Latex Records

Proceeds will be donated to the Foundation for Cancer Research and Wellness

PROMOTIONAL COPY TRACKLIST ONLY

NOTE: for a complete track list of all 5 CDs please visit Metropolis Records.

Disc 1-Diagnosis and Insurance (4 of 17 tracks)

02 – Stromkern – Notes From A War
04 – Interface – Never Say Farewell
05 – Chemlab – Solar Max (The Jimmy Semtex Coil)
09 – 16Volt – Things Unkind

Additional artists on disc: SMP, Boole, Bow Ever Down, The Gothsicles, Terrorfakt, Rein[Forced], Ego Likeness, Burikusu!!!, Inure, Cesium_137, Cyanotic, Silent Auction, & Terror Firma Sky

Disc 2-Chemotherapy and Radiation (5 of 17 tracks)

01 – The Dark Clan – Beat It, Kill It
03 – genCAB – Version 2 (Aesthetic Perfection Mix)
07 – Assemblage 23 – Impermanence (Flight AC-112 Mix)
08 – I:Scintilla – From A Wasteland To A Dream
10 – ThouShaltNot – Sick

Additional artists on disc: The Azoic, Christ Analogue, Prometheus Burning feat. Jimmy Semtex of Rein[Forced], Boxed Warning, Imperative Reaction, Combichrist, Sonik Foundry, XuberX, Mindless Faith, Cyber Strukture, vircon, & Jordan Decay

Disc 3-Surgery (4 of 16 tracks)

01 – Deathline Int’l – Breaking
02 – Encoder featuring Jimmy Semtex of Rein[Forced] and Patricia Wake – Jim’s Song
04 – backandtotheleft – Maybe Today
09 – System Syn – Blood (2009 Edit)

Additional artists on disc: Vicious Alliance, Nachtmahr, Null Device, Suicide Commando, Agnes Wired For Sound, Acumen Nation, Aesthetic Perfection, Dismantled, FGFC820, Everything Goes Cold, Leæther Strip, Mordacious, & Flesh Field

Disc 4-Recovery (4 of 16 tracks)

01 – Noisuf-X – White Noise (Gift Mix)
03 – The Atomica Project – Transmission
07 – Alter Der Ruine VS Premeditated Light – Dawn
13 – Hypefactor – The Sweetest Soul (Rex Mix)

Additional artists on disc: Hardwire, Massiv ini Mensch feat. Mind.In.A.Box, SD6, Obsenity Trial, nolongerhuman, Iris, Debutante, Andraculoid, Deviant UK, Freezepop, Spahn Ranch, & Caustic

Disc 5-Bonus Medication (Digital Download with physical CD purchase)

(no tracks represented in promo version)

Artists on bonus disc: Wreckcreation, Borderlines, AimOniA, Beloved Dead, Derek C.F. Pegritz, Molecule Party, Patricia Wake, Neurobash, Jon Zaremba, Less Like Flesh, EVP, Surviving The Odyssey, Retar-D2, The Hose Face, Sachem Orenda, & TowerOpensFire

REVIEW:
Generally, I must say that a 5 disc compilation project is not only a daunting task which deserves much respect for Metropolis Records for completing it but it’s downright intimidating. I mean, even to the consumer. It’s also a VERY bold move but one I hope will meet with much success! What I mean by this is that most music listeners these days try to get as much music as they can for as little money as possible, preferably free if they can, most often to the disatisfaction of record labels and musicians alike. Even without the bonus fifth disc, a 4CD compilation project is huge for fans. However, it’s being offered for the approximate cost of only 2-3 CDs so it’s a HUGE BARGAIN! If you buy the physical CD even moreso because you get the additional bonus disc of material as a download with the purchase that you do not get if you only purchase the Digital copy. Thus, it’s a HUGE undertaking to complete a project this size for the label but it’s also a great bargain for fans of Industrial music.

With this compilation you will see many of the most popular names in the current scene as well as many other older staples plus a smattering of new artists. If the tracks on the promotional copy are good representation of the overall project, which I think they most likely are, then this is one kickass collection for both old and new fans of the genre!

I must also add, as a label owner myself who has attempted compilation projects, this project is VERY well conceived. I am excited to see a compilation project with a solid theme and all associated tracks with appropriate lyrics and content. Personally, typical genre compilations are only good when that genre is new. This, however, is a project specifically dealing with the topic of Cancer and was produced to benefit Cancer Research. Jim Semonik (Distortion Productions), Cancer survivor and long time promoter and DJ, has assembled 83 artsits from around the world for this project in association with Metropolis Records. I love themes and this is definitely a worthy one with a worthy cause!! The most impassioned tracks, in my opinion, on the promo are ThouShaltNot’s “Sick”, which is a desperate plea for help, and “Maybe Today” by BackAndToTheLeft, which shows the every day, every moment struggle one lives with.

