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The latest single from Robots In Love is here, with a video included, for the track “Gossip In Your Head.” Ex-pat Aussie, Elenor Raynor, who is based in Ōtepoti (Dunedin), is the driving force behind the project, and the other current members are Alex Burchell on drums, guitarist Pierre Higbee and bassist Tony Lumsden.

“This year, friends The Sound Key played me some of their music and I was particularly enthralled by a song called ‘Gossip in Your Head’, and so it was recorded in the Robots In Love studio with Pierre Higbee on guitars and Alex Burchell on drums. Alex then produced a remix which was even more atmospheric than the original recording, emphasising the haunting vocal harmonies. The depth of emotion in the remix captivated everyone who heard it, and so it became the A-side of the single release: a masterpiece of beautiful dark pop.” – Elenor Rayner

The gossamer tendrils of this song are hauntingly beautiful and are only enhanced by Rayner’s delicately phenomenal vocals. The words are weighted by melancholy, as the speaker seems to have an internal discussion, torn by the voices that feed self doubt, plucking at mental health. I love there is such a simplicity to the music that showcases the play between the vocals and guitars. Robots In Love have most definitely brought out the darkness in “Gossip In Your Head,” and it is a jewel of a track.

Gossip In Your Head | Robots In Love (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/robotsinlovemusic

https://www.instagram.com/robotsinlove/

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SEVREN NI-ARB (synthesizers, computers, programming, vocals) and
ESTEFANÍA (vocals) are X MARKS THE PEDWALK, and the Munster electronic aficionados have dropped the first video “Fading Waves,” that heralds the coming of their latest album, Superstition, which is due out in November on the label Meshwork Music.

Paramedics race to save the life of a young man, laying on the ground. The music’s rhythm heightens the ambulance crew’s attempt to restart his heart, as it fades away and flatlines. The casualty joins the multitudes that these courageous first responders cannot always save. There is something sublime about the play of synths and vocals, beautifully tinged with thoughtful sadness. X MARKS THE PEDWALK, as always, are masters of the synthpop genre and “Fading Away” is aimed straight for your heart.

Superstition | X Marks The Pedwalk (bandcamp.com)

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X MARKS THE PEDWALK | SUPERSTITION | meshwork music (meshwork-music.com)

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The goth-synthpop princess, Miss FD launched the single “Distractions” in August, out on the label Quantum Release Records. Not only does Miss FD 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 Miss FD’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. Miss FD is channelling the voice of the Earth, because it cannot, but you can be sucked into her “Distractions“.

Distractions | Miss FD (bandcamp.com)

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Miss FD : Gothic, electro-industrial, synthpop, and oontz.

Miss★FD (@missfdmusic) • Instagram photos and videos

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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 Against I’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 Against I with “Blitzkrieg,” which overwhelms the enemy in a singular swift strike, taking you by storm.

https://on.soundcloud.com/AuQp9

https://advoxya.bandcamp.com/album/carnival-of-excess

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In January of 2023, electronic musicians, R. Missing (USA) and Levingtquatre (Belgium), released the single “Death In A Constellation“, but August has seen the track given a second breath of life via a remix, from the Norwegian Antipole, aka Karl Morten Dahl.

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..

Merch | R. Missing (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/rmissingmusic

https://linktr.ee/rmissing

Music | Levingtquatre (bandcamp.com)

http://www.le-vingt-quatre.com/

Music | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/antipoleband

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21st of July saw the release of the single “Burial” by Milwaukee based Choke Chain, the project for Mark Trueman. Written and produced by Trueman, while the mastering is by Eric Oehler, at Submersible Studios. Excitingly, this single heralds the new album Mortality, which will be out in September the 22nd, on Phage Tapes.

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 Choke Chain is smoking hot.

Burial | Choke Chain (bandcamp.com)

https://chokechainebm.com/

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https://instagram.com/choke_chain

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Kicking off July with a bang. We are talking the new industrial single “ROTATIONS” from UK artist MATT HART, with the added extra bonus of a remix by SERAPHIM SYSTEM, aka Jon Stancil, 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 SWAGGROTATIONS REMIX 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.

MATT HART’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 SERAPHIM SYSTEM 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“.

Music | MATT HART (bandcamp.com)

ROTATIONS (SERAPHIM SYSTEM SWAGGROTATIONS REMIX) | MATT HART (bandcamp.com)

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https://www.instagram.com/matthart3808/

Music | Seraphim System (bandcamp.com)

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http://linktr.ee/seraphimsystem

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The wizard of techno-industrial dance, Simon Carter, 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 “Hexennacht Rave” 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 “Dancefloor Delusion.” The last track, “The Magic Coven (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.

Initiation | Simon Carter (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/HumansCantReboot

https://simoncarter.contactin.bio/

https://www.instagram.com/simon.carter_official/

http://www.twitch.tv/sy_carter

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NØIR is the electronic project for Athan Maroulis (vocals) and Erik Gustafson (synths/guitar/producer). joined for live events by keyboard players Jamie Parganos and Kai Irina Hahn. 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 Metropolis Records creator, Dave Heckman, 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 Paradox Obscur 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 Silver Walks caresses “Fallen“, giving it the feel as if the track could have come from the early 80s during the time of Midge Ure’s Ultravox, while the Femme Mix features the sensual vocals of Kai Irina Hahn, as she goes from backing singer to replacing Maroulis.

You also get the brand spanking new track “Death Is Easy“, 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 Psychedelic Furs song “Love My Way“, 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.

Fallen | NOIR (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/NOIRmetropolis

https://www.instagram.com/noir_nyc_official/

https://metropolis-records.com/artist/noir

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Take one very enthusiastic New Zealand punk, living in the Blue Mountains of Australia, give him electronics to play with, and you get Schkeuditzer Kreuz. Kieren Hills 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 Schkeuditzer Kreuz, 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 Schkeuditzer Kreuz. It is a banger of a track.

Joy – Single edit | Schkeuditzer Kreuz (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/SchkeuditzerKreuz