Black Tears - The Long Decline

The Brvtalist is proud to present the first release by Italy's Black Tears. The new project by Violet Poison and Giorgio Gigli (Zooloft), Black Tears is the next step in the pair's progression. The project lies somewhere between cold, post Industrial, soundtrack and mutated techno and EBM. Violet Poison describes the material as "neoromantic nihilism". Music for a dystopian society where all aspects of life are controlled and love and lust are forbidden. People become robots and a false smile hides the real pain inside. We are excited to bring you the title track from the album, titled "The Long Decline".

As always, the work of Violet Poison and Giorgio Gigli is complex, powerful and masterfully produced. The Long Decline is a glimpse inside this aforementioned world and the tracks are oozing with a dark, romantic atmosphere. The Long Decline is a journey to a bleak, desperate society that is both frightening yet all too familiar. The LP is out now and you can purchase from Juno, Ready Made and Hardwax with more outlets coming soon.

-JRS

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Lyon Béton

While predominately associated with architecture, the simplistic beauty of concrete extends to so many other disciplines. Brutalism was not about an aesthetic but an idea. An idea that could encompass all aspects of daily life. Functionality was arguably the most important element of the design process. When we first laid eyes on the concrete masterpieces of France's Lyon Béton, they immediately resonated with us. Their furniture and accessories capture the force of the Brutalist movement while maintaining a delicate balance of minimalism, grace and refinement.

T coffee table

For over 5 years, Lyon Béton has specialized in concrete designs. The brand now opens itself to the creation of objects by collaborating with artists and designers from Lyon. As the company's mission states, "We aim to offer an alternative to all those who are looking for unusual objects. Combining creativity, aesthetics and practicality, our collections offer a discreet and strong presence."

We reached out to the brand to discuss their creations and to find out about their design philosophy. Co-founder Xavier Dufour provided some great responses to our questions. Please find the interview below.

The Brvtalist: Talk about the design process of Lyon Béton.

Xavier Dufour: We are building Lyon-Beton product ranges through 3 axles: Urban, Living and Classieux (contraction of classy and precious in french which could be written « classious » in english, containing an under sense of derision). We work with designers or with our own stylist, depending who has the best proposal.

TB: Are you influenced by the Brutalist movement?

XD: To our knowledge, Brutalism was initiated in England in the 50s, by a few architects refusing the stereotypes and the compromises, who created the brutalist movement in reaction to their elders. We like their « no surrender » ideas consisting in fighting for raw, simplicity, elegance, functionality and practicality. We always work with this turn of mind, meaning that we do not make objects which are just concepts without any function and practical features. We are also constantly looking for a smile on the face of our clients, betting that it means that a link have been established between our object and the client.

TB: Talk about your decision to use concrete as your primary material.

XD: At the beginning and at the end, concrete makes the final difference. Manufacturing with concrete it is not easy, it is a very whimsical and unpredictable material, but very interesting to work with. And it is an incredible material, strong and fragile, soft and rough, sharp and smooth! We like very much showing all these contradictions in our items, and may be the best example is the d’Hauteville chair showing wildness on the back of the seat, smoothness (old leather finish) on the front of the seat which is itself a simple and pure curve, whereas the rebar legs are stiff and straight…

TB: What's next for Lyon Béton?

XD: We are launching in the coming weeks a table 200x90 cm with a 3 cm thick plate, a clock, and a Rocking Chair. We are going to introduce them in Ambiente Frankfurt.

We would like to thank Mr. Dufour for his time and insightful responses. We are always looking for interesting and unusual products which exemplify the Brvtalist ethos and we are very exctied to feature this great brand. For more information please visit Lyon Béton.

