New Brvtalism No. 160 - SDX

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix from SDX. The Berlin-based artist has been active for over 20 years, developing a unique sound with a focus on techno and electro spiced up with house and hip hop. New Brvtalism No. 160 is 90 minutes of industrial infused techno, infectious grooves and left field electronics.

In addition, SDX recently released the Nocturnal LP, a 12 track offering which also features remixes by 138 and SC-164 on New York’s Dusk and Haze. To coincide with the release, the label has also released new merch which elevates the basic offerings with striking accessories and more. Order the record here and visit Dusk and Haze for more.

-JRS

The Brvtalist Premieres: 51717 - "Guide For The Perplexed" + Q&A

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new track from 51717. The New York-based artist has long been a fixture in the city’s DIY electronic music scene and has built a name for herself as one half of the duo, Shadowlust (L.I.E.S), as well as through 51717 releases on Jealous God and Total Black. The artist now returns to the L.I.E.S. imprint with her debut solo LP, Paranoia Star. The record is a collection of works composed at various times between 2013-2018 and inspired by travels and trauma. Her signature raw, minimal electronics and chilling vocals examine various states which are often disturbed, erotic and unnerving. Today we premiere the lead track, “Guide For The Perplexed” and also speak with the artist herself about her history, the record and more. (see below)

The Brvtalist: For those who don't know, tell us about the inception of 51717. What is meaning behind the name?

51717: The project began around 2005, in Washington, DC. I was studying koto and using a laptop to experiment with the instrument. Then, I finished school and moved across the country and on to Japan, then to New York. Along the way, the project became a personal diary. Shedding my possessions with each move, I shifted towards compact, electronic equipment. Coinciding with these events were regular, paralyzing panic attacks. Thus a consummation of my prisoner 51717 status.

TB: You've been active in NY for some time (with projects like Shadowlust, etc). How is 51717 a different outlet or evolution of your sound?

51717: 51717 is my world. The collaborations are sometimes conceptual and fantasy-driven, more playful, more gear-oriented.

TB: Tell us about Paranoia Star. What was your approach and any concepts or inspiration behind it.

51717: A meditation on trauma, alienation, and self-hatred, lust and memory. During the making of this record, I spent a lot of time with a book called “Shivitti: A Vision”. It is a memoir by Ka-Tzetnik 135633 about the LSD therapy he underwent in an attempt to recover from his time at Auschwitz. While he hallucinates, he goes into great detail about experiences he had there which were since repressed. It is a beautiful and terrifying book and it inspired a psychedelic trip to Sachsenhausen in summer 2016. That experience laid the groundwork for my live set at Berlin Atonal which opened up the gates of intent for this album. I revisited certain traditional Jewish songs and melodies to feel the sense memories wash over me. I wanted to encrypt the experience of my feelings.

The title Paranoia Star comes from the manga by Maruo Suehiro. It encapsulates the nebulous cloud of trauma, alienation and self-hatred, lust and memory..

TB: Love your use of ancient themes, whether it be Jewish mysticism, biblical elements or otherwise. Talk about the effect these things have on your output as an artist.

51717: I am trying to create a moment in which time does not exist.

TB: What's coming up next?

I will be performing live at the Hospital Productions Festival on December 8 in New York. Otherwise, internal martial arts and audio forensics!

Paranoia Star is out on November 1st. You can pre-order the album here.

-JRS

A Playlist from REKA

One of the best traits of any producer or DJ is their knowledge of multiple genres and how to fuse them together. Few are as good at doing this as REKA. The Spanish-born, Berlin-based artist has been active since 2004, building a name for herself through her vast and unique sets all over Europe and with a residency at the legendary Tresor. Now she comes forth with her debut EP, Diving the Innermost, out October 26th on BITE. The EP is an immense work, showcasing her varied tastes and ability to create the perfect atmosphere. Ahead of the release we asked REKA to select some influential tracks that have inspired her as a DJ and on this record. You can find her selections below.

From the artist:

One of the (many) reasons it took me so long finishing an EP is the fact that I wanted to create something that didn’t sound like anyone else. I highly appreciate originality in all fields (although it's becoming more and more difficult for obvious reasons) and I never sat in the studio with the intention of sounding like a certain artist or a certain track. I would just put together whatever would came to my mind at that right moment. So when I was asked to select 10 influential tracks which could be reflected in this first record it was not an easy task. I had to do the opposite process and try to identify some of these influences while listening to the record. Needles to say that aside from inspiring the sound showcased by these 4 tracks, these artists/labels have had a heavy presence in my DJ career and that I have plenty of other influences not mentioned here.

