Bead - "I Will Awaken When Clouds Manifest Above Us"

The Brvtalist is pleased to present and exclusive stream of the first LP by Australia's Bead. The new creative alias from the artist behind industrial favorite Term Fix, Bead explores new territories and submerges us into bleak realms of nihilist techno and dark, rhythmic soundscapes. Many of these tracks were created from samples and leftover sounds from the cutting floor. I Will Awaken When Clouds Manifest Above Us finds inspiration from suicidal thoughts, and acts as an escape from a hopeless world.

  
    <a href="http://bead1.bandcamp.com/album/i-will-awaken-when-clouds-manifest-above-us">I will awaken when clouds manifest above us by Bead</a>
  

The LP is available now via Bandcamp and up next, the artist has new EPs for Morketeler and Term Fix. For more, visit Instagram.

-JRS

senscommon + Q&A

Amsterdam's senscommon is more than just a fashion brand. It's a utilitarian concept that was created to fit the needs of day to day life. While still in its infant stages, the label has unveiled their first piece to the world, the Cyclist Raincoat. Designer Laura Silinska has crafted perhaps the perfect coat which mixes high fashion, minimalism and practicality into one matte black garment. From the designer :

The Cyclist Raincoat is a breathable, lightweight overcoat ideal for cycling. An everyday essential, determined to be the minimalist techwear item of your wardrobe.

Using state-of-the-art technology melded with a simple utilitarian design, the unisex Cyclist Raincoat is effortless to use - on and off any two-wheeler, protecting against all elements in all seasons. Some call raincoats the Tupperware of the modern wardrobe, but we can change this perception if you join our journey and support our campaign. senscommon introduces Cyclist Raincoat - a new unisex classic for urban living.

This is no ordinary raincoat. Using a uniquely developed fabric (made of an exact blend of nylon and polyester), the material is literally water tight. Further, the legs have a specialized push button system, the hood is designed for clear side vision and there's even discreet reflective patches for night riding. We love all of these details and feel it sets the jacket apart from others on the market. The label has launched a Kickstarter to help fund the project and there is just a couple weeks left. For the final push, we thought it would be great to sit down with the designer and talk about the brand, the Cyclist Raincoat and what inspires her. Please find our Q&A below.

*click images to enlarge

The Brvtalist: Talk about the mission of senscommon and what inspired you to start the brand.

Laura Silinska: senscommon is born out of my passion for workwear and utilitarian apparel. It is certainly not a fashion brand but a slowly built collection of urban lifestyle wearables. I intend to creates contemporary relevance through restraint, utility and simplicity - where the every day meets textile technology, and the construction influences the total look. Let it be a coat, a bag, a suit or a curtain, my interest lays in developing new textiles and challenge existing production methods to create things that shape the future.

TB: How did you decide to make the Cyclist Raincoat the first piece and how did you go about creating it?

LS: Cyclist Raincoat is the beginning of my research in performance textiles and the concept of a minimal black waterproof coat that also totally works for people like me, who cycle every single day, it just had to be done! The world needs it. I focused on the most essential functions of a raincoat worn when cycling and designed a pure elongated silhouette of matte black, soft feel fabric, unisex coat that also delivers on comfort and safety on the road. It is the only lightweight, waterproof yet breathable raincoat made for urban cyclists with strong taste. I think it is good to start, as an independent designer, with a piece that people actually need.

TB: What other art forms inspire you?

LS: Music is my drive. If it existed as one genre, I would be listening to a mix of space-age pop/ funk/ rythm'n'blues/ psychedelic pop and vaporwave. But as it doesn't, I listen to all of it separately. I also love "set photography" and collage. Artists like Seth Price, Kenneth Anger, Eva Stenram, Kate Bonner...I call all this recycling art - retro futurism and that is exactly how I can describe my work.

TB: Talk about what's next for the brand and what direction you would like to see it go in.

LS: senscommon will continue to research into new textiles and contemporary uniforms. I am looking forward to collaborating with other designers and artists for the products to come. Also interior objects and home wearables are a niche I want to explore.

TB: And finally, how can people support the brand?

LS: To manufacture such quality technically advanced products like Cyclist Raincoat, I launched a Kickstarter campaign. It has reached 60% of the necessary funds so far and you are really welcome to help us get to 100%! You can contribute and pre-order senscommon products for another 2 weeks right here - bit.ly/senscommon.

We would like to thank Ms. Silinska for speaking with us and it is our pleasure to feature this great, upstart brand. If you haven't done so already, we urge our readers to support the campaign and we look forward to seeing these coats out in the world. You can also follow senscommon on Facebook and Instagram.

-JRS

*All photos by Sabrina Bongiovanni

Silk Saw Q&A

Since the early 90's, Belgian duo Silk Saw has pioneered nearly unclassifiable electronic music. Gabriel Severin (Babils, Rob(u)rang) and Marc Medea have produced 11 albums together and countless other side projects. Their sound is progressive, daring and mix elements of electro-acoustic, modern composition and contemporary music. They are often credited as the forefathers of rhythmic noise and just listening to any of their records gives you an idea of just how complex and layered their sound is.

Last year saw the release of Imaginary Landscapes, the pair's first release after nine years of silence on Russian imprint Kotä. The record reminds us all of the importance of Silk Saw and just how influential they have become for the next generation of experimental electronic artists. This year, the duo will perform live at the Bozar Electronic Arts Festival in Brussels and we had the privilege of speaking to Severin and Medea about their history, influence and live performance. Please find our Q&A below.

The Brvtalist: Last year saw the release of new Silk Saw material after being dormant for 9 years. How does it feel to be back with a new release and playing shows again? Did you both take time off of music or are you always working on something?

Silk Saw: Well, you never know what life will bring you and time is running fast. Marc and I (Gabriel), have had a lot of different musical projects in the past and sometimes one is taking over the others. At least it happened like this for me: some of my projects where taking more time and energy (like Babils and Rob(u)rang) and on the other side Marc had less time to spend in his musical activities. Two years ago Kotä Records (a really nice Russian label for which I'm doing some mastering jobs) asked us if we had something for them. That was a good reason to finish an album that Marc and I had in mind for years! This means that these new tracks are in a way quite old (it is in fact a mix of old and new stuff, the new material being integrated in old structures). As a result, we decided to work on completely new material for the live set –it took 9 months to be achieved- is really different from the album. We need to fill the gap soon with a new album, probably on Kotä again.

TB: You both have been at the forefront of experimental and avant garde electronic music since the early 90’s. How would you describe some of the genre’s evolution? While always popular in many circles, we’ve certainly seen a lot of new artists popping up in recent years. Do you like the influx of new artists and material?

SS: I would say that, although maybe there's less expectations from the public for experimental and avant garde electronic music, there's much more interesting releases than back in the day. Of course there are a lot of micro-labels releasing it with a little amount of copies so if you want to get one you have to be quick. For sure, a lot of these musicians are copying and or mixing what was already done in the past and this is already interesting but some artists (look at the club scene for example: people like Da GobliNN, The Maghreban, Casio Royale, Randomer, Ansome, Ancient Methods, Perc, Daphni, Ekoplekz, Paranoid London, etc., but it's the same for other scenes) are really personal and exciting when they're pushing the limits and crossing the borders without complex.

  
    <a href="http://kotae.bandcamp.com/album/imaginary-landscapes">Imaginary Landscapes by Silk Saw</a>
  

TB: Let’s discuss your upcoming performance at Bozar Electronic Arts Festival. What do you have planned and talk about your approach to creating the live show.

SS: As I said, our performance will be very different from what we made before. It's like a new period for us. It took a lot of work but we're happy with it. Maybe the great lines are the same but the colour palette is completely new (also because we're using new instruments). In a way we are more harsh than before but also more musical and there's maybe a bigger focus on details. As always, we'll use a lot of machines (drumboxes, samplers, keyboards, effects), most of it linked in MIDI, plus some percussions and my voice feeding a headset microphone. This means that even if we're playing the same set at an other venue, it will be quite different.

TB: Do you enjoy playing festivals? What are some differences between festivals and more intimate venues, especially as it relates to your type of music.

SS: Of course playing in more intimate venue fits better to our music. We can take our time and the public should be there to see us, right? On the other side, playing in festivals is great too as a lot of people do not necessary know you. When the program is well done, like Bozar, we're happy but when you're like a fly in the ointment, like it already happened to us, too bad for you!

TB: Both members of Silk Saw have been involved with many other projects, together and separately. Where do you both place Silk Saw in your artistic oeuvre? Would you say it’s your favorite project?

SS: It is clear that when we are together, Silk Saw is the most important project, although indeed we participated to a lot of releases in the past. We have worked together for nearly 30 years. Maybe it's my favorite project but as said before I'm involved in other musical directions that are also really important for me...

TB: What’s next for Silk Saw?

