review: Musamore Editions

Coming from France is the small independent label Musamore Editions. Since 2008 they have been putting out cd's in editions of only 100 copies with some excellent electronic music. Almost all cd's are by different projects but they share their dark electronic sound and experimental touch from time to time. All releases are somewhere in between elektro and experimental electronica. At times the sound is dancefloor orientated but also more ambient and experimental sort of pieces are popping up on all releases.

The cd's are mostly packaged in a cardboard sleeve and most of the time something else is added to the packaging like an enveloppe or a piece of rope. One of the highlights on the label so far is an exception. The Yabboq Penuel double cd release comes in a nice black cardboard box with an inlay card.

This way of packaging in combination with the small editions (which are hand numbered) and the fact the cd's are hard to find (only a few places sell them) make them real collector pieces.

Musically this will please fans of dark electronic music who like their elektro not mainly aiming at the dancefloor. If you like elektro in the style of Le Syndicat Electronique all of the releases are simply a must have. I can imagine some IDM lovers will also dig this. Especially if they like the things as early Autechre and Aphex Twin. Maybe also if you are into Clock DVA these sounds will please you.

Musamore Editions maybe releases music that has more of a rough edge as the bands named above (except for Le Syndicat Electronique which comes quite close) but in moods, sounds and structures there are some comparisons.

The first three releases (the trilogy by Stauros To Okema) is gone at the label and some last copies can be found by searching the internet for specialized webshops. All other four releases untill now are still available at the label (and again some specialized webshops).

Must haves? Yes, for for sure! All of them! Highlights? Well... personally I like the Yabboq Penuel double cd a lot. It has a great mix of tracks from ambient to pounding elektro beats. Also Im.Persona is excellent with it dark electronic pieces and the latest by Ruth's Monkey is more then excellent in the way the album is structured.

Behind all the releases and project names there is more to discover when it comes to the symbols used, the track titles and the artists names. But as all is presented in quite a mysterious way I leave it that way... find out for yourself... internet is a good source at times...

The Musamore Editions releases can be bought from the label directly: www.musamore.com or the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl (see under shop).

2 video teasers for new Agent Side Grinder album

Video teasers for upcoming new Agent Side Grinder album on Enfant Terrible

Out now on Youtube are two complete tracks as video teasers for the upcoming new album by Swedish electronic outfit Agent Side Grinder.

The tracks ‘Life In Advance’ and ‘Die To Live’ can be heard in their final version as they will appear on the album that will be released in November 2009 by Dutch independent label Enfant Terrible. ‘Life In Advance’ shows the band at work in their studio and ‘Die To Live’ is a homemade video clip. Both video are made by the band’s bass player Alexander Blomqvist.

See here for ‘Life In Advance’
See here for ‘Die To Live’

Next to those video teaser there is also an new official video for the song ‘The Screams’ featured on the Radio Resistencia compilation. This video was done by Dutch visual artist Floortje Zonneveld. See here...

An USA based radio station did a very fitting description of Agent Side Grinder which is a great introduction to the band for those who did not hear about them before. Here it is: “Synths, pedals, drum machines, tape loops and weird effects help shape the overall electronic sound but Agent Side Grinder also seems to tap into a throbbing energy too. Their influence stems out of early industrial, no wave and post punk scenes. Joy Division, Alu, Throbbing Gristle, Primitive Calculators, Suicide, Alexander Hacke, Front 242, Tass 2 all plays their part but Stockholm, Sweden’s electronic band does flaunt their own style. It’s relentless but never overly aggressive. Still it has some bite as well as infectious groove appeal. The vocals can be almost deadpan but also sound periodically incensed and desperate. It sounds fairly simple and repetitive yet doesn’t grow redundant. Its spooky malevolence is compelling and vibrant, growing in intensity and tempered volatility. Killer presence without going overkill.”

reminder: Enfant Terrible label night 3 October

On saturday 3 October we will be having a party... three live bands will be performing:

-Distel (NL) - angst pop - www.myspace.com/disteldma
-Dolina (B/FR) - elektro chansons - www.myspace.com/dolinablanche
-The Dreams (FR) - DaDa synth punk - www.myspace.com/tropicold

Before, in between and after the bands dj M. will be spinning fitting music such as elektro, obscure 80's and weird pop from the past and present.

Location is Gifgrond in Tilburg, Holland. Perfect to reach by train (5 minutes from Tilburg Central Station by foot), car and even airplane (cheap flights to nearby city Eindhoven). Address: Gasthuisring 19B, Tilburg, Holland.

Entrance: 5 euros
Starts: 21:00
Ends: 03:00

See here: www.enfant-terrible.nl and here: www.gifgrond.nl

review: Siedlerheim - Westhafen

When WSDP (also known as Was Soll Das Schallplatten?) releases a new record I am always happy about it. True, sometimes I am more excited as other times but in the end the label never really did disappoint me. Some of the records I play the most are from this label.

So here we have Siedlerheim and WSDP saved another obscure German 80's band from being forgotten altogether with this vinyl release. They play in a way typical Neue Deutsche Welle / weird pop as it was done back then. The album consists of tracks recorded in 1981 and was released on tape that year on the Kompakt Produkte label.

The bands treats you with a very diverse album. At one time you get this weird pop track typical for the NDW era and the next moment punk music is poured over you and after that a great minimal synth piece is blasting from the speakers.

My favorite tracks are on the A side and have rather long strange titles... 'Das hässlichste Paar der Welt' is a great synth dominated song and 'Im Sommer war das Grass so tief' is a true highlight in music of this age. It is an amazing track with maybe a typical minimal synth touch but still with a sound of its own... it is swinging and it is melancholy. Only for this track the purchase of this LP is worth it.

And yes maybe this is music for a few enthousiasts of this style or substyle if you please and yes maybe this is not the best album by WSDP BUT... if you are into this stuff you just have to love it. It has the word authenticity all over it in capitals... and I mean the original music and this re-release by WSDP.

Get it at the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl

review: Plasto Beton 7 inch

I am not a 100% sure who are all in this band but at least it features people involved in The Dreams and Scorpion Violente. Those two bands both have their own style of synth punk and released recently a split 7 inch on my label Hex Grammofoonplaten / Enfant Terrible.

Plasto Beton is more obvious punk orientated as either The Dreams or Scorpion Violente. The synth is not the main instument as with Scorpion Violente and it has less of a bohemian and DaDa-istic touch as The Dreams have.

So yes it is punk but built around guitar, rhythm and vocals and all is sounding noisy. Opening track 'A 31' is indeed very noisy. ' Ete 1983' is slower and also more sleazy and sounding meaner. It reminds me in away of the ICK 7 inch I put out a few years ago.

The B side features two more trashy and noisy synth punk tracks in which the French elektro punk tradition is more then evident.

Plasto Beton has delivered an excellent uncompromising 7 inch EP. Possibly too noisy for some synth fans but if you like that dirty and weird French twist on punk and synth stuff you have nothing to fear.

A few copies are still left at the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl/

review: Das M - Ist Das Wirklich Nötig?

What a feast is this record! I could write on this record endlessly but I think I will keep it short. Das M released in the early 90's some cassettes with his music on his own label. The track 'Vergeude Nicht Deine Jahre' has become a cult piece due to the appearances on the bootleg compilation series of Flexipop.

Last year Kernkrach released an LP with new material. I liked it but was disappointed as I had hope for an official release of 'Vergeude Nicht Deine Jahre' on vinyl. The label told me a record with older material would appear in time... so I was very happy to see this record announced.

When I go my copy at home I was even more happy... it was packaged in a classic Kernkrach way... crazy and nice... in tracing paper (the special edition of the first 50 copies are on printed tracing paper... and yes I have one of those :) ) and the vinyl is pink... nice color for vinyl and even more for a 10 inch record like this.

But then... the intro... okay nice but an intro... and then 'Schneller Sein' kicks in... what a great minimal synth track!! It is a bit weird and very very tasty... I would go crazy on this track if any dj would play it ever. It has despite a rather happy sound also a melancholy touch... like basically all these tracks on this vinyl.

Even better is the next track 'Flohwalzer'... amazing... it is a minimal synth waltz with a perfect melancholy mood but still makes you happy with that crazy reggae rhythm... simply oustanding! It is that good you even forget to listen carefully to the next track... even picking up the needle and put it back at the beginning of this track... incredible addictive as it is.

The A side continues but I am still puzzled by the brilliant piece 'Flohwalzer'. The B side opens with another intro... sort of but much nicer as on the A side... more spacious synth sounds are used and give the record a nice varied feeling. 'Neonlicht' comes after that and it is another great track. A bit like Solitairen Effekten in a way... if they are doing their less rhythmic orientated thing... so lo-fi electronic pop with NDW influences mixed with some classic minimal synth touches.

'Kleine Märchenfee' is also something Solitairen Effekten could have done. It has the same neo romantic touch all over it and a nice playful rhythm. 'Vergeude Nicht Die Jahre' comes after this. Funny thing is that depsite it is still a great track with its raw touch and pumping but lo-fi beat it is not by far the best track in this record. Mostly this says something on how good the rest is.

For sure this is an instant classic and for sure any lover of this style and sound should not miss out on getting a copy... or maybe two copies. I am curious if Kernkrach picked all the best pieces of Das M or there are more great tracks on the original tapes. Anyway this nice 10 inch with 10 tracks is a must have. As simple as that!

Just putting on 'Flohwalzer' again...

Get it at the label or at the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl/