Enfant Terrible: Various Artists- I Am Enfant Terrible

I Am Enfant Terrible

Bleed what you preach…

This new compilation is created to celebrate the 10 years of activity of Enfant Terrible… I could have done a best off… or I could have done a compilation with all the people who I have collaborated with the past 10 years… but instead I have choosen to present a single album which is pointing forward into the future and still shows it roots… ‘I Am Enfant Terrible’ makes clear the traditions I have been working in but at the same time is an album with the broad spectrum of sounds I am interested in… from indie pop to new wave to minimal synth and from noise to elektro and IDM and ambient… from poppy to experimental to dance music… this is what I do and this is what I am…

In the process of creating this record I had to leave out a few artists I like a lot… but this is for sake only of creating a coherent and diverse album and a listening experience as you are used to get served from me with compilations… so I hope you enjoy this selection… thanks for tuning in and making this trip with me!

Listen here and order here.

Posted on March 25th, 2014 under Releases,

Medical Records: Roladex- Anthems For The Micro​-Age

Roladex

Medical Records presents it’s second contemporary artist release with Roladex. Imagine Kraftwerk playing Steven Merritt songs.

Roladex was formed in Texas by Tyler Jacobsen and Elyssa Dianne. Producer/Member, Tyler Jacobsen holds an MFA in Electronic Art and this becomes apparent as they find lyrical and musical inspiration through the films of David Cronenberg and John Carpenter, the works of authors such as J.G Ballard as well as video artists such as Vito Acconci and Nam June Paik. Jacobsen has been on a hiatus from his work as college art professor since the formation of the group. Using an arsenal of analog instruments, Roladex nostalgically borrows ideas from music of the past to carefully craft a unique brand of futuristic-mechanized pop, with an emphasis on songwriting and layered production. Weaving sparse, sequenced arpeggios into fuzzy bass and bubbly melodies to create a bed of sound where they layout a somehow bright melancholia. Part minimal synth-wave, part dream pop, Roladex fits nicely with other non-traditional pop acts such as Ariel Pink as well as Synth contemporaries like Police Des Moeurs and Black Marble. With previous singles on Night-People Records, AMDISCs, and Beko, Medical is proud to present their debut LP.

At times their music cold and moody, at others it is bright and dimly warm. Themes such as nuclear war, cosmology, false memories and technology as the “opiate of the masses” become apparent as the listener plays through the LP. The opening track “Anthem For The Micro-Age” sets the tone with dreamy atmospheric synth textures and interwoven male and female vocals. “Love Surgery” is chock full of pop hooks and synth leads interspersed with angular guitar accents. “Empty Streets” has an almost minimal John Bender bedroom aesthetic. The Last track, “Nuke Em’ Out” is an apocalyptic disco track for the end of the world, and the electro-mechanical new wave Cathode Rays (for the the group produced a video) is one of the catches tunes on the record. Fans of early Wire (esp 154), Drinking Electricity, Fad Gadget and even noisy 90s shoegaze are sure to enjoy.

Presented on high-quality 180gram heavyweight electric blue transparent vinyl and features a bonus LP insert with lyrics. All tracks and versions recorded exclusively for this Medical release. Mastered by Martin Bowes at the Cage, UK. Limited Edition.

Listen and order here.

Posted on March 22nd, 2014 under Releases,

Pour Le Corps: Def Rain- Self Titled

Def Rain

Electro-space-pop duo Def Rain formed in 2011, fusing together the the musical talents of Ashley Cromeens (singer/songwriter) and DJ Abe Lincoln and quickly becoming a staple of the North Texas music scene. Their live performance has been captivating audiences, including the lead singer of The Flaming Lips, Wayne Coyne, due to the fog-wrapped, laser-filled vibe that highlights their funky sound.

The duo have individually working in music for some time, trying their hand with a few bands and sounds that were not a perfect fit, finally finding their signature sound when they came together. Today, they are premiering a brand new track, “Leads”, off their debut album.

“Leads” takes you back to a 1980s school dance, snapping and bogeying like Sixteen Candles all over again. The song features a synthed guitar with a mellow beat and pop vocals. Def Rain merges together a funky spacey sound, hence the “space” in electro-space-pop that is undeniable upon hearing their music. Get into this awesome duo, as we expect to see great things from them going forward.

Def Rain is putting out their first album, debuting their funky electro sound with 11 tracks that highlight their laid-back vibes and banging beats.

Listen and order here.

Posted on March 19th, 2014 under Releases, ,

Cititrax: An-i- Kino-i

An-i - Kino-i

An-i is the latest musical moniker for Berlin based former New Yorker Doug Lee. Doug has been DJing and producing records for the last decade under various aliases and collaborations. The Cititrax EP Kino-i will be the debut release and home for An-i, a showcase of his love affair with machines.

It fronts a hard hitting sound beyond category, moving from techno to jack to punk and to noise. It suggests an anything goes attitude perhaps dictated more by the will of machines themselves then any author.

Listen and order here

Posted on March 13th, 2014 under Releases, ,

Cititrax: Bruta Non Calculant- World In A Tear

Bruta Non Calculant - World In A Tear

Cititrax is honored to introduce Bruta Non Calculant, a new project by Alaxis Andreas G, the mastermind behind Le Syndicat Electronique and numerous other analog electronic, experimental and esoteric industrial folk projects. Alaxis formed Bruta Non Calculant in 2006 along with his brother Victor-Yann (De Frontanel). Their debut album, World In A Tear, presents 10 tracks drenched in a dark european atmosphere complete with a sound fully formed and heroically executed. Themes of death, lust and unrequited love are all bound in this brown book-esque collection. The songs occupy their own space and communicate in their own language and as such almost seem to have the ability to alter time once the listener has succumbed to their discordant beauty.

An unsurprisingly impressive comeback, Bruta Non Calculant’s debut album blends new wave elements with folkloric balladry impeccably, and approaches this with a modern sensibility. World In A Tear is an elegant collection of seductive songs.

Release date: February 11th, 2014. Vinyl pressed on white 160 gram housed in a matte full color printed sleeve limited to 999 copies.

Listen and order here.

Posted on March 10th, 2014 under Releases, , ,