SS: We hope that we'll do more live dates (the next one is at Café Central, Brussels in November). We also made a live recording for Radio Panik recently (still available in podcast). But we're very excited to work together again in a few weeks to record and mix all this new material for a new CD and/or LP to come. For sure, we won't wait nine years for a new record!

Thank you to Marc and Gabriel for taking the time out to speak with us. Silk Saw is a true pioneering act and it is great to see the duo is continuing to push their sound forward. Be sure to catch them live at the Bozar Electronic Arts Festival in Brussels on September 24th at 22:30. For more information, please visit the festival's website.

-JRS

Ascion - "Body Party Shop"

The Brvtalist is proud to premiere a new track from Berlin-based artist, Ascion. "Body Party Shop" comes off the upcoming release, Joy Dexon Club, out September 30th on Repitch recordings. Originally from Naples, IT, Ascion is both a DJ and producer with a visual arts background and a special ability of injecting a wide range of genres to create radical, mind altering music. He is also the owner of Reptich, Cosmo Rhythmatic and 3TH records along with D. Carbone, Shapednoise and Lucindo.

Joy Dexon Club is a 6 track mini-LP that showcases the artist's innovative take on everything from techno, acid, hardstyle and more. We were instantly infected with the hard hitting drums and trance inducing atmospherics on "Body Party Shop" and feel it's a great example of Ascion's wide ranging sonic narrative.

Joy Dexon Club is a 12" and digital release and will be available September 30th via Reptich recordings. For more information, please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

A Conversation with Oake

Since 2013, Berlin-based duo Oake has captivated listeners with their uncanny, ominous atmospheres and post-industrial techno rhythms. Eric Goldstein and Bathesba Zippora compose mystical offerings inspired by the occult, ambient and dystopian sonic landscapes. After four ground breaking releases on the legendary Downwards, Oake returns with Monad XXIV, a four track EP out now on the elite label Stroboscopic Artefacts. While Monad resembles previous material, this EP sees the pair elevate their sound even more. Whether it's the evil, cavernous punishment of "Jardin d'évasion" or the dark romance of "Paysage dépayse", this is a mesmerizing release that showcases the extraordinary talent and technical prowess of one of the most powerful projects today.

We also had the pleasure of witnessing Oake perform as UF (along with Kerrridge) at this year's Berlin Atonal. With a new EP out and just coming off a huge performance we thought it was a great time to talk to the band about creating the new material, their live show and more. Please find our Q&A below.

The Brvtalist: After releasing material on labels like Downwards, Monad XXIV is out on the always impressive Stroboscopic Artefacts. Talk about what it means for this release to be out on SA and has this partnership always been an interest?

Oake (Eric): As with Downwards, we have also been fans of Stroboscopic Artefacts before. I was following the label for years already and when we were approached about doing a release on SA we really wanted to contribute. We spoke to Karl to get his blessing for doing another EP on another label and he was cool with that so we got right on it.

TB: I would love to hear about the approach to this material. How do you think it builds on other works you’ve done and do you think it’s a departure in any way?

Oake: After we released our album, Auferstehung, on Downwards, it was very hard for us to write new music. We just didn’t have the urge to go back to the studio for a while and when we did we mostly played around, which is great and fun but quickly becomes frustrating if you do not end up with something you’d consider to be release-able. It was a weird time in which we started to pressure ourselves to come up with something and this passion, which is music, became a burden somehow. So we tried out new things and new instruments to be inspired again and had a different technological approach to each track of the EP. When we finally finished “Paysage dépayse” things became clearer and it was obvious that the EP either needs to start from there or end at this point.

We also had a clear picture of the label in our heads. Ludovica from SA sent us the complete label discography and after skimming through most of it, it was clear that for this release we wanted to warp our sound towards label’s sound aesthetic, which is why we tried to create songs that are truly sounding like OAKE, but that an adventurous DJ would still play in a club. At the same time we did not want to compromise our live sets so we had to make sure we ‘d have fun playing these tracks in a live performance setting.

TB: I just saw your performance as UF at this year’s Berlin Atonal. While I’ve got you, I would love to hear your thoughts on the performance and what it’s like playing the festival.

Oake: Ohhh, UF. I love this collaboration. The performance was a relief. We did not have a lot of time to prepare. We rehearsed the show for the first time the night before and it did not go that well, since Sam and I both do not possess the most professional rehearsal attitudes. However, the show was brilliant for me personally. All these things were falling off of myself and I became someone else for that moment on stage. I loved the energy that the room bounced back at us, and also the fact to deliver some beats in this cathedral of ambience.

TB: To that point, how do you think the OAKE live performance has changed (if at all) over the years and what you do try to bring to the live show?

Oake: Bathseba and I got much more professional in our approach towards the show during the last few years. We have a good routine and are able to change a whole set on the fly, which we could not do when we started. While I got a bit more relaxed and laid back on stage, Bathseba started to become the star of the show: interacting with the audience, dancing, performing, screaming and singing of course. We also started to incorporate instruments like guitars or certain drums that we can put through our processors to create our sound with classical instruments that the crowd can more easily relate to than to a laptop or drum machine. If we can afford it and have a show that we can easily travel to, we love to bring our friend Franz Bargmann, who will just play with us and his guitar, adding a complete new layer to our music and live show, which we both thoroughly enjoy.

TB: What's coming up next for Oake?

Oake: We have a few remix requests from various labels that we’d like to work on, further we wanted to release another EP on yet another label since the beginning of the year – we are a bit behind, haha, but this still needs to happen. There are a few tracks ready that we’d like to put out on Downwards soon, also Tommy47 is waiting for a track since we will DJ at one of his parties in November and then there are a bunch of interesting collaborations happening: The chances for a future UF release are pretty high, as well as a band project with friends from the UK and some German Krautrockers.

Monad XXIV (Stroboscopic Artefacts, 2016)

Thank you to Eric and Bathseba for these great responses. Monad XXIV is out now on digital formats on Sweden's Stroboscopic Artefacts. For more information please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 069 - ANFS

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Athens-based producer/DJ, ANFS. Creating some of the most earth shattering techno today, the young producer's punk/hardcore background is evident in his aggressive, destructive style. New Brvtalism No. 069 is a brutal journey deep into the outer reaches of the genre and beyond.

His latest EP, The Age of Ephemeral Man, is out now on Inner Surface Music and contains 4 tracks of punishing techno and atmospherics that swallow the mind. From the cracked, modular frequencies of "Blood Trophy" to the dark, ritual drums on "VPA", the EP is a superb example of sinister electronics that is a complete kaleidoscope techno, power electronics, noise, punk and more. The artist is also co-owner of Modal Analysis and runs Vanila, two platforms dedicated to showcasing emerging talent from Athens. For more music visit Soundcloud.

-JRS

The Age of Ephemeral Man (Inner Surface Music 2016)
All tracks written and produced by ANFS. B1. Remixed by Honzo
Mastered by Simon at The Exchange Artwork by Ajna

Elisabeth DIXON - "Intervention" Music Video Premiere

The Brvtalist is pleased to present the music video premiere of "Intervention", the first single off the forthcoming, LP1 (Trait Records/Instruments of Discipline), by Melbourne-based producer Elisabeth DIXON. An emerging name in the techno underground, DIXON crafts hypnotic, trance inducing tracks which transport the listener to an alternate, shadow dimension. The video for "Intervention" is a mind altering trip which is the perfect accompaniment to the track's deep, luscious sound.

LP1 is Elisabeth DIXON's debut LP and is available on 12" and digital formats via Trait Records (Australia) and Instruments of Discipline (Europe). The first pressing will be an edition of 250 with 100 on beautiful "clockwork" orange vinyl. Orders will begin shipping the first week of October. For more information please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

New York Fashion Week S/S 2017

We continue to have a love/hate relationship with New York fashion. For years it was a hot bed for emerging talent and young designers, even putting cities like Paris and Milan to shame. But then, much like the city itself, it became flooded with too much commercialization, corporate interests and unfathomable rents, leaving much of the underground creative class behind. Overall, the past several years have felt bland, unimaginative and most of the excitement has seemed to shift back to Europe. However, like any great metropolis, you can't keep it down for too long. We're not sure if it's "back", but the Spring/Summer 2017 shows have been a nice surprise and there's been more than a few standouts.

One of our favorite presentations is without a doubt Area. This year's finalists of the CFDA/Vogue fashion fun, designers Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk are pure New York glamour. We love their high gloss aesthetic and this season's lucite jewelry and accessories are out of this world. Shiny lamay, tall shoes and pops of all the right colors make for a sophisticated yet sexy rendition of 60's meets 80's in a fresh and modern way. With an e-boutique that just launched, be sure to pick up the brand's current collections now.

*click images to enlarge

Perennial favorite Katie Gallagher also returns with another strong collection. We have been a fan and supporter of Ms. Gallagher for years (see our interview with the designer here) and her 15th collection is the third and final installment of her all-black series. No argument from us here as she uses the color (or lack thereof) to play with beautiful warm weather fabrics that include seductive sheer tops, skirts and beautifully minimal dresses.