From a strictly musical perspective, there is a wide range of Industrial music represented from Harsh Electro and somewhat Caustic Noise to EBM & Trip-Hop, influenced tracks etc. In fact, I was so impressed with the promotional copy that I’m off to get the full thing myself, the physical version if there are any left!! This is a limited release so get yours while you still can. They will likely run out soon and then only the Digital versions will be available. I’d actually go so far as to say this is THE BEST Industrial compilation to come out in a long time!

I tried to stick to thematic compilations for Latex Records myself and I’ve also been doing so for my Podcast lately. I hope that others will pick up the torch and start doing more thought provoking compilation projects instead of just Tributes and very loosely themed releases. I absolutely love the fact that the artists jumped on this bandwagon for this cause and really put some time and effort into creating uniquely designed tracks for this specific project! KUDOS TO EVERYONE!

Great Piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Electronic Saviors.

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THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK
01. Kyrie Eleison (21st Century Mix)
02. Palastinalied (21st Century Mix)

BUTTERFLY MESSIAH
03. Serpentine
04. It’s Time

MEPHISTO WALZ
05. Nightingale

DJ Program.01 is a limited edition CDR presentation specifically geared towards club promotion. Primarily marketed towards DJs and radio programs, this release is also available, in very limited quantity, to the public. This CDR features two club edition tracks from The Soil Bleeds Black, “Mirror of the Middle Ages” LP, mixing ancient elements with the modern. The release also features the new Butterfly Messiah club track, “It’s Time,” as well as the acclaimed track “Serpentine” from their “Priestess” CD. In closing, this CDR also features the remarkable track “Nightingale” from Mephisto Walz, certain to gather ‘old schoolers’ to the dancefloor.

The first track by The Soil Bleeds Black contains digital electronic rhythms and drum machine for percussion combined with ethereal overtones and vocals, medieval flute, and deep bass. Vocally it is female vocals in a classical, nearly madrigal, style. Musically it’s very mixed and not easy to pin down but basically it’s very danceable with a slight stomp and Delerium-like touches to it. A new form of Darkwave! It combines modern electronic dance textures with medieval instrumentation and vocals. “Palastinalied” follows a similar music structural format except that guitar takes part of the lead with medieveal flute and the percussive beats are a bit heavier. The vocals are male and have more of a bawdy sound. The vocals are in another language but I am unsure which. The drum rhythms have a slight carribean texture to them. The flute takes on a bit more of a Middle-Eastern feel. These two tracks alone are enough to peak interest in The Soil Bleeds Black. Both tracks can be found in their original version on the Mirror of the Middle Ages 12″.

Butterfly Messiah begins with “Serpentine” which I’ve heard from their Priestess album except that it has been remixed for this release adding extra effects to the vocals and a bit more body and clamour to the heavy percussive industrial rhythms. Shannon’s voice is smooth yet cuts like a knife. The lead vocals are very in-your-face sharp while the backing vocals are very soft and ethereal. A band that has already created a rather intense mixture of Ethereal, Darkwave, and Industrial this track hits harder than anything before. The next track “It’s Time” actually picks up the pace even further with it’s strong EBM influence. This is the most technological I’ve heard Butterfly Messiah sound as this new (previously unreleased) track drives home their previously well thought out sound bringing it up several notches to be more befitting for club airplay. The EBM textures and trance-like soundscapes are on the line with many of the bands you’ve all heard come out of labels like Metropolis Records. With this one track alone Butterfly Messiah have moved themselves to a new level and I think if they continue releasing similar pieces they will see the returns they’ve already earned and truly deserve from a wider audience. I anxiously look forward to more on this level from them in the future!

The last track is by Mephisto Walz, a band already hailed in Gothic/Darkwave circles. This track has a nearly Cocteau Twins gone darker sound to it as well as a bit of shoegazer rock influence. A bit different than what I’ve previously heard from Mephisto Walz although I’m not quite sure exactly what they are doing on this compilation except for their well-known name as the track is not very ‘club oriented’ in my mind. However, I do think this will have strong appeal to old Cocteau and maybe even Bauhaus fans more than anything as there is a little bit of Love & Rockets rock style in it too.

Overall I was very pleasantly surprised by this release and very excited to hear the new Butterfly Messiah track bumped up into EBM and remixed. The Soil Bleeds Black tracks are strongly appealing as well and will likely confuse many with their unique combination of styles. They are extremely original and enjoyable. The least favorite, by surprise, is the one band I was the most anxious to hear what new items they were producing, Mephisto Walz.

