Venus Fly Trap, the Northampton alternative rock duo of Alex Novak and Andy Denton, release “Deja Vu 1986-2026” on Glass Modern as a 20-track re-collection and rarities compilation on CD and digital download on 12 July 2026. To mark four decades since their first gig, Venus Fly Trap will play a special show at the Black Prince in Northampton on 12 September 2026, with special guests. The date marks 40 years since the band’s first live show, at Stax in Northampton on 12 July 1986.

“Deja Vu 1986-2026” draws tracks from across Venus Fly Trap’s eight studio albums and selected releases spanning four decades. The compilation is available on CD and digital download via Glass Modern. Preview tracks are available via the Glass Modern Bandcamp page at glassmodern.bandcamp.com.

Full tracklist:

The compilation title references the neurological phenomenon the band describes as “a temporary glitch in the brain’s memory causing a new experience to feel like a familiar past memory.”

The compilation opens with “Morphine” and “Desolation Railway” (tracks 1 and 3), both originally released as 12″ singles on Tuesday Records in 1987 and 1988 respectively, then re-recorded for the debut album “Mars” on Danceteria. “Rocket USA” (track 5) is Venus Fly Trap’s cover of the Suicide song, first released as a single by the band in 1989 on Danceteria.

“Control Addicts” (track 19) is a cover of a Religious Overdose song originally released as a 7″ single in 1980. Alex Novak was vocalist in both bands. The cover was recorded to mark the 40th anniversary of Glass Records and appeared on the Glass compilation “Glass: Re Make/Re Model” in 2021.

“Bebe” (track 20) is dedicated to Bebe and Louis Barron, who composed the pioneering electronic score for the 1956 MGM science fiction film “Forbidden Planet” and are credited with creating the first wholly electronic score recorded in the United States. The track was released on Glass in 2025.

Official videos exist for the following tracks included on “Deja Vu 1986-2026”:

• Venus Fly Trap – “Morphine” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Desolation Railway” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Europa” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Achilles Heel” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Moscow Menagerie” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Sabotage” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Human Fly” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Vitesse” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Control Addicts” (Official Video)
• Venus Fly Trap – “Bebe” (Official Video)

About Venus Fly Trap

Venus Fly Trap formed in Northampton, England, in 1986. The founding lineup brought together Alex Novak on vocals – previously vocalist with Religious Overdose and Attrition – and John Novak on guitar and vocals, with Tony Booker on bass. Their first live performance was at Stax, Northampton, on 12 July 1986.

The band signed to Tuesday Records, a sub-label of the French label Danceteria, and released the debut 12″ single “Morphine” in 1987, followed by the three-track “Desolation Railway” 12″ EP in 1988. Both were re-recorded for the debut album “Mars” on Danceteria.

“Totem”, the second album, was recorded at Raven Studios near Norwich and produced by Howard Turner (Nivens). It was released on Danceteria in 1989. The band then produced a single covering Suicide’s “Rocket USA”, produced by Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets, and featuring Pat Fish of the Jazz Butcher.

The lineup changed frequently during this period, with key contributors including Curtis Johnson and Dave Freak on guitar, Chris Evans on bass, Nathan Bundy on keyboards, and Andy Denton, who joined initially on drums before moving to guitar, programming, and vocals. In early 1991 the band toured Czechoslovakia, resulting in the live album “Jewel – Live In Prague” (1991, A.Z.Y.L.).

“Pandora’s Box”, the third album, was recorded at SDH Studios near Rouen, France, by Jean-Louis Greif and produced by Pat Fish. “Luna Tide”, the fourth album, was released on Spectre Records (Germany) in 1994. It was recorded at Outrider and Far Heath studios in the UK, and at Hansahaus in Bonn, Germany, by Angus and Manni. “Dark Amour”, the fifth album, was recorded at Cage Studio in Coventry and produced by Martin Bowes of Attrition. It was released on Soundbuster (Germany).

By the 2000s the permanent members were Novak and Denton. “Zenith” (2004) was recorded at Villers Wood in Northampton and released on Big Blue/SPV (Poland/Germany). “Nemesis” followed on the same label, recorded at Villers Wood and Hot Rock in Northampton.

“Icon” (2018) was released on Glass Modern, the first of the band’s albums on that label. Side-Line covered the single “Vitesse” ahead of the album, and reported on the band’s distribution move to Plastic Head and forthcoming new album in 2016. In 2015 a Side-Line article covered the vinyl compilation ‘Metamorphosis 1987–2010’, an earlier retrospective on Big Blue.

“Control Addicts” (2021) and “Bebe” (2025), both released on Glass, complete the catalogue run represented on “Deja Vu 1986-2026”.

“Deja Vu 1986-2026” is released on CD and digital download via Glass Modern on 12 July 2026.

French cold wave and dark wave project Dawn + Dusk Entwined, led by David Sabre, released the digital album “Prove me wrong” today, May 20, 2026. The release is available on Bandcamp.

The album was originally planned as an EP. Sabre described it as bringing the project’s comeback era full circle – a period that began in 2020 when he reactivated Dawn + Dusk Entwined with a more electronic and cold wave-oriented sound.

“This album, originally planned as an EP, aims to bring D+DE’s ‘comeback’ era full circle, a period that began in 2020 with a more electronic sound,” Sabre says. “Today, in 2026, the reinterpretation of ‘Crossed Paths’ as ‘Remains of Loss’ – its definitive version – brings an era to a close. Nevertheless, there were still a few unfinished tracks, and I wanted to truly exhaust the vein by finalizing them before embarking on a new musical path.”

The album also includes what Sabre describes as a “playful nod to the good old days of the ‘extended versions’ typical of the 1980s,” and a cover of a Gary Numan track “Down in the Park”. “Down in the Park” was originally released by Tubeway Army, with Gary Numan as writer, vocalist and producer. It appeared on the album “Replicas” and was released as a single in 1979 on Beggars Banquet. The song is one of Gary Numan’s early dystopian songs.

The album release is digital only.

“Prove me wrong” follows two releases from the comeback era. “Let Fall What Must Fall,” released on March 28, 2025 as a CD in a 6-panel eco-digifile limited to 400 copies via Dark Vinyl Records. “Remains Of Loss,” released on January 16, 2026 as both a digital and CD release on Dark Vinyl Records, is a complete reworking of the 2020 album “Crossed Paths,” with all tracks receiving new mixes and arrangements and four additional tracks added to the original nine.

About Dawn + Dusk Entwined

David Sabre founded the project in 1994 in France under the name Dawn & Dusk Entwined. The project debuted in 1999 on the UK label World Serpent and later signed to Cold Meat Industry, offering a mix of neoclassical, martial industrial, and dark folk. Releases from that period include “A Leftover of Gaia,” “Remergence” (2007), and “Lost and Found” (EP). Sabre took a break from the project in 2013, citing dissatisfaction with the musical direction.

In 2020, he returned with a restructured project under the name Dawn + Dusk Entwined – replacing the ampersand with a plus sign to mark the change in direction – and released “Crossed Paths” in October 2020 as a CDR. The new incarnation moved away from martial industrial toward electronic and cold wave sounds, mixing cinematic arrangements with a 1980s dark wave influence and lyrics in both English and French.

In May 2022, Sabre compiled the “Fin de siècle” releases into a 19-track album. “When I die, burn me in the clothes of my youth” followed in early 2023.

“Let Fall What Must Fall” followed on March 28, 2025 on Dark Vinyl Records, while the reworked and expanded “Remains of Loss” followed in January 2026. “Prove me wrong,” released digitally on May 20, 2026, concludes the arc that began with “Crossed Paths” six years earlier.

German band Days Of Sorrow first emerged in the early 1980s before disappearing from the radar, much like many other acts from that era, only to resurface years later. “Raptures” already marks their second album since this resurrection and delivers ten impressive songs.

I will admit immediately that this opus completely blew me away. You could categorize the group as Electro-Wave, but Days Of Sorrow clearly inject their own identity into the genre, making everything sound harder, darker, and far more powerful. The result is a wonderfully danceable fusion of dark Electro-Wave and EBM. The album benefits enormously from its strong production and a series of irresistible choruses, leaving hardly a weak moment throughout the record. This is top-tier Electronic music, elevated even further by commanding vocals that occasionally remind me of Steve Naghavi from And One. Here and there, subtle and moody guitar elements are added to give the songs even more depth and intensity.

“Raptures” contains several absolute gems and is, without question, one of the strongest albums I have heard in this genre in recent months. Nothing but praise and respect from my side. (Rating:9).

Listen to “Love 4 Sale”:

https://daysofsorrow.bandcamp.com/track/love-4-sale

The Los Angeles darkwave/post-punk solo project Shadows Hold will release the debut album “Bound in Chains” via Cold Transmission Music. The album is listed for digital and digipak CD release on June 12, 2026, with the limited ultra-clear vinyl edition shipping around July 31, 2026.

The vinyl edition is limited to 200 copies and comes as a 12-inch ultra-clear 140-gram LP with a black inner sleeve.

“Bound in Chains” contains ten tracks on the physical vinyl edition. The download and CD release holds the ten main tracks plus bonus material consisting of these 3 tracks: “Your Chain Your Shadow”, “Far Away”, and “What Do You See”.

Two tracks are already available from the album pre-order “Haunt Me” and “Nosebleed”.

And here are the videos for “Stigmata” and “Haunt Me”.

Shadows Hold is confirmed for Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2026 in Leipzig. The project will play at the Moritzbastei on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 21:45, on a bill with André Alabaster, Hinfort, and Pahl!.

About Shadows Hold

Shadows Hold is a darkwave/post-punk solo project based in Los Angeles, California. The project brings a mix of darkwave, post-punk, and EBM, with vocals, atmospheric textures, and melodic leads as core elements.

Early releases include “Visceral,” “We Don’t Exist,” “Not To Be Remembered,” “Fog,” “Your Chain // Your Shadow,” “Faceless,” “Bloodsoaked Memories,” “Glass,” “Far Away,” “Your Lips Against Mine,” “Divine,” and the 2024 EP “Shadows Hold.” The self-titled EP was released on April 28, 2024 and contains “Take My Hand,” “Faded Moonlight,” “Fallen Twilight,” and “Tearfall.”

In 2025, the project released “Stigmata” on February 14 and followed it with “Nexum” on August 29. “Nexum” contains “Closed Eyes,” “In The Cold,” and “What Do You See.”

In 2026, the “Nosebleed” single was released. “Bound in Chains” follows as the project’s debut full-length album, with Cold Transmission Music handling the physical editions and digital distribution.

The Greek darkwave/synth-pop duo Midnight Poetry will release the limited black-vinyl LP edition of their 8-track debut album “Dive into the Darkness” on May 29, 2026 via Manic Depression in a limited run of 200 black-vinyl copies. The project features Cleopatra Kaido and John Spanos.

The album was already released digitally on April 17, 2026 with a CD edition released as a three-panel digipack.

The album’s original release came accompanied by videos for their debut single “Black Hole” and “Dracula’s Poison”.

About Midnight Poetry

Midnight Poetry is a Greek dark electro/post-punk duo formed around Cleopatra Kaido and John Spanos. The first release was the single “Black Hole”, issued on March 25, 2024.

Before starting this project, Cleopatra Kaido released “Artificial Galaxy” in 2013 with Drama Queen and “System Anomaly” in 2020 with Meat Injection. John Spanos had already released five albums and appeared in goa/psychedelic trance compilation releases with Radical Distortion, alongside solo work in ambient, chill-out and future-garage material.

The band was also selected to appear on “Resurgence”, a massive 7CD post-punk boxset with the track “Black Hole”.

“Dive into the Darkness” is the duo’s first album. It follows “Black Hole” and “Dracula’s Poison”.

A Certain Ratio, the English post-punk and funk band from Greater Manchester, will release two companion albums, “The Joy of Sextet” and “Force Majeure,” on 28 August 2026 via Mute. The releases mark 45 years since the band entered Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, to record “Sextet,” and 40 years since the release of “Force.”

A Certain Ratio companion albums on Mute

“The Joy of Sextet” is a new companion release to “Sextet,” the band’s 1982 Factory Records album. Andy Meecham, also known as The Emperor Machine, mixed the material from the original 1981 two-inch multitrack tapes. Meecham says the process involved “adding some new dynamics” while keeping “the original raw energy and feel.”

“Force Majeure” is a nine-track companion release to “Force,” the band’s 1986 Factory Records album. The release includes previously unreleased original versions, including “Force,” a title track that did not appear on the original 1986 album. The material comes from four-track recordings made by the late Stuart “Jammer” James, who co-produced “Force” with A Certain Ratio. Martin Moscrop says the recordings were made to “review the songs for a possible album” and “practice playing them live.”

“The Joy of Sextet” and “Force Majeure” will be available on limited edition “Unforced Purple” coloured vinyl sets, CD and digital formats.

‘The Joy of Sextet’ tracklist

1. “Lucinda (EM)”
2. “Crystal (EM Night Version)”
3. “Gum (EM)”
4. “Knife Slits Water (EM)”
5. “Tumba Rhumba (EM)”
6. “Day One (EM)”
7. “Below the Canal (EM)”
8. “Waterline (EM Dub)”
9. “Knife Slits Water (EM 12” Version)”

‘Force Majeure’ tracklist

1. “Only Together (FM)”
2. “Bootsy (FM)”
3. “Naked and White (FM)”
4. “And Then She Smiles (FM)”
5. “Take Me Down (FM)”
6. “Anthem (FM)”
7. “The Runner (FM)”
8. “Force (FM)”
9. “Nostromo A Go Go (FM)”

‘Sextet’ and ‘Force’ anniversary tour dates

A Certain Ratio will tour the UK in October 2026 for the “Sextet” and “Force” anniversary tour. The band will play both albums in full, with an interval between the two sets.

• 7 Oct – Birmingham, Castle and Falcon
• 8 Oct – Bristol, Exchange
• 9 Oct – London, Dingwalls
• 10 Oct – Lewes, Con Club
• 13 Oct – Newcastle, The Cluny
• 14 Oct – Edinburgh, The Voodoo Rooms
• 15 Oct – Glasgow, Oran Mor
• 16 Oct – Blackpool, Bootleg Social
• 17 Oct – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
• 22 Oct – Hebden Bridge, The Trades – sold out
• 23 Oct – Stoke, Sugarmill
• 24 Oct – Manchester, Band on the Wall – sold out
• 25 Oct – Manchester, Band on the Wall – new date added

About A Certain Ratio

A Certain Ratio was formed in Greater Manchester in 1977. The early line-up also included Peter Terrell on guitar and electronics, Simon Topping on vocals and trumpet, Jez Kerr on bass and vocals, Martin Moscrop on trumpet and guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums, with Martha Tilson joining soon after. The band brought a mix of post-punk with funk, disco and Latin percussion. They soon got picked up by Factory Records.

The group released “All Night Party” through Factory Records in 1979, with Martin Hannett producing. “The Graveyard and the Ballroom” followed in 1980 as a cassette release, before “To Each…” arrived in 1981. “Sextet” was released in January 1982 by Factory Records and was recorded at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme. The album spent eleven weeks on the UK Independent Albums Chart and reached number 1.

“Force” followed in November 1986 as the band’s fifth studio album and final Factory Records studio album. It was recorded and mixed in July and August 1986 at Yello 2 Studios in Stockport. Stuart James co-produced the album with A Certain Ratio. The album introduced Tony Quigley on saxophone and was the last ACR studio album to feature Andy Connell as a full-time member before he focused on Swing Out Sister.

After Factory, A Certain Ratio moved through A&M Records, Rob’s Records, Creation, Soul Jazz and later Mute. Mute began reissuing the band’s back catalogue in 2018. The band released “ACR Loco” in 2020, followed by the “A,” “C,” and “R” EPs in 2021, “1982” in 2023 and “It All Comes Down to This” in 2024.

In 2023 A Certain Ratio also released Emperor Machine’s reworking of “Constant Curve”.

The band currently consists of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Donald Johnson, Tony Quigley, Matt Steele, Ellen Beth Abdi and Viv Griffin.

Italy-based industrial rock and alternative rock trio Noir Addiction have released the new single “How She’s Got It” via SoulPunx Records. The track is taken from the forthcoming six-track release “Pretty Things Don’t Last”, due July 16.

The single follows “Serve Me Some Crime”, which we covered in March 2026. “How She’s Got It” is available through Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The official video, directed and edited by Jack Lucas Laugeni, is available below.

Noir Addiction frontman Sonny Lanegan says this about the new single: “‘How She’s Got It’ is about that moment when something or someone loses its meaning, but you’re still caught in it. In the song, you’re observing, questioning, maybe even letting go, but at the same time you’re still drawn to it. That push and pull is what drives the whole track.”

He adds: “It’s not really about a person it’s about perception. How we project meaning onto things, how that meaning shifts, and how sometimes we just stop believing in it. The repetition in the chorus almost feels like trying to convince yourself of something, while knowing deep down it’s already gone.”

Lanegan also has this to say on the recording approach: “When we recorded it, the focus wasn’t on impact it was on distance. We approached the track almost like a fading memory, something that feels real while you’re inside it but starts to lose definition the more you look at it. The arrangement was intentionally built to feel circular, like you’re stuck in the same thought pattern, going over the same questions without ever getting a clear answer.”

And he continues: “We leaned into repetition and subtle shifts instead of big moments. Small changes in texture and slight variations in vocal delivery carry the emotional weight. The idea was to create a sense of emotional drift, where everything feels close but unreachable at the same time. Nothing fully resolves, and that’s intentional. It leaves you in that suspended state the lyrics are coming from.”

The lineup for this single and the upcoming EP consisted of Sonny Lanegan on vocals, guitars, synthesizers and programming, Nessie Zorba on keyboards and percussion, and Roberto Catanzaro on drums. “Pretty Things Don’t Last” was produced by Sonny Lanegan, engineered, mixed and mastered by Damiano Paoloni, and recorded at Sound Distillery in Italy.

About Noir Addiction

Noir Addiction are an Italy-based industrial rock and alternative rock project founded by Sonny Lanegan. The current lineup listed by the band consists of Lanegan on vocals, guitars, synthesizers and programming, Nessie Zorba on keyboards and percussion, and Roberto Catanzaro on drums.

Before Noir Addiction, Lanegan worked as singer-songwriter for White Pulp and co-founded The Dead Good, both connected to his Los Angeles period. His Bandcamp biography also lists Slow Roar and states that his music was used in television and film productions including “Mozart in the Jungle”, “Iron Fist” and “Z Nation”.

Noir Addiction’s public release timeline begins with “Chemical Bride”, released on June 27, 2025. “Lust Of The Flesh” followed on August 6, 2025. The 11-track album “Decadent Desire” was released on September 9, 2025. Bandcamp credits for “Decadent Desire” list Richard Christ on vocals, Sonny Lanegan on guitars, programming, backing vocals and production, Nessie Zorba on synthesizers and percussion, and Roberto Catanzaro on drums.

Side-Line reported in March 2026 that the previous lineup had split over a “difference in vision” and that Noir Addiction was fronted by Lanegan at that point. “Serve Me Some Crime” followed on March 20, 2026, as the first preview of “Pretty Things Don’t Last”. And now there is “How She’s Got It”, the second confirmed track from the July 16 release.

A few weeks ago we announced that Chicago collective The Joy Thieves hade released the single “The Wrong End of Your Rifle“, the first preview of the full-length album “Apocalypse Pending”, due June 5, 2026 via Armalyte Industries. Today the collective have released the video for “No Anchor“, featuring Chris Connelly of Finitribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry and Pigface.

The video was created by Joel Lopez at Lumbra Productions with additional production by Derek Christopher, Mark Pistel, Jeff Harris, Steven Archer, Dee J Nelson, Jane Jensen and DJ Darryl Hell.

The new The Joy Thieves album “Apocalypse Pending” will be available as a digital album and as a digipack CD which is limited to 300 copies.

The album was produced, engineered and mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering in Wheaton, Illinois, and mastered by James Scott.

Chris Connelly and Dan Milligan on ‘No Anchor’

Here’s what Chris Connelly says about the new The Joy Thieves track: “These days, it seems like people are capable of being pushed or tempted to exist in a state where they are alone. No moral compass. No ethics. No empathy. No forgiveness. No anchor. In a society where guilt seems to be gone, people can act however they want.”

Dan Milligan adds: “When I was writing the music for ‘No Anchor,’ I purposefully used ever-changing, off-kilter guitar riffs that seem to stray farther and farther from the song’s key as it progresses. Because the music never truly repeats, or settles down, it creates the sickening sense that everything is unresolved, and it’s only going to get worse.”

About The Joy Thieves

The Joy Thieves began in Chicago in December 2017, when drummer and musician Dan Milligan started assembling contributors for a new industrial rock recording project. Early contributors before the first release included Chris Connelly, David Suycott, Howie Beno, Matt Noveskey, Andy Gerold and Louis Svitek.

The project signed with Armalyte Industries around 2018 before its first release. The debut EP “This Will Kill That” followed on June 28, 2019.

The band followed with “Cities In Dust” on October 4, 2019, “A Blue Girl” on March 13, 2020, and “Genocide Love Song” on May 15, 2020. The first full-length album, “American Parasite”, was released on July 23, 2021 via Armalyte Industries, with Chris Connelly handling all lead vocals.

More releases followed, “Nemesis” in 2021, “6 To 3” in 2022, “Dissent-ertainment: 6 To 3 Remixed” in 2023, “The Heart of the Worm” and “Return To Needle Park” in 2024, and “Spilt Milk” on June 28, 2024.

The group revolves around Joy Thieves Productions, the production team of Dan Milligan and James Scott. The Joy Thieves roster includes current, former and touring members connected to Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, Revolting Cocks, PIG, David Bowie, Machines of Loving Grace, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb and other projects.

Bob Data is a solo project by Aleksandrs O. Berzins, whom some may know from other projects such as Irklis, Audioscope, Formā Anonym, and Negative Values. Following two previous EPs—which felt more like mini-albums—he has released this new EP this year, featuring six brand-new tracks.

Bob Data’s sound is rooted in old-school Electro, where vintage textures strongly define the atmosphere. The music is somewhat minimalist, partly because there are no vocals or samples involved, yet it remains highly idiosyncratic. The tracks feel like a fusion of different influences and styles. Overall, the release leans toward Electro-Experimental music with pronounced Ambient elements that transport the listener into a space-like dimension.

