills knowledge and directs attention more to the beauty of ‘hooks’ in tracks.

My aim was to create a really solid standalone product with “That Beast”. Something that was memorable, not just due to the actual music, but also the really focused artwork and the music videos that have been released and will be released. It’s a package that I’m really proud of and so far it’s been received far more strongly than any other ESA release. I feel like ESA is finally getting the attention that it deserves from lots of different sub-genres within the scene, which I’m massively thankful for.

Q: You just mentioned the trilogy “Themes Of Carnal Empowerment”. Artists seem to like trilogies, but how did it feel working on a ‘conceptual’ theme and moving on with a more ‘classical’ album?

Jamie: It felt massively liberating if I’m completely honest. I’d been so tied down with previous releases. I’m really proud of those albums, but I almost felt like I’d created a bit of a prison for myself with the “Themes”-trilogies.

What also came with the alternative direction to writing with “That Beast” was an opportunity to create a much more personal link to the album. The listener will have a massive flag as to just how personal this album is within the first 15 seconds of the album. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders if I’m honest.

Q: E.S.A. has been always linked to industrial-music and rhythmic-noise, but quite progressively you injected trance elements, which I think have been never that explicit as on the new work. That’s an interesting evolution to analyze don’t you think?

Jamie: I agree. I love rhythmic noise. I still get excited by the power of that style. I like how oppressive and hypnotic it can be, but I also feel that can be applied with the 4/4 techno style. I think the genres can be merged together quite easily, whilst still remaining very dark and powerful.

It also provides more of an invitation to a wider audience, with techno being more accessible, though I wouldn’t say it was a conscious decision to create a wider fan base by introducing this style. It just feels right.

Q: Industrial music productions are often characterized by this typical ‘harsh’ and ‘distorted’ effect. Since a couple of years now I noticed artists are more taking care about how to get a high-tech and professional production. I think you’re definitely concerned about this item, but can you reveal a few details about how you get this sound?

Jamie: Yes absolutely. I’m an extremely non-technical person. First and foremost I am a musician, I love to pick up instruments and use them as an extension to myself. To allow them to be my personal sounding boards.

So the quick answer is I’ve learnt how to work with frequencies better. I’ve learnt that a wall of distortion will not allow for a punchy kick to cut through and holes have to be made in that wall of sound for everything to breathe correctly.

I’ve also stripped back on layers. I’m much more disciplined about what I throw in a track. The more layers you add… the messier it can get. That’s definitely something I’ve learnt along the way.

Q: There’s an interesting and here again very ‘professional’ clip of the song “Bad Blood Will Out”. What did you try to express with this clip and what’s the importance of making clips today?

Jamie: So myself and a gentleman called Myles Fearnley have been increasingly becoming involved in video making.

Myles himself has taken this on as his next career step now and I am also devoting as much time to it as possible along with him.

So far we have filmed two music videos together, those being “The Hold” and “Bad Blood Will Out” the latter being a huge leap in professionalism and result in comparison to the former. We’re really enjoying making these and are currently in the middle of filming the next music video for the track “I Want it Now”, but I don’t want to give too much away on that just now.

I think video is massively important. You’re only able to give away a small amount of a message in just audio. For me (being a massive film fan), narrative and story is so important. So what we are doing right now is merging film-making with the ESA music and I’m super happy on how this is turning out.

Q: I noticed you were into metal music before dealing with industrial music. Do you see some links and similarities between both genres and especially when you’re composing music?

Jamie: Yes. My style is very influenced in metal. More nodding toward the ‘feel’ and ‘tone’ of metal. It’s really all the I listen to still and I think there’s still a hell of a lot of life in that genre.

I think that a lot of metal fans would get something out of an ESA album. The first track on “That Beast” – “I Have Clarity” to me is massively leaning towards the feel of a heavy metal track. It’s heavy, mid paced and very groovy. The vocals are also straight up doom / death-metal. I’m really happy that this track is a lot of people’s favourite on the album.

‘Click Interview’ with Kilmarth: ‘Music Is A Legal Drug That Has The Immense Power To Make Us Escape’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 17:00:14 +0000

Belgian solo-project Kilmarth is driven by Cédric Wattergniaux. I know Cédric for quite a long time. We both got involved with Side-Line magazine. We met at festivals and always had great moments talking about music. I know him as a passionate music lover with an eclectic choice. Throughout the years he started composing music on his own and this way he set up Kilmarth. A first self-released EP “Catharsis” saw the daylight. It might be defined as an electronic mix between multiple influences, but in the end it comes close to IDM and experimental electronics. This interview is an opportunity to get more familiar with this new project.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: It seems you’re already composing music for several years now. How did it all started and how did you finally come to deal with this kind of music?

Cédric: As long as I can remember, music has always been an important part of my life. I listened to it, analyzed it, I wrote about it … but my biggest dream has always been to compose it. This dream was buried deep within me, but my ego told me that I was not able to do it. I once made the very late decision to finally take music theory lessons at the local music academy to better understand what music was from a theoretical point of view. Then I tried the classical guitar, which I abandoned by acquiring my first synth, a Korg Triton. As for the musical style, I did not try to get into a current one, it’s naturally the sounds that I liked the most that I chose to compose the music that related to a genre already present that I of course, liked a lot already.