© Copyright 12/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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Swarf
01. Drown
02. Sorrow

Dust
03.Mind
04.Wraith

Katscan
05.Stutter-Cut
06.008 Biology

Psychophile
07.Vice Girl
08. Illumination

Freudstein
09.Robots
10.Looking for Answers’ (Alternate mix)

Spray
11.I am Gothic
12.Child of the 80s

Interlock
13.Birdman
14.The Hold

Seventh
15.Icarus

Harmonic
16.Chains

Wasp Factory- Working with Children & Animals Vol.2 compilation is a must for those hungry for new sounds. All 8 bands appearing in Vol.2 are brand new acts with mind-blowing styles and sounds. The styles range from Electro Punk, Angry Industrial (Sabbath’s musical term: Loud, Fast and Angry), and Goth with heavy loud beats, not your average mellow Gothic sounds. All bands have contributed two songs each to the compilation that I think is unique since most compilations only provide listeners with one song per artist, even if the artist is not a well-known act. I am a huge fan of compilations because it exposes people to different bands and styles. A percent of all the bands I am personally listening to now have been bands that I have heard through compilations. Not all compilations are a must. I would strongly recommend Vol. 1&2 of this compilation to anyone looking to add new bands to their music collection.

© Copyright 11/2002 Sabbatha Black. All Rights Reserved

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AÏBOFORCEN . testing new waters
01. testing new waters
02. give me these wings
03. lobotomie matricielle (vox mix) feat. NEIKKA RPM
04. testing new waters (HEADSCAN mix)

EPSILON MINUS . through
05. Through (all your synthpop are belong to us)
06. Freedom (shungater mix by ANGELS & AGONY)
07. Power Down (MASSIV IN MENSCH mix)
08. Through (album mix)

PLASTIC NOISE EXPERIENCE . clean head
09. Clean Head
10. Mechanical Beatz
11. Clean Head (IMPLANT mix)
12. Clean Head (PZYCHO BITCH mix)

HUNGRY LUCY . fearful
13. her song (radio mix)
14. fearful (AÏBOFORCEN mix)
15. fearful (IMPLANT mix)
16. storm (NO COMMENT mix)

Alfa-Matrix offers a 4 in 1 concept of 4 CD singles on one full-length disc. Strictly limited to 2000 copies this release features singles by Aïboforcen, Epsilon Minus, Plastic Noise Experience, and Hungry Lucy from the Alfa-Matrix catalogue. While this is a unique format it seems to be an excellent way for a label to introduce their artists to new listeners and give something unique to fans outside the standard compilation album format and get more people to buy the singles, possibly.

Aïboforcen stategically position themselves in the new generation of EBM fans with a combination of energetic rhythms and melodic female vocals. Here we have the “Testing New Waters” single, four tracks one of which features a mix by ArtOfFact Records’ Headscan. Recommended tracks would be “Give Me These Wings” which features a bit of male vocal too and the Headscan mix which adds a bit or a darker feel with some trance elements to the song.

Epsilon Minus, based in Canada, start with “Through” in which the vocals are very smooth and match the EBM-Trance/Synthpop based music texture perfectly. The “Freedom” mix by Angels & Agony has a bit of the latter band’s musical elements and a slight lean toward minimalist synthpop. In all honesty the vocals are bit weak only in the first portion of the track but as the music builds to more of club-based rhythm the vocals are much stronger as is the track overall. That however is my only criticism for Epsilon Minus as Jenn’s vocals kick on most tracks as she has a great voice with enough power and sensuality for this type of music format. This is extremely evident with the next track which is mixed by Massiv In Mensch, another ArtOfFact Records artist that rocks this genre. Lastly, we have the album mix of “Through” which is a bit quicker paced, an excellent song.

Next on the list is Plastic Noise Experience who begins with “Clean Head”, a track with lots of Noise elements but with a pulsing dance beat and harsh whispery vocals. A bit more hard-edge and dark than the previous artists Plastic Noise Experience show another side of Alfa-Matrix. PNE is Claus Kruse whose compositions are more of an EBM-Industrial format. Alfa-Matrix describes him as, “harsh vocals and a very distorted type of sounds with virulent vibrating melodies”, which is right on target. This single also includes remixes of the same track by Pzycho Bitch and Implant. The Implant mix is a bit cleaner and more of an aggro flavor while the Pzycho Bitch mix takes us in the exact opposite direction with a slower pace and more of a Power Noise rock-n-rhythm. The other track by PNE is Mechanical Beatz which reminds me of old SPK with the female vocals similar to the more operatic stuff by Die Form.

Lastly, is Hungry Lucy, a sort of trip-hop gothic EBM in which Christa’s vocals are very smooth and harmonious and the beats throb with a rhythm you can’t help but move to. I love that ‘twisty’ electronic sound in the first track “Her Song”. One of these days I’m gonna figure out how that’s done (War-n?). War-n does some amazing synth work on this project that utilizes many genre elements to help create a totally unique sound in my book. Everything from Techno, Euro-pop, Synthpop, Industrial, Gothic, EBM, Trip-Hop, and of course a host of other club styles meld together smoothly in this interesting project. Haunting and danceable at the same time – love it! “Fearful” features mixes by Aïboforcen (my fave mix on this one) and Implant. The song “Storm” drops us back into more of trip-hop feel likened to Portishead with vocals as smooth as Tori Amos and music with a dark/ethereal dance beat.

Alf-Matrix brings some great new and original works to light in this first of the Sqaure Matrix series!

© Copyright 11/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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Parkinson: Eden Hell
01. Eden Hell
02. Sch.Merz Vs Manson
[review]


Pan: Reluctant
03. Grey
04. Sewer
[review]


Rosewater: Magnetic Confinement
05. Condomat
06. Perpetual Dream State
[review]


Dead State 81: This Road
07. This Road
08. Walls of Rock
[review]


Here’s the second demo release by Mindwerk Records, a still young dark industrial label that has not quite gotten the attention it deserves yet. This release includes tracks from label projects Parkinson, Pan, Rosewater, and Dead State 81. The first song “Eden Hell” also appeared on the first demo disc and is a sort of dark industrial drum-n-bass with sampled metal guitar and darkly distorted vocals. I think this is a different mix from the other though as I don’t remember parts of it but that could just be me. “Sch.Merz Vs Manson” has some hard driving guitar samples and beats much in the vein of KMFDM’s Angst but darker and way more ‘metal’. The vocals are a sort of deep grovelly distorted demonic sounding thing. This would make a great backing track for a hard driving action video sequence. Well, that’s Parkinson and next up is Pan. The two tracks featured here are a bit slow going but the vocals strike a serious similarity to Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy when he’s doing that sort of squeeling, whispery angst-ridden yell and in-your-face speech style. Fans will know what I mean especially when they hear this. The backing keyboard work also sounds like it could’ve been done in part by cEvin Key himself with some parts obviously purposely slowed down on “Grey”. “Sewer” is a bit more up-beat with a sort of driving rhythm and vocal style like Skinny Puppy styled-rap (don’t get confused here) you’ve heard Ogre do it before and it’s not rap in the typical sense – it’s more like rhythmic talking. This track also has some ambient backing which gives it a bit more body. I love the metallic-grind bass beat that comes in later. Rosewater are quite a bit more harsh than the previous two and also more quick-paced, Noise oriented and modernized. “Condomat” is heavy Power Noise with an EBM rhythm, awesome! Vocally it reminds me of some of those gothic/industrial bands but with heavier distortion. “Perpetual Dream State” begins with a more ambient tone but soon becomes a quick-paced hard metallic pound. Now, with Mindwerk Records this is the band that always gets me every time. Dead State 81 sounds like Skinny Puppy perpetually caught in the Remission time period. This is a sound that personally I could ‘never’ get enough of, not even from Puppy themselves as they quickly moved on to different things leaving this unique sound they created behind. Though many will rant about copy-cats there is much more to this project as they delve into realms untouched by the industrial music scene or any music scene for that matter. The style itself is experimental and lends easily to greater creative experimentation with a sound that is darker than most goth music, harder than most rock, and holds the beginnings of EBM while at the same time influenced by such things as horror film and the atmosphere that surrounds them. Sound-alike or no you can’t help but be pulled in by the audio structure this band creates. I’m always left with a desire for more when I hear it!

© Copyright 11/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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01 Iris – Loose in wanting
02 Perfidious Words – Mystify me
03 Icon Of Coil – Former self
04 Echo Image – Need to be proud
05 Neuroticfish – Close
06 Statemachine – Battered & Bruised
07 In Strict Confidence – Zauberschloss
08 S.P.O.C.K. – Satellites
09 Elegant Machinery – Watching you
10 Merge – Lost In Eternity
11 The Nine – Sanctuary
12 Melotron – Alles von dir
13 Close Encounters – Drifting on clouds
14 Klirrfaktor – Welt in Scherben
15 Enforce – It´s a lie

This import CD compilation of Synthpop includes some of the biggest names in the genre and a few which most Americans consider EBM as well. Just taking one look at the roster for this compilation and you know you’re in for a treat and Bloodline does deliver and cover all the bases as well. Amazingly enough this compilation though a German import begins with music by two Texas music students who began by playing cover tunes however their original compositions are anything but copies. This smooth synthpop band is known, like others on this disc, in the US by the indie label A Different Drum whose hallmark is the Synthpop soun and have sold thousands of CDs already. Perfidious Words have a slight industrial rock influence with a strong Depeche Mode like sound. Their song here “Mystify Me” comes out very much like a heavy D-Mode track but with a few minor differences. Stepping up the pace into a much more EBM territory we have Icon of Coil. To be honest I’m amazed they were placed on a Synthpop compilation but it mixes well afterall. Icon of Coil always pump up the dancefloors with their high powered beats and high energy melodies. This band has become one of my most recent EBM favorites and even hearing just this one track I’m sure you can easily see why. If you like this as well check out their newest release The Soul Is The Software.