I do miss a trace of vocals on this release, which otherwise alternates between several very strong tracks and, unfortunately, two weaker ones. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Kinetic Rush”:

https://bobdata.bandcamp.com/track/kinetic-rush

Berlin-based NNHMN have built their recent work around movement, tension, and transformation. With “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow”, the duo continue to expand a sound that connects darkwave, electronic body music, performance, and club discipline without reducing itself to nostalgia. As “Cold Like Steel” prepares to open a slower, more melancholic side of the project, Lee and Michal speak about theatrical writing, genre evolution, live tension, Grauzone 2026, and “UNTERWELT”, their Halloween event at Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin.

NNHMN interview

Karo: Your new single “Cold Like Steel” is about to arrive, and from the way you introduced it, it seems to lean into a slower, more nocturnal emotion. What drew you toward that mood right now, and where does this track sit in relation to the material on “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow”?

Lee: Yes, you are right. The sound is indeed quite different here, and the tempo of “Cold Like Steel” is much slower. The mood is also a bit more nostalgic and melancholic. After all, the album is called “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow,” so this track definitely belongs to the Art of Sorrow side of it. But I still feel that, when it comes to our wave-oriented approach to electronic music, we keep the quality and the convention intact. I hope it will naturally fit with the rest of the record.

Karo: With “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow,” you created a release that feels sensual, theatrical, and emotionally precise rather than simply dark for darkness’ sake. Looking back at it now, what do you feel that album opened up for NNHMN that earlier releases only hinted at?

Lee: I think the theatrical element has always been present in our music, because already at the stage of writing lyrics, I am thinking about atmosphere. Maybe it comes from the fact that I spent around ten years working in theatres, with dramaturgs, as an actress, so perhaps I always feel like I am constructing a tiny performance when I write my texts. So yes, I think it has always been there in our work.

But now, after quite intense touring, we have really started to understand how our relationship with the audience works. And it is beautiful to deliver high-energy, dance-oriented tracks that still have enough space inside them, little ambient lakes where the audience can breathe for a moment, cool down, and then rise with us again.

Also, I think being blind to the evolution of genres within the dark scene is a serious limitation. We are very much in favour of modernising the sound, of letting it evolve naturally. We are not a dark band in the sense of simply recreating the ’80s. Many bands do that. I do not mean it as better or worse. Some artists are simply faithful to the original sound. We are evolutionists.

Karo: The path from singles like “Bring It On” and “The Secret” toward “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow” felt deliberate rather than random. When you release music this way, do you think in terms of chapters, tension, or narrative?

Michal: Yes, that is a good point. We do try to choose the songs we reveal in a more organised way. The idea is that the tension should grow, that one song completes the previous one or announces the one that will come next. Each single gives a short, still slightly hidden piece of information about what can be expected. It does not happen randomly. It happens in a considered way. That is it.

Karo: You played Grauzone 2026, one of the strongest meeting points for darkwave, minimal synth, and related scenes. What did that appearance mean to you, and did it sharpen your sense of where NNHMN stand in the wider European landscape?

Lee: What has been happening with our project for some time now, headlining and co-headlining festivals like Ombra, Extramuralhas, and Grauzone, does not sharpen our sense of who we are. It shows that the audience appreciates us, that promoters see it, and that we have our own public. During this year’s Grauzone, I honestly did not see the church filled so completely for any other show as it was for ours. It can be overwhelming, but it is motivating. It gives us energy to continue. At the same time, we still play very small clubs for totally enthusiastic audiences. This scene is still a niche. These festivals are the jewels in its crown. We appreciate them very much.

Michal: Grauzone is one of the best festivals in Europe, not only for alternative electronic music, but also for rock. After playing Ombra at the end of the year, then Grauzone in a beautiful church, it felt very special. It is a big family. We meet artists and fans we have known for years. Does it sharpen our sense of where the project is now? I do not know. But it motivates us to work more, to release the ideas already waiting on our hard drives, and to develop the new ones in our heads.

Karo: Your live sets often work through tension, atmosphere, and slow escalation rather than immediate impact. When building a show, what matters most: dramaturgy, physical pulse, emotional contrast, or the ritual dimension?

Michal: That comes from the kind of DJ sets I like most. The ones that feel magical never start with a huge impact, because then what? It is better to invite people into your world and then slowly increase the tension. Once they are inside, you can raise the tempo, increase the emotional dose, and we can all get carried away together. In the end, it is like a trip into another world. More or less, this is how we build our live sets. It is a recipe I keep from my DJ years.

Karo: Looking at the songs shaping your current setlists, is there a newer track that unexpectedly became central on stage?

Lee: A few tracks from “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow Part One” work really well live. “Maybe Late” works perfectly. “Demon Your Demon” has been strong from the beginning. We even tested it live before releasing it, and the audience reacted immediately. “The Secret” has also become a strong point in our set.

Karo: Your schedule now includes Italy, Spain, Sweden, and then Berlin for “UNTERWELT” on Halloween. Do different cities pull different versions of NNHMN out of you?

Lee: Yes, absolutely. We think a lot about the audience before we land in different countries. Reactions are completely different. You cannot compare an audience in the Netherlands with one in Mexico, Colombia, or Poland. In some places you need much stronger contact, more speaking, more closeness. In others, people sing so loudly that I almost cannot sing myself. Recently in Italy and in the UK, people climbed onto the stage. It was sweet and funny, never unpleasant. Audiences differ in temperament and temperature. We pay attention to that.

Karo: “UNTERWELT,” set for 31 October at Festsaal Kreuzberg, already feels bigger than a simple date on the calendar. What do you hope it becomes?

Lee: For me personally, I would love it to be like a dream come true. A dark, shining dream. I would love it to become the best Halloween darkwave festival in Europe.

Michal: This year Halloween falls on a Saturday, so the date aligns perfectly. We want to create a place that presents underground artists and gives the audience a chance to discover what is still underground today but may soon become widely known. Some acts are completely fresh and already amazing. Others are legacy bands that built this scene. None of this comes from nowhere. We are all a continuation of something. We hope future editions will allow us to bring even more artists who inspire us.

Karo: Berlin has no shortage of dark events, but many rely either on nostalgia or purely on club functionality. What gap do you feel “UNTERWELT” can fill?

Lee: Festivals that inspire us most are Grauzone, Ombra, and Extramuralhas. They proved you can build a festival that does not rely only on established names, but mixes young unknown artists with respected ones. This creates a beautiful atmosphere. Underground is forever alive. There is an audience for this. We are the best example, one hundred percent self-made, no backing daddies in the shadow. Good music should never belong to one age group. We want variety and space for growth.

Michal: We want a very mixed audience: fans of EBM, gothic music, darkwave, coldwave, heavier electronic sounds, and different generations under one roof. After the concerts, the night continues with dance-oriented live acts and DJs. We hope even techno fans will join us for Halloween in a different way. This is for every soul that loves alternative electronic pleasure. Many acts will simply give joy.

Karo: NNHMN often balance seduction with severity. How conscious are you of that balance now?

Lee: Six or seven years ago, we made much more experimental music, something like rhythmic ambient, but it did not speak to many people. So yes, we think about readability. Music is communication. We are not extremely socially developed people, so art is our way of communicating with the world. You want to be communicative. But the most important thing is to agree with what you create. If you do not stand behind your work, it becomes a heavy sin. You feel ashamed. So the foundation is honesty with your own creation.

Michal: Our earlier projects were very avant-garde and existential. That has always been our trademark. With NNHMN, we want the songs to be more communicative, but the darkness still comes naturally. We evolve because we change as people. That is life.

Karo: Looking ahead, are you extending the world of “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow,” or are the new songs already pointing toward your next evolution?

Lee: The thought always moves forward. We often talk about Kraftwerk and how they evolved from a krautrock band into what we know today. You cannot create as a person from your past. You are already different from two years ago. That is the nature of life. So yes, we are evolutionists. The sound changes with us.

Michal: Now we are in the world of “Opera of Lust and The Art of Sorrow Part Two,” but the material for the new album already exists. It will be more shiny than what we have done so far, but still dance-oriented. After releasing Part Two and touring, we want to return to the studio quickly. We no longer want to wait. We want to release these ideas as soon as possible. Life does not always align with your plans though.

Stabbing Westward, the Chicago industrial rock band, have announced the Wither ReWired Tour – a 15-date US run in July 2026 celebrating 30 years of their 1996 album “Wither Blister Burn + Peel” (Columbia Records, produced by John Fryer). The tour opens July 9 in Flint, Michigan, and closes July 25 in Atlanta, Georgia, with support from Priest and Acumen Nation. Note that Carlton is back on guitar. Alongside the tour, Stabbing Westward has announced “Wither ReWired,” a complete re-recording of the 1996 album, due later in 2026 on COP International.

Wither ReWired tour dates

The 15-date tour covers the Midwest, East Coast, and the South.

• July 9 — Flint, MI — Machine Shop
• July 10 — Grand Rapids, MI — Pyramid Scheme
• July 11 — Indianapolis, IN — HI-FI Annex
• July 12 — Columbus, OH — The King of Clubs
• July 13 — Lakewood, OH — The Roxy
• July 15 — Boston, MA — Brighton Music Hall
• July 16 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater
• July 17 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage
• July 18 — Philadelphia, PA — Underground Arts
• July 19 — Amityville, NY — AMH
• July 21 — Millersville, PA — Phantom Power
• July 22 — New Kensington, PA — Preserving Underground
• July 23 — Asheville, NC — Eulogy
• July 24 — Nashville, TN — Exit/In
• July 25 — Atlanta, GA — The Loft

Ticket information is available via the official website.

‘Wither Blister Burn + Peel’ at 30

Released on January 23, 1996 on Columbia Records and recorded at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, “Wither Blister Burn + Peel” was Stabbing Westward’s second studio album and their first to achieve RIAA Gold certification, which it received on September 27, 1996. The album reached number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the US Heatseekers chart, with US sales reaching approximately 747,000 copies.

The two singles, “What Do I Have to Do?” and “Shame,” drove the album’s commercial reach. “What Do I Have to Do?” peaked at number 7 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, while “Shame” matched the number 7 Mainstream Rock peak and reached number 14 on the Modern Rock chart. Both received heavy rotation on MTV and radio.

The album was produced by John Fryer, who had also produced Stabbing Westward’s debut album “Ungod” (1994) and would later produce the band’s 2022 comeback record “Chasing Ghosts.”

‘Wither ReWired’ – a complete re-recording

“Wither ReWired” is not a remaster or remix of the 1996 album. According to the band, it is a ground-up reinterpretation, with production and mastering currently in their final stages. No release date has been confirmed.

Vocalist Christopher Hall described his approach to revisiting the material: “The idea of reimagining Wither triggered equal amounts of excitement and trepidation for me. I know the powerful effect music has on young people. The music we hear in our youth imprints on our brain and our souls, forever merged with the memories that accompanied it. When you hear a song, it takes you back to that party or that lonely time spent in your headphones where the music was your only friend. The crazy makeout session to your best mix tape and the other mix tape for the inevitable heartbreak that followed. How could we ever hope to improve upon those memories? Well, we can’t. And we didn’t try. We chose to create new ones. I hope everyone makes some new memories to these new songs.”

Keyboardist Walter Flakus addressed the emotional weight of returning to the songs: “It’s amazing how powerful these songs still stand up 30 years later. I had a very tearful evening while working on ‘Sleep’ and the gravity of the song. These songs feel aligned with where we’re at as a band today while embracing our original industrial foundation. Some of these songs never hit the way they were intended. They do now!”

A tracklist for “Wither ReWired” has not been confirmed. The album will be released on COP International.

About Stabbing Westward

Christopher Hall and Walter Flakus formed Stabbing Westward in 1985 while being students at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. The original name came from a phrase encountered at the college radio station WIUS-FM. After relocating to Chicago, Stabbing Westward built an early lineup including Hall on bass and vocals, Flakus on keyboards, and Jim Clanin on guitar, later adding bassist Jim Sellers and drummer Angelo Negrette. Hall briefly toured with Die Warzau as a percussionist before returning to Stabbing Westward, and the band recruited Chris Vrenna of Nine Inch Nails on drums for the demo recordings that secured their deal with Columbia Records.

With the lineup stabilised around Hall, Flakus, Sellers, guitarist Stuart Zechman, and drummer David Suycott, Stabbing Westward recorded their debut album “Ungod” in 1993 at Eden Studios in London with producer John Fryer. Released on February 15, 1994 on Columbia Records, “Ungod” was followed by an opening slot on Depeche Mode’s Devotional Tour in summer 1994. After Suycott left the band, Andy Kubiszewski stepped in as drummer, eventually becoming a permanent member. Zechman’s departure left Stabbing Westward without a primary guitarist; at Bearsville Studios in 1995, Hall, Flakus, Sellers, and Kubiszewski handled all the guitar parts themselves for what became “Wither Blister Burn + Peel.”

The Gold-certified 1996 album established the band as a key act in the US alternative and industrial rock mainstream of the period. Their third album, “Darkest Days” (April 7, 1998, Columbia Records), also reached Gold certification and produced the Mainstream Rock Top 5 single “Save Yourself.” Their self-titled fourth album followed on Koch Records in 2001, but the band formally announced their dissolution on February 9, 2002.

After more than a decade away, Hall and Flakus reconnected with former members and officially reunited for two shows in 2016, starting with the Cold Waves Festival in Chicago on September 22, 2016, marking the band’s 30th anniversary. The reunion lineup – Hall, Flakus, Mark Eliopulos, Johnny Haro, and Carlton Bost – continued touring through 2017 and 2018. Bobby Amaro joined on drums in 2018 after Haro’s departure, and Cyamak Ashtiani joined on guitar in 2024.

The band signed to COP International in May 2020, as covered by Side-Line in our article “Stabbing Westward signs record deal with COP International to release first 1st new LP since 2001 – produced by John Fryer“. The covers EP “Hallowed Hymns”, featuring versions of tracks by The Cure, Ministry, and Echo & the Bunnymen, followed in October 2020. “Chasing Ghosts,” the band’s first new studio album in 21 years, was released on March 18, 2022 on COP International, again produced by John Fryer. The lead single “I Am Nothing” was previewed on Side-Line. The subsequent single “Ghost” followed in January 2022.

Hall’s production work beyond the band has continued in recent years. He produced the unitcode:machine single “Cold” in 2023, and appeared as a featured vocalist on the Metamorph single “Dance of a 1000 Miracles” in May 2025.

The Wither ReWired Tour opens July 9 in Flint, Michigan with Carlton back on guitar. “Wither ReWired” will be released on COP International; no date has been confirmed.

somemagicalshit, the bilingual synthpop / dark electronic project of Houston, TX-based artist Courtnii Veronica Rose, has signed to Re:Mission Entertainment. A debut full-length album is due fall 2026.

Courtnii Veronica Rose launched somemagicalshit in 2022 as a solo endeavor built around a computer, synthesizers, and sequencers. She handles every element of the project – writing, recording, mixing, and creative direction – and describes the project’s intent as combining English and Russian lyrics into music that is “atmospheric and emotionally intense”.

Courtnii Veronica Rose: “The goal from the beginning was to create something atmospheric and emotionally intense while incorporating the beauty and emotion of the Russian language into alternative electronic music. That mission hasn’t changed. It’s only getting louder.”

The choice to write in both English and Russian is central to the project’s identity. Courtnii says that Russian carries an emotional register into the material that shapes its character in a distinct way. Re:Mission Entertainment names Le Tigre, TR/ST, Adult., Pussy Riot, and Kaelan Mikla as reference points for the project.

In 2023, the project expanded from a solo studio format into a full live band, with additional musicians brought in.

somemagicalshit tour dates 2026

• May 22, 2026 Scout Bar – Houston, TX with The Cruxshadows, SINE, The Radio Broadcast, DJ Whisperwish
• June 5, 2026 The Crypt – New Orleans, LA with Blood Lovely, Phoenix Phantasma
• July 10, 2026 The Mix – San Antonio, TX with Shelly Webster + more TBA
• August 28, 2026 Crow Bar (Raven Room) – Houston, TX with In The Shadows, Andrako, DJ Whisperwish

About somemagicalshit

somemagicalshit is a bilingual synthpop / dark electronic project from Houston, TX, created by Courtnii Veronica Rose. Courtnii began writing music at age eleven, starting on guitar before expanding into synthesizer and drums.

She launched somemagicalshit in 2022 as a solo studio project, writing and producing all material independently. Prior to the Re:Mission signing the project released independent material, including tracks under Russian-language titles: “Я ненавижу себя.” (I Hate Myself), “Мечтаю О Тебе” (I Dream of You), “МАГИЯ” (Magic), and “БЛАЙНД БЛИСС” (Blind Bliss).

In 2023, the project added live band members for stage performances. The signing to Re:Mission Entertainment was announced May 15, 2026. A debut full-length album is scheduled for fall 2026, and marks the project’s first release on a label.

Does the name Carl Sjöström ring a bell? If not, the group Scapa Flow will undoubtedly sound familiar to quite a few ‘older’ Electro fans. Carl was one of the founders of the Swedish band Scapa Flow, which quickly made a name for itself in the broader EBM scene. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Scapa Flow was a band you simply couldn’t ignore – until they suddenly disappeared, never to return. More than 30 years later, Carl Sjöström resurfaces with a new project, HOY, he had been secretly working on for quite some time.

This year, the HOY album “Getting Closer” was released on I/O Music. HOY is the ‘natural’ continuation of Scapa Flow. The band’s name is taken from a wild Scottish island that forms part of the Orkney Islands, and then, of course, there is the music itself. I don’t really recognize the sound of Scapa Flow in it; instead, HOY delivers an Electro style that cannot easily be compared to any other group – slightly idiosyncratic, blending overlapping Electro-Pop and EBM elements. As far as I’m concerned, it is a highly successful opus that combines efficiency with originality. I spoke with Carl Sjöström about it. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

HOY interview

Q: After your involvement with Scapa Flow, it seems as if you disappeared from the musical radar for years. Did music completely disappear from your life during that period, or what were you busy with? And how do you look back on those successful years with Scapa Flow? What has stayed with you the most from that time?

Carl: We put Scapa Flow to rest as we were busy with studies, and then with work and families. We never got the energy to get back on track really. But I have been writing songs also during the years of focus on work and small kids. Most songs never came to light but some of the first HOY songs are actually built on fragments created 15-20 years ago. A few of them were even originally intended to be Scapa Flow material. The years in the 80s and 90s were formative in many ways, not the least in making lifetime friendships. But also musically. The exploring and free attitude of the underground Electronic scene of that time is still an ideal to me. Scapa Flow never tried to fit into a model or genre, and I want that to be true for HOY as well. 

Q: Apparently, you had been working on HOY for several years, but it took a while before you took the step to release music. Can you tell us more about the origins of HOY and to what extent do you see it as a continuation of – or a break from – your Scapa Flow past?

Carl: The idea of releasing as a solo project was born out of an urge to create music, but there were no practical chance to restart the band. I was never the main songwriter in Scapa Flow, and it took some effort, time and mistakes to find my own expression. Eventually I was inspired by the local Electronic music scene in my hometown Gävle to take it a step further, and nice and helpful persons from that scene were important to take the necessary steps out of the closet.

The other members of Scapa Flow have in some way been involved – in feedback and other ways. I guess you could put HOY as the late maturing younger brother of the band.

Q: How does it feel to return actively to the scene after so many years? Do you still feel connected to the underground scene, and how do you experience it today? Also, how do you view the many (r)evolutions in music-making – such as the rise of AI – and in music consumption, like streaming platforms and curated playlists versus the decline of physical formats?

Carl: It was actually rather awkward to return to the Electronic scene after 25 years. I had been distanced for so many years and felt like a visitor from the 90s. Of course I had listened to some Electronic music and been to concerts with old favorites, but I didn´t keep an eye on new artists. Some of them I have discovered now and love.

So much has changed in technology and music consumption, yet there are many things that sound and look exactly the same. I strongly dislike everything about AI in music, and the music industry for independent artists is even worse than before. The algorithm based streaming consumption seems to have almost killed music journalism, which is a sad thing. But some things have gone in a better direction – the scene is not totally dominated by male artists anymore. And the flexibility and huge capacity of modern DAWs makes it possible to use your creativity at any place at a low cost.

Q: Let’s talk about “Getting Closer”, the debut album by HOY. What were you aiming to achieve with this record, and which musical ideas did you want to explore or incorporate?

Carl: The first 2 EPs included older songs that I more or less needed to get out of the system. The EPs also were a kind of learning curve on how to make it sound as I wished and finding my expression. I was fortunate to get some good help to take the steps to release them by Svensk Hushållssynth (Swedish artist, mastering engineer and micro record label) and Alphamound (Swedish artist and mastering engineer). 

Taking the next step to create a full album was a challenge put upon myself. I wanted to create something homogenic enough to be listened to as a ten-part piece, with the dynamics of the old-school LP and CD albums that I grew up with and still love. I also wanted to involve other voices than my own, and to include a cover song was an idea from the start.  It was wonderful to have the opportunity to make a small CD edition, since the visual aspect is a thing that really has been lost in the digital era. 

Q: Can you tell us more about the composition process behind “Getting Closer”? How did this HOY album take shape, and what stages did you go through to bring it to completion? What were the main challenges, and did you learn anything about yourself along the way?

Carl: My songs always starts from a fragment and an idea of what kind of song I want to shape, and I build it around that fragment during quite some time. It is rare that I have the possibility to spend many hours or a day in the studio, but more shorter moments now and then. I listen to the work in progress during dog walks or running tours, get some ideas and test them the next time in the studio. It can end up quite far away from where you started, but it is a nice tempo for things to mature. At some point you realize you can´t get any further, and by that time the song is usually 2/3 parts ready. I played the 2/3-ready demos for I/O Music in May 2025 and we decided to move on. Another round of implementing ideas, killing darlings. The last thing to finish is usually the final vocal recordings. It was a totally new thing for me to deal with, but when I mixed the contributions of the female guest artists I was really happy with the result.

