Domenico Crisci - "The Violinist" + Label Launch

After storming the global techno community with crushing releases on L.I.E.S., Eerie and Jealous God, Caserta, IT native Domenico Crisci now returns with a new EP and the launch of his own label, Summa Cum Laude. The first release is titled, The Violinist, and it sees Crisci in top form as the three tracks begin and end with punishing, manic, industrialized techno that is perfect for peak times in the most brvtal dungeon. The title track launches you right in to the artist's alarming, surrealist world and "Return" plunges you even further into the depths. "Blacklord" closes out the EP like an executioner bringing down the hammer.

Summa Cum Laude will be a platform for Crisci's most forward thinking projects and allow new, surprising talent to see proper releases. The Violinist is the perfect way to inaugurate the label and we look forward to more from the artist and Summa Cum Laude.

-JRS

*The Violinist artwork by Mariangela Levita.

The Brvtalist Premieres: Diana Berti - Lullaby For A Puppet

The Brvtalist is proud to premiere a new track from Italian artist, Diana Berti. Inspired by tragic romance, Giallo dreams and haunting nightmares, this track is off the upcoming 12", La Festa Del Metallo out this November on She Lost Kontrol. The release will also include tracks from Violet Poison, Bakunin Commando and The Ne-21.

This Italian imprint operates within the darkest realms of electronic music and live by a particular ethos. From the label:

"SHE LOST KONTROL"
is a Revolution within itself.
a Revolution within our minds.
an expression of Anger towards this Hateful Humankind.

"SHE LOST KONTROL"
has no boundries,
no idols,
OR ANY OTHER BIGOTRY, SOCIETY CREATES.

So far we love what we've heard and there are more releases on the way. For more updates, visit Facebook.

-JRS

Liber Null - Therion

“...altered states of consciousness are the key to unlocking one's magical abilities”

(Peter J. Carroll - Liber Null and Psychonaut)

For Peter J. Carroll, Liber Null sets the grounds for what is known as Chaos Magic, a postmodern approach to magic, offering a guide for the uninitiated and initiated alike. For Berlin, Liber Null brings all that to the dancefloor, creating an experimental platform where all the senses are fused together and the crowd is able to undergo a personal metamorphosis; a ritualistic experience meant to liberate them from the constraints imposed by society, by the people around them and by the limitations of their own ego. Liber Null doesn’t belong to a space or time, it can only belong to the people.

With every party organized, the crew behind Liber Null aims at creating a community for like-minded people, where underground music and provocative art are the main driving forces behind the performances, while the principles of chaos magic bind everything together into a coherent conceptual ritualistic event.

The latest Liber Null installment is a collaboration with Potnia Theron. The event will take place at Arena Berlin on October 27th, and this time, the main theme comes from Greek Mythology, celebrating the brutality of "Theron", mythologic cruel creatures whose mistress, "Potnia" (a Homeric name used to refer to the deity of the beasts) is the only creature able to dominate and regulate them.

From the greek Thēríon. A generic term for wild animal.

A brutal, cruel nature. A beast, a crawling creature.

Thēríon never refers to animals used for sacrifice.

Therion, a deity of Thelema.

A monster hidden behind the consciousness.

Do what thou wilt.

Enter Liber Null.

'The Mistress of Animals' by Nullam Rem Natam

Spread accross 2 floors, the Mauris and the Thelema, this edition of Liber Null will be, as usual, an immersive experience, pleasing all the senses of the participants, capturing the eyes, the ears and the body of each and everyone with A/V live shows, dance performances and art installation, so that ultimately, the mind can be released from its own confines.

Headlining this installment, O/H (Ontario Hospital, Oddie/Huren), the collaboration between David Foster and Rich Oddie - two artists who have been working in the border between noise and techno for over twenty years. Foster founded the influential techno outfit Teste in the early 90's and has since been creating an uncompromising fusion of techno and power electronics, primarily under the Huren moniker. Oddie is one half of the long running industrial techno act Orphx and is also known for his recent solo output and collaborative work with Eschaton (Orphx + Ancient Methods) and Oureboros.

Named after an infamous local asylum, Ontario Hospital combines the rhythmic tropes of techno and EBM with an improvisational approach informed by power electronics, early industrial music and the confrontational performance art of the Vienna Actionists. Foster's vocals reflect the brutality, absurdity and insanity of modern life, accompanied by the relentless rhythm and noise of the duo's abused electronics.