Changing pace a bit we drop down to the smooth harmonics of Echo Image. This particular track combines a small bit of acoustic guitar with some soft and nearly ethereal sounding synthpop melodies which quickly pick up the pace and become a pumping dance beat. Not sure what it is but Echo Image seems to be a favorite of the female persuasion but I like them alot as well. I think it’s the soft male vocals, sort of Erasure-like, that must do it. Echo Image also has a bit of a Yaz overtone as well as far as old style comparisons go but I guarantee you nothing on this compilation truly sounds like any of this older music but is simply a younger spawn birthed from it. For more of Echo Image check out their full-lenth album Compuphonic. Next we have Neuroticfish which has always intentionally crossed the boundaries of Synthpop and EBM blending them so that the line is thoroughly blurred and has even made the bold statement ‘Electronic Body Music Is Dead’. He is self-described as Industrial-Synth-Pop and the label seems to fit quite well. He often adds a bit of industrialized neurotic twitch beats in with synthpop melodies. He also tends to utilize elements of other forms of electronica like Drum-n-Bass to create his unique sound as well.

Making another sonic jump in style we leap over to Statemachine, whose sound is more of an electro-rock pop sound. I hate to make the comparison but it’s rather close in overall style to the short-lived EMF but with a more indie flair. Adding more electronics into the mix again we meet with In Strict Confidence, a hard and dark band from Germany. In Strict Confidence have attracted the attention mainly of Goths and EBM fans in the States as their music has a Darkwave feel to it and is less synthpop in my book that Icon of Coil is. It’s more Darkwave/EBM than anything with Industrial influences. When most think of this band they probably imagine Dennis with ‘white out’ contacts on. Evil, evil children

The compilation takes another sonic leap toward a slightly more Kraftwerkian form of synthpop by S.P.O.C.K. who are probably most known for thier Star Trek parody songs set to EBM music like “Never Trust A Klingon”. This band has a sort of early sci-fi television influence set to modern dance music. This track is somewhat similar to the band NASA in it’s overall pop tonality. This is followed by the Swedish band Elegant Machinery displaying a heavy Yazoo influence with early D-Mode Speak and Spell vocal styles. Merge has been compared with bands like Mesh or De/Vision probably based on the more straightforward approach they take. Merge combines both electric and acoustic guitars with synths to create a more harmonic sound. Much like earlier 80′s bands Cocteau Twins created an ethereal blend of strings you can hear something similar in the background of the synthpop rhythms of Merge. Every song I’ve heard from The Nine has a sort of dark and brooding temperament to the vocals but the music combines many elements of rock, industrial and synthpop to create a sound that will one day catch the pop culture scene by surprise. Imagine when Michael Hutchins of INXS sings a moody track, a similar emotion seems to follow The Nine. There is something lucid about this band that is difficult to place your finger on.

Beginning with bleeps and sung with German lyrics Melotron give us the smooth melody of “Alles Von Dir” (Everything for You) – very smooth, digital, and unique. However, not all of Melotron is so melodious. They have also been known to do some darker, heavier, EBM oriented tracks like their recent “Tanz mit dem Teufel” (Dance with the Devil). Close Encounters is headed by the female vocals of thier sultry singer. Clsoe Encounters has all the temperament of Annie Lennox with the sensuality of Rhea’s Obsession but the ethereal dance music that only Close Encounters could create yet mildly similar to Delerium. This seems to be a band to watch for the future, who knows where they may appear next. While basically synthetic in nature it’s not overly so and could easily get standard radio airplay as well as it masterfully combines various musical elements and instrumentation. In one word – ‘Lush’. This German-based EBM band gives us a more down-tempo track with “Welt In Scherben” a melancholy synth melody however their full-length album Bis der Arzt kommt is said to also have some club power tracks as well. Enforce is Robert Enforsen, the former lead vocalist and frontman of Elegant Machinery and you can tell by the sound of this Scandinavian solo project.

Covering a wide range of territory in the Synthpop scene and bringing some hot names and some rising stars as well New Forms… is a more than worthy addition to any Synthpop addicts collection.

