Out today is the new “Feast of Agony” EP from industrial music legend Raymond Watts a.k.a. PIG (via Metropolis Records). Showcased by the video for “Fallout”, “Feast of Agony” arrives on the trail of the remastered version of PIG’s 1995 “Sinsation” album (originally released via Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records) and the studio album “Red Room”.

Released digitally today, the vinyl edition of “Feast of Agony” will only be available on PIG’s tour starting today.

PIG tour dates

• 9/28/24: Chicago, IL, – Metro
• 9/ 29/24: Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze *
• 9/30/24: Des Moines, IA – Lefty’s Live Music *
• 10/2/24: Milwaukee, WI – X-Ray Arcade *
• 10/3/24: Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel *
• 10/4/24: Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck *
• 10/5/24: Denver, CO Kulture Music Hall *
• 10/6/24: SLC, UT – Quarters *
• 10/7/24: Boise, ID – Visual Arts Collective *
• 10/9/24: Eugene, OR – John Henry’s *
• 10/10/24: Seattle, WA – El Corazon ^^
• 10/13/24: Portland, OR – Dante’s ^^
• 10/15/24: Sacramento, CA – Starlit Room ^^
• 10/16/24: SF, CA – DNA ^^
• 10/17/24: San Diego, CA – Whistle Stop ^^
• 10/18/24: Las Vegas, NV – Sinwave ^^
• 10/19/24: Los Angeles, CA – Catch One ^^
• 10/20/24: Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock ^^
• 10/21/24: Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad ^^
• 10/23/24: OK City – Beer City ^^
• 10/24/24: Dallas, TX – Three Links ^^
• 10/25/24 – Houston TX – Secret Group *
• 10/26/24: Austin, TX – Elysium *
• 10/27/24: New Orleans, LA – Santos *
• 10/29/24: Pensacola, FL – Handlebar *
• 10/30/24: Orlando, Fl – Handlebar *
• 11/1/24: West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street *
• 11/2/24: Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly *
• 11/3/24: Greenville, SC – Radio Room *
• 11/5/24: Atlanta, GA – Star Bar *
• 11/6/24: Richmond, VA – Fallout *
• 11/7/24: Baltimore, MD – Metro Baltimore *
• 11/8/24: New York, NY – STIMULATE *
• 11/9/24 – Wilmington DE – Bar 13 *
• 11/10/24: Millersville, PA – Phantom Power *
• 11/12/24: Cambridge, MA – Middle East *
• 11/13/24: Quebec City, QC – L’anti Bar *
• 11/14/24: Montreal, QC – Cabaret Fous *
• 11/15/24: Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace *
• 11/16/24: Detroit, MI – Smalls *
• 11/17/24: Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern *

* dates with Unitcode : Machine
^^ dates with Curse Mackey and Unitcode : Machine

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Former OOMPH! frontman Dero Goi has released the video single for his latest track “Whistleblower”, a tribute to whistleblowers who risk their lives and freedom to expose serious crimes. This track is from his forthcoming debut double album, “1984”, scheduled for release on November 29, 2024.

“The lyrics of ‘Whistleblower’ and the theme of the video are directly related to the title of the track,” Dero Goi explains. “Julian Assange’s release was a surprise and a relief, but there are still many whistleblowers who continue to suffer in silence. It’s shameful that the German government remains indifferent to Edward Snowden’s situation, a critical voice in our fight for truth and transparency.”

“1984” marks GOI’s first major project since his departure from OOMPH! in 2021. Known for pioneering the Neue Deutsche Härte genre with his former band, GOI has since taken a different creative path, embracing electronic influences. His vast array of inspirations, ranging from industrial legends like Front 242 to icons like Depeche Mode and ABBA.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Shane MacGowan, the renowned Irish singer-songwriter, poet, and frontman of The Pogues, passed away at the age of 65. His death was announced by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke. The Pogues also released a statement confirming his peaceful passing with his family by his side.

