out next: Solitude FX abum and third Gooiland Elektro compilation

Expected at the end of August are two new releases... one is a full length album by Solitude FX and the other the third Gooiland Elektro compilation... for both releases we worked with Dutch visual artists for the record sleeves...

Back in 2007 we released a 10" mini LP with Solitude FX under the alias of Solitairen Effekten... this time we present under the original name ten rather melancholy tracks... but it is not only sadness and solitude these songs have to offer...

A full track preview can be heard here...

And here you can see how upcoming Dutch visual artist and musician Hans de Wolf was working on the photography of his hand carved wooden figures we used for the sleeve... and how the end result is...

The third Gooiland Elektro compilation is entitled "Freikörperkultur"... it is a celebration of the body on every level... when it comes to the music the range of sounds is from hi-nrg influenced synth-pop to new school cold wave and from harsh body beats to trance indulging spacious elektro... the featured artists are Tobias Bernstrup, Sololust, Zarkoff & Popsimonova, Lesbian Mouseclicks, Tannhäuser Gate, Popsimonova, Le Moine and Brusque Twins.

A full track preview (the Tannhäuser Gate track) can be heard here...

Famous Dutch visual artist Hester Scheurwater let us use photos from her portfolio... her work has been present at various museums and art galleries but for the first time it is used for a record sleeve... See here one of the three photos we used for the record...

Both records can be pre-ordered from the Enfant Terrible webshop...

full track preview: Adolf Filter - River of Chebar from V/A - Svensk Bonnasynth

OUT NOW is the compilation "Svensk Bonnasynth" featuring minimal elektro and synthpop by Kord, Monster Apparat and Adolf Filter. Here is one of the track by Adolf Filter.

For more information on this record see here...

The record is available at the ET webshop and the regular shops and webshops that carry the ET releases...

Adolf Filter - River of Chebar by EnfantTerribleNL

full track preview: Kord - I, Sexuality from V/A - Svensk Bonnasynth

Out soon will be the compilation "Svensk Bonnasynth". A record with Swedish elektro / synth acts Adolf Filter, Monster Apparat and Kord. Here is one of the Kord tracks as a preview. Enjoy!

More information here...

It is possible to pre-order this record here...

Kord - I, sexuality by EnfantTerribleNL

review: Antlers Mulm - The Age Of Efficieny

I am quite sure I have said this before... the best minimal electronics is done by people who do not make this music because of this style but simply as a result of their way of working.

Antlers Mulm is not at all a name many people will come up with when talking about minimal electronics... but in the end this project by Hans Johm is just that. And... even better as Antlers Mulm treats us with some of the best minimal electronics around with this new album entitled 'The Age Of Efficiency'.

What makes the music so good is that Antlers Mulm combines in a very natural way elements of synth music, industrial and neo folk. Musically this is like the dark side of minimal synth. You hear the dark mood coming in from some neo folk hooks. The industrial influences are harder to find on this new album but if you are familiar with the older work of Antlers Mulm you can hear where all of this is coming from. Also the design shows the tradition this music is situated in.

'The Age Of Efficiency' is somewhere in between some of the poppier stuff Antlers Mulm has done... like the track on the 'Radio Resistencia' compilation... and the more ambient orientated pieces to be found for example on his previous album 'Of Withered Sparks'. In bringing these worlds more together on this new album the musician has created very powerful songs and more important a true style of his own... even more as before...

The minimalism of Suicide is hidden in the repetitive basslines. This combined with eerie minimal synth sounds, neo-romantic and at times folky melodies and vocals delivered in a sort of spoken word way results in songs both soothing and disturbing. Impressive!

Also in another way this album is impressive. The complete album consists of an LP, a one sided LP and a two track cd. One track on this cd is done together with Frank Machau known from neo folk band Orplid. This massive album is still strong and attractive to listen to. Which is an achievement... as often less is more...

'The Age Of Efficiency' is released on the label Sonderübertragung! which is run by Hans Johm himself. The release comes in an edition of 197 hand numbered copies. So if you want to hear one of the best "minimal synth" albums of this year you should be quick...

review: 7 inch releases update

The last few months quite some nice 7 inches were released in the minimal electronics and synth wave styles. For example Kernkrach hit back with an truly great new release by Bloodygrave & Die Lust. This duo released their 7 inch with four tracks in what you could call that typical Kernkrach style: lo-fi minimal electronics with a crazy and playful NDW twist. The music is poppy only because the tracks are catchy. As when it comes to the music itself it is quite noisy stuff and thus probably only for lovers of this style. If this was done in the 1980's on cassette it would have fitted the WSDP catalogue as well. Excellent packaging also... as most of the time with Kernkach releases.

Somewhat in the same style comes a new collaboration between Matthias Schuster (Im Namen Des Volkes, Bal Paré) and Malte Steiner (Konform, Notstandskomitee). Under the alias Akustikkoppler they recently releases a four track EP 7 inch on the always nice NLW label. If you know the work of the musicians the result will not come as a surprise: a mix of the structured elektro from Steiner mixed with the more new wave inspired moods of Schuster. But... it blends perfectly and the four tracks are careful shapes minimal elektro hits. From the melancholy 'Fernmündlich" to the rather noisy and dark "Kabelsalat" it all works for me. Excellent!!

Much more synth pop and new wave inspired when it comes to sounds and structures is the debut by Cosmic Hula Radiators. Released on the new F.K.K.-Musik label comes this two track 7 inch limited to only 150 copies. The A-Side ('Planquadrat') is an uptempo track and will work for sure on the selected dancefloors around the world. It is a very well done German sung synth pop track with a lovely analogue sound. So catchy and poppy but not slick! The B-Side ('Katapultstart') is less suitable for the dancefloor I guess and a bit more classic elektro pop with the vocoder vocals and more pounding beats and pulsating bass line. Curious what else will be released by this label and if Hula Cosmic Radiators can keep up this level of quality with their next release.

From the lovely EE Tapes label from Belgium comes a nice 7 inch compilation with music from the Insane Music label from the 1980's. Yes... another Insane Music compilation... apparently there is still lots of music in the archives as this 7 inch is smashing! Pseudo Code deliver a track in their freaky post-punk style. And there is Human Dance with the great dancefloor track 'Hex!'. A funny and melancholy instrumental synth pop tune. Bene Gesserit is present with two tracks and M.A.L. and Subject both contributed one track. Well in the end all of this is Alain Neffe with help from some people here and there. Alain also compiled this EP himself, so it is the master himself at work here. One of the better re-issue's lately...

Back to the present day and to the master of 8 bit minimal music: Neurobit. I am bit cheating here as this record is an 8 inch not a 7 inch... well it is still a small gem... This is the second 8 inch released by the musician himself on the Vatican Analog label he is involved in. This one is more melodic and tranquil as the first one. In a way this 8 inch is like a perfect dessert after you have consumed the Neurobit 7 inch released on Enfant Terrible as main dish. Playful sounds and trippy pulses take you away into another world... a soft and nice and friendly place... excellent and psychedelic in the same way as the music by Terry Riley.

All of the above releases are for sale in the Enfant Terrible webshop here...

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).

Enfant Terrible night with live Adolf Filter, Kord, Monster Apparat

For the second time Enfant Terrible and Gifgrond team up for a great night out. This time there will be three elektro live acts from Sweden on stage. Kord will open the night with his spacey and laidback elektro pop. Adolf Filter is going into a bit darker direction. Also the beat are louder. Early Front 242 is a reference they cannot escape.

Monster Apparat is a rather new project that started as a collaboration of Kord and Adolf Filter. The catchy elektro and robot pop will call to mind The Rorschach Garden from time to time even though Monster Apparat is much more dancefloor friendly.

Before, in between and after the live acts Dj M. will be spinning some obscure pop hits, weird 80’s elektro and distorted beats.

Kord on the web...
Adolf Filter on the web...
Monster Apparat on the web...
Enfant Terrible on the web...

For all information see also the Gifgrond website...