I always learn things about myself along the way. I gradually learn how to handle self-criticism and how to stay believing in the idea. I also constantly learn new tedious technical stuff in sound engineering and the mixing procedure. The most challenging part for me is to be happy with the final mixing. You tend to compare the sound with all your favourite productions – but you have to realise you can´t copy a sound. You need to learn making it yourself to get it your way.

Q: The title “Getting Closer” suggests a form of rapprochement, perhaps in a world where genuine connection is becoming increasingly rare. How do you interpret this title, and what themes are you exploring through the lyrics?

Carl: That is right. “Getting closer” can be interpreted in many ways. The time we live in is promoting distance and individual achievements at expense of human relations and societal engagement. There are many reasons to why this will end up wrong. I like to see life as a constant movement towards something – inevitably death, of course, but also values and ideals that we share and can live forever. The feeling of approaching something can be even better than acheiving the actual goal itself.

The lyrics tend to explore themes connected to the emotions or the original idea of the song. I don´t want the issue of lyrics to be too clear either – I think the best lyrics whether it is poetry or song lyrics are the ones that could be interpreted in different ways depending on the listener, or the mood of the listener. A few songs are quite personal, others have a clear political undertone. 

Q: Now that the HOY album has been released, how do you evaluate it in retrospect? And what are the next steps for HOY – are there plans for future releases or possible side projects?

Carl: I am generally happy with the result, and it has been reasonably well received. I think it reflects what I wanted to express at the time I made it. That doesn´t mean I don´t hear things that could have been done better. I am especially pleased with the duets and the dynamic emotional range of some of the songs. 

I am already back in the loop of creating new music. Except for a single edition and remix release in May, I aim to release some new material during 2026. HOY is meant to be an evolving project with no predetermined structure except myself, and I hope to see further collaborations on coming releases. HOY´s live debut in February was inspiring, and I would love to put some effort in developing the live concept for the right occasion, as well. 

Q: With the perspective of life experience and maturity, do you feel your view of the world – and the role of music within it – has changed? How do you see the significance of music today, both for yourself and for others?

Carl: Music has always been a central part of my life, though I have other ways to earn a living. I would guess I will deal with some sort of musical creativity until I drop dead. The importance of music, as a univeral language that can connect people from different backgrounds, cultures and ages has become clearer to me with age. Seeing my children fall in love with music that lead ways to express or identify themselves, makes me genuinely happy. There are no dangerous hostility between different groups of music listeners. People that are engaged in musical creativity usually don´t start wars.  I think music makes us better. 

Cold Spring Records has reissued “Schönste Muziek” by industrial percussionist Z’EV. The album was originally released in 1986 as an LP on the German label Dossier .

The CD edition in matt digipak also includes “Titan Night”. This 20-minute live recording from Berlin Atonal in December 1983 has not been available on any format since the 1984 split LP “Berlin Atonal Vol. 1” shared with Psychic TV on Atonal Records. This reissue is the first time the track has appeared on any format since that original release.

Z’EV performed on all-steel, custom-made percussion instruments built to activate the acoustics of the performance space. The reissue is available via Cold Spring and Bandcamp.

About Z’EV

Z’EV was the performance name of Stefan Joel Weisser (born 8 February 1951; died 16 December 2017). Weisser was an American poet, percussionist, and sound artist. He began playing percussion at age three and built his first drum set at age six. After studying world music traditions at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), he developed an approach built on self-fabricated instruments made from stainless steel, titanium, and PVC plastics.

He began performing as Z’EV in fall 1978. The name came from his Hebrew given name. His early work centred on extended live percussion pieces using the resonant properties of metal to generate dense, layered sound environments.

In December 1983, Z’EV performed at the Berlin Atonal festival, a set documented on side two of the 1984 split LP “Berlin Atonal Vol. 1” with Psychic TV (Atonal Records). In 1986, Dossier issued “Schönste Muziek” as an LP.

Throughout his career, Weisser released recordings on labels including Backstreet Backlash Records, Subterranean Records, Coercion, Atonal Records, Dossier, Atavistic, Avant, Soleilmoon Recordings, Crippled Intellect Productions, Cold Spring, Tzadik, Touch, Die Stadt, and Ars Benevola Mater. He was active in the New York City downtown music scene during the 1980s and 1990s, performing at The Kitchen, The Knitting Factory, and Danceteria, and worked alongside Elliott Sharp and Glenn Branca.

Weisser was injured in an Amtrak train derailment in Dodge City in 2016 and died on 16 December 2017. Side-Line covered his passing in December 2017.

The Cold Spring reissue of “Schönste Muziek” is the first edition of the album to include “Titan Night” and the first physical release of that recording in over four decades.

Darkvolt is a Belgian band driven by Frederik Strobbe and joined on this second album by guitarist Martyn Hanson. The album features no fewer than 17 tracks.

“Spirits Of Angst And Despair” is a fairly varied work in which the influences shift almost from track to track. The album opens with a heavy EBM bassline that is quickly fused with an arsenal of noises. This dense layer of sounds actually forms a kind of common thread throughout the release, while the influences move between EBM, Cinematic, Experimental, and Industrial music. Add to that tracks driven by breakbeats alongside others built on slower rhythms, and the result is a rather chaotic whole in which Darkvolt searches for its identity. That may sound somewhat negative, but although the album moves in many different directions, it still contains several interesting tracks. I especially hear potential in the more EBM-oriented songs, where the addition of guitar creates something resembling an Industrial version of Nitzer Ebb.

In my opinion, Darkvolt mainly needs to refine its own sound and allow this diversity of ideas to evolve into a more cohesive whole, because the potential is certainly there. (Rating:6½).

Listen to “Violence”:

https://dresscodeblack.bandcamp.com/track/violence

Norwegian electronic rock artist Mortiis will release “Ghosts of Europa” on 26 June 2026 via Prophecy Productions, distributed by SPKR. The album features eight tracks, an extensive guest lineup, all mixed by Sean Beavan. A video for the title track is available now. Side-Line first reported the release in March 2026, but we can now give you the full tracklist, complete production credits, all lineup details, all formats and confirmed Australian tour dates.

Mortiis – ‘Ghosts of Europa’ tracklist, origins and line-up

The album runs eight tracks:

1. “Ghosts of Europa”
2. “Return to the Old Fields”
3. “The Faith That Fades Away”
4. “Violent Silence”
5. “Transcending Morpheus”
6. “Tundra, Heart of Hell”
7. “Tribes of Dystopia”
8. “Farewell Romero”

The material was recorded, re-recorded, and reworked across what Mortiis describes as “a thousand sessions during years of misery, poverty, and disdain” between 2020 and 2026 at various locations in Fredrikstad, Norway. Early vocal recording was handled by co-producer Stephan Groth at Pitch Black Drive, Fredrikstad.

Sean Beavan mixed the album at The Grey Room in Crestline, California. Beavan’s prior credits include Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, System of a Down, Guns N’Roses, and Slayer. Mastering was completed by Jules Seifert at Epic Audio Media, London.

“Ghosts of Europa” developed in part from a planned collaboration between Mortiis and Stephan Groth of Apoptygma Berzerk, based on a shared interest in German electronic music and in particular Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. When that collaboration ended, Mortiis continued work independently. Traces of the original direction remain in the album’s Berlin-school references. Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream contributes additional synths and sequencers on track 1.

Håvard “Mortiis” Ellefsen performs vocals, keyboards, vocoder, bass guitar, and programming throughout the album.

Here’s the list of guest contributions on this album:

• Benedicte Computorgirl (Computorgirl) – vocals on track 4
• Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy et al.) – guitar solo on track 7
• Christopher Rakkestad (Elvarhøi, Bolverk) – vocals on tracks 1–6
• Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh, Brian Jonestown Massacre et al.) – fuzz and noise guitars, additional FX on tracks 3 and 4
• Iliana Basileios Tsakiraki (Enemy of Reality, Septicflesh et al.) – vocals on tracks 1, 2, and 5
• Laurie Ann Haus (Blizzard Games) – vocals on tracks 1, 2, 5, and 7
• Matthew Setzer (Skinny Puppy, London After Midnight) – throat singing on track 7
• Michal Kielbasa (Black Magic Rites et al.) – tubular bell and vibraphone on track 2; tubular bell on track 6; tabla loops, additional synths and FX on track 7
• Sarah Jezebel Deva (The Kovenant, Cradle of Filth et al.) – vocals on tracks 1–3, 5, and 6
• Thomas Bolverk (Ragnarok, Bolverk) – distortion, clean, and sampled guitars on track 6
• Thorsten Quaeschning (Tangerine Dream) – additional synths and sequencers on track 1
• Vegard Blomberg (Mock) – e-bow and guitars on track 2; additional Copicat, Space Echo, fuzz and e-bow guitars on track 4; fuzz guitars on track 6; fuzz and ambient guitars and guitars on track 8
• Erling Blomberg – additional guitars on track 8

Mortiis – ‘Ghosts of Europa’ available formats

“Ghosts of Europa” is available across no less then twelve confirmed editions spanning two box sets, three standard vinyl variants, three exclusive artist vinyl variants, a Cult of the Black Wizards edition, a retailer exclusive, a digipak CD, an artbook CD, and a standalone cassette.

Box sets

The Sand-Filled Ultra Deluxe Box Set (50 copies) includes a handmade sand-filled vinyl LP, a bonus LP, the 2CD artbook, a cassette, four art prints, and a poster. The standard Deluxe Box Set (450 copies) replaces the sand-filled vinyl with a metallic purple galaxy LP and otherwise contains the same items.

CD and cassette

The artbook edition is a hardcover book containing the album on CD plus an additional bonus-tracks CD. The digipak CD is the standard physical CD edition. A standalone cassette is also available.

Vinyl

Three standard gatefold LP variants are available, each with a lyric book: Classic Black, Clear Crystal, and Clear Smoke.

Exclusive artist editions

The Europe Artist Edition “Into The Deep” variant (250 copies) is exclusive to the Mortiis Europe webstore. The USA Artist Edition “New Twilight” variant (250 copies) is exclusive to the Mortiis US webstore. The Cult of the Black Wizards “Black Night” variant (150 copies) is available only to Bandcamp Cult of the Black Wizards members. The Iridescent Blue gatefold LP (250 copies) is a Wolf Mountain Productions exclusive, available at wolfmountainproductions.com.

Orders for most editions are open through the Mortiis webstore and the SPKR store.

Mortiis Southern Ritual Australian tour 2026

Mortiis will play four Australian dates in November 2026 as part of the Southern Ritual Australian Tour:

• 19 November 2026 – Sydney (AU), Factory Floor
• 20 November 2026 – Brisbane (AU), Crowbar
• 21 November 2026 – Melbourne (AU), Croxton
• 22 November 2026 – Adelaide (AU), Ed Castle

About Mortiis

Mortiis is the musical project of Håvard Ellefsen, based in Fredrikstad, Norway. Ellefsen joined Emperor as bass player in 1991 during the black metal band’s formation and departed in late 1992, contributing to early demos and the 1993 Emperor mini-LP before pursuing a solo direction.

He launched Mortiis as a solo project in 1993. Between 1993 and 1999, the project’s first era – known as Era I – produced six full-length albums composed entirely on synthesizers: “Født til å Herske” (1993), “Ånden som Gjorde Opprør” (1994), “Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent” (1995), “Blood and Thunder” (1995), “Crypt of the Wizard” (1996), and “The Stargate” (1999). These releases are cited as a foundational influence on the dungeon synth genre. Not that long agao – time flies nevertheless – we covered the vinyl reissues of “Ånden som Gjorde Opprør” and “Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent”.

In 2001, “The Smell of Rain” marked a shift toward dark wave and electropop, a phase identified as Era II. Era III began with “The Grudge” (2004), moving further into industrial rock. Further albums followed: “Some Kind of Heroin” (2007) and the independently released “Perfectly Defect” (2010). “The Great Deceiver” was released in 2016, followed by “The Unraveling Mind” in 2017 and “Spirit of Rebellion” in 2020 – a re-interpretation of the 1994 album “Ånden som Gjorde Opprør”. A reworked version of “Født til å Herske” was issued in 2023.

Throughout most of his career, Ellefsen has performed with a mask and facial prosthetic that has evolved in appearance across different eras. The stage persona was set aside for a period during live performances associated with what Mortiis has called Era 0.

“Ghosts of Europa”, recorded between 2020 and 2026, is Mortiis’ first album on Prophecy Productions.

Gothenburg-based project ou ou have released their debut EP “lake” on Xenophone International. The three-track digital release features vocals by Tilde Mossberg, compositions and lyrics by Anna Öberg, and production by Charles Storm.

The three tracks are: “Silence by the Lake” (4:25), “This River” (4:08), and “Into the Lake” (4:18). Musically the EP offers a mix of analog synthesizers, flute, piano, choir arrangements, and drums together in what Xenophone International describes as “somewhere on the borderland of alternative pop.”

“lake” is available on ou ou’s Bandcamp and on YouTube. The EP is also on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora, and additional platforms via this official smart link.

A full-length album from ou ou is scheduled for release in autumn 2026.

About ou ou

ou ou is a Gothenburg-based project formed in 2026. “lake” is their debut release, issued through Xenophone International on May 15, 2026. The project is built around Anna Öberg as composer and lyricist, Tilde Mossberg on vocals, Linnéa Mossberg as lyricist, and Charles Storm as producer.

Anna Öberg is a Gothenburg-based synth artist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. She plays flutes, guitar, piano, synthesizers, and electronics, and has released several solo albums on Xenophone International. Her third solo album, “Varelser inuti”, appeared on the label in November 2020. The single “Mitt sista hopp” followed in April 2023, and her most recent solo album, “SIN”, was also released via Xenophone International. Side-Line has previously covered her work through a 2024 interview and the videos for “Handen eller hjärtat” and “Ich Bin”. Öberg leads the live band Härsk, in which Linnéa Mossberg plays drums.

Tilde Mossberg is a Swedish singer and artist whose work offers a mix of modern pop and electronic music. Linnéa Mossberg is a lyricist and drummer; in addition to her contributions to ou ou, she performs in Anna Öberg’s live band Härsk. Charles Storm from his side has produced Anna Öberg’s solo releases on Xenophone International for several years .

Xenophone International is a Gothenburg-based label operated by Karl Gasleben, known from Twice a Man and for founding the label in the late 1970s. The label has released music by Twice a Man, Lars Falk, Gasleben & Electric friends, Anna Öberg, and The Ändå, among others. “lake” is the label’s first release under the ou ou name. An album is expected later in 2026.

The Belgian–American electronic dance act Lords of Acid has released “Dream Boy,” the second single of 2026, on 15 May 2026 via Metropolis Records. The track is available digitally on streaming platforms and Bandcamp. It features vocalist Carla Harvey, who joined the group in early 2025 and has since been named the band’s ‘reigning Acid Queen’.

The band describes the song as “a dark trip through the streets of Necropolis, where addiction feels like salvation and nightmares wear a beautiful disguise.” Lords of Acid add: “‘Dream Boy’ isn’t about judging addiction. It’s about understanding the pain, loneliness and emptiness that drive people toward it in the first place. We wanted the verses to feel raw and claustrophobic, almost like a panic attack, while the reggae-inspired chorus drifts like a hallucination you never want to wake up from. The line ‘Dream boy, keep on floating in the sun’ sounds warm and beautiful at first, until you realise it’s about somebody slowly disappearing in plain sight. It is one of the darkest songs we have ever written, but underneath the shadows there’s still a message of human connection, desire and the search for a real high that doesn’t destroy you.”

An ironic side-note: The cover art of the single features a man with a classic 1980s mullet: short and full on top, with much longer hair flowing down the back and sides. The front is styled with volume and a soft brushed-up shape, while the back is wavy to curly and shoulder-length. Fashion-wise, it fits a retro glam-rock / new-wave office rebel look: neat enough in front to pair with glasses, shirt, tie, and blazer, but wild at the back for a more eccentric, rock-inspired edge

“Dream Boy” follows Lords of Acid and Princess Superstar’s “Karaoke Superstar”, released in April 2026 on Metropolis Records. That track was a collaboration with US vocalist and DJ Princess Superstar and presented the group in a rather theatrical mode drawing on Japanese game show aesthetics, underground fetish culture, and pop satire.

Both “Dream Boy” and “Karaoke Superstar” are confirmed to appear on the band’s seventh studio album, first announced in February 2026 as “Acid Reign” however that will NOT be the title so we learned. The record is set for release in late 2026 on Metropolis Records and will feature additional guest vocalists alongside Harvey.

Carla Harvey was announced as the new Lords of Acid vocalist on 6 January 2025. Harvey is a US singer previously known as co-lead vocalist of the metal band Butcher Babies. She joined Lords of Acid in early 2025 and fronted the group’s 2025 “Praise The Lords” tour.

Lords of Acid are currently midway through their “Cheeky Freaky Tour” of the United States, which runs until the end of May 2026.

About Lords of Acid

Lords of Acid formed in Antwerp, Belgium in 1988. The founding lineup comprised Maurice Engelen (known as Praga Khan) on keyboards and programming, Nikkie Van Lierop (Jade 4U) on vocals and keyboards, and Olivier Adams on percussion and keyboards. The project debuted with the New Beat single “I Sit On Acid” in 1988 and built an early following in the European club scene before expanding to North America.

Their debut album, “Lust,” appeared in 1991 on Antler-Subway and introduced the group’s blend of techno, acid house, and industrial music with provocative lyrics addressing sexuality, drug use, and hedonism. The record produced club hits and even had chart visibility in the United States.

“Voodoo-U” followed in 1994, shifting the sound toward a heavier industrial direction while retaining the group’s lyrical identity. “Our Little Secret” appeared in 1997 and included one of their most recognised tracks, “Pussy.” The fourth album, “Farstucker,” released in 2000, incorporated more live instrumentation and marked the group’s fuller transition toward industrial rock. A greatest hits compilation, “Greatest T*ts,” appeared in 2003.

After a prolonged hiatus, “Deep Chills” was released on 10 April 2012. DJ Méa (Mea Fisher) handled lead vocals on that record. In 2017, the group reissued “Lust,” “Voodoo-U”, “Our Little Secret,” and “Farstucker” through Metropolis Records as Special Remastered Band Editions on CD and double vinyl.

The sixth album, “Pretty in Kink”, was released on 18 May 2018 via Metropolis Records, following a successful Kickstarter campaign. Marieke Bresseleers provided lead vocals on that release. A best-of compilation, “Smoking Hot”, was issued in May 2016. A further compilation, “Beyond Booze,” appeared in May 2022.

The group announced an extensive touring run under the banner Make Acid Great Again in 2024, advertised as the final tour featuring Praga Khan. Carla Harvey joined as the new lead vocalist in January 2025, and the group launched the 2025 “Praise The Lords” tour in support of that announcement. “Dream Boy” is the second single from the forthcoming yet untitled seventh album.

German indie/alternative project Melanculia release “post mortem” on 15 May 2026 via noot moon records. The 14-track album is the first Melanculia full-length since “Seventh Circle” in 2018 and was written, performed, produced, mixed and mastered by Nino Sable in Essen, Germany. The album will be out as a CD and digital release, with a limited 6-panel digipak edition of 200 copies.

The album follows the video-single “Sunboat Ascension”, of hich you can see the video below.

Nino Sable comments: “post mortem is resurrection music. Minimal arrangements channel emotional intensity through stark beauty – 130 bpm acoustic riffs meet spectral organs, building toward choruses that feel like sunboats rising through red skies. The industrial Ruhr area echoes in every chord: heavy skies, rusted steel, fleeting light.”

“post mortem” is available for ordering on Bandcamp as a digital album and as a limited 6-panel digipak CD.

About Melanculia

Melanculia is Nino Sable’s solo project from Germany’s Ruhr area. Sable started his first solo project in 1999.

The first Melanculia release was “The Dazed Prophet”, released in October 2010. It continued with “Paths” in May 2013, “Lost Sounds” in July 2018, “Seventh Circle” in December 2018 and “post mortem” in May 2026.

Nino Sable is also known as the vocalist and lyricist of Aeon Sable. Aeon Sable were formed in Essen in 2010 by Din-Tah Aeon and Nino Sable. While Din-Tah Aeon handles guitars, programming and production, Nino Sable takes care of vocals, lyrics, production, songwriting, graphics and media design. So far they released “Per Aspera Ad Astra” in 2010, “Saturn Return” in 2012, “Aequinoctium” in 2013, “Visionaers” in 2014, “Hypaerion” in 2016, “Aether” in 2018, “Aenthology” in 2020 and “Aenigma” in 2023.

We previously covered the Spleen+/Alfa Matrix 7CD post-punk boxset “Resurgence“, which includes Aeon Sable’s “From Witchcraft To Deviltry” on CD 1.

Montreal post-punk, shoegaze and darkwave band The City Gates has just released “Chimera” via Icy Cold Records and Velouria Recordz. The 8-track album is available on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

“Chimera” was produced and mixed by The City Gates at Velouria Studios in Montreal. Francesco Giuliano mastered the album at Innerwood Music Mansion in Succivo, Italy.

The band says this about the recording sessions: “Working in our own studio gave us the space to shape the sound at our own pace, letting each track’s atmosphere unfold as we recorded, mixed, and produced everything ourselves.”

The album is available via Bandcamp including a white 12-inch vinyl edition with insert and a 3-panel digipak CD edition with lyrics.

The official video for “Capitol Hill” is available below.

The City Gates Great Devourer tour dates

To support “Chimera”, The City Gates tour Europe from May 29 through June 6 under the name The Great Devourer Tour. The confirmed dates are:

• May 29 — Berlin, DE — Wild at Heart (+ Cataphiles)
• May 30 — Holzminden, DE — Horstberg 76 (+ Golden Apes)
• June 2 — Paris, FR — QG103
• June 3 — Gent, BE — The Crossover (+ Fragment)
• June 4 — Rotterdam, NL — Soundville (+ Death by Audio)
• June 5 — Wuppertal, DE — Loch (+ Us & I)
• June 6 — Modave, BE — Deux-Ours

About The City Gates

The City Gates are a Montréal band mixing post-punk, shoegaze, darkwave and coldwave in their work. The line-up consists of Maxime ‘Max’ Wingender on vocals and guitar, François ‘Frank’ Marsan on guitars, keys and vocals, Jean-Sébastien ‘John’ Tremblay on bass and vocals, and Justin Morneau on drums.

They formed in 2013 when they released the album “Collapse”. It was followed by “Checkpoint Charlie” on October 14, 2017 after which the band moved further toward shoegaze on the 2018 album “Forever Orbiter” released through Northern Light Records.

The band then joined Icy Cold Records and Velouria Recordz for “Age of Resilience”, released on June 9, 2021. Note that Marsan and Wingender also run Velouria Recordz and are involved with the Montréal Velouria Festival.

A few more singles followed – including “Lapidation” in 2024, “La douleur (des mortels)” in 2025 and “Capitol Hill” in 2026 – and now there is “Chimera”. Note that the new album does not include “Lapidation” or “La douleur (des mortels)”.

Berlin dark pop, EBM and dark electro project White Noise TV has released the digital single “Gathering Allies” today, May 15, 2026. The self-produced release runs at a fierceful 181 BPM. The “Gathering Allies” single follows “Transistor” and continues the project’s focus on social division and collective response.

Oliver Staats says this about the new single: “”Gathering Allies” is the moment where observation turns into stance and individual voices become something shared.”

The single has five tracks.

A video with a CRT terminal aesthetic is out as well.

About White Noise TV

White Noise TV is a Berlin-based dark pop project founded by Oliver Staats and Lars Goehring. Staats had been involved in the dark electro scene since the late 1990s, while Goehring had been making electronic music already. The two met through a construction and housing project in 2013 and decided to start making music together after attending Electro Rebel Party at Berlin’s Nuke Club at the end of 2018.

The project released the self-titled debut album “White Noise TV” on March 30, 2020. It was followed with “Every Day Lost” on January 10, 2022. That album was recorded by Oliver Staats, Bernd Abromeit and Lars Goehring, with Bernd Abromeit of Tonschleifer handling mixing and mastering.

The band also appeared on the NoCut Depeche Mode tribute “Music for Constructions”, where the project contributed “World in My Eyes”.

The band continued by releasing “New Dawn” on June 13, 2024. Mixed and engineered by Bernd Abromeit, it was mastered by Brigadier Wolff of Patenbrigade: Wolff. The project then released “Fear Can’t Kill All Future Dreams” on February 7, 2025 and “Transistor” on December 5, 2025. “Transistor” includes remixes by AD:keY, Silicon Avatar, Octobirth, Missing in Stars and Ignazious K.

White Noise TV is now continued as a solo project for Oliver Staats.

The German electronic duo Heldautomat – Christian Purwien and Thomas Kowa – have released their debut single “Am ersten Tag.” Built on analogue synthesizers, piano, and minimalist drum machines, the track is the first release under the Heldautomat name.

The band describe the single as a deliberate departure from streaming-format expectations. “It is not designed for playlists, algorithms, or instant gratification — and that is exactly the point,” they say. Heldautomat describe their position as one that places atmosphere and emotional depth over accessibility.

The title translates as “On the first day,” though the song, as the band explain it, is not about beginnings. “The song dismantles the familiar idea that everything once felt big, meaningful, and full of possibility — and sets it against a sobering present,” they comment. “You move in circles and end up exactly where you started. Only without the illusions.”

The official music video can be viewed below.

About Heldautomat

Heldautomat is a German electronic project formed by Christian Purwien and Thomas Kowa(lzik). The duo work with analogue synthesizers, piano, and drum machines, with Purwien providing vocals and lyrics, and Kowa handling production and synthesis.

Christian Purwien is the vocalist and lyricist of darkwave/electronic act Second Decay, which he co-founded with Andreas Michael Sippel in 1987. Christian Purwien began his recording history as co-founder and vocalist of Second Decay, initially named Blue Velvet, in 1987.

The group worked exclusively with analogue synthesizers and released the tape “Monochromes” in 1988 and the 12-inch “Killing Desire” in 1989, followed by the CD “La Décadence Électronique” in 1992, the maxi-CD “Hinter Glas” in 1993, and the album “Taste” in 1994. The second studio album “The Hunt,” originally released in 1996, was reissued by Emmobiz Records on November 22, 2025 as a green double LP with five bonus tracks. A second vinyl edition of “Taste” is scheduled for release on June 1, 2026 via Emmo.Biz Records as a double LP with previously unreleased material.

Thomas Kowa(lzik) is a music producer, synthesizer specialist, and thriller author. His Erik Lindberg crime series is available as audiobook releases. Kowa has previously worked with No Comment and Nine Seconds.

Purwien and Kowa first began working together as Purwien & Kowa and have released five albums under that name, including “Zwei,” “Drei” (issued in 2018 as three EPs – “Drei 80s,” “Drei Disko,” and “Drei Vegas” – on Zwei Records), and “Vier” (2020). The 2021 release “5=2+3+4×12″” compiled extended versions of tracks from those three albums alongside a new version of the Second Decay track “I Hate Berlin.” In February 2026, Purwien / Kowa performed at the 18th Elektrisch Festival in Zwickau on the dedicated synthpop night, with a set comprising 70% Second Decay material.

Heldautomat is described by the duo as “stripped down, more uncompromising, and emotionally darker” than their previous collaborative work.

Alongside their music output, Purwien and Kowa co-host Disko 80, a German-language podcast documenting 1980s electronic and pop music. Heldautomat marks a new recording direction for the duo and the debut single “Am ersten Tag” is their first release under this name.

“Sylfaera The Fair” can certainly be considered a new milestone in the long history of the Italian group Ataraxia. This is the band’s thirtieth album and the conclusion of a trilogy preceded by “Pomegranate” (2022) and “Centaurea” (2024).

Masterfully guided by the heavenly and unique voice of Francesca Nicoli, alongside her long-time collaborators Vittorio Vandelli and Giovanni Pagliari, the group has also invited several guest musicians for this ten-track work. “Sylfaera The Fair” unfolds like an invitation—the siren call of an imaginary, dark mermaid guiding us through bygone and never-existing lands. Musically, Ataraxia remains faithful to a singular fusion of genres, the secret of which only they seem to possess. Their sound can be situated somewhere between Neo-Folk, Ethereal, Neo-Classical, and Medieval music, while also carrying a distinctly Cinematic quality. The strength of the ensemble lies in its rich tapestry of acoustic instruments, seamlessly interwoven with electronic arrangements and electric guitar. At times, the result is epic; at others, it is refined down to the smallest detail. Francesca Nicoli ultimately provides the magical finishing touch with her unmistakable vocal timbre.

This new work offers a powerful and artistic finale to a trilogy that deserves to be discovered and embraced in its entirety. (Rating:8).

Watch the clip “Sylfaera”:

Prague alternative/synth-pop act Lakeside X release their new single “Absinthe Dream” on 15 May 2026. “Absinthe Dream” follows “Factory Flowers”, released in March 2026. It’s the second of three confirmed singles leading to the band’s first vinyl EP, “Fractured”, due in June 2026. The third single, “Nightrider”, was filmed in Los Angeles and is scheduled for release alongside “Fractured”. The EP also includes remixes of “Factory Flowers”, among them a drum and bass rework by the project Ripple, and a B-side titled “Radio Free Berlin” in a Moderate Mix.

“Absinthe Dream” is produced by Daniel Myer, mixed by Jimmy Monell (Emmon), and mastered by Moimir Papalescu. A music video accompanies the release, directed by Daniel Dvorský and shot on the outskirts of Vancouver, BC. Dvorský, also directed the band’s earlier single “Fire In The Sky”.

The single draws on the cultural history of absinthe as a symbol of illusion and intoxication and maps it onto contemporary social media. Where “Factory Flowers” addressed technological alienation through an industrial-edged sound, “Absinthe Dream” approaches related territory through a slower, more atmospheric arrangement.

Vocalist and songwriter Janne Marvannen explains: “We are all dreaming the absinthe dream now. The screen glows green and blue and we drink deep from it — likes, filters, curated smiles, perfect lives. It is our wormwood. The poets of the Belle Époque drank to escape the hypocrisy of their world. We scroll to escape ours. But we have traded their vivid, terrifying honesty for a comfortable, luminous lie. This song is about that lie. It is a lullaby, yes — but the kind you sing to someone who is sleepwalking towards the edge.”

Dvorský, also directed the band’s earlier single “Fire In The Sky”. The “Absinthe Dream” video was shot in Vancouver, BC.

The “Absinthe Dream” single tracklist:

1. Absinthe Dream
2. Radio Free Berlin
3. Factory Flowers (Pump Mix)

Lakeside X ‘Fractured’ vinyl EP – Out June 2026

Besides “Absinthe Dream”, “Fractured”, and the third single, “Nightrider”, the “Fractured” EP also includes remixes of “Factory Flowers”, among them a drum and bass rework by the project Ripple, and a B-side titled “Radio Free Berlin” in a Moderate Mix.

“Fractured” EP tracklist:

• A1. Nightrider
• A2. Absinthe Dream
• A3. Factory Flowers (Pump Mix)
• B1. Factory Flowers
• B2. Factory Flowers (Ripple Remix)
• B3. Radio Free Berlin (Moderate Mix)

Physical copies of “Fractured” will be available for the first time at the band’s headline show at Cargo Gallery, Prague, on 12 June 2026. The vinyl edition is strictly limited.

New Lakeside X album – Out autumn 2026

Work on Lakeside X’s next full-length studio album is underway, with a release planned for autumn 2026. The band are again collaborating with Daniel Myer (Haujobb, Architect, DSTR, Covenant), who produced their 2022 album “Love Disappears”.

Joining the production for the first time is Christian Eigner, musician, producer, and longtime drummer with Depeche Mode. Lakeside X opened for Depeche Mode in Prague on 30 July 2023 before an audience of more than 40,000, as previously reported by Side-Line.

Lakeside X at Cargo Gallery, Prague (12 June 2026) + Prague’s Planetum in December 2026

Lakeside X will headline Cargo Gallery in Prague on 12 June 2026. The show is their sole performance before autumn and will mark the live debut of new material, including songs from the forthcoming studio album. Physical copies of the “Fractured” vinyl EP will be available exclusively at this show. Tickets are on sale now.

Keyboardist Robert Broj says: “This show is important to us. It is where everything comes together for the first time — the new songs, the new sound, the vinyl in people’s hands. We have been building towards this and we want the audience to show where we’ve come so far. If you want to understand where Lakeside X is heading, June 12 is your answer.”

Later this year, Lakeside X will equally perform at Prague’s Planetum in December 2026. The venue houses a 22-metre (approx. 72-foot) hemispherical LED dome screen – the largest and highest-resolution of its kind in the world, deploying advanced LED rather than traditional projection technology for a fully immersive 8K visual environment. The show will take place in front of a strictly limited audience. Tickets for this event will be announced shortly.

About Lakeside X

Lakeside X are an alternative electronic act from Prague, Czech Republic. The project began in the 1990s under the name Dark Ages, with Janne Marvannen (vocals, songwriting), Robert Broj (keyboards), Jiří Fencl/Max Avalange (keyboards), and Lukáš Březina (guitar). Their first concert under the transitional name Lakeside Church took place at the Depeche Mode ‘Bong’ fanclub convention in 1997, mixing original material with Depeche Mode covers. Early demos were recorded at Prague studios including Buton, Cobra, and Vintage.

After a pause, Marvannen, Broj, and Fencl regrouped in 2004. That year they recorded a cover of “Higher Love” for the Czech Depeche Mode tribute compilation “Some Great Celebration”. X Production issued the debut album “Sunrise” in December 2004, combining original tracks with remixes. In 2005, drummer Igor Dvorský and guitarist Vít Hájek (Vito Hayek) joined as full members. The band changed its name to Lakeside X, partly to remove religious associations from the Lakeside Church name. The second album, “Exit:NowHere”, followed on X Production in 2007, with a darker, guitar-led sound. The third album, “City Of Red Lights”, arrived on X Production in 2010, recorded in 2009, and shifted further toward synthesizer-based writing. Around this time the band performed at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, supported IAMX in Brno, and supported Covenant in Prague. In 2011, Twilight Records in Argentina reissued “Sunrise” under the Lakeside X name.

In 2012 the band self-released the “Wonder” EP (six tracks), followed by reissues of “City Of Red Lights” and “Exit:NowHere” through Germany’s Black Rain label. A Camouflage support slot in Prague in 2013 was among the band’s last shows for several years. The band went quiet after 2014.

“Fire In The Sky”, released in December 2021 and covered by Side-Line, was their first new material after roughly eleven years. It was produced by Daniel Myer, with whom the band had announced their collaboration in May 2021. The album “Love Disappears” followed on Musicraft in 2022, preceded by the singles “Rising” (February 2022), “Lifeline” (June 2022), and “Time Has Come” (October 2022). “Fascination”, released in 2023, was named the number one track of 2023 on Czech Radio 1’s yearly chart. Guitarist Jakub Zachoval joined the band during the “Fascination” recording period.

On 30 July 2023, Depeche Mode selected Lakeside X as support for their Prague show, with an audience of more than 40,000. In 2025, the band completed an extensive European tour alongside Empathy Test, De/Vision, DeVision Redux, and Christian Eigner, including appearances at Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig and EastSide in Halle.

In March 2026, the band released “Factory Flowers” – the first new single in three years and the opening preview of their forthcoming studio album, produced by Daniel Myer and mastered by Moimir Papalescu. “Absinthe Dream” follows on 15 May 2026.

Current lineup: Janne Marvannen (vocals/songwriter), Robert Broj (keyboards), Igor Dvorský (drums), Jakub Zachoval (guitar).

Unter Strøm, the new electronic duo led by Alex Gonzales of Matte Blvck and John Kunkel of The New Division and John Grand, have released their single “Orynth” today May 15, 2026 via Breathing Records. It’s actually their second release after the 2025 single “Breathing”. The project brings a mix of techno, melodic house and industrial electronic music. Breathing Records is an independent label focused on avant-garde, underground, industrial and dark electronic music.

Unter Strøm was formed between Los Angeles and San Diego after Gonzales and Kunkel had worked together in bands and studiowork.

“Orynth” began with Gonzales sketching the track’s opening movements. Kunkel then expanded the piece with time-stretched atmospheres and melodic layers. The single was mixed by Aaron Short, whose credits include The Naked and Famous, So Below and Madison Beer. Aaron Short is also listed in The Naked and Famous’ history as a former member and producer on several releases.

About Unter Strøm

Unter Strøm is an electronic duo formed by Alex Gonzales and John Kunkel. Gonzales is known for Matte Blvck, the San Diego-based darkwave and industrial trio with Bidi Cobra and Daniel Corrales.

Matte Blvck’s catalogue includes “Vows”, “Pupula Duplex”, “Proxy”, “Midnight & Angel” and “I’m Waving, Not Drowning Remixes”.

John Kunkel is the Los Angeles-based electronic musician behind The New Division.Kunkel is also part of the Los Angeles-based Trade Secrets line-up.

In 2025 the band debuted with the 2-track single “Breathing”.

Unter Strøm now brings Gonzales and Kunkel together under a new name, with “Orynth” serving as the project’s newest release.

First time at Out Of Line Weekender, and already one clear impression: this festival fits Berlin perfectly. Across three days at Astra Kulturhaus from 7 to 9 May 2026, it brought together dark electronics, synth-pop, EBM, post-punk, and industrial in a way that felt curated rather than crowded, with a warm, responsive audience, excellent organization, and lights that often shaped the mood as strongly as the music did.

Out Of Line Weekender 2026

Berlin, first impressions, and a night that knew how to build its own voltage

Thursday review: ghostbells, Twin Noir, Priest, Miguel Angeles, Dina Summer, Sierra Veins
Friday review: genCAB, Vanguard, Reaper, Rummelsnuff, CHROM, De/Vision Redux, Aesthetic Perfection
Saturday review: Promenade Cinema, Mildreda, Dawn of Ashes, House of Harm, Massive Ego, Ashbury Heights, KITE

This was my first time at Out Of Line Weekender, and I could not have imagined a more convincing beginning. Some festivals feel portable, as though they could be lifted out of one city and dropped into another without losing much of themselves. This one felt inseparable from Berlin. Its breadth of temperament, its tolerance for contradiction, its appetite for elegance and abrasion existing in the same room, all of that seemed to belong to the city’s own nervous system. Berlin’s openness is never simply about inclusiveness in the abstract; it is also about permission, about allowing different shades of darkness, glamour, theatricality, queer energy, industrial severity, and electronic seduction to coexist without requiring them to explain themselves. Out Of Line Weekender understood that instinctively.

The audience understood it too, and for a first timer that may have been the biggest surprise of all. They were warm, responsive, generous to every act on the bill, and alert in a way that changed the entire room. Nobody behaved as though the evening would only “properly” begin with the bigger names. People listened from the start. They moved. They reacted visibly to details, to textures, to small shifts in mood. That kind of audience is a gift to any festival, and on Thursday it gave the night both its pulse and its dignity. The organization helped enormously as well. Astra is a strong venue to begin with, but the whole setup felt properly cared for: smooth entry, enough space to breathe, excellent visibility, a human atmosphere around the merch and meeting areas, and lighting that did far more than illuminate bodies onstage. It sculpted each set differently, sometimes sharpening the aggression, sometimes bathing the room in melancholy, sometimes turning the stage into a place of near cinematic tension.

Out Of Line Weekender 2026 Thursday review: ghostbells, Twin Noir, Priest, Miguel Angeles, Dina Summer, Sierra Veins

ghostbells opened the evening with far more force than many headliners manage an hour later. The duo has built its identity around the collision of new wave shadow and EBM drive, yet live the balance tipped decisively toward impact: forceful, catchy, immediate, and physically persuasive. Bathed in red light, with a vocalist whose presence felt both beautiful and dynamic, the set came through with a confidence that instantly animated the room. What worked so well was the refusal of passivity. This was not melancholia presented as mood alone, but melancholy sharpened into movement, into pressure, into rhythm that knew exactly how to grip a festival crowd from the first minutes. As an opener, ghostbells did something invaluable: they set a high voltage without exhausting it. 

Twin Noir, the Berlin duo founded in 2021 and built around Cody Barcelona and Ian Volt, brought a different type of intelligence into the room. Their own shorthand, “2 Punks and a Tape Machine,” sounds playful, but there is something much sharper at work in the live setting: a stripped post-punk and wave attack shaped by wiry discipline, darkly danceable electronics, and a certain urban wit. What I liked most was their control. The set felt lean without feeling thin, raw without becoming careless. There was real style in the way they handled repetition and structure, and their German lyrics gave the performance a tautness that suited the night perfectly. Berlin post-punk can sometimes mistake pose for intensity; Twin Noir never did. They were focused, smart, and fully convincing.

Then came Priest, and for me this was one of the emotional anchors of the evening, because they have long been one of my favorite projects. What I had hoped for, they delivered. The characteristic studded masks were there, of course, giving the set that immediately recognizable Priest iconography, but what matters with them has never been image alone. The performance carried exceptional energy, channeled through a visual and sonic precision that never flattened into sterility. Priest have that rare ability to appear sleek, controlled, and emotionally charged at once. The lighting suited them magnificently, slicing the stage into clean futuristic planes, while the audience gave back exactly the kind of focused enthusiasm their set deserved. Watching them here, masked and immaculate, felt deeply satisfying. They did not simply play well. They changed the room’s chemistry. 

Miguel Angeles then detonated whatever composure remained. His work already sits at the crossroads of rap, punk, and electronics, but live that hybrid became an act of outright aggression. He was jumping, spitting energy into the room, driving the set forward with pounding rhythm and a repeated insistence on force, on impact, on refusing restraint. With his jewellery flashed under the lights and a whole visual language that felt like it had arrived from a completely different world, he became the evening’s great rupture, a total shift in texture, temperament, and social temperature. That was exactly why the set worked. It did not simply diversify the bill. It shocked it into a wider range. The audience did not recoil. They leaned in. That made the entire performance feel even more dangerous and alive

And then Dina Summer, one of my absolute favorites, arrived to pull the emotional threads together. The Berlin trio of Dina P., Local Suicide, and Kalipo have developed a sound that threads dark disco, cold wave nostalgia, and club instinct into something that feels both elegant and emotionally bruised, but what makes them truly special live is Dina herself. She commands the stage in an elegant way, yes, but never a passive or distant one. There is something slightly cheeky, slightly sharp in her presence, a poised confidence that gives the performance its own particular tension. Their set was beautiful, deeply emotional, and full of that suspended feeling only certain bands can create, as though the room were dancing and remembering at the same time. I have always found something unusually affecting in Dina Summer’s atmosphere, and Thursday confirmed that instinct again. Their music does not plead for emotion. It draws it out with style, restraint, and absolute confidence.

The closing word belonged to Sierra Veins, and there was something wonderfully appropriate in ending the evening with an artist whose universe seems built from pressure, drama, and release. Her dark electronic language draws from synthwave, EBM, and darkwave, and live all of that crystallized into a set of overwhelming authority. She felt like the queen of sonic mayhem, yes, but with command rather than chaos at the center of it. Her delivery was exceptional, fierce, total, and utterly inhabited. There are performers who stand inside a show and performers who seem to generate the weather around them. Sierra belongs to the latter category. By the time she finished, the audience was fully hers.

What made Thursday so memorable was not simply the strength of the bill, though the curation was excellent, but the way every element met the others at exactly the right angle. The crowd was generous. The lights were stunning. The room never sagged. The transitions felt intelligent. And because it was my first encounter with the festival, everything arrived with the additional force of discovery. By the end of day one, Out Of Line Weekender had already made its case with remarkable clarity: this is a festival that understands pacing, respects its audience, and knows how to let very different artists occupy the same world without diluting any of them.

Out Of Line Weekender 2026 Friday: genCAB, Vanguard, Reaper, Rummelsnuff, CHROM, De/Vision Redux, Aesthetic Perfection

Berlin turned the voltage up

If the first day of Out Of Line Weekender introduced the festival’s emotional intelligence, the second one arrived like a clenched fist. Friday was the night of force: strong electronics, aggressive performance, sonic violence, bodies moving almost instinctively to impact, distortion, rhythm, and release. Yet what made it memorable was not brutality alone, but the way that aggression kept colliding with melody, memory, melancholy, and a very Berlin kind of openness. In a city that has always understood friction better than smoothness, this program made perfect sense. It was hard, theatrical, excessive, intimate, and strangely communal at the same time. The audience met it beautifully. They were fully in it from early on, responsive in the right places, emotionally available when the music opened, and eager to surrender when the stage demanded it.