Q: The name Kilmarth is directly linked to the great Daphne du Maurier, but what inspired you in this project name and the work plus life of this author?

Cédric: “The House Of The Strand” is a book I literally devoured when I read it, about 15 years ago. I am passionate about history, it is also my job (I am a history teacher) and the idea of time travelling has always been a child’s dream. The idea also to ask the question… Is it the reality of this trip or was it solely based on the absorption of a drug was a very interesting idea. So, I like to say that music is that drug that can be taken to help us penetrate other worlds, to penetrate the brain mysteries of some great composers of our time or earlier. It also makes me think of this excellent movie, that is for me, “Strange Days” by Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron (1995) where the hero penetrates the recorded thoughts of people by means of an apparatus connected to the brain. Music is a legal drug that has the immense power to make us escape and to paraphrase Dave Gahan, that unites people who are so different.

Q: You recently self-released your debut work “Catharsis”. What is it all about? What did you try to accomplish (sound-wise) and what has been your working method?

Cédric: I fell into a big depression almost two years ago. I could not do my job anymore. Finding myself in front of my DAW and my synth has become gradually a habit and also a therapy to get out of this problem. For 6 months, I almost never left my studio and “Catharsis” was born from that. Fortunately, I was able to count on my family and a handful of friends who have always supported me.

Q: “Catharsis” is the kind of work I instantly linked to productions released on labels such as Ad Noiseam, Tympanik Audio, Ant-Zen, Mindtrick Records, M-Tronic… Do you feel related with these labels? Would you like to get signed by a label or do you prefer the DIY attitude?

Cédric: These are magnificent labels that have written the most beautiful pages in the history of our scene. It would be an extraordinary honor to be part of these record companies. I think that the power of a label to distribute music is a major asset in a society where it is now necessary to put music almost in the ear of an auditor so that he can listen to new things. I do not have the time or the gift to be able to handle all parts of the music business as I should while living a normal life with my family. On the other hand, it is also important, for an artist, to have a free hand in the creative process. It is therefore necessary that everyone can have his own territory for the partnership to be effective. It must also be said that the world of music has experienced an incredible upheaval in recent years. Will these labels still exist in five years? The future will tell.

Q: “Catharsis” is a sonic crossover between numerous genres and influences, but how would you analyze the sound of Kilmarth and how do you see yourself as an artist?

Cédric: I, like many other people before me, served as a sponge to several artistic movements (literary, pictorial, …). The daily life that I could absorb for years and reject in the form of “Catharsis”. It is difficult for me to highlight, for example, a musical genre that I particularly like to achieve this result, although it is obvious that electronic music, in general, remains the one that has the most marked throughout my life. For the rest, I like to control what I do; like composition, production, artwork or even videos. Kilmarth is a personal project, although I like the influences of outside musicians like the help of a friend for one track on “Catharsis”. I would like to see more collaborations like that on future productions.

Q: You’ve been involved with Side-Line magazine for numerous years. What did you learn from this experience as a journalist and does it appear to be a precious experience now that you’re composing music yourself?

Cédric: My Side-Line years were an extraordinary experience. First of all because I was able to meet people who belong to our scene and that I respect a lot: you, Séba Dolimont who remains one of my best friends, Bernard, Benoît… I could also ‘meet’ people who I admire a lot musically like Klaus Kruse (PNE), NoyceTM, Mesh, Das Ich, De/Vision, Iris… It was a wonderful school to discover how the world of music is from the inside. From these different elements, I was able to build my project by being influenced by countless elements that have appeared throughout my life. Composing my music has also brought me even more respect for these artists that I met since the first demo to flamboyant careers. Each piece sometimes hides many efforts and often an incredible job that most people who listen to music or criticism cannot imagine. So I would say that the influence exists in both directions. I cannot criticize an album like I did in the past…

Kilmarth – Catharsis (CD Mini-Album – Kilmarth)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 18:30:33 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, experimental.

Background/Info: Kilmarth is a Belgian project set up in 2007 by Cédric Wattergniaux. After having released several songs at digital platforms and remixing a few bands, Kilmarth now unleashed this debut work featuring 6 tracks (on digital platforms) and one more cut on the limited CDR version. Cédric Wattergniaux has been a good-old colleague of mine in times he was also active (and this for 10 years) as a journalist for Side-Line.

Content: Cédric always has been an interesting guy to speak with about music and other subjects. A man with an open-minded spectrum and that’s rather rare in this music scene. So I wasn’t surprised at all to hear him experimenting with one of the most sophisticated formats of electronic music: IDM! His work is driven by broken rhythms, characterized by dark, deep tones, refined with bleeping sequences, sometimes achieved with a melodic touch, evolving into groovy passages and featuring noticeable studio effects while still featuring one track with saxophone play (played by a guest musician). The work remains instrumental and might appeal for lovers of labels such as Ant-zen, Tympanik Audio, Ad Nauseam, Mindtrick, M-Tronic and related labels.

