Welcome back to 'Releases on Sensors!'
Presenting you with new releases in November and some from October, as well as great tracks or albums that are new to me that I have been enjoying, whether older or new - found in the 'Discoveries' section.
Finishing off with my personal top 3 tracks I've been listening to in the last month.
Also worth remembering is that I don't just cover the electronic alternative scene exclusively, but Nordic and tribal folk music on occasion too as these two genres and music tastes are so strongly intertwined in our scene. So you'll find a few such releases included below.
Some releases may not be included that you'd expect either because I plan on doing a full article for them in the near future or I may have already covered them!
(Possibly for other reasons, it is difficult to research EVERY band so if you feel a band should not have been included for any reason please feel free to inbox the Elektro Vox page on Facebook.) Have a scroll through the Reviews, News, and Interviews section of my site HERE to find out.
Enjoy!
Special thanks to William of Moon Coil Media
Recent releases
Albums:
Bedless Bones - Mire of Mercury
A chilled experience with some great variation on Kadri's vocals bringing a nice mix of experimental and dark electro beats.
Incantations of nocturnal rapture.
solo work of Kadri Sammel
Binary Order - The Future Belongs To The Mad
Probably the heaviest release I've covered with E.V. Mixing up a hell of a lot of metal with industrial and electronics. This is like the heavy guitars of Trivium, the guttural roars of Heaven Shall Burn, and melodic beauty of Alexis On Fire threw hands with industrial and Gothic. I don't say this often but.. I LOVE IT!
Which makes this new discovery to me, quite bitter sweet having read what the artist has to say:
Work on The Future Belongs To The Mad took place over the course of nine months, from December 2022 until August 2023, and was written, produced and performed by Benjamin Blank. Containing twelve tracks of industrial metal, IDM and electronic cyberpunk inspired soundscapes, The Future Belongs To The Mad is a sprawling, epic, multi genre soundtrack to our own oblivion.
About the release:
“It's never easy to be honest about these kind of things, but I feel it’s important with this release to be so. The Future Belongs To The Mad was written during possibly the most difficult period I've ever had to get through - a period I'm not actually done dealing with - and one from which I now fear I shall never depart.
This album is an expression of my own inability to find meaning or purpose in life. And the utter disdain and emotional distraught that comes from the accumulation of living like that year, after year, after year. With this album I've managed to turn something that is for all intents and purposes destroying me, and created what is without any doubt in my mind, the greatest accomplishment of my life.
I don’t know if there is going to be anymore Binary Order after this. Finishing this album felt like an impossibility at one point, and now it’s done I feel like I am too. I hope anyone who listens to this can find something of value for within it. If not then I just appreciate having this platform to express myself in this way because it has kept me alive."
-Benjamin
About Binary Order:
Started in 2008 by London based solo musician Benjamin Blank as a way to combine his love for multiple genres. Fusing the intensity of alt metal, the haunting atmosphere of ambient soundscapes and the piercing electronics of IDM, Binary Order is the soundtrack to our descent down into a hell of our own making. As we become ever more disconnected from ourselves and each other with each day, we succumb to the unrelenting fear that mankind is too far along to stop these horrors that we have set in motion. This is the sound of Binary Order.
Caress - Night Call
Dark and smooth, the delightful vocals in this release are deeply touching and relatable with the weight of emotion, apathy, and melancholy that permeates the dark dance settings. An artists I am so glad to have now discovered! (Check out 'Mortal Flaw')
Caress, the LA Based solo project of Tara Jane is heavily inspired by 1980's dark wave and modern synth pop. She is best described as a blend of “haunting ethereal vocals that slither around hypnotic beats, pulsating basslines, trancey glassy synth loops, and evocative sparkling guitar melodies, exuding an eerie yet mesmerizing seductive flair impossible to resist." - (WL//WH).
