The goth-synthpop princess, MissFD launched the single “Distractions” in August, out on the label QuantumReleaseRecords. Not only does MissFD compose, sing and produce, but she always has something interesting to impart through her music.
Synths wail like sirens, for there is an emergency at hand. The urgency is free flowing and MissFD’s vocals leave you with no uncertainty that you proceed at your own peril. There is a gruffness, wanting to draw your attention as the driving rhythm gives you focus from the distractions of the everyday.
A cry out to humanity, for the sake of the planet to recognise the fact people are causing mass effect destruction, that will take themselves out and a good chunk of the creatures we share the planet with. MissFD is channelling the voice of the Earth, because it cannot, but you can be sucked into her “Distractions“.
For those getting into the dirtier industrial metal of the 2000s, Sweden’s Deathstars has to come to mind. “Blitzkrieg” was a single off their second album, Termination Bliss. Fellow countryman, Fredrik Croona, aka Against I, has covered “Blitzkrieg,” released on September the first.
August also saw the release of AgainstI’s first album, Carnival of Excess, however, “Blitzkrieg” is not one of the tracks and appears to have been recorded on a whim by Croona. Whatever, it is a harsher, more stripped to the bones version…. or is it? It carries the same intensity, but there is a heavy electronic pall pervading and the vocals are screamed over all, because in the end this is AgainstI with “Blitzkrieg,” which overwhelms the enemy in a singular swift strike, taking you by storm.
In January of 2023, electronic musicians, R. Missing (USA) and Levingtquatre (Belgium), released the single “DeathInAConstellation“, but August has seen the track given a second breath of life via a remix, from the Norwegian Antipole, aka KarlMortenDahl.
That delicate guitar work, so prevalent in Antipole, trickles over your senses, invading that space under your skin that raises goosebumps. R. Missing’s vocals are sweet and light as air, lulling you into an intoxicated stupor, and the electronics are never far from the surface.
The original version is definitely a more electronic affair, whilst the remix has a far more warm quality, and I think this gives it a very intimate feel. Also, it is produced by Pedro Code, of the equally wonderful IAMTHESHADOW, and that darkwave touch shines through. There is a simplicity to the whole track, which is just divine to listen to, echoing in the depths of a star cluster… a dark shoegaze dream that is “Death In A Constellation,” the Antipole remix..
21st of July saw the release of the single “Burial” by Milwaukee based ChokeChain, the project for MarkTrueman. Written and produced by Trueman, while the mastering is by EricOehler, at SubmersibleStudios. Excitingly, this single heralds the new album Mortality, which will be out in September the 22nd, on PhageTapes.
You can almost taste the anguish in Trueman’s vocals, raw and reproaching. The rhythms are unrelenting in their pounding, while the wailing in the background is like klaxons going off, creating an atmosphere of cloying terror that you still must find yourself moving to. Propelled by claustrophobia, each throbbing note is driving your heartbeats. They say death is cold, but the industrial aggression of “Burial” by ChokeChain is smoking hot.
Kicking off July with a bang. We are talking the new industrial single “ROTATIONS” from UK artist MATTHART, with the added extra bonus of a remix by SERAPHIMSYSTEM, aka JonStancil, from the USA. This is the ongoing human versus machine, cyber saga of epic proportions.
“8 HOURS AWAKE. 8 HOURS ASLEEP.THIS IS THE WAY OF THE TIME MILL.” This is the mantra here, for there is not time for anything, except digging into the ground beneath, for the humans to escape their electronic assassins. The synths are ripe and juicy, while the beats are rampaging, forcing you to move that body. HART’s vocals broker no argument for this is how thing must be, as the shifts rotate through continuously, like a colony of ants, slaves to the rhythm for survival.
The SWAGGROTATIONSREMIX has the massive slamming beats and screaming electronics. It summons a feeling of utter panic, suddenly dropping into drum and bass, before whirling off, pounding your skull into a pulpy mess.
MATTHART’s original version is chock full of scintillating synths, club floor filling rhythms and rounding vocals, building the air of a will so stubborn, one shall do whatever to avoid elimination. With the SERAPHIMSYSTEM mix, we definitely find ourselves with a different beast. Harsher electronics, mixed with dub and dropping bass, combined with the crushing beats. All of this is a reflection of the desperation and even loss of humanity by the survivors…. ah well, at least they are doing it in style, while carrying out “ROTATIONS“.
The wizard of techno-industrial dance, SimonCarter, is inviting you to join your weird brothers and sisters in the mystical coven through the latest EP, Initiation. Released at the end of May, Simon has said that these four tracks were cut from the up coming 2nd album with collaborator Fabsi, because they didn’t quite fit the overall sound but gelled well together for the EP.
The curtain raiser is “Seher(Initiation Countdown),” a call to the floor for all the warriors of dance and a taste of what is to come. There is a mixture of psytrance with EBM in “HexennachtRave” that interchanges, giving the track ebb and flow, building the energy, bewitching your senses. Big bass beats wub into your chest cavity, cut by the voice speaking at you about reality versus dreams, and you are waiting for your next techno hit in “DancefloorDelusion.” The last track, “TheMagicCoven(Welcome To the Coven),” is slower and pulsating with power, hypnotic suggestion from Carter’s deep spoken words, that you join the witches circle.
May black cats and bats fill your dreams while Carter fills your ears with techno delights of the strange kind, bidding you to indulge in the Saint Vitus dance macabre. Welcome to the Initiation.
NØIR is the electronic project for Athan Maroulis (vocals) and ErikGustafson (synths/guitar/producer). joined for live events by keyboard players JamieParganos and KaiIrinaHahn. The new single/EP “Fallen” was something NØIR had been working on just as Covid was kicking in and then was put on hold after the unfortunate passing of MetropolisRecords creator, DaveHeckman, but now it has now seen the watery light of evening, in May.
There is a euro cool chic glamour that coats the slick synths and Maroulis‘ vocals are, as always, wonderfully smooth, entrancing your senses into the dance that NØIR is bewitching you with. The ParadoxObscur remix is far more filled with thumping rhythms that has a disco like attitude, that is aimed straight for your pleasure zones. The darkwave retro fingers of SilverWalks caresses “Fallen“, giving it the feel as if the track could have come from the early 80s during the time of MidgeUre’sUltravox, while the Femme Mix features the sensual vocals of KaiIrinaHahn, as she goes from backing singer to replacing Maroulis.
You also get the brand spanking new track “DeathIsEasy“, which is going to haunt you in your sleep and you are going to believe that death really is easy in a sexy, stalking and lurid way. If you are as old enough, like some of us, the PsychedelicFurs song “LoveMyWay“, was an iconic dark love of many in the 80s, where we could all feel the words pull at our heart strings. NØIR have taken the track, playing it as an acoustic and the vocals actually remind me very much of Bowie’s.
The synths literally sing themselves, sparkling in “Fallen” and the vocals…. well, Maroulis proves his vocals are scintillating and beautiful as ever. The remixes have been wonderfully handled, and the extra tracks definitely show the depth of the musicianship of the members of NØIR.
Take one very enthusiastic New Zealand punk, living in the Blue Mountains of Australia, give him electronics to play with, and you get SchkeuditzerKreuz. KierenHills is back with a new single. “Joy“, before the release of his new album, No Life Left, on the 25th of August, and for the lucky people in Europe, he is going to be touring there between September and October.
The electronics are under stress and screaming, while voices can be heard from within. The laboured rhythm kicks in, as does the ear ripping vocals from Hills, exploding over and over again, slamming in the perfect exultation of destruction.
The anguish of crust punk, mixed with the harsh machine of industrial noise, somewhat describes SchkeuditzerKreuz, and yet there is elements of gut wrenching internal pain balanced by frenzied highs, incorporated into the music. Destruction often heralds in a time of recreation, and perhaps this is the “Joy” for SchkeuditzerKreuz. It is a banger of a track.