DE vs. Troit will open the doors to the obscure event performing an unusual experimental dj set between hypnotizing drone, dark ambient soundscapes, dead beats and mental frequencies featuring the intervention of the performer Valentin Tszin.

The Liber Null head Unhuman and Sinus O. from Order - Paris, will perform for the first time in Berlin (after their debut performance in South Korea) their analogue live set, delivering the sound of power electronics merged into dark atmospheres and animated with straight rhythmic noise.

The residents of Liber Null will evolve the journey to more physical directions and body moves; Sirio Gry J, also head of the Berlin based Monolith Records who recently released a 12" Ep on the London based 'Several Reasons Rec', will select the finest Industrial/Techno/Power tunes to keep the journey evolving and bring the dancefloor temperatures to red, leaving to MXM the duty to close the event with EBM waves.

A special coherent environment is needed to give the right accents to the aesthetics of the event, the art floor 'Thelema' curated by Nullam Rem Natam will see a live installation of the same curator dedicated to Aleister Crowley, a live sound performance about agony and heavy spiritual matters performed by Emre Zaim Demirtas and Ivan Nabokov will expose a second installation made of glass, light and blood as an elixir of life; everything will happen alongside lights and visuals from Licht Pfad.

Make sure you RSVP on Facebook for more updates.

-Marie Bungau

Video Premiere: Umwelt - "Company of Lies" + Q&A

The Brvtalist is pleased to present the music video premiere of "Company of Lies", a new track from French artist Umwelt. Off the upcoming 2x12", Days of Dissent, out October 17th on the newly launched Killekill sub-level Boidae, "Company of Lies" (and the rest of the release) picks up where you want - punishing dystopian rhythms from a bleak future or perhaps a desolate present. Since the mid 90's, Umwelt has been destroying dance floors with his one of a kind mix of raw electro, pounding techno, burning acid and more. The video, created by The29Nov Films, is the perfect mind trip through the undeniably mesmerizing soundscapes.

Just ahead of Umwelt's album release party at Griessmühle on October 21st, we were able to briefly speak to the artist about this release, his production method and what's next.

The Brvtalist: Coming from the 14 demos you sent to Killekill, Days of Dissent turned out to be a long and powerful 8 track album. Talk about how this release materialized.

Umwelt: Nico of Killekill requested tracks from me during Krake Festival of 2015 for a possible EP. I sent him a selection of fourteen pieces to see which direction to take. After several listens, and exchange of thoughts between us, we collected a tracklist of eight titles and Killekill decided to make an album.

I didn't really have an album in my mind, but doing one ten years after my last one on Satamile caught my interest immediately. Even if these tracks were not made within the framework of an album, the final tracklist is coherent and reflects several universes and facets of my work, perfect for an album. I am very satisfied and proud to inaugurate the Boidae label with this release.

TB: Your material continues to evoke a heavy emotional response and dystopian themes. What is inspiring you when making music now?

Umwelt: One of my influence are fantasy and sci-fi movies. Also I am an activist and very attached to the notion of the power of the collective.
The album the titles evoke the opposition to the system. Do not resign to it! Get organized and revolt!

TB: You're very well known for your production methods. Has it stayed the same since the late 90's or have you modified it at all with new technologies?

Umwelt: My home studio is in perpetual change, i always changed my configuration and machines to bring some new sounds and flesh. I do not use a computer except for the recording of my tracks. I tried Cubase on a Mac, but I found it boring. Currently, I have a setup which works pretty well. I don’t like to use the same old recipes or the same types of sounds, I prefer to take the risk of exploring new tones and different musical universes. I prefer the fast access with machines, it's more direct and so I can more easily transfer emotions. I make music like a dj :-) Now the next step is to find a working configuration for live set. not easy but i'll try!

TB: What's coming up next for Umwelt?

