review: Woud / Bebe Fang

Samling is a small label from Holland and has released up till now five releases. Next to three cd-r's and one tape they also published a book. The second and the latest release are both related to the Dutch band Eklin which I wrote about earlier on this blog.

The latest release is a cd-r by Woud. The cd-r itself comes in a small plastic bag with a fold out poster on A3 format with a nice black and white drawing by the musician himself. Woud is the bassplayer of Eklin and on this debut release he serves the listener three tracks of trippy ambient. Opening track 'Fire' is the most dark track and could be a ambient piece by Burzum... if he was on a happy trip. This as Woud never gets too dark... his ambient structures are more spacey and relax and peaceful instead of dark and mean.

Listening more and more to the disc and to the other two tracks the music goes more and more into a sort of ambient pop or dream pop style. With this music you do not need to take any drugs to start floating... the soft sounds, tranquil vocals and soothing melodies are all you need. And... it is a happy trip for sure!

Released earlier but still available and even more interesting as Woud is Bebe Fang. This is a duo with another Eklin member behind the controls. Bebe Fang is much more ritualistic as Woud, almost becoming some sort of folk music. This debut tape with five tracks feels like an obscure field recording from the heart of old Europe, or Scandinavia.

In away this could have fitted on the great Fonal label as it is freaky and experimental and as said folky in a weird way. The pieces without rhythms are more ambient like... in away as those of Woud but darker and more mysterious. When the rhythms come in the music truly becomes ritualistic and shamanistic. It works the same way into your system as some of the Zola Jesus pieces, but Bebe Fang sounds more authenthic... and again as said more like an obscure field recording as contemporary pop music. Really amazing and mind blowing... it gives me shivers and I love it... highly addictive!

Both releases are very limited... the cd-r of Woud is released only in an edition of 50 copies and the Bebe Fang tape comes in an edition of 100 copies. You can get both releases at the Enfant Terrible webshop here...

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...

interview Enfant Terrible with Blackout Musique

Below is an interview with me done by Blackout Musique. As the Canadian Blackout Musiqe webzine publishes in French only and I got several requests to have this interview available in English here it is:

- We don’t often receive Dutch music here in Canada. What can you tell us about the local music scene? Is there a strong opposition between mainstream and independent production channels?


Well… I have been active in the music industry here for many years and worked for and with various organizations next to handling my own activities. Even though there are of course different worlds which you could define as mainstream and independent I do not like to talk about it in that way… simply as I do not care much about a large part of the so called music industry… either what you could call mainstream or independent.

For me there are very few interesting people, venues and organizations here. Only very few concerts I like to attend are organized and only few magazines write about music I am interested in.

On the other hand there are some people who like me have a normal day job and are active in bands, or run a small label, or organize a concert from time to time… all of this takes place in a world of its own… as what you call mainstream channels ignore the music given attention by these individual people and small organizations. Or maybe these mainstream channels as you call them do not ignore it.. they simply they do not know and don’t want to know about this music… or are not capable of hearing and seeing the brilliance of the music I and some others work with.

In my opinion there are only few people with good taste and guts and that work to promote music instead of themselves.


- Enfant Terrible has specialized in the last few years in discovering numerous new talents through its various compilations. How do you proceed to find them?


This is like asking a cook his recipe. Anyway… I have been searching for new music to listen to as long as I can remember. Next to that I have been writing about music for many years. At some point I came across music I felt other people should also hear. That is how I started and is essentially still the reason why I am active with Enfant Terrible. I discover music I like and in some cases I like to give this music / these artists a platform to present itself.

Even though my focus has changed the last year a bit in sounds and I also incorporate visual art more and more in my activities. Also I have expanded my activities into other areas such as a radio show (called Radio Resistencia) together with Andreas (Lesbian Mouseclicks) and Peter (Sololust) whom I am involved with in a foundation and a paper magazine (called Traces) I do in collaboration with Johan from Seja.

This way I have more options to promote the music I come across in my endless searches… and in this way Enfant Terrible has become a platform, or a source for information, instead of “just” a label.


- Not only does your label publish underground artists, but it also does so almost exclusively on vinyl. How did you come to this decision and is it viable economically?


A cd isn’t anything in my opinion. While I consider digital music as in download mp3’s absolutely as a non-product, a cd is only a step away from that. When I started my label the idea of doing cd’s did not even cross my mind. This as I like a real product and also as I am a collector of vinyl records myself since a very long time.

I did one cd to prove to myself a cd could be a good product if taken care of… this was for me only partly a success… even though the I still like the compilation in question, “Radio Resistencia”, a lot… only the format was not satisfying in the end. A double vinyl would have been better… Well… you learn from mistakes… it is an ongoing process to continuously improve what I do…

It is not just that I release vinyl records… I release limited editions of vinyl records. And really limited editions. Not like some labels who say they do limited editions and re-press when the edition is sold out. When you buy an Enfant Terrible release you know that when it is gone it is really gone.

The way I distribute my records through a network or independent shops also makes it harder for a regular and broader audience to get hold of them, or even to know these records exist. That is done on purpose. I want people to take action and need to get involved to get hold of these sounds and products. You cannot walk into any shop and get these records. It is a specific product with specific content for a specific audience. You have to know… you have to be a illuminati… but I try to promote my artists as well as I can… so my platform is open for all to get involved… it is not a closed cult or anything.

Still I have no interest in serving a regular consumption minded audience. But I do care a lot about my audience, the people who follow my label and the people who truly are music enthusiasts. Also I am happy to have the support of this network of independent shops who help to get the music to the right people.

And… economically viable? No, but that is also not the aim of Enfant Terrible. All my activities are about creating cultural value not economical value… that is why I decided to have, and continue, with my normal day job and keep Enfant Terrible as a sort of full time hobby next to my full time job…


- There has been lately a “revival” of sorts for minimal & DIY electronic music styles from the early 1980s. Labels hunt down rarities for reissues and new artists adopt this musical language in a fashion often undistinguishable in sound from the original productions. What is your opinion on this?


To be honest I think a lot of irrelevant music from the 1980’s is being released right now. That is also the reason I do not sell all these re-issues in my webshop. Even though I know there are quite some people who buy all of these records. I select the few I think are really nice as a document, as a collector piece and are interesting to listen to because of the music.

For me every record has to have a cultural value. Sorry to mention this again but it a core value of my activities. That is also why I now focus on contemporary artists with Enfant Terrible, and move away from what I call the “sure center” of minimal synth sounds. I will keep releasing some more or less typical minimal synth sounds, but mostly I will release more daring music. Like the original pioneers played… these musicians did not play minimal synth music… they simply played music that was made by simple means as with equipment with limited functions. They created interesting soundscapes not just catchy dance tunes.

Contemporary bands who are just copycats of the 80’s sounds I have no interest in. I look for musicians I feel are working in the tradition on the pioneers of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s BUT who are also adding their own touches… often touches very clearly inspired by the world around us today or defined by ways of producing and thinking about music today.


- And finally, what are your plans for the label in 2011?


I will release the last 1980’s re-issue for some time on my label. For some time I have already been doing mostly contemporary music next to focusing on local Dutch talents. But I want to close an important chapter for Enfant Terrible. This chapter is the releases I did as a collaboration with Trumpett. Enfant20 will be a second Doxa Sinistra record. This is the re-issue on vinyl of the first tape “Via Del Latte’. Also it will mean the end of releasing their archive material. All relevant music from this Dutch 80’s tape label has been released through Enfant Terrible after this last vinyl LP.

Maybe I will release some other 80’s music in the near future, like continue the Spleen and Radionome sessions series, but for now I will continue with releasing contemporary music. Also I will continue to release new Dutch talents. And I will continue to broaden the sound spectrum for Enfant Terrible. So expect both some more experimental sounds as also some more poppy sounds.

And… I am working on some more projects that go beyond music as plain music… like I already do with the collaboration with Renée van Trier and the Kelly Correll Brown artifact for example.

Here is the Blackout Musique webzine...

review: Eklin - Lydl Tellet / Onwa

From the ashes of Dutch elektro-noise act Adept came Eklin. Eklin is very different in sound as this previous project. To give an idea I might call this experimental indie pop, or ambient pop. This are there are pop structures and sounds to be found but most tracks have this edgy feeling. It is never on the save side of pop but neither on the abstract or academic side of most experimental music.

When poppy there is always an element that makes the song stand out in between your regular indie pop. When experimental the music keeps easy to consume without you needing to understand any music theory.

Many tracks are rather ambient... dream like soundscapes but not boring at all. The organic sounds float in and out of your living room and leave this nice warm feeling... Because of the mix of these more ambient pieces and some more song structured tracks the records are pleasant to listen to. They are very well put together with just the right dynamics for your listening experience.

Both records are self published by the band. "Lydl Tellet" is a 4 track EP and "Onwa" is an 10 track album. Both are highly recommended!

You can see Eklin live on stage at the next Enfant Terrible event, Soirée Enfant Terrible on April 2 in Theater Kikker in Utrecht, Holland. See here for all details on that night...

Traces: a new paper journal on art and music

Traces is a new paper journal in English on art and music and was founded in 2010 and is run by M. from Enfant Terrible and J. from Seja. The first issue appears next week (mid March 2011).

Everybody is talking about the ecological footprint people leave behind on this earth. We are also interested in the positive traces people leave around. So we bring you artists and musicians who leave their cultural footprints... who leave cultural traces. Traces to be found and traces to be nourished...

For this reason we started this free paper journal on art and music. With Traces we give attention to interesting visual art and music from around the world. We do this on paper so you can get away from the computer screen and relax and sit back comfortable and enjoy the printed words. With Traces we will leave some cultural traces for you to find, follow and nourish...

Traces is for free and available at: Antenne (NL), Apop (USA), Enfant Terrible (NL), Kernkrach (D), Seja (NL), Tonefloat (NL), Treue Um Treue (D), Wool-E-Shop (B).

See also here...

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...