In chronological order of appearance in my life:

1. Underground Resistance - The Final Frontier (UR). This must be my favourite UR track. It is so deep and emotional that gives me goosebumps every time, and in a weird way it even makes me wanna cry. I just wanna close my eyes and swing to those excruciatingly beautiful pads while feeling the acid in my guts and savouring that snare (one of my favourite percussion elements since ever). Masterpiece.

2. Ryuichi Sakamoto- Grief (Andrea Parker dmx) [Ninja Tune] - I absolutely love the gloomy atmosphere here, the very slow tempo, the chelo, the industrial noises in the background. Another master piece, and again, goosebumps…

3. Hadamard - A Cold Start [Bunker] - Continuing with electro, my first love as a DJ - this track represents one of the few styles of electro that I still enjoy playing nowadays. It’s dark, gloomy but beautiful and emotional. I love the distorted percussions and the sinister pad.

4. Byetone -Plastic Star [Raster Noton] - As a rock/punk/new metal head during my teenage years and early 20´s I automatically fell in love with the distorted guitar layered with noises and more distortion!

5. Surgeon - Bad Hands (Monolake Remix) [Dynamic Tension] - Well, I just love this bag of rhythmic noise. I love the omnipresent grit and the industrial vibe which never becomes too extreme (I don´t like when is too harsh). Powerful, dark and fierce piece of techno.

6. Traversable Wormhole - Traversing the Asteroid Belt - One of my favorite baselines ever. Very serious track.

7. Claudio PRC - Clear Depths (Silent Servant dmx) [Prolog] - Again the dark, deep and even dreamy atmosphere, strong but slow pace, slightly industrial but contained. It just sends me to an unknown planet.

8. Vatican Shadow - USS Carl Vinson Night Tide Funeral [Hospital Productions] - This track is also very emotional. The melody lures you in that high reverb epic sounding landscape and then disappears leaving you in a trance driven by few sustained distorted sounds and an unusual percussive rhythm without kick. Sublime……

9. Traversable Wormhole - Worldline (Orphx Remix) - Two of my favorite acts together, what can I say …. By now you should know I gravitate towards dark and or trippy atmospheres, slightly industrial sounds and a bit of distortion here and there.

10. SHXCXCHCXSH- Elocution - The melody, the intensity, wrapping sound, and of course, more distortion…

Thank you to REKA for the great playlist. You can pre-order the EP here.

-JRS

REKA - Diving The Innermost (BITE, 2018)

Alvar - "The Fluid" Video Premiere

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new video from Alvar. The Swedish band has just released their new album, I Sew A Blanket Of All The Broken Clouds, on Dirk Iven’s imprint Daft Records. Formerly a two piece, Alvar has now expanded to a quartet, adding Jimmy and Fredrik to the original duo of Johanna and Jonas. After a run of intense performances throughout Europe and a sold out Guilt Kollektion EP (Daft Records), Alvar returns with a massive new album fusing body music, industrial, noise, techno and more. Today we present the video for “The Fluid”, which is a fast paced trip of crushing rhythms and psychedelic visuals.

Recorded in Stockholm with the exception of a few tracks from a live performance in Moscow, I Sew A Blanket Of All The Broken Clouds is definitely one to pick up. Available now through Daft Records.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 159 - Nigh/T\mare

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new mix from Nigh/T\mare. The Italian artist emerges with a pitch black mix of techno, ambient and of course nightmarish atmospheres. New Brvtalism 159 also coincides with the release of Nigh/T\mare’s new EP, Hypnagogia, out now on Brvtalist favorites Thrènes. The vinyl and digital release contains 4 tracks of dystopian electronics plus an excellent remix by Killawatt and sixth bonus track. You can pick up the release on vinyl and digital formats now through the label here. (Mix track list below)

-JRS

Track list:
Nigh/T\mare - Unknown [Forthcoming Thrènes]
Nigh/T\mare - Unknown [Forthcoming Thrènes]
MKFN - Resin [Touchin' Bass]
Steven Porter - Dwell In Hell [SNTS]
UVB-76 - Uwe [Midi Deux Entertainment]
Zosima - Collective Unconscious [Noiztank]
Second Spectre - Opale [Champ Libre]
Nigh/T\mare - Unknown [Forthcoming Thrènes]
Mas - VI. Sainte Guerrière [Champ Libre]
ZAGAM - Machoasis (Nigh/T\mare Remix) [Forthcoming INSTINKT]
Nigh/T\mare - At War With My Self [DVNTT]
Blacksun - Ibridation (Tomohiko Sagae Remix) [Genesa]
ANFS - Rashad [Vanila]
Lakker - Three Horses [Not on Label]
Nigh/T\mare - Leaving [VLWL]

