Europ Europ: new video, new live show and new vinyl

From Norway comes the electronic outfit Europ Europ. They have been around since 1996 with various members in various line ups. Their sound is raw and noisy minimal electronics with some crazy poppy moments from time to time.

Out now is the new video for the new track 'This Song Makes Me Cry'. This track will be released soon on vinyl on the Etch Wear label, run by the band members themselves. Later this year there will be another vinyl release on Enfant Terrible.

See the excellent new videoclip for this track from the upcoming release here...

Also Europ Europ will perform live on April 2 in Holland at the Soirée Enfant Terrible at Theater Kikker in Utrecht. This is a change to see this band on one of their seldom trips outside Scandinavia.

In the meantime there is an excellent 7 inch and a equally good 12" for sale in the Enfant Terrible webshop. Both are limited editions and the 7" comes in handmade sleeves of which no two are the same. See here...

Adventurous music for the well informed!

review: Former Ghosts - New Love.

I read a few reviews that were not all that positive about this second album by Former Ghosts. Basically it came down to the same point: there is no spine-chilling track as 'The Bull And The Ram' on "New Love."

Well... yes that is true... and as much as I loved the first album ("Fleurs", for a review see the archive) I must say that "New Love." is even better as the debut album. While 'The Bull And The Ram' is a truly excellent piece it did lift the whole album to a higher level. Not that the other tracks were not good... but still this highlight was in the end almost all that stuck to your mind.

"New Love." is another story. The album is more cohesive with several really good tracks on it. In general the songs are more melodic and this gives the album a more accessible feeling. The debut was quite dissonant at some points. This new album has a much more gentle flow so to speak.

The records builts up much better and the most outstanding tracks are placed just in the right spots. This makes listening to the record a true pleasure and makes you keep coming back... not for one track but for all of the tunes.

Next to that the highlights of "New Love." are maybe not as mindblowing as 'The Bull And The Ram' but they are excellent on their own. For example 'New Orleans' is a fantastic elektro-wave piece with some late night dancefloor potential.

Zola Jesus' Nika Roza Danilova is also back on two tracks. But this time there is another guest vocalist, Yasmine Kittles, who is probably best know from fellow electronic outfit Tearist.

While Yasmine adds some well delivered whispering vocals, Nika does her typical vocal thingy on 'Chin-Up' and 'Only In Time' and is almost responsible again for the best track on a Former Ghosts album. Almost... as most outstanding is without a doubt 'Right Here' a track done only by Freddy Ruppert, so done also without his companion Jamie Stewart (from Xiu Xiu). A wonderful small melancholy piece. Like a new wave inspired Casiotone For The Painfully Alone in a way...

"New Love." is a great new album despite the fact that nothing truly new is happening compared with the first album, but still I think the more accessible side of Former Ghosts portrayed here is their best side so far...

review: Lowfish - Memories Are Uncertain Friends

In short I could mention two points of criticism about this release. One is that it is a cd. Not the nicest of formats to release music on... especially when it comes to electronic music. But then this album is released on a cd packaged in a tin can in a limited hand numbered edition of only 250 copies. That is good enough for me as a collector and as a music lover.

The other point of criticism I can think of is that the music on this album sounds so "1990's". It is IDM and more abstract minded elektro / electronic music with the typical sound of that era. Buth then, this IS music from the 1990's... all tracks date from 1995 to 1999.

What I want to say is that the only points of criticism anybody could come up with for this album are irrelevant. "Memories Are Uncertain Friends" is a superb album with electronic music. An album filled with quality IDM, elektro and related electronic music styles. From abstract to some sort of dance tunes to spacey ambient pieces.

This release also marks the return of Suction Records. A label I respect and a label that must be seen as an important player in the first wave of the elektro, synth pop and minimal electronics revival. Together with labels as Invasion Planète, Genetic Music and A.D.S.R. they shaped the things to come when it comes to this type of music.

Suction Records also have always filled a gap with a specific sounds nobody else did. The music they release is smoother as the stuff Invasion Planète released and not so typical new wave inspired as the Genetic Music output, and less focused on lo-fi experiments as what A.D.S.R. was doing.

Their sound was elektro pop with a twist towards experimentation and in a case of more experimental electronic music always in an accessible way... meaning never over the top and thus still enjoyable to listen to in your car while driving. As is also the case with this Lowfish album.

So, I am very pleased to see Suction Records is resurrected. This first release by Lowfish is a perfect new beginning after the hiatus of about seven years since the last proper release. Looking forward to what will be coming next...

In the meantime you can get this Lowfish album at the Enfant Terrible webshop...

review: Terminal Twilight - Black And Blue / The Fire Of Love

A few weeks ago on one of my night strolls on the internet for new music I came across Terminal Twilight. Immediately I fell in love with their dark disco music. I am not a big fan of (neo) italo music but when it is done just the right way what a nice touch of new wave, synth pop and/or elektro pop I can be seduced. Like for example Sally Shapiro and Tobias Bernstrup before triggered me into this style of music.

Terminal Twilight is like an italo disco version of a David Lynch soundtrack. A bit like Chromatics at times but possibly just that little bit darker. Or like Cosmetics but richer in sound.

Anyway, I wrote the label that released both their first 12" EP and 7" this year, Infite Soundtracks. Straight away I ordered all the last remaining copies of the debut 12" EP and some copies of the recent released 7". They have just arrived here in time for the last day of this year... and I must say Terminal Twilight is for me the best new band out there for 2010.

The "Black And Blue" 12" EP is simply excellent. The title track is a massive dance track for ill lit dancefloors early in the morning. If David Lynch would pick out an (neo) italo disco tune for a scene this would be just the right one. "The Sea" comes in two very different versions. One is very tranquil and gloomy while the other is another perfect dancefloor tune. Slow but perfect... as it should be! Closing track "The Lovers" is a moody piece that would work als the last dance song of the night... A perfect ending for a perfect debut EP!

The second release by Terminal Twilight is a 7" with on the A-side "The Fire Of Love". This is a cover version of the rockabilly song by Jody Reynolds. The original version was used in "Fire Walk With Me"... well it says a lot already that the band picked this track to do a version of. Their interpretation of the song is done very well, resulting in a moody and slow elektro ballad / chanson.

On the B-side is "Air", which was released before on a cassette compilation. It is a spine-chilling track and I think one of the best tracks among all these tracks. Done in sort of duet way this gloomy and spacey slow synth song is there to trigger your senses and keep you coming back for more...

With Terminal Twilight as one of the highlights of 2010 and the best new band of the year for me I am happy to enter the night and drive into the future...

You can get copies of these records at the Enfant Terrible webshop here...

Hear "The Sea" here...

See and hear "The Fire Of Love" here...

Hear "Air" here...

review: Haus Arafna - You

It has been a few years since the last Haus Arafna album was released. "Butterfly" was released in 2003. This album showed a shift from more old school power electronics to more evident classic minimal electronics. Now seven years later "You" is released. At first listening the album felt to me like shifted more towards a contemporary November Növelet sound. But I was mistaken... very much...

While November Növelet has gone synth pop in a very cold and dark way, Haus Arafna goes (again) for full terror impact on all your senses. Opening tracks 'Pain To Love' and 'You Don't Believe Me' maybe sound a bit like the side project November Növelet but then 'You' and 'Judas Kiss' are making sure you know what you are listening to.

These tracks and also a piece like 'Colony Colapse' are absolute there to attack your nerve system. Throbbing, ultra dark, aggressive electronic pulses are aimed at your brain and body with success. Haus Arafna is one of the few music projects around that really knows how to combine interesting sound sculptures with music that really touches you... or maybe hurts you... anyway if this music does not do anything with you... well... you must be dead already...

Some other tracks are disturbing due to their moody, desolate and misanthrophic feeling that surrounds you while listening. For example 'Today You Died' and 'Lucifer' are truly haunting pieces of electronic music.

A masterpiece of sonic terror!!

Some copies of the decadent packaged vinyls are in the Enfant Terrible webshop...

review: Moon Duo - Escape

This duo from San Francisco really set me off on a trip with their latest EP "Escape". I believe that in the meantime they already released another 7 inch and a split 7 inch... but this 12" EP does it big time for me.

Last year they released two more 12"'s of which one through Sacred Bones... known from Zola Jesus and Factums to name just two other excellent contemporary acts from the USA.

Anyway this new EP has all the elements to please the real freak out there... it has the minimalistic way of doing things like Suicide did, the drums (from a machine / sample) and the guitar are doing their thing in that classic Jesus and Mary Chain way and then all of this is done in a 60's acid rock style. For me this description already sounds like heaven but from vinyl... well... it is like the trip I always wanted...

Blasting loud through my speakers in a slightly lit room... dozing off on these tracks that take about 7 minutes each... I feel like lying in a corner on the floor at one of these acid test Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters pulled off... still I could stand up and dance my head off in the flickering strobelights at any moment soon...

"Escape" is released on the Woodsist label from fellow acid heads Woods. There is also this recent compilation out on Woodsist entitled "Welcome Home: Diggin'The Universe - A Woodsist Compilation". There is another great track from Moon Duo on that one. Next to that you will hear various contemporary interpretations of psychedelic and beat music from a total of thirteen bands. Worth checking out too...

Moon Duo is planning to tour Europe spring 2011 together with Turkish band Kim Ki O. Kim Ki O of course recently releases their debut LP "Dans" on my Enfant Terrible label.

Well... that is it... sorry I am back to my trip now... join me by tuning into Moon Duo here...

review: Puin+Hoop - Door

Maybe you know Dutch experimental band Puin+Hoop from their great track on the "Kamp Holland" compilation. In a way they play "ambient" or "drone" music. But... it is way too easy to classify this band like that. It would do them no justice at all.

The sounds these musicians create and the structures where these sounds are placed in go beyond the easy styles like dark ambient and drone music. That music is often very simple and most of the acts in that field of music sound the same. What sets Puin+Hoop apart from most of these acts is that their music is intelligent and adventurous.

References can be found in the worlds of free-jazz and contemporary classical music. Possibly a suiting way to describe the music by Puin+Hoop is electro-acoustic pop music. Still pop music as it also has a light touch... it is not hard to consume and you do not need to know anything about any theories on music to fully enjoy this music. You can simple sit back and tune in on the trip the musicians have prepared for you.

This album "Door" is released on Dutch label Narrominded, who also release Hunter Complex amongst others. You can get it on cd in a nice handmade cover or as free download.

Saturday 13 November 2010 they present this album with a night of live music and improvisation. Several artists will join Puin+Hoop on stage for some improvisation sessions. Among them Murw and Hunter Complex, for both see also "Kamp Holland". This concert night will take place in Theater Kikker, Utrecht, The Netherlands. See here for all details...

I look forward to hear much more adventurous music from these musicians. In the meantime there is "Door" and there are numerous self released cd-r's to enjoy.