Videoclip for upcoming Kim Ki O debut vinyl (Enfant18)

At the end of August the official debut by Kim Ki O from Istanbul will be released on Enfant Terrible.

The two girls were already present on the "Radio Resistencia" compilation from last year.

Here is the videoclip for the track 'Herkes Evine' from the upcoming record. More information soon...

review: Lushus - Barefoot

This record is out since May but I think it is still hot enough to say something about. Also the music is really summertime stuff so why not?!

Dutch band Lushus has its roots in punk. They also have already a status in the punk scene through live concerts and releases on Tocado Records. This new album is released on the Dutch record label Katzwijm and shows a very mature band.

If you would expect any ordinary punks sounds you are wrongly informed. Lushus stands for playful and adventurous music. Opening track "Plastic" displays straight away what this bands is all about: arty punk music with playful elements popping in out all the time. You will hear some exotic drums and some weird Neue Deutsche Welle influences. Maybe a bit Palais Schaumburg in the case of this track.

But the band takes you along from some soothing and relaxing moments to energetic burst of noise. And yes there is the Dutch punk heritage of bands like The Ex and De Kift kicking in at times.

Even though politics are not preached here there is an obvious link with activism even if it would be only by using some piece of Wolf Biermann as an intro to a song.

With this album Lushus should be able to reach some more indie pop minded audiences as well... the music has the quality to do this. I wish they succeed with this as for sure this is one of the most interesting guitar orientated bands from The Netherlands. Even though they use more bass guitars as actual guitars... well... let's just say they are among the top indie bands of the country.

You can get a copy of this LP from the Enfant Terrible webshop and please go see the band live...

review: Sololust - The Spark

Only from time to time there is a release that really hits you... really makes you excited about what you hear. This EP by Sololust (who is also a member of Dutch elektro/new rave outfit Lesbian Mouseclicks) is for sure one of those releases for me.

The funny thing is that I did not know this musician for some time even though his world and my world are connected (both musically as when it comes to the network of musicians and labels as our hometowns). Only since late last year we got into contact and I discovered his music. Very soon after that I checked some online tunes and asked him to participate on the new compilation (Enfant17: Kamp Holland).

After he played me some more tracks and we did a live show I truly heard the potential of this gifted musician. Then some time later he told me he had a EP out... and when I heard these tracks I was suprised again by the genius of it.

Sololust plays (on this EP) dark and slow elektro... basically as it should sound. It gives me the same exciting feeling I had when I first discovered Invasion Planete/Le Syndicat Electronique. His music is different from that but has the same authentic feeling for me.

Opening track 'Space To Expand' is a bit spacey and a deep elektro track. 'Black Teeth' has an excellent pumping beat and bassline thing going on. Something classic elektro in a way but the way it is done doesn't make it feel like you heard it before. Maybe because of the nice bells ringing in the background...

Absolute highlight on this EP is 'The Spark'. This should be a hit... very dark and moody elektro/disco excellent for club play deep in the night with a few people who really are out of here... Amazing track.

There is probably only one thing I do not like about this EP... it is a shitty cheap cd-r in an edition of 50 copies. Shame on the label as this quality music deserves a quality product to reach some more people. But... don't worry... Sololust is working on some tracks and this will get a proper release on vinyl by Enfant Terrible/Wharf Records...

For now I have some of the cd-r's for only a few euro's in my webshop...

event: 19 June Disko Resistencia mini festival with 6 live acts (NL)

*When? -->Saturday 19 June starting at 21.00
*What? --> Disko Resistencia / Stg. Art De SuR Foundation party
(+ release party Lesbian Mouseclicks debut EP on Wharf Records + release party Enfant Terrible compilation ‘Kamp Holland’)
*Who live?
-->Rude66 (elektro/Bunker&Creme Org.)
-->Lesbian Mouseclicks (elektro/Wharf Recs)
-->Hunter Complex (synthpop/Narrominded Recs)
-->Logosamphia (retardcore/Enfant Terrible Recs)
-->Milligram Retreat (neo wave/Enfant Terrible Recs)
-->Peter Quistgard (toy muzak/Toztizok Zoundz)

*Who Dj’s?
-->M.& Alacidus
-->MH & HD

*Where? --> DB’s CAB-Rondom 100 (Cartesiusweg), Utrecht, Holland
Damage: 7 euro (incl. a small surprise)
Wharf Records
Enfant Terrible

review: Hunter Complex - Hunter Complex

I am a big fan of Dutch popmusic and especially of new Dutch artists that are capable to produce some interesting and daring tunes in the fields of electronic music and experimental popmusic. Not because I am nationalistic or anything but partly as a reaction against the indifference of many Dutch people for their own history and culture. It is important to support local culture as simply it makes life nicer and better in the little world you live in.

Hunter Complex is the relatively new project by the Narrominded label boss. Narrominded have been working on promoting and putting out good new (Dutch) music since 2000. First with cd-r releases and later on vinyl and cd. The sounds range from elektro to experimental electronics and also some guitar stuff is in their catalogue.

Synthpop is the word when it comes to Hunter Complex. I must admit I did not get it when I first played this record. But it really grew on me with each play. Still I think the record would have been stronger when it would be trimmed from twelve to nine tracks or something. But in general this debut album is a masterpiece of contemporary synthpop.

The word pop should be written here in capitals. The production is quite thick in a Pet Shop Boys sort of way. Perfectly fitting the clear electronic beats and warm synthesizer melodies. What really makes this music so outstanding is that you hear classic 1980's synthpop elements but still all sounds very fresh. The arrangements and rhythms are all but 1980's I think. Also quite some unexpected elements pop up from time to time, like suprising hooks and twists in the song structure or a guitar part being added for a moment.

One of the highlights is 'Moonset' with its steady beat and typical claps but also adding to that some almost ambient like synth lines and strings. Also 'Exit' is really good with its loungy and laidback feeling and spacious synth lines.

If you are into classic synthpop and into some light summer tunes check out this release for sure. And for the well informed... this is probably more Anna Logue records stuff as Enfant Terrible material. But still... watch out for a new excellent track by Hunter Complex coming soon on the new Enfant Terrible compilation!

review: complications / compilations

Recently there have been released some compilations with 80's synth, new wave, post-punk and minimal electronics music. It is funny to see that some people try to commercialize and make hip and trendy music that was never meant to be that. Or... music that never had it to be that...

These compilations are basically nothing more then rip off's of the bootleg Flexipop compilation cd-r series. The most catchy tunes are taken from these compilations and the artists are chased down and there you are... you have a record...

Among this turmoil and aim for fame there are luckly always other people who do it in what I think is the right way and with the right music.

The first compilation that caught my attention was 'Genotypes' released by Genetic Music. Genetic of course has quite a history when it comes to releasing some lost 80's sounds. They were among the first to do this. This compilations was also planned to be released some years ago, before the current hype really hit the streets.

'Genotypes' maybe also is a Flexipop orientated compilation but it does not go for the catchy and easy tunes. For the most part it offers the listeners the more obscure among the obscure and tunes that are not instant dancefloor hits. For example the tracks by Urge, Ciaran Harte and Hysterica Passio are truly excellent and belong instantly to my favorite tunes of this era.

Even when a band is a bit more cult and well known as with Seppuku not the obvious track is selected ('New Illusion') but the B side of the 7 inch 'Under Your Control'. Absolute highlights are Mr. Numa with the awesome psychedelic track 'Story Of The Moon' and Jessica Denton & Patrik (Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart) Fitzgerald with 'Mr. And Mrs.'.

There are only very few comments to make about this record. The selecting and sequence of tracks is excellent. Only too bad it is released on CD and not on vinyl. Next to that I see no point in the Mecano track 'Robespierre's Re-Marx' being on this record. Of course it is a highlight of the era and absolutely a stunning piece... but it is easily available already. Besides this a spotless compilation!

But... if you like to go more obscure and move away from Flexipop and more in the realm of 'Kassettentäter'... that other great bootleg compilation series... but on vinyl... then there is a vinyl 7 inch compilation out now... just for you. NLW's lovely sublabel Schallplatten Aus Lurup has just released a six track compilation centered around the Diskret label.

Various bands from this German cassette label were featured on the Kassettentäter records... like 4721 and Reinheit des Herzens. Even though I do not like bootlegs these Kassettentäter records are a must have for any true fan of authentic NDW/minimal electronics/weird punk music from the late 70's and early 80's.

So, I was really happy to see Schallplatten Aus Lurup to release some of this music as an official record. Featured are six bands with one track each. The real connoisseur does already know what to expect: weird lo-fi stuff that will probably please only the real connoisseur.

And then still I am always happy to see there are people and labels out there who put out contemporary music. If you like the obscurities of the Diskret release but are hungry to hear new sounds then go for the Kernkrach compilation LP 'Schadstoffklasse Grau'.

This LP only features contemporary and mostly unknown minimal electronic acts. As I like to discover new sounds all the time you can imagine I am really happy with such a release. Especially as it turns out to be such good as this one really is...

The record has a real cohesive feeling. This is maybe due to the fact that some of the artists share some personel. But that is mostly on the A side. What truly attracted my attention is the B side. Which I can't stop listening to. The deep, hypnotic and repetitive electronics are excellent. It is all rather spacey and melancholy with just the right analogue sounds and rhythms.

Maybe some tracks are dead simple, still they are charming due to their authentic feeling. Think Skanfrom but more lo-fi and less evolved maybe so to speak. I am sure bands like Fabrik Ohne Strom, Kling Klang, Legodroid and Les Miserables Minimalistiques won't ring a bell with most people... not even the well informed... but for sure check this record out.

This is simple one the best minimal electronic releases that has been released recently and done with the right intentions and motivations. Besides that a highlight in the Kernkrach catalogue and that also says something of course!

All three release can be ordered from the Enfant Terrible webshop... (the Diskret and Kernkrach records will be added within the next days).

Agent Side Grinder news: cd album, tour, remix EP

Out now on Kill Shaman is the re-release of the sold out debut LP by Agent Side Grinder. This CD version of the album is released under license from Enfant Terrible and especially put together for the USA market. It features a new tracklisting with one previously unreleased song and new artwork. In Europe this CD will be available from the Enfant Terrible webshop and at the live concerts of the band.

Agent Side Grinder will be on tour in early May in Europe. The dates are the following:

-Saturday 1 May – Amsterdam (NL) at OCCII (Enfant Terrible label night with Milligram Retreat and Duflan Duflan)
-Monday 3 May – Leipzig (D) at Liwi
-Tuesday 4 May – Berlin (D) at Lovelite
-Thursday 6 May – Haarlem (NL) at private party
-Friday 7 May – Paris (FR) at Le Klub (Enfant Terrible label night with Distel and Bran)
-Saturday 8 May – Lille (FR) at La Peniche

After this tour Agent Side Grinder will be opening for Psyche (12 May) and Cold Cave (18 May) in Stockholm, Sweden

Next to this there is a remix EP planned. Dutch elektro veteran Rude66 already delivered an excellent dancefloor filler. Minimal electronics cult act Crash Course In Science have confirmed their collaboration and also Dutch upcoming elektro act Lesbian Mouseclicks are working on their interpretation of the sound of Agent Side Grinder. This remix EP is planned for autumn 2010 on Enfant Terrible.