-JRS

Left: Nuclear Plant by Bertrand Jayr. Right: Design Julie Legros / Henri Lavallard Boget

ConSono by Per Najbjerg Odderskov

For all of you hardcore fans of the cult label Cold Meat Industry (R.I.P), ConSono is probably a familiar name. The Swedish duo of Jens Lindh and Magnus Bjärlind only managed to release three albums, one cassette and two compact discs, but they left a very lasting imprint. The first release, Onus Uteri, was released on Sound Source (pre CMI´s tape label), and the other two on Cold Meat Industry and Crowd Control Activity. The duo contributed some of their best tracks to many of the great compilations in the realm of death industrial and esoteric ambience. Many of these tracks are still highly regarded as precious cult gems, giving the listener a glimpse back into the early stages of that beautiful Cold Meat Industry sound.

I´ve been a fan of this highly esoteric mystical duo since I heard their genius track on ...And Even Wolves Hid Their Teeth And Tongue Wherever Shelter Was Given compilation back in 1996. My desire to track down lead singer Jens Lindh has been a goal for quite some time and I finally succeeded. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did making it.

Per Najbjerg Odderskov: My first question is about the creation of the band itself. How and when did ConSono come to be?

Jens Lindh: Magnus and I met in a record store in Södertälje 1989 and we realised that we liked the same music. And after one year we decided to start a band. Our first band was Ograth Vein. Our first release was on the "Im Krematorium" compilation. In 1990 we decided to form ConSono.

PNO: What kind of music and bands were you into back then?

JL: We were both into classical EBM acts such as Front 242, Nitzer Ebb and Skinny Puppy. But we also listened to more obscure acts such as Club Moral, Prima Linea, early Current 93 and Coil.

PNO: I guess the obscure stuff was hard to get and find in Sweden 1989, especially Club Moral.

JL: There were some retailers here in Stockholm. I remember visiting Pet Sounds in the late eighties. They stocked a lot of industrial stuff. There were also some mailorder such as "Spanking Housewives" which were based to the south of Stockholm.

PNO: Last time I was in Stockholm (2008), I could only locate a music shop specializing in punk. I was disappointed that they didn't have anything with Brainbombs.

JL: Today we have a new generation and there are new clubs and shops, such as Kollaps Records. There were certainly some "dark ages" during the early 2000-2010.

PNO: How did you get in contact with Sound Source / CMI?

JL: I remember we made contact with Roger Karmanik in 1989 and sent him a cassette and he proposed that we should contribute to a compilation, 2x6 - The Dimensions of a Coffin.

PNO: That compilation was before the cassette release on Sound Source?

JL: Yes it was before the first cassette.

PNO: 2x6 is a brilliant and excellent compilation by the way. It remains one of my favorite comps from that time. A very effective mood capturer.

JL: Yes it was released the same year as the cassette. Speaking of the first release, I found it: http://www.discogs.com/Various-Im-Krematorium/release/1756180. Our first incarnation as a band was actually under the name Orizaba.

PNO: Oh yeah. I've noticed that before.

JL: Roger Karmainik also had a side label called Mechanik Cassettes.

PNO: So who were Ograth Vein then?

JL: Ograth Vein was formed the same year but didn't make any official releases.

PNO: Damn, Mechanik Cassettes in family with CMI? That is some lost lore, even I didn't know that.

JL: Yes, even I had forgotten it. I had to google it. They had some releases with Lille Roger and Maschinenzimmer 412.

PNO: After the cassette on Sound Source, you had some compilation appearances on all the coolest CMI compilations, including the legendary Death Odors 1 from Slaughter Productions. The next release, Hymns of Deceased Deities, was more a compilation of your own tracks. What happened back then to the band?

JL: We made some appearances on compilations and decided to remix and collect them on an album. That became Hymns of Deceased Deities. There were some recurrent literary and occult themes on Hymns, and i think it makes an interesting whole.

PNO: I loved that esoteric mystic feel to it. Somewhere between Ain Soph and early Dead Can Dance in a way...

JL: I was influenced by writers such as Borges, and esoteric and alchemical writers. We actually listened to Ain Soph a lot, i think they're a good band.