On to more exaggerated looks, we move to New York favorite VFiles. This is a downtown collective that showcases some of the best and most progressive emerging young talent from across the globe. Their shows are one of a kind and generally have a sense of anti-fashion which we can always appreciate. This season's look were filled with strong messages, over the top ensembles and bizarre, surrealism that is the perfect backdrop for an acid trip.

Finally on to one of the biggest presentations, DKNY. The iconic New York brand has been on a corporate roller coaster as of late with a new design team and subsequent sale by LVMH to the G-III Apparel Group. All that aside, design duo Maxwell Osbourne and Dao Yi-Chow delivered a strong collection that brings the brand's minimal athleticism into a sleek, techno-driven future. We fell in love with the sharp blue jackets that looked straight out an 80's sci-fi flick. The transparent over coats and awesome cross body bags make this collection utilitarian chic.

For more collections and designers visit New York Fashion Week.

-JRS

HOGG - Solar Phallic Lion

Much like the band's name, title of the EP and musical style, it's difficult to pin down just what is happening on the latest release by Chicago's HOGG. For us at The Brvtalist, this is one of the highest compliments we can give to a record. Solar Phallic Lion is a sonic onslaught of scrap metal, ritual industrial hymns, no wave, noise and much more. It's seething, distorted electronics pulsates through the veins and while it disorients you, it's nearly impossible to stop listening.

Founded in Chicago in 2014, this is the third release by the duo and probably their most wide ranging. Slow guitar strums, drum machines and brutal vocals make up the core of the creations but that certainly does not tell the whole story. The band's nihilist approach and disregard of genre or structure make for beautifully chaotic compositions which inject the body like a much needed antidote. The title track is a doom-infused work of crunchy string distortion, and evil, foreboding vocals that oscillate between a slow hum and sporadic fits that almost let you feel the spit hitting your face. "My House is Nice" moves in to a more horror soundtrack feel with ominous shrieks and a slow-building chant that feels as if you're at the center of on occult ceremony. While only about two minutes, "Electromagnetic Chauvinism" is a percussion focused, rhythmic offering that is one of the catchier tracks on the release, and also probably our favorite title.

The remaining two tracks leave no weak spot in this EP. Expect more punk, D beat and even garage. "Today's World" rolls along and punishes the ears like a dark public service announcement always leaving you slightly off kilter. For us, this EP makes Hogg one of our favorite new projects and one you must keep an eye on. Further, after the Fatal Errors EP by Ariisk (which we covered here), Chicago's Scrapes is currently releasing some of the best and most intriguing material in the underground today. We look forward to more from the band and label. This is a vinyl only release with artwork by ELIJAH BURGHER. To purchase visit the Scrapes e-shop.

-JRS

TRACKLIST:
A1 TODAY’S WORLD (YES YOU HAVE PARASITES)
A2 SOLAR PHALLIC LION
B1 ELECTROMAGNETIC CHAUVINISM
B2 MY HOUSE IS NICE
B3 CONFORM OR DIE

ARTWORK BY: ELIJAH BURGHER

Operant - ZKII

The Brvtalist is pleased to present the new release from Berlin's Operant. ZKII is a vicious offering which exists in the darkest corners of power electronics, harsh noise, dark ambient and techno. Operant produce a crushed, robotic transcendence, where wounds in the body become gateways to other spaces. Voice, synths and field recordings meld into ritualistic, rhythmic schism.

The four track EP wastes no time pulling you in to the duo's decaying world and songs like ZKII_003 build a nice tension between noise and rhythmic beats. The broken, distorted vocals accompany the harshness of the compositions and resemble a mechanical overlord here to enslave you. ZKII_004 journeys the most into bleak techno while the opening track, ZKII_001, is an assaulting post-industrial nightmare. Overall, this is a strong EP which touches on the pair's wide array of influences and keeps the music true to its noise roots.

  
    <a href="http://instrumentsofdiscipline.bandcamp.com/album/zk-ii">ZK-II by OPERANT</a>
  

ZK-II is out now on digital and limited cassette format on Brvtalist favorite Instruments of Discipline. If you're in Berlin this month, be sure to catch Operant live, first tomorrow (September 11) at Urban Spree with Hive Mind, Regalia, Philipp Strobel and Chondritic Sound DJs and then again on September 30th for Zanias' To The Core album release party. For more information, please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS