Hey pals! We discussed it on the podcast this week but it should probably get announced here as well: we’ve decided that due to our general busy schedules and desire to keep the quality of the content here on ID:UD as high as possible, we’ll be going down to four posts a week for the foreseeable future. We’ve always prided ourself on the consistency of our posting and the rigidity of our schedule, but between our increasingly demanding day jobs and various personal obligations, it feels like this was the right choice to keep the blog running smoothly and avoid burning out. Of course we’ll still be doing all manner of reviews, interviews, thinkpieces (such as they are) and our weekly Tracks feature, so the real takeaway here is that although there will be slightly less of us to go around, we’re not going anywhere. Thanks for reading, and hey, speaking of Tracks, we got some hot off the grill.
Cygnets bringing glammy new wave to Vancouver in July.
Cygnets, “Sleepwalkers”
We talk a lot about the awesome sets and fun that happens at festivals like Terminus, but contrary to our Dionysian reportage, it’s not all booze and partying: business gets conducted in the margins as well. Case in point: Albertan synth-rock wunderkids Cygnets hooking up with the Negative Gain crew. Looks like we can look forward to a new Cygnets LP on NG in November, and the pre-order plus a couple of taster tracks have just gone up. They’re firing on all cylinders here, and we’re keen to hear what’s next just a few months after this year’s excellent Isolator.
Cyanotic, “Signal the Machines”
Hey hey hey, speaking of bands we got to see at Terminus (Summer seems so long ago now doesn’t it?), Cyanotic up and released a whole brand new record in the form of Worst Case Scenario Vol. 1 just the other week. We’ll most definitely be writing something up on the whole LP shortly, in the interim you should give this jam a listen; tough as nails industrial rock with some very classic use of samples and mechanical sound design woven between a very classic bassline and some tasty guitar chug. Pretty excited to be seeing these guys play a hometown show at Cold Waves in a few weeks, the kick-off for their Termintour with The Rabid Whole.
Mr.Kitty, “If You Were Here”
And hey, it’s a trifecta of Terminus bands, with the ultra-prolific Mr.Kitty popping off a quick shot via Soundcloud. If this one seems weirdly familiar, it’s because it’s a cover of a weird pseudo-NRG song from Dance Dance Revolution, go figure. It’s actually not too surprising how well the song comes across in MK’s style, which actually speaks to some of the more uncommon influences that make their way into his work. Pleasantly fun and uplifting, especially coming hot on the heels of the dark and tumultuous Time.
Zex Model, “Forbidden Alterations”
New York’s Statiqbloom and Moscow’s Zex Model dropped two of 2013’s best debuts, and given how closely their takes on classic, grinding electro-industrial sit the news of a split release between Fade Kainer and Paul Von Aphid constitutes a match made in rivet heaven. Plodding, sample-heavy, and with just a hint of the acid-etched weirdness we’ve come to expect from Von Aphid, this is a promising taster of the eight track split Desire will be releasing later this month.
Antoni Maiovvi, “Black Jesus”
We’re suckers for the horror soundtrack sound that informs Anton Maiovvi’s techno, especially where it intersects with some of your moodier synthwave like it does on this track on his new EP Psychoplasmics. Comparisons to Goblin and Fabio Frizzi are not at all misplaced, with atmosphere as thick and syrupy as the fake blood in your average giallo flick. Pop this one on as you get dressed up for a night at the horror disco and steer clear of anything that stains too easy, this one is sticky and wet to the touch.
The Cure, “Hello Goodbye”
…And finally, you’ve no doubt already seen this, but Bruce wouldn’t be able to sleep properly if the first new recording from his favourite band of all time didn’t get a quick shout. Sure, it’s a tossed-off cover, but The Cure’s brand of breezy psychedelia (not to be confused with their darker, more autumnal trip-out fare) meshes well enough with one of McCartney’s structurally simplest yet most studio-frothed singles. We can’t imagine we’ll be buying a copy of the limited box set of The Art Of McCartney (replete with “bespoke Höfner guitar USB with FLAC files”), but this is a damn sight better than that by-request Joy Division cover Robert dutifully turned out yonks back.