Visually, Friday may have been the strongest day of the three. The lights were stunning throughout, not merely dramatic, but genuinely interpretive. They sharpened silhouettes, carved out tension, and gave the heavier sets a kind of cinematic pressure. Nothing felt generic. Each act seemed to inherit a different visual climate, and that made the whole evening feel less like a sequence of concerts than like a carefully designed descent.

genCAB opened the night with what felt like a controlled flood blast, a set that managed to be terrifying, emotional, and strangely beautiful all at once. The project, led by David Dutton, has long worked in that dense zone where dark electro, post-industrial textures, and more recent traces of shoegaze and post-hardcore can coexist without cancelling one another out. Live, that amalgam becomes even more intense. What hit me first was the pressure of the sound, then the emotional undertow beneath it. This was not cold programming for its own sake. There was something deeply human in the force of it, something haunted and bruised, which made the aggression feel earned rather than cosmetic. As an opener, it was devastatingly effective.

Vanguard continued the assault from a different angle. Founded in 2008 by Jonas Olofsson and Patrik Hansson, the Swedish duo has spent years refining a sound that moves between synth-pop clarity and harder electronic propulsion. On Friday, that Swedish attack conquered Berlin with ease. Their set was energetic, sharply delivered, and sustained by a very tangible rapport with the audience. You could feel the room trusting them quickly. What I admired most was the balance: they never lost melodic shape, even when the performance leaned heavily into physical momentum. It was one of those shows that reminds you how much power there still is in structure, in choruses, in electronics that know how to move a crowd without flattening themselves into pure function.

Then came Reaper, and with Reaper the evening fully embraced its harsher instincts. The project’s fusion of techno, aggrotech, and dark electro hit exactly as it should live: aggressive, danceable, catchy, and completely uninterested in restraint. Vasi Vallis has always understood that club violence works best when it knows how to seduce before it attacks, and that was palpable here. The performance carried all the bite one could want, but the hooks were just as important as the impact. The crowd responded accordingly, not with polite appreciation but with immediate bodily recognition. This was one of the points in the evening where the floor seemed to stop thinking and simply obey.

Rummelsnuff then arrived as the great glorious shock to the system, both visually and sonically. Roger Baptist, alias Rummelsnuff, is a songwriter, entertainer, and weightlifter whose music travels under names like Männermusik, Sporthymnen, shanties, and workers’ songs, which already tells you this is no ordinary festival booking. In the middle of such a relentlessly electronic bill, he functioned as a rupture and a provocation, but also as a reminder that darkness in music need not always wear the same uniform. His outlook alone reconfigured the room. Then the songs did the rest. There was humour, theatrical absurdity, brute physicality, and a very specific Eastern German charisma that cannot really be replicated or translated. Some people in the audience looked delighted, some stunned, many both at once. Exactly as it should be.

CHROM brought the evening back into melodic electro with absolute confidence. Founded in 2007 by Christian Marquis and Thomas Winters, the project has long stood for a synthesis of synth-pop, EBM, and club electro built on strong bass weight and memorable hooks, and Friday proved how durable that formula remains when handled by people who know exactly what they are doing. Their set was dynamic, tight, and deeply catchy, the kind of performance that lets melody hit with full force without sacrificing pressure. By that point in the evening, the audience was already fully primed, and CHROM used that energy wisely, not overplaying, not forcing, simply delivering songs with enough momentum and enough emotional clarity to make the room move as one organism.

Then came one of the night’s most affecting moments: De/Vision Redux. As a format built around Steffen Keth and Daniel Myer, reimagining DE/VISION material in a more modern and more electronic shape, it could easily have felt like a technical exercise in revision. On stage, it felt like the opposite. It felt lived. What made the set so moving was not merely the songs themselves, but the way Steffen carried them. His voice has always possessed that unmistakable emotional current, and his performance style, direct, inward, and deeply affecting without turning theatrical for the sake of it, made the whole room follow him almost instinctively. Daniel Myer gave the material a different pulse, a sharper electronic body, but never at the expense of its melancholy core. Many people around me were visibly moved, and understandably so. This is what dark electronic music can do at its best: it can hold sadness, nostalgia, memory, and emotional complexity inside a fully electronic blast without diminishing any of them. For a while, the room seemed suspended between dancefloor instinct and private recollection.

And then, to finish, Aesthetic Perfection hit the stage with the kind of charisma that turns a closing set into an event. Daniel Graves’ long-running industrial pop force has spent more than two decades redefining dark electro by blending industrial, pop, goth, and everything between, and Friday’s special oldschool electro framing gave that history extra bite. Graves was, quite simply, on fire: aggressive, magnetic, razor sharp, and entirely in command of the room. He has that rare talent for making intensity feel both precise and unhinged, as though the performance could fly apart at any second while somehow remaining perfectly steered. The audience gave him everything back. It was loud, ecstatic, and deserved. By the end, Friday had completed its arc from opening terror to full scale catharsis.

What I loved most about this second day was the way it proved that aggression alone is never enough. Friday worked because each artist brought a different temperature to the same broad field of force: genCAB with emotional sonic terror, Vanguard with Scandinavian precision and crowd connection, Reaper with punishing dancefloor instinct, Rummelsnuff with glorious disorientation, CHROM with melodic propulsion, De/Vision Redux with aching beauty, and Aesthetic Perfection with pure charismatic demolition. The audience understood all of it. Berlin held all of it. And the festival, once again, knew exactly how to let those extremes coexist without ever letting the evening lose its shape.

Out Of Line Weekender 2026 Saturday: Promenade Cinema, Mildreda, Dawn of Ashes, House of Harm, Massive Ego, Ashbury Heights, KITE

The closing day, where intensity widened into feeling

Saturday, the grand finale of Out Of Line Weekender, offered the most beautiful emotional palette of the entire festival. After Thursday’s sense of discovery and Friday’s full scale electronic assault, the final day opened the field wider. There was still force, still impact, still the physical thrill that this festival understands so well, but the dominant impression was different. Saturday moved through longing, fragility, theatrical power, darkness, tenderness, glamour, rupture, and finally catharsis. It felt like a day built not around one mood, but around emotional range itself.

It began with Promenade Cinema, and from the first moments it was obvious that the room was in the hands of something special. The duo from Manchester has always known how to marry electronics with drama, but live the effect is stronger, because the voice at the centre of the songs does not simply lead the music; it fills the entire room with presence. The minimal elegance of the stage image only sharpened that effect. There was nothing excessive in the visual presentation, and that restraint made the performance even more powerful. What stayed with me was the sheer force of the vocal range, the way beauty and command could coexist without one softening the other. It was a stunning way to open the day, poised and emotionally immediate at once.

Mildreda’s concert was, for me, one of the most deeply felt moments of the whole festival. The Belgian dark electro project led by Jan Dewulf has always carried real affective and psychological weight, and once again they proved why. Their emotional depth and powerful performances have inspired me for a long time. There is something in what they do that goes beyond performance in the usual sense. Their work keeps circling states of mind, pain, collapse, longing, inner violence, and spiritual conflict, including a difficult, often charged engagement with religion, and yet nothing about it feels theoretical or imposed. On stage, all of it becomes lived language. There are moments when I watch them and feel as if a bruised soul itself had stepped into light and sound. Their emotions are so vivid and palpable that disbelief becomes impossible; I believe them, and in that moment I often recognise the same emotional weather within myself. The translation is that complete. Every time I see them, I am struck again by how fully they deliver, how naturally they turn inner fracture into music without reducing it or sentimentalizing it. They remain one of the most persuasive examples of how dark electronic music can speak a genuinely human language.

Then came Dawn of Ashes, and suddenly the stage belonged to a much harsher, darker theatre. Founded in Los Angeles by Kristof Bathory and shaped across more than two decades of movement between aggrotech, industrial, and blackened extremity, the project carries that long evolution very visibly into the live setting. What hit me first was how much was going on visually: horrorish makeup, theatrical gestures, a stage presence that felt almost ritualistic, and a total commitment to atmosphere. But none of it felt decorative. The music was aggressive in a fully embodied way, and the visual dimension sharpened that aggression rather than softening it into spectacle. There was something savage and almost ceremonial in the whole set, as if violence, dread, and performance had been welded into one language for half an hour. On a closing day built around emotional range, Dawn of Ashes brought in a necessary note of the grotesque and the feral, and they did it with real force.

House of Harm turned out to be one of my personal revelations of the festival. The Boston act moves in that rich zone where post-punk tension, darkwave atmosphere, and synth driven melancholy reinforce one another rather than competing for space, and live that balance became deeply compelling. There was a beautiful severity to the set, enough emotional weight to keep it from feeling stylish for style’s sake, and enough composure to let the songs breathe. What I admired most was how naturally they held mood and force together. The performance felt inspiring in the truest way, not because it tried to announce itself as important, but because the songs carried shape, urgency, and atmosphere in equal measure. It was one of those sets that quietly rearranges your expectations while it is happening.

Massive Ego then brought in a completely different kind of voltage and handled it brilliantly. Formed in 1996 around Marc Massive and emerging from the Romo scene before moving decisively into darker electronic and darkwave territory, the project carries a long history of reinvention, and that history could be felt on stage. Marc remains an exceptionally charismatic centre of gravity, someone who understands performance as both communication and image without ever losing the emotional core of the songs. The rapport with the audience was immediate and strong, and the whole set worked musically and visually at once. The dramatic makeup, the thorn shaped Mickey Mouse crown, and the lighting gave the performance a distinctly theatrical charge, though never in a simplistic gothic sense; the whole thing carried the wit of pastiche, the intelligence of exaggeration, and that sharp Massive Ego instinct for turning camp, pain, glamour, and commentary into one coherent language. What made it land so well was that the spectacle never floated free of the music. It remained anchored in rhythm, songwriting, and that unmistakable sense of a frontperson who knows exactly how to hold a room.Then came two of my absolute highlights.

Ashbury Heights have been important to me for years, ever since I first saw them at Wave Gotik Treffen 2004, and my love for them has never faded. Saturday only deepened it. Their lyrics have always mattered enormously to me, because they approach difficult emotional terrain with grace, elegance, and astonishing verbal precision. They write about fractures, masks, mental states, and those private inner disasters people carry beneath a functioning exterior, yet they do so with wit, beauty, and a kind of hard won lucidity that never slides into cheap darkness. Live, that writing meets a performance language of unusual intelligence. Anders and Yasmine Uhlin feel like two sides of the same coin. He carries the emotional weight in a way that feels almost wrenching, as though each song were drawing something raw and unresolved out into the open. She moves through the set like a spiritualized actress in a beautifully unhinged register, coming as close to the audience as possible, locking eyes with people, inhabiting the stage as though it belongs to her and she has no intention of giving it back. At certain moments, their energies merge into one rich artistic outflow, like two different materials suddenly coalescing, and the effect is stunning. That is what makes Ashbury Heights so special to me. There is real intelligence in how they perform and in what they choose to perform about. The songs hit hard, the stage presence is sharp and emotionally exact, and difficult feelings enter the room in a form that is thrilling rather than crushing. They make pain articulate, stylish, and vividly alive.

And then came KITE.

Whenever I try to write about KITE, I feel language thinning under my hands. There are bands one can describe, and then there are bands that exceed description because what they do on stage is too close to emotional transfiguration. I can never approach a KITE performance from a safe critical distance. I simply stand there and absorb. Their songs enter with extraordinary force because the music and the lyrics strike from two different directions at once, each one devastating on its own, each one magnified by the other. They write about the human soul in states of transition, exposure, loss, revelation, ascent, collapse, and return. They write about transformations and reversals, about the parts of a person that are hardest to face and hardest to name. And then they give those things voice so precisely that you can feel your own hidden inner life being called out into the open. That is what makes certain KITE songs so overwhelming. A track like ‘Glassy Eyes’ does not simply move the listener; it seems to prise something open. Others carry the same effect, that sense of being cracked wide while fully conscious, of having emotions you thought you had sealed away suddenly drawn outward through music. It is cathartic in the deepest sense, and always personal. Visually, the show was spectacular. There were new decorative elements, the lighting was stunning, the stage image felt heightened and fully shaped, and the whole performance had that rare quality of total commitment. The duo do not merely “play” the songs. They inhabit them with a degree of intensity that makes the whole thing feel closer to experience than concert. Especially the physicality from the stage, the sense of total emotional expenditure, gave the set its force. This is why I always struggle to write a detached review of KITE. What they do is too alive, too exposing, too close to the nerves.

And after that, after such a finale, the afterparty felt less like an appendix than a necessary continuation. The energy stayed high, the room stayed alive, and the DJ carried the crowd forward in exactly the right spirit, not as a mechanical epilogue, but as one last shared act of release.

Out Of Line Weekender 2026 final thoughts: audience, organization, lights, and why the festival worked

So the festival ended in the best possible way: with force, beauty, openness, and that rare feeling of having been inside something genuinely meaningful. Out Of Line Weekender 2026 was a fantastic event, beautifully organized, warm in spirit, impressive in sound and light, and full of artists who understood how to meet an audience without ever flattening themselves for ease. For a first encounter, it could hardly have been better. It was wonderful, it was moving, and it left behind the most important thing a festival can leave behind: the desire to return.

The next edition of Out Of Line Weekender will take place on 6, 7, and 8 May 2027, with the first confirmed acts including Hocico, Suicide Commando, Ist Ist, Erdling, Swarm, Ductape, Male Tears, Zanias, Signal Aout 42, Hinefort, and Kllsignl. More at https://www.outofline.de/

Berlin-based dark disco, EBM and electro trio Dina Summer have released the digital single “Voodoo” via Iptamenos Discos. The “Voodoo” single follows “On The Road feat. Joshua Murphy”, released on March 25, 2026, and “Fuel”, released on April 15, 2026. An extended version will follow on May 20.

Dina Summer is the collaborative project of Dina P. and Brax Moody of Local Suicide with Kalipo.

The band is also featured with “Who Am I (Club Version)” on CD 6 of “Resurgence”, a massive 7CD post-punk boxset.

About Dina Summer

Dina Summer is a Berlin-based electronic trio formed around Local Suicide’s Dina aka Vamparela and Munich-born Max Brudi aka Brax Moody with Kalipo. Behind Kalipo we find Jakob Häglsperger, a German producer, keyboardist, bassist and songwriter, which you might know from his work with Frittenbude.

The trio first met at Rock am Ring in 2013 and began working on music together in 2019. The project combines late 1990s electro, 1980s disco and new wave.

Dina Summer’s first release was the EP “Who Am I”, issued on December 17, 2021 via Iptamenos Discos in 12-inch and digital formats. The release included remixes by Black Light Smoke, Wiener Planquadrat and Time To Sleep. A reissue followed in 2022.

The debut album “Rimini” followed in 2022. “Hide & Seek” followed as a limited numbered 12-inch release in Germany on February 23, 2024.

The trio then released the second album “Girls Gang” on January 24, 2025 via Iptamenos Discos. The album was followed by “Girls Gang Remixes” in March 2025 and a deluxe version in October 2025. In 2026, the trio issued “On The Road feat. Joshua Murphy”, “Fuel” and now “Voodoo”.

With the second single from his upcoming EP ‘Gothstar’, Ray Noir drops “Black” today May 14th – a high camp rave-metal track leaning fully into queer excess, with some chaotic visuals to match the song.

“It’s very much pushing the world and music I’ve been building recently”, Ray says, “it is pure, unfiltered excess.”

Labeling the track as a sleazy, high-camp collision of rave and metalcore, “Black” is indeed built for the dancefloor.

The music video turns things up further and offers a glossy, chaotic fantasy of power, fetish and performance, where Ray plays ringmaster to a cast of devoted, unhinged admirers. “It’s hypersexual, theatrical and deliberately over the top, less shock value, more weaponised camp.”

“I wanted to become a caricature of everything people project onto me and then make it worse,” Ray says. Drawing from fashion, nightlife and queer club culture, “Black” wants to blur satire and self-mythology. “It’s indulgent, confrontational and doesn’t care if you’re in on the joke or not.”

About Ray Noir

Ray Noir is a London-based alt-goth and electro-metal artist originally from Oslo, Norway. His music is influenced by Norwegian black-metal with industrial rock, goth, electronic club music and alt-metal. His first solo single, “Double Trouble,” was released in 2014, followed by early collaborations including QBoy’s 2015 single “DragOn,” featuring Ray Noir and Frankco.

We first covered Ray Noir in 2023 with “Pity Party,” a track from the “Scorpio” mixtape produced and mixed by KANGA, with songwriting by Ray Noir and Madeleine Wood, keyboards by Bjørn Heden of Combichrist, guitar by Christer Krogh and mastering by Joe Farr. The follow-up single “Latency” was also produced and mixed by KANGA, written by Ray Noir and Madeleine Wood, and mastered by Joe Farr.

“Scorpio” received a deluxe edition in July 2024 after passing 100,000 streams, adding “All Alone” with Mariann Rosa of Surferosa, a “Double Trouble” remix by TOVA, and remixes by Gothminister, Corlyx, Tension Control and others.

In 2025, we got the singles “Razorblade Romance” with Steve Stevens, known for his work with Billy Idol and “Top Gun Anthem.” The same year, “Shout,” was released, a reinterpretation of the 1985 Tears for Fears single, featuring guitars by Arno Von Detritus and backing vocals from Ben Christo of The Sisters of Mercy.

The EP “Against The Machine” followed on September 18, 2025. The EP was produced by Jon Cass and includes “Razorblade Romance” with Steve Stevens, “Dead Valentine,” “Mad World” and “YMATD (Alternative Version).” A deluxe edition followed in December 2025 with remixes by Tension Control, Verona On Venus, Junkie Kut and Ays Kura, plus vinyl and CD editions.

In 2026, Ray Noir launched “Temptation,” “Breathe,” “Label Whxre” and “Black”, ahead of the “Gothstar” EP which is scheduled for release on September 17, 2026.

Swedish machine-pop project Maschine Brennt (Joacim Thenander) has released “Music for Machines” as a limited CD edition of 250 hand-numbered copies in a standard jewel case with an 8-page booklet. The 14-track CD album spans 12 main tracks and two bonus tracks and was already released digitally by Razgrom Music on February 27, 2026. It marks the project’s first full-length release since “Grief” in 2022.

The two bonus tracks on the CD version are “Electric Music” in a 1st demo version and “DCY” in a previously unreleased club mix.

The album concept, as reflected in its title and artwork, centres on the idea of music created by machines for machines – a theme Thenander has explored since the project’s founding.

Two official videos accompany the release. The album teaser for “Music for Machines” and an official video clip for the track “Maschine”.

About Maschine Brennt

Maschine Brennt is a solo electronic music project by Joacim Thenander, based in Sweden. The project name is taken from a B-side of a Falco single. Thenander established the project around 1991–1992 as a side outlet alongside Cultivated Bimbo, the Uppsala-based EBM and experimental electronics duo for which he served as the primary creative force.

Before Cultivated Bimbo, Thenander was a member of the industrial synth band Systema The Affliction. During the 1990s he also produced house, techno, and drum’n’bass material under separate aliases, including Joey Lucas and Killa Dawgs.

The Maschine Brennt concept shows a machine-first approach: whole-tone scales, hard-quantized rhythms, and robotic vocal processing were used to minimize the human element in the music. As Thenander says in a 2018 Side-Line interview, “The main reason was to present music as if the machines had made it.”

After performing a small number of live shows between 1992 and 1994, Maschine Brennt went dormant. Thenander revived the project in 2014 after joining the Swedish collective label Plonk, whose focus on Düsseldorf-influenced computer music aligned with the project’s original direction.

The debut full-length, “The Hearing Aid”, was released in 2017 digitally through Plonk and on CD through Razgrom Music, the latter edition containing four additional unreleased tracks. A second album, “Puls”, followed in 2021 on both Plonk and Razgrom Music. In October 2021, the two-track “Loop Remix” EP appeared on Plonk, featuring a Syntronik rework and a 2020 Carebots Mix of the “Puls” track “Loop”. Syntronik is a further alias Thenander uses for old-school electro material.

In March 2022, Maschine Brennt released “Grief”, a conceptual ambient-instrumental album drawing on Berlin School electronics and experimental electronic music. The digital edition appeared March 31, 2022; a limited CD edition of 150 hand-numbered copies with two bonus tracks, “Ice” and “Last”, followed in July 2022 through Razgrom Music. Between “Grief” and the current release, Thenander issued a number of digital singles without a full-length follow-up.

“Music for Machines” is Maschine Brennt’s fourth studio album and the project’s return to machine-pop after the ambient detour of “Grief”. The limited CD edition of 250 hand-numbered copies is available now, including 2 bonus tracks.

Mephisto Odyssey founder Mikael Johnston has released a 2026 remaster of his “Crucified Dub” version of Static-X‘s “Push It,” timed to mark the track’s RIAA Gold certification on April 21, 2026. The Crucified Dub originally appeared on the official “Push It” maxi-single in 1999 and was the first creative collaboration between Johnston and the late Static-X frontman Wayne Static. The remaster was handled by Johnston at Pop Twist Studios and is accompanied by a new video with visuals by Matt Zane.

The original Crucified Dub was created in 1999 for the “Push It” maxi-single, which was drawn from Static-X’s debut album “Wisconsin Death Trip.” Wayne Static was directly involved during the production of the mix. “This was the first thing Wayne Static and I ever collaborated on,” Johnston says. “He actually gave input on this version as it was being created and he loved it! Which makes this release especially important because it sparked our future collaborations including CRASH, my remix of Cold among many others.”

“Wisconsin Death Trip” was certified platinum by the RIAA. The “Push It” single received its RIAA Gold certification on April 21, 2026, more than two decades after its original release.

About Mephisto Odyssey and Static-X

Mephisto Odyssey is a West Coast industrial and electronic music project founded by Mikael Johnston in 1993 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Johnston operates as producer and audio engineer under the project name and is also part of the duo Dresden And Johnston.

The project became active in the mid-1990s and built a catalog of official remixes for acts including Static-X and Jane’s Addiction. Mephisto Odyssey’s first collaboration with Wayne Static, the “Crucified Dub” version of Static-X’s “Push It,” appeared on the official “Push It” maxi-single in 1999. The working relationship with Static continued with the co-written track “CRASH,” placed on the “Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker” soundtrack and accompanied by a Len Wiseman-directed video featuring both Wayne Static and Johnston. A Mephisto Odyssey remix of Static-X’s “Cold” was also produced during this period.