© Copyright 10/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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Disc: 1
01. Time Condition (Aqua Bassino Mix) – Jeff Sharel
02. Restless – Laurent Brondel
03. Smashed – Bushwacka!
04. Panikattack – Plastikman
05. Aphrodesiac – Nu Mood Orchestra
06. Microgroove – Space Junk
07. Found – Lee Burridge
08. Ladyshave (Megatron Man Mix) – Gus Gus
09. The Egyptian – Bushwacka!
10. Because (The Usual Suspects Mix) – Mr. C
11. Backwards Retro – Tom Mangan
12. Please Stay (Royksöpp Remix) – Mekon feat. Marc Almond
[Future Sound Of Pornography (acapella) mixed over tracks 3-5]

Disc: 2
01. Behemoth – Charlie May
02. Mondo Scuro – Dark Globe
03. Conapt (Fantastic Dub) – Si Brad
04. Moving With Me – Terry Francis & Haris
05. Shake It For Me (M.A.S. Cellective Macro Sub Mix) – DJD Presents Hydraulic Dogs
06. Be Wiz Me – Ernest Saint Laurent
07. Locked In Locked On (Mr. G. Mix) – Hairy Butter
08. The Search (Weekend World Mix) – Francesco Farfa Meets The The Pleasure Team
09. Mind Rewind – Cass
10. Spatialize – Excession
11. All The Freaks (Dark Globe Mix) – Cass & Slide
12. The Game (Omid’s Main Mix) – 16B

Unusual DJ talent Cass continues his legacy of Spundea Presents Cass which features artists from the Spundea Recording label as well as the DJ’s own talents of mix and composition. While there are other DJ mix compilations out there this one is unique in a few ways, one of which caught my attention was how Cass mixed his own Future Sound of Pornography, a track which he says is an ex-girlfriend (Miss Kiss) talking dirty to him with a bottle of wine in her hand, spread over tracks three through five creating an unusual mix event.

Cass’s style seems to be a lean in interests toward deep, progressive and tech-edged house, breakbeat and techno. Cass starts you off with a bit of minimalistic house music by Jeff Sharel then picks up the pace a bit with the Detroit styled track “Restless”. This ends sort of dreamily but Cass gets the beats going with some overlaying into Bushwacka!’s “Smashed”. This then bleeds into “Panikattack” by Plastikman which frankly I found while this is an excellent track, especially with Cass’ additions from Miss Kiss it does not sound very much like what I’m use to Plastikman sounding like. The mixes on all these are so smooth you almost never know when you’re going from one to the next where as most DJs ‘pop’ a track in Cass blends them seemlessly. By the way, the vocals by Miss Kiss are VERY explicit! Only an audiophile could capture something like this so nicely. “Panikattack” gets a bit trancy with some chaotic sounding beats with the Miss Kiss vocals overlayed on top of it. The tempo picks up again but with some nice ambient moods from Nu Mood Orchestra. “Microgroove” keeps somewhat the same tempo but is less ambient and more straightforward dance music. “Found” is driven mostly by it’s bassline but is the type of track that I absolutely love to hear in those late night hours on the dancefloor when you get into that solid dance-trance that could go on endlessly. As for house music styles “Ladyshave” by Gus Gus is some great prog-house with traditional smooth house music vocal stylings. Cass brings back Bushwacka! to create a bit more of a pounding rhythm for us and increase the trance. I personally like all the ambient and additional stuff in the background. The main vocal sample reminds me of a 90′s techno track by Awesome Three if I remember the name correctly. The bassline on “Because” sounds similar to the one we all know from The Matrix but more subtle. Some of the keyboard work later in the track sounds like something you might expect from Bill Leep of Delerium. “Backwards Retro” is driven by a vocal sample and some heavier keyboard work, a bit of an aside from most of the other tracks. “Please” is the best track on this side with some heavy house and I’m assuming the Marc Almond used here is the musical pieces which sound like his solo works which have that sort of ‘musical’ feel to it. This is also the most upbeat track and most interesting. Overall I find that this side contains lots of great music but which is too ambient and mellow – though dancey – for my taste for the dancefloor but then again I’m an EBM head. However, since I do like house, trance, and ambient quite a bit this is an excellent CD that runs smoothly and has lots of interesting switches which are masterfully compiled.