Umwelt: Quite a lot of things - my career as a DJ and producer is going quite well at the moment: I play out a lot, the album release party is planned in Berlin on October 21st at Griessmühle, the next evening of my label Rave Or Die coming on October 28th in Nuits Fauves in Paris... An EP is planned at the end of the year on the excellent Greek label Modal Analysis, to be followed by an EP on Zadig's label Construct Reform for the beginning of 2017. AlsoI work on the follow-up of my EP, Culture of Resistance, which was released in 2014 on the infamous Dutch label Shipwrec. Plus there is a split coming on my label Rave Or Die and some appearances on various other EPs next year…

Days of Dissent has been on repeat since we got the release and Umwelt's production method of all hardware, single takes with no editing or mixing is truly astonishing. It gives the music a soulful energy and this record sees Umwelt at his best. The record is available now via Killekill and October 31st through other fine record outlets. If you're in Berlin, be sure to catch the album release party on October 21st.

-JRS

Video Premiere: Postura - "Inscenare"

The Brvtalist is pleased to present the music video premiere of "Insencere" by Philadelphia's Postura. The solo project of Rådgärd Lyndsay, Postura is frozen synth-pop which is both tantalizing and infectious. While loosely adhering to the pop song structure, thematically the release explores much darker territory. Gender dysphoria, declining mental health and other socially conscious issues are examined nicely under the guise of a stylistically melancholy pop record. The video for "Insencere" captures the slow burning yet disorienting nature of the release.

"Insencere" appears on the 5 track cassette EP, "Cadere", out now on Brvtalist favorite End Result Productions. For more information and purchasing visit the label's webstore.

-JRS

Chris Lux - Absinthe

Immerse yourself in sea of phthalo green and optical trickery at the new solo exhibition by San Francisco-based artist Chris Lux. Now on view at L.A.'s Sade Gallery, "Absinthe" is a stunning example of thinking beyond the traditional gallery space to create a full color environment that swallows the viewer and entrances the senses.

Working from historical texts such as The Golden Legend (1260-1450) and the Ming era novel, The Golden Lotus (1610), Lux employs figurative painting and immersive atmospheres to transport us to a faraway time, where the past is unknowable and the future not yet realized. Using paintings within paintings and other optical mechanisms, Lux's work is tragic, romantic and above all enthralling. We can't help but be mesmerized by his beautiful human forms and powerful, contemplative figures which are lost in a hypnotic world. We love the use of Phalo green and almost tribal influences which evoke feelings of a lost civilization.

Chris Lux - "The Rain" oil acrylic on canvas (2016) Courtesy of Sade Gallery.

To accompany the exhibition, Lux's friend Ethan Mitchell, wrote a poem based on his impressions of these paintings and the climate of influence:

There are many ways to escape; across the field,
by climbing a tree,
or through the window.

Leave limbs in the world of green wakes, phases and strips
of rain returning
quarter by quarter.

Chris Lux - "The Room" Oil and acrylic on canvas (2016) Courtesy of Sade Gallery

On view now until October 23rd, this is a must see exhibition in Los Angeles. Sade Gallery continues to impress with its plethora of emerging talent and we look forward to seeing more from the gallery and Chris Lux. For more information please visit Sade L.A.

-JRS

Chris Lux - "The Paintings" Oil and Acrylic on canvas (2016). Courtesy of Sade Gallery

Haraam - "Spreading By The Sword"

The Brvtalist is proud to premiere a new track by Copenhagen-based artist Haraam. The solo project of Martin Schacke, Haraam has become one of our new favorite acts - fusing elements of power electronics, noise, techno, industrial and more. Back in June we featured the artist's previous release, Let The Swords Tear Me to Pieces, and we are pleased to see new material out on Italy's Yerevan Tapes. Active since 2014, Haraam has a unique narrative that gives a black metal feel to lo-fi techno and progressive electronics. "Spreading the Sword" sees Haraam revisiting ritual, Middle-East inspired themes and we love the track's haunting vocals and doom-laden riffs.

The Sacrifice of Will is out October 17th on cassette and digital formats. You can pre-oder the release here. For more music visit Yerevan Tapes and Schacke's label, Moral Defeat.

-JRS

Monica Hits The Ground - "The Backwoods Preacher"

Without context, stumbling upon the latest release from Monica Hits The Ground would evoke feelings of fear and mystery. With only a few releases, the elusive Italian producer has established himself as an important name in the underground and his material exists in the realms of bedroom tape industrial, noise and drone. His latest offering, The Backwoods Preacher, is a powerful mini-lp which has found a home on Violet Poison's excellent Veleno Viola label.

