Tag: Nitzer Ebb (Page 2 of 3)

NTTX Of Beauty & Chaos

5 August 2017 /


Deep into his love of EBM, the Toronto based Gord Clement, known as NTTX, has made a comeback to follow up his first EP, ‘Objective’.

Known to the die-hard fans of DEPECHE MODE for his infamous cover of ‘New Dress’, with its beefed up, stomp beats and a politically charged change of lyrics (this time it’s Princess Kate, with an adequate video for good measure), the Canadian, formerly the singer and songwriter of ATOMZERO, ushers in some more heavy sounds on newly released ‘Of Beauty & Chaos’.

Since his departure from ATOMZERO, Clement has been utilising his strong vocal over some FRONT 242 inspired tunes, and the present offering is a good example of his harsher ear teasers.

The opening ‘Move Dark’ brings out the Doc Martens and isn’t at all suitable for the gentle synth lover. ‘Prey’ continues with a further dose of the “to be used responsibly” on the dance floor; it has some interesting elements to it, similar to the following ‘True’, which bears more refined concepts, along with almost vintage electronica in the choruses.

The EP’s gem however, is the slower tempo ‘Earth’. A synth ballad of sorts, not shying from a gentle guitar, it’s almost like AND ONE on ‘Virgin Superstar’. It’s as if Clement spent a month at a German retreat with Steve Naghavi, the latter playing the role of the master.

Enter ROTERSAND on the rework of ‘Falls Beautiful’. Clement’s voice on this one feels more redirected and manly, and it raises in line with the upward feel of the track. NITZER EBB-y in places, PRODIGY-like in others, this truly is a fascinating mix of what can be achieved when working outside of the otherwise laborious EBM genre.

Clearly loving his covers, the closing rework of the FM rock biggie ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ begs the question as to “why?”

Not the classiest of renditions, because the SURVIVOR’s version can’t be beaten, certainly not when bumped up to the industrial status, but clearly Clement had some fun there.

If you love your EBM, you’ll love this, but the feeling persists that NTTX may be a little more than an industrial monkey; the clear examples being ‘Earth’ and ‘Falls Beautiful’.

A very strong vocal presence and some interesting ideas place the man from Toronto well above many, and perhaps on the next outing, the audiences will hear something spectacular. After all, the Canadians have a long history with the good old synth…

‘Of Beauty & Chaos’ is released by WTII Records as a download EP, available from https://wtiirecords.bandcamp.com/album/of-beauty-and-chaos-2

http://www.nttxmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nttxmusic/

https://twitter.com/nttxmusic

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
5th August 2017

REIN Freedoom EP

19 May 2017 /


Paul Rein is Sweden’s pioneer of Italo disco, no less, and had been quite popular in his country, as well as writing for world renowned artists like Christina Aguilera or Jessica Simpson.

But his daughter Joanna certainly got her musical bug, when the electronica loving dad took her to see KRAFTWERK at the age of thirteen. Joanna Reinikainen never quite fitted into her peer group and discovered that the love of harsher sounds was what she’s all about. NITZER EBB’s stomping EBM beats are what has been inspiring her own direction, however her true start was providing vocals for THE OPERATING TRACKS’ ‘Testify’.

Actively trying not to be classified into a particular genre, Reinikanen released her first ‘Rein’ EP, which hit the Swedish market with a bang and creating quite a stir, thanks to strong melodies and some powerful lyrical content.

And now follows EP number two, entitled ‘Freedoom’. The heralding single ‘C.A.P.I.T.A.L.I.S.M.’ only shares its title with ROTERSAND’s last album, even though the tendencies could be similar. Shouted out and angry, forward and right-in-your-face is what REIN goes for here.

Accompanied by the rather poignant video, showcasing all the wrongs connected with modern law, human rights, poverty, war and above all, how “we are the slaves of money”, it’s all wrapped up around a heavy EBM beat as a manifestation of youthful rebellion. It definitely isn’t an encrypted political statement; REIN goes for the throat.

‘Misfit’ is equally fight inducing, but far more musical while ‘(You Call It) Democracy’ calls for the “change of our system” with deliberate tempo changes, depicting the delusional distribution of wealth in the world. ‘Bruises’ introduces more personal lyrics, starting off fairly lightly, but soon developing into the foot stomping EBM with pronounced bass and not-so-crooning synth.

The closing track, ‘Nasty Woman’, written with Nina Mariah Donovan, is a feminist manifesto against the lack of equality. It’s neither retiring, nor is it subtle. If anyone needed the issues spelt out, it certainly happens here. All interlaced with bass heavy synth providing the canvas for the shouted out words, the very last lyric hits the American president with a proclamation that “our pussies aren’t for grabbing”.

