We don’t talk much about broader current events on the site much, not because we don’t track them, but simply because we don’t want to engage with issues which are, to be frank, infinitely more important than the stuff we commonly discuss here in a cavalier manner. That said, it feels irresponsible to not mention the murders in Orlando given how often we’ve mentioned (often all too briefly) the intersections and overlaps between industrial and goth cultures and the history of gay clubs. Countless sounds and artists we continue to enjoy and cover here to this day were shaped by the radical sounds and radical politics gay clubs have engendered. We’d encourage you to read Drew Daniel’s comments, and to do whatever you can in your own lives and cities to support clubs which remain, as we’ve been so grimly reminded, spaces of defiance.
Encephalon bring their own shadows to photoshoots.
Encephalon, “Limb from Limb”
The now venerable but still so very necessary Electronic Saviours compilation series has reached it’s fourth iteration, and at more than 100 tracks for $40 on Bandcamp remains a really excellent means of hearing some top notch industrial and fund cancer research. Seriously, go look at the track list, we’ll wait here while you do. If you’re overwhelmed and just want to hear one song of the many you’ll get when you buy it, why not check out this new one from perennial ID:UD favourites Ottawa’s Encephalon. It’s an exclusive mix, and we’re led to believe it also serves as a nice taster of their forthcoming material on that electro-industrial tip.
Arctic Flowers, “Technicolor Haze (Espectrostatic Mix)”
Alright, here’s something we certainly didn’t expect. Portland’s Arctic Flowers have been a crucial part of the new wave of dark rock band’s who’ve taken up the legacies of death rock, post punk, and peace punk, and forged a dynamic and healthy scene of like-minded bands up and down the West Coast. Given that, we weren’t anticipating a digital reissue of their first 7″ to arrive with no less than nine dancefloor-minded remixes (including one by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust?!). Lots of options here for DJs.
Hexadiode, “Synchrocidal”
Italy’s EKProduct puts out a ton of music from artists spanning the globe, often times hipping us to new acts from our own shores we hadn’t heard of yet. Latest entry in that file is Dayton Ohio’s Hexadiode, a hardware oriented act in the electro-EBM vein. EKP will be releasing their first album this summer (featuring remixes from Cardinal Noire and Textbeak), but the two songs they currently have up on their Soundcloud give a solid impression of their style; pleasingly old school with maybe a bit of Interlace on the vocals? Not bad, not bad, be keeping an ear on this act for certain.
Displacer, “RZLA (MMXMETAMIX by Jack Dangers)”
We were discussing our favourite physical presentations of records a while ago and Hymen’s unique postage stamped 12″s came up as an example. We’re happy to see that friend of the site Michael Morton’s Displacer now has its own entry in that catalog with Curse Of The Black Vinyl, a release which expands on 2013’s Curse Of The Black Lotus. Check this florid, break-heavy remix by no less than Jack Dangers.
Person:A, “Illuminated”
You may recall we posted a track from Repartiseraren’s Whoever Am I compilation a few weeks back. Come to find out that the second volume entitled You And I comes out this week, and features more synthpop, coldwave and general electronic weirdness straight from the global underground. Check this one, from minimalist Person:A, then get your Bandcamp preorder sorted.
Desert M, “Sade”
A nice bit of bouncy yet substantive instrumentation from Finland’s Desert M. We’re new to the one-man project, but the mix of synthpop instrumentation and slightly orchestral direction suggests someone who’s taken a good deal of influence from game scores. Recommended if you dig the lighter side of mind.in.a.box.
