Cobalt 60, french EBM
EBM bands from France are rare indeed, but maybe you have heard of Dominique Lallement’s projects Kriegbereit and Cobalt 60. Cobalt 60 featured Front 242’s Jean Luc DeMeyer on vocals, released several records and appeared in the games “Command and Conquer: Red Alert” and “Wing Commander: Prophecy”.
On Friday, Lallement and his long-time friend Fred Sebastien delivers “Distort Neural Unit” under the name K-bereit. Members from Autodafeh, SA42, Punish Yourself and Dolls of Pain guest on this debut album, released via Sigsaly Transmission.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhgbTNEPPF0]
Old school EBM guys Tyske Ludder are back
June 5 marks the release of the new album “Anonymous” from German old school EBM veterans Tyske Ludder. The first edition comes as a numbered digibox including special packaging, poster booklet, signed autograph card and a metal pin.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJqUxybSxqw]
IIn the beginning of the 90s Tyske Ludder set the course for their work as pioneers in the european E:B:M and Darc-Electro scene. Coming up from the Wave- and New-Romantic scene they developed very early their meditations on the predominance of technology in our society. Nightmarelike visions of the then-raging war in Yugoslavia as well as the recurring military enforcement of the United States’ claim for world domination represent the other thematic constant in the work of the German Whore. Through the years their musical model developed from heavy Electro-Sounds to some kind of ominous dance music somwhere between Industrial and the aroma of a nuclear blast.
In a unique melting procedure the band around vocalist Albert-X was again and again able to produce avant-industrial dimensions of sound which very often divided the followers into two enemy camps. That is how altogether three album originated in the mid 90s.
The scarce live gigs of the four electro-activists constitute the third column of the concept of Tyske Ludder.
At the beginning of our new millennium it has become very calm around Tyske Ludder. Disagreement on the further development of the band’s musical blueprint and colliding conflicts of interest made this step necessary.
In 2004 the band started working on new material and in the same year they were back on stage. Since November 2005 T.L belongs to the blackrain-family and released their new album „Sojus“ the fans watched out for a long time. The limited first edition, including a bonusmaterial disc, was sold out after a few days.
The band will offer the new album at Wave Gotik Treffen, where they also will perform live. Summer Darkness in The Netherlands and M’era Luna in Germany are two other stops ahead.
Tinitus for the last time
So if you are in Stockholm make sure to attend this massive event
TINITUS FESTIVAL 2009
10-11 APRIL 2009
MÜNCHENBRYGGERIET STOCKHOLM
We launch our 10th anniversary and last festival ever.
Two days of synth love for the masses. An all-star classic, a gathering of the tribes. For the love of music through the art of party.
Review of PLP's latest EBM Industrial loop release
PLP has been kind enough to send me one of their latest loop releases for review. It’s called Industrial EBM, which I thought was very appropriate considering what this blog is all about; electro, EBM, synth music type stuff.
And I must say that one of the hardest things to find in loop universe is good, fat EBM bass loops – it really seems like everyone keeps these to themselves. PLP has actually thrown in a couple of high class EBM loops that I wouldn’t mind using in my songs, but greedy as I am, I of course want more of the same 
Overall impression is that this loop library is a very good start for anyone who wants to dive deeper into the industrial/EBM scene; several nice intro sounds and drum samples are available. I am especially fond of those that give that metallic feeling to the beat; good metallic sounding beats are fairly hard to get by. They have also added an entire section of midi-files that might trigger your creativity, although they do not take you all the way, which is not the intention either of course.
Apart from wanting more bass loops (as I always do) I think this loop release is good value for money, but (there always has to be a but) I would down prioritize on the one shot drum samples for the next release, since the market is totally swamped by one shot drum sounds and special FX sounds and very easy to come by.
I am very much looking forward to the next release in this field there are too few and PLP has shown us the way.
Das Ich and Gothminister announce 2009 tour
In support of both Das Ich’s and Gothminister’s new albums (Kannibale and Happiness in Darkness, respectively), the two bands are teaming up for their “Happiness with Cannibals” 2009 tour. Shows kick off April 1 in Vienna, Austria, and continue throughout Germany in the month of April. The bands will also perform May 22 in Templeuve, France and July 14 in Leiden, The Netherlands, as well as July 3 in Mulheim, Germany at the Castle Rock Festival, and August 6-9 in Utrecht, The Netherlands at the Summer Darkness Festival. Please follow the links for a complete concert itinerary.
Vinyl is HOT!
Following the trend of other synthpop/electro acts like Welle:Erdball the turn has come for Front242 to go vinyl – for whatever reason???
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIdpNPt3f30]
The 11 best electro albums of 2008
Sorry I am a bit late coming out with the annual list of the best albums in 2008, it’s the 2nd of February now, hehe. I will definately shape up for next year.
Please note that their are of course more records that should have shown up on the list, but 11 is maximum, feel free to add your comments if there are others you believe deserves to be on the list, and most importantly I have not ranked them, since it is very much based on your current mode what you feel like listening to, since they are quite different beasts:
System – Self Organizing Systems
Sebastien Tellier – Sexuality
Run Level Zero – Arctic Noise
Bomb the bass – Future Chaos
Cut Copy – In ghost colours
Auto-Auto -Celeste
David Byrne and Brian Eno – Everything that happens will happen today
Steelberry Clones – Dig’it
Senor Coconut – Around the world
Elegant machinery – A soft exchange
Clark – Turning Dragon
Cheers everyone
The EBM masters are soon ready
Hi everyone
Come to think of it I seem to have a tendency to write on artists rather than gear on Fridays, guess it must be because I am entering a stage of party mode
And that´s why its nice to give some news (well I am certainly not the first to bring this out on the web, but what the heck) on one of my fav EBM acts:
VNV Nation, new album on the way
It has been confirmed that the next VNV Nation album “Reformation” is on the way. The finishing touch is all that remain.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTL8NtqGdw4]
Here some news from the band:
PLANS FOR 2009 : We hope you all had a good time over the holiday period. We finished 2008 on a high note at the Neuwerk Festival in Berlin. When an audience sings that loud and shows such unity and euphoria, you know it’s a special night. So, what’s coming in 2009? During the last months of 2008 we were extremely busy making plans and we promise a busy year with lots happening. Firstly, the long awaited Reformation CD Pack will be released (finally, and yes, we said “pack”). Work on the next VNV Nation album “Of Faith, Power and Glory”, is well underway. There will also be European and North American Tours this year. We are also planning a lot of special releases for our fans but more on that in the coming months.
New stuff from AndOne
New, maybe is saying too much, but still
And One have announced the release of Bodypop 1½, available on Out of Line January 30, 2009. The disc will feature nine live versions of 80’s synthpop tracks, new And One tracks “Und Wenn,” “Paddy Is My DJ” and “Love Is A Drug Abuser,” and new and unreleased versions of additional tracks. Follow the links for more information.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-rMpu2uzGk&eurl=http://www.andone.de/&feature=player_embedded]
Steve Naghavi couldn’t help but noticing that large parts of today’s club crowds had no more knowledge of the ground breaking Synth Pop Hits of the Eighties – which awakened a missionary instinct in And One’s restless front man. Thus, the guys thoroughly naghavigated an illustrious collection of genre classics, from “Blue Monday” and “Big In Japan” to “The Sun Always Shines On TV.” A big tour through Germany’s biggest concert halls followed and now we can reap the fruits of this labour on CD, as well: “Bodypop 1 ½” features nine of the biggest classics of electronic Pop music in And One’s patented SuperDuperCoverLoverSound, with a whole lot of live flavour mingled in. But, don’t fret, the guys were also generous with material of their own and have included the new songs “Und Wenn”, “Paddy Is My DJ” and “Love Is A Drug Abuser” plus old and previously unreleased versions of “Love You To The End” (the song is now about Depeche Mode!) and “So klingt Liebe” (a six minute long version sporting a totally different mood!) “Bodypop 1 ½” – music education turned into a silver disc! Come join us in Naghavi-land – because life I.S.T. too short for bad music!
Empire State Human announce remix competition
Dublin-based synthpop act Empire State Human have announced a remix competition hosted exclusively by Laptop Rockers. This is your chance to take part in remixing their new track, “Melancholic Afro,” featuring Wolfgang Flür (ex-Kraftwerk/Yamo).
Based in Dublin/Ireland, Empire State Human are vocalist Aidan Casserly and keyboard players Seán Barron and Lar Kiernan. They create a combination of analogue and digital synth sounds, mixed with driving rhythms and overlaid with strong pop vocal melodies. Electronic music with a retro electro edge. In 2004 they had a number one in the US iTunes dance charts and only recently they’ve finished their sixth studio album “Audio Gothic”, which is due out on CD in February.
DATAMASKIN
