How about that Subtance line-up, eh? A festival that digs deep into the likes of Absolute Body Control, Parade Ground, and Placebo Effect is one thing, but to do so while also putting major mainstream(ish) names like Kitten & The Hacker and The Jesus & Mary Chain atop the bill is a whole other. Still not sure if the Senior Staff will be able to make it down for that, but we will definitely be at our beloved Terminus Festival this coming weekend in Calgary. Again, if you’re going to be at Dickens, come say hi!
Un Hombre Solo
Noise Unit, “Alone Again”
It’s not often you get to hear Bill Leeb sound sentimental, but given the nature of the new Noise Unit track, it’s understandable. Assembled from pieces that were being worked on by Leeb’s collaborator across all projects Jeremy Inkel before he passed in 2018, the song finds the FLA maestro examining mortality and existence over a comparatively chill and minimal arrangement of synths and drums. We’re led to believe the forthcoming Cheeba City Blues was put together by Leeb and Greg Reely from numerous other Inkel demos, a tribute to the producer who was lost to soon.
Comfort Cure, “They Told You Wrong”
If you heard us talking about the lineup for LA’s Substance 2022 on last week’s podcast, you’ll remember us pointing out the inclusion of Detroit’s Comfort Cure, an act who seem primed for a breakout. New single “They Told You Wrong” shows a different side to the project; where we normally expect CC to work a body music template spiked with bits of electro, this new cut goes further down the path of the latter sound, albeit with some industrial edge, not unlike Panther Modern if you want a point of comparison. Keep tabs on the name, you’ll hear more about them we’re sure.
Un Hombre Solo, “Oscuro y Podrido”
NY’s Un Hombre Solo offer a compelling blend of synth genres on this track from their forthcoming debut LP after a handful of singles and EPs over the past few years. Partially throwback cold/minimal wave, partially in keeping with modern North and Central American bellicose approaches to EBM, it has us interested in Desilusion Total, which looks to be very well-suited to a release on Synthicide.
TOT, “In Emptiness”
The hitherto unknown to us TOT project positions itself as a take on modern power electronics/noise approached from a metal background…which more or less results in classic death industrial territory as demonstrated by this track. The textures and layering on this piece are really well done, and match up with what we’ve come to expect from Strange Therapy, who’ve brought us excellent releases by ATT Corp and Matriarchy Roots over the past couple of years.
Maxim Nazarov ft. Syntia, “Беги от Меня”
Not gonna front like we know a single things about Maxim Nazarov, but we were naturally drawn to any release which advertised itself as “Russian New Beat”. Come to find out the track lives up to that potential; along with the rigid funk you associate with the most Belgian of all genres and the de-reigeur orch hits, you get some warm and welcome oddball synth stylings and ghostly background vox that take the track into much weirder territory that belies its immediate electropop appeal.
Blakmoth, “A Fetching Melody”
We are soft touches for animal charity releases here at ID:UD. So when one of our favourite recent discoveries, Blakmoth, puts out an EP (on the heels of last month’s very enjoyable Parallels) to raise funds for Hunter, who “hurt his CCL during some epic zoomies and needs surgery”, you’d better believe we grabbed it at once. Ask yourself – how often do you get to help a good boy out by getting an EP of lush dark ambient tracks with titles like “Walkies In The Bark”?
