We’re in the last days of summer, and that means chillier climes and Cold Waves are just around the corner. Yes, this coming weekend a swarm of rivetheads (including 1/2 of the Senior Staff) will descend upon Chicago to revel in noise new and old. We’ll likely have some discussion of all the goings-on next week on the podcast, but until then enjoy the fest, everyone, and try to keep Malort-related poisonings to a minimum. Rock over London, rock on, Chicago.
M-M-M-Mask! No one knows what lies behind the Masqueraaaade
Zex Model, “Dead City Central”
When we wrote about Paul of Zex Model’s passing last week, we hadn’t realized that his new EP would be released so soon. His morbidly psychedelic sound’s splattered with extra daubs of pure noise and even guitar pn its four tracks. It’s tough to imagine any other electro-industrial release in 2016 sounding this heavy, this fucked-up, and this dark. Dead Body‘s out now digitally and on 12″.
Red Industrie, “The Fifth Horseman (DSX remix)”
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the beasts saying, “Come and listen”. And I saw, and beheld a Red Industrie song: and he that remixed it had analogue bass; and tight, metallic drum reverb: and he went forth to herald the new body music, and to conquer dancefloors. And his name was DSX (aka Dejan Samardzic), and all hell followed with him.
Standard Issue Citizen, “No More Rain”
Futurepop is a good venue for sentiment and melancholia, check the new single from Pittsburgh’s Standard Issue Citizen for a perfect example. It’s a song about overcoming fear and doubt, and as such it’s melody and arrangement have an uplifting quality that speaks to the genre’s inspirative qualities. We also detect some hints of modern electropop in the arrangement, acknowledging some of the broader trends in electronic music since the mid-aughts, a fine addition to an otherwise established formula.
Crisis Actor, “Superstar”
The first track from new outfit Crisis Actor certainly doesn’t sound like what we’d expect from either of its two members. Tony D’Oporto’s previous collaborations with Mark Spybey have been well-received around these parts for their ambient beauty, and David Thrussell certainly needs no introduction. Neither are names we’d associate with this straight-forward techno-EBM nodder, but it’s an interesting start to a project which has our attention.
In Strict Confidence, “Everything Must Change (Single Version)”
At least half of the senior staff has a lot of love for In Strict Confidence and relishes new releases from the new venerable dark synth act. We might not have been nuts for the last full length, but the band’s history is so filled with interesting changes and creative diversions we can’t ever write them off. New single “Everything Must Change” seems to be backing away from the NDH sounds that were woven into Utopia, going more for a slick club electro sound geared for the dancefloor. We’ll be checking in on the record when it drops to see where ISC have landed this time, be it far afield or close to home.
Masquerade, “Lunacy”
Some deathrock by way of Finland, very much in the classic mold. Masquerade look to have been gigging around Europe on the regular for the past couple of years, and there’s a real live warmth to the sound and mix of their debut, Ritual, despite the heavy dirges which make up a good deal of its runtime.