Since 2005, we have watched AgentSideGrinder (ASG) grow as a band. The Swedes had captured the attention of fans with their dark electronic music, and then in 2017, more than half the band decided they needed to go do their own thing. Original members JohanLange and PeterFristedt took up the challenge, taking ASG further, with new lead singer EmanuelÅström, and now, in 2023, the guys have released the sixth studio album, named JackVegas, out on ProgressProductions. This is possibly darker than previous releases, with beautiful melodies, a depth of emotions that draw you in, and of course music for you to dance long into the night. I was fortunate to be able to talk to the lovely JohanLange about the making of JackVegas, and all good things ASG…..so if you want to know about all the things, then you must read on.
Welcome Johan Lange, denizen of Agent Side Grinder, to Onyx where the sun only shines on tv.
The band formed in 2005, in Sweden, during the height of the futurepop wave. When you look back on that time, could you dream ASG would be bringing out a sixth studio album?
Johan: Absolutely no. I was surprised we even did a first album. To me, ASG was just another band I was working with, a side project to my bigger musical plans. But we got off to a flying start, and there’s been no stopping since.
How do you think the scene at the time nurtured the seed that became ASG, and what was the darkwave scene like in Sweden at the time?
Johan: From what I recall, the scene was really tiny, and I wasn’t personally involved in it. Peter (Fristedt), the co-founder of ASG was however part of the Stockholm synth scene, and he had grown tired of it. He wanted to create a punky, industrial back-to-the-roots version of electronic music, which was a big contrast to the laptop acts that were dominating the scene.
What is the darkwave scene like in Sweden now, and is it very supportive?
Johan: I wouldn’t say it’s a dark wave scene in particular, but there’s a small relatively vibrant scene for synth, goth, synth pop and also more experimental stuff. ASG has been part of that community since we started and people have always been supportive. This year, we were able to do a full Scandinavian tour, also in smaller cities, which was a big step for us.
2017 was a big year for you guys, with half the band standing down, but instead of letting this slow you down, ASG seems to have galvanized, and you brought in Emanuel, with his amazing and recognizable vocals. How did this impact your sound?
Johan: Peter and I were very determined to keep ASG alive and prove the band wasn’t dependent on the leaving members. So we worked hard to upgrade the ASG sound, and make it tighter, colder, and perhaps more danceable than before. And when Emanuel joined us, everything really fell into place and we could finalize the transition.
The new album is titled “Jack Vegas”, which is also the nickname for a style of cheaper slot machines. Why this title and what is the premise of the track with the same name?
Johan: The title is a play with words. It obviously nods to Las Vegas and an American dream of fortune and fame. But in Sweden, it symbolizes something else, a less glamorous world perhaps associated with alcoholism or gambling addiction. The title is also a combination of two names that inspired the album, Jack Kerouac and Alan Vega.
This is an album you have really worked hard on. How long had you been working on it, and was it easier or more difficult than other studio albums?
Johan: We normally release a new album every third year, but this one took a bit longer than usual for various reasons. Musically, everything went pretty smooth, I spent more time on the arrangements this time. The hardest part to get in place this time was instead the lyrics. We had to rewrite them many times.
I think for myself, the track that causes my toes to curl is “Decipher”. How did this track come together?
Johan: “Decipher” was the last track that made it onto the album and also the quickest to write. After I came up with the initial melody line, the song almost “wrote itself”, verse, chorus, and lyrics, etc. Those simple songs are usually the best, any songwriter would agree.
Photo – Haris Mlivic
Do you have a favourite track on the album, and if so, why?
Johan: Probably “Decipher” and “Waiting Room”. We were very excited about releasing “Waiting Room” as a single, it felt like a banger.
For the music nerds out there, what are the favourite instruments and programmes you have used on “Jack Vegas”?
Johan: ASG has pretty unorthodox methods when it comes to programming. We’re always using an Akai MPC to program the beats, hip-hop style. I can really recommend that if you want a more physical approach to making beats.
For the bass lines, we usually use a combination of synths on this album, mostly a Moog combined with a Roland SH-2.
Will there be any remixes for the album in the works?
Johan: I hope so. Not an entire remix album this time, but hopefully a few dance remixes later on.
Talking about remixes, this is something ASG have been doing for other acts. How much do you enjoy doing something a little different, like putting your own touches on a track?
Johan: I enjoy it a lot, it’s very creative. I actually wish I could do more remix and production work, but it’s quite time-consuming. But I try to put a lot of personal ideas into the remixes such as new rhythm tracks or bass lines. Some remixes almost turn into ASG songs, for example, the one we did for US artist Kiss of the Whip. It features one of the best synth lines I’ve come up with.
Last year, you teamed up with Pete Burns on the track “The Necklace,” which came out on the Kill Shelter album “Asylum.” The subject matter of that song is pretty heavy stuff, covering escaping physical and mental trauma. It turned out to be an incredible track, so how did you record it, and how close to your heart is it to touch on these sort of subjects?
Johan: Thanks! We are no strangers to dark lyrics, but the subject of abuse and violence was new to us. I actually got the inspiration for the lyrics at a museum exhibition, where I saw this necklace, hand-made of seeds by a woman held in prison by ISIS (or similar). When Pete told me about the concept for his album, I wrote a lyric about that experience. He was very enthusiastic about it and the song turned out great.
ASG has a few live gigs coming up. Are you excited to get back into touring and especially with this new album for fans?
Johan: We’re always excited about touring and playing new songs. We’ve recently been touring Scandinavia, including London, and we return this autumn for a European leg of the tour. The response on the Scandinavian shows were awesome. The new songs, “Bloodless” for example, felt even better on stage.
What bands grabbed your ears and encouraged you to get into the music business?
Johan: Then I have to say Kiss. They opened for Pandora’s Box when I was about six or seven, and got me interested, or rather obsessed with music.
What bands do you enjoy listening to now?
Johan: Cliché answer, but I’m listening to all kinds of music, I’m all over the place. But a few artists I’ve enjoyed recently are Royksopp, Fever Ray, Burial, MAG, Dina Ögon and Sven Wunder. Very diverse stuff. I’m also rediscovering the catalogue of Brian Eno right now.
What has it been like having Progress Productions label, behind ASG?
Johan: The last three ASG albums have been released by Progress Productions. It’s basically just one guy, Torny, who runs the label from Gothenburg, totally independent. He’s been giving us full artistic freedom through the years and has been very supportive and helpful, so it’s been a great fit for us.
In a perfect world, you are releasing a remix version of “Jack Vegas,” and you can choose anyone you want to do a remix. Do you have a dream team?
Johan: We need some big names on that list. Perhaps Trent Reznor, Gesaffelstein, and Four Tet?
What is in the more distant future for ASG?
Johan: We’re doing a pretty spectacular concert in Stockholm October 14 in a legendary theatre called Södra Teatern. Then we’ll be touring Europe and the UK in the autumn and winter. We’re also keen on bringing ASG outside Europe soon, perhaps Latin America or the US.
Thank you ever so much and especially for the beautiful music!
Label InfactedRecordings, have brought you the latest single “Surrendering“, by United Kingdom artist j:dead. JayTaylor (j:dead), who also is the live percussionist for TyskeLudder, TacticalSekt and HarmJoy, has also included remixes by fellow Brit, MATTHART and Germany’s Faderhead.
When the world goes to hell, perhaps including betrayal, do you give up or fight on? This is the premise behind “Surrendering“, with Taylor’s warm clean vocals in stark comparison to the agonized screams, married to a musical score that is so dynamic. The Faderhead remix is a brilliant dance orientated version, up tempo and with heaps of movement in the chiming electronics. The vocals have been brought to the fore, while the synths wind throughout building the tension. If you know MATTHART, he has brought with him, his cyber industrial style, but this is definitely tempered with his very sympathetic handling of the clean vocals, whilst causing the roared lyrics to be pain ridden.
I don’t think I can pick a favourite version, as they are all so good. Taylor’s vocals and song writing are stellar and really, HART and Faderhead are both masters of their style of industrial music, lending their talents and creating a monster of a track. There is no “Surrendering” for j:dead.
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