Disc two begins quite a bit differently that the first with a very experimental electronica sound from Charlie May, half of Spooky. While it does have some ambient portions it continues with some harder beats and a much more upbeat atmosphere. This upbeat tempo continues with Dark Globe’s “Mondo Scuro” which has some rather clever breakbeats. This track is much more to my personal tastes. Experimental with an element of chaos but maintianing a solid rhythm. This is followed by house music by Si Brad that has an interestingly experimental electronica sound, almost more like IDM-house with a touch of lounge if that’s possible. “Moving With Me” continues the house style taking it a bit ‘deep’ with a bit of a dub flavor. “Shake It For Me” keeps the rhythm pumping. A very nice bump-n-grind with vocoded vocals, funky. “Be Wiz Me” still maintians the tempo driving us further into funk territory. It’s got a very disco bassline. Still not dropping the tempo we move into more experimental techno territory with the hard driving “Locked In, Locked On” by Hairy Butter. This is sort of semi-hard beat trance with some trippy samples and noisy rhythms. “The Search” takes it down just a bit with some bizarre sci-fi sounding interludes so they can pump you back up again. The next one is by the DJ himself, Cass, performing “Mind Rewind” and contians some interestingly experimental interludes especially about three quarters of the way into the track where it practically disolves into synthetic noise and buzz tones with rather odd looping and effects but drops back in with a really nice dancefloor bump. “Spatialize” is by Excession which I understand is Grant Collins who was originally part owner of Fire. Great breakbeats and addictive dance rhythms. This is one of those tracks you can’t help but move to and is rather non-genre-specific as far as electronic dance music goes. Awesome track! Next is “All The Freaks” by Cass & Slide which begins with a tripped out vocal sample of the song title and a truly funky bassline that would make Bootsy Collins proud. Disappointingly Cass ends with “The Game” which just doesn’t have the power nor energy of the last two tracks but I’m assuming he wanted to break it down for us a bit before ending the release. This last track is some Deep Dish house music by B16.

Overall Cass has produced an interesting CD set of some great underground dance sounds which takes you through various moods from the more laid back to the more upbeat. Definitely an interesting listen to say the least and practically a requirement for anyone into the undeground DJ music scene.

© Copyright 9/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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01. In Strict Confidence – Kiss Your Shadow
02. HMB – This Fire
03. Melotron – Tanz Mit Dem Teufel
04. Stromkern – Perfect Sunrise
05. Trigger10D – Most People Don’t Forget
06. Beborn Beton – Peach 2002
07. Controlled Fusion – War
08. Regenerator – Take Me
09. State of the Union – Enemy of the State
10. Deceptio Mentis – In Absence
11. Arcanta – Lakshmita

WTII Records carries some of the newest top-notch electro, ebm, industrial, synth pop, gothic, and darkwave. This is the first compilation by this rising new label featuring some big names like In Strict Confidence who kick off the CD with “Kiss Your Shadow”, Stromkern, Regenerator, Beborn Beton and Arcanta to name a few. There is lots of new and great talent on this compilation worth taking time out for.

In Strict Confidence begin the CD with some great EBM that is a bit of an industrial/darkwave mix. This is followed by HMB a male/female duo whose unique combination of EBM, trance and techno put them in a class by themselves. It’s said that they recently enlisted Dennis Ostermann (vocals and programming for In Strict Confidence) so who knows what will come of this project in the future. Melotron, a synthpop trio from Germany, is up next with their more EBM sounding “Tanz Mit Dem Teufel” (Dance with the Devil). You might a find a few mild similarities between Melotron and Beborn Beton. One of my favorites on the label is Stromkern. Their blend of electro/EBM is a sound that is rather fresh and new while still somehow familiar to fans of the original industrial scene memebers. They create highly energetic dance rhythms using modern technology and some interesting mechanical clicks and whirs they’ve created. Most recognizable is Ned Kirby’s original singing style. Imagine an eclectic mixture of trip hop and techno combined with a little bit of noise and goth and you’ll have Trigger10D. Sort of like the No Doubt of electro. The first to really catch my attention thanks to an earlier review I’ve done is Beborn Beton. I ‘highly’ suggest checking out that review for Tales From Another World. If you have not heard him yet and you are into electro, synthpop, industrial, and/or any type of dance music he is a must hear. This particular track, “Peach 2002″, is actually one of his slower tunes but the smoothness of his style is very evident. If you like this wait to you hear his more upbeat stuff. Controlled Fusion could rightfully be considered an In Strict Confidence side-project with lead vocalist Dennis Ostermann collaborating with programmer Steffan Schuhrke. Controlled Fusion seems to signify a unity of fusing the sounds of the 80′s with modern electro. Don’t think this means it sounds like wave music because it doesn’t. It’s hard and busy. Regenerator are already becoming known for their blend of Dark Electro. This male/female duo is comprised of Patrice Synthea and Wrex Mock. Alfa-Matrix states, “Wrex’s sombre melancholic growling vocals indeed always enter in perfect duality with Patrice’s sensual breathy vocals. Her vocal performances confirm she has a greater vocal range than many of her contemporaries…Their music combines harsh electronics and dark themes with melodic vocals and synaptic soundscapes.” What you get from them is a contrast of the lush and beautiful with harsh mechanics blended into syncronicity. State of the Union combines industrialism with the more accessible sound structure of EBM. State of the Union comes off as sort of EBM sounding Darkwave politicalism. Deceptio Mentis’ “In Absence” is a highly vocoded transient dance rhythm with a riding hook. The band seems to combine elements of Trance and EBM in similar ways to DJ culture club tracks but with a more dark and industrialized feel to it. This unique style seems to set them up for airplay by trance dj’s as well as industrial nightclubs. The compilation ends with Arcanta which sounds very much like something you would expect from Projekt Records. It has the tonality of Dead Can Dance and has been described as mysterious, majestic and intense. Founded by Thomas-Carlyle Ayres Arcanta combines wordless hymns and Sanskrit text with hand drumming as well as ambient electronic textures and middle-eastern instrumentation. “Combining elements of world, religious, and classical music, Arcanta has a style and sound that is truly unique.”