The project secured a major-label release through Warner Bros. and contributed music to the “Hostel” film soundtrack. Johnston has continued to operate Pop Twist Studios as his production and engineering base.

Wayne Static died on November 1, 2014. Static-X reformed in 2018 with original members Tony Campos, Koichi Fukuda, and Ken Jay, and has continued releasing material since, including “All These Years” and the “Project Regeneration Volume 1” single “Dead Souls,” both featuring archival Wayne Static vocals.

In 2026, Mephisto Odyssey launched a catalog revival campaign. The 2026 remaster of the “Push It” Crucified Dub is the first confirmed release of that campaign, issued to coincide with the RIAA Gold certification of Static-X’s “Push It” single on April 21, 2026. Additional Mephisto Odyssey vault material and new recordings are scheduled for release throughout 2026.

E.R.M.T. is a Greek project that has already released several singles, with this EP and a full-length album scheduled for this year.

This EP features four tracks primarily defined by a fusion of dark, hard Techno on the one hand, and Ritualistic, Ethereal chant-like elements on the other. The combination may seem surprising—if anything can still surprise these days—but it is executed exceptionally well. The result goes far beyond standard Dark-Techno, incorporating striking and at times almost ecstatic sound manipulations. In particular, the fragmented passages with tearing electronic textures stand out, occasionally enhanced by sampled guitar elements. The overall sound is raw, brutal, and highly effective.

On one of the tracks, E.R.M.T. pushes things further by incorporating touches of Psy-Trance. The first three tracks, in particular, left a strong impression on me and would fit perfectly within an Industrial club setting.

All in all, this EP comes as a welcome surprise. Anyone with an affinity for dark, underground Techno should definitely give “Abyssal Rites” a listen. (Rating:7).

Listen to an extract of “Vox Abyssi”:

https://amazon.de/music/player/tracks/B0GQD2VV3X?marketplaceId=A1PA6795UKMFR9&musicTerritory=DE&ref=dm_sh_XuHS24Jwxf1km1GpU7nMgziSb

The German gothic dark wave act Silke Bischoff has signed with the German label Dependent Records. The deal covers catalogue reissues, but the label has not yet announced release dates, formats, catalogue numbers or store links.

In a comment Axel Kretschmann says: “After our material has been withheld from the public for so long, I feel it is my duty to give back to the fans what rightfully belongs to them, because they are the heartbeat of this band – we love you!”, adding: “I am convinced that Dependent is the best partner for our project. The label represents numerous well-known bands from our genre and has earned an excellent reputation – particularly in the underground scene. In my opinion, they do a very good job and offer exactly the expertise and support that we need. At the present, I do not see any other partner that could be a better fit for us.”

Dependent founder Stefan Herwig from his side says: “When Silke Bischoff emerged in the 1990s, they were more than just a fixture on all dark music dance floors”, adding: “They defined a way of life that eluded bourgeois appropriation. Many of their tracks became anthems that have stood the test of time and continue to resonate until today. We are delighted to make these cult milestones finally accessible again. Silke Bischoff created an aesthetic counter-universe that defined what the music of the ‘black scene’ actually meant in the 1990s. Their artwork was not a mere accessory, but a manifesto – a visual expression of an anti-mainstream attitude toward life that shaped the gothic scene like almost nothing else. Melancholy, death, sexually charged imagery, and provocation defined the coordinates of an existence beyond bourgeois norms. We are thrilled to welcome Silke Bischoff to our roster!”

Dependent Records was founded by Stefan Herwig in Gelsenkirchen, Germany in 1998 and became part of the SPKR media group in 2018. The label’s catalogue includes releases by VNV Nation, Covenant, Mesh, Velvet Acid Christ and Suicide Commando.

Where to see Silke Bischoff live in 2026

Silke Bischoff has three German concerts scheduled for September 2026. The live line-up consists of Axel Kretschmann on vocals, keyboards and guitar, Markus Köster on drums, and Andy Simanowitz on piano, keyboards and background vocals.

• 25 September 2026 – Bochum, Matrix
• 26 September 2026 – Leipzig, Täubchenthal
• 27 September 2026 – Berlin, Columbia Theater

About Silke Bischoff

Silke Bischoff were founded in Germany in spring 1990 by Felix Flaucher and Axel Kretschmann. The project released three two-track demo tapes in 1990: “I Don’t Love You Anymore / Small and Tired”, “Why Me? / Follow Me Into the Night”, and “666 Hellbound / Hold Me”. The band name referred to Silke Bischoff, the 18-year-old victim killed during the 1988 Gladbeck hostage crisis.

The debut album “Silke Bischoff” followed as an LP in 1991, with a CD edition in 1992. “On the Other Side (I’ll See You Again)” appeared on the debut album and became a known club track in the German darkwave scene. Frank Schwer later joined, and “The Man on the Wooden Cross” followed in 1993. “To Protect and to Serve” (including the massive club hit “Under your skin“) was released in 1995, followed by “Northern Lights” and “Waste of Time” in 1996.

After internal disputes, Kretschmann left the project. In 2002, Flaucher and Schwer continued under the name 18 Summers and released “Girl of 18 Summers” and “Virgin Mary” in 2002, a re-release of “Phoenix from the Flames” in 2003, and “The Magic Circus” in 2012. Flaucher died in August 2017 after a long illness.

In 2025, Axel Kretschmann revived the Silke Bischoff name for a Wave-Gotik-Treffen performance in Leipzig. Alexander Veljanov of Deine Lakaien and Sven Friedrich of Dreadful Shadows, Zeraphine and Solar Fake appeared as guest vocalists.

Makes My Blood Dance, the New York-based electro-goth, pop-metal and electronic dance music act, will release its debut album “Z3r0 2 LGHT $p33d!” on 5 June 2026 via Metropolis Records. The album is available as a digital pre-order and CD, with the digital edition set for release on 5 June. A vinyl edition is scheduled for August.

The album contains 10 tracks and follows a series of Metropolis Records singles. Makes My Blood Dance signed to the label in late 2025 and released “Your Little Hand In Mine” as their label debut, followed by “Black Summer” and “Lately (feat. Macy Gray)“.

The album was produced by Bret “Epic” Mazur and Mikal Blue; and engineering by Alex Lebowitz and Dalton Cyr.

Makes My Blood Dance tour dates with Powerman 5000 and 12 Stones

Makes My Blood Dance are touring the US with Powerman 5000 and 12 Stones from late April through May.

• May 13 – Machine Shop – Flint, MI
• May 16 – Apollo Theater – Belvidere, IL
• May 17 – Blue Note – Harrison, OH
• May 20 – Venue Event Center – Cadillac, MI
• May 21 – The Forge – Joliet, IL
• May 22 – Catfish Bend Casino – Burlington, IA
• May 23 – Q Casino – Dubuque, IA
• May 25 – Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
• May 26 – Federal Theatre – Denver, CO
• May 28 – The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA *
• May 30 – Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA *

(*) Select dates with Adema.

About Makes My Blood Dance

Makes My Blood Dance is a Brooklyn, New York-based project that merges disco-inflected electronics, metal guitars, and dark pop songwriting. The band began taking shape in late 2017, when vocalist EV0 and guitarist/programmer Jon Kristian started writing together after earlier work in Fixer, ERS, and Proxima Control. They were soon joined by bassist Alex “Mother Russia” Nikitin and drummer Carlos “CK1” Gordillo.

Their official debut single, “Beaming Right Up”, arrived in 2019, followed later that year by “Sick As Our Secrets”, with both tracks supported by videos and early US club touring. Early physical distribution included limited USB dog tags containing songs, lyrics, and artwork. In December 2020, the band released the six-track “Disco Metal” EP via Alpha Centauri Records, consolidating material from the early singles alongside additional tracks. In 2021, they followed with the live EP “LIVE at Smash Sound Stage (New York City)”, then issued further standalone singles including “Power Of The Lightside” and “Communion (Radio Edit)”.

From 2022 onward, Makes My Blood Dance expanded their touring radius and video output with the single “Together Apart” (2022), and the singles “Heaven Collides” and “Knowin’ It Without Knowin’ Why” (2023), each released with an official video. By 2024, the lineup had evolved around core songwriters EV0 and Jon Kristian, with “I Love” Lucy on bass and G Rex on drums.

In late 2025, Makes My Blood Dance signed to Metropolis Records and released “Your Little Hand In Mine”, “Heavy Metal Armour”, and “Time And A Place” as their first wave of label singles, produced by Bret “Epic” Mazur and Mikal Blue. As of March 2026, “Heavy Metal Armour” has passed 680,000 Spotify streams, while “Time and a Place” has earned 642,000+ organic YouTube views and “Your Little Hand In Mine” has crossed 348,000 YouTube views. Touring remains central to the project, with the band averaging 70+ shows annually and listing 78 tour dates confirmed for 2026.

“Lately (feat. Macy Gray)” now leads into the June 2026 debut album “Z3r0 2 LGHT $p33d!”.

San Francisco dark alternative/post-punk band Octavian Winters have just released “By the Stars” via Stratis Capta Records. The digital single was produced by William Faith and arrives ahead of the band’s appearance at Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany.

“By the Stars” follows the March 2026 single “Elements of Air”. This new track moves more toward the band’s dream pop and ethereal darkwave side, with slower percussion, call-and-response vocals and melodic keyboard layers.

Lyricist and frontwoman Ria Aursjoen says: “The song has the feel of a sea voyage. The images for me were always ones of the vastness of the sky and the sea, and the feeling of the magnificent beauty of the world. The call and answer vocals are like two people calling back and forth across a valley. It’s meant to encompass that feeling of transcendence when you take a meta view of life and of the natural world, and just fall into the beautiful patterns of it all.”

Drummer Randy Gzebb adds: “I remember playing an all-ages show in Northern California, looked up mid-song and saw these two young goth girls at the front of the stage with tears streaming down their faces. That moment told me everything I needed to know about ‘By the Stars’. You know a song matters when it reaches people like that.”

“By the Stars” is available via Bandcamp, Spotify and most major digital music stores.

Octavian Winters perform at Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig on Friday, May 22, 2026. The band also just completed an April 2026 U.S. West Coast tour with Pink Turns Blue.

About Octavian Winters

Octavian Winters formed in San Francisco in 2022. The lineup consists of Ria Aursjoen on vocals and keyboards, Stephan Bryan Salit on guitar, Randy Gzebb on drums and Jay Denton on bass. In late 2021, Gzebb and Salit began writing after discussing a publishing deal for their earlier project Thrill of The Pull. Aursjoen joined the sessions in early 2022, and Denton completed the lineup soon after.

The band first worked as a recording project because live venues were still limited at the time. William Faith, known for Faith and the Muse, The Bellwether Syndicate, Christian Death and The March Violets, became the producer for the early material. Their first single “Ondine” appeared in March 2023, followed by “Undertow” in August 2023 and “Surreal” in September 2023.

Octavian Winters released the five-track EP “The Line or Curve” on October 13, 2023 via Stratis Capta Records. The EP includes “Ondine”, “Undertow”, “Surreal”, “Velveteen” and “Nebula”.

In 2024, Octavian Winters released “Nebula / Velveteen (Mark Pistel Remix)”. That same year, Ria Aursjoen also launched her solo project Aursjoen with “Nytår” and the William Faith-produced EP “Strand”, which included guitar contributions from Stephan Bryan Salit.

In 2025, Aursjoen recorded guest vocal work on The Funeral March material, contributing additional vocals to “It All Falls Apart”. She also appeared in the video for “Stars at Night”. Octavian Winters then released “Hermine” on August 12, 2025 and “Saints of Absolution” on October 1, 2025 via Stratis Capta Records.

“Elements of Air” followed on March 25, 2026. Like the recent singles, it lists William Faith for production, recording, mixing and mastering at 13 Studio in Chicago. “By the Stars” is the next step towards the band’s next EP, planned for summer 2026.

Conflux is a new solo project that has found a home on Cryo Chamber. The debut album features nine tracks in which the artist evokes imagery of forgotten books lying open beneath a thick layer of dust in a Victorian attic, drawing on themes of witches, bloodlines, and the occult.

I was somewhat surprised to see this release appear on Cryo Chamber, though I find that refreshing. Conflux incorporates the Cinematic elements characteristic of the label to a certain extent, while also venturing into distinctly Tribal and Ritual territories. A variety of sounds are employed, many resembling acoustic instruments: the flute takes on a prominent role, and I also detected what sounds like a cello. In the background, echoing vocals frequently emerge, further reinforcing the Ritualistic atmosphere. The Tribal rhythms add an exhilarating energy, while at times the mood is carried by colder, more austere soundscapes.

Overall, this is a fairly diverse work that certainly charmed me as a debut opus. It also stands as an intriguing addition to the Cryo Chamber roster, which can only benefit from such variation. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Fundamental Rites”:

https://cryochamber.bandcamp.com/track/fundamental-rites

Palermo-based 8bit darkwave duo Bunnyblack have released “Eat Me“, a digital single and video. The track is the first single from the duo’s first album, scheduled for September 11, 2026.

“Eat Me” combines Nintendo Game Boy electronics with guitars, bass, synths and vocals. Francesco Less handles vocals, bass and synth. Maiqqu plays Nintendo Game Boy and guitars.

The official video for “Eat Me” was conceived and edited by Maiqqu. The video uses theatrical symbolic figures, dream imagery, close-up performance footage and fluorescent lighting.

About Bunnyblack

Bunnyblack are a Sicilian duo based in Palermo, Italy. The project consists of Maiqqu, an electronic musician and guitarist, and Francesco Less, a multi-instrumentalist also known from Velaut and Inside the Hole. Musically the duo mixes electrogaze, darkwave and post-punk based on Nintendo Game Boy electronics and electric instruments.

Maiqqu and Francesco Less met through a music contest. Their first release was “May the 18th Be With You”, an A/B-side with Audioslave and Joy Division covers performed with Nintendo Game Boy and vocals. The release appeared on Spettro Rec..

On October 26, 2019, Marlene Kuntz projected two of their videos during a concert at Demodé in Bari after selecting them through a contest. On November 22, 2019, the duo released the four-track EP “Bunnyblack“, distributed by Nufaco.

In 2020, the project placed third in the national “Cover Me” contest dedicated to Bruce Springsteen with a version of “Dancing in the Dark”. The duo later reached the regional finals of ArezzoWave 2020 and the national finals of Rock Targato Italia 2021. In March 2021, they appeared on the collaborative album by 1,21 GGWTTS with “Once upon a time on Earth”.

On December 8, 2022, Bunnyblack released “Bunnyland“.

“BUNNYWAVE” followed on May 17, 2024, a four-track digital album with a numbered limited CD edition of 50 copies.

And now there is “Eat Me”, the first single from the duo’s upcoming debut album, scheduled for September 11, 2026.

Pigface, the Chicago industrial rock supergroup founded by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin, will release “The Howler: An English Breakfast” on LP via Overdrive/Invisible Records on May 29, 2026. The album features Genesis P-Orridge on vocals, Mick Harris on bass source material, and Martin Atkins on drums, loops and tape delays.

The recording dates from 1996/97 and was made at Atkins’ Mattress Factory / Invisible Records studio at 2024 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago.

The session was connected to the period around Pigface’s 1997 album “A New High in Low”. Genesis P-Orridge was brought to the studio to read a spoken-word text over dub-based material built with Bodog on sitar, Dave Wright of Not Breathing, loops from Mick Harris, and engineering by Adam Yoffe. Tom Whittaker remastered the release.

Small detail, Atkins recovered the text pages used during the session “years later, when my drum tech Jim fished those discarded pages out of the trash and gifted them back to me.”

“The Howler: An English Breakfast” contains four tracks:

The release comes as a digital download and as a black vinyl, a deluxe vinyl and bundle options. A separate signed and numbered blue vinyl edition is available via Martin Atkins’ BigCartel store. That edition is limited to 330 copies and includes a download of a different 43-minute mix, 3D glasses, and an 8-page booklet reproduction of the original fax.

About Pigface

Pigface are an American industrial rock supergroup from Chicago, Illinois. The project was formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin after Ministry’s “The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste” tour. That tour included musicians such as Nivek Ogre, Chris Connelly, Atkins and Rieflin, and led Atkins and Rieflin to continue the idea as a revolving collaboration.

Pigface released “Gub” in 1991, followed by “Fook” in 1992, “Notes From Thee Underground” in 1994, “A New High in Low” in 1997, “Easy Listening…” in 2003, and “6” in 2009. The project has worked with a large rotating network of industrial, post-punk, noise and experimental musicians rather than a fixed lineup. Early collaborators included Trent Reznor, Chris Connelly, Nivek Ogre, En Esch, Paul Barker and Genesis P-Orridge.

Genesis P-Orridge, born Neil Andrew Megson in Manchester in 1950, co-founded Throbbing Gristle and later formed Psychic TV.

Mick Harris is an English musician from Birmingham, known for Napalm Death, Scorn, Lull and Painkiller. We previously covered his dark ambient project Lull and the “Moments” album.

Industrial solo artist Staytus, the project of Sam Grundemann, has signed with the US label Cleopatra Records and will release the digital single and video “S + M” on May 29, 2026. The single is the first announced collaboration between Grundemann and Cleopatra Records.

Musically “S + M” mixes industrial, electronic and nu-metal elements. Thematically the track deals with separation, unresolved emotional connection and the idea of reunion within a “twin flame” relationship.

“This song lives in that space between losing someone and never fully letting them go,” Grundemann adds. “It’s about the kind of connection that doesn’t just end—it lingers, evolves and keeps calling you back. Signing with Cleopatra Records felt natural because they’ve always embraced music that carries that kind of emotional weight.”

“S + M” will be accompanied by a video was directed by Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films known for his work for acts including Skold and Stabbing Westward.

About Staytus

Staytus is the solo project of Sam Grundemann, an Arizona-born musician, producer, songwriter and audio engineer now working from the Los Angeles area. Staytus began as “a personal project” and musically blends industrial, electronic and nu-metal elements.

We first covered the project in March 2022 when the project released three tracks from the debut album “Disease Of The Mind”. The debut album “Disease Of The Mind” was released digitally on September 9, 2022 and contains 13 tracks. Staytus followed it with “Wasteland Of Broken Hearts”, released on October 27, 2023 as an 11-track digital album.

In 2025, Staytus released several standalone singles and film-linked tracks. We covered “How To Be A Serial Killer“, the closing track in the “Twisted Frames” series, followed by “Headache“, “Heart Attack“, “Kiss N Tell” and “The God, The Artist, & The Creator“. Those releases involved collaborators including Matt McJunkins, Sean Beavan, Mikal Blue, Jeff Friedl, Anthony Laurie and Patrick “Embryo” Tapu.

Her Own World have reached that delicate moment when a band stops being discussed as a promising exception and starts being watched as a serious force. The momentum is visible: a major support run with Project Pitchfork, a steadily widening audience, a live concept that feels fully inhabited rather than merely styled, and songs that move with unusual confidence between dark electronics, gothic atmosphere, and emotional precision. What makes Her Own World compelling, though, is not growth alone. It is the sense of inner coherence. Their world does not feel assembled for effect. It feels lived in. In this interview, Yu and ad-x from Her Own World speak about pressure, discipline, performance, feminine power, darkTunes, the balance between image and songwriting, and the quiet patience required to build something durable without surrendering it to trends, algorithms, or speed.

Her Own World interview

Karo: In a relatively short time, Her Own World seems to have moved from being a striking underground promise to a band that is visibly operating on a bigger scale. When a project grows this fast like Her Own World, what changes first behind the scenes: the artistic ambition, the discipline, the self-expectation, or the pressure?

Yu: I think the last two change the most, meaning our expectations of ourselves and the internal pressure we feel. That pressure keeps growing, but above all, we put it on ourselves. We want to become more and more professional and show that both onstage and off it. We feel ready for large scale, professional productions, which is why we keep raising the bar for ourselves. The artistic ambition has always been there, and I think it always will be. From the very beginning, we wanted to create ambitious work, both musically and visually. As the band grows, those ambitions naturally grow with it. Our appetite for development keeps increasing, and we definitely want to keep moving further in that direction. We believed in Her Own World from the start. At the same time, we never made promises to ourselves or assumed everything would happen quickly. We simply kept doing the work. We worked hard, developed step by step, and focused on refining what we had to offer. We never tried to take shortcuts or force our way into radio, television, or festival organizers’ inboxes. We just kept showing our work and building a community around the band through concerts and social media. In hindsight, our path may seem fast, but to us it still feels like the beginning. Her Own World has existed for seven years already, and throughout that entire time we built, step by step, the place we stand in today.I would not even say that we experience pressure in a negative way. It is more a form of inner discipline born from passion and from enormous faith in this project. Each of us is constantly developing, musically, vocally, on stage, even choreographically. We simply love what we do very much, and that is why we give it everything we have.

ad-x: For me, the first change is the pressure on the sound. When you play for 50 or 100 people, you can experiment without fear. When the scale grows and you start playing bigger venues, every production decision carries more weight, and paradoxically that pushes you toward greater boldness, not less. I wanted the live session to be set up in a way where I could just walk in, plug in, and the local sound engineer would simply adjust a well prepared session to the room. It worked out perfectly at soundcheck. We played through three songs and still had free time before the show. ☺

Karo: Supporting Project Pitchfork places you in dialogue with one of the defining names of the dark scene. Did that tour feel mainly like exposure, or did it also function as a kind of mirror, showing you more clearly what Her Own World already is, and what it still wants to become?