The Backwoods Preacher opens with a noisy invitation to a brutal world. The grinding industrial sounds almost as if you're locked up in a trunk on the way to a remote location. This sets the tone nicely as it's reminiscent of 1980's lo-fi cassettes and its murkiness will continue to pervade the release. Track 2 sees the emergence of shadowy vocals. Echoing through slowed percussion, this is a death march to your final resting place.

Track 3 (perhaps our favorite), slightly picks up the tempo and infuses rhythmic elements to the constant, punishing grind. This is where the suffering really begins and track 4 picks up there with evil vocal arrangements and tension building shrieks. Track 5 closes things out and ventures into more experimental techno with an alarming pace and tortuous, emotional treatment. This is where your journey abruptly ends and you find peacefulness in its final moments of savagery.

Ultimately, The Backwoods Preacher is an expert example of evil industrial noise and barbaric experimental electronics. The mini-lp is available now at Ready Made and other fine record retailers. While we don't know much about this mysterious producer, we actually prefer it that way and will now await his next materialization.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 072 - Santoine

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix by Rotterdam-based artist Santoine. The solo project of DJ/Producer Serge Lemme, Santoine is a sublime amalgamation of the artist's influences. From eerie ambient to power electronics, shadowy techno and rhythmic industrial, New Brvtalism No. 072 is a tragically romantic journey through sound and space.

The artist also has a new cassette and digital release on the stellar imprint, Night Gaunt Recordings. The self titled release contains six tracks of beautifully composed atmospherics and pulsating industrial. Santoine does an incredible job of story telling and the offerings reflect emotions of a Europe greatly in question. From the somber contemplation on "Facing the Death of Someone You Love", to the more aggressive, "Riots in Europe", this is a well crafted EP that evokes a powerful response.

Serge Lemme is also 1/2 of the duo behind one of our favorite podcast's, Abyssal. We look forward to more from this young producer.

-JRS

Sabrina Ratté - "Lieux-Dits"

The boundaries of reality have become increasingly stretched and perhaps even destroyed. In an increasingly virtual world, we can exist in different mediums while the concepts of time and space are constantly questioned. Montreal-based artist Sabrina Ratté does a masterful job exploring these and other modern concepts with her mind-bending digital works and site-specific installations. Opening Thursday, October 6th at Young Projects Gallery in Los Angeles, Ratté presents Lieux-Dits, her first exhibition in Los Angeles and an impressive undertaking by co-curators Young Projects and Sharsten Plenge (WOAH). On view will be a survey of the artist’s works in addition to new site-specific installations exploring video as environment— including works such as "Common Areas", a sprawling, room-sized, four-channel installation; "Immeuble-Villas", an aluminum print with video augmentation, and several single-channel videos & GIFs.

Sabrina Ratté -Lieux-Dits- • -Winter Garden- 2016 • print with video projection

Ratté's video works act as a portal to another dimension while also providing commentary on our ever changing world of illusion and reality. Citing influence through touring the monumental buildings of Le Corbusier, the otherworldly ambience of Ricardo Bofill’s Espaces Abraxas, and the “villes nouvelles” (new towns) in France, Ratté shares a mesmerization with the “dystopic poetry” of corporatism with frequent collaborator, electronic music composer Roger Tellier-Craig. Utilizing software, photography and more, Ratté combines the digital and analog to submerge viewers in a familiar yet foreign world of pixels, video landscapes and electronic signals. The show’s title refers to the expression for small geographic regions or villages with no registered or official name. These “lieux-dits” are baptized based on historical anecdotes, myth or legend, or denoted as a landmark with a name characteristic of their place.

Sabrina Ratté -Lieux-Dits- • -Immeuble-Villas II- 2016 • dye sublimation print on aluminum with video augmentation

The Brvtalist continues to be fascinated by our virtual vs. physical existence and we love Ratté's approach to the subject. This is a must see exhibition if you're in Los Angeles. Lieux-Dits opens Thursday, October 6th from 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at Young Projects Gallery located at Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave. #B230 West Hollywood, CA 90069. The artist will also be in attendance before departing for a 9-month residency with Château Ephémère. Lieux-Dits will be on view thru January 20, 2017. Also opening concurrently is Refik Anadol's augmentation of Andy Warhol's Rain Machine (Daisy Waterfall). For more information visit here.

-JRS