Evanescence - Fallen (Deluxe Edition / Remastered)
20 years! 20 YEARS! How could I not include one of the most important albums of mine and almost every other alternative person's life in to this article? I've once again been deeply entranced in Amy Lee's vocals with the new release of the 20 year anniversary remaster.
Forndom (and Ludvig Sward) - Alster (Piano Version)
A piano version of some of Forndom's greatest tracks, I especially love Yggdrasil as that has always been one of my favourites of his.
SUPERNOVA 1006 - Chains
Beautifully melodic - dark-wave, shoe-gaze, dark pop synthwave, whatever you call it, the feel of this release is a wonderful massage on the soul of easy listening with enough of an upbeat tempo and pace to keep you hooked throughout!
Every person has turning points in life that change everything. There is a huge number of events that come at you in a continuous stream. It’s often hard to accept the feeling of change and that we will no longer be the same.
We experience change in everything: character, life values, even in our work and personal environments.
The fear of change is natural. You can only close your eyes and move forward towards your dream of finding eternal silence and peace.
Chains is about the struggle for your happiness, about the struggle for silence and harmony with oneself.
Total Chroma - Lapland
A mix of darkwave, Trad-Goth, and post punk. This album has some great vocals and brings a nostalgic yet fresh feel to these genres with this release.
From the frost-kissed expanse of the North, an album named "Lapland" emerges from Katerwol's creative sanctum, an
exploration of his Sami lineage.
The Sami, for those unacquainted, are the indigenous denizens of the Arctic, a people whose song has echoed across the icy plains, fjords, and tundras of Scandinavia and Russia for millennia, and whose history, like the labyrinthine forests of the North, is both rich and shadowed.
With every note, Katerwol delves deeper, and as he descends, the narrative grows increasingly somber. We're led on an odyssey,
not just of a people's extermination of culture but a reflection of Katerwol's own metamorphosis. The track "Such Filth" becomes an anthem of cyclical birth, echoing the ethos that from the murk and mire, radiant beauty can ascend. It's a chant, a hymn to origins and the phoenix-like rise from desolation.
On the subject of "Starvation", Katerwol muses:
"This song, though cloaked in fiction, unveils a tale of love once effervescent, now dulled post the 'honeymoon phase'. Both souls,
parched for each other's touch, find themselves trapped in a vortex of unsaid emotions and suppressed needs. Their dance,
though yearning for connection, is marred by a cyclone of misunderstandings and perpetual discord. In this ballad, the lovers find themselves lost, yearning, and ensnared in a web of their own making."
Sonically Lapland’s auditory palette is rich, coloured with the gritty hues of post-punk, the electric vibrancy of synth-pop, the
pulsating rhythms of EBM, and the melancholic undertones of minimal wave. It's an alchemy that Katerwol has mastered, creating tracks that resonate deeply, echoing both the icy vastness of the North and the warmth of human emotion. Each song becomes a journey through time and self, a testament to Katerwol's prowess as an artist and the timeless resonance of the genres he so deftly melds.
Mechanical Vein - The Remixes You Can't Contain
These have been releaseing steadily one by one but now the full 30, yes 30! Remixes are now fully available. What an incredible line up of talent this release holds!!
The massive Deluxe re-release of the debut Mechanical Vein LP features 22 new remixes & 8 previously released remixes, with some remastered for this release.
On Bandcamp, it's split into the original digital LP, this remix LP, and a premium physical Deluxe 3 CD realease. The physical 3 CD deluxe release includes download codes for the digital remix LP & original LP.
The epic list of remixers includes Zardonic, INHUMAN, MORIS BLAK, Biomechanimal, Toronto Is Broken, Neolux, Exile, ESA (Electronic Substance Abuse), Sentinel Complex, KALCYFR, Vypes, Art1fact, TriS, Neuroklast, OIÜ, ALVABEAT, Nvrsoft, Despersion, RetiredOrphan, Subtension, TRISEKT, Sindicate, Panic Lift, Against Odds, Paperclip, Eqwillus, & Binary. Plus a remix from my new melodic DNB alias, Mechanical Skies.