You can read the statement by Victoria Mary Clarke below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Victoria Mary Clarke Angels (@victoriamaryclarke)

Below is the statement by The Pogues.

pic.twitter.com/1OPVekSDyX

— The Pogues (@poguesofficial) November 30, 2023

About Shane MacGowan

MacGowan, born on Christmas Day in 1957 in Kent, was celebrated as one of Ireland’s most influential songwriters and poets. Despite a challenging upbringing, which included being expelled from school and struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, he made a significant impact on the arts and entertainment world through his work with The Pogues and collaborations with a host of musical legends.

Throughout his career, MacGowan battled various health issues, leading to multiple hospital stays in recent years. He was treated for viral encephalitis, a condition causing brain swelling, and also suffered from shingles. Moreover, a severe pelvis injury in 2015 left him wheelchair-bound during his final years. Despite these challenges, MacGowan achieved sobriety in 2016 following a serious bout with pneumonia and a long hospital stay due to his hip injury. His wife, Victoria, with whom he shared a decades-long relationship and married in 2018, frequently updated fans on his health struggles.

MacGowan’s legacy, marked by hits like “Fairytale of New York” and “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” and his collaborations with artists such as Kirsty MacColl, Joe Strummer, Nick Cave, Steve Earle, Johnny Depp, the late Sinéad O’Connor, and Ronnie Drew, leaves a lasting impression on music and culture​.

The below “Haunted” was the soundtrack of both the lives of Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan.

About The Pogues

The Pogues, an Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band, was led by Shane MacGowan and other members. It was established in King’s Cross, London, in 1982 under the original name “Pogue Mahone,” an anglicized version of the Irish phrase “póg mo thóin,” meaning “kiss my arse.” The band gained international fame in the 1980s and early 1990s, producing several successful albums and singles. MacGowan departed from the group in 1991 due to issues with alcohol, and the band continued with Joe Strummer and later Spider Stacy as vocalists until their initial breakup in 1996. They reunited in late 2001 and performed regularly in the UK, Ireland, and the US East Coast until their final disbandment in 2014, not recording new material in this latter period.

Their music, which carried political undertones, was shaped by MacGowan and Stacy’s punk roots. However, they uniquely blended this style with traditional Irish instrumentation, incorporating the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin, and accordion into their sound.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The electro group from Berlin, XTR Human, has launched a music video for their new single, “I want more.”

Johannes describes the song as a deep dive into an unyielding urge to consume, portraying it as a nihilistic anthem. He encourages listeners to remain engaged in this quest till its ultimate conclusion.

The video, directed by German filmmaker Matthias Landenberger, presents a story of a main character navigating a busy urban environment, highlighting the overwhelming presence of capitalism and the ubiquity of brand names in city living. The video uses a mix of rapid cuts and slow-shutter effects to underscore the frenetic pace of contemporary life and highlights the persuasive power of today’s neo-liberal culture.

This single offers a glimpse into XTR Human’s forthcoming album, which is set for release in 2024 through Wie Ein Gott Records.

The 4-track single is available on Bandcamp. Apart from the main version, it also includes three remixes.

In addition to the new single and video release, XTR Human will embark on a US tour in October and November 2023.

• October 13 San Diego, CAL The Whistle Stop
• October 20 Sacramento, CAL Cafe Colonial
• October 21 Los Angeles, CAL The Stardust Club
• October 24 Houston, TX Black Magic Social Club
• October 25 Dallas, TX Three Links
• October 26 Austin, TX Valhalla
• October 27 San Antonio, TX Hi-Tones
• October 28 Chicago, Sanctum Festival
• November 03 Tampa, FL, New World

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Photo by Jack Carr) Out today is the brand new 4-track EP by the leeds-based synthpop act Lucky Iris, “Maybe I’m Too Much”.

The band aka Maeve and Jasper have been featured on Side-Line before with their very catchy synthpop style. The duo formed during lockdown and started performing live in September 2021, which has seen them touring cities such as Leeds, London, Liverpool and so on, as well as appearing on festival lineups including Live At Leeds, Long Division, 110 Above and most recently The Great Escape.

