The music ain’t stop, not ever. Used to be that we could count on late December through January to be ultra-slow for new releases, but the Bandcamp model has certainly incentivized a lot of smaller releases basically all year round. That means we’re basically just as inundated with music as we were a few months ago in the supposed busy season, or at least close to it if you include our catch-ups. Still the best problem and still one we relish. Tracks ahoy!
Ash Code
iVardensphere, “The Shattering Queen”
If you listened to the podcast in which we were flagging some of our favourite tracks of the year, you might have heard some exciting forthcoming album news which just snuck in at the last moment – after a five year layoff since Exile, iVardensphere’s eight LP will see release in February. Lead single “The Shattering Queen” goes heavily cinematic and bombastic with suites of drums and choral pads whipping up a frenzy of sturm und drang. Also, be sure to check the solid remix of the title track by site fave Slighter on the B-side.
XTR Human, “Verfall”
Berlin’s XTR Human put out a quite good record last year with G.O.L.D., an album that struck a fine balance between synthpop, wave and body music tropes. New music is on the horizon now in the form of the Verfall EP, due January 22nd. If you enjoyed the LP, then good news because the title track and first single is definitely giving us the same vibe, complete with slightly foreboding melody and brassy synth horns.
Interference Pattern, “In Time”
A collaboration between Iszoloscope’s Yann Faussurier and Cervello Elettronico’s David Christian sets a pretty high standard to live up to. There’s Faussurier’s impeccable track record when it comes to side projects to consider (Memmaker, Voster, and Camanecroszcope), but more importantly there are the distinct styles both producers have developed over the past two decades to consider What’s most impressive about the Cast Out EP at first blush is how handily tracks like this find a middle ground between the very different (but perhaps equally hypnotic?) tacks Faussurier and Christian have taken in their recent work while also acknowledging the contemporary dark techno landscape.
Harsh R, “I Was Never There”
Friend of the site Avi Roig’s Harsh R is a staple for us here at I Die: You Die for a few reasons; firstly because we appreciate the project’s DIY do or die approach to literally everything. Secondly because the music is paint peelingly bellicose in the best way, never rushed, and extra punishing. Finally we’ve recently seen Roig include his interest in country into the project, producing several twangy guitar versions of previously released industrial tracks. New single “I Was Never There” speaks to all of those things handily; it’s mean, self-released and once you get your ears cleaned out by the a-side you can cry along to the dour strummy version on the B-side. Local fave for a reason.
Hive Mind, “Mars, Cloaked in Leather (Youth Code remix)”
Just over a year after the release of Elysian Alarms, the first new LP from legendary project Hive Mind, noise impresario Greh Holger’s assembled an all-star cast to reinterpret the record. Elysian Alarms [remixes]‘ list of contributors (Codex Empire, Silent Servant, Oil Thief, Wolf Eyes’ Aaron Dilloway) speaks to just how cross-pollinated noise and club cultures have become, and in this mix by Youth Code draws a line between the typically separate noise and post-industrial traditions.
Ash Code, “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything”
There’s been a spate of classic goth covers lately, from Years of Denial’s take on Sisters deep-cut “Poison Door” to Sweat Boys’ take on Rosetta Stone’s second wave club staple “Adrenaline”. Add to that list Ash Code’s new wave touched take on Bauhaus tear-jerker “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything”, a sentimental face of many genre-fans and certainly not an obvious candidate for Ash Code’s particular brand of darkwave. Still, it holds on to some of the original’s wistful nostalgia, and even casts it in a newer light via the club-ready arrangement. Not too shabby!