+ + + : The deep, vibrating bass tones probably are the main characteristic of this mini-album, but I also have to mention the sophisticated drum patterns and other slow rhythms. Kilmarth is mixing different influences together; from dubstep to pure experimentalism to electro-ambient to electro-grooves. I like music that sounds as an invitation to make you dream away. “Catharsis” is definitely too dark to dream on, but it has something of a sonic travel. It’s a sophisticated production featuring noticeable cuts and one absolute attention grabber entitled “Shondell Discipline”. This track is more elaborated and has something dubby I really enjoy.

– – – : I can’t get away from the idea that this work was composed with very limited equipment. I hope Kilmarth can move on, but maybe with the magic of analogue-like gear, which I’m sure, would elevate the level of quality.

Conclusion: Belgium has been really been a main country when it comes to IDM so it’s quite exciting to discover a new talent experimenting with the most intelligent side of electronic-underground music.

Best songs: “Shondell Discipline”, “Basadatrark”, “Spindle”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www .facebook .com /cedri .kilmarth .3

‘Click Interview’ with Undermathic: ‘I’m Not The Man I Used To Be’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 17:00:45 +0000

Polish artist Maciej Paszkiewicz is not directly a name that will make ring a bell, but his Undermathic project is for sure a familiar name for all of those who were fan on the now gone Tympanik Audio. Undermathic released four albums on the Canadian label and now strikes back with the self-released digital opus “Living Holograms”. This is a great and creative electronic work mixing different influences such as IDM, cinematographic-, experimental- and laidback music. This is pure high-tech music so I’m confident Undermathic will find a new label to release further work.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You introduce Undermathic as a ‘multi-instrumentalist and dreamer from Poland’! Can you give us more details about this description and how did you get into music?

Maciej: Yes, I like this trivial description. I play guitars, bass, drums and synths, but guitar is my main instrument. I started to play when I was seven years old.

Within a few years I will have a studio with all these instruments so it will be wonderful and interesting to me. I will record everything, track after track, instrument after instrument. I do not know exactly what will happen and what to expect, in what style. So one day perhaps I will take a break with electronic music and I will turn into ‘live’ playing.

And ‘dreamer’ because… I’m not the man I used to be. It’s a very complex matter, philosophical and psychological (lol).

Q: Your previous album were released on Tympanik Audio, which definitely was one of the most visionary labels from this scene. What did you keep in mind from the four albums released on Tympanik and how did it feel when you heard the label decided to stop its activities?

Maciej: Of course it’s always sad when a label has to stop. Today this ‘industry’ is going through a very difficult and specific time. CD’s are almost dead, vinyl records are selling surprisingly well and we even see cassettes are coming back, but the main traffic is on the internet.

There are a plenty of labels, plenty of true artists and unfortunately even more ‘shitty laptop artists’… so every label needs to do a great promotion and of course to release good music. It only happens by working hard.

Unfortunately my albums released on Tympanik did not sound good. I did not have the equipment, I did not have analog synthesizers, samplers etc. I had good ideas, but it sounded bad, plastic and digital.

Q: One more question about labels and the importance they have for you as an artist and how did you finally come to release your new album on your own?

Maciej: The difference is huge, if we’re talking about professional labels. I will be honest –my new album does not exist. This is not a surprise for me. I can not promote myself enough, it is simply technically impossible.

If someone has a great fan base (I think here about real big artists from the first league), self-releasing an album is perhaps a good idea, but not in my case.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the newest album “Living Holograms”, which in the meantime has been remastered revealing a ‘new’ edit?

Maciej: Yes, during the past last weeks I bought some great hardware devices to mastering; compressors, equalizers and other ‘psychoacoustic‘ effects. It’s only analog and only with tubes. When I switched on the power I immediately loved this equipment! And, as I say above, because my new album is still undiscovered, I decided to do a remastering. So now and for the first time in my life, my music sound good. Only the last track “It’s Hard To Explain” is very hard to master. I’d many problems with the mastering so I left it unchanged.

Q: I guess this technical evolution is probably why I consider “Living Holograms” as your most accomplished work to date and still the most diversified when it comes to influences. What kind of work did you want to accomplish and tell us a bit more about the sources of inspiration and used equipment?

Maciej: Thanks. But yes, you’re right. This is my best album so far. I will say more, this is my first professionally sounding material, because it’s the first record I made only with hardware analog synths.

So everything sounds warm and deep, there is a lot of dirt and stertorous synths.

More globally this album is a tribute to French electronic music, so all similarities are very conscious. I especially worked on this sound. It was my goal.

For me divisions in music do not exist, we have only good- and poorly inspired music. But in electronic music and during the recent years I really liked the way it goes e.g Jon Hopkins, Max Cooper or even Rival Consoles and other ‘piano-electronic’ artists from Erased Tapes Record and all other similar things.

This is a good way – it is suitable for dancing with 4×4 beat, but at the same time it has more depth and is more ambitious, more original and more artistic. I think I will go towards this direction on my next album.

About the equipment I am quite satisfied at the moment. I can create my music from A till Z without using VST plugins; at every stage of creation. Everything is mixed of course in DAW, Cubase 9.5, but I uninstalled all my plugins, except one company – Kush Audio, because they are really good and Gregory Scott from Kush is a genius. But I do not have a lot of devices, simply a few basic analog synths, Virus TI2, some samplers and the most important –modular synths! This is now, and will be in next years, my most important creation tool. But as you know, modular synths are ruining the budget (lol), but it sounds amazing! For every sound source I’m passing always through many guitar effects from my pedalboard.