The new EP was written and produced by the duo, and mixed by Richard Wilkinson (Adele, Kaiser Chiefs) and mastered by Antony Ryan (Oh Wonder).

Maeve explaisn the deeper meaning of the title track as follows: “This song is for anyone who’s ever been made feel like they’re ‘too much’. And particularly for those who’ve been made feel like they’re ‘too much’ by someone they love. Because there really is no need to minimise yourself to fit into a neat little box packaged by someone else. But it’s taken me far too long to realise that…”

Jasper adds: “‘Maybe I’m Too Much’ is actually one of the first songs I wrote for Lucky Iris. And the initial version was so sad. But something clicked in my brain after being let down…again! And I realised that me being perceived as ‘too much’ really isn’t a me problem after all. In the main hook I sing, ‘Maybe I’m Too Much’, but don’t you ever think that maybe you are not enough’. And of course, I’m not actually trying to imply that anyone isn’t enough. Instead, I made ‘maybe i’m too much’ a reminder not to let other people tell you how you should feel about yourself. And maybe… after all is said and done… it’s not me… it’s you.”

Upcoming Live Dates:

• 11/08/23 – EP Launch Party @ The Vinyl Whistle, Leeds
• 23/08/23 – Sofar Sounds, Leeds
• 19/09/23 The Polar Bear, Hull

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Nick Cave is in the middle of a mediastorm after responding to the question as to ‘why he writes‘. Cave responded, and said that both Antifa and the Far Right are engaged in the same dynamic: Wokeness.

Cave: “Wokeness, for all its virtues, is an ideology immune to the slightest suggestion that in a generation’s time their implacable beliefs will appear as outmoded and fallacious as those of their own former generation. (…) Some of us, for example, are of the generation that believed that free speech was a clear-cut and uncontested virtue, yet within a generation this concept is seen by many as a dog-whistle to the Far Right, and is rapidly being consigned to the Left’s ever-expanding ideological junk pile.”

And he adds: “Living in a state of enquiry, neutrality and uncertainty, beyond dogma and grand conviction, is good for the business of songwriting, and for my life in general. This is the reason I tend to become uncomfortable around all ideologies that brand themselves as ‘the truth’ or ‘the way’. This not only includes most religions, but also atheism, radical bi-partisan politics or any system of thought, including ‘woke’ culture, that finds its energy in self-righteous belief and the suppression of contrary systems of thought. Regardless of the virtuous intentions of many woke issues, it is its lack of humility and the paternalistic and doctrinal sureness of its claims that repel me.”

You can read the full response on Cave’s blog.

Facing anti-Israel boycotters and anti-Morrissey sentiments

Nick Cave has a history of not doing what the mainstream music scene is expecting him to do. He has for instance also stood up to anti-Israel boycotters after he was criticized for playing a pair of concerts in Tel Aviv in November 2017 with his band the Bad Seeds.

Cave then replied: “I do not support the current government in Israel, yet do not accept that my decision to play in the country is any kind of tacit support for that government’s policies.”

He furthermore argued in the past that Morrissey’s music should not be ditched just because of his controversial views.

Cave: “Views and behaviour are separate issues – Morrissey’s political opinion becomes irrelevant. Whatever inanities he may postulate, we cannot overlook the fact that he has written a vast and extraordinary catalogue, which has enhanced the lives of his many fans beyond recognition. This is no small thing. He has created original and distinctive works of unparalleled beauty, that will long outlast his offending political alliances.”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Band photo by Lindsay Wallace) Founded in Vancouver in 2005 by vocalist Brian Gustavson, the post-punk act Spectres is one of the bands responsible for kicking off the renewed interest in the post-punk sound in Canada.

Guitarist Zach Batalden states: “The band was started as a way to creatively explore 1980’s British anarcho-punk, and while creatively we have drifted in new directions this core influence still holds a lot of inspiration for us. Bands like The Mob, Crisis, Crass and Zounds are all still very important for us. From there we took a deep interest in ’80s post-punk and new wave, with bands like The Sound, The Chameleons, Theatre of Hate, and Modern English, central to the way our sound has developed. For the new album, Nostalgia, we were listening to a lot of Flying Nun bands like The Bats, The Verlaines, and The Clean as well.”

The band’s newest album “Nostalgia” was produced by Actors frontman Jason Corbett at Jacknife Sound in Vancouver. It follows three independent albums which were all reissued by Artoffact Records in 2019.

To get an idea how the band sounds like, here’s the “Northern Towns” music video from the 2019 “Provincial Wake” 7″.

The band’s current lineup consists of vocalist Brian Gustavson, Zach Batalden on guitar, Mitch Allen on drums, Adam Mitchell on guitar and Jason Renix on bass.

2020 Tour

The band will also depart on a US tour later in 2020.

• Mar 6 – Portland, OR – Blackwater Bar
• Mar 7 – Oakland, CA – First Church of the Buzzard
• Mar 8 – Los Angeles, CA – Part Time Punks
• Mar 10 – San Diego, CA – The Whistle Stop
• Mar 11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Rec Room
• Mar 12 – San Francisco, CA – The Eagle
• Mar 13 – Chico, CA – Naked Lounge
• Mar 14 – Portland, OR – Lovecraft

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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OMD have announced a brand new 40th anniversary career-spanning boxset and comprehensive singles collections. “Souvenir – The Singles 1979-2019” will be released on October 4th on 2CD and 3LP formats. It is a comprehensive collection of all 39 OMD singles from “Electricity” to “What Have We Done”, plus a brand new 40th single, “Don’t Go” which you can listen to below.

A limited edition 5CD+2DVD career spanning boxset will also be released. Discs 1 and 2 are the same as the 2CD format – the 40 singles in chronological order. Disc 3 is a collection of 22 unheard and unreleased tracks from the OMD archive, newly mixed by Paul Humphreys. Some of these are unfinished ideas, others are full unreleased songs. Disc 4 is a full live recording from the Mermaid Theatre in London, February 2011. The show was for BBC Radio 2 in support of the “History of Modern” album. Disc 5 is a newly discovered full live recording from the Hammersmith Odeon in May 1983 in support of the “Dazzle Ships” album. Disc 6 is a DVD featuring 23 OMD performances on the BBC spanning from ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’ in April 1980 to ‘Later With Jools Holland’ in May 2013. Disc 7 is a DVD featuring a live recording from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in December 1981 in support of the “Architecture & Morality” album. It also includes a live recording from Sheffield City Hall, June 1985 in support of the “Crush” album and the long-awaited DVD debut of “Crush – The Movie”.

The boxset also contains a book and artwork prints; the book itself contains unseen photos, single sleeve artwork, an introduction by Paul Morley and sleeve notes to accompany the archive material by Andy McCluskey.

UK + EUROPE TOUR

OMD is also preparing a huge (and we really mean HUGE) tour. Below are the concert dates.

2019

• 15 Oct – PT – Lisbon – Aula Magna
• 16 Oct – PT – Porto – Casa da Musica
• 19 Oct – ES – Madrid – Riviera
• 21 Oct – ES – Barcelona – Apolo
• 23 Oct – UK – Belfast – Ulster Hall
• 24 Oct – IE – Dublin – Olympia
• 26 Oct – UK – Nottingham – Royal Concert Hall
• 27 Oct – UK – York – Barbican
• 28 Oct – UK – Hull – Arena
• 30 Oct – UK – Gateshead – Sage
• 31 Oct – UK – Glasgow – Royal Concert Hall
• 1 Nov – UK – Manchester – Apollo
• 3 Nov – UK – Sheffield – City Hall
• 4 Nov – UK – Liverpool – Empire
• 5 Nov – UK – Birmingham – Symphony Hall
• 7 Nov – UK – Leicester – De Montford Hall
• 8 Nov – UK – Bath – Pavilion
• 9 Nov – UK – Oxford – New Theatre
• 11 Nov – UK – Guildford – G Live
• 12 Nov – UK – Portsmouth – Guildhall
• 13 Nov – UK – Watford – Colosseum
• 15 Nov – UK – Cambridge – Corn Exchange
• 16 Nov – UK – Ipswich – Regent
• 17 Nov – UK – Bexhill – De La Warr Pavilion
• 19 Nov – UK – Bournemouth – Pavilion
• 20 Nov – UK – London – Hammersmith Apollo
• 25 Nov – DE – Rostock – Stadthalle
• 26 Nov – DE – Dresden – Kulturpalast
• 28 Nov – DE – Leipzig – Haus Auensee
• 29 Nov – DE – Berlin – Tempodrom
• 30 Nov – DE – Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
• 2 Dec – DE – Berlin – Tempodrom
• 3 Dec – DE – Stuttgart – Leiderhalle
• 5 Dec – DE – Düsseldorf – Mitsubishi Electric-Halle
• 6 Dec – DE – Frankfurt – Jahrhunderthalle

2020

• 30 Jan – EE – Tallinn – Alexela Concert Halls
• 31 Jan – LT – Vilnius – Compensa Concert Hall
• 3 Feb – PL – Krakow – Studio
• 4 Feb – PL – Warsaw – Progresja
• 7 Feb – NO – Oslo – Rockefeller Musichall
• 9 Feb – SE – Stockholm – Berns
• 10 Feb – SE – Malmo – KB
• 12 Feb – DK – Copenhagen – Vega
• 14 Feb – BE – Brussels – Ancienne Belgique
• 15 Feb – NL – Utrecht – Tivoli
• 16 Feb – FR – Paris – La Cigale

North American Tour

The band will also be joining that other great band, The B-52s, as very special guests for their North American tour. Completing the lineup is Berlin. They will also be playing 4 headline shows during the break of the B-52s tour around Labor Day.

^ = with The B-52s & Berlin
~ = OMD headline show

• 21 Aug – US – San Antonio, TX – The Majestic Theater ^
• 22 Aug – US – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall ^
• 24 Aug – US – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre ^
• 25 Aug – US – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre ^
• 28 Aug – US – Tampa, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall ^
• 29 Aug – US – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center ^
• 30 Aug – US – Ponte Vedra, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall ~
• 31 Aug – US – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore ~
• 3 Sep – US – Nashville, TN – Cannery Ballroom ~
• 4 Sep – US – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s ~
• 6 Sep – US – Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheatre ^
• 7 Sep – US – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bak Amphitheatre ^
• 8 Sep – US – Dayton, OH – Rose Music Centre at the Heights ^
• 11 Sep – US – Grand Rapids, MI – Meijer Gardens ^
• 13 Sep – CA – Toronto, ON – Sony Centre for the Performing Arts ^
• 14 Sep – US – Detroit, MI – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre ^
• 17 Sep – US – Washington, DC – The Anthem ^
• 19 Sep – US – Philadelphia, PA – Mann Center ^
• 20 Sep – US – Mashantucket, CT – Foxwoods Resort Casino ^
• 24 Sep – US – New York, NY – Central Park SummerStage ^

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The Belgian electropop act Psy’Aviah is back with an 8-track download EP: “Dream Fever”. The 8-track version is an exclusive Bandcamp one as it holds 2 extra tracks compared to the ‘normal’ version which will be released on the other download platforms later next week.

And that’s not all, the Bandcamp version EP also has a remixkit as well included for the title track.

With “Dream Fever”, Yves Schelpe reveals the very first song from the band’s forthcoming 9th full length album “Soul Searching”. You may expect a video interview with Yves pretty soon on Side-Line.

As nicely expressed in the official video clip (see below) accompanying the release of this new EP, “Dream Fever” is an introspective song telling the story of a person trapped inside a hallucinating dream.

The video features the vocals of Saydi Driggers (lead-singer of power pop band Whistle). Musically Yves Schelpe created a modern trip-hop version holding dynamic synth layers, darker basslines with a widened exotic sound palette of instruments including Indian violin (Sarangi), rhythmic guitar (Dranye), Takasim, harp, etc..

The Police classic covered

As exclusive bonus B-side song for this new EP release, Yves Schelpe covered one of his all time favourite songs, “Walking On The Moon” by The Police. It makes it the first time that this classic song has undergone an electropop approach.

Exclusive bonus tracks on Bandcamp + remix contest

Also added are several remixes of the leading track including 2 exclusive Bandcamp-only bonus instrumental versions. But there’s more, the band also hereby announces the launch of a remixcontest as you’ll also find a remix kit included as well.

More info via this download of the EP on Bandcamp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Bernd Madl and Mathias Knopp set up Individual Totem during the late 80s. The duo gained some recognition when releasing their music on Off Beat. They next signed to the Canadian label Artoffact. Mathias Knopp left the band in 2010 and got replaced by Jürgen Mossgraber. After a hiatus of five years they now released the album “Electrostatic”, which appears to me as their most accomplished work to date.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Individual Totem is already active since the late 80s and has never released new work at regular basis, but I get the impression each new album stands a bit for a new start and a new sonic adventure. So the hiatus between each production seems to bring you inspiration and creativity, right? What is it all about?

Bernd: From my point of view, I love synthesizer and modular stuff. So I check the new products on events like Superbooth and get the inspiration from those instruments themselves. So each album features instruments from the ‘production-years’. A funny thing is, I used my first drum machine Tr-505 on the new album again. So it is all about the machines.

Jürgen: We have the great luxury not to be pressed by anybody to release ‘the next thing’ to make some money. So, the next album is ready when it is ready. In the meantime, usually a lot of things happen like be together with family, travelling, politics, new music gear, etc. All this influences our music.

Q: Your previous album “Kyria 13” was a conceptual sci/fi-inspired album. What is the new work all about and what have been the main sources of inspiration –lyrical and sound wise?

Bernd: I had most of the songs ready for “Kyria 13” and Jürgen did the production and mastering. After this release, we started jamming together to create the new album sound more like a band effort. So we got a lot of live-recordings from our jam-sessions. The tough job was then to create finalized songs out of them. During a jam, I am always singing on the music some improvised words without any meaning. After the recording, we check the result and quite surprisingly, most of the time we find good text ideas in my roughness.

Jürgen: There is no single source of inspiration we could point. It is more like, that behind each of the songs is a longer story or it stands for a mood we were in during a period of time while writing the album. Being a researcher in my day-job, I did some analysis on some of the typical songs in a genre and how they work. Then I tried to write similar simple songs, but miserably failed.

Q: Do you agree when I say that “Electrostatic” probably is your most diversified- and most mature album to date? What kind of work did you want to accomplish on “Electrostatic”?

Bernd: We started to work with the software Bitwig Studio. You can easily loop parts of a song and combine different structures, therefore we did a lot of experiments. We had a focus on pumping sounds in the beginning and tested some of the songs during live-gigs on their ‘dance-compatibility’, but also added more experimental songs after that.

Jürgen: I listen to a very wide range of music and this is something that is reflected in my music. From my point of view the magic happens when you mix multiple styles. I find albums, which basically repeat the same songs 13 times just for the sake of fitting to a genre, which is very boring. All musicians love their latest release the most, but with this album, it is the first time I am really satisfied from beginning to the end. When listening to it I’m wondering about how did we do this?

Q: So what has been the main focus (sound- and production wise) when composing “Electrostatic”?

Bernd: Sounding modern, not too old school -because we already have that sound in our back-catalog (like “SETI” –if you love samples). Using actual stuff –for me: DSI, Arturia, and Waldorf. Putting the final touches on the album in a professional mastering was a new thing too. Last time we did that on Mind Sculptures Flesh –incl. psychoacoustic Recording.

Jürgen: The point that is important to me is not to set boundaries from start on. Questions like ‘does it appeal to our audience?’ or ‘does it fit the style of Individual Totem?’ should be left out of the process, but nevertheless we got heavily discussions about it (lol). Furthermore, we wanted to go the full way; as Bernd already mentioned, adding the final 10% in a mastering studio.

Q: I’m not the only one affirming that Individual Totem stands for ‘intelligent’ music, which means music featuring great sound treatments, sophisticated structures and a composition process that takes a lot of time. Do you recognize these elements and isn’t it frustrating to realize ‘intelligent’ music is often underrated and less recognized?

 Bernd: Shure it is frustrating, in the beginning there was the hope to earn some money- today I know it is art for a couple of fans. So it is a hobby, not more or less. If you want to make us happy- invite us to a festival and come to see us when we play live. I get energy and ideas from meetings like Happy Knobbing and talk to other artists.

Jürgen: First of all I have to say I feel honored that in all reviews and interviews we are tagged as ‘intelligent music’. How horrible would it be to be labeled as ‘dumb music?’ Next, I prefer to get positive feedback from people who really care about music instead of being the usual I-can-whistle-to-it-while-washing-the-dishes band.

Q: You started making music in the late 80s so you’ve seen a lot of things evolving throughout the years; from instruments to recording techniques to software [r]evolution to cassettes in the early years and  streaming today etc. What do you consider as the most important and essential changes/evolutions and are there other evolutions you rather consider as a step backwards?

Bernd: Cubase is my recording tool over the years. Nowadays I record on an ideapad core i7- this is nothing special, but you see -all is working fine and easy and that’s the most important thing. We had a lot of stress with our systems in the 2000. Today you can have a lot of fun with Euroracks and small modules. Check out the video I dream of wires…

Jürgen: The great revolution was that you are no longer limited by a budget. Nowadays, you can get great recording equipment, software or hardware synthesizers for a couple of bucks and produce an entire album in your bedroom. With this comes the drawback that no filtering process happens and a lot of crap gets released, but I think the number of great albums was and is quite constant over the years (but they are harder to find). Another danger with modern technologies is the endless possibilities you have and you can easily get lost in the gear instead of making music. Therefore, we brought only a very limited setup to our sessions: Bernd had his DSI and small Eurorack, I had Bitwig with the Push controller and an Arturia Minibrute.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Ritual, folk, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Nytt Land is a Russian group, which has released several albums in a rather short lapse of time. They became interested in Northern ritual music, using a lot of self-made and authentic instruments while getting inspired by the Poetic Edda (old Norse poems). “Fimbulvinter” is their debut work on Cold Spring Records and definitely a way to get a wider recognition.

Content: One of the main characteristics of the work is the use of Old Islandic vocals. It immediately creates a link with famous series such as “Game Of Thrones” and “Vikings”. Male and female vocals alternate, but the female vocals are dominant and an essential element in the band’s composition.

The music has a very own approach by the use of mainly authentic instruments. Flutes, taglharpe, word percussion, kantele, tin whistle and drums are just a few instruments used by the band injecting this unique sound color. Together with the vocals it creates a deep and meaningful ritual style.

+ + + : I like creative bands although I’m not saying Nytt Land has invented a new style of music. But the global approach and the use of instruments creating a particular ritual atmosphere is absolutely amazing. The bewitching female vocals and the unique somewhat deep-throated male vocals inject an extra ritual dimension to the work. You really get the impression to watch an imaginary series dealing with ancient rites. There’s a strong visual appeal emerging from the tracks. This work features 12 songs and there’s not a single cut to throw away.

– – – : The single minus point I can imagine is that after a while the songs start to become a little bit similar with each other.

Conclusion: This is an album filled with magic getting the listener into a state of worship. This is also the kind of ritual music injecting a refreshing breeze to the usual standards of dark-ambient and related music genres. This will be for sure one of my favorite albums of the year!

Best songs: Gullinkambi”, “Hittusk Æsir”, “Fenris Kinder”, “Daudi Balder”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www.facebook.com/nyttland

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com