Axel Hoedt - "Dusk"

The Brvtalist is pleased to feature a new book published by Steidl titled "Dusk". Fine art and fashion photographer Axel Hoedt presents an incredible examination of carnival culture in southwestern Germany, and extends it into Austria and Switzerland. The idea behind the project is to undermine traditional carnival cliche's. "Dusk" represents the carnival's original purpose - a celebration before the dawning of hard times.

Hoedt utilizes his background in fashion and portrait photography to capture incredible moments and the emotions of the subjects. Do not expect ring masters, ballerinas and trapeze artists, "Dusk" travels deep into a world of another sort - one that holds great cultural, sociological and economic importance. Hoedt photographs the revelers in earnest poses, static against a bright background, in a forest or next to rural buildings, juxtaposing classic studio photography, Polaroid snapshots and still- life imagery.

We were instantly transfixed by these photographs. They have a very quiet, pensive feeling, while bursting with symbolization. "Dusk" builds upon the foundation that "Once a Year" (Steidl, 2013) laid. Published in two volumes, the series focuses on the figures and masks of pre-Lenten carnival festivities and the colorful, yet somber feeling that surrounds the participants. This is an amazing book that looks at both carnival culture and portraiture in a whole new way. Out now on Steidl.

-JRS

*click to enlarge

New Brvtalism No. 019 - Oil Thief

The bell tolls, ushering in a new era. One of darkness, decay and agony. You have lost your most prized possession - control.

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Los Angeles-based Oil Thief. Straddling the lines between techno, dark wave, noise and experimental, Oil Thief has crafted a unique, progressive sound that is instantly infectious. His debut 2xCS, "Obsolescence & Monality", came out this past spring on Chondritic Sound and the second press single cassette version is still available on the the label's webstore.

Oil Thief has recently finished a new EP, called "Undesire", that will be self-released on Centennial Apt. this summer. He is also currently working on several other releases for Chondritic Sound. Upcoming shows include Pehrspace in Los Angeles with DIN, Head Dress and Lower Tar on July 10th, and a European Tour with Hive Mind this October.

We could not be more pleased with the 19th edition of New Brvtalism. It's a brilliant showcase of then and now, and a journey through decades of technology and experimentation. For more information please visit: http://chondriticsound.bandcamp.com/album/obsolescence-monality.

-JRS

Andy Stott – Violence (Faith in Strangers/Modern Love)
Sisters of Mercy – Dominion/Mother Russia (Floodland/Merciful Release)
Burial – Archangel (Untrue/Hyperdub)
Exploring Jezebel – To Compensate, While The Average Lifespan Of A Male Will Be About 70 Years, Medical Advancements Will Make The Average Lifespan Of A Woman To Be About 750 Years. (On a Business Trip to London/Blackest Ever Black)
Body of Light – Limits of Reason (Limits of Reason/Ascetic House)
Pleasure Korps – Let Us Affix (Blessings/Nostilevo)
Dawn of Humans – Horse Blind (Slurping at the Cosmos Spine/Toxic State, La Vida Es Un Mus)
Renoire – Broken Tongue (Broken Tongue EP/Endangered Species)
Timeghost – Uber Orgone (Cellular/Chondritic Sound, Load)
Kangding Ray – Amber Decay (Solens Arc/Raster-Noton)
Pod Blotz – Feet in a Bag (Human Division/Nostilevo)
Raspberry Bulbs – Taken Apart (Nature Tries Again/Hospital Productions)
Pure Ground – Poison (Standard of Living/Chondritic Sound)
November Növelet – Magic (Magic/Galakthorrö)
Depeche Mode – A Question of Time (Black Celebration/Mute)
Have a Nice Life –Unholy Life (The Unnatural World/Flenser, Enemies List)
New Order – Leave Me Alone (Power Corruption & Lies/Factory)

Automat - "EMT140"

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new track by Automat titled "EMT140". This incredible composition is taken off the trio's new record, PLUSMINUS, out now on Bureau B. The group is comprised of industrial and proto-techno pioneers Jochen Arbeit (Einsturzende Neubaten), Achim Färber (Project Pitchfork, Prag), and Georg Zeitblom (Sovetskoe Foto). Their last album featured collaborations with Genesis P-Orridge, Lydia Lunch, and Blixa Bargeld. The new LP further explores the group's diverse musical background digging into everything from dub reggae to Detroit techno.