TWINS - "Recoiled" Video Premiere

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new video from TWINS. “Recoiled” is a bonus cut off the album, That Which Is Not Said, released in May on 2MR. “An album about learning to accept oneself within, and accept the reality of all that comes from without”, Atlanta-based producer Matt Weiner is also known for running the CGI Records label and co-running DKA records, releasing music from Boy Harsher, Profligate, Alex Falk, High-Functioning Flesh, VALIS, Scott Fraser, Beau Wanzer, Featureless Ghost, Golden Donna, and more.

“Recoiled” is a stunning work directed by Los Angeles-based artist Amanda Siegel. It is a song which captures the imminence of dread interlaced with feelings of hopelessness, paired with a video which suspends you in a dreamlike state.

Somewhere between light and dark, the video suspends viewers in a dizzying euphoria. Wrapped in its vortex are the tropes of 80s new wave videos, abstract experimental film, and constructivist painting. Director/editor Amanda Siegel's corroded layering and hyperpigmented industrial scapes transcend reference to linger like a lucid dream.

That Which Is Not Said is out now and you can pick up the vinyl here.

-Maria Bungau

The Brvtalist Premieres: 11xxx27 - Drunk with tears (Raffaele Attanasio SCMC remix)

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new track from 11xxx27. The Italian artist returns to Infidel Bodies with a new cassette release rooted in the political and social turmoil of war. The desolate atmospheres and punishing soundscapes send haunting shockwaves through the speakers and the remix by fellow Italian Raffaele Attanasio is a crushing reinterpretation of the original work. As is typical of the label, the tape is beautifully presented and the release also features remixes by Operant and UVB_EOJ. A great album which captures the mood of now.

Pick up the tapes via Infidel Bodies here.

-JRS

New Brvtalism No. 158 - Chafik Chennouf

The Brvtalist is proud to present a new set from Chafik Chennouf. This is a live offering from the Amsterdam-based producer with 80% consisting of original material (both released and unreleased) and 20% consisting of music that is released on Chennouf's label, Leyla. The result is an incredible mix of experimental electronics, techno-driven rhythms and much more.

Chennouf also runs the great imprint, Leyla Records and has a massive release coming out on October 19th titled, Unwitch: The Presence, featuring I Hate Models, VSK, Mannie Dee, Huren and Parish Smith. Definitely pick this one up. Previews here.

-JRS

O/H - "Media Blitz" Video Premiere + Q&A

Few artists have the pedigree of Rich Oddie and Dave Foster. The Toronto-area natives have been active since the early 90’s and Oddie’s seminal project Orphx and Foster’s Huren/Teste have been at the forefront of industrial and techno for over 25 years. When the two paired up to form O/H, we were taken to yet another new level of scumtronics, experimental abstractions and cultural dissections . Their new record, Market Values (L.I.E.S, 2018), sees the duo in top form and we are pleased to premiere the video for “Media Blitz”, which is a wonderful visual assault created by Dominic Marceau (F Squared Media). In addition, we were fortunate enough to speak with Oddie and Foster about their history, the new record and more. (Q&A below)

The Brvtalist: First off, tell us when and how did O/H start?

Rich: Dave and I grew up in the same city and we have known each other for almost thirty years. His music in the early 90s was an inspiration for me and influenced the shift toward elements of techno in my own work at that time. Around 2010, we had both returned to Hamilton from other places. We started hanging out more and became closer friends. A couple of years later, we started making music together and the results were exciting from the beginning - combining slower techno rhythms with power electronics. We played a few local shows each year and finally put together our first record for Opal Tapes in 2015.

TB: Your name O/H is a reference to Hamilton's psychiatric hospital. I've read a few articles which describe how patients were tortured by being chained together, stripped naked, forced to take drugs and more. All this reminds me of the Stanford prison experiment, except this wasn’t an experiment, but the patients’ reality. Why did you end up choosing this name and how is this story reflected in your work?

Dave: In our generation, it was always a cautionary tale about the lost souls that line the wards there. I've come close to winding up in there myself. And in ways I can’t go into, it also played a role in the formation of Teste.

