Category: Reviews (Page 141 of 200)

BLANCMANGE Red Shift EP

16 November 2016 /

“BLANCMANGE are probably the most under-rated electronic act of all time” said Moby recently.

The new ‘Red Shift’ EP is released to coincide with BLANCMANGE’s upcoming live dates with THE HUMAN LEAGUE features four vocals tracks from this year’s ‘Commuter 23’ album. All re-worked by Neil Arthur, the tracks also feature David Rhodes, BLANCMANGE’s long-time guitarist who can also count Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Grace Jones, JAPAN, TALK TALK and NEW ORDER among his long list of credits.

On the ‘Red Shift’ title track, Rhodes adds his impenetrable touch, but the track is also notable for Neil Arthur’s revoicing of the song, which harks back to the booming eccentric style he employed on earlier BLANCMANGE recordings like ‘Feel Me’ and ‘Blind Vision’. The brilliantly titled ‘Judge Mental’, one of the highlights from ‘Commuter 23’ is also included, while Rhodes’ enhanced guitar contributions on the avant reggae of ‘Jack Knife’ make it sound like it could have come from ENO’s ‘Taking Tiger Mountain (With Strategy)’ sessions.

A pulsing reconfigured ‘Last Night (I Dreamt I Had A Job)’ with new vocals closes the EP which provides a bite size insight into the current artistic mindset of Neil Arthur, who has been extremely prolific of late, having released the albums ‘Semi Detached’ and ‘Nil By Mouth’ in just 2015 alone.

2017 promises more new music from Neil Arthur including a collaboration with BERNHOLZ under the moniker of NEAR FUTURE who made their debut live performance at the Sensoria Festival in Sheffield last month.

The ‘Red Shift’ EP is released digitally by Blanc Check on 2nd December 2016 and available as a signed promo CD-R from https://blancmange.tmstor.es/

BLANCMANGE’s 2016 live shows with THE HUMAN LEAGUE: Bournemouth International Centre (25th November), Sheffield Arena (3rd December), Brighton Centre (9th December), Birmingham Barclaycard Arena (10th December)

http://www.blancmange.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/BlancmangeMusic/

http://www.davidrhodes.org/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
16th November 2016

ROTERSAND Capitalism TM

9 November 2016 /

rotersand-capitalism-tm“ROTERSAND is a friend who has been accompanying you for a whole decade on your nocturnal hunt’s Post-Industrial amusement. ROTERSAND is the beast right beside you – twitching, stomping, finally leaping upon you and clinging to you. Want to take us home? The beast can also purr like a black cat if it wishes. The beauty and the beast: an insuperable antagonism? In ROTERSAND both melt into one with complex elegance.” says ROTERSAND’s website, enticing the listener to dive into their twisted world.

The enterprise came into existence in Germany in 2002, when Rascal Nikov joined forces with musician and producer Gunther Gerl.

It wasn’t until the duo expanded into a trio, with the inclusion of techno and electro underground producer Krischan Wesenberg, that their sound really came into its own. The first album, ‘Truth Is Fanatic’ quickly established the notorious threesome alongside ASSEMBLAGE 23, COVENANT and VNV NATION as the core of electro industrial genre. ‘Welcome To Goodbye’, ‘1023’ and ‘Random Is Resistance’ followed, each expanding and enriching ROTERSAND’s style, accompanied with their legendary live performances, which, to some, are the best on the scene.

Here comes the poignantly titled ‘Capitalism TM’, sporting a front cover of cryptic messages, including “you dwell in our matrix”, “like monkeys in a tree”, “controlled by informatics”, and “believing that you’re free”; each describing the realities of modern human existence in the controlled environment of today.

Indeed the single heralding the long player is the politically induced ‘Torn Realities’. While the anthemic production is larger than life, one cannot escape the signature Virus TI patch, which was previously used by DEPECHE MODE on ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’. That aside, the track is a perfect introduction to big sounding numbers present on this outing, like ‘Monopole’, reminiscent of vintage AND ONE, ‘Disagree’, being a traditional ROTERSAND, or the opener ‘Not Alone’, starting off gently just to open into a full-on trance extravaganza.

‘Hey You’, nautically oriented in texture, which incidentally pairs excellently with the latest album from COVENANT, ‘The Blinding Dark’ released on the same day as ‘Capitalism TM’, brings memories of PET SHOP BOYS’ productions, with an immense club feel and enticing synth.

rotersand‘It’s About Us’ attacks from the beginning, with infectious hooks and foot stomping qualities, mixing classic EBM and melodious details, canvassing the lyrical message of a “shift of paradigm”. The sound of the month, accented by randomised filter sequence on the title track again, this time boasts with influences going towards AND ONE again, ‘Virgin Superstar’-style. The cryptic messages from the album’s cover are included in the track, pointing again to its political context.

‘Welcome Home’ slows the tempo somewhat, with gloomy lyrical content and Numan-esque vocals, accompanied by exquisite drum rolls and systemic synth, igniting this otherwise calmer feel of the production.

The closing ‘Überload’ shows that the best has been saved for last. The digital age love story is unfolding upon us with harsh beats from the onset, intertwined with a gentle melody and more synth hymn-like qualities.