Damage: 7 euro (incl. cassette with 6 previously unreleased tracks by the 3 live acts - as long as they are available)
Starts: 21.00 uur
Ends: 03:00 uur
Location: Gasthuisring 19G, Tilburg, Holland (5 minutes from Tilburg Central Railway Station, route on Gifgrond website)

review: Chrome Dome - Negative Vibes

I was a bit blown away by this debut 7 inch of the Australian synth punk band Chrome Dome. It is not that I have never heard these kind of sounds or songs before. But what makes this band different is the energy and power that is so evident in the music. Next to that it has this rawness that is missing in most of the so called minimal synth bands today. Raw power with a touch of wierdness always triggers me and Chrome Dome hits these points very well.
This debut comes on tape and as a 7 inch with a cd with an extra track. These three tracks are enough to show the potential and the sound of the band. Think about the perfect mix of The Normal and Sixteens and then still with a harsher sound. Also it has the same energy as Crash Course In Science but the music is much more lo-fi in every sense of the word.
The A side of the 7 inch ('Negative Vibes') is a great pumping electronic punk piece with the nice touch of a tambourine in it. Both the B side ('Waste Of Time And Space') and the extra track ('Battered And Bruised') have an industrial touch due to some added machine noises.
Well... to sum it up... this is messy and noisy stuff and I love it. I am keeping an eye out for the next dose of moody electronic pulses from this band for sure.
Ah... the tape is sold out already and I have the last few copies of the 7 inch plus cd in my webshop...

review: O.R.D.U.C - 107

O.R.D.U.C. (short for One-O-Seventh Royal Dutch Underground Company) from The Netherlands became almost world famous in the worldwide cassette culture of the early 1980's. Their song "Crazy Computer" was released on a Plurex compilation back then. Later the song appeared on the self released album 'Pink & Purple' from 1981. After some cassette releases there was some silence.
In 2007 O.R.D.U.C. and their own record company Motok came back to life after a sort of hibernation. Since then the left overs of the original LP are sold mostly through my webshop. Also a release with some old material is being planned for some time now on Enfant Terrible.
Next to that there has been a lot of activity lately around Motok both for O.R.D.U.C. as other related projects as NoNotes and E.M.M. This summer a very nice and ultra limited 7 inch appeared by O.R.D.U.C. with one reworked song from 1980 and a new track. Now there is this full lenght album with different versions of these 7 inch tracks and some more reworks of old 1980's songs and some new material.
A nice thing is that the new songs do not sound out of place at all and the best thing is that I do not feel that the music is outdated. For me this means that the music of O.R.D.U.C. is quite timeless... it has passed the test of time and is as nice to listen to right now as it was 25 years ago.
The reason for this is that this music is beyond genre or style definitions. It is crazy and weird and uncommon in every sense. And just this makes it strong and enjoyable.
What you hear are minimalistic and at times simple song structures done with lo-fi and cheap electronics and production methods. Fans of obscure 1980's cassette releases will know what I am talking about... for others... well think something in between minimal synth pieces sounding a bit poppy but too strange for dancefloors and at the same time experimental but not harsh and loud enough for going into the industrial side of things.
This LP '107' is in a way quite close to 'Pink & Purple'. The mix of tracks is great with poppy songs and stranger pieces and even a Kosmische Scene influenced track. The musician calls this "minimal wave" but this is so much beyond that. Also I think this style defintion was not really used 25 years ago... so why use it now for music by one of the original musicians?! O.R.D.U.C. is so much above that.
The record comes in an edition of 250 copies and will be available soon from my webshop.