Q: How do you see yourself as musician; I mean what do you want to realize? What do you want to improve or maybe change in your sound and work? Do you feel related with other musicians? What means music to you?

Maciej: I should play the guitar in some famous bands. I loved to play live with other musicians and I loved playing concerts. Unfortunately a few years ago now I left my hometown so now I live in a small village and playing with other musicians here is for some obvious reasons impossible. It sounds trivially, but music is one of the most important things in life, not only music, but all forms of art. I am very sensitive to art.

Right now I am going to a little life crisis, but music really helps me and I hope, that I will create something good in the future; in electronic music or on bass, drums and guitars. This is my plan. I’m currently finishing a mini album “Moments And Places” (4-5 tracks) based on a piano, but I am not satisfied with the results (lol). It will be probably not good enough. After that I have to create two, three awesome electronic tracks and I will continue to look for a good label.

Undermathic – Living Holograms (Digital Album – Undermathic)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 18:00:02 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, experimental, laidback, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Polish artist Maciej Paszkiewicz got some recognition by his four albums released on the now defunct Tympanik Audio label. This new self-released work has been released more than 4 years after the last album “Indistinct Face”.

Content: I’m not saying that Undermathic has reinvented its sound, but it all became more diversified. It feels a bit like a natural osmosis between IDM, experimental music and downtempo or laidback sonorities. Sometimes a bit dubby-like and then reminding me to the sonic manipulations of early Daft Punk, the sound is characterized by raw sound treatments. This album will make you dance, but still dream away through a few more cinematographic passages.

+ + + : “Living Holograms” is a refreshing production and according to me the most sophisticated and eclectic work from this artist. The downtempo cuts are pretty sexy while the dubby touch created by the vibrating bass lines only accentuates this feeling. But Undermathic also distinguish themselves with fascinating sound treatments. I especially like the raw, synthetic sound treatments this work has been made of. “Repeating” is one of the most noticeable cuts to illustrate the writing and production skills of Maciej Paszkiewicz.

– – – : I don’t have real minus points, but only one cut (cf. “All Around Us”) couldn’t convince me. That’s not so bad when you realize this album features 13 tracks!

Conclusion: Undermathic is in search of a new label so this album can only, but convincing a label with taste for accomplished and intelligent productions. This is pure high-tech music, which reminds me to the great roster of Tympanik Audio, which remains one of the labels I’m really missing.

Best songs: “Repeating”, “Strong Addiction”, “Living Holograms”, “We Human”, “Technologique”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .undermathic .com / www .facebook .com /undermathic

ESA – The Hold (Digital EP – Negative Gain Productions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 19:00:07 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, tribal, industrial-trance.

Background/Info: Jamie Blacker aka ESA (Electronic Substance Abuse) is now active for 15 years and has released many noticeable works on Hive Records (right in the beginning) and mainly on Tympanik Audio. He next joined hands together with WTII Records and has now signed to Negative Gain Productions. Female vocals were accomplished by Valeriia Moon while Ivan Popov played some cello and piano plus did some additional production.

Content: Right at the moment I thought to have already discovered the entire sonic spectrum of Jamie Blacker, this EP took me by surprise. The title song is a little sound jewel mixing elements of industrial- and tribal music while featuring the bewitching vocals of guest singer Valeriia Moon. The song has been meticulously built up, progressively reaching a truly sound orgasm.

The song has been remixes by iVardensphere and Tight Grip. The B-side song is much more than simply a filler. This track could have been the title song. It moves again into bombast and has been composed with icy sound treatments.

+ + + : “The Hold” is an impressive track mixing different influences with intelligence and efficiency. The female vocals add a touch of magic to the bombastic sound universe created by ESA. Both remixes are absolutely magnificent. Both remixes are more trance-minded and sounding like the perfect offspring between tribal-, industrial- and ethereal music.

“In Good Faith” is a hot dancefloor track for industrial souls. There’s no real B-side on this EP, which clearly sounds like a strong appetizer for the next ESA production(s).

– – – : This is the kind of record appealing for more! I don’t have any points to critique here!

Conclusion: I’m not saying that ESA has reinvented its own sound, but this EP sounds like a hard and sexy record appealing for more! Definitely one of the best EP’s I’ve heard this year!

Best songs: “The Hold”, “The Hold – iVardensphere Remix”, “The Hold – Tight Grip Remix”, “In good Faith”.

Rate: (9).

Band: http ://www .electronicsubstanceabuse .com / www .facebook .com /ElectronicSubstanceAbuse

Label: www .negativegain .com / www .facebook .com /pages /Negative –Gain /212061438836984

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!

‘Click Interview’ with Disharmony: ‘Gentlemen In An Advanced Age With A Little More Imagination’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 19:15:07 +0000

Robert Gajdos aka Lord Sauron and Peter Rybar aka Ryby both set up dISHARMONY during the early millennium years. The Slovakian duo released an impressive number of productions, which have been always driven by a real sound intelligence and truly passion for sound creation. Their latest album “Fragments Of Time” has been released late 2016 on Ryby’s own label Aliens Production and simply confirmed the talent of this band.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I remember you once said that you don’t care about describing your music, but that an album ‘is a reflection of what we have been feeling in that moment’! So what did you feel when composing “Fragments Of Time”?