Yu: I think that tour was above all an enormous opportunity to reach new listeners, especially within the German dark alternative and gothic scene. We are very grateful for that, because it was our first truly serious tour, and the chance to support an absolutely legendary band like Project Pitchfork was a huge honor. Naturally, the tour allowed us to present ourselves to a new audience, and importantly, to the very audience we care deeply about. The German gothic scene is incredibly strong and has a huge, very conscious community around it, so the possibility of playing for people like that was truly meaningful to us. We also felt that we entered the tour well prepared. The material we were presenting was already very polished, so we were able to show Her Own World in the best possible form. Of course we are still developing, and we are still refining everything. With every concert we become more efficient, more experienced, and more professional. But that tour gave us the feeling that we are ready for the next step. The offer itself was a huge surprise. At first, it was honestly difficult to believe it was really happening, because for a long time we had dreamed of touring Germany alongside a major band and reaching that audience. When that opportunity suddenly appeared, it felt a little like one of our biggest musical dreams coming true, and it was a very important moment in our professional path.So no, it did not act as a mirror in the sense of showing us exactly who we already are. It worked more as a huge source of motivation and a confirmation that the direction we chose for Her Own World really makes sense. Looking at Project Pitchfork, we perhaps saw ourselves in a few years, or maybe in ten.

ad-x: Definitely a mirror. You stand backstage and watch a band with more than thirty years of legacy, and either you get scared or you begin to understand what you want to be in a few years. For us, the second option came naturally. There was stress during the first two shows, but once we settled into the rhythm of weekend touring, it all started to feel very natural.

Karo: The visual language of Her Own World is unusually strong, not decorative, but structural. Fire, LED elements, styling, movement, atmosphere: all of this feels woven into the identity of Her Own World rather than added afterward. At what point does a Her Own World song tell you what it should look like, and have there been moments when the visual idea changed the music itself?

Yu: When it comes to whether visual ideas influence the music itself, not really, because with us the music and lyrics always come first. We first build the whole story and the emotions inside a song, and only afterwards do we begin to think about what kind of visual setting can best express the atmosphere of that story and intensify what is already happening in the music and lyrics. That is why all the visual elements, fire, LEDs, styling, movement, performance, are never something added at the end purely for effect. They grow directly out of the emotion and character of a particular song. In a sense, each song tells us what visual world can accompany it. At the same time, we try to approach live performance very consciously. Not every song requires an elaborate stage setting, and we also do not want the visuals to overshadow the music itself. There are technical and physical realities as well. Our performer would not be able to dance through an entire concert at full intensity with fire, LEDs, and complex choreography. It is an enormous physical effort, so those moments usually appear every second or third song. We try to choose precisely the moments where performance can truly add something to the story the song is telling and make the audience feel the emotion inside the music even more strongly. And I actually think that is a very healthy approach. Some bands eventually discover they have so many LED screens and so much smoke that they could just as well put a playlist on a USB stick and go for coffee. With Her Own World, the visuals still serve the music, not the other way around.

Karo: A lot of bands talk about “creating a world,” but in the case of Her Own World the name almost feels like a working method. As the band grows, how do you protect that inner world from becoming diluted by external expectations, algorithms, scene trends, and the very practical demands of visibility?

Yu: That is a very good question, because the name Her Own World was always something more than just a band name. “Her Own World” obviously means exactly that, but for us it is more of a kind of shorthand. It is a world into which we invite the listener and the viewer. We want people to enter our reality, our emotions, and our aesthetics. From the very beginning, we have tried to do everything our own way, and I think that is exactly what distinguishes us the most. We never tried to adjust ourselves to trends, algorithms, or temporary fashions within the scene. We simply create things that genuinely resonate with us. Of course we curate all of it very consciously, because we want to preserve the coherence of our world and the direction we have chosen as a band. It is not about changing style every few months just because something happens to be fashionable. Everything we do has to fit our identity and arise naturally from who we are. The most important thing for us is that nothing in this world is artificial or calculated. This vision was not invented at a marketing table under the headline “let’s create an aesthetic.” It develops organically alongside us, because we have been creating together in the same lineup for years, continuously building something as a group. We are not trying to pretend or to present ourselves as something we are not. Everything comes from emotion, from sensitivity, and from the things we genuinely feel. I think that is also why Her Own World has such a coherent character. Every new thing we create grows out of something that came before. This world keeps evolving, but in a very consistent way. We also do not obsess over audience expectations, but what is beautiful is that people resonate very strongly with what we do. Their expectations are not that we change ourselves or adapt to trends. They simply want more of what we already are. That is why we want to keep developing Her Own World along exactly the path we chose from the beginning. Algorithms change their mood every three days, trends have a shorter shelf life than yogurt in the fridge, and bands that blindly chase them often do not even know who they are after a year. Consistency still wins. Just more slowly. And people are dramatically impatient with the word “slower.” We are patient (smiles)

ad-x: Artistic decisions stay within Her Own World as a band. Yu and I are responsible for the musical direction. We listen to feedback, but we do not write music for algorithms or to meet someone else’s expectations. We do what we like and what we believe in. If something starts to sound too safe, that is a warning sign for us. We are Her Own World, we have our vision, and we follow it.

Karo: darkTunes has clearly been an important platform in Her Own World’s trajectory, from earlier releases to the newer chapter. What has that collaboration actually changed for you in concrete terms: reach, confidence, artistic pace, access to the right audience, or perhaps even the way you think about yourselves professionally?

Yu: This question almost contains its own answer, because everything you listed has genuinely influenced our development in a major way. Working with darkTunes Music Group has changed a great deal for us, both in terms of reach and confidence, and also in the way we think about the band on a more professional level. First of all, the label truly believed in us. Rafael Beck gave us room to grow and supported us strongly from the beginning, but at the same time, nobody ever tried to limit our vision or impose a direction on us. We have a great deal of artistic freedom, and that is incredibly important to us, because it means we can develop Her Own World exactly the way we imagined it ourselves. It is also very valuable that the label genuinely understands and supports the direction we have chosen. darkTunes is also a very modern and professionally run label. We feel that we landed in a place that truly understands what artist development looks like today and how to build a band within the contemporary alternative scene. Of course, greater reach and the ability to reach the right audience are hugely important, but equally important is the positive feedback and the real support we receive. That builds confidence enormously. And once you start believing more strongly in what you do, you naturally walk your own path more boldly. Everything becomes even more exciting and motivating. We as Her Own World feel a little as if this collaboration gave us an extra pair of wings and confirmed for us that people genuinely want to hear what we create. The atmosphere within the label itself is also very special. There is no room for toxicity or unhealthy competition there. On the contrary, bands support one another, friendships emerge, artistic collaborations happen. That creates a very creative environment, and it has an incredible effect on both the pace of work and the motivation of all the artists involved. We are all developing together and trying to create the best possible conditions for greater professionalism. Today, many alternative bands begin with small steps, but all of us dream of reaching the moment when we can fully live from music and treat it as a real profession. We definitely want to get there too.

Karo: “The Queen” carries the language of rebirth, self-possession, and returning stronger after pain. Was that song a continuation of themes you had already been exploring, or did it mark a deeper shift in how you wanted Her Own World to speak, especially in terms of feminine power and authorship?

Yu: The lyrics to “The Queen” really did come out of a need to process certain very difficult emotions and experiences. As you noticed in the question, the song carries motifs of rebirth, agency, and returning stronger after pain. It is a story about the idea that even the hardest experiences can ultimately strengthen us, teach us something, and leave us stronger and more self-aware. This song speaks about the moment when someone goes through something very painful, but over time regains their strength and rebuilds themselves. There is also a kind of symbolic blooming in it, in spite of everything that previously tried to break us. Hope is very important there as well, the conviction that pain does not last forever, and that after the hardest moments you can stand on your feet again. Of course, I sing that story from a woman’s perspective, so the motif of feminine strength and agency appears naturally. But in truth, I would like the song to resonate much more broadly than that. It is not only a song about femininity. It is a song for everyone who has gone through something difficult and has had to find themselves again. I always dedicate this song to people who have survived something and still keep moving through life with their heads held high. For me, “The Queen” is about that moment when, after everything, you straighten your crown and keep going, stronger, more aware, and no longer so easy to break. The song also has a very personal dimension, because I co-wrote the lyrics with a friend who at that time was herself going through a very difficult period. Writing it was emotionally important for both of us, and in a way it helped her regain her strength. That is why I deeply hope that “The Queen” can give other people a similar feeling of hope, strength, and support.

Karo: Her Own World is often described as a fusion of industrial rock, gothic metal, and electro, but what feels interesting now is not the list of influences, but the balance of forces inside the music. When you write today, what tells you that a song is truly yours, not just stylistically effective, but unmistakably Her Own World?

Yu: It really is no longer about listing genres or influences. It is more about the way all these elements begin to create their own identity. We sometimes call this mix “nugoth,” a kind of modern take on gothic. When we create music, we think about it a little like building something from specific ingredients. In Her Own World songs, there is almost always an electronic layer inspired by dark electro and dark electronic music. That is one of the foundations of our sound. Another very important layer is live instrumentation, especially guitar and live drums, which add energy and a more organic character. The bass often functions on two levels at once as well, electronic and live simultaneously. Then there is the vocal layer, where emotionality, delicacy, and a certain ethereal quality in the female voice are very important to us. We do not try to overload songs with too many elements or add things simply because they are flashy. We focus instead on combining those ingredients consciously, in different proportions, so we can create new melodies, new emotions, and new spaces while still preserving a shared stylistic core. I also think it matters enormously that each of us brings a slightly different musical sensitivity and a different approach to creating. Out of that mixture of energies, something emerges that ultimately sounds like Her Own World. It is not something you can mathematically design. It is more the natural result of who we are, both as people and as a band. I hope that is why our songs contain something recognizable, and that when someone hears even a fragment of a new track, they can think, “That sounds like Her Own World.” Although, honestly, it would probably be fairest to ask the listeners, because artists are usually buried so deeply inside their own material that after a week of mixing hi-hats, they no longer know what reality is.

ad-x: If I feel that something is primarily us, I say, “Okay, let’s release it.” Though let’s be honest, these days comparisons are unavoidable. If there is a clear element of “us” in it and it works, we release it. Creating something one hundred percent original and comparable to no one is pretty much a utopia today.

Karo: Because your shows are so visually memorable, there is probably a risk that some people first notice the spectacle and only later discover the songwriting. Do you ever think about that tension, and is part of your artistic challenge to make sure the image opens the door, but the song is what stays in the bloodstream?

Yu: Her Own World is first and foremost a musical project, and that always remains the most important thing for us. Many people listen to our music every day without the concert performance attached to it, so the songs themselves have to stand on their own emotionally and musically beyond the stage as well. The visual setting, the performance, the choreography, and the concert atmosphere are there to strengthen the emotions already present in the music and to emphasize even more strongly the stories we are telling through the songs. Her Own World has never treated visuals as something separate from the music or as something created only for effect. Everything is deeply interconnected and arises from the same aesthetics and the same emotional core. That is why we do not feel that image covers the songwriting. It works in symbiosis with it and together forms a fuller experience. For us, a concert is something more than simply playing the songs live. I think the show matters enormously, because people come to a concert for emotion and experience. We want to give the audience something more than the musical layer they can later hear in headphones. Performance, lights, stage movement, and choreography are there to make the reception of the music even more intense and engaging. Our relationship with the audience is also extremely important to us. We try to keep eye contact with people, to build atmosphere, and to be genuinely present with them in that moment. If a song is more emotional or more serious, we try to reflect that on stage as well. If the energy of a song is more dynamic, we want to draw the audience into experiencing it together with us. Everything comes from the emotion of the particular song. And honestly, the best confirmation that we are keeping the right balance lies in people’s reactions after concerts. Very often, we hear that the audience experiences all of it as one coherent whole. People do not separate the music from the performance. They simply talk about the concert experience. For us, that is a huge compliment, because it means all those elements are truly working together rather than competing for attention. I even have the feeling that if one of those elements were missing, a Her Own World concert would feel incomplete for some people. That is exactly why we treat music, visuals, and performance as one shared organism. And honestly? Audiences can tell very well when “show” is merely a cover for average music. People may enjoy fire, LEDs, and dramatic poses, but if there are no emotions and no good songs underneath, the whole spell breaks by the third chorus. If people remember both after the concert, then the balance is clearly working.

ad-x: I do not see it as a problem. I see it as a deal. The visual side grabs attention, and we usually have three minutes or more to prove that Her Own World also has something to say musically. It is a fair transaction, and the two worlds complement each other perfectly.

Karo: If this current phase of Her Own World, the tour momentum, the stronger visual identity, the newer singles, the widening collaborations, is not the destination but a threshold, then what do you feel Her Own World is moving toward now: a sharper sound, a darker one, a more emotional one, or something that would surprise even the people who think they already understand Her Own World?

Yu: I do not feel that we are moving in one single concrete direction out of the ones you mentioned. Our sound is simply what it is, and we want to preserve that. Our music is not one-dimensional. Sometimes it is dark, sometimes lighter, sometimes more emotional and direct, sometimes more reflective. As for people “understanding” us, I do not think that is something we can fully control, and we do not really try to. We are not trying to be a riddle or to manufacture ambiguity. We are simply ourselves, we show emotions, and we invite people into a shared experience of the music. How someone receives and interprets that is already a very individual matter. Our main principle is to do what we feel. We do not want to pretend or to chase any particular trend or direction. If we feel the need to create something darker, we do it. If something moves us emotionally, we translate it into music and lyrics. And if something provokes resistance in us, we are capable of showing more teeth. That is why our work will never be uniform. Different themes and emotions naturally shape what we create, both musically and lyrically.

ad-x: Her Own World is moving toward a sound that is slightly heavier than the debut and more emotional, and I do not think that is a paradox. We are working on material that contains more contrast within itself, more room for tension. Each track is its own story. One carries weight and emotion, another is a straight up banger in a pop structure so people can have fun and go wild. I think that is exactly what will surprise the people who think they already understand us. 

Karo: Last one. Her Own World has already built a very distinct identity, musically, visually, and emotionally, but every strong artistic world also reaches a point where it has to either deepen or transform itself. When you look ahead now, what feels like the next true step for Her Own World: a new sonic direction, a more ambitious live concept, broader international presence, or perhaps something entirely unexpected?

Yu: Her Own World still has many challenges ahead, and I think the fact that we played a tour with Project Pitchfork, a legend of the gothic scene, is not the end of our road at all. In a way, it feels more like the beginning. I do not think we need to transform ourselves in the sense of changing direction. It is more about continuing to develop in the direction we have already chosen and consistently raising the level of professionalism so that we can become more visible, more accessible, and reach an ever wider audience. As for the live concept, of course it matters and it can keep developing, but a lot depends on the possibilities we will actually have. At the moment, almost everything we do is still largely our own investment and grows out of the real conditions in which we function. That is why we do not want to plan things beyond our means. We simply want to do the best we possibly can here and now. Our main goal is for music to become our full time work and main source of income. That would allow us to operate on a larger scale, in an even more professional way, and to devote ourselves fully to what we do. Music is not only a passion for us. It is also something we would truly like to live from. So the musical direction remains coherent, and the live concept does as well, although of course both can continue to develop and expand along with our growth and possibilities. It is also very important to us to continue strengthening our presence in Poland and internationally, including in Germany, where we have already taken a very important first step and where we would love to continue growing and performing.

ad-x: I think the real next step for Her Own World is deepening, but the kind of deepening that looks like transformation from the outside. We want to take people further into this world, not build a new one, and to do that, we need to reach beyond Poland. The dark independent scene in Western Europe is much bigger, and we feel there is an audience for us there. We just need to reach them. ☺

Yu: Finally, we would really like to thank you for this interview and for the opportunity to talk about our world. As the founders of Her Own World, it means a lot to us that we can share this story and this energy with more people who listen to us and support us.

Her Own World will perform at Castle Party 2026 in Bolków on July 18, 2026. Around the turn of June and July, their new single “Like a Moth” will also see the light of day.

Milan-based shoegaze, wave and post-punk band In Her Eye have released “Something Wrong“. The digital single is the first track from the band’s fourth studio album, “Death in a Morning Show”, scheduled for release in June 2026.

The current In Her Eye line-up is Aldo Bernuzzi on drums, Giuseppe Galotti on vocals and bass, and Stefano Schiavella on guitars.

We previously covered the band in 2018 when the Italian shoegazers act announced its new album “Change”.

About In Her Eye

In Her Eye formed in Milan, Italy, in winter 2007. The original members were Aldo Bernuzzi, Giuseppe Galotti and Stefano Schiavella. The band’s early musical direction combined 1980s new wave with indie, noise and shoegaze influences from the 1990s.

Four years later the band released its debut album, “Anywhere Out Of The World”. The 12-track album was recorded and mixed by Carlo Meroni and In Her Eye at A.D.S.R.

“Borderline” followed on October 22, 2014. The seven-track release included “Matchbox”, “Situation”, “Chameleon”, “Another Psychic Thrill”, “She Made Her Decision”, “Bottle Room” and “Push Me Down”. From 2015 onward, the band also appeared on tribute releases for Ride, The Cure and Wire.

Raffaele Bocchetti, formerly of Stella Diana, later joined the band and contributed to the material that became “Change”. “Change” was released on June 1, 2018. The album includes eight tracks: “Closer To Me”, “Bianca”, “Elephant”, “Change”, “Neon Lights”, “Demons”, “As in a Dream” and “Life”. It was recorded and mixed by Lorenz and In Her Eye at Il Guscio Recording Studio, with mastering by Lorenz and In Her Eye. Antonia Chiara Ciancaglini of The Mystic Morning contributed backing vocals on “Change” and “Bianca”.

The band returned to the original three-member formation in 2022 after a period of adjustment and later completed sessions for a fourth album planned for the first half of 2026. The new single “Something Wrong” now introduces the all new album “Death in a Morning Show”.

Dark Minimal Project, the Lille-based electro darkwave project, has released the digital EP “And Sometimes”, an independent five-track release which features dBoy (aka Daniel Armand) from the Paris cold-wave trio Je T’aime.

Four of the five tracks include dBoy. The closing track, “So Far Away II (Gabriel’s Tears Version),” revisits “So Far Away” from Dark Minimal Project’s 2025 album “Pleasure Is A Sin.”

The EP has Guillaume VDR on vocals, guitars, bass and programming; Ange Vesper on vocals, synths and drumpad; and dBoy on vocals. The release was produced by Peter Rainman and Guillaume VDR, and recorded at The Bunker Studio in France. The material was mixed and mastered by Peter Rainman.

Below is the official video for “And Sometimes (feat. dBoy JE T’AIME)”.

About Dark Minimal Project

Dark Minimal Project began in Lille, France, in 2021, when Guillaume Vanderosieren offered his first demos to Ange Vesper. Musically the band offers a mix of electro, darkwave, coldwave, synthpop and synthwave.

The project released “Cold Black Room” in January 2022, followed by “In Your Eyes”.In March 2023, the band released “Black Light”, produced by Peter Rainman at The Bunker Studio, ahead of the second album “Ghost Of Modern Times”.

In 2024, Dark Minimal Project released “Remixes”, based on material from “Ghost Of Modern Times”. Released via Infacted Recordings it holds remixes by People Theatre, Krieg-B, Patrick Codenys of Front 242, Ruined Conflict, Dominatrix, X Mouth Syndrome, Fatherless Child, Dark State, Ethan Wood, Résilience and Waiting For Words. VUZ later on released a deluxe edition of “Cold Black Room”.

Infacted Recordings released “Pleasure Is A Sin” in 2025.

“And Sometimes” followed in 2026 as an independent collaboration with dBoy of Je T’aime. Je T’aime is a Paris cold-wave trio formed in 2018 with dBoy, Tall Bastard and Crazy Z.

Der Bürokrat is an Italian-French collaboration between Ben (Hammershøi) and Jules (Zug), with the duo crafting a total of twelve tracks.

The project’s influences are firmly rooted in the magic of the 1980s, at times evoking a sense of nostalgia for the earliest Synth-Wave experiments. Certain moments embrace a minimalist approach, bringing to mind acts like Absolute Body Control, while elsewhere the sound shifts toward a more Pop-oriented direction, reminiscent of Welle:Erdball. Despite these clear references, the album maintains its own identity and, above all, a notable sense of versatility. Some tracks even take on a heavier edge toward the end, drawing inspiration from EBM.

All in all, this is an unpretentious and successful debut that, in my view, certainly deserves a follow-up. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Excésse = Accept”:

https://stanzefredderecords.bandcamp.com/track/exc-sse-accept

Paeplo, the Greek-language synthpunk/darkwave project of Manos S. from Crete, has released its debut album “Φαντάσματα στη Χάνδακος” (“Ghosts on Chandakos Street”). The album is available digitally as a self-release through Bandcamp, with a cassette edition handled through Decayed Knighthood.

The 10-track album combines Greek lyrics with synthpunk, darkwave, cold wave, EBM and industrial.

Thematically the material moves through themes of urban decay, doomed relationships and late-night walks with no exit. Small detail, the title track refers to Chandakos Street, while the lyrics also mention locations such as Liontaria, Daidalou and Karavola.

About Paeplo

Paeplo was founded in 2025 in Crete as the personal project of Manos S. Manos S. has a background in classical music as a cellist. For this project, he moved toward a more direct electronic format built around Greek lyrics, synthpunk, cold wave, distorted synths and programmed rhythms.

Jim the Blaster, known from PreEmptive Strike 0.1, is also involved in Paeplo. PreEmptive Strike 0.1 was founded on Crete in 2002 offers a mix of EBM and dark electro.

“Φαντάσματα στη Χάνδακος” is the duo’s first release. The album appeared digitally through the band’s own Bandcamp page. The cassette edition is released via Decayed Knighthood, a Greece-based Bandcamp label releasings ambient, synth punk and dungeon noise.

Audioglobe informs us that Berlin-based New York musician and DJ Luca Venezia, recording as Curses, will release the new wave, electro, techno and EBM compilation “Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS” via Eskimo Recordings on June 5 2026. Note that this is a curated compilation, not a new Curses studio album.

“Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS” closes the compilation series Curses started in 2021. Spread across three 2LP chapters and 3CDs, it holds 46 hard-to-find, new and exclusive tracks. Musically you can expect industrial electronics, EBM, new beat, techno, trance and early rave tracks that were popular in clubs and warehouses in New York, London, Frankfurt, Valencia and other cities in the mid-1980s.

Curses explains: “I wanted to take things full circle, return to my roots, and celebrate what first got me into electronic music.” The compilation includes archival names such as Model 500, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps and Age Of Love, alongside newer and exclusive tracks from artists including Zaatar, Italo Deviance, Leona Jacewska, Kendal & Andi, Mala Ika & Tutto Vetro, and Curses himself.

‘Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS’ formats and release details

The release comes as a digi3CD, an three limited 2LP editions (Chapter 1, 2 and 3) Each vinyl chapter includes the tracks from one CD chapter and an insert with liner notes.

