Damn, 2013 ain’t lookin’ too bad so far, aside from the mild hangovers which are quickly soothed by the application of industrial grade black coffee, cozy blankets and Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix. You know what the best thing about the New Year is? Knowing that we’ve got a whole 12 months of amazing music ahead of us, some from bands we already know and love, and some from artists we’ll have never heard before in our lives. Oh we have predictions, sure (2012 kinda belonged to California, but wethinks LA might just be getting started) but fuck if that ambiguity, that unpredictability, that incertitude regarding what lies ahead isn’t the most exciting thing on Earth to us. You ready for this year gentle readers? Let’s get it started right!

∆AIMON, “current (BITES remix)”
As if taking the number one spot in our humble Best of 2012 countdown wasn’t enough, Nancy and Brant Showers capped off their astonishing year with a gargantuan 28 track remix release, dropping on Tundra’s Bandcamp just hours before the clock struck Midnight, Pacific Standard. It features all manner of ID:UD faves including Caustic, iVardensphere, Distorted Memory, M‡яc▲ll▲, Corvx de Timor, V▲LH▲LL, DSX, just a whole wack of cats from both sides of the increasingly meaningless rivetwitch divide. And to top it off it’s pay what you want, including nothing if you’re so inclined. Who are you to deny it, just toss on this dope dark synth version courtesy of the mysterious BITES and join the cult, your robes and ceremonial handbook are in the mail.

Leæther Strip, “In Broken Homes”
Some classically stompy and stormy dark electro from a single which Claus dropped on Christmas Eve. Really liking the stripped-down but clean production on this track, nicely accentuates the raging. He also just posted a cover of The Cure’s “Cold” a couple of days back which we still have to check out. Jesus, Claus, give us a week to catch up!

Sebastian Komor, “Game Of Thrones Theme (Industrial Techno version”
Van City transplant Seb Komor, aka the busiest man in industrial, favours us with a fancy, technofied version of the theme song from our beloved Game of Thrones. Imagine the show redone in an SF milieu, all Joffrey as Spaceking of the Lannister Quadrant, Jon Snow joining the Nightskywatch at the edge of the explored galaxy and Daenerys being married off to Klingons and you’ll have an idea of what this slick little production evokes. When does that show come back on anyway?

DSTR, “Making that Sound (Demo Version)”
Okay, try to stay with us on this one: Daniel Myer is working on a new Architect record, still has the Radioaktivists project (collabing with Frank Spinath, Krischan Wesenberg, and Sascha Lange) in the pipeline, and is slated to do another Haujobb album later this year. But he’s also just parted ways with Covenant, and like any good workaholic is making sure that absolutely no daylight sneaks into his schedule. Here’s a demo of some new DSTR (formerly Destroid) material, showcasing the dancey sheen and big vocals which that we’ve come to love from that act.

The Present Moment, “General Relief”
For a year when a brother didn’t release any new tunes, 2012 was still pretty busy for Scott Milton of The Present Moment. He toured Europe on the strength of his amazing sophomore LP Loyal to a Fault, re-released his deleted debut The High Road with all kindsa bonus material and generally kept his name on the lips of the cogniscenti across the globe. Apparently there’s an EP in the pipe, and TPM have graced us with a new single, one that leans hard on the post-punk side of their synthpop split-personality, bringing Cold Cave to mind a little if you ask us. Appetites whetted, we await the next morsel with the bated breath of the connoisseur.