NIGHT NAIL - Fates Explained
Dark and vampiric, one for the darker, slower depths of the scene.
Berlin's NIGHT NAIL has finally released their long awaited new album 'Fates Explained.' This darkly intelligent and provocative album features Pete Burns of KILL SHELTER who mixed, mastered, and co-produced along with an appearance by Valentina Veil of VV & THE VOID. NIGHT NAIL's leader and vocalist Brandon Robert, has taken his Post-Punk influences such as Echo & the Bunnymen, Japan and the Chameleons to heart, while adding a shimmering dose of Darkwave modernity. Just in time for the arrival of the album, is the new sci-fi-inspired video for the song “Fates Explained.” Filmed atop the skyline in Berlin, the video captures the stark architecture of the mystical city with the urban landscape of the former East Germany stretching into the distance. The 'Fates Explained' album is truly Night Nail's most compelling release to date.
RVOLT - Patterns of Chaos
Combining elements of techno, hardstyle, gabba, rap, and a touch of metal. This is one insanely fun listen. Check out the hard as f**k 'Join the pit'.
Simon Carter - Complete and utter Simon
GO GET THIS NOW! ssh!, no no no, just go get it, NOW. (It's pay what you want) But seriously.. This is damn, damn good! Don't let the name dissuade you.
- Do you like Techno? Do you like dancing your ass off? Do you like music so STOMPY that it's difficult to control your facial and jaw reactions?
Do you like laughing your ass off at ridiculously good samples just before a killer drop?
- If you answered yes to any of these.. WHY HAVEN'T YOU GONE AND GOT IT YET?! If you have, thank you for your trust! :)
You know when people talk about like sneezing and hiccupping or farting at the same time and your body gets confused as F?
Well I was hit by both my body laughing out loud to the shouted sample 'I LIKE CAKE' (in the track cake at about 4:10) and then my body uncontrollably trying to facially react with an 'OOOOF!!' just a second after with a crunchy ass drop worthy of the Gods.
Simon you nearly killed me! (All the voice samples are from the TV series Ultimate Force staring Ross Kemp, hence the cover artwork)
Wargasm (UK) - Venom
Aggresive, shouty, experimental, and damn enjoyable Milkie and Matlock power out soem impressive female and male vocals against a metal industrial infused combat rave.
Zeitgeist Zero - Meddling With The Forces
A great mix of alternative taste, gothic macabre, electro dance, darkwave rhythm, rock and roll blues, this album has a feast for all palettes.
Zeitgeist Zero's latest album is a dark, powerful sonic experience, blending electronics and alternative rock elements to create a unique and captivating sound. From driving riffs to soaring vocal melodies, the band has crafted an album full of diverse and compelling tracks that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Lyrically, the album dives deep into dark and mysterious themes while still managing to maintain upbeat energy throughout. With its mix of heavy guitars, driving rhythms, and haunting melodies, Zeitgeist Zero have endeavoured to create an album that will leave a lasting impact on your soul.
For this album release, Zeitgeist Zero have summoned a limited edition CD digipack with a dark side. The full-colour gatefold hides some spooky surprises, with the fold-out lyric sheet doubling as custom designed functional Ouija board with an occult CD planchette. So you too can 'Meddle with the Forces'.
STOP A MOMENT!
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www.beyond-reflections.org.uk @BeyondReflectUK
Their support really does save lives!
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We also support our good friends at Beat:Cancer, you can click the logo to donate and also keep up to date with their awesome music events on the B:C website!
Singles and EPs:
BlazerJacket - The Second
This one will make you do that jaw clench thing as you suck in air and nod your head in approval.. It's good! Mixing star wars, Ghost In The Shell, and Terminator in to one EP? YES PLEASE! It's chonky, it's dance worthy, and it's dance rave heavy. Amazing!
