Reviews: electro

(ebm / dark electro / minimal electro / elektroclash / synthpop)

Machine made Flesh, the – Order

And now for something completely different… Here we have a true multimedia release, five industrial/electro tracks and a digital graphic novel, created by Jacob. R. Ross. Dog Solitude_9 is the name of his independent multi-media studio. When you start the cd-rom you can immerse yourself in a strange future world…..

Foetal Void – Know EP

Foetal Void is a new Belgian act, that found its way to a Canadian label. They exist since 1998, but this is their first release. They play a decent mixture of electro and industrial crossover music. Singer and composer of Foetal Void is Tom Cornille. Foetal Void consists of five members, more than usual for this type of music…

I, Parasite – On this cold floor – promo

I,Parasite from New York City has convinced me in the past with some good intelligent electro music. On albums like “Turin’ and “Horseslayer” harsh rhythms and atmospheric elements alternate nicely. This new 4-track promo is a teaser for the forthcoming new album “On this cold floor”. The first track completely surprised me, and I must say not in a pleasing manner…

Wolfsheim – Casting Shadows

It has taken the band some time, but now after four years there is at last a new Wolfsheim album. The Wolfsheim trademark of catchy popsongs with melancholy vocals is also present on Casting Shadows. Although most of the songs on this new album are somewhat less dance orientated. For the greatest part the tracks are produced by Andreas Herbig, who worked with A-ha on their come-back album…

Wolfsheim – Kein Zurück

Wolfsheim took take some time to come up with new material. Four years have gone past since their latest album, Spectators, was released. Wolfsheim’s trademark has since their debut album from ‘92 been their melancholy feeling both in the quitet as in the danceable songs. The voice of Peter Hepner is for the greatest part responsible for that melancholy feeling…

Syndicat Electronique, Le – Philosophie

Invasion Planete is the French equivalent of the Dutch Bunker Records (home of artists like Legowelt and Rude 66). Le syndicate electronique is the primary project of label boss A//. Fans of contemporary electro music will be pleased with this new Philosophie album because it is a double vinyl with music that really adds something to the genre…

Normal, The – Warm Leatherette

Usually I review brandnew music, but now it’s time for a classic. A milestone in minimal electronic pop, with 2 classic tracks: ‘Warm Leatherette’ and ‘T.V.O.D’. It was the first single on the legendary Mute label, originally released in 1978. Apparently it has been repressed, because I bought a new copy of this 7” single this week, but the sleeve only mentions ‘Mute001’…

Iris – Awakening

Awakening is the second record by this electropop band. The typical melancholy atmosphere, that is inspired by the eighties new wave sound, is characteristic for Iris. This record has, as is instantly evident in the opening track ‘Whatever’, also this sound…

Alexander Robotnick – Oh no….Robotnick!

Alexander Robotnick is Maurizio Dami, an Italian musician/producer who has been working on a wide variety of musical genres since the 80’s. With this record he returns to his 80’s roots while “Oh no….Robotnick! is an electro album. The music minded public has been buried under numerous electro productions lately, so a musician has to come up with something very good to impress nowadays…

Marina Sirtis – Delay and Depression

A new label, a new band and directly a shot in the bull’s eye! I must confess that I was a bit sceptical, because synthpop groups from Sweden are normally not my thing, I prefer my tea a bit darker. But the music of Marina Sirtis (named after a Star Trek character) has really convinced me, and it sounds surprisingly mature for a new band…

Goteki – O/S

Goteki is like the Japanese parody of the all-boy bands that haunt the charts so often. Their image is semi-futuristic blending, for instance, manga cartoons with Commodore 64 graphics in the artwork. Goteki?s music is characterized by the semi fusion of contemporary and old elements. Modern beats go together with minimal 80?s synth sounds…

Lowtechnicians – Remembrance

This is the first full-length cd by the Low Technicians. After a split-cd with The Alpha Conspiracy and the promo single ‘Random Event’ from last year there is at last the real debut album for this electropop band. Like their other material this cd is releases by the Diffusion Records label, which is responsible for putting out high quality electropop with more electro and less clash…

IDLO – trans level

IDLO is a Belgian project already active since 1983! Since then they had some releases on vinyl and cassette, but this is their first cd. In 1994 they ceased their activities, but in 200 they became active again, recording this album in their home studio. IDLO also intends to release a remix album of older material soon…

Dead Turns Alive – Salvation & Despair

The last few years I haven’t listened to large doses of electro music. But at times I can appreciate some good EBM stuff, especially when it’s dark and/or atmospheric. The young German label Sonic-X (“music for the dark electronic underground”) sent me three of their first releases for review, and they certainly refrain from sounding too poppy or one-dimensional…

Y-Luk-O – Dead Without You

Y-Luk-O, with such a name you could expect anything, but what you get is quite diverse electronic music, which fuses electro, industrial and even some orchestral elements. I was a bit afraid when I read that one of the influences of the band is nu-metal, but I don’t really hear that in the music. Although this is released by a German label, Y-Luk-O is actually an act from London…

2XM – Two Faced World

At first I thought that 2XM was a young, new act. But in fact they have been around since 1991, with different line-ups. Their heyday was between 1991 and 1994, then under the name Deus Ex Machina. This name was probably rather confusing, because there were also bands with that name in Mexico and Australia. The act I’m reviewing now is actually from Sweden…

Android Lust – The Dividing

Android Lust belongs, together with acts as Pulse Legion, Velvet Acid Christ and I, Parasite, to the heirs of legendary electro terrorists Skinny Puppy. On this second album Android Lust displays a less harsh, but still innovative sound. Except for a few tracks this album is not really a dance record…

Iris – Unknown

‘Unknown’ is the first single from the soon to be released second album by electro pop act Iris. With their first album “Disconnect” and four previous singles Iris has already gained a lot of recognition in the alternative scene for their melancholy 80’s inspired electro pop…

V/A – 4th Anniversary Invasion Planete Rec

The French minimal electro label Invasion Planete has been around now for four years. To celebrate this they have released a compilation album on which various acts from the label have contributed a song as a birthday gift. This is the best birthday present the label themselves and electro minded people could ask for…

Ladytron – Light & Magic

“Light & Magic” is the second album by electro-pop act Ladytron. With their first album “604” and the single ‘Playgirl’ from that album they have already gained quite some recognition and attention. Part of this attention had to do of course with the 80’s revival. This second album is their chance to prove they are more than just the right band with the right sound at the right time…