Disharmony: Music is not a science and there’s no philosophy behind. Since we have always wanted to do it our own way it always has been a certain form of expression from a personal kind of music value. “Fragments Of Time” is for us the next phase and of course the piece of life that we have crossed by creating it. Certainly, it contains very much of our emotions as well as musical positions that we have missed in previous search. For sure this album sounds like dISHARMONY although by our own opinion it is completely different. We are still trying to create our own world, which we offer to you mortals …

Q: How do you transpose this ‘own world’ and emotions into songs?

Disharmony: Well … we would like to know all mysteries of the universe. We don’t have a clue, however, if you don’t have the stone inside you and if you perceive the world around you and you know the magic tricks with the boxes that knows how to give all kinds of sounds you’ll find that right position how to create a concept that will have some story. Without emotions, this genre can’t be done. If you don’t have them then you have nothing to say. Certainly, we’re not dying, but also we won’t give out the message about healthy eating and how you should grow up your children. We’re only gentlemen in an advanced age with a little more imagination …lol

Q: Listening to Disharmony I feel a real passion for sound creation. Where does that come from and how do you create your sounds and noises?

Disharmony: Nicely described. It’s not always clear to us exactly how this occurs, but we’re always trying to make the basis so we don’t get lost in it, and to be passionately beautiful. Then comes the next stage, which is that in that beauty you have to also show the worse what will kick you and will take you sometimes to the edge of the abyss. We have never done a mess or even something louder that could be hard to handle. Noise and machinery must be there, because this all is dISHARMONY.

Q: You’ve been working now for years together. Do you see an evolution in your sound creation and eventually new potential sources of inspiration?

Disharmony: For sure. The fact that we are together makes our music the way it is. Of course, our own tastes change and we’re influenced by music. It’s good when a project is moving somewhere forward and generates. We’re feeling certain connection with other genres, but in the core, that’s always us. We don’t put any pressure on ourselves and have no pretention. We like to do what fullfil us in the music. We’re not rushing anywhere and when we feel a need to get something out we make an album.

Q: Ryby, you’re running your own label Aliens Production so why did Disharmony released 3 albums on Tympanik Audio and what do you think about the loss of this label?

Disharmony: Everything has its own beginning and its end. I know how it is today to release music when you spent that much energy and time in it, but just in a few hours this work is available on a Russian website for free so it feels like all the enthusiasm and hard labor around it ends in the toilet.

I am not surprised Paul has decided to stop and he for sure had his reasons for this. Tympanik Audio had an impact on this musical community. The label had its own taste and had a strong dimension. I will miss Tympanik Audio, but we’re proud that we have been part of it, but life goes on…

Q: What will be the next step in the career of Disharmony and do you’ve further plans for Oxyd?

Disharmony: Ohhh.. It’s too fast talking about it right now. We recently have released “Fragments Of Time” so now we have to wait if something will come up. For sure we’re getting older and we will drain all around ourselves. If there will be a process for dISHARMONY we’ll let you know about it.

Oxyd is probably the closest to what should be woken up. So, it will be the next concept that we will try to reactivate since it sleeps for a longer time and it needs to be kicked. I’m confident we gone make it.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Fractional – Tepes (CD Album – Raumklang Music)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 19:30:11 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Belgian artist Pierre Remy has already active under the Fractional moniker for more than ten years now. He released several productions on different labels, but went through a more silent period since the last album (cf. “Blood”) released in 2010 on Tympanik Audio. This new opus also is the first Fractional work released on Raumklang Music (label of Dirk Geiger).

Content: Fractional always has been a kind of sonic enigma and electronic chameleon. It’s always been difficult to define the sound of this project and it’s not that different with “Tepes”. The tracks move from a kind of rhythmic horror-scape towards industrial-cinematographic music to passages driven by broken beats and d’n’b influences. I also noticed an experimental intermezzo of noises and a surprising industrial trance lead.

“Tepes” remains pure electronic music, but inspired by an impressive canvas of sounds and styles.

+ + + : Diversity definitely is the main strength of this opus and Pierre Henry feels definitely comfortable with most of the influences running through his work. I have a preference for the most rhythmic cuts with an electro-industrial approach. “Sionvi” is the most surprising track for its industrialized trance lead, but it really makes sense. The title song definitely appears to be the most creative one. It’s a kind of mix between industrial bombast and cinematographic atmospheres.

– – – : “Tepes” is not the most accessible work to listen to. You sometimes get the impression of listening to a compilation album instead of one artist. There are many good ideas running through this work, but I would have liked to get a more elaborated approach of a few styles.

Conclusion: “Tepes” is an album that needs a few listening before really getting into the sound, which unfortunately is missing a real apotheosis. I’ve already heard better albums from this artist.

Best songs: “Sionvi”, “Tepes”, “Vampyr”.

Rate: (6).