PNO: Now that I think about it, you were the prime mystical occult band on CMI back then for sure. Other bands were delving into satanic elements like Archon Satani and Mz.412.

JL: I think that's correct. I have always thought of ConSono as occult band. We were not interested so much in satanism, more in traditional esoteric thinkers.

PNO: Did you feel different from the rest of the CMI bunch at that time? I wonder why Ignoto Deo wasnt released on CMI, and why the 3 years pause?

JL: The period before Ignoto Deo was a challenging one for ConSono. We didnt like some of the acts at that time, we thought that we were moving more towards a sound incorporating elements of Dead Can Dance, medieval and folk music.

ConSono was inactive during serveral years, but we continued to record a lot of tracks and trying new directions. We found the traditional industrial "formula" too limited. I think that Ignoto Deo was an attempt to break free from our own creative chains.

PNO: Very interesting because CMI was turning more and more attention to neo-folk and almost gothic-pop-ish bands around 2003.

JL: Yes later on CMI turned more into a ethereal/neofolk gothpop direction.

PNO: Heh, none of those bands made an album quite like Ignoto Deo. Just my opinion. It was quite unique. Perfectly balanced piece of work between experimental folk and gothpop.

JL: Yes, Ignoto Deo is good album. We tried to combine influences like Scott Walker, Dead Can Dance, etc. The lyrics were more focused and coherent. I tried to capture different expressions and dark landscapes, fairytales and myths. Magnus, who is a illustrator by profession, did a great job with the cover on both Ignoto and Hymns. We had a fairly strict division in ConSono, I wrote all the texts and lyrics, and Magnus designed the cover.

PNO: Ignoto Deo should have been a digi-pack. In thick paper of some kind.

JL: Yes I think that Ignoto should have been released in a more "luxurious" manner. The good thing with Roger was his ability to go all in and in Hymns he let us do a booklet.

PNO: Did you do any concerts/live events in those times? I haven´t seen or heard much about live appearances.

JL: Sadly no. We never played live. We had a strict policy to not play live as we thought that we couldnt make the live experience good enough. We had seen a lot of bands doing the "DAT-thing" and we thought it wasn't enough. In retrospect I think it was a mistake to not play live.

PNO: *laughs* I have the exact same policy. I will not dare doing live myself. A guy behind a laptop/computer pushing buttons. Seen tons of those concerts, boring as hell. Even Stephen Thrower of Cyclops did the same stunt and it was disappointing.

JL: Yes i find most of these concerts boring. I have seen too much of them. I totally agree.

PNO: BUT if you could pull off a kind of acoustic ConSono concert in a church of some kind? That would be damn good!

JL: That would be a great idea! ConSono is disbanded and i think that we will not see any more releases and concerts, but it is an interesting concept...

PNO: How about unreleased material or a rarities compilation?

JL: Mangnus and I have focused on our own projects. I thought about making a rarities compilations a few years ago. We have a lot of unreleased material in the Ignoto Deo vein but a lot of the tracks need re-recorded vocals.

PNO: I knew you had more material. I´ll bet there would be lots of great labels willing to release it.

JL: I think we have over 30 unreleased tracks from that period. Yes, I have been contacted by some labels during the years, but a release will be an effort and as you get older there is a fine balance between the old projects and the new.

PNO: Ahh yes of course. One final question. Any recommendations in the field of newly released industrial music?

JL: I haven't discovered so much new bands during the last years. Nowadays I primarily listen to ambient/dark ambient such as Alio Die and Richard Skelton.

PNO: I´m getting more and more into my techno roots *laughs* More and more Detroit style techno acts are mixing this with industrial elements. Ancient Methods and Diamond Version just to name a few.

JL: Ok, interesting! I will look them up. Is it contemporary?

PNO: It is contemporary. Even Ancient Methods said in an interview that he was an old fan of CMI.

JL: Oh, that sounds good. They know the essential music history.

PNO: Quite so. Well Jens, it was nice talking/chatting with you. Thank you very much.

JL: Thanks it has been really nice chatting to you.

For more Per Najbjerg Odderskov, check out his projects Lidane Livering and Destruktionsanstalt.

New Brvtalism No. 043

The mind is now a prison of your own creation. Impenetrable walls leave you enslaved. You become your own worst fear.

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Berlin-based artist Post Scriptum. The mysterious producer has emerged from the shadows to become one of the most unique and exciting acts currently working on the global techno scene. With a stellar release on Function's Infrastructure label, Post Scriptum's sound is incredibly complex and describes a bleak and desolate future. Using impressive sound design and science fiction imagery, we were instantly pulled into his dark, all encompassing world. While already performing at major venues like Berghain, the following are the artist's upcoming live dates:

20.02 Live @ Dude Club, Milan
05.03 Live @ Reaktor, Amsterdam
20.05 DJ @ Fabric, London

With more original material on a forthcoming Infrastructure Compilation/Sampler in May 2016, things have only just begun for Post Scriptum. New Brvtalism No. 043 is a 119 minute journey through the outer reaches. We are honored to add this contribution to our series and we look forward to more from this great artist. For more information please visit www.postscriptumlive.com and Facebook.

Fantasy 1

The Brvtalist is pleased to feature the work of Austin-based record label and art collective Fantasy 1. Successfully merging the worlds of experimental sound, visual and performance art, the diverse output of the label always provides a massive assault to the senses. Headed by multidisciplinary artist Domokos Benczedi, we have been big fans and supporters of the post-industrial noise and incredible collage work of his project Future Blondes. We asked the artist and founder to contribute a few words about the label and he offered the following:

FANTASY 1 IS THE NEW LABEL OF FUTURE BLONDES + RELATED ARTIST / ARTISTS OF INTEREST + INSPIRATION CURRENTLY BASED IN AUSTIN TX -
THE MISSION OF THE LABEL IS TO RELEASE UULTRA DOCUMENTATION OF CURRENT + FUTURE ARTIST ACTIVITIES PUMP OUT A RELENTLESS STREAM OF VINYL RELEASES, VIDEO DOCUMENTS, ART, VITAL INFORMATIONS + ??? ASAP.

One of the projects on Fantasy 1 we were instantly drawn to is Terror Apart. The solo of work of Future Blondes member and Portland-based artist Anna Leja, Terror Apart is a relentless drive through death industrial, noise and bleak atmospherics. In the words of Leja herself, Terror Apart's objective is to force the listener to stare deep down into all that is ugly, feared, and rarely met dead on in the hopes of mindful shaping, shifting and transference, with the ultimate end goal of release...

Her latest album, out now on Fantasy 1, is entitled Knight Rider. This is an exquisitely crafted record which puts these forces on full display. We are excited to bring you the track "My House", which the artist describes as a "track written to ward off menacing spirits. A confrontational fuck you to psychic vampirism and lingering personal demons."

Up next, Terror Apart is working to put together a U.S. tour this summer, as well as creating new material for a forthcoming album. In the meantime, engaging in shows that focus either on fully written material or solely improved sets and working towards the goal of someday writing scores for horror movies/psychological thrillers and other genre related films. Please visit here for more information.

For the label, the first batch of releases are now available and include the following:

0.0.0.0. 002 DEFILE TEXAS 2. 5. 15. (BLJ/PHARMAKON/FUTURE BLONDES) CDR
0.0.0.0. 003 BREATHING PROBLEM "PUNISHMENT 5. 27. 15." CDR
0.0.0.0. 004 TERROR APART "KNIGHT RIDER" CDR
0.0.0.0. 005 FUTURE BLONDES "SE-AHK SHADOW" CDR
0.0.0.0. 006 SKULLCASTER "COGNITIVE INFILTRATION" CDR
0.0.0.0. 007 HOW I QUIT CRACK "TRANSITIONAL HERBS" CDR
0.0.0.0. 008 PEIISTE "ULTRAHEAD" CDR
0.0.0.0. 009 XIOIX "NYCTOPHILIA" CDR
0.0.0.0. 010 BOOK OF SHADOWS "THE SECOND ATTENTION" CDR

Upcoming releases include works by Big Debbie (Dos Lados 12"), Nick Klein, V.E.X., Day For Night Festival Blue Stage Complication DVD and much more. We look forward all of the forthcoming material from this prolific label and we would like to thank Domokos and Anna for their contributions to this feature. For more on Fantasy 1 please visit Bandcamp.

-JRS

Kanga by Aaron Montaigne

Z Beauty of Pop in Z Dark
2100 hrs, January 25th, 2016
Location: Good Luck Bar, Silver Lake, CA

Kanga is a Los Angeles-based producer and musician. She's an Aries. Kanga has her first headlining show coming up on February 3rd at Complex with Bustie’, Passing (new project from Christopher Myrick of Bestial Mouths), and WVM.

Aaron Montaigne: Ok Kanga, now that we got our whiskey on lets dive in. Listening to your music I would sort of describe it as very dark pop music. Something like Elvira meets Robyn. I'm wondering how you would describe your own music?

Kanga: Pretty close to how you describe it. I like mixing pop music into my work to make it more accessible. I come from a darker industrial and techno background but I think pop musicality can make it accessible so I fit it into my style.

AM: Yeah man I fucking love pop music, I get a lot of shit for liking pop, like Lady GaGa and Lana Del Rey.

K: I think that people have a misconception of pop music. The difference between Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails is that Nine inch Nails wrote pop songs where as Skinny Puppy did not, but no one would ever call NIN a pop band. Pop music is the ability to write a “hook”, and I think that a lot of beautiful experimental music only lacks a “hook” and thats what I think makes it accessible or not.

AM: I’m a sucka for a “hook”.

K: Laughs

AM: Listening to your song Something Dangerous, (which hasn't dropped yet BZW) z words, pace, imagery and aesthetic are all unique. Like z style of your art there's definitely a fetish vibe happening. Are you influenced by that style of imagery?

K: Yes, I am really fascinated by objectification on many different scales as sexuality and terms of gender, power dynamics and social structures. I think its a really interesting concept to play with. To mold something and abuse it and present it in different ways. I like to be vulnerable but also a bit sneering in my vocal style.

AM: Yeah, lyrically you seem like z Boss.

K: Laughs.

AM: Almost like you're “ willing” something in your song.

K: I have a very “front person” personality but with a very high voice, I try to use that to my advantage and talk about dark subject matter.

Teaser for upcoming album by Kanga. Video by Patrick Kennelly. www.thebrvtalist.com/kanga/

AM: Where else do you draw inspiration artistically?

K: My Father, I don't really talk about it but I have a very prolific Father who is a very well known visual artist who had this interesting story of….

AM: What's his name?

K: Tine’

AM: French oui?

K: Oui, But he became a hermit and had a very interesting philosophy on art, so at a very young age I was raised in art culture. You do the art and everything else comes after, and I think thats the reason why I’ve been doing this for five years and no one knows who I am because I’ve just been doing this. I haven't actually put myself out there yet.

AM: Cool, and talking about that um, you are a fairly unknown artist and you're about to headline this show coming up on z third of February. How are you feeling about that? The bill is pretty stacked which is rad.

K: Its funny because I have amazing accomplishments that no one know about - like I did sound on Insidious 3

AM: I fucking love Insidious!!

K: Yeah but you didn't know that. I also was Tech 9’s sound editor.

AM: Fuuuuuuck!!!

K: I have this stellar resume that people don't know and its just one of those things like how would you know? Why would you know? Most people don't know my real name, so for me its like this feels long over due like I finally have the audacity to play a headlining show but on the other hand its like I have done sound for feature films.

AM: So, Z Brvtalist is wondering, are you signed to any label right now, are you available? What's in z stars for Kanga?

K: I started to write an EP, the more I started writing it the better it became, so instead of just putting out an EP I was writing more and more music and getting more attention from label heads. So Im at this place now where I am talking to a label but they want a full length now, so its gone from being pregnant with a seed to being 8 months pregnant and wanting this baby to be born already. It might involve more waiting but I am a patient person, which is a weakness of mine, I fear losing momentum due to my patience. But for me its important to have a solid body of work.

AM: Roger that.

AM: You write all the music, you write all of your lyrics, this project is all you.

K: Yes.

AM: In z future who would you like to collaborate with?

K: This sounds really weird but I have this fetish for being an old times producer taking an act and cultivating them. I like a lot of the afro punk bands out now, I have this desire to infiltrate and take over artists I think are talented and would love to integrate my sound to theirs. I think Chelsea Wolf is brilliant. I used a couple of her trans as mixing references. And yeah Trent Reznor do a remix for me.

K: Laughs.

AM: Laughs, which could happen!!

AM: I think z relationship between artist and producer is very important and special. Albums remind me of a broken heart, one half is z artist, z other is z producer.

K: Maybe thats why I am so hard on myself because a producer has to be truthful and mean sometimes to the artist they are working with.

AM: Ok cool, I am going to do an experiment where Kanga draws a card from my Tarot deck. (Kanga shuffles cards like a true boss. Draws card)

AM: Card is inverted 6 of wands.

K: You smell like sunscreen, are you wearing sunscreen?

AM: I always wear sunscreen. It's night time, I don’t vant to get burned by z moon.

K: Vampire!

AM: Where are you from?

K: Santa Ana. I’m from the bario, the ghetto. I got into a lot of trouble in high school, got my degree super early, left high school at 16 and got into more trouble. My mother told me “ you need to go to collage or get the fuck out”, so I took a digital music class and became Apple certified by the age of 16.

AM: Whats that?

K: Like mastering pro tools and logic, so I became a producer because of getting into trouble.

AM: Do you like Trap music?

K: I have a lot of friends from Atlanta who are passionate about it, but its not my thing.

AM: One last question I gotta keep it short or z Brvtalist will beat me. Do you believe in z dark arts and z Devil himself?

K: I believe in the dark arts, but I don't believe in the Devil.

AM: Merci.

Photograph of the artist by Aaron Montaigne.

New Brvtalism No. 042

A systemic collapse leaves you faceless. Your former life is but a relic. Surrender to the future.

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Identity Theft. A mysterious project merging ambient with experimental electronics and acid, we were instantly drawn to its unique sound and encapsulating mood. With a cassette release on the always impressive Cuss Fetish, Identity Theft creates a sound that is both hypnotic and paranoid. New Brvtalism No. 042 is an incredible journey through a dystopian future with a corrupted past. We are also pleased to feature a new video for the track "BCNU":

In addition to the Cuss Fetish split cassette, Identity Theft also has a release coming out on February 3rd on Record Label Records . Titled, "From My Cold Dead Hands", a sample can be found here:

The Brvtalist would like to thank Identity Theft for his contribution and we look forward to hearing more from this great project. For more information please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

Track list:

1. Der Zyklus - Biometric ID
2. John Watermann - Seeking Perfection in Somersaults
3. T.A.G.C. - Magnesia
4. Column One - Der Jäger
5. Bruta Non Calculant - The True Disciple
6. Mechthild Von Leusch - Rungholter Tanz 5A
7. Blablarism - Chimera
8. Johanna Liebhart - Nicole
9. Caroline K - Tracking With Close-Ups
10. Dr C. Stein - Zigener Am Klavier
11. Notstandskomitee - Der Geheime Kanal
12. Monoton - Fish
13. Reichmann - Traumzeit
14. Identity Theft - The Future Hates The Past
15. Optic - Four
16. Antlers Mulm - Eisblumen
17. Ich Wollte, Ich Könnte - Conscious Ruins
18. Ceremonial Abyss - Pathwork 1 (Identity Theft Remix)

Odeur A/W 2016

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week took place last week in Berlin and as per usual there was a nice array of both established and up and coming designers on display. We always like the shows in Germany as they tend to feature fresh talents and collections that are high concept, art-driven and not afraid to take risks. Sweden's Odeur Studios is the perfect example. Founded in Stockholm in 2006 by Petter Hollström, the label began as an experiment and has since grown into a worldwide fashion brand. By replacing the traditional word-based logotype with a brand specific scent that is infused in the garments, Odeur was able to become the label with a non-visual logotype.

The stage was nicely set for brand's A/W 2016 collection, which premiered last week in Berlin. The neon hues added to the dark, electronic soundtrack and models appeared only as shadows to begin the show. When the lights came on, a striking yet effortless collection was introduced to the audience.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz

While typically a monochrome palate, the designers utilized some very nice prints for this collection. Sticking to mostly black and white (with some deep blues), the print looks right at home in winter fabrics like wool and cashmere. We love this coat's long silhouette with its printed tails and high neck.

Variations of the military bomber jacket were also used throughout the collection. Asymmetrical zippers, flowing tails and more were all well-executed additions to the traditional garment. Here we see the print above on a male model and the proportions are exaggerated, yet nicely restrained. Odeur prides itself on crafting unisex fashion and many of the looks carry an androgynous allure that is irrespective of gender or orientation. The show also featured models holding hands, walking the runway together, and it is clear the line is made for all to enjoy.

We're never against winter whites and the loved a few of the all white looks on the runway this season. While perhaps not for the punishing winters of Eastern Europe, these would be right at home pretty much all year in Southern California.

One of the best qualities of Odeur is the brand's ability to blur the lines between casual and serious looks. Single breasted blazers and coats showed up quite a bit and were quick to highlight this fact. The dark tones of the ensembles added a nice touch of sophistication and so many of the looks are ready for morning, noon and night.

Odeur's A/W 2016 collection is a successful attempt at bringing together elements of casual sportswear, urban elegance and androgynous fashion. We love the fact that you can't quite put your finger on what or who the line is made for but you know that it can work for anyone and everyone. Odeur continues to elevate the brand and the packed house in Berlin is evidence that more and more people are taking notice. We look forward to more collections from designers Gorjan Lauseger and Petter Hollström. For more information and worldwide retailers, please visit Odeur.

-JRS

Händer som vårdar - "Interiors"

Over the past couple of years, Denmark's Posh Isolation has quickly become one of our favorite record labels. From Puce Mary to Damien Dubrovnik, their brand of experimental, ambient, noise and even techno has carved out a very nice niche on the global music scene. The latest release by Sweden's Händer Som Vårdar is no exception. "Interiors" is a limited cassette which showcases the artist's masterful ability to tell a story through complex compositions in sound. Using ambient noise, industrial, and lush soundscapes, "Interiors" is an exquisite narrative which allows the listener to interpret the work in any number of ways. Below please find the track "In The Blue Room", which is side B1 on the cassette. We are also pleased to bring you a few words from the artist himself in which he describes his work, this release and more. (See below)

From the artist:

I started making experimental recordings when I was 13 years old. Händer som vårdar started in late 2009, when I was 20. Since then I have released 5 tapes, appeared on a few compilations and splits. Thematically the project was originally pretty bleak and depressive, becoming more broad over time, but always very personal. Musically it's always been structured industrial noise, assembled from taped sound and electronics

The name Händer som vårdar is Swedish for ”Nursing hands”. There's no literal hidden meaning to the name, it's meant as an image to be interpreted and to evoke a mood. I tend to think in images rather than words and my artistic process is much like collage-making, assembling and re-working until the totality makes sense. This goes for the music as well as thematic presentation (titles, etc.). I've felt like I was hiding myself and my ideas behind excessive ambiguity on earlier works, so I started searching for a more direct expression (without resorting to the classic theatrics of noise aggression).