Ukranian cyberpunk duo, BlazerJacket has just unveiled their new EP, The Second.
This EP showcases the band's cyberpunk/sci-fi vision in various forms. Each track features voice samples from different sources of inspiration. In the track "Dark Side," it's Star Wars; in "DedSec," it's the game Watch Dogs; in "Project 2501," it's the anime Ghost in the Shell; and in "Judgement Day," it's Terminator.
When BlazerJacket was formed in 2017, they were actively playing shows.
Half of the material they played live at that time went into the EP, The First, and all of those tracks were written by Denis Cherryman. The other half of that material is now included in The Second, and it was written by another band member, Hybri.Mod. This material was also additionally produced closer to modern standards of hard EDM/midtempo, but the core idea is a mixture of industrial with guitar and synthwave.
The first EP has a clear concept where the plot of The First takes place in a post-apocalyptic universe and tells the story (in the form of dialogues at the end of the tracks) of two alien brothers who came to Earth to save humanity and all existence from absolute evil - an ultra-powerful artificial intelligence.
In this new EP, The Second, there is no specific story. The dialogues, like in the first EP are replaced by voice samples from the movies, the game, and the anime, and leave the question of imagination to the listener.
As for Easter eggs, the first EP ended with "Skynet", and the second EP ended with "Judgement Day", which moved the listener to the Terminator world. Especially nerdy listeners can hear that the last FX sound at the end of the last track "Skynet" in The First matches the same FX sound at the beginning of the intro of The Second, and also matches at the very end of the last track "Judgement Day" in the same EP.
Cattac - Little Red
If you don't know Cattac, they wear cat mask and sing like an even deeper, slower, more Gothic Peter Steele and I simply cannot get enough of it. I love love love their vibe and tracks. It may take you a few tracks to get in to them but once you do, you're hooked!
Caustic - Buggy
Matt also of Klack and Daddybear is a busy guy with releases. This offering is an experimental mind jump down a rabbit hole that is both complex and incredibly satisfying. The track PRVRT is great!
BUGGY is the first single off Caustic's next full-length release. Always evolving his style, Caustic became heavily influenced during the pandemic by the dark industrial dub of artists such as Gorgonn, The Bug, Scorn, Techno Animal, and others.
Color Noir + Corlyx - Don't Turn Away From Me
Two great female artists teaming up for a chill and melancholy piece of brilliance.
daddybear - IA MALI EN
Matt Finale releases another! (told you he has been busy ^ ) This time with one of my absolute favourite artists in the scene right now - Marie (grabyourface) providing the vocals. This is by far one of the best releases in this entire article for me personally.
The dark seductive nature of the music and the decent tempo progressions makes it a release suitable for a 'bedroom playlist' and sometimes you need to have some great pieces of music that get you feeling good like that. Ironically though, lyrically there's of course a fair hint towards being anti-social and if nothing anything else, I think we can relate to that fairly often! (Also, on it's band camp Friday release, all pay what you want profits were put to LGBTQIA+ charities!)
Distance H - Intimacy
STUNNING female vocals set against post-rock and Gothic ambience, this is a beautiful release that I feel I will be listening to a lot. Showcasing a different singer on each track is an amazing idea. This is definitely one to keep an ear out for!
Distance H is a project created by Parisian producer Manu H and
realized in collaboration with a selection of female singers, all of them merging in their own way with the dark and melancholic style of the project.
With a very melancholic universe, which draws a positive energy from the guitar, the first dark and intimate EP of Distance H is called "Intimacy"
To be taken or to be avoided, the distance is the red thread of this collaborative project. Manu H invites several singers to express themselves by taking distance on their own experiences. After a first single "Bitch 16", realized in collaboration with Ophelia of Saigon Blue Rain, noticed by the specialized press for "its freshness, its mechanical and dramatic resonance" (Obskure), he releases his second track "Waters of Woe", in collaboration with Marita Volodina of Stridulum / Burial Fields / Blood Tears After, on September 30, 2022. The single is praised as a "spectacularly intoxicating track with a captivating, dark and seductive melody". Finally, his third track "Reason to rush" featuring Liset Alea (known for her longtime collaboration with Nouvelle Vague) was released on December 9, 2022. The track is an imperious dream pop evocation, navigating between reason and impulsiveness, from luminous euphoria to dark plunge.
Today, Distance H is back with the song "Leaden Sky", referring to this moment of evidence, where reason coldly imposes its verdict and where the heart has no more strength to oppose it. It is a dark day, without horizon. Ophelia from Saigon Blue Rain opens this EP with "Bitch 16" and ends it with "Leaden Sky", making this collaboration more than obvious.
THE PROJECT
Based in Paris for years, Manu H has recently felt the urgency provoked by time passing by and has decided to embark us in his new dark wave project. Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, he has developed the project Distance H, in collaboration with different female singers, each one bringing her text and her melody to this universe.
Passionate about post-punk, cold wave and dark music since his teenage years, Distance H was inspired by the bands that rocked his youth (The Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Cocteau Twins, The Sisters of Mercy or The Chameleons), but also by the need to express musically an afterglow of feelings.
Divine Shade - Oublier (ft' Steve Fox-Harris)
Dark and atmospheric, this track feels like the slower seedier theme to a cyberpunk nightclub's panoramic shot before a hand to hand combat scene. Powering in some heavier riffs and beats later on then switching to the melodic, and closing out on some grinding midtempo, this track is a real journey!
ESA vs Moaan Exis - Spit & Malice
Power, anger, Drums - DAMN GOOD DRUMS, visceral vocals, powernoise based ear destruction, you can never - ever go wrong with Electronic Substance Abuse or Moaan Exis, putting these two together verges on lethal audio weaponry!
A punk power industrial sparring match between two bands, ESA & Moaan Exis yields a crushing new two-track EP, Spit & Spite courtesy of Negative Gain Productions.
In 2020, just before the first lockdown of Covid appeared on the horizon. ESA and Moaan Exis played a show together in Prague, Czech Republic. That encounter comprised of an acknowledgement of mutual respect for each others projects, along with a pinky promise that at some point we would collaborate and put something together in the future.
Fast forward almost three years and the schedules finally aligned enough to create something that we all felt deserved to actually live. The artists wanted to make sure that whatever they put together felt like a 50/50 split-like ESA ingested Moaan Exis or Moaan Exis injected ESA.
They wanted to make sure that fans of both bands were able to feel exactly what a merging of these projects would sound like. ‘Spit & Spite’ is a double A-side of absolute power. ESA’s hooked up rolling rhythms combined with Moaan Exis’ punk like industrial energy. Moaan Exis’s snarling basslines combined with ESA’s pummeling percussion.
It's all there and in its purest form; the punk power industrial sparring match between ESA & Moaan Exis.
Gealdyr - Elendil's Oath
Known for his magical viking and norse songs, this beautiful Lord Of The Rings piece is short but swelling with emotion.
"Elendil's Oath" is a cover of one of the songs sung by Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. The song itself is sung in the Elvish language Quenya, one of the artificial languages that J.R.R. Tolkien created for his books. Quenya was inspired by Finnish, Latin, Greek & some smaller elements from other European languages.
Girli - Nothing Hurts Like a Girl
Girli has some of the most in your face, Sapphic vocals going and every track is always so enjoyable and fun beyond measure. Not only that but it is easy to relate to how well she conveys the story of each song and this lust intense love for another girl is incredible to say the least!
Heldom - Veturinn
Epic and sweeping, the drums, vocals, and atmosphere are much what you would expect of Nordic folk classics and another great addition to Heldom's catalogue.