Band: www .facebook .com /Fractional -56710591824

Label: www .raumklang –music .de / www .facebook .com /rkmrecords

Disharmony – Fragments Of Time (CD Album – Aliens Production)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 20:00:56 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, rhythmic electro-ambient, experimental, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Lord Sauron (Headdreamer, Oxyd) and Ryby (Oxyd and Aliens Production owner) have been active under the Disharmony moniker since the early millennium years. They released considerable number of productions on different labels (like Broken Seal, Monopol Records, Tympanik Audio and of course Aliens Production). The Slovakian duo accomplished this new album, which is the first new studio album since “Room 78” (2013).

Content: Disharmony belongs to this selected group of sound architects for whom sound creation is the basis of all work. It creates a sophisticated production driven by broken- and down tempo rhythms and unique sound treatments. The writing is complex and often inspired by a kind of astral sound dimension. This electronic universe might remind you of Haujobb, but Disharmony is more into exploring the experimental fields.

The album also reveals melodic passages plus numerous subtle and somewhat crystalline-like bleeps. Powerful blasts joined by some bombastic arrangements sometimes emerge at the surface. The vocals are somewhat ghost-like and you’ll also notice numerous sampled passages like great female chants.

+ + + : Disharmony takes care to compose an intelligent composition, which has a visionary feeling. It’s a creative process, which might remind you of some other formations in the genre however it remains original and not very comparable to others. “Fragments Of Time” is a sonic universe you really have to visit to realize the complexity of the work and the fascination for sound creation. It also remains a dark experience in sound, but with some evasive feeling. It finally is an album featuring several outstanding tracks.

– – – : The somewhat experimental approach, because of the complex writing and sound treatments, might be the only reason why people will not like this kind of music. It clearly is an antidote to typical 4×4 song structures so in the end it’s maybe only accessible for a restricted number of music lovers.

Conclusion: Disharmony is driven by the creative spirit of real sound wizards. “Fragments Of Time” is one of the artistic releases from the end of 2016 while Disharmony remains one of the most creative productions from Slovakia.

Best songs: “Aura vs. Tod”, “Kyriah”, “Memorized Skin”, “Empty (Forms)”, “Hidden (Forms)”, “Moonstone”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .disharmony .aliens .sk / www .facebook .com /dISHARMONY .Offical

Label: www .label .aliens .sk / www .facebook .com /pages /Aliens –production –label /200028820052578

‘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.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Disharmony – Memorized Skin (Digital EP – Aliens Production)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 19:18:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, IDM.

Background/Info: Lord Sauron (Headdreamer, Oxyd) and Ryby (Oxyd and owner of Aliens Production) better known under the Disharmony-moniker are have been busy composing and releasing music for years now. The last albums of the band were released on Tympanik Audio. Three years after the last studio album “Room 78” and since Tympanik Audio stopped all activities early this year the band moved back to Ryby’s own label to unleash their announced new opus “Fragments Of Time”. This EP features two songs that will be released on this album plus a remix of another track.

Content: Disharmony remains faithful to their sonic intelligence and sound manipulation. They’re constantly moving in between industrial sounds and electro-ambient atmospheres while adding an IDM touch on top of the work.

The work is filled with a kind of astral dimension constructed with subtle bleeps. You’ll also notice deep bass lines and fascinating slow rhythms. Some passages are leading the listener into an imaginary world of reverie.

The last song is a remix by Oxyd –the other formation of this duo, which creates a somewhat schizophrenic feeling. This song is maybe a bit more into dreamy sound creation than the Disharmony tracks, which are more into industrial music and dark atmospheres.

+ + + : Disharmony remains a band characterized by a great sound intelligence. They’re fascinated by the creation and transformation of sounds resulting in a kind of sonic puzzle driven by a slow cadence. It sounds somewhat experimental, but really accessible. This EP is a real fine taster to welcome the new full length.

– – – : “Memorized Skin” is clearly meant as a pure promo release. It’s a pity there are no exclusive songs or extra remixes featured here.

Conclusion: Disharmony clearly hasn’t lost their creative spirit to compose sophisticated and passionate music. This is modern electronic made by visionary artists.

Best songs: “Memorized Skin”, “Spectres – Oxyd Rmx”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: http ://disharmony .aliens .sk / www .facebook .com /dISHARMONY .Offical

Label: www .label .aliens .sk / www .facebook .com /pages /Aliens –production –label /200028820052578

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

Cruise [Ctrl] – Let’s Rock! (CD Album – Signifier)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 21:38:51 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, industrial, experimental, IDM.

Background/Info: Set up by John C and Gore we welcome the 4^th album of this Belgian duo. “Let’s Rock” reveals 8 songs inspired by the mythology of Twin Peaks.

Content: Cruise [Ctrl] remains one of the best kept secrets of the Belgian underground scene. I’m not saying that the band is totally unknown, but we have to admit it’s not exactly the most familiar and praised band from the scene. And that’s a real shame as their previous work revealed an impressive minimal and somewhat IDM minded approach.

“Let’s Rock!” is not that different and yet more into experimental treatments. I got the feeling the duo has experimented more with sounds and noises becoming real noise architects creating a kind of avant-garde like sound. The work remains an imaginary sound bridge between electronic minimalism and industrial music. A few more influences moving from IDM to experimental techno can be noticed as well.

The tracks are mainly based on repetitive, icy sound loops and an impressive arsenal of noises and other manipulations. The cadence is rather linear, but injecting a real accessible element to the work. All the songs are instrumental, which simply accentuate the minimal approach of the production.

