Eomac - Temple of the Jaguar (Eotrax Label Launch + Free Promo Track)

Sound, art and ancient beauty perfectly align in the first release on the newly launched Eotrax label. Helmed by experimental techno artist Eomac (Ian McDonnell, Lakker), the label is a conceptual platform for the the artist's own releases, collaborative projects and other works which fit into the imprint's ethos. The label began after a trip to Mexico in January 2016 and is directly inspired by the sense of connection, mysticism and potential experienced there. Temple of the Jaguar is an excellent first installment consisting of a one sided, single 11 minute track which explores progressive techno, powerful ambient and cosmic drone. The B-side contains a suburb etching by artist Sal Stapleton. From the label:

Conceived on a visit to Teotihuacan near Mexico City, inspired by both the cosmic and earthly power of the place, ‘Temple of the Jaguar’ attempts to find a way back to the animalistic nature within us all. A reconnection to the dark, sensual part of us that has been repressed for centuries in a limiting and limited, fearbased, patriarchal society. A reconnection to the body. A reconnection to femininity. A reconnection to wildness. To intuition. To sexuality. To earth.

Temple of the Jaguar (Eotrax, 2016) — *Temple of the Jaguar* (Eotrax, 2016)

To mark the launch of the label and its first release, Eotrax has also provided us with a free download. Titled "Skeleton Crew", the 2-minute track came from the same sessions as Temple of the Jaguar. It uses the same samples and was written at the same time. While much shorter, is it more direct and just as powerful. A great taste of what's to come. Listen and download here:

Temple of the Jaguar will be released on November 11th, 2016 in 12" and digital formats. Next up for Eomac is an exciting new live AV show, which will be premiered at Unsound, Krakow, Oct 21st, 2016. We love inspired labels which seek to push the boundaries of music, art and more and look forward to more from Eotrax.

-JRS

Zov Zov - The Sacred Pornography of God

Earlier this year Oliver Ho (aka Broken English Club, Raudive or Zov Zov) announced the launch of the label Death & Leisure, with a first release coming from his alias Broken English Club. We now have the second release titled, The Sacred Pornography of God, which is a mini album by Zov Zov, a collaborative project between Oliver Ho and Tommy Gillard.

The record brings together elements of the sacred and the profane, a duality which perfectly complements the noise and minimal industrial infused sounds that Oliver Ho and Tommy Gillard are exploring with this release. Revolving around innocence and sin, body and spirit, dominance and submission, the whole aesthetic of the album builds a ritualistic atmosphere where the body becomes a vessel which needs to be purified through music.

All 6 tracks seem to be pieces of a puzzle which at the end come together as a rite of passage through life - starting with birth, followed by baptism and ending with the decaying of one’s body and imminent death. Similar to that eternal return which forces time to lose its linearity and become cyclical.

The album starts with harsh and abrasive distortions on "Spill", the perfect embodiment of those first moments after being born, when the newborn has to face, for the first time, the confusing reality of the world around us. Throughout the entire album, the body has a strong presence, either through the names of the tracks or through the intense breathings, hissings and pants on "Blood in Blood" or the chants on "Your Body is a Parasite". Each song sounds like it's supposed to accompany a ritual that the listener needs to go through in order to test his own limits. While known for their penchant for EBM and techno or even more dance floor oriented releases, this time Oliver and Tommy are taking us by surprise with electro-acoustic experimentations and cavernous, droney, almost cacophonous compositions, intertwined with tibetan incantations.

The Sacred Pornography of God comes with cover artwork by British Photographer Javier Gallego, which resembles a totem or a sacred object used by indigenous people in various rituals, which only adds another layer of mysticism to the whole release. Whether Zov Zov are supposed to be the ones performing the ceremonies or just the mediators, this mini album manages to create a spiritual universe where music is more than just a tool to create a certain atmosphere, but rather a means to abolish the mind vs body dichotomy.

Available now in 12" format. For more information please visit Facebook and Soundcloud. For purchasing visit Juno.

-Marie Bungau
@mariebungau

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.

<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