If you like subtle, you’re not going to enjoy REIN; she’s definitely not for the shy, retiring type. Unlike the forefathers of synth, with DEPECHE MODE, ERASURE, OMD and PET SHOP BOYS, all going for a more encrypted political messages, REIN spells it out, not worried of being misunderstood or pillared. It’s a bit of a “if you don’t like it, f**k off” kind of message, all loaded with explosive synth, boots to the floor rhythm.

If you love straightforwardness and heavy EBM, you’re in for a treat.

Paul Rein, your daughter certainly is a rebel!

‘Freedoom’ is released by Playground Music and available via the usual digital platforms

https://www.facebook.com/reinofficialmusic/

https://www.instagram.com/_reinofficial_/

https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZXCCiBFeKGz0Z3AA2StTB

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
19th May 2017

The Best TECHNOMANCER & ANGST POP Remixes

21 March 2017 /

Sub Culture Records is a Norwegian label founded by Per Aksel Lundgreen, whose motto goes “what you call culture, we call crap”…

Their artists have included MARTYN BAILEY, TRAIN TO SPAIN, former YELLO member CARLOS PERÓN, iEUROPEAN, DELAYSCAPE, SLEEP MUSEUM, MACHINISTA and TECHNOMANCER, to name but a few.

The label is no stranger to compilations, having just unveiled their latest, ‘The Best TECHNOMANCER & ANGST POP Remixes’ featuring a plethora of artists reworked in a Per Aksel Lundgreen approved manner.

The man himself has a long history within electronica genre, having co-founded YAZOO inspired covers act CHINESE DETECTIVES and played with APOPTYGMA BERZERK, while promoting many synth related acts and running his own project CRONOS TITAN.

ANGST POP is his own moniker too, and many remixes on the compilation have been mastered by Lundgreen as well. Indeed, a multitude of known and adored synth acts have been featured here. ROBERT MARLOW’s ‘Smile’ opens the collection, followed by excellent take on DIE KRUPPS’ ‘Robo Sapien’, with metallic, EBM loaded beats perfect for feet stomping and head bobbing. NITZER EBB had to be present here as well, with a superb version of ‘Once You Say’.

Lundgreen’s brother from a different mother, Stephan Groth aka APOPTYGMA BERZERK, finds his place here with ‘Major Tom’; a cover of PETER SCHILLING’s nod towards Bowie, it’s here wrapped up in a melodic candy.

‘Darkest Hour’ by ANNE CLARK is a true highlight, strong, arty and full of attitude.

SHATOO, an act in which Per is also involved are featured here a few times with ‘Dangertown’, ‘Floodlights’, ‘Nothing That I Wouldn’t Do’ and ‘One Night Love’, the latter undoubtedly fit for Eurovision.

Meanwhile, ‘Som Ett Skal’ from PAGE is very ethereal and ear pleasing, while TOUCHING THE VOID dazzle with ‘Obsession’. TECHNOMANCER’s own ‘Electronic Warfare’ clashes with ANGST POP’s ‘Ødipus Rex 2012’ and SPEKTRALISED continue to ‘Learn & Teach’. CARLOS PERÓN closes this remix album with a bang on his ‘Der Komtur’.

While Lundgreen muses about releasing a single with TECHNOMANCER, he has been heavily concentrating on the production and remix work for other artists. He’d love to take CRONUS TITAN to Germany and his dream is to write a movie soundtrack under the same moniker. Until then, we have this extensive remix album to fall back on.

‘The Best TECHNOMANCER & ANGST POP Remixes’ is available from Sub Culture Records at https://subculturerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-best-technomancer-angst-pop-remixes

http://www.subculture.no/

https://www.facebook.com/norwegiansubculture/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
21st March 2017

ADULT. Detroit House Guests

18 March 2017 /

A rather elaborate manifesto from the Michigan duo ADULT. sums up the artistic undertaking that is ‘Detroit House Guests’ – “Let us explore new modes of music making” they said…

“Let us take the intensity of the studio session and drop it into the home. If the ‘avant-garde’ is thought to be un-domestic then what impact does this domestic situation have on the shape and sound of our project? Can the radical even exist inside the domestic? It’s so private in the home. How vulnerable are we? Are the shades down and the curtains drawn? Can we become out of order? A rug turned at a slight angle, resisting not to straighten it as you pass by. The merger of soft and dark sides, melodic voices and angular jabs, organic and pre-programmed, dinner parties and carry out. A dislocated and disjointed dance.”