+ + + : The minimal and more explicit experimental creation is absolutely worthy of examination. Cruise [Ctrl] might remind you of a contemporary version of Suicide, but in the end I would say that this band is not comparable to any other although they would for sure appeal to lovers of labels like Tympanik Audio and Hands.

– – – : I’m missing the electronic exposure of the past albums, which was more diverse and elaborate. This album clearly evolves in sound and especially noise influences. I also regret there’s no single track with vocals and/or spoken samplings like the great experiment they did on their previous album with Dirk Ivens on vocals.

Conclusion: “Let’s Rock” clearly is not my favorite album of Cruise [Ctrl], but it remains a fascinating and pretty cool work characterized by impressive sound treatments and a fine taste for experimental electro music.

Best songs: “Since My Baby Left Me”, “Dancing Machines Create Image”, “Car Tree Woman”, “Circle Of Dreams”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www .cruisectrl .be / www .facebook .com /CRSCTRL

Label: www .signifieronline .com / www .facebook .com /signifieronline

TOP 20 best albums of 2015 (By Stéphane Froidcoeur)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:07:00 +0000

(By Stéphane Froidcoeur aka Deranged Psyche) 2015 has been already a prolific year for the section Side-Line Reviews. As head of the Side-Line Reviews section I can only, but be extremely satisfied with the huge amount of promo material we got. Over the 700 (!) releases were selected while nearly 550 (!) have been reviewed thus far. I take the opportunity to express my gratitude to all labels, promoters and bands considering and respecting our work and efforts and this for years now.

But I also have to thank all of our readers because for their interest, support, trust and consideration. It’s a very important source of motivation to keep me moving on trying to support our lovely underground scene the best I can.

A review of course remains always ‘subjective’ and a source of discussion, but keep in mind it will be always the perception of the reviewer, but I can assure you we always try to argue our reviews the best as possible. I noticed multiple great releases during 2015; from EBM to dark-electro to IDM to synth-pop to ethereal, to dark-ambient to industrial to gothic and a few related genres I made a TOP 20 of the best albums of 2015! This selection has been made with the promotional material we got while compilations and EP’s were not selected for this ‘best of’.

Stéphane Froidcoeur (aka Deranged Psyche)

01 Irfan – The Eternal Return (CD Album – Prikosnovénie)
02 Neuroticfish – A Sign Of Life (CD Album – NOR)
03 Acylum – Pest (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
04 Eisfabrik – Eisplanet (CD Album & EP – SPV/NoCut)
05 Senking – Closing Eyes (CD Album – Raster-Noton)
06 Ah Cama-Sotz – State Of Mind (CD Album – Hands)
07 Karjalan Sissit – …Want You Dead (CD Album – Cyclic Law)
08 Alien Vampires – Drag You To Hell (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
09 Supersimmetria – Kosmogonie (CD Album – Hands)
10 Johan Baeckström – Like Before (CD Album – Progress Productions)
11 Hearts Of Black Science – Signal (CD Album – Progress Productions)
12 Dear Strange – Lonely Heroes (CD Album – Out Of Line)
13 IAMX – Metanoia (CD Album – Caroline International)
14 Legiac – The Faex Had Decimated (CD Album – Tympanik Audio)
15 Grand((Ø))Signal – Aktivation (Digital Album – Grand((Ø))Signal)
16 Encephalon – Psychogenesis (CD Album – Dependent)
17 Noisuf-X – 10 Years Of Riot (DCD Album – ProNoize)
18 Star Industry – The Renegade (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
19 Chainreactor – Dirt (CD Album – ProNoize)
20 Frozen Plasma – Dekadenz (CD Album – Infacted Recordings)

ESA – Themes Of Carnal Empowerment Pt.3: Penance (CD Album – WTII Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 00:23:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, industrial-trance, rhythmic electro-industrial.

Content: It seems that Jamie Blacker considered this new album as the most accomplished work to date. The least I can say is that the 3rd part of “Themes Of Carnal Empowerment” left me rather breathless. I’ve known of Electronic Substance Abuse since their early work and I remember this band for its solid electro-industrial approach.

“Penance” features 10 songs, which are built up in a real progressive way, but always reaching a kind of sonic climax created by a twist of heavy, trance-industrial rhythms and dark electro-industrial arrangements. ESA has never been that hard-hitting and merciless, however the work is still elaborate and professional when it comes to speaking about the global production process. ESA is not exactly the kind of band you can compare with another, but I’m sure it will appeal to fans of This Morn’Omina and iVardensphere.

Most of the songs are quite elaborate and show a terrific progression in sound and cadence. The opening song is a good representation for the rest of the work. It takes off in a rather mysterious and somewhat ambient way, but slowly reaches a pure sonic outburst where it all becomes quite trance. “Be Still And I Shall Tell You Why” and “Master, No Servant” both are brilliant exposures of the shamanic industrial work of “Penance”. Blacker has accomplished an opus magnum where he excels in intelligent sound treatments and great artistic creation. Right at the point where you think he has reached the ultimate point he simply moves injecting some extra dynamic into his work.