Rich: Yeah “they’re going to put you in the OH” , was something that we’d say when we were kids. The Ontario Hospital - and because of the asylum’s long history and the extreme “treatments” they used at the turn of the century, there were always dark stories about that place. Now it is very bright and modern but the older buildings and equipment are still there on the property. We chose that name because of this local history but also because I think we’re both interested in the idea of mental health and sanity, on a personal level and on a societal level. I think it’s clear to anyone who is paying attention that we are living in a modern culture that is deeply sick. Some pathological behaviours will land you in an asylum, others are celebrated and rewarded: selfishness, greed, social exploitation, environmental destruction.

TB: You’ve released your second EP Market Values on Ron Morelli’s label L.I.E.S. How is the feedback so far and how did the collaboration with Ron Morelli go?

Rich: I think I first met Ron at Movement last year and we quickly became friends. I knew he was a fan of the first O/H record so we pitched the new tracks to him and we were really pleased that he agreed to do it. L.I.E.S. has released so many excellent records and Ron is a true music fan who always seems to be digging and discovering new gems. Plus, like Dave and I, he came up with a real foundation in punk and deeply appreciates that DIY approach. It was a perfect fit.

TB: Where did you draw your inspiration from for this release? Between the punk energy infused by Dave’s lyrics and titles like 'Human Waste' or 'Wage Slave', what are you angry about or rebelling against?

Dave: I adhere to the slogan “consuming shit and mind pollution”. People are programmed and conditioned just to consume and make the same few people richer and there is no escape or opt out. We're all in prison, just some people have nicer cells and privileges and false freedom to work for some trash to advertise for those in power. We’re dictated a sense of “choice”, all with the same result.

Rich: The first EP was like dystopian snapshots: environmental pollution, mind pollution, self-obsession, the eat and shit cycle of consumer culture. The new record was created out of a few different recordings that we made over the last three years. Some tracks are first takes of the vocals, but most are stitched together from different vocal recordings that shared a common theme: poverty, wage slavery, social isolation, social media obsessions. “Market Values” refers to the tendency in consumer culture to reduce all value, purpose, and morality to economic value - to a price. Dave’s cover art of “the beast within” and Dominic’s video for “Media Blitz” both capture this really well: an economic system and a culture that dehumanizes people, that creates monstrosities, that consumes itself.

still from “Media Blitz” video. Created by Dominic Marceau (F Squared Media)

TB: I really like the dynamic between you guys - how each of you brings something totally different to the table, Rich focusing on shaping the sounds while Dave is adding texture through vocals and effects. What do you think works well about the collaboration between you two?

Dave: Well Rich really knows the depraved, cold, cruelty I express lyrically through his sonic choices. I'm very inspired by it.

Rich: The inspiration is mutual. And it’s like you said: we each have our roles in the project, although they are not set in stone. My focus on the rhythms and basslines frees Dave up to really focus on vocals and noise textures, and he has the space to really lose control during a live performance. So that control / chaos dynamic works really well for us, both live and in the studio. The best shows feel like they are on the edge of falling apart and that creates a really violent, ecstatic energy with the crowd.

TB: I’ve seen your music being described in the past as “ritualized catharsis” or “scum electronics”, among others. How would you describe your music now and what do you think changed since your previous release on Opal Tapes?

Dave: Well I can state when i adopted the label “impure low-rent fucking $CUMTRONIC$” a decade ago it was depraved art damaged nihilism. I was ready to drop out of society and that output was the soundtrack as well as the videos, which have been removed from Youtube by law enforcement. This was a very degenerate time in my life and the lyrics for these records reflect years of substance abuse and harsh lifestyle. I was almost murdered at one point and pretty much in a loop for years. For a decade, I listened daily to the same three or four records by Swans, Brainbombs, Mayhem, and Eyehategod. So thats where what was left of my mind was at... AMBITION IS SENSELE$$!

Rich: I’m not sure that our approach has changed too much since the first record but some of the gear has changed a bit. The first record was primarily 808, MS20, and a few Eurorack modules. The new one also uses some tougher 909 based percussion and a Buchla synth that Dave briefly owned. Ritualized catharsis is a perfect description for what we are after.

TB: Finally, what can we expect from O/H in the near future?

Dave: Even less sexy and catchy melodies! Colostomy stompers!! The scum rises to the bottom!

Market Values is out now and you can pick up the 12” through L.I.E.S.

