This is the first release from Fabrika Records, a new label from Greece, limited to 500 copies and featuring no less than 15 artists.

I already knew some of those that have been around for a while like Dolina (France), Sickdoll & The Nuclear Shades (Berlin), Martial Canterel (NYC), Led Er Est (NYC) and Velvet Condom (Berlin); I was very glad to find more recent acts like Gertrud Stein (Germany) and Bloodygrave & Die Lust (Berlin); and I’ve been greatly surprised to discover projects like Lebanon Hanover (Berlin), Jemek Jemowit (Berlin), Die Skeletion (Germany), Human Puppets (Greece), Petra Flurr & El Modernista (Germany), Selofan (Greece), Alienphobie (Germany) and Phoenix Catscratch (Greece).

It came out on September 1st for the Drop Dead Festival in Berlin. As about half of these artists where in the lineup, I find it did well represent the spirit of this memorable event, being just as worthy of the great performances I’ve seen there. I must admit this record is now priceless to me, as the perfect souvenir I brought back from this crazy-ass-festival that I now remember like a bizarre dream I wish had never ended.

In its whole, the spirit stays on a darker note with no pop nor anything that could please the masses.  Every single song I found here is right in my bag–exactly what I am digging for the most: I Can’t Dance of Gertrud Stein makes me wanna dance like a wacky man and bash everything around–the rhythm is so damn good; Du Rennst of Die Skeletion is cold as hell and using amazing soundscapes; Kunst of Lebanon Hanover is a yet simple but very efficient tune with such a pretty vocal and dreamy synth pad; Dolina added some contrast with a lovely sentimental ballad, nicely colored of spacey sounds; and Sickdoll & The Nuclear Shades brought up a track with catchy guitars aside of so many freaking weird sounds that got packed into the same mix, leaving me anxious for their long awaited album.

There is not any weak song on this compilation, but I’d say Shadows from Martial Cantarel–probably the most cited artist of the minimal wave scene–could be the weakest one, just to say how much we’ve got hot stuff here…

There is so much more to say about this release but I’ll try to talk about other gems from these individual artists in upcoming posts.

Luckily, there is still some left for sale but this shouldn’t stay very long.