ROTERSAND have done what ROTERSAND do best. Larger than life anthems, stomping beats and trance induced comas are to be expected from the beginning to the end of ‘Capitalism TM’.

Who said a political message couldn’t be equally entertaining?

‘Capitalism TM’ is released by Trisol Records

http://rotersand.net/

https://www.facebook.com/rotersand/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
9th November 2016

THE FAINT Capsule: 1999-2016

7 November 2016 /

the-faint-capsuleWhen the new millennium began, things were grim for the electronic pop fan…

The mainstream music scene had been infiltrated by the tedium of landfill indie pioneered by the likes of TRAVIS. Meanwhile on the dance front, as great as singles by THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS and LEFTFIELD were, their albums left a lot to be desired, as tracks went on for far too long with minimal song based structures. However, there were new beacons of hope in LADYTRON and GOLDFRAPP, while synthpop was to become the rogue element of rock bands such as THE KILLERS and THE BRAVERY. But before the latter pair emerged, there was THE FAINT.

‘Capsule: 1999-2016’ sees THE FAINT’s catalogue gathered over seventeen songs from five albums, including the excellent 2016 single ‘Young & Realistic’ and two new tracks ‘Skylab1979’ and ‘ESP’. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska by Todd Fink (vocals + keyboards), Clark Baechle (drums) and Joel Petersen (bass), THE FAINT began as a conventional skateboarding rock act named NORMAN BAILER.

After changing their name and signing to Saddle Creek for the debut album ‘Media’, they began taking an interest in using more prominent electronics with the addition of keyboard player Jacob Thiele. The resultant 1999 album ‘Blank Wave Arcade’ featuring ‘Call Call’ and ‘Worked Up So Sexual’ showcased a mix of live drums, punky guitars and squelchy synths in the vein of early ULTRAVOX! and WIRE.

But it wasn’t until 2001’s ‘Danse Macabre’ that THE FAINT really found their sound. While Petersen took to programming bass sequences, one crucial element was the recruitment of a death metal guitarist nicknamed Dapose. In much the same way DURAN DURAN were essentially a synthpop band with a heavy rock guitarist bolted on, this unusual hybrid gave THE FAINT a unique template for the time, sounding like BLUR and Birmingham’s most famous boat crew rolled into one!

The deep attack of ‘Agenda Suicide’ from ‘Danse Macabre’ still stands up and indicative of the parent album’s title, with the second half sounding like Marilyn Manson gone electro. Meanwhile from the same breakthrough long player, ‘Glass Danse’ and ‘The Conductor’ took swirling synths and hard dance rhythms into indie rock territory, while still embracing the imperfections of the analogue machinery associated with Synth Britannia. There was also the delightfully odd swing of ‘Posed To Death’

2004’s ‘Wet From Birth’ album saw orchestrations entering the equation although overall, it was less immediate than its predecessor. But THE FAINT’s spiritual connection with Britain’s new wave and in particular, Some Bizzare came with the superb ‘Southern Belles In London Sing’, a fine interpolation of the now-classic 1981 anti-war song ‘Remembrance Day’ by B-MOVIE, the Nottingham quartet who appeared on the ‘Some Bizzare Album’ alongside SOFT CELL, BLANCMANGE, THE THE and DEPECHE MODE.

the-faintThe buzzing string embellished groove of ‘Desperate Guys’ from ‘Wet From Birth’ also deserves its place on this collection, but one glaring omission from this period would be the superb ‘Symptom Finger’, a hypnotic ‘Zoo Station’ styled romp.

Leaving ‘Saddle Creek’ in 2008, THE FAINT issued ‘Fasciinatiion’ on their own blank.wave imprint and rather fittingly toured with LADYTRON.

But like many acts at the time, the onset of illegal downloading and reduced demand for physical product saw the band give the CD away on tour with sales of T-shirts. The stuttering electronic funk of ‘The Geeks Were Right’ proved the band still had it, although it would be 2014 before they released another album in ‘Doom Abuse’, represented on ‘Capsule: 1999-2016’ by the appropriately foreboding climes of ‘Damage Control’.

‘Capsule: 1999-2016’ is a good introduction to THE FAINT, with its bias towards the band’s best two albums ‘Danse Macabre’ and ‘Wet From Birth’. While almost destined to remain a cult proposition, THE FAINT deserve recognition for their part in keeping the sound of the synthesizer alive during a period when it had almost been hounded to extinction.

‘Capsule: 1999-2016’ is released by Saddle Creek in CD, double vinyl and digital formats

http://thefaint.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thefaint/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
7th November 2016

ULRICH SCHNAUSS No Further Ahead Than Today

7 November 2016 /



The new ULRICH SCHNAUSS album marks a departure for the established German synthesist in that it is the first that he has created primarily “in the box”, ie it was produced mainly using software synths rather than the enviable collection of hardware equipment which resides in his London studio.

In spite of a different work ethic, all of the Schnauss trademarks are present and correct here; from the skippy / swung drum programming through to the euphoric/uplifting synth parts and the wall of sound Shoegaze elements.

First track ‘Melts Into Air’ doesn’t mess around and soon hits the ground running in optimistic “up” mode; full of major chords and detuned / wavering synths. At two minutes in, the track takes an unexpected diversion into slightly darker territory and continues in full-pelt wall of sound mode before reaching a more chilled out conclusion. ‘The Magic in You’ betrays a little of Schnauss’ Drum ‘n’ Bass roots, with its raised tempo and offbeat drum pattern. Also featuring a male vocal buried deep in the mix, the track recalls an electronic MY BLOODY VALENTINE.

‘Thoughtless Motion’ has an instrumental DEPECHE MODE vibe to it with some ‘Violator’-esque synth bass, analogue percussion sounds and a short burst of squelchy Roland TB303. The title track initially hinges around a selection of motorik analogue drum machine samples before lifting into an “up” bridge chord sequence. The track finally bursts joyfully into beautiful synthetic waves of sound after being joined by another distant male vocal low in the background.

With their fast interlocking synth parts and 32nd beat Christopher Franke-inspired sequencer work, the consecutive trio of ‘Wait for Me’, ‘New Day Starts at Dawn’ and ‘Negative Sunrise’ are the most TANGERINE DREAM-influenced tracks here; all give ample evidence as to why EDGAR FROESE introduced Schnauss into the band shortly before his passing in 2013. Musically, the former track’s main riff distantly recalls BRONSKI BEAT’s ‘Smalltown Boy’ whilst ‘New Day Starts at Dawn’ shifts between bell-like synthesis and ambient pad washes.

‘Negative Sunrise’ is not dissimilar to TANGERINE DREAM’s ‘Love On A Real Train’ with melodic musical shifts cycling around a central unchanging sequencer part; three minutes in and an uplifting synth part joins the mix. Closing track ‘Illusory Sun’ has pseudo military-style drum rolls to accompany its shifting synth pads; the last three minutes of the track are super hypnotic with melody parts swamped in reverb to produce another “epic” piece.

At approximately 50 minutes in overall length, ‘No Further Ahead Than Today’ doesn’t outstay its welcome, each of the tracks are pretty direct in nature and avoid the temptation with some ambient electronica to drift aimlessly, taking ages to actually progress anywhere.

As with much of Schnauss’ work, the emphasis here is on textural synthesis rather than the more direct melodic nature of (say) JEAN-MICHEL JARRE. If there is a criticism, some of the tracks sound a little ‘samey’ in places, but repeated listens are needed to reveal the contrasting elements between the pieces.

With ULRICH SCHNAUSS’ position in TANGERINE DREAM now secured, it will be interesting to see how a) he will influence them and b) how being part of this legendary band will impact upon his own music. Whatever happens, there is no denying that ‘No Further Ahead Than Today’ is the work of a musician who is at the top of his game and will provide nearly an hour’s worth of quality listening for fans of primarily instrumental electronica.

With thanks to Sarah Puttock at Waveform Press

‘No Further Ahead Than Today’ is released through Scripted Realities

Ulrich Schnauss has an in-store performance at London’s Rough Trade East on Tuesday 8th November at 1:00pm, entry is free

http://www.ulrich-schnauss.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ulrichschnauss/

https://soundcloud.com/ulrich-schnauss

Text by Paul Boddy
7th November 2016

FIFI RONG Future Never Comes

2 November 2016 /

London based FIFI RONG, who fled her birthplace Beijing having been perceived as “weird” and totally misunderstood in her musical endeavours, has been busy polishing her unusual sound for a few years now.

Coagulating her Chinese folk influences with styles of artists such as MAZZY STAR and COCTEAU TWINS, Rong has been creating her own electronica hybrid with such devotion and conscience, that none other than Boris Blank of YELLO noticed her unparalleled distinctive expression.

The fruits of their collaboration can be heard on no less than three tracks on YELLO’s ‘Toy’ album. Furthermore, Rong performed live alongside the Swiss masters during their recent Berlin shows.

Her latest EP, ‘Forbidden Desire’ caused a stir within the more arty lovers of high end electronica, showcasing the songstress’ “snapshot of (her) latest development”. The filigree vocals meander through the plethora of fascinating sounds, creating an aura of mysteriousness and uncertainty, which to Rong is “very individual and intimate language that I speak, with unfiltered and naked feelings of my own, for those who want to join me and listen to something real”.

And now the ‘Future Never Comes’…

Co-written and produced by long-time fan Mark Rose via the PledgeMusic campaign, Rong showcases the sound of an artist at top of her game.

Indeed, the dainty Chinese electro princess admits that: ”’Future Never Comes’ is by far the most epic-sounding track I’ve made, with a lyrical theme going back to my initial breakthrough of the fear for pursuing my dream and answering my calling. Making this track as a collaboration feels like taking a glorious vacation away from being immersed building my own island”

‘Future Never Comes’ is available via the usual digital outlets

FIFI RONG plays London’s Century Club on 4th November 2016

http://www.fifirong.com/

https://www.facebook.com/fifirongmusic/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
2nd November 2016

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