Sweden’s foremost event for EBM, Electro pop and everything in between is back with yet another impressive line up this year’s event. The event is, as always, hosted at Inkonst – Malmö’s prime venue for the alternative music scene. In other words gear up for the biggest electronic party in 2022. electriXmas has spoiled us before with all the biggest electronic acts out there and this year is no exception. Five amazing live acts paired with hard hitting DJs in-between acts.
So, what excites us the most, apart from spending time with an awesome tribe of likeminded electro music lovers? Well the return of Boytronic is a given – catchy melodies and synth pop purity. Then, Emmon is always an enegry kick on stage and with a new album out we can surely look forward to an amazing performance. Cat Rapes Dog and Cryo are the essence of electriXmas – hard hitting and splendid on stage. Me the Tiger we at Stereoklang have not experienced live, but we are betting for a good time.
The electriXmas line up 2022:
BOYTRONIC – An iconic band takes center stage
BOYTRONIC has had a colourful and at times turbulent history, after Holger Wobker and Peter Sawatzki honed their musical craft at sex shows in Hamburg’s red light district on the Reeperbahn. Known best for their top ten hit YOU, they also released two timeless synthpop records; The Working Model (’83) and The Continental (’85), with both albums considered well ahead of their time and remaining popular to this day. With the band shrouded in mystery, by the late 80s their management had claimed ownership of their name and with a new line-up they continued on without Holger. After a ten year hiatus, original vocalist and songwriter Holger Wobker (Kamerata/Beachead), returns with former frontman James Knights (Scarlet Soho/KNIGHT$), working on what would later become their eighth studio album “The Robot Treatment” released in 2019.
CAT RAPES DOG – Prepare for hard hitting beats
CAT RAPES DOG is one of the Swedish pioneers of electropunk, starting out as a duo back in 1986. After adding new members, changing lead singer in 1995 and releasing six albums in the nineties, they ran out of fuel in 1999. They still performed live throughout the first decade of the new millennium, but after 2009 the band fell silent until 2013 when the seventh album was released. However, no live performances accompanied this release. After a ten year pause, Cat Rapes Dog returned to the stage in 2019. With some recent European shows in Prague and Germany, notably Amphi Festival, they seem set to continue. Older and only little wiser, but stronger live than ever. Their last show at electriXmas was 2006 in Lund, and it’s probably 20 years since they last played Malmö, so we’re delighted to welcome them back once again!
CRYO – Basslines for the dance floor
CRYO was created in 2002 by Martin Rudefelt, who acts as both composer and performer. But it wasn’t until 2006 that the debut album Cryogenic was released on Progress Productions. After a change of members during the formative years, Torny Gottberg eventually joined the band to establish the current live lineup. The mechanical and electronic style that Cryo stands for contains heavily processed sounds as well as simplistic textures. Heavy basslines and drums form the backbone of repetitive, aggressive pattern throughout the music. On top of this foundation, melodies and vocals create variation, warmth and softness. Cryo is on the leading edge of Swedish electronic music, constantly seeking new paths and exploring new ways to bring you nothing else than pure perfection.
EMMON – Sweden’s electro pop queen and STIM new scholarship holder
Emmon, Emma Nylén, returned to the Electronic Body Music scene in 2019 after a 5 year long break. After releasing 4 stand alone singles under the working name “Under construction”, Emmon is now back in 2022 after 8 years since the last studio album to reclaim her throne. The brand new album “RECONS”, was released to critical acclaim on October 7th and a launch party at Bodyfest in Stockholm.
The new album is harder and darker than her previous sound of the 00’s electroclash scene that Emmon was created and descends from. Mixed with progressive old school synth in a postmodern production RECON is primarily produced to be performed live. ‘RECON’ is a ruthless EBM-album, packed with thundering basslines and gritty synths, all coming together seamlessly under Emma’s characteristically smooth soprano vocals.
Stereoklang did an interview with Emmon back in the days 🙂 – you can check it out here >>
ME THE TIGER – Tender electronic pop
Born in Falun, Sweden in 2012 and received international attention after releasing their second album ‘Vitriolic‘. In the summer of 2016, the band performed at some of Europe’s largest electronic festivals, including Mera Luna (Germany), Infest (England) and Nocturnal Culture Night (Germany).
The lyrics and the band’s message is a central part of Me The Tiger. In days when individualism thrives, the band wants to highlight the solidarity values and contribute to a fairer and warmer society. We live together and we have a shared responsibility to care for each other – regardless of class, ethnicity or gender. Their skill, however, is the actual craftsmanship. Me The Tiger know how to create pop tunes, balancing the tension between melodic content, hooks and lyrics.
After their unforgettable performance at electriXmas in 2017 we welcome Me The Tiger back again!
And here’s the full schedule:
DJ Walk through:
DJ The Fixx has been an active DJ and club organiser/band booker for over 15 years, including the PlusOne club. Founded in London it has since then continued with Stockholm as a base in various different formats. Now she lives in Gothenburg and can be seen on the local scene, everything from after work hanging out at Haket to also visiting other events and clubs such as Saturn, Electronic Winter & Summer. The Fixx has also played at other major events such as electriXmas in Malmö, DM Baar in Riga and Copenhagen.
The music is mixed with fingertip feeling and passion, known bands and new talents within the electronic and alternative scene, hard and soft, plus a dose of indie, are the most common genres played. The audience is guaranteed to dance themselves sweaty, discover new bands and rediscover old favourites from the past.
DJ Hawk grew up on an 80s diet of Synthpop and Italo Disco, and later supplemented with depressing Black Rock (what is now known as Postpunk), EBM, Industry and spiced up with a touch of Punk.
In the late 00s, Hawk started Klubb Control together with a couple of like-minded people where DJ Hawk played as resident DJ. He has played at clubs such as Tech Noir, Alternight, Synth After Work, Klubb Död, Plus One and at several festivals including Synthpop and Kärlek, Electronic Summer, Electronic Winter and Subkult. There have also been musical hits abroad at clubs in Dublin and in Germany, and also flipped synth records at Radio Pluto. For ten years now, Hawk After Work has been running the ElektroPub at Timebar in Stockholm together with two other electronic enthusiasts, LuggHenke and SyntJonas. Hawk plays synth, wide and good, old and new, songs to love and dance to… Synthpop, EBM, Darkwave, Postpunk, Minimal Wave, Synth Wave, Italo Disco, Raw Synth and more!
DJ duo Bats Out Of Helsingborg, representatives of Neostalgia and Transmission in Malmö, Steve and Johan have been DJ-ing since the mid-90s. Steve was one of the founding members behind Vogon and electriXmas before branching out to promote various gigs and the long running club night Neostalgia.
Johan started his “dj career” at The Tivoli in Helsingborg in the 90s as well as other synth events including a few times at Vogon. Since then he has mostly been seen spinning at Steve’s club nights and gigs.
Both have been the house DJs at Electronic Summer in Gothenburg and at the synth nights at Charles Dickens in Helsingborg. They’ve also been seen at multiple electriXmas events over the years. Expect them to play everything from melodious synthpop with a sing-along feel to heavy and danceable EBM.
DJ Undine started DJ-ing in 2003 and has played at Vogon Variety, Neostalgia and electriXmas, amongst other events. Undine began her DJ journey by playing a lot of peppy synthpop, then discovered the fascination in futurepop and EBM and finally found her home in aggrotech.
You’ll get to hear a little bit of everything with focus on trying to create a really good vibe. Code words – heavy and danceable!