-Maria Bungau

The Soft Moon - Criminal (SHXCXCHCXSH Remix) + Video

Few projects shatter genre constraints like The Soft Moon. Active since 2009, main producer Luis Vasquez has been one of the most innovative artists in the post-punk genre, but also appeals to fans of darkwave, minimal, industrial, rock and more. Given this history, it’s no surprise that the latest release, Criminal Remixed, finds an array of today’s best producers remixing Criminal, one of The Soft Moon’s most revered records. In previous weeks, we’ve heard some killer remixes by Imperial Black Unit and Sarin and now The Brvtalist presents the offering of SHXCXCHCXSH.

  
    <a href="http://aufnahmeundwiedergabe.bandcamp.com/album/criminal-remixed">Criminal Remixed by The Soft Moon</a>
  

The masked Swedish duo is one of the most enigmatic and forward thinking projects today and it’s a thrill to see them put their unique stamp of frozen, abstract techno on Criminal. With stellar releases on labels like Avian, the duo is set to release their fourth studio-long player, OUFOUFOF on their own label, Rösten on November 5th. In addition to the track, we are also pleased to present the video which provides the perfect visual accompaniment.

Released by Berlin’s Aufnahme + Wiedergabe and New York’s Sacred Bones, Criminal Remixed is two volumes of remix bliss which also contains contributions from Lokier, Ansome, Craow and more. You can pre-order the record here (EU) and the full digital and 12” comes out on November 2nd (rest of the world here). The Soft Moon is also set to embark on a massive “Criminal Tour” and you can find the full dates below.

-JRS

Criminal Remixed Track List:

01 Like a Father (Imperial Black Unit Remix)
02 ILL (Sarin Remix)
03 Criminal (SHXCXCHCXSH Remix)
04 Young (Lokier Remix)
05 Burn (Ansome Remix)
06 Choke (Craow Remix)
07 It Kills (Rendered Remix)
08 The Pain (The Horrorist Remix)

The Soft Moon Tour Dates

2018:
Oct 04 Bern, CH - ISC √
Oct 05 Rocking Chair - Vevey, CH √
Oct 06 Rote Fabrik - Zurich, CH ∑
Oct 10 Barcelona, ES - Sala Apolo 2 †
Oct 11 Madrid, ES - Sala Copernico †
Oct 12 Lisbon, PT - RCA Club †
Oct 13 Porto, PT - Hard Club †
Oct 26 Palermo, IT - I Candelai
Oct 27 Messina, IT - Retronouveau
Nov 01 Istanbul, TU - Salon IKSV
Nov 02 Hannover, DE - Glocksee ≈
Nov 03 Dresden, DE - Scheune ≈
Nov 04 Wroclaw, PL - Industrial Festival
Nov 07 Haifa, IL - Solow Festival

Nov 23 Berlin, DE - Synästhesie Festival
Nov 24 Bremen, DE - Tower ^
Nov 25 Essen, DE - Zeche Carl ^
Nov 26 Dusseldorf, DE - Zakk ^
Nov 27 Antwerp, BE -Trix ^
Nov 28 London, UK - Scala ^
Nov 29 Manchester,UK - The White Hotel ^

Dec 05 Oakland, CA - Starline Social Club ^
Dec 07 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom ^ #
Dec 08 Vancouver, BC Fortune ^ #
Dec 09 Seattle, WA - Neumo's ^ #
Dec 11 Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst Atrium ^
Dec 12 Tustin, CA - Marty's on Newport ^
Dec 13 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet's
Dec 14 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium %
Dec 15 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium %
Dec 17 San Diego, CA - Belly Up ^
Dec 18 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent ^

2019:
Jan 17 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw ^ §
Jan 18 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's ^ §
Jan 19 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel ^ §
Jan 20 Raleigh - Kings Barcade ^ §
Jan 21 Nashville, TS - Basement East ^ §
Jan 22 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar ^ §
Jan 24 Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall ^ §
Jan 25 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups ^ §
Jan 26 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop ^ §
Jan 27 Detroit, MI - El Club ^ §
Jan 28 Toronto, ON - Velvet Underground ^ §
Jan 29 Montreal, QC - The Fairmount ^ §
Jan 30 Boston, MA - The Sinclair ^ §

^ w/ Hide
§ w/ Lingua Ignota
% w/ Nine Inch Nails, The Jesus & Mary Chain
∑ w/ S S S S
† w/ Whispering Sons
≈ w/ Imperial Black Unit
# w/ Vive la Void
√ w/ Veil Of Light