review: Poeme Electronique - The Echoes Fade

German label Anna Logue is mostly a re-issue label focussing on synthesizer music from the 1980's and mostly releasing synth pop and electro pop music from that era. Their catalogue features releases by Camera Obscura, Sudeten Creche, Design and Monuments to name a few.
Some the releases I liked best so far are the Carmody and Monuments cd's with some great synth pop music. A little but off center maybe for the label were the releases by The Hands Of Cain (batcave music) and Stranger Station (synth music but less pop).
Next to these 1980's releases with some obscure material the label also released a few contemporary bands like Sleep Museum (also known as After The Snow on my label), Sonnenbrandt (Neue Deutsche Welle / electro pop) and The Silicon Scientist (solo project of Sonnenbrandt member).
Also Anna Logue has released a few records by 1980's bands with remixes and new versions of old songs. In that way a 7 inch has appeared by UK based Poeme Electronique on which the band presented a new version of their classic cult single 'The Echoes Fade'/'Voice'.
Now there is this massive 2LP with no less then 16 tracks by Poeme Electronique. All original tracks so no remix/remaster/re-do whatever. The real thing. It is funny that this band never reached more people back then. The original 7 inch from 1982 was quite good and many of the songs on this 2LP are simply great.
Here is a band with real musical skills and singing talent. You cannot say that of many of the 1980's bands that are currently being re-issued. On this record Anna Logue shows us a band with all onboard to have made it. Strange they never became bigger...
Just listen to tracks like 'Rendezvous', 'Fragile' and 'Dilemma'. These would have been great A sides for singles and great tracks for some extended 12 inch versions. What you hear is a new wave synthesizer band that sounds in a way like a more poppy version of Kirlian Camera. Never as gothic, never as Italo disco but equally good and with a similar moody sound.
At times the tempo goes a bit more down and you get served some excellent dreamy pop tunes like on 'A Mourner's Lament' for example.
This 2LP is a fantastic document with all these tracks collected, the deluxe packaging and in this hand numbered limited edition of 500 copies. Still this could have been a simply fantasic LP by leaving some tracks away. Now it is more of a document then a real album. Besided this no complains here!
You can get this 2LP and some of the other Anna Logue releases at my webshop here... look under the 80's section...

review: Former Ghosts - Fleurs

It is funny... Cold Cave has a good rumor going on, Former Ghosts is following close after them (mainly because of sharing musicians and performing together) and Agent Side Grinder is just around the corner. This "neo wave" is nothing new at all... as followers of my label know. It is right now maybe just (again) the next hype for some journalists and labels... well I hope not... I rather see this music to be taken seriously and getting the credits it deserves. It is much more daring as the music from the contemporary gothic scene (also a sort of neo wave). Which is often nothing less as simple and cheesy Garageband/Fruityloops dancefloor music with some distorted vocals.

Anyway... Former Ghosts... what a debut album they have delivered. Too be honest 'Fleurs' did not attract my full attention when I first put it on. But... after the album was finished I put it on again and again and again... The thing is that the first few songs are not outstanding... compared to the rest of the album that is. Maybe it will appeal to some peope who are looking for a not everyday but still dancefloor type of song in the 80's new wave / cold wave tradition.

My advice is to skip the first three songs and then plunge into the dark, moody and eerie sounds of Former Ghosts. The thing that sets this band apart from many other bands in the neo wave scene is that the electronic music sounds fresh and crispy. It has some cuts and clicks moments and quite clear and nice melody lines. Most bands who play this style of music have a dominating analogue sound (do not get me wrong... I like that) with lots of distortion all over it. So, not Former Ghosts.

The vocals are rather eerie and in the background a bit muffled too. The combination with the music is like an updated version of Trisomie 21 to give at least one reference.

My absolute favorite tracks are those that feature the singer from Zola Jesus. It gives me shivers all over. 'In Earth's Palm' and especially 'The Bull And The Ram' would fit perfectly in a David Lynch film. You know in a scene in some strange and run down or otherwise unsettling bar or roadhouse. With a singer on stage who seems to be half fainting or anything... well I guess you get the picture.

To conclude... wow! What a record. I should get some copies for my webshop soon...

Gifgrond & Enfant Terrible: 27 feb 2010 live Adolf Filter, Monster Apparat, Kord + dj M.

On saturday 27 february 2010 Gifgrond and Enfant Terrible team up again for a festivity. This time there will perform three Swedish minimal synth, synth pop, wierd elektro pop acts: Adolf Filter, Monster Apparat and Kord.

I will be spinning some fitting tunes as DJ M.

For Gifgrond see here...
For Adolf Filter see here...
For Monster Apparat see here...
For Kord see here...

More information on time and such later...

review: Low Red Center

Today a small pile of the debut 10 inch by USA based band Low Red Center was delivered. Since I opened the package and put a copy on the turntable I did not play anything else anymore this day.

Low Red Center is more of a performance group then a traditional band thing. The live shows I have read about seems to feature costumes, theatrical aspects and such... hopefully they are coming over to Europe some day soon... Also it is a group of musicians with some experience as members are also active in Medio Mutante and Zom Zoms for example.

Anyway the music... well you could qualify this as minimal synth but it is sounding less harsh and raw and is richer in sounds and textures. It has none of the clichés of the style and that is what makes it so good... even outstanding.

The sound is quite light and warm and playful. Still it is lo-fi and unpolished. Well basically it has all that good post-punk music should have... Maybe think about the experimental side of The Dreams and mix this with the melancholy side of Kim Ki O and put in a bit of Los Iniciados and you get pretty close to what they sound like.

This 10 inch is their debut vinyl release on S-S Records (there is also a 7 inch out now on another label) and it is simply lovely! I hope the future will bring more nice tunes from this band... meanwhile you can get a copy of this 10 inch in my webshop...

reviews: Monster Apparat, Kord, Rodent Plague

Recently some nice 7 inches are spinning round here on the turntable. From Sweden came a big suprise as a band I had never heard from before called Monster Apparat landed here on the doormat. It seems this band came into existence somewhat like an accident, but it is a new act I keep an eye on for sure.
After some little examination of the sleeve and insert I discovered that Monster Apparat consists of the musician behind Kord (see below) and one of the guys from Adolf Filter. Well... since I like both acts nothing could really go wrong... but the music even surpassed my expectations.
You get the best from both world: the excellent more uptempo rhythms and synth sounds from Kord with the atmospheric elements of Adolf Filter. Really... this is pumping and energetic stuff but with a nice mood to it. Easily some of the best synth pop / elektro pop recently released! It comes in a very nice fitting sleeve as always with Kernkrach releases.

While the person behind Kord is doing nice things with Monster Apparat he also released a new 7 inch on Börft Records. As Kord he also released records in 1998 and 2006 so it is not a very active project as it seems. But who cares if the quality of his output is that good as with Monster Apparat and this new 7 inch!?
The A side is a killer track. It is a slow rather funny and druggy tune. I can imagine stoned people going crazy on this and seeing pink elephants or something. But... still even as a non user I am enjoying this tune so much. Like you are walking on clouds and the sun is shining so nice...
On the B side is a more uptempo track I can imagine being played on parties. The vocals are done well with a little twist and the melody takes the track onwards while the beat is running strong. Simply excellent!

More weird and fitting perfectly in line with the A side of the Kord release is Rodent Plague. This is a side project by one of the musicians from the guitar band A-Frames. With this Rodent Plague 7 inch on the Kill Shaman label (Factums, Pink Noise) the sound goes into wierd synth and strange surf music. The A side is like the Beach Boys being totally drenched in LSD. Nice... but far more excellent is the B side which goes much furthur... a procession tune done as an eerie circus theme... truly a small masterpiece...
Only I discovered recently after numerous playing turns the record should be played at 33 rpm and I play it on 45 rpm... well I checked but decided I prefer it on 45 rpm... it gives it that nice little extra wierd twist...

I have some copies left of all three 7 inches in my webshop...

reviews: Krysmopompas, Adolf Filter, Peter Quistgard

Here are three nice small records I have been listening to the last few months...

Krysmopompas already pleasantly surprised me with their 2LP on S-S Records from the USA. This German based band plays excellent Neo Deutsche Welle music. You get on this 7 inch (released on the Italian Avant! Records label) two playful tunes (called 'Gesa' and 'Volker') in the best Neue Deutsche Welle tradition. While the tracks on the 2LP were more guitar dominated these two tracks are less typical rock influenced. Still the guitar is there but it is used in a different way (less rock) and more electronic elements pop up. The sound is now quite close to that of Punk Soul Loving Bill. And while this band has ceased to exist it is nice to have Krysmopompas around to fill the gap.
500 were pressed and they come in a sleeve with a very nice cover design. Still a few copies available at the Enfant Terrible webshop.

Adolf Filter released this two track 7 inch (entitled 'Storing Signals In Analog Form') on the small Tissel & Tassel label that also already released the excellent Close Diode 7" compilation (also featuring Adolf Filter and a great track by Swedish Twize My Size). These two melodic down/mid tempo pieces are simple great dark synth pop tunes. Funny thing is I got the tracks to listen to for releasing on Enfant Terrible and I was not sure about them back then. So the band released it this way in a small edition of only 100 copies. What a great idea this was and how fitting! And now... I hear the genius of it... I had some at the Enfant Terrible webshop but they are gone but I believe the band has a few left...

For those present at the Enfant Terrible night at STRP Festival 2009 or have seen the announcements for this night Peter Quistgard should be a name to know. This guy from Holland likes to take musical toys apart, short circuit them and then use them as instruments for this music. What you get is a mixed up sound of break beats, gabber house and weird playful elektro. The structure of his tracks might be hard to follow for the unfamiliar but if you listen to the tracks more often you will sort it out for sure. It is crazy and original and fantastic electronic noise! References are hard to give... expect maybe that Peter Quistgard sounds like a messed up and dirty and more trashy Kania Tieffer... well in that case you simply have to love this!
The 7 inches are released on a small Dutch label called Toztizok in which the musician is himself also involved. The sleeves are handmade and equally excellent as is the music. Only 300 copies where pressed and I have some at the Enfant Terrible webshop. And... if you get a chance to see Peter Quistgard live make sure to be there in the front row to see him play around with his partly destroyed toys...

The Enfant Terrible webshop is here...

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.”

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/

review: Johanna Liebhart's early works 1978-1980 - Damals...

Johanna Liebhart might not ring a bell by many people. She is a well kept secret in the world of electronic music and I think this record will not change this in any way. Do not get me wrong I like this record... a lot... it is just most likely that the music itself and this edition will find it's way only to the few people who really want to find it...

Anyway... released on 10 inch in an edition of 277 hand numbered copies with nice inserts you get an overview of the early works of Johanna Liebhart, also known as Anna. This musician was active from the late 1970's to 2000 and has released some music on the Advertance Editions label and the Gigabrosaurus Recs label besides her own Neo Muzik label. All very obscure labels and only for the true music archeologists among us. She was found dead in 2000 with 66 stab wounds.

Her music is romantic new wave, meaning slow and tranquil synth wave that can go into ambient territory but mostly stays on the synth side of the balance due to the nice melancholy synthesizer lines in the tracks. She has been called The New Wave Goddess, and why not?! Her sound is majestic and done with style and has an unearthy feeling at times.

Some of her work has been used as basis for tracks by Wermut and Ich Wollte, Ich Konnte (IWIK). As the musicians behind these projects run the Gigabrosaurus Recs label and the Treue um Treue label it is no surprise they have now released this hommage to Johanna Liebhart, or Anna if you please.

On this 10 inch are seven pieces among which the tracks IWIK and Wermut used for tracks of their own. The track 'Ich Wollte, Ich Konnte' is a beautiful sad piece that has the feeling of classical music but has this lo-fi electronic charm over it. The IWIK version is more spiced maybe but this orginal is simply excellent nighttime music.

'Nicole' was released as an uptempo elektro wave track by Wermut on the "Hoera! Een Hex Voor Thuis!"compilation on my Hex Grammofoonplaten/Enfant Terrible label. The version on this 10 inch is very different. It is down tempo and without a rhythm. The synth lines are pulsating but there is no beat. It is very interesting to hear this original or proto version.

Another highlight is the more ambient like '1 000 000 Worter'. Also closing piece 'Heut' Nacht' is more ambient orientated. It is a long track which comes over you like a slow wave of warm water. It is a sad piece but also beautiful with its melancholy mood all over it.

These seven instrumental tracks are the perfect soundtrack for a lonely night and will produce flashback of the past for sure. The title 'Damals...' refers to the slogan of Johanna Liebhart: "Damals war alles besser". And you may question that saying but listening to this music that makes you remember the past... at least for that moment all listeners will feel this way.

You can get this record at the Enfant Terrible webshop and of course at the Treue um Treue webshop.