Video Premiere: Adhere to Form - "Move in Time"

The Brvtalist is pleased to present the music video premiere of "Move in Time" by Portland's Adhere to Form. The latest project of artist Robert Eagleson (Vice Device), Adhere to Form builds on early industrial, EBM and current movements of synth and wave to create fresh, genre-crossing material that is instantly infectious. "Move in Time" is the first single off the artist's debut LP, Departed, out now on Sinis Recordings. The video was created by the brilliant minds at Roodeaux and is directed by Price Robideaux with Corey Rood serving as Director of Photography. The single and accompanying video is an excellent introduction to the project's sound and aesthetic approach.

Departed is available now on digital and a great looking vinyl format. For more information and music, please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 071

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Knut Vandekerkhove. The Nice(FR)-based artist is an exciting underground producer experimenting in the realms of industrial, EBM, techno and noise. He has an upcoming release on Violet Poison's Veleno Viola label and just launched his own imprint, Lonely Life Lovers Club (LLLC). Much of New Brvtalism No. 071 contains forthcoming material from the artist, including tracks off the split EP, Boys Do Cry, with Dead Acid Society. The mix also contains other favorites like JK Flesh, M.E.S.H. and Manunkind, pulling you down into murky depths.

Also available now is the LLLC Special Depression Pack, which contains a signed manifesto, one of a kind cassette packaging. clothing and other gifts. We look forward to hearing more from this up and coming artist. For more music, visit Soundcloud.

-JRS

Track List:
Lotic - Surrender
M.E.S.H - Victim Lord
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased (forthcoming on LLLCLUB)
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased (forthcoming on LLLCLUB)
Keith Fullerton Whitman - Generator 7B
D.A.S - unreleased (forthcoming on LLLCLUB)
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased (forthcoming on LLLCLUB)
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased
Tuning Circuits - We rule the world
Knut Vandekerkhove - unreleased (forthcoming on Veleno Viola)
Freddie Fresh - Space Funk
JK Flesh - Posthuman
I Hate Models - Modern image slavery
Manunkind - Acéphale
Not Waving - Mental means alone
Gorillaz - M1A1
D.A.S - unreleased (forthcoming on LLLCLUB)
Rabit - Tearz

Military Position - "Black Noise"

So who is Military Position? Well, for starters, the project hails from Australia and is primarily associated (for cassette releases) with the excellent, Trapdoor Tapes. In existence since 2011, the act consists of one sole member, Harriet Kate Morgan.

Today we're talking about Military Position's third cassette release titled, Black Noise (Trapdoor Tapes 2016). The first thing you will probably notice (if you're an old-school industrial nerd like myself) is the sound. It is raw, unpolished and effective - like it should be! Not that the polished, high-tech stuff is all bad, but the sound of Military Position just REALLY proves it's genuineness. It would be completely accurate to compare it to Throbbing Gristle, Sleep Chamber (including a cover of Sleep Chamber's "Babes of Babylon"), Master/Slave Relationship and Anenzaphalia for starters. It's industrial like mom made it, with all the right aesthetic ingredients as well. So is Military Position just following the recipe? Absolutely not!

Morgan's experimental, progressive approach is all in the recordings. Her sound masterfully jumps from one murky style to the next. From punishing death-industrial, throbbing post-punk, cold electronics and sexual whip slashing death-disco! Black Noise is a heavily evolved, claustrophobic industrial-noise experience, with lots of raw bricks of brutal density! To top things off, the album's cover art shows an artsy photo of a young Suzie Quatro, your all time favorite leatherclad glam/disco-queen.

Black Noise is another great release from one of the best new artists practicing in the post-industrial/noise genre(s). Trapdoor Tapes also continues to be one of the most impressive cassette labels not enough people are talking about. As a fan I REALLY like her older stuff, but heck....this shit is getting better!

For more for information and purchasing, visit Trapdoor Tapes.

-Per Najbjerg Odderskov

Jessica Eaton

Nothing is quite as it seems when evaluating the works of Canadian photographer Jessica Eaton. Her pieces are mesmerizing, painstakingly handmade and in a sense, illusory. On first glance, one might assume the use of digital editing or software enhancement but that is far from the case. These incredible works are shot using an analog camera and then light, material, and more are all manipulated to create such hypnotic, tonal images. For nearly 10 years, Ms. Eaton has dazzled the eye with her unique sense of color, variation and technique. Her latest solo exhibition simply titled, Jessica Eaton, opens September 24th at the always impressive M+B Gallery, Los Angeles.

Ms. Eaton's latest show is an excellent example of the artist's vision and technical mastery. Three new bodies of work push the boundaries of the photographic medium and challenge the viewer to see beyond the typical use of film. These magnetic works also involve chemical processing that create illuminated colors and geometric forms that are unlike anything we have seen before.

Jessica EatonRevolutions 23, 2016archival pigment print© Jessica Eaton, Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles — Jessica Eaton
Revolutions 23, 2016
archival pigment print
© Jessica Eaton, Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles

Also included are Transition(s), which build upon the artist's acclaimed, Cubes for Albers and LeWitt (cfaal) series. These are striking pieces which pull you inside a multi-dimensional world surrounded by geometric patterns and rich, vibrant colors. Also on view will be a selection of Pictures for Women, celebrated examples of artwork by female artists as interpreted through Eaton’s experimental camera techniques.

Jessica Eaton

Jessica Eaton opens September 24th with an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. at M+B. The exhibition runs through November 12, 2016 and we urge our readers to experience these works in person. For more information, please visit M+B Gallery, Los Angeles.

-JRS

Jessica EatonGeorgia 01 (Georgia O’Keeffe, Pelvis Series - Red With Yellow, 1945), 2016 archival pigment print© Jessica Eaton, Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles — Jessica Eaton
Georgia 01 (Georgia O’Keeffe, Pelvis Series - Red With Yellow, 1945), 2016 archival pigment print
© Jessica Eaton, Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles

New Brvtalism No. 070 - Alexey Volkov

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Berlin-based artist, Alexey Volkov. The Russian born producer/DJ has released dark, depraved EBM inspired techno on labels like Jealous God and Planete Rouge. His next EP, Cold Blooded Genius, will arrive November 2016 on the excellent Linda Records. Volkov will also be performing live at the upcoming Mugako Festival in beautiful northern Spain. He now delivers a subliminal mix of everything from industrial, experimental, noise, techno and more.

For more information, please visit Facebook and Soundcloud.

-JRS

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.

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.

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