CIX. Ekatarina Velika | Ljubav

EKATARINA VELIKA

Ljubav

©PGP RTB. Jugoslavija, 1987.

‟Here's where the things got interesting. Another drummer change (Žika Todorović, previously of Disciplina Kičme), a label change (switch to a more glamorous PGP RTB) and a new producer (Theodore Yanni) cleaned the slate clean, so EKV started the second stage of their career with a more mature, mystical approach. Inspired by the four basic earthly elements and the declining political situation in country, their songs started sounding more and more sombre ("Tonemo" might be the first sign of this), and their lyrics became more and more complex. Which is good, really, because Mladenović was not a working class poet, he had higher aspirations. "Zemlja", "Pored Mene", "Ljubav" and "Ljudi iz Gradova" are real standouts, but, simply put, there's hardly a weak track here.‟

Mairosu

CVIII. Elli Riehl | Die Herren Des Waldes

ELLI RIEHL

Die Herren Des Waldes

©Hau Ruck!. Österreich, 2004.

‟Limitiert auf 250 Stück. Dark atmospheres, stirring strings and deep, wood instrumentation. Very interesting, slow pace that gives the whole record a very moody, sort of ominous, creepy feel to it. Throw in some strange, high pitched German vocals and you’ve got quite a unique record. On a side note, Elli Riehl is an Austrian Lady famous in German speaking Europe for her doll museum in Villach/Austria.‟

 Elliriehl.at

CVII. Xmal Deutschland | Devils

XMAL DEUTSCHLAND

Devils

©Metronome. Deutschland, 1989.

‟Xmal Deutschland were formed in Hamburg in 1980 by five female musicians and debuted with the singles Schawarze Welt (Zick-Zack) and Incubus Succubus. Three of the original founders (Anja Huwe on vocals, Manuela Rickers on guitar, Fiona Sangster on keyboards) and two new recruits (Wolfgang Ellerbrock on bass and Manuela Zwingmann on drums) cut the album 'Fetisch' (4AD, 1983), which established them in the British circuit of gothic dance-music and dark-punk. Mixing those styles with the austere angst of expressionism, tracks such as Qual aimed at coining a new form of dance. After second album 'Tocsin' (1984), the singles 'Jahr um Jahr' (Xile, 1985) and 'Matador' (Xile, 1986), and third album 'Viva' (1987), the band members split, with Huwe and Ellerbrock recording as Palais Schaumburg the album 'Devils' (1989).‟

Scaruffi.

CVI. Ophelia's Dream | All Beauty Is Sad

OPHELIA'S DREAM

All Beauty Is Sad

©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1997.

‟'All Beauty Is Sad' was first released on Hyperium and this most desperately searched for work is now available again. The classic style of Ophelia's Dream flourishes beautifully on this re-release. Masterful string arrangements, Heavenly Voices, sombre soundscapes create inexpressible haunting beauty for the true melancholic at heart. An attempt to investigate the relationship between beauty and sadness. This dark, mysterious and captivating masterpiece falls somewhere between Arvo Pärt, Dead Can Dance and the solo works of Tony Wakeford (Sol Invictus). All tracks have been digitally remastered. Heavenly voices and neo-classical with a feeling of an honest, eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Death, or laughter in the face of Death. Goth in its purest and darkest sense.‟

Projekt.com

 

CV. oOoOO | oOoOO

oOoOO

oOoOO  EP
©Tri Angle. US, 2010.

‟Repateándose la blogosfera con la misma obstinación con la que rebuscábamos en las recónditas estanterías de las tiendas de discos de antaño, uno puede hallar proyectos tan interesantes como oOoOO. No ha hecho falta merodear demasiado porque la revista The Wire nos ha puesto en la pista de este sorprendente artista californiano, que a veces actúa como dúo, al hablarnos de un CD-R homónimo publicado por Disaro. El formato físico llega después de haber compartido durante un año sus canciones en internet. Su música es oscura y su imaginería críptica como códigos masónicos. Un halo de misterio entela sus canciones, a la vez que una belleza melancólica nos cobija cual hipnotizante parabrisas bajo la tormenta.

En una reciente entrevista a Vice Magazine, oOoOO cuenta que un amigo les dijo que "sonaban como la música de una escena de película en la que un hombre ha entrado en un abarrotado restaurante en Mumbai y ha disparado a todo el mundo. Y ahora está caminando, a cámara lenta, bajo una intensa lluvia, a media noche, a través de las mugrientas calles de la ciudad, llorando y torturado por los remordimientos de lo que acaba de hacer." Y de ahí surgió el título de “Mumbai”, que junto a otros cinco temas impronunciables conforman el citado CD-R de edición limitada ya inencontrable. The Wire los emparenta con las power ballads de los 80, con DJ Screw y con John Oswald por su apropiacionismo en piezas como "Pckrfcrmx", en la que reconoceréis el "Pockerface" de la omnipresente Lady Gaga. Aunque yo diría que harían mejores migas con V/Vm que con Oswald.

Podéis descargar algunas de sus canciones gratuitamente en The Hype Machine. Y en formato físico creo que aun quedan copias de un 7" compartido con White Ring publicado por el sello Emotion y en el que figura "Seaww". Y precisamente escogemos este tema como colofón porque su videoclip ha sido realizado nada más y nada menos que por Daniel Lopatin, el artista repsponsable de Oneoxtrix Point Never.‟
 

Klamm 

CIV. Modern Eon | Fiction Tales

MODERN EON

Fiction Tales

©Dindisc. UK, 1981.

‟I had been living in Plymouth for 3 weeks when I was given free-reign to spend £10 at the local Virgin Megastore in Armada Way. It was 1981 and I had a tenner burning a hole in my pocket and standing in, what seemed to me at the time, the largest record shop in the world. Having lived near Devizes in Wiltshire for the previous 3 years, Plymouth was already a huge city to me and wandering into the erstwhile Branson empire was a treat in itself. But I wasn't prepared for the choice and the range of lovely little 7" slices of plastic discs nestling on wire racks, clinging haphazardly to the walls behind the counter. I remember spotting "Procession" by New Order, "Burning Car" by John Foxx and "Euthenics" by Modern Eon. So I bought all 3 (and another pair of repressed Devo singles) and hurried home on the 42 bus to Manadon to my parents house to give them a spin.

30 minutes later, 10 songs later, 5 singles later - big smiles and the knowledge that i had found my nirvana. A scruffy big shop full of records with staff that smoked on the counter and a security guard who could make Hitler look like a childminder.

Modern Eon were a band I knew little about. They came from Liverpool and were signed to the Virgin offshoot Dindisc, home to OMD, Martha & The Muffins, Nash The Slash and Monochrome Set. They released one album and 5 singles and appeared on a few European collections including "Double Art". So why the attention? In short, it was down to mystery. They were rarely interviewed and didn't publish their pictures on their record sleeves. They also didn't get radio play too often although I did hear their singles occasionally spun on John Peel's show on Radio One. But they were a mystery. Maybe it was the vocals, all whispered and hoarsely delivered with atmospheric surroundings and no hint as to what was to come.‟

Pkrpmusic 

CIII. Death In June | Something Is Coming

DEATH IN JUNE

Something Is Coming (Croatia Live! + Zagreb Studio)

©NER. UK, 1993.

‟A good live album inluding songs from up to 'But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter?' (1992). The setting of the band is Douglas and Simon Norris, so the sound is quite minimalistic, but nonetheless is't quite powerful. The song picks are very good, it's fun to hear the old favourites in new verions. The release is in form of a double cd, one cd with a live performance and one cd with live studion performance from croatian radio. This release features new good versions of old favourites like "Fall Apart", "Runes And Men", "Leper Lord", "Torture By Roses" and "Heaven Street". I think this record will appeal as much to new Death In June fans as old fans. For a Death In June release it's very easy lisenable. Summa summarum, a very worthwile album if you like Death In June.  

Recorded live in Zagreb 1992. Benefits from this album were given to The Bolnicki Clinic, Zagreb, Croatia.‟

Deathinjune.net

 

CII. Eva O | Past Time

EVA O

Past Time 

©Cleopatra. US, 1993.

‟Goth chanteuse Eva O. is perhaps best known for her contributions to the Rozz Williams version of Christian Death, though she also worked with several other bands and managed a solo career as well. Born Eva Ortiz, she grew up in a strongly Catholic military family, spending the majority of her childhood in Las Vegas. She had a troubled childhood and found solace in playing the guitar, eventually moving to Los Angeles to pursue rock & roll. In 1980, she founded a punky, all-female hard rock group called the Speed Queens, who were inspired in part by the Runaways. Wanting to take music more seriously than some of her bandmates, she soon left to form the Superheroines with bassist Jill Emery. This group earned a following on L.A.'s so-called death rock scene of the early '80s, which also included goth-flavored bands like .45 Grave and Christian Death. In fact, the Super Heroines made their recorded debut alongside those bands on 1981's Hell Comes to Your House compilation, and O. supplied the female backing vocals on Christian Death's debut album, Only Theatre of Pain.

The Super Heroines recorded two albums of their own, Cry for Help and Souls That Save, for the small local label Bemis Brain over 1982-1983. A third album was begun but never completed, and O. officially disbanded the Superheroines in 1987, when she married original (and, by this time, former) Christian Death singer Rozz Williams. The couple moved to San Francisco and started the goth rock outfit Shadow Project, moving the group back to Los Angeles in 1990. In the meantime, Williams -- who'd founded Christian Death but left in 1985 -- revived the name to compete with the current version of Christian Death, and made O. the guitarist and female vocalist.

Thanks to those two projects, O.'s recorded legacy expanded substantially in the early '90s. Shadow Project issued two studio albums (1991's Shadow Project and 1992's Dreams for the Dying) plus a live set, In Tuned Out; the Williams-led Christian Death, meanwhile, released an album of re-recordings of early material, The Iron Mask, plus two albums of new material, 1993's Path of Sorrows and 1994's The Rage of Angels. Around this time, O. grew interested in a solo career, and to help grease the skids, Cleopatra issued the 1993 career retrospective Past Time, which featured material from her days with the Speed Queens, the Super Heroines, and Christian Death, as well as three new solo songs.

Released in 1994, O.'s proper solo debut was a shocking revelation for many longtime fans: she had converted to Christianity, and crafted a born-again concept album titled Demons Fall for an Angel's Kiss. Credited to the Eva O. Halo Experience, it featured prominent musical support from producer Johnny Indovina. O. eventually divorced Rozz Williams, who had been battling heroin addiction, but the two remained close, and reunited as Shadow Project for the mostly acoustic album From the Heart in 1998; sadly, Williams committed suicide that April. The following year, O. issued her second proper solo album, Damnation, on the small Massacre label; it continued her Christian spiritual preoccupation.‟

Fields Of Haze

CI. Wall Of Voodoo | Dark Continent

WALL OF VOODOO

Dark Continent

©I.R.S. US, 1981.

‟They call it "minimal synth", but there's still enough going on to give me a piercing headache. It's just corny, and doesn't work to its aim of mixing spaghetti western soundtracks with synth pop. The result is something that hardly even works as a novelty (Stan Ridgeway has a ridiculous voice; I could see him singing Halloween-influenced novelty songs a la "The Monster Mash"), let alone a quality work of art.

At the very least, I thought I would enjoy the atmosphere. Dark Continent... a wide-open and eerie landscape. But it's more like The Hill Have Eyes, lost-in-the-middle-of-nowhere torture music. Basically, if I was driving somewhere and my car broke down, this would be the last thing I'd want to hear on the radio. This music is nothing but grapefruit in my open wounds; I set out to find more synth pop that was as awesome as OMD, but all I've found is disappointment (and murderous mutants) around every corner I've looked.

It could have been more offensively terrible than it is, but the fact of the matter is, it's still offensively terrible. They are to synth pop what Pearl Jam is to rock music. Just full of ugliness and auditory vomits that barely resemble songs.‟

Seattle Junkie Queen

 

C. Fursaxa | The Cult From Moon Mountain

FURSAXA

The Cult From Moon Mountain

©Self-released. US, 2004.

‟The fourth full-length release from Philadelphia's Fursaxa finds Michael Gibbons adding guitar and John Gibbons adding drums to her chord organ, flute, and voice on track 4, "Tyranny". Michael returns for more guitar on track 5, "Trobairitz", this time accompanying Tara's casio and voice.