ADULT. are Detroit duo Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller. They played their first live show together in Germany in 1997 as ARTIFICIAL MATERIAL. Using the moniker PLASMA CO. they released their first undertakings, following by further releases under the name ADULT.

Apart from numerous albums and EPs, the pair has remixed the likes of PET SHOP BOYS, TUXEDO MOON, JOHN FOXX, DEATH IN VEGAS and THE FAINT amongst and others. But music isn’t their primary source of fulfilment. Both being acclaimed artists, Kuperus and Miller also make sculpture, paintings, films, photographs, performances, videos and installations.

The general idea behind ‘Detroit House Guests’ was to invite various artists to reside in ADULT’s studio for the duration of three weeks, to live, work and collaborate together in order to achieve “a total anthropological sound experiment and a full length album.”

The finished product features collaborations with a whole host of musicians and artists.

They include Douglas J McCarthy from NITZER EBB, Michael Gira from SWANS, Shannon Funchess from LIGHT ASYLUM, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe aka LICHENS, Austrian thereminist Dorit Chrysler and multidisciplinary artist Lun*na Menoh.

The two Doug McCarthy tracks are a true highlight of this production. ‘We Are A Mirror’ and ‘They’re Just Words’ are artistic masterpieces a la endeavours by GAZELLE TWIN. Doris Chrysler is ‘Inexhaustible’ in a very much a typical Mute track, filled with simplistic synth and tribal accents.

A bit of guitar is introduced on ‘Breathe On’ featuring Michael Gira and die-hard fans of vintage NIRVANA are bound to intercept the obvious connotations, with the addition of the female vocal nodding towards some good old grunge.

‘Into The Drum’ floats in and out of consciousness over COCTEAU TWINS-like noises and ‘This Situation’ undergoes magic shifts to achieve the status of a supreme art form, leading onto ‘As You Dream’. The closing track multiplies the emotion by the manifestation of eclectic sounds catalysing interesting vocals and chant-esque sequences.

‘We Chase The Sound’ brings back the minimalistic bass synth and brave voice overlays, sounding uncannily like NITZER EBB sans McCarthy, but with the snarl of Shannon Funchess.

‘Uncomfortable Positions’ are “uncomfortably cosy”, while ‘Stop (and Start Again)’ hit with the bass guitar and Siouxie inspired vocal.

The ‘Detroit House Guests’ project concept was conceived in the early 2000s and became a reality in 2014 after receiving a John S and James L Knight Foundation grant. The eclectic choice of vocalists, musicians and artists shapes this album into a concoction which will particularly lure the lovers of arty electronica.

It’s not your melodic, well behaved synth; it’s gritty, disjointed and cultured… it’s a very different kind of aesthetic, yet very in keeping with classic Mute offerings.

‘Detroit House Guests’ is released by Mute Artists in double vinyl, download and CD formats

http://www.adultperiod.com/

https://www.facebook.com/adultperiod/

http://mute.com/artists/adult

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photos by Nicola Kuperus
18th March 2017

ADULT. featuring DOUGLAS J McCARTHY They’re Just Words

8 February 2017 /

Their last wonderful album ‘The Way Things Fall’ was described by one keen observer as “a snuff film version of Speak & Spell”.

Having signed to Mute, ADULT. are back with a soon-to-be long player entitled ‘Detroit House Guests’.

As the title suggests, it is a collaborative affair based on the visual artist residency model, with each musician coming to Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller’s studio for a three week period under the premise that they all lived, worked and collaborated together.

The first track to be made public was ‘They’re Just Words’ featuring the vocals of Douglas J McCarthy, frontman of NITZER EBB and also the cousin of Perry McCarthy, the original ‘Top Gear’ Stig. A stark promo video for this slice of mechanical but strangely groovy electro sees the trio in some suitably nocturnal locations, as McCarthy and Kuperus provide a creepy call and response duet.

On ‘They’re Just Words’, Kuperus does a great deadpan take on Siouxisie Sioux, while McCarthy is in particularly good form sounding like an inebriate preacher. He also appears on a second track on the album called ‘We Are A Mirror’.

‘Detroit House Guests’ will feature collaborations with a whole host of musicians and artists including Michael Gira from SWANS, Shannon Funchess from LIGHT ASYLUM, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe aka LICHENS, Austrian thereminist Dorit Chrysler and multi-disciplinary artist Lun*na Menoh.

‘Detroit House Guests’ is released by Mute Artists in double vinyl, download and CD formats on 17th March 2017

http://www.adultperiod.com/

https://www.facebook.com/adultperiod/

http://mute.com/artists/adult

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photo by Nicola Kuperus
8th February 2017

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