The 2nd part reveals a few ‘softer’ tracks on which he collaborated with a few guest singers. Most of the songs remain instrumentals where you can only hear the addition of a few sampled words. The vocals and samplings are mainly used in a way to create an extra sound effect. It sometimes pretty bewitching (cf. “Threnody For You”). “My Church” features a nice twist between male growling passages and spoken female words.

The title song featuring Magenta S. is different and probably the single cut where we can speak about ‘classical’ vocals. The song however remains pretty industrial, but more into a dark atmospheric creation.

A last element I have to mention about this work, is ESA’s move from Tympanik Audio to WTII Records.

Conclusion: This album definitely is one of the most poignant releases of the year in the wider fields of industrial music. This is a fully accomplished and genius creation.

Best songs: “Master, No Servant”, “Be Still And I Shall Tell You Why”, “My Church”, “Men Will Only Break Themselves”, “Penance”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.electronicsubstanceabuse.com / www.facebook.com/ElectronicSubstanceAbuse

Label: www.wtiirecords.com / www.facebook.com/WTIIRecords

Stendeck – Folgor (CD Album – Tympanik Audio)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 16:08:12 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, cinematographic, electro-ambient.

Content: Alessandro Zampieri, better known as the brain behind Stendeck, strikes back with his first full length album in 4 years. I’ve always enjoyed the sound of this artist for his creative electronic exposure and the intelligence of the global production.

“Folgor” doesn’t sound that different and once again leads the listener into an exploration of a great sound canvas carried by a slow rhythm. There’s an interesting and very noticeable contrast between bombastic passages and ultra refined arrangements. Some of the tracks move into dreamy cinematographic passages, while the different influences running through this work also melt together at a few cuts. “Folgor” is a quite diversified piece of work, maybe revealing the most eclectic composition of the band.

I personally prefer the more into tempo sounding cuts, which clearly result from a complex writing procedure based upon a quest to create unique sound treatments. This is the kind of work that requires time and attention. All the passion and the patience of the composer comes through on several tracks. Those cuts are illuminating “Folgor” with pure artistic beauty and grace.

From the dreamy-like “Tonight Is Forever” to the more dynamic “Violently Exciting And Extremely Loud (Folgor)” to the deeply cinematographic “At The Gate Of Impossible Things” this album has a lot to offer and often delivers a few great surprises.

“Trying To Hold Every Little Second That Flies Away” brings us back into a ‘harder’ rhythm and a divine exposure of magic sound treatments, but there also is a trance flavor running through this great song. A somewhat similar creation is “Nobody Lives Here Anymore” excelling in sound beauty, but still featuring a more sensitive and dark touch. Stendeck also composes more sensual rhythms, which are carrying the danceable “Momentary Pleasure”.

The final part of the opus moves on alternating heavier and sometimes pretty bombastic passages (cf. “In Deep Waters We Feel Apart”) and pure soundtrack-orientated compositions (cf. “Nothing Will Be The Same Again”).

Conclusion: Stendeck definitely belongs to those selected list of genius composers deserving more recognition for their visionary approach in electronics. “Folgor” is one more great exposure of this project.

Best songs: “Violently Exciting And Extremely Loud (Folgor)”, “Trying To Hold Every Little Second That Flies Away”, “Nobody Lives Here Anymore”, “Momentary Pleasure”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.stendeck.com / www.facebook.com/stendeckmusic

Label: www.tympanikaudio.com / www.facebook.com/tympanikaudio

Conjecture – Nunavut (CD Album – Raumklang Music Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 08:43:17 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electornics, IDM, ambient.

Content: Last year I discovered this Greek solo-project set up by Vasilis Angelopoulos by the debut-album “Enter The Grove”. The album was released by Ars Nocturna.

There were some interesting ideas featured in the debut work, but it all felt a bit like a band in search of its sound identity. This new work released by Raumklang Music Records sounds more compact while revealing a great progression in sound. The influences and sound treatments became more minimal and intelligent as well. There’s a well-crafted sonic symbiosis revealing elements of IDM, industrial- and minimal electronic music. Some passages are more into ambient music as well, but globally speaking there’s a ‘line’ throughout this work, which was not that noticeable in the previous album.

Both debut cuts are cool and reveal this noticeable evolution in sound. There’s a great progression in the global songwriting while the title song “Nunavut” is an absolute masterpiece. This track is filled with subtle sound treatments and multiple effects like radio-like waves while a low, but bombastic rhythm carries this song.

I was impressed by the great arsenal of sounds that has been used to accomplish this work. Angelopoulos reveals himself as a genius sound-scientist. He likes to treat his sounds in a rather crashing way. It brings a kind of electro-industrial aspect to the work, which comes through at multiple passages. You here and there will hear some spoken sampling parts as well. The IDM touch comes back again on “November”.

“The Hunt” is another absolute attention grabber. The synth parts are pretty freaky while a heavy, industrial-minded rhythm carries this song towards a state of total terror. We next get a more into ambient apotheosis, which is followed by 2 remixes.

Conclusion: The evolution in sound from the previous album towards this new work is absolutely great. This is the kind of work that will appeal to lovers of Tympanik Audio.

Best songs: “Nunavut”, “The Hunt”, “November”, “Sastrugi”, “Hard Rimes”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/conjectreproject / www.facebook.com/conjectreproject

Label: www.raumklang-music.de / www.facebook.com/rkmrecords