Krank - My Hate
A London based industrial metal band this track feels like a far heavier Disturbed but with many of the great sounds of EBM.
Mari Kattman - URGOD.AI
Dark dance majesty and elegance in this fiercely powerful two track release that has equal parts dance and emotional outpouring.
Mari Kattman unveils her latest electronic masterpiece, "URGOD.AI," a seductive and futuristic single that's poised to make your pulse race. This tantalizing track perfectly encapsulates the essence of sci-fi allure, with a sultry, cybernetic edge that's ideal for setting the mood in a neon-lit future. Imagine yourself in the bustling streets of a metropolis, straight out of the next Blade Runner movie, and "URGOD.AI" as the soundtrack to your techno-noir adventure.
On the B side, "Lower Yourself" offers another glimpse into Mari's sci-fi-infused sonic universe. This sparkling gem is tailor-made for the dance floor, radiating an irresistible blend of mesmerizing beats and captivating synth lines. Mari's vocals shine as she delivers a performance that's equal parts sexy and confident, making "Lower Yourself" an unforgettable experience.
Mari Kattman has once again demonstrated her prowess in crafting electronic masterpieces that are irresistibly catchy, embodying the very essence of contemporary seduction in the world of sexy cyborgs and neon cityscapes. "URGOD.AI" and "Lower Yourself" are the sonic keys to unlock this mesmerizing, sci-fi world.
Mekong - Going Numb
A little bit of the Goth dance floor cobweb dance, and a bit of the synthwave drum bursts and darkwave bass guitar twangs. This one is for lovers of the Cure.
Polish post-punk/darkwave band, Mekong has just unveiled the first single from their upcoming album, Danse Danse.
In "Going Numb", the hypnotic fusion of post-punk and dark-wave weaves a haunting tale of a girl's last night out. The dance floor becomes her sanctuary one final time. Amidst the pulsating beats and disco-inspired rhythm, she embraces the numbness, surrendering to the melancholic melodies that guide her through a poignant journey. The song encapsulates her bittersweet dance, capturing the raw emotions of her final moments before the inevitable darkness descends.
"Going Numb" is available on all major digital outlets including Bandcamp.
Mekong is a one-man project that blends dark post-punk and dark wave influences with a hint of 80s British goth culture. Led by a Portuguese residing in Krakow, Poland, Mekong's sound is characterized by a haunting and atmospheric blend of strong bass lines, ethereal guitar melodies, and deep synths.
Since its debut release in 2021 titled End of the World, Mekong has gained recognition within the niche community of dark post-punk bands, receiving positive reviews for its unique and introspective sound.
MORIS BLAK + Nyxx Feat. Static Starlight
Dark rave, femme vocals, sick as hell samples of an electronic voice (listen to see what I mean), and a feeling of something very different, MORIS BLAK is king of the industrial bass spin and hell to the F yes, is the breakdown at around 2.30 incredible!
MORIS BLAK feat. KOFIN
Uzumaki is a Japanese horror manga series written and illustrated by Junji Ito known for its seriously disturbing imagery and this track is a fantastic tribute with how dark, heavy, and guttural it is.
An amazing release once against from the mind of M.B (And again, 2.30 another killer breakdown!)
Neon Funeral - Banned From the Goth Club
This is incredibly unique, mixing up very different genres in to something brilliant to listen to - Kinda makes me think 'What if Alexis On Fire went FULL goth'. I think the band's description sums it up far better than I:
New Jersey-based darkwave/post-punk band, Neon Funeral has just unleashed their new EP, Banned From The Goth Club courtesy of Cleopatra Records.
The EP's theme is based upon the band feeling alienated from the goth scene. The name of the EP, Banned From The Goth Club was given because of the band's challenge in finding their audience given their contradictory sound.
