Underground and obscure music right here!
Electro Arc has during the last couple of months released two noteworthy CDs. One spikes a particular interest in the anhalt EBM genre, because it takes yet another different approach to EBM punk. It's La Santé, a Swedish-Polish collaboration. What's different with this release is that it doesn't go the usual energy-filled and fast musical path. Instead La Santé's music is slower, a little bit laid back, but dark and serious. It's doesn't sound like it is intended for partying, but it still has a catchy beat most of the time. We have heard some of the tracks before as the music has existed in demo version for a year or two, so this new album is a collection of both newer and older tracks. Album is called "Punk Body Music" and is available in various digital formats as well as a physical CD, which can be bought directly from Electro Arc (http://electro-arc.jimdo.com/releases/la-sant%C3%A9/).
The other release from Electro Arc is one of their always exciting and varied compilations: Net Ware Honeybox. This time it has a very wide range of musical genres, and a few concentrated around anhalt EBM. It includes to a varying extent known acts as Rebel Empire (Mexican EBM punk), La Santé, a very wickedly happy track from Invasion of Female Logic, and a track from Werksfront (German anhalt EBM punk) , which you certainly will be hearing more from very soon. The best track on Net Ware Honeybox is a AD:KeY Remix of Robotiko Rejekto and their "Control Your Robot" track. This one gets a truly epic remix, which has a good deal of legendary Armageddon Dildos feeling. New Ware Honeybox is available online all over the world through various digital distributors and streamers: http://electro-arc.jimdo.com/releases/net-ware-compilations/net-ware-honeybox/
Next up from independent alternative labels are three releases from Sham Recordings, better known as the label from Ronny from Container 90.
The most exciting release from this package is an EP from Container 90 - Roller Derby Girls. Dedicated to local Swedish Roller Derby Girls, it contains (yes, it contains) six versions of the same track, but which all are outstandingly different, except for the lyrics. There is the mandatory EBM punk version in proper Container 90 style. Then we have a catchy 80s electro version, a rocked-up '79 version, some sort of reggae '69 version, and the punchy 909 version which is mainly electro-house music. The last track is an unplugged accoustic version. Now, I don't know if Container 90 collaborated with other musicians on this EP, but in any case it shows a very wide range of musical styles and is simply put very impressive. You can get this release from Container shop (http://container90.com/shop.html) or stream on Spotify. It's available both as CD and vinyl.
Earlier this year Sham Recordings also released two more obscure releases, only available as vinyl: Claus Fovea and Kardinaljävel. Both are 7 inchers. Claus Fovea is pure old school industrial electronics, monotonic and minimalist, with late 70's and early 80's influences. According to the label, it should appeal to fans of Snowy Red, Absolute Body Control and early recordings by Neon Judgement and Vomito Negro. You can check out track samples from the Sham Recordings page.
The other vinyl release of Kardinaljävel turns to a more EBM-oriented sound. The band name means "bastard cardinal". The music is raw and messy, fronting a typical early industrial EBM sound, which might remind of S.P.K and Throbbing Gistle, as well as DAF and Liaisons Dangereuses. It is definetly unique material in modern industrial scene. You can check out sound samples from Kardinaljävel on Sham Recordings page.
Friday 14 August 2015
Sunday 1 March 2015
Global EBM releases in 2015 overview
Here's what to look forward to in 2015!
It's ten years since their last release, and the time has finally come for the new album. This is definently one of the biggest highlights of 2015. Fans have been craving new music from this Swedish duo for a very long time. Europa is a full length album which will come in both CD and LP format and will feature a ton of new tracks, as well as previously known songs, which were sporadically released digitally some time after their debut, and which have become huge hits. These tracks are remastered, so even there will be some fresh blood, so to speak! Music is mastered by a person who usually deals with an entirely different style of music, which also adds a fresh perspective. You will be able to take café sometime around March.
Equitant is always very active, and we at least get a new hard hitting remix every once in a while. This year however the time has come for a fresh release, and Equitant is taking a somewhat different approach to the musical style this time. According to Ray, the man behind the project, he will return to the 80's inspired theme, where you will hear a synthesis of cold, raw, and analogue body music. Operative EP will also feature one track with vocal performance with Pascal from ELITE! (our beloved bad ass bodypunk guy). This EP is also a sign of things to come: a full album release with the same title will follow in 2016 on Italian synth/EBM label EK Product.
SWC is among the first bodypunk bands to be released on Eine Tasse Jäger Records. Before the birth of the label, we have been following Stockholm Wrecking Crew closely, not the least because of their hardcore approach to EBM, which both in vocals and musical compositions always stood out from the scene, and did their own thing. Now this thing is getting a full album release, including a few remixes from some bad ass names in the EBM scene. Stockholm Wrecking Crew have had many years of experience and now are sounding more professional and one-of-the-kind than ever before.
Spark! has been sort of away from the EBM scene for a couple of years, concentrating on other musical styles. A recent change in the band's line-up left it to be a one-man band, but this wouldn't bring it to a halt. Instead we have a big album containing music from the same man, but featuring a huge variety of vocalists from electro and EBM scene, some of which are people from Spetsnaz, NordarR, NZ, Pouppée Fabrikk, Dupont, and so on. The release is very varied (in a positive way) and very exciting.
This already legendary band has been making new music since their last release in 2009. Material is ready, growling vocals are ready, black painted car is wrecked and ready, and only some minor adjustments remain. If all goes according to plan, this should be another of the first releases on Eine Tasse Jäger Records. Expect some unexpected(!) music combos like anhalt ebm, bodypunk, boogie (bodyboogie!), and of course psychobilly. Fans have been craving a new release from this band ever since their last one, and even though we have a few of the upcoming tracks released on youtube, the remaining material seems secret and exciting, considering the unusual and unexpected mixes and approaches taken in the last album.
Little is known about Werksfront, except that it is a new German old school EBM project, and by the sound of their demos released on soundcloud, there are people behind it, who know what they are doing. We have heard stuff that has been explicitly made to sound like music from the early 80's, a track called Stahlwerk, that is not a cover of Volt's original with the same name, and a generally old school somewhat punky attitude. We don't know much more, but it seems like their debut release should be a treat for those who are looking for anhalt EBM with its own sound. The debut release is going to be a full length album.
Now this is something entirely different. It's punk with clean vocals, entirely in Polish, and sounds dark and grim. Their demo release a few years back had track titles such as "bread and cocaine" (translated), and that sounds pretty grim. This is a very promissing project, with a very different approach, and by the judge of their recent demos, it is a slower kind of bodypunk music.
It's almost impossible to count all the releases from Orange Sector, of which some are pretty good and some have been a little bit too similar to tell the difference. But when the band makes something good, it truly shines. This new release is an EP and it is actually already released. It only contains two unique tracks, in addition to a bunch of remixes.
Wankers keep wankin'. Although not confirmed, but rumoured, there is some sort of ultra-mega-secret collaboration going on with another band. If all goes according to plan, this should lead to an EP release sometime this year, but any other details are lacking/secret at the moment.
The legendary Swedish electropunks and oldschoolers never rest. This spring should see a release of a new EP, and we can expect some new electropunk chants. Their facebook page is spawning lots of images of do-it-yourself process, so it will have a personal touch, as other releases by Sham Recordings.
A new release from this famous Swedish band has been in the works for quite a while now. We are talking a big double album here, CD format. The first features new material (and possibly previously unreleased tracks), while the second includes a long list of remixes from a huge selection of varying (in terms of style) EBM artsits. The release has been pulled back a few times earlier, but the label seems confident that it should see day of light approximately around May this time.
This release is still at an early administrative planning stage, but what is sure so far is that it will be a double CD compilation. The first CD will feature entirely new tracks from various bands, and the second will feature tracks of the same artists, but within a specific theme. No more can be revealed, but one thing can be said: the second CD is something that hasn't been done in anhalt/oldschool EBM before.
Sturm Café - Europa!
Date: March
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Label: Private release
Equitant - Operative
Date: late 2015
Format: digital
Label: Black Montanas
Stockholm Wrecking Crew -
Date: Mid/Late 2015
Format: CD and digital
Label: Eine Tasse Jäger Records
Spark! - Spektrum
Date: February 2015
Format: CD and limited 2CD
Label: Progress Productions
A.D.A.C. 8286 -
Date: Rumoured 2015
Format: CD
Label: Eine Tasse Jäger Records
Little is known about Werksfront, except that it is a new German old school EBM project, and by the sound of their demos released on soundcloud, there are people behind it, who know what they are doing. We have heard stuff that has been explicitly made to sound like music from the early 80's, a track called Stahlwerk, that is not a cover of Volt's original with the same name, and a generally old school somewhat punky attitude. We don't know much more, but it seems like their debut release should be a treat for those who are looking for anhalt EBM with its own sound. The debut release is going to be a full length album.
La Santé -
Date: first half 2015
Format:
Label:
Orange Sector - Glasmensch
Date: February 2015
Format: CD and Digital
Label: Infacted Recordings
White Trash Wankers - secret
Date: secret
Format: secret
Label: secret
Container 90 -
Date: first half 2015
Format: EP, possibly CD and vinyl
Label: Sham Recordings
Astma -
Date: May/June 2015
Format: CD
Label: Electro Agression Records
VA - double CD with various artists from Eine Tasse Jäger Records
Date: Mid/Late 2015
Format: Digital, 2CD
Label: Eine Tasse Jäger Records
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