Tara Burke of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania employs voice, guitar, organ, dulcimer, accordion, Casio and more to create her home-recorded acid folk as Fursaxa. Prior to her Fursaxa work she was an active ingredient in Clock Strikes Thirteen, Ted Casterline and his Perfectly Perfect Pieces of Fruit, UN, Her debut album Mandrake was produced, engineered, and released in Japan by none other than Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple. She also self released the cd-r's Trobairitz Are Here From Venus, and The Cult From Moon Mountain. She has also contributed to these songs to the following compilations: Free My Mind (V/A Nice Pooper #23, zine 2001), Artemisia (V/A Sound Collector #7, zine 2001), Kniphofia (V/A Surrounded By Sun, Fonal 2002), Porpoise Wings (V/A Hand/Eye, Hand/Eye 2002), Chartreuse My Green (V/A The Invisible Pyramid, Last Visible Dog 2003), and of course her piece for this issue’s cd as well. Her LP Madrigals in Duos on Time-Lag Records is due any time now, and presents Fursaxa at her finest musically with the gorgeous packaging we have come to expect from Time-Lag. She is also going to be part of the Jewelled Antler Library of 3" cd-r's, which makes perfect sense. Her sound combines folk, lo-fi, hashish smoke mixed with incense drifting out of a cathedral doorway, dreams that skirt the edges of nightmares, hallucinatory droning organic primitive sophistication.‟

Experimental Etc.

XCIX. This Mortal Coil | Blood

THIS MORTAL COIL

Blood

©4AD. UK, 1991.

‟The least interesting of their three albums, "Blood" is filled with pointless instrumental music (some composed by Ivo Watts-Russel himself) and some awesome songs, the best of them are remakes of original songs by Randy California, Chris Bell and Syd Barrett, among others. I once had "Blood" in vinyl and I hated it because of its dark and depressing atmosphere - where once existed mystery and terror (essentially the first album) now rested a dimming light. Basically I bought this for Caroline Crawley, the beautiful female voice of Shelleyan Orphan, who unfortunately disappeared from view several years ago. With her voice, "Mr. Somewhere" worth this album alone.‟

Antonbildern

XCVIII. The Náu Ensemble | The Eternal - Variations On Joy Division

THE NÁU ENSEMBLE

The Eternal - Variations On Joy Division

©Atrium. Sverige, 1998.

‟A Swedish quartet which describes itself as a Chamber Orchestra and have recorded a suite consisting of loose adaptions on themes by the Joy Division,so this is an interpretation of the future through the past.
Or to put it another way it would be difficult to recognise any of the tunes as originally made by the Manchester band.You hear some of the words from "Atmosphere" sung in the style of a hymn.
Which is not the point here. Its a project which takes 5 songs from the "Closer" album in order to recognise the impact the Joy Division had on shaping and directing rock in the 80s. Someone had to do it so they did.‟

Familycat1

XCVII. Stoa | Urthona

STOA

Urthona

©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1993.

‟La agrupación germana Stoa fue fundada en 1991. Olaf Parusel (compositor y arreglista) se encontraba en la búsqueda de una nueva forma de compaginar su música y pensamientos filosóficos. Encontró entonces en Conny Levrow una voz idónea para comenzar su proyecto.

Olaf Parusel (líder de la agrupación), en su niñez fue miembro del Stadtsinge-Chor Halle, el coro más antiguo del mundo. Después él tomaría parte en distintos proyectos y agrupaciones musicales e incluso componiendo para la televisión germana. En la actualidad además de continuar con su destacada agrupación Stoa, Olaf estudia musicología y filosofía.

Conny Levrow toca el violín desde hace más de 10 años y ha tenido presentaciones de concierto con muchas orquestas. Ha cantado en algunos coros de música clásica y también como solista. Conny esta familiarizada con compositores barrocos y románticos como Georg F. Handel, Edward Grieg y Pergolesi por mencionar algunos.

En 1997 Conny se separa de Stoa para continuar con su carrera como solista en el ámbito de la música clásica. Una nueva voz se integra a esta agrupación, Antje Buchheiser, portadora de un hermoso e intenso timbre. Ella, además de tocar el violín desde hace más de 11 años, canta en el coro "Hallenser Madrigalisten". Antje se ha presentado interpretando música clásica tanto en Alemania, como en Japón y Cuba.

También integrando la alineación de STOA desde 1996, se encuentra la cellista Christiane Fischer, quien además funge como segunda voz en sus presentaciones en vivo.‟

Ankou Erlik

XCVI. Skeletal Family | The Singles Plus 1983 - 85

SKELETAL FAMILY

The Singles Plus 1983 - 85

©Anagram. UK, 1994.

‟Skeletal Family es una banda inactiva de Gothic Rock sumamente subterranea. Nunca alcanzarón el exito comercial aún cualdo la calidad del grupo es indudable y aparecierón en una serie de compilatorios de grupos élite dentro de la escena underground. El grupo se formo en 1982 bajo la linea del rock clásico, el proto punk, el gothic rock y el post punk.

Skeletal Family, a pesar de su corta vida, permanece como uno de los grupos más representativos del rock gótico inglés. El peculiar color de voz de la cantante Anne-Marie Hurst dio la característica más destacable del grupo, característica que se perdió tras la marcha de ésta a Ghost Dance.

En este material se encuentran todos los sencillos que la banda publico en dos años 83-85, así como temas representativos en versiones demo.‟

Deicida69 

XCV. The Chameleons | Script Of The Bridge

THE CHAMELEONS

Script Of The Bridge

©Statik. UK, 1982.

‟Que la valoración de la música se basa casi por completo en apreciaciones subjetivas es algo que a estas alturas ya ni me atrevo a cuestionar. Sin embargo, los razonamientos por los cuales se encumbran bandas y se condena a otras al cajón del olvido son, a menudo, incomprensibles para mí.
Uno de los casos más lacerantes es el de este conjunto de Manchester, relegado a ser una nota a pie de página en la historia del rock, mientras que los que han explotado su legado casi rozando el plagio -Interpol, Coldplay- o coetáneos suyos con menos enjundia -Depeche Mode, U2- venden discos como churros o hacen que la gente duerma al raso para ir a un concierto suyo.

La comparación con estos últimos es de recibo. Las texturas ensoñadoras, el sonido de guitarra reverberante, el sentido de la solemnidad de las canciones, a veces rayando en la afectación y la pomposidad ... Incluso el timbre de voz de Mark Burguess es sorprendentemente parecido al de Bono. Todos estos elementos sitúan a the Chameleons en la misma liga que los irlandeses. El factor decisivo, en mi opinión, es que en la música de los de británicos hay mucha más honestidad, fuerza, tensión, riesgo y emoción pura que las que se pueden encontrar en The unforgettable fire, War o The Joshua tree.

"The script of the bridge" fue el primer acto de una corta pero intensa discografía. Nació de la grisura de la Inglaterra tatcheriana, así que lo que abunda en él son las expresiones de desolación y vacío existencial que acuciaban a cierta juventud de la época. La misma juventud que encontró un reflejo en las letanías de Joy Division o en la melancolía abúlica de The Smiths. Desde el cañonazo post-punk que abre el disco hasta el precioso epílogo que es "View from a hill", este disco es una referencia ineludible en su género y una obra de obligada escucha y sobredosis para los fans de la ola fría de principios de los ochenta (Echo and the Bunnymen, the Cure, Bauhaus, Teardrop Explodes,etc). A reivindicar.‟

 I Love Riots

XCIV. Corpses As Bedmates | Halo

 

CORPSES AS BEDMATES

Halo

©Cow-Op Industries. España, 1985.

‟Corpses As Bedmates: Karen Sheridan, Susanne Lewis & Bob Drake.  This recorded: Blind Pig Factory, Denver, Colorado.
If you are interested in experimental / industrial / ritual music please check out his blog Nihil Est. Excellent quality rarities from those styles of music.

This follows on from where the first tape left off. Equally disturbing, if not more so, and extremely difficult listening at times, but as black as black can get, and cleansing, soothing even for the soon acquainted ear.

As equally mysterious as any of their previous projects and just as beguiling, this is even on a par with Coil. Current top spinner in this bedroom boy's bedroom.

Actually I'm tempted to say scrub the above, it sounds pathetic. How could I possibly even begin to describe this music properly? ‟

Return To The East

 

XCIII. Tor Lundvall | The Mist

TOR LUNDVALL

The Mist

©Eternal Autumn. UK, 2001.

‟The music of Tor Lundvall is a post-modern midnight dream, a universe that exists unto itself. As an artist, Lundvall remains an enigma, having released albums for the last twenty years and never once performed live or been pictured on his records. He remains a blank figure even as his music reveals a richly profound artistic viewpoint. The effect of his music is akin to deja vu’, its seldom clear where sounds originate or end, a calling from somewhere distantly familiar transformed. As the years passed and the releases continued, the questions piled up. Dais Records has just done the world a great service by reissuing three seminal Lundvall albums "Ice", "The Mist", and "Under the Shadow of Trees" and combined them with one new album, "Turning", for a complete seasonally themed box of ghostly minimal compositions, appropriately titled "The Season’s Unfold". Each album, framed by Lundvall’s dramatic paintings as artwork, throws the participant completely into this shadowy abyss. With a discography and reputation approaching Jandek/Muslimgauze proportions, the release of this special CD box set has prompted the curtain to be peeled back. For those unfamiliar with Lundvall’s deeply hypnotic textual music, this collection is a necessary antidote to rote genre-ism and conformity found in most modern music. "The Season’s Unfold" is a haunting example of one of today’s most mysterious composers and a perfect introduction to the mist-soaked, minimalism of Tor Lundvall.‟

Steve Lowenthal

XCII. :Zoviet*France: | Gris

:ZOVIET*FRANCE:

Gris

©No Man's Land. Deutschland, 1985.

‟The title track bent my head good, echoing voice over electronic malfunctions. The first side sounds like Doctor Who on a bad trip. Originally a 10" record wrapped in a roofing shingle.

The early collages (1982) by Zoviet France were even more savage than Nurse With Wound's, evoking a cross between "musique concrete" and tribal music. The monumental double-albums "Mohnomishe" (1983) and "Eostre" (1984) reduced the impact of their "wall of noise", but retained the two key elements that set Zoviet France apart: a trance-oriented approach and "lo-fi" electronics. The tetralogy of "Charm, Ceremony, Chance, Prophecy" ("CCCP"), begun with "Misfits, Loony Tunes And Squalid Criminals" (1986), marked a move towards a less hostile and more atmospheric sound. ‟

Scaruffi

XCI. Peter Murphy | Love Hysteria

PETER MURPHY

Love Hysteria

©Beggars Banquet. UK, 1988.

‟Yet another album bought on the back of Nerdcon '07 – or more accurately Dolarhyde's compilation CD. Peter Murphy's "Socrates The Python" closed his "secret Santa" CD in style and I've been promising myself a copy of Love Hysteria ever since. Rarely does the acquisition match the anticipation but in this case it comes pretty close.

Even though I own a couple of Bauhaus albums I was never really a fan. Their sound was interesting but I could never shake the feeling that they were trying way too hard to be bleakly avant-garde. That impression was accentuated by Murphy's vocal which can be so deep and hollow the guy could have recorded his vocal from the bottom of a cavernous pothole. Even though I've not heard all of his work since leaving the band, he appears to have lightened up considerably and even occasionally dabbles in the pop arena – which I'm sure went down a storm with all those kohl-eyed Goths.

As with Cascade – my only other experience of Murphy's solo work – "Love Hysteria" contains a number of songs that bring to mind other artists. Opener "All Night Long" could have been lifted directly from Japan's Quiet Life album. Such is the similarity I had to check whether Richard Barbieri was guesting on keyboards. Then there's "Time Has Got Nothing To Do With It" which brings to mind Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. Bonus track "I've Got A Miniature Secret Camera" could be a Thomas Dolby song. "His Circle And Hers Meet" has a beat Prince would be proud of. "Dragnet Drag" has hints of Echo And The Bunnymen while "Indigo Eyes" recalls Lloyd Cole And The Commotions combined with A Flock Of Seagulls. But, while guess the influence provides a neat diversion, there's no doubting all these come together under Peter Murphy's own persona. In fact the only oddity here is the one track Murphy didn't have a hand in writing. David Bowie and Iggy Pop's "Funtime" doesn't really serve any purpose because it has the same industrial feel as the original version with Murphy's voice sounding very much like Pop's. And why anyone would want to record a smoky voiced lounge jazz version of the same song is beyond me. I'm all for experimental cover versions but a Cabaret Mix of "Funtime" sounds like the think tank ran out of brain food. Bit like this recent campaign by Walkers Crisps asking the public for their ideas for new flavours. How about a broccoli and strawberry mix? Or sausage and lemons? Or mushroom and camomile tea? No! It doesn't bloody work!

What is a confusing delight throughout the whole of "Love Hysteria" are the baffling lyrics. I know I'm probably in a minority here but I'm not all that bothered about understanding what a song is about. I like the rhythmical cadence that comes with a great necklace of words and Murphy is very adept in this regard. The relentless metronomic beat of "Socrates The Python" comes replete with an obfuscating lyric that is brilliantly incomprehensible.

So two Murphy solo albums down and two albums well worth the money. Let's hope the guy's run continues because I've still gotta a-ways to go.‟

Grampus

  

XC. Modern Witch | Disaro

MODERN WITCH

Disaro

©Disaro. US, 2010.

‟Bringing things up to date with young gun neophytes of low-battery 80s drum machine chug; devotees of caningly repetitive electro-punk vignettes fronted by dissolute female vocalist.

And let's praise artists for whom the 80s mark the beginning not the end of the holy mystery. The UK hauntology crew have betimes built an aesthetic out of attempts to claw back a glimpse of just-out-of-reach 70s wonderlands. Fellows such as Ghostbox and Mordant create music that dines out on wink of the eye cultural signfiers; grist to the critical mill for bloggers and Wire journalists keen to pull up a chair at the meme feast - drooling all the while over those hyper-designed album covers.

Extend the same courtesy then to Modern Witch and a more recent re-assemblage and re-enactment; dishing up pleasures a-plenty with a studied air of glassy-eyed ennui.‟

Weird Brother

LXXXIX. Alio Die | Under An Holy Ritual

ALIO DIE

Under A Holy Ritual

©Hic Sunt Leones. Italia, 1992.

‟Es como si estuviéramos dentro de un bosque prehistórico, en donde los sonidos del agua, los pájaros y el viento son parte natural del sistema. En este equilibrioes el hombre quien, en busca de su sobrevivencia, mata árboles, animales y otros hombres. Aquel individuo de rasgos primitivos sobre una pequeña roca que le sirve de asiento, trabaja duro la madera y la piedra; repite este acto varias veces hasta ver bien afilada su arma de guerra. Da un brinco y corre a esconderse a esperar el momento de atacar a su próxima víctima...

Minimalismo y ambient son el aura sonora de Alio Die, músico italiano que nos ofrece, a través de sus artefactos electrónicos, movimientos ondulantes y repetitivos. En ocasiones aparecen ritmos tribales junto al sampleo de ruidos naturales y orgánicos, a veces afables y otras, inquietantes.

El instante se hace eterno, así es que es mejor cerrar los ojos y esperar que la próxima pulsación de una tecla del sintetizador anuncie una nueva salida hacia otro mundo remoto.‟

Guillermo Escudero.

   

LXXXVIII. Cranes | Self-Non-Self

 

CRANES

Self-Non-Self

©Bite Back!. UK, 1989.

‟After the extremely limited release of the "Fuse" cassette, Cranes, now expanded to a four-piece, put out "Self Non Self" in 1989. Originally only six tracks, including a dramatic, stronger re-recording of "Fuse" itself, Dedicated added a further two upon its re-release in 1992. The rough, spooky sonics from the band's earliest days were there in force, but evidence of the increased texturing and powerful arrangements started to surface as well.

Alison Shaw's singing is already fully in place as the lost, lonely voice later releases would make all the more familiar, though at times, as on 'Focus Breathe', she has surprisingly deeper tones in comparison. The re-release bonus tracks include a live song called 'Reach', a strong, surging piece, and 'Nothing in the Middle, Nothing in the End', a murky little number with a rough snare drum rhythm and doomy bass.‟

Dogs Body

LXXXVII. Love Is Colder Than Death | Mental Traveller

LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH

Mental Traveller

©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1992.

‟The 90s were a great decade for genres like goth, dark wave and ethereal. In that time goth music wasn't so distorted and commercial as it is today, full of supergroups that care more about their hideous headbanger look than the music as itself.

The 90s saw the rise and fall of the best goth label ever existed, the Hyperium Records, from Germany. Love Is Colder Than Death was one of the most important bands of their cast.

"Mental Traveler" is Love Is Colder Than Death's darkest album, with intrincated arrangements of electronics, chords and percussion, and themes like religion, mythology and emotional conflicts.

There are memorable songs, like "Fiorina" and "Veronensis" that explore medieval sound textures, or "Down and Out" and "The Bronx of Life", that tends more to the electronic beats of EBM.

The vocals are relayed between Susann Heinrich, Maik Hartung and Ralf Donis, but the best songs were sung by Susann, whose voice is a standart for the so called "heavenly voices".

This record is probably the best of the group, made before Susann quit. After this incident, the band changed their musical path to a more "new age" related style.‟

dElicio

LXXXVI. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | The Best Of

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

The Best Of

©Mute. UK, 1998.

‟In 1997 a 16 track retrospective covering the career of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds would have made for some difficult choice of content, ten albums strong since '84 the groups sound had developed a step away from the early days of intellectual angry man post-punk experimentation to more mature realms leaving quite a body of work behind.

Lyrically inspired by a headful of literary and historical influence as well as the wit of Cohen; albums such as "From Her To Eternity", "The Firstborn Is Dead" and "Tender Prey" featured sparse and depressing soundscapes of dissonant noise which could become a primal roar of angst or a shower of melancholy at the drop of a hat, folk tinged and often bass led with an interweaving twang of guitars and piano that made for some complex and satisfying arrangements as a backdrop to Cave's morose and angry voice.

The band is often seen to have truly hit their stride in terms of songwriting with mid-career works such as "The Good Son", "Henry's Dream" and "Let Love In", finding their own unique niche in maturity by expanding to an often relaxed and beautiful contemporary adult sound sandwiched in between compositions that are as aggressively rock as anything attempted previously but written so much more smoothly. 1997's "The Boatmans Call" was released just before this compilation, bringing a new era of critical acclaim from previous critics of the group for a departure to more intimate songwriting featuring just Cave's solo voice, piano and a few instruments. A couple of songs are included.

The obvious single choices are all here, the bizarre rock bounce of 'Deanna', the dark, smoothly profound nightmare of 'Red Right Hand', the thunderous, apocalyptic imagery of 'Tupelo', the elegant and simple beauty of 'The Ship Song', the chilling duet with Kylie Minogue 'Where The Wild Roses Grow', and of course the groups signature song and darkest hour, 'The Mercy Seat'. Amongst this fan favourites such as 'Do You Love Me', the Tom Wait's styled evil circus music poetry recital 'The Carny', the majestic 'Straight To You', 'The Weeping Song' and an excellent PJ Harvey duet 'Henry Lee' rightfully make the cut, padded out by a couple of tracks chucked in to represent the early years in the form of 'From Her To Eternity' and 'Stranger Then Kindness'. Two songs are featured from "The Boatmans Call" for good measure, with 'Into My Arms' and '(Are You) The One I've Been Waiting For' making an appearance.

The song choices here are an excellent representation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds during their 1984-1997 period and an excellent starting point for anybody wanting an overview of the group. Of course with any best of/greatest hits release there tend to be several song omissions in favour of others that will displease any constant listener of the group, here this is true with opportunities to use songs such as 'Wanted Man', 'The Good Son', 'Papa Won't Leave You Henry', 'Loverman' and 'Stagger Lee' wasted. Despite this personal gripe, this is an excellent compilation and a well recommended entry point to a superb group with a large body of work to cover.‟

Haz567

LXXXV. The Frozen Autumn | Fragments Of Memories

THE FROZEN AUTUMN

Fragments Of Memories

©Eibon. Italia, 1997.

‟The Frozen Autumn started life as the solo project of Diego Merletto, founded after several years of involvement with various darkwave groups in Turin. The singer, keyboardist and synth programmer employed the talents of guitarist Claudio Brosio during early studio sessions and live performances, then in 1995 the first album, Pale Awakening, was released under the German Weisser Herbst Produktion label. The album was well-received by gothic-wave/dark-romantic fans across Europe, and in 1997 the follow-up was released, Fragments of Memories, this time by Milan-based Eibon Records.

In 1998 Merletto co-founded a side-project called Static Movement with Arianna, who provided guest vocals on the title-track from Fragments of Memories. The duo composed together for six months and in March 1999 the album Visionary Landscapes was released. The musical style of Static Movement was not dissimilar to The Frozen Autumn, however with only electronic instruments being used, the result was a more synthetic coldwave sound. The partnership proved fruitful for both parties and so Arianna became a permanent fixture in The Frozen Autumn line-up, Static Movement remaining their "concept research project".‟

Wikipedia