The band states, "The goth audience can't exactly get fully immersed into the music because of the aggression and intensity of the vocals and the hardcore scene can't exactly understand the softer and dance-driven instrumentals for moshing. We once performed at a goth venue and seemed out of place and out of touch with the audience. We then coined the phrase "Banned From The Goth Club" to welcome the eclectic sound and introduce it playfully."
The songs on Banned From The Goth Club go through different emotional undertones. "Avolition" is fast and dance-driven with a good melody. "High Tech Low Life" takes a slower, more somber approach but ends with a very fast, intense electronic sound and metal vocals. "A Void" is a very introspective song that covers questions of nihilism, drug addiction, and societal pressures. The last track is a cover of Eddie Murphy's 80s "one hit wonder", "Party All The Time".
The video for "Avolition" was filmed at a local vintage arcade and bar that the band felt would match their aesthetic well.
Panic Lift - Again
Imagine mixing up the more melodic parts of Pendulum, with the mind bending cyber sounds of the nightclub dancefloor music of Mass Effect and you might get this great release.
Industrial band, Panic Lift completes their five EP release cycle with the new release, Again. Again features the blistering lead single, “What Happens Now?” and is accompanied by the downtempo “Timelines” and two remixes from E.S.A and Absynthe Of Faith.
For “What Happens Now?” Panic Lift lead singer, James Francis addresses the anxiety of watching the world around you in turmoil and the long-term effects it has on the human psyche. “In the 80’s we had the cold war, in 90s we had Iraq, then September 11th, and now we had COVID19.I feel like each generation has been constantly on edge due to the world being in a constant state of upheaval, and it’s hard to ever imagine a time where we can be optimistic about the future”
The release of Again also celebrates a milestone for Panic Lift as they complete the entire 21 song release cycle by unleashing the DOUBLE CD titled Split Pieces Stitched Together Again which compiles all 21 songs into a long play album format. The CD is limited to 100 copies worldwide.
Pending Position feat. KY
A seductive and interesting offering here but check out the ruined conflict version which is particularly tasty!
Promenade Cinema - Alone at Parties
The beautiful cinematic soundscapes of Promenade Cinema return for another instant classic from them that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
'Danceable darkwave' with memorablehooks and opulent melodies, striking a perfect balance between brooding synthwave, euphoric electro-pop and emotional synthetic orchestration.
Pure Obsessions & Red Nights - What's on your mind?
Retro-synthpop goodness that keeps your head bopping from start to finish.
Ray Noir feat. KANGA - Lonely King
A quite different spin on catchy future pop and dark electro, KANGA really brings out the best parts of this track complementing each others vibe quite nicely. Turn up the bass for this one.
Ray Noir, a standout in alternative music. His music conquered Germany’s Top 20 Alternative Charts, lauded by Kerrang!, Attitude, and Esquire. With European, Scandinavian, and Japanese performances, he’s a global fixture. His boundary-pushing music and captivating stage charisma mark him as an alternative music rising star, reshaping norms. Keep an eye on Ray Noir, redefining sound & style
Seraphim system - THE CHIRAL
A heavy offering from my soul brother from across the Ocean. A much more aggressive vocal release similar to his more black metal inspired albums. This is a track filled with weight and poignancy as it is a deep, deep search and reflection of John's mind and thoughts. It's always difficult when an artists truly bears their soul and I'm proud of him for making a killer track whilst combating those inner Demons.
The Dark - Indicate LA
A fun track bringing some great nostalgic vibes amongst heavy riffs, and catch growls.
thewalkingicon - We Are Memory
A chilled and peaceful dance along, something to sway along to in the sunshine as the electronic beats and future-pop like sounds wash over you.
thewalkingicon project (Israel Haifa/Russia Kaliningrad) was formed in early 2018 by Sasha Rempel, the singer for Kaliningrad break-beat act INSPIRA and Dmitry Osipov, the member and founder of famous Moscow alternative and industrial 90-s pioneers Crocodile T.X. and Thaivox.