Almost all the tracks on the album are named after the sonic devices and effects units that were the focus during production: "EMT 140" is a two meter long reverb plate, and the track "H910" is a harmonizer Zeitblom spent almost ten years searching for. The result is a true musical odyssey of cinematic proportions. Listeners are immediately transported into lush soundscapes and beautiful, ambient environments. "EMT140" is a perfect example of the group's finely tuned, progressive use of unique technology and musical knowledge that is virtually unrivaled.

The Brvtalist had the privilege of speaking to the trio about the new record and they were gracious enough to share their thoughts:

The first record contains recordings from a two year period. The recording of PlusMinus took three days. We wanted to catch the moment, the spontanity and the freshness. All tracks are first take, plus some overdubs. No digital plug-ins were used, just analogue equipment. Not because it sounds more vintage, but because it sounds just better! When we enter the studio, we three bring our different musical influences into the session. But very important is the fact, that we forget about these influences the moment we press the record button! We play, we listen to each other, and most of all we trust each other!

We could not be more honored to premiere a track by a group whose members are truly part of the fabric of some of our favorite genres. Automat not only builds upon their already legendary careers, but ventures in to bold new areas that recall science fiction, art and even jazz. This is truly a masterful project that is not to be missed. For more information, please visit www.automatmusik.de and Bureau B.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 018 - Human Traffic

Trapped inside of a world with no exit, your former existence still glimmers. You are called to the light but pulled the opposite way. This is your home now. Accept your new life.

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Kansas-City based Human Traffic. We premiered their incredible track, "Morgue Witch", back in March and have continued to love the project. New Brvtalism No. 018 is released on the eve of the group's latest tour, which includes stops in Denver, Las Vegas (for American Gabberfest), Tijuana and Austin. The mix is a carefully constructed blend of brvtal industrial, techno, experimental and more. I love the group's unique sound of post-indstustrial suicide pop and their live experience continues to impress. For more information check out:

Die Form - Deep Skin Randomer - Fun in the Sun Journeyman Trax - Inside Foba - Drop Down Barks - Fuori Muori (Ayarcana Remix) Ontario Hospital - Consumer Report NHK - Entire Set 2 Victoria Kim - Apgu Freeway (Rushmore Remix) Lucy Cliche - Passing Time J. Tijn - Kanon Atrax Morgue - Corrupted Plack Blague - Boyz Club (Human Traffic Remix)

Yayoi Kusama - Infinity Theory

Now on the view at the newly opened, Rem Koolhaas-designed, Garage Contemporary Art Museum in Moscow, is acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's "Infinity Theory". This is Kusama's first solo show in Russia and a truly incredible feat. Visitors are immersed inside unique environments that extend from inside the museum out in to beautiful Gorky Park.

Two of Kusama's stunning installations are Guidepost to the Eternal Space (2015) and Infinity Mirrored Room–The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away (2013). Guidepost has the audience gather inside an environment in which white polka dots on a red background cover walls and structures, forming an outlandish, surreal landscape, confusing viewers’ perception and spatial orientation. Infinity consists of a room with mirrored walls filled with thousands of small lights, which appear as pulsating dots. These are infinitely reflected in the mirrors to create an illusory cosmos, which is experienced by a lone viewer, enabling each visitor to momentarily get lost in Kusama’s mesmerizing world.

Infinity Mirrored Room–The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away (2013) — *Infinity Mirrored Room–The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away* (2013)

Also included in the show is Walking Piece (1966), one of Kusama’s earliest works. This is a slide show which portrays the artist walking the streets of New York in a traditional Japanese kimono with a parasol. Outside of the museum, Kusama extends her brilliance beyond the traditional gallery walls and has created Ascension of Polkadots on the Trees, a project that Kusama has shown in various public spaces around the world. In Gorky Park, trees in avenue will be wrapped in red cloth decorated with white polka dots. The museum notes that:

Kusama’s obsession with creating works using colored dots have their roots in the artist’s psyche, wherein hallucinations have haunted her since her childhood. In her memoirs, she recalls sometimes seeing the pattern in paintings spilling over the edges of the canvas to envelop her and everything around her, dissolving her inner self in the outside world. Later, she would use this perceptual experience, which shifts boundaries between fact and illusion, the real and the imaginary, to create works in a variety of media, from drawing, painting, and installation to sculpture, video, and performance.

Kasuma is an artist that has won critical acclaim since the 1980's. Her works have been shown around the world, from Japan to Paris to New York City. Her retrospectives contains hundreds of pieces and her output continues to be prolific. We love her infusion of Japanese surrealism and cutting edge psyche into Russia's newest and most progressive museum. The fact that she is finally showing in Russia is not surprising seeing as though the country has quickly evolved into a classic and modern art powerhouse. The Garage Museum, founded by Russian businesswoman, art collector and magazine editor, Dasha Zhukov is itself an impressive accomplishment. Founded in 2008, the institution was based in a temporary pavilion in Gorky Park created specifically for Garage by architect Shigeru Ban. Just this month, the Museum moved to its first permanent home — a groundbreaking renovation of the famous 1960s Vremena Goda (Seasons of the Year) pavilion in Gorky Park — designed by famed architect Rem Koolhaas. For more information please visit Garage Museum.

-JRS

Images courtesy of Garage Museum. *Click to enlarge.

From left: Ascension of Polkadots on the Trees, Yayoi Kusama, Walking Piece

THE LAST CONSPIRACY A/W 2015

Many say the most important item you wear are the shoes on your feet. They not only serve as protection, but also say a ton about the wearer. Considered footwear is something very important to The Brvtalist. That's why when we came across Denmark-based THE LAST CONSPIRACY, we immediately gravitated toward their designs, ethos and craftsmanship.

THE LAST CONSPIRACY set out to provide quality artisan footwear, items withstanding any test of time, imbued by the sense of history. Each pair is handmade with profound attention to details, thus imprinted with a personal connection between shoemaker and wearer. This selective process is conducted with patience, willfulness and mindful purpose. Against a contrasting backdrop shaped by a continuous dialogue between Portuguese craftsmanship and Nordic minimalism.Each collection is based on progress and a forward-thinking mentality. Authentic craftsman come first, and designers second. This creates and incredible balance of functionality and form.

The Brvtalist is honored to feature the brand's A/W 2015 collection. Staying true to previous collections while continuing to move forward, TLC's boots continue to be some of our favorites on the market today. We were fortunate enough to speak with the brand about this collection and they provided this insightful description:

As the grayness intensifies, dark decks of clouds reach the North. Muted shadows patrol the abandoned pavements. The season of silence is here. At times like these, we observe before we react. Simply exhale and ponder.

For AW15, THE LAST CONSPIRACY explores the foundation of the last. Centered around construction rules, this is a powerful shoemakers instrument, abreast with historic connotations. Our Nordic heritage brings forth a sense of functionality and tactile simplicity. Onto this, the discerning atelier adds knowledge, contemporary industrialism and intelligent tradition to each pair we bring forth.

Our profound commitment to novel expression, led us to reinvigorate handmade norwegian stitching, crafty goodyear welts, asymmetric lampo zips, stern vibram soles and slightly pointed vintage lasts. Patina is restrained, underlining the sturdy durability of our trotters. To develop this further, textured natural horse and yak leathers are molded by hand, to create singular pairs, unique in their expression. For a dose of effortless chic, artisanal sneakers have been crafted, maintained in underplayed gray, deep black and crisp white.

Straightforward unrestricted advancement. Noting the unique bond between shoemaker and wearer, forged deeply over time, through sensory exploration.

The images above and below are all part of THE LAST CONSIRACY's A/W 2015 product line. The details are unrivaled and we love features like diagonal zippers and striking heels for women. All of the footwear exudes luxury, functionality and cutting-edge design, something that is not easily accomplished. We would like to thank THE LAST CONSPIRACY for contributing these images and text for our feature. Also, a special thanks to Marlo Saalmink. For more information please visit: www.thelastconspiracy.com, Facebook and Instagram.

-JRS

*click images to enlarge

Photographer: Lisbeth Breland Saalmink

Now Listening: Lidane Livering/Dogs of Yama - Sheltering Void

Out now on the always impressive, Copenhagen-based noise and power electronics label, Moral Defeat, is the split cassette by Denmark's Lidane Livering and Michigan's Dogs of Yama. When we first discovered Dogs of Yama, there was an instant appeal. The dark, immersive soundscapes inspired by ancient funeral practices is some of the most unique and encapsulating material in the industrial, noise and black metal genres today. After being introduced to Lidane Livering, I understood why this split would be one of the most powerful and brvtal cassette releases all year.

Sheltering Void contains 7 total tracks (4 by Livering and 3 by Yama) of post-indstustrial, blackened sonic landscapes. Livering's side begins with a slight rhythmic approach before slowly sliding in to the depths of dark, harsh environments. "Final XVIII" is an incredible journey into post-apocalyptic ambient and the perfect way to end the side and prepare for Dogs of Yama. "Kalaratri" greatly exemplifies Dogs of Yama's approach to composition as it provides an absolutely punishing environment while maintaining a somber, almost quiet feel. Finally, the elegant harshness of "She Who is Death" rounds out a stellar release. Moral Defeat continues to put out some of the rawest, most interesting emerging talent in the noise and dark electronics genre. Pick this up now.

For more information please visit: https://www.facebook.com/moraldefeat, https://www.facebook.com/lidanelivering, https://soundcloud.com/per-najbjerg-poulsen, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dogs-Of-Yama/1564732430464711, https://soundcloud.com/dogs-of-yama

-JRS

øjeRum - The Forest Is Sleeping Within The Trees

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new series of works by Copenhagen-based multi-discinplanary artist øjeRum (Danish compound meaning "eye room"). øjeRum practices in the fields of collage, recorded music and writing. However, it was his latest collages that caught our eye. "The Forest is Sleeping Within The Trees" is a set of four pieces that powerfully convey moods and emotions. As in many of his works, these collages represent the idea of looking inward to achieve tranquility. øjeRum constantly strives to reach a certain feeling of simply being present in the world – fully exposed to impressions, memories and feelings. The figures in his collages often seem to be lost in thought, as if they were contemplating their very existence. That is why they often have downcast eyes.

I spoke with øjeRum about his works and asked him to contribute a few words on his concept, process and materials. Here is what he had to say:

The way I see it, existence is steeped in a fundamental feeling of foreignness; of not belonging. This is the feeling I'm trying to express. By it's very nature such a feeling contains something inexplicable, something unknown and irreconciable. I'm not satisfied with my work if an assembly of clippings create a symbolism that is too apparent. I want to create a sense of opaque introspection, where it is never quite clear what it all means.

All my collages are handmade and I only use original images from old books and magazines. I have this really cool large size book about trees. All the trees in the series 'The Forest Is Sleeping Within The Trees' are clippings from that book. I never plan out to make a collage a certain way though. I always start off by playing around with clippings and if things go well, a new figure begins to emerge. I like the finished collage to have a simple and coherent expression, so it's all about finding a few pieces of paper that complement each other in form and content. This often happens by chance.

I'm mostly inspired by moods and emotions in music and literature. In the latter case the books of Franz Kafka is a source of endless inspiration. The philosopher Emmanuel Levinas has a concept called 'il y a' – the 'there is' – which he uses to express a sort of pure being. His descriptions of the 'il y a' comes very close to the feeling I'm striving for.

We love øjeRum's emphasis on elemental items. Things like rocks, trees and simple organisms are important because they are simply existing. This feeling of a tranquil existence comes across nicely in these works. They are quiet, meditative, yet very powerful. His ability to obscure human forms and shapes in nature is also uncanny. The works present a very organic entity and it becomes not about trees or forests, but more about the seemingly ambivalent nature of being as such.

Thank you to øjeRum for contributing the images and a few words about his project. Please visit www.oejerum.dk for more information.

-JRS

*Click to enlarge.

From left: She is the Forest, The Forest is Sleeping Within the Trees, Weakness

Bloom Offering - "By Your Side"

The Brvtalist is proud to premiere a new track by Seattle's Bloom Offering. "By Your Side" will be available on the upcoming release Death Bed, which is out June 22nd on End Result Productions. Bloom Offering is the solo music of multi-disciplinary artist Nicole Carr. The project began in 2012 and Death Bed follows last year's Separation Anxiety, which is receiving a second pressing from Plush Organics. Death Bed is an expansion on earlier themes of personal grief and loss. The album is about going through a painful breakup with someone you have a deep connection with.

Death Bed is a haunting exploration of sound and emotion. We immediately gravitated toward "By Your Side" as it's an incredible composition which evokes many of the themes we've just mentioned. Bloom Offering has continued to create a masterful post-industrial gloom that incorporates multiple genres and puts traditional song structure through an experimental paradigm. Carr's vocals are the perfect accompaniment, adding dream-like elements over dark industrial synths that creates a powerful resonance.

We are pleased to feature such a great project by an artist whose sound and aesthetic we very much admire. Death Bed is out in limited quantities on June 22nd and you can pre-order the cassette at End Result Productions. For more information and music from Bloom Offering please visit the following: TUMBLR FACEBOOK INSTA SOUNDCLOUD.

-JRS

UY Studio

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere the striking new ad campaign from Berlin-based fashion house UY Studio. Released in conjunction with the latest additions to their online shop, the campaign is conceptual, as well as daring.

UY is an innovative brand that has grown into a full art collective, incorporating the disciplines of photography, art and home decor. UY sees no aesthetic division between him and her and is truly unisex, hand-crafting garments that are minimal, monochrome and architectural in form. All of the products are handmade in Berlin and UY is devoted to quality, design and affordability. We were instantly drawn to the clean lines and avant-garde ethos.

The latest campaign is an incredible example of high concept fashion that challenges traditional social and cultural norms. We spoke to the UY design team and the inspiration behind the shoot was the idea of timeless, ageless, seasonless garments that allow the wearer to embody their own masculinity and/or femininity. The shoot was kept very simple, as they wanted to keep it in line with previous look books and all photos were taken in their studio. The muted background places even more emphasis on the models and gives the viewer ample opportunity for analysis and interpretation.

We love the juxtaposition of non-traditional models with cutting edge, gender neutral design. The contours and composition of UY's garments is even more pronounced and the campaign maintains both a playfulness and sophistication. We would like to thank UY Studio for allowing us to premiere such an impressive project. The fashion house is one that we both respect and admire and we look forward to covering more of their lines.

For more information and e-boutique, please visit their website. Also connect with them on Instgram (UY.studio) and Facebook.

-JRS

Credits:
Models: Erwin Werder,
Model: Anna von Ruden form Modelwerk Berlin
Photographer: Jacqueline Mikuta
stylist: Erik Raynal
Assistant: Olive Brown

Click image to enlarge*