© Copyright 9/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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01. JAILBIRD – Delirium Tremens
02. SMP – Militia Love
03. ProgeriA – Dagon
04. Aiboforcen – Twilight World
05. Past Seven – Name Of God
06. h Of Indifference – Tense And Taut
07. s Engine – Jesus Christ V2.0
08. em81 – Mysterious
09. m Asylum -Crucifixion
10. onic – Human Fragments
11. Tin.RP – Animal Farm
12. Mind Flux Funeral – Soul And Substance
13. St. John’s Eve – She Said
14. Monoid – Kein Traum
15. AutoCad – Dock To Dock 2001
16. Silencer – FullBandwidth
17. Jailbird – Last Pray

This release by the independent Sector19 features industrial musicians from the US, UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium and France. It opens with a track from the French group Jailbird which sounds amazingly like The Young Gods. The second track is by the industrial rap group SMP which have gained quite a bit of notoriety on the Net of late and have had music featured in various public spots as well. Projeria is more of a hard driving beat heavy industrial pounding with a bit of Noise influence. Aiboforcen has been featured on many indie comps lately and it’s easy to see why. They combine elements of Industrial, Synthpop and EBM into a sort of futuristic pop sound. Six Past Seven combines some heavy Noise influences with Industrial throb and repition. Mouth of Indifference combines Industrial with a sort of trip-hop and ambient feel. Chaos Engine, a mainstay of Wasp Factory Recordings, is an Industrial rock group which sometimes reminds me of Sex Gang Children with their dark and nearly punk elements. System 81 creates a sort of cyber-noise ambient texture. Arkam Asylum, also on Wasp Factory, is also industrial rock but having more of a sound that reflects what might happen if you combined Alien Sex Fiend with Marilyn Manson. Mneumonic takes into a more Front Line Assembly like territory with “Human Fragments” which combines elements of the cyber sound with drum-n-bass and other elements known to the FLA sound like the dark whispery vocals. Tin.RP is ambient Noise. Mind Flux is metal industrial with grovelly vocals and caustic overtones. St. John’s Eve is also a Noise track with lots of distorted vocals and an overall mellow and very dark tone. Monoid is the side project of Martin Steinebach also known for his industrial ritual project Conscientia Peccati. However, Monoid deals more with the hard beat and distortion aspects of Industrial music but also contains some tonal and atmospheric elements. The song by AutoCad is very digitalia and Kraftwerkian in it’s overall structure. Reminds me somewhat of Trans Europe Express for some reason. Silencer is anything but, it is Noise – loud and chaotic. This second track by Jailbird is very different from the first and is more Gothic in general overtone.

© Copyright 6/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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01. Tarrentella – Karma (wayou out west remix)
02. The Columbians – Back 2 N.Y.
03. Hard Attack – Every Single Sound
04. Jimpy featuring Sarah – Talkin’ (tarrentella vs redanka remix)
05. Redanka – No Frills
06. Kundalini Rising – Kayomani (tarrentella vs redanka remix)
07. Skynet UK featuring Alex – Way of the Wave (king of spin remix)
08. Motherlode – Sin-nuh (mike monday remix)
09. Spacepunks – Another Space (pussy 2000 remix)
10. Hard Attack – Very Contemporary (mike monday remix)

This is a compilation release from progressive label Whoop! Records, founded in 1994 by dj’s Joel Xavier & Andy Lekker, which draws inspiration from the now defunct Om & Guerilla sound. This is definitely a DJ scene – dance friendly album and each track is mixed to blend smoothly from one to the next with no breaks.

There is a lot of progressive trance and house used as the basis for the music on this disc – which are other electronic dance music favorites of mine which I haven’t had the opportunity to touch on much with this site yet but hope to more in the future.

The first track “Karma” let’s you know from the start exactly what you’re in for. This disc has some great late night dance tracks like what you’d expect to hear at any decent dance club after hours. This album just pumps from start to finish and introduces some great new artists at the same time. I hope to hear lots more from Whoop! in the future.

I can’t even pick any tracks over another as favorites – I like them all. So, if you like House music, Trance, or Progressive Dance then you need to check this out! This is totally the type of dance music that puts you ‘in the zone’ where you can dance all night long and not even think of being tired.

© Copyright 5/2002 TG Mondalf. All Rights Reserved

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