Warm Gadget - The Masses
Old school industrial anger and a fierce guitar
The Masses is the lead single off of the forthcoming Warm Gadget release, "Sorrows". This track features punishing, chainsaw guitars, melodic 1980's flavored synth backing and vocals that are bombastic, poignant and belligerently screeched. Contextually- the track calls out violence in society, political tribalism and slyly jabs at anyone who thinks that they are ahead of the game as an "original, free thinker", whilst parroting the rhetoric from their in-groups, echo chambers and party affiliations. Lone wolf, anarchistic thought at its best!
X-RL7 / Victor Borba / genCAB - Control
The X-RL7 series comes out with some of the most amazing industrial and electronic music out there and deserves so much more love - for instance check out 'Digital Deities' with Daniel Graves on an early episode. This track 'control' is also draw droppingly good the whole way through.
X-RL7 is a unique pixel art styled cyberpunk animated series and music projected created by Mike Evans of electronic-rock band MiXE1 and Project Anything. The series is a mix of comedy, social commentary and original music following the exploits of the fictional band X-RL7 featuring fantastic voice acting and musical appearances from members of the alternative/electronic/rock music scene such as Bret Autrey (Blue Stahli), Daniel Graves (Aesthetic Perfection), Rob "Rawrb" Kersey (Psychostick), Lauren Babic (Red Handed Denial/CrazyEightyEight), Nyxx, Jimmy Urine (Mindless Self Indulgence) and many more...
Fuelled by mysterious dream-like visions, follow the enigmatic X-RL7 frontman Omega as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the music industry alongside guitarist/producer PJ and flamboyant larger-than-life band manager Alfie in their journey to make it to the top of the musical foodchain. Featuring a myriad of colourful characters and original electronic rock tunes set against a cyberpunk-inspired futuristic backdrop.
Discoveries
(Song's or albums I've recently just come across myself, be they new or old, that I feel are worth sharing.)
AL1CE - As Above
An artist I have always meant to get round to listening to, the track 'For Dead' finally caught me at 1.30 in with it's insanely catchy chorus and energy leading to me enjoying the whole album of electronic brilliance from 2021. There's a lot to discover and a fair few tastes catered for here! Also check out their latest release from September 'See Me':
Bambie Thug - Tsunami (11:11)
I absolutely love this track from the non-binary artist Bambie Thug. It's full of electronic dance, rock, killer lyrics, and pure damn fun! Something quite different from my usual on here but trust me when I say this is a song you all need to listen to right now!
Grimes feat. IIIangelo
It's not like I didn't already know Grime but this very anime pop style track really is an ear catcher and put a big smile on my face and I'm sure it will do the same for you too.
Mechina - Progenitor
'Cryoshock' (feat. Mel Rose) was the song that grabbed me and pulled me in to this 2016 album. There's a lot of rock/metal in this as opposed to industrial but still a fair amount of electronic. Seriously go check out 'Cryoshock' it is heavy but more importantly elegantly melodic especially at 3.10 which I am insanely happy to have discovered!
'I can hear them scream, I can hear them bleed...'
My top 3 tracks this month:
J:Dead - Hold Tight (Rotersand Remix)
This relaxing, head bopping mind massage of a song from 2022 has brought me some nectar for the soul recently with how enjoyable and peaceful it feels. Combining so many great elements of what makes Industrial pop so great.
Einar Selvik (Wardruna) - Voluspa - Live with Orchestra
Released in June, this full orchestral version of this well known Wardruna classic adds so much gravitas, force, and emotion to the track that it has been a regular listen for me all month.
Moris Blak + Nyxx Feat.Static Starlight
If you go back up I wrote a bit more about this track but it really is worthy of being in this top three with how insanely sick it is the whole way though!
I thought I should really put at least one track from November in the list but it was a close choice between this and 3TEETH'S 'Drift' from September as I've listened to that a lot this month.
Thank you
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