For my recent tape on Posh Isolation, I sketched a more musical work, with a progressing, romantic narrative, but ended up with static, industrial pieces, like situations that could appear in any order. It then came naturally to present them as settings or tableaus, hence the title (Interiors). I like the idea of an artwork that's defined but still needs the audience to add something, like a scene where the action isn't written yet.

My first LP will be released in February on the Gothenburg label Järtecknet and will be called Aristokrat. The theme of the record is the dualism of individuality, both personally (the depressive ego, pending between self-hatred and hatred of others, almost elitism) and in culture and philosophy (anarchist thought, pride in being an outsider). It’s something I’ve thought a lot about in personal life as well as in my art (visual and music) and in the end I think I’ve conveyed only a fraction of my thoughts on the subject, but that’s natural when making a musical work as opposed to writing a thesis or something...

The LP and the Interiors tape are slightly more "polished" than earlier recordings (not as much tape decay-style sound). I don't pursue lo-fi sound for its own sake, but I dwell a lot on sound texture, and the "happy accidents" of taped sound, field recordings etc. tend to be less predictable than generic synth or effect sounds. On the other hand, I also require a bit of control over sound that's sometimes lost when the process becomes too crude.
I'm also very influenced by traditional music (as in non-"experimental", everything from folk music to punk) and have recently begun incorporating samples and more musical elements in my recordings.

Besides the LP, I’m contributing tracks to forthcoming compilations on Italian Angst Records and the UK label Strange Rules, playing in Berlin with parts of the Posh Isolation and Northern Electronics crew on February the 11th, and sometime around May or April my good comrade and I, Broken Lights, will hopefully be touring through Europe.

The Brvtalist would like to thank Händer som vårdar for contributing to this feature. The artist will be performing live at Berlin Atonal's New Codes event in Berlin next month along with several other incredible acts. "Interiors" is out now on Posh Isolation and for more information please visit Soundcloud and Facebook.

-JRS

*Live photo by Sophie Herner

New Brvtalism No. 041

As a lesser being you accept the punishment. Atonement is no longer an option. Bow before your new savior.

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Berlin-based artist Luna Violenta. Head of one of our favorite record labels, I nstruments of Discipline, Luna's taste is virtually unmatched. From records like Dominatrix, to the recently released MB/RS - Black Box Recordings, IOD is one of the most compelling labels operating today. New Brvtalism No. 041 is a perfect mix of punishing rhythms, haunting atmospheres and layers of beautiful decay.

Luna will be providing DJ support for the Ascetic release show next month in Berlin and we look forward to more great releases from her label. For more information, please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

Track list:
Drew McDowall - Hypnotic Congress
Black Rain & Shapednoise - Metal Home
S.P.K. - A Heart That Breaks In No Time Or Place
Deutsch Nepal - Behind A Wall Of Silence/ Puce Mary - S.A.D.O.
Maska Genetik - Ocean
Hive Mind- Detritus
Mai Mai Mai - Βάσσαι - Bassae
Huren - Mrtvi
Tzusing - 4 Floors of Whores
Monolith - Casual Violence
Justine & Juliette- The cage
Damien Dubrovnik _ All God Takes (Teeth Lit Up By Headlights)
Trepaneringsritualen - Black Egg
MB/RS - Black box recordings
RAMLEH - Anything Is Mine
Blush Response - Rebirth in the Sprawl
ASCETIC: - History
Les Joyaux De La Princesse & Regard Extrême - Weiße Rose
Der Blutarsch - untitled
End