The four-track “Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS – DJ Sampler” appeared before the full compilation. It includes “Crown Of Ruin” by Curses, “E-ternal” by Mala Ika & Tutto Vetro, “Time Of War” by Metropolis, and “No Control” by Interactive.

Below is the tracklist for the compilation. As explained above, each vinyl chapter includes the tracks from one CD chapter.

CD1

1. Cybex Factor – “No Rock”
2. Space Trax – “Atomic Playboy (Beyond His Mind Mix)”
3. Metropolis – “Time Of War (A.C. Mix)”
4. Megabeat – “Jet Harris Tecno Dub (¿Sabe Ya Quien Mato A Laura Palmer?)”
5. Robotiko Rejekto – “Injection (Robotiko Part 2)”
6. P II Syndicate – “Diesmal Bist Du Ganz Allein”
7. Model 500 – “Testing 1-2”
8. New Scene – “Out Of Control (The Belgium Mix)”
9. Age Of Love – “The Age Of Love (New Age Mix)”
10. Interactive – “No Control (Radio Version)”
11. Die Krupps & Nitzer Ebb – “The Machineries Of Joy (True Work Mix)”
12. Konzept – “Human Transmission (Cybotron Mix 2)”
13. Skila – “Hypno Art (The Power Mix)”

CD2

1. Perdí La Luz – “Megadance”
2. ROTCIV – “The Sign”
3. C.ru.z – “No Hay Comunicación”
4. Facets feat. Kasbaraine – “Cold Blooded”
5. Josh Ludlow – “Hammer Town”
6. Leona Jacewska – “I Need Another Excuse”
7. Church of Ajijik – “Eppenepp”
8. Digitalism – “Into The Club”
9. Phunkadelica & Dina Summer – “Stars Align”
10. Acid Washed & Ubu Noir – “Brutal #1”
11. Orion Agassi – “Pacifier Away (Calm Mix)”
12. Brixx & Stockholm Syndrome AU – “T.S.C. Systems”
13. A.M.Q.N. – “Futuro Soldado”
14. Gunce Aci feat. Avni Ertepe – “Timeless”
15. In Trance 95 – “Last One to Die”
16. Italo Deviance – “Point Breeze”
17. GOTT – “Mirage”

CD3

1. ESTADO DE BIENESTAR & Dark Vektor – “(.)”
2. Curses – “Crown Of Ruin”
3. Iggor Cavalera & P.I.M. – “Wrong III”
4. Innershades – “Neon Dreams”
5. Kendal & Andi – “Still Human”
6. Sesto Senso – “Danza Macabra”
7. Tronik Youth – “Hellfire”
8. VELVET VELOUR – “Night Bird”
9. Radondo & Neu-Romancer – “Moving On”
10. Zaatar & Mike Sacchetti – “Distant Memories”
11. RAKANS – “Mon Amour”
12. Younger Than Me feat. Lourene – “I Can’t Relax”
13. Javi Redondo – “HALT [Process]”
14. Primal Baby – “Hurricane”
15. Mala Ika & Tutto Vetro – “E-ternal”
16. Harlem Electronics – “Au Chateau”

About Curses

Curses is the recording and DJ project of Luca Venezia, a New York-born electronic producer and DJ based in Berlin. Before Curses, Venezia recorded as Drop the Lime and founded the dance label Trouble & Bass. The Drop the Lime project was active from 2004 to 2015, after which Venezia moved into other projects.

Curses began in 2007 with the “Hungry For Love” EP on Institubes. Venezia’s 2015 move to Berlin allowed him to focus more directly on the Curses sound, after earlier work in breakcore, bass music and electro-rock. That sound was heavily influenced by new wave and post-punk with vocals, guitars, 1980s EBM and new beat.

Curses released the debut album “Romantic Fiction” through Dischi Autunno on October 26, 2018. The 2019 mini-album “Carcassonne” followed through Höga Nord Rekords on August 30, 2019. “Incarnadine” was released on March 11, 2022 through Dischi Autunno. For this release Luca Venezia worked with Dame Bonnet on bass, Jennifer Touch and Terr on vocals, and Sasse for mixing and engineering at Blackhead Studios in Berlin.

“Another Heaven” followed on October 25, 2024 through Italians Do It Better. This time Luca Venezia again worked with Dame Bonnet on bass. Note that Curses’ live setup consists of Venezia on guitar and vocals and Dame Bonnet on bass and electronic drums.

The “Next Wave Acid Punx” series began on Eskimo Recordings in 2021 as a 38-track compilation curated by Curses. “Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX” followed in 2023, and Eskimo later listed “Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX – Secret Cuts” in 2024 and “Next Wave Acid Punx Revamps” in 2025. “Next Wave Acid Punx TROIS” now closes that compilation series in 2026.

“I’m not interested in perfection; I want to show the cracks that let the soul out.” – Anton Corbijn

I was in Berlin for Out Of Line Weekender, but there are obligations that have nothing to do with schedules and everything to do with devotion. Fotografiska’s new Anton Corbijn exhibition was one of them. For me, as a portrait and concert photographer, someone who also photographs musicians and keeps returning to faces as if they might finally confess something essential, Anton Corbijn belongs to that tiny order of artists who stand above influence. Alongside Helmut Newton, Henri Cartier Bresson, and Peter Lindbergh, he occupies the place reserved for gods and impossible standards, the figures one follows knowing perfectly well they cannot be caught.

That is why walking into Corbijn, Anton at Fotografiska Berlin felt less like a casual museum stop and more like entering a sanctuary built for people who understand that music history has a face, and that in many cases Corbijn gave it one.

The exhibition opened on Friday with a party, and that choice made perfect sense. Anton Corbijn has spent more than four decades shaping the visual identity of modern music through photography, videos, and film, so to celebrate him with silence alone would have felt strangely insufficient. Fotografiska turned the museum into a living nocturnal structure, with an artist talk by Anton Corbijn himself, then performances by Sally Dige, Pol, Isolation Berlin, Drangsal, and Anika, while Daisy Weweh and DJ Hell took over Bar Veronika and the Café Bar moved through its own sequence of DJs and live setsIt was not so much a vernissage as a carefully tuned occupation of the building, the kind of opening that understands that Corbijn’s work has always lived somewhere between contemplation and afterhours voltage.

The retrospective itself traces his photographic journey from the nineteen seventies to the present, and what becomes immediately clear is that Anton Corbijn never photographed fame as fame. He photographed aura, fragility, distance, inner weather. His pictures do not flatter celebrity. They interrogate it, strip it, sometimes wound it a little, then offer it back to us with more truth than glamour could ever survive.

There is something almost unbelievable about the accumulation of presences in these rooms. It feels like entering a party where the entire subconscious of the nineteen eighties and nineties has gathered under one roof. Nick Cave is there. Blixa Bargeld is there. Siouxsie Sioux, David Bowie, Joy Division, Björk, Annie Lennox, Martin Gore, Courtney Love, Slash. The effect is almost surreal. Slash can sit next to Cave and somehow the conversation still makes visual sense. Corbijn’s eye gives the room an unusual coherence. Across decades, genres, and personas, these figures seem to belong to the same emotional climate. 

Anton Corbijn expo – Photo review by Karo Kratochwil

And that eye remains devastating.

The black and white work is especially overwhelming. Anton Corbijn understands monochrome the way certain writers understand silence. In his hands, black and white begins as an aesthetic choice and ends as a moral one. It removes decorative noise. It forces structure, mood, doubt, bone. Faces emerge from shadow with that strange mix of vulnerability and self possession that the best portraits carry. The grain matters. The blur matters. The lack of polish matters. In room after room, one sees what Corbijn meant by those cracks that let the soul out. The line immediately brought Leonard Cohen to my mind: “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Corbijn’s portraits seem to trust the same principle. Perfection closes a surface. Fracture lets a person appear. An Anton Corbijn portrait is not about smoothness or glamour; it rather wants tension, atmosphere, the unstable edge where a person stops performing and starts appearing.

That blurred line is one of the great subjects of the exhibition. Between public figure and private self: between star and somebody, costume and exposure. One of the wall texts includes Corbijn’s remark that he never wanted to be a photographer of the stars, he wanted to show what was behind that. It is one of those statements that sounds simple until one stands in front of the photographs and realizes how rare that ambition actually is. Plenty of photographers have documented famous people. Very few have been able to make fame feel secondary.

What gives the Berlin show its particular richness is the way Corbijn transforms a room full of cultural icons into something far more intimate and unsettling: a study in emotional weather, written across faces. Again and again, one encounters the same quality in those hypnotic eyes that seem to look through the lens rather than into it, whether they belong to Bowie, Björk, Annie Lennox, or Siouxsie. Decades shift, styling changes, California light replaces a harsher European grain, yet Corbijn keeps locating that inward pull, that faintly haunted concentration which makes each portrait feel less like an image than an encounter.

For those of us who photograph musicians, the lesson is brutal and beautiful at once. Anton Corbijn never seemed interested in access for its own sake – he was famously uncompromising, guided less by commercial calculation than by instinct, taste, and conviction. The very idea that he could initially turn away from photographing massively successful acts feels entirely plausible here, because the exhibition makes clear that market value was never the real currency of Anton Corbijn’s work; what mattered was presence, mystery, and the human face under pressure.

That also explains why the exhibition never feels embalmed in nostalgia. There is far too much movement inside it for that. One section follows Anton Corbijn’s deeply personal series a. somebody, where he steps into the skins of his musical heroes in self portraits made in his hometown of Strijen. Another shows Famous, the early black and white portraits that already contain the raw directness of his mature vision. Elsewhere, MOØDe explores fashion as a psychological instrument rather than surface. The clothes in these photographs are not decoration. They are mood, armor, confession.

Then there is the room devoted to the moving image, and it is impossible to overstate how important that room is. Corbijn photographed modern music, then went on to shape the way it moved. Seeing the videos and film material gathered there, one is reminded how much of the MTV era and after it still bears his grammar. Depeche Mode, U2, Nirvana, Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Joy Division by way of Control – the list alone is enough to make you stop. More importantly, the room reveals continuity rather than career hopping. That same visual intelligence runs through the still photographs, the videos, and the films, along with the patience with darkness, the suspicion of perfection, and the rare ability to let stillness accumulate dramatic force without any hint of coercion. Perhaps that is what moved me most deeply, the way Anton Corbijn’s work remains vibrantly alive even when the subject barely appears to move, as though everything were held in a state of concentrated tension. It places its trust in the viewer and asks for real attention, which in an age devoted to speed, polish, and instant legibility begins to feel almost radical. I went in knowing I admired him. I left with something closer to gratitude.

For me, this exhibition was deeply personal, because it gave precise form to something I had sensed for years without ever quite naming: the strongest portrait photography does not take possession of a face, but waits until that face begins, almost against its will, to disclose itself. Anton Corbijn has spent a lifetime working from exactly that conviction, and it explains why his photographs still seem to breathe, still carry risk, still hold something that refuses to flatten into mere cultural memory. At Fotografiska, that quality runs through the entire exhibition, giving it the presence of something living rather than the composure of a museum exercise.And yes, it truly felt like visiting a temple.

The kind of temple where the saints wear black, the lighting is severe, the music never really stops, and you realise, after far too long standing in front of one wall, that you have no desire to leave.

“Corbijn, Anton” is on view at Fotografiska Berlin from 9 May through 20 September 2026

Mika Goedrijk is an eclectic Belgian artist who founded his main project, This Morn’ Omina, exactly 30 years ago. I have followed This Morn’ Omina almost from the beginning, though it took several years before a breakthrough led to a successful career. His strength lies in a distinctive blend of Tribal, Ritual, Industrial, Trance, and Electro, combined with a powerful live presence that sets him apart within the scene. Above all, he is a meticulous and passionate producer with a keen ear for detail.

Beyond This Morn’ Omina, he has been involved in several other projects, including Sygo Cries, Nebula-H, Pow[D]Er Pussy, Les Nuits Blanches, Project Arctic, Andraculoid, and more recently, Plan C. This year marks the return of This Morn’ Omina with its first album in five years. What once seemed like an ending has become a rebirth, as Goedrijk resumed the project with new musicians and a new label, Cyclic Law, releasing the album “Insha”.

More subdued yet perhaps more profound, it is his twelfth studio album and the reason for this interview. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

This Morn’ Omina interview

Q: This Morn’ Omina is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, and admittedly, a lot has happened during this long journey. How do you remember the beginnings of This Morn’ Omina, especially the concept behind it back then, and what remains of that today?

Mika: The original energy, focus has never left. It is in the name itself, ‘this morning of omens/portents’. Every day this happens. A renewed sense of being connected to the universe and channeling the stories.

Q: With This Morn’ Omina, you have undoubtedly established one of the few projects with a very distinctive sound and style. Where did you draw your inspiration from back then and where do you find it today?

Mika: Any sound, rhythm that invokes saccadic movement was what propelled TMO to create its own moment. Perpetuating that feeling. The ‘sources’ in and of itself are not important to that effect. Whatever makes you move physically or spiritually.

Q: I get the impression that the past few years have also been the most difficult period for This Morn’ Omina. What exactly happened, and to what extent did this influence your decision to stop and then start again?

Mika: You are the company you keep, as the proverb says. That company did not have the best intentions. Self-serving people, contributing nothing. This Morn’ Omina went through a needed tabula rasa. And hence This Morn’ Omina can exist again of fertile ground.

Q: Your new album “Insha” deals with creation so to what extent can it also be seen as a form of rebirth after everything that happened—perhaps even as a response to it?

Mika:After the tabula rasa, there was only one thing left to do: create. Going back to the roots. Just create with the basic tenets in mind and as a driving force.

Q: You worked with ‘Konchong-Gyaltsen’ from Nam-Khar. How did this collaboration come about, and what was his contribution to “Insha”?

Mika: Without direct knowledge we were fans of each other. Our early releases are in our respective CD libraries. At Oberhausen, Deluidspreker Festival 2024 we connected through our mutual live performances and it went on from there. Kindred spirits coming together.

Q: “Insha” sounds somewhat more subdued and restrained than what we are used to from This Morn’ Omina. Is this a natural evolution, or did the theme and concept shape this more subtle approach? What were the main musical pillars used to build the album?

Mika: After all the turmoil, this release needed to be grounded in truth and beauty. You call it restrained. We call it reflective. Provide a basis of stability from which we can jump again. The pillars are those who were there from the beginning. The track “7sekhem” is a good representation of that.

Q: In recent years, you have also been surrounded by a brand-new live band. Could you tell us more about these musicians and your connection with Olivier Moulin, with whom you also collaborate on side projects such as Plan C and Sygo Cries?

Mika: It was a breath of fresh air to work with real musicians again, not some wannabees. People who love to create music and overcome any hurdles that may exist along the road.

Olivier plays keys in multiple bands, Pierre is renowned DJ in France, Sam is half of DeadAstro Pilots, Maël has his own projects and releases 3 albums a year. All of them live and breathe music in their own way but find a similar path within TMO.

Plan C is Olivier’s baby. And it is a lot of fun to be in that atmosphere. Sygo Cries is centered around Syd Phoenix, an up and coming vocalist, singer, song-writer.

Q: Live, This Morn’ Omina has always been quite an experience—almost an antithesis to many Industrial acts where performers simply stand behind a laptop. How do you view the live experience, and how important is it to the artistic expression of This Morn’ Omina?

Mika: The energy within TMO cannot be expressed through a single person on stage. Multiple people have to channel that. Connecting with people does not work by hiding behind any kind of gear. These ‘Industrial’ bands might reflect on the matter if they are a DJ or just another fake. SPK, Clock DVA,…they were/are bands. TMO was and is always a band. Not an Industrial ‘push play and act like a monkey project’.

Q: You’ve mentioned your involvement in various side projects, and there have been quite a few over the years. Honestly, few musicians seem as eclectic as you. Where does this eclecticism come from, and do you set any boundaries when it comes to genres, particularly in terms of mixing and production?

Mika: Some frequencies touch me to the core, others do not. It is not related to any genre. Same for visual impressions. I tend not to search for an explanation of what you call ‘eclecticism’. I listen to the world and the universe, but I answer only when shaking to the core. Those are my decisions and boundaries.

Q: Concepts have always played a crucial role in your work, perhaps even shaping the music itself. Is that a fair statement? And to what extent do these concepts reveal something about the person behind the artist?

Mika: That is a fair statement. Within TMO, stories are told. Stories that matter in the past, present and future. Stories that come from a multitude of sources with a universal arc which ties it all the together. Many rivers flow to that sea. It might not make sense in physics, but it does on a spiritual level.

Q: Over the years, you have made numerous changes and additions to your studio. What does your setup look like today, and what advice would you give to young musicians who are just starting out?

Mika: We all suffer from GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) whether we admit it or not. But at the base, TMO equipment is based around the same principles… create and record. How exactly, does not matter. On “Insha”, “Heralds” was recorded on a 30 year old 4-track Tascam Portastudio. Just because that was the sound this opening track needed.

To create that statement for the album. Advice? For me it is very simple, have an idea/ a story you feel passionate about. Get the gear that you think will facilitate it and not give you sleepless nights or broken bank accounts. Create your idea. Connect with people through your music, only the music. Be true and honest to yourself and others.

Q: You mentioned that there is still a lot to come for This Morn’ Omina. Can you already reveal anything about what lies ahead in the coming months or year?

Mika: TMO is on-going. At moment, a compilation is ready for release on Dark Dimenions’s sublabel ProNoize. Two new albums are in the making, and should be ready end of this year. One called “Triptych” with Oksana Krasanova as visual artist, and one called “Rivers Of The Sea” continuing with Konchong-Gyaltsen wrapping up the ‘kundalini’ trilogy.

And a side-project MZN (Meandering Zombie Noise) will be released in december on LBRF. Releases on Electric Eden, continue as well.

Following last year’s album “Pleasure Is A Sin”, the French Dark Minimal Project returns with dBoy, best known as the singer of the French dark wave band Je T’Aime. This EP features two original tracks, each accompanied by a remix, and concludes with a fifth and final piece.

The fusion of Dark Minimal Project’s Electro-Pop sound and dBoy’s passionate vocals works remarkably well. The music leans toward an Electro-Wave style, driven by danceable beats. dBoy proves himself a talented vocalist, taking on a prominent and well-deserved role throughout. While both original tracks are solid, I find myself drawn more to the remixes—particularly the one by Peter Rainman’s People Theatre, who is also involved in the project as a producer. The closing track, however, feels somewhat underwhelming.

Overall, this collaboration between two stylistic approaches results in an engaging and largely successful release. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “And Sometimes feat. dBoy Je T’Aime – People Theatre Remix”:

https://darkminimalproject.bandcamp.com/track/and-sometimes-feat-dboy-je-taime-people-theatre-remix

Japanese actor and stunt performer Kenji Ōba, born Kenji Takahashi, died on May 6, 2026, after a period of illness, Japan Action Enterprise announced on May 7. He was 71 years old.

Kenji Ōba became internationally known through Toei’s 1982 tokusatsu series “Space Sheriff Gavan”, in which he played Retsu Ichijouji/Gavan. The series aired in Japan from March 5, 1982, to February 25, 1983, across 44 episodes, and is listed by the Broadcast Program Center of Japan as the first entry in both the “Space Sheriff” and “Metal Hero” lines.

In France and other French-speaking markets however, “Space Sheriff Gavan” became known as “X-Or, le shérif de l’espace” which debuted on the French TV channel Antenne 2 on October 26, 1983. The French version kept the space-sheriff concept but localized several names, with Retsu Ichijouji/Gavan becoming Gordan/X-Or.

The character’s transformation sequence became one of the most recognizable elements of the series. In the Japanese version, Gavan used the command “Jōchaku”; in the French version, the call became “Transmutation”. The character was a half-Bird Planet, half-Earth hero sent by the Galactic Union Police to defend Earth from the space-crime organization Makuu.

“X-Or” helped introduce a generation of French viewers to live-action Japanese tokusatsu outside the better-known anime exports of the period. The series also later circulated through other French-language channels, including TMC, AB1, Mangas and Ciné FX.

Later returns as Gavan

Kenji Ōba returned to Retsu Ichijouji/Gavan several times after the original television run. “Space Sheriff Gavan” returned in January 2012 through “Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie”, followed in October 2012 by the standalone “Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie”.

The 2012 crossover “Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie” marked the 30th anniversary of “Gavan” and the Metal Hero Series. The film teamed Gavan with the “Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger” cast. In “Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie”, released in Japan on October 20, 2012, Kenji Ōba reprised his original role while Yuma Ishigaki played Geki Jumonji, the new Gavan Type-G. The film was made for the 30th anniversary of the first Metal Hero entry and also brought back Toshiaki Nishizawa and Shōzō Iizuka from the original series.

“Space Squad: Gavan vs. Dekaranger” continued the post-2012 Gavan line in 2017. Coincidentally there is a new Gavan broadcast as Toei launched “Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity” on February 15, 2026, as the first entry in its “Project R.E.D.” tokusatsu brand, with a weekly Sunday 09:30 broadcast on TV Asahi’s 24-station network.

About Kenji Ōba

Kenji Ōba was born Kenji Takahashi on February 5, 1955, in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. He entered action work through the Japan Action Club, founded by Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba, and began working in tokusatsu through stunt assignments before moving into regular on-screen roles. He first worked under his birth name and later adopted the stage name Kenji Ōba.

His early screen work included stunt duties on “Android Kikaider” in 1972–1973. His first major regular tokusatsu role came in “Battle Fever J” in 1979–1980, where he played Shiro Akebono/Battle Kenya. Kenji Ōba then played Daigoro Oume/DenziBlue in “Denshi Sentai Denziman” in 1980–1981. In both series, Kenji Ōba also performed stunt work.

In 1982, Ōba took the lead role in “Space Sheriff Gavan”. The series placed him at the start of Toei’s Metal Hero line, a strand of tokusatsu separate from Super Sentai but connected through Toei’s action-production system, creators and later crossover films. The original “Gavan” cast listed by Toei Video includes Ōba, Wakiko Kano, Toshiaki Nishizawa, Kyoko Nashiro and Masayuki Suzuki.

Outside “Gavan”, Ōba continued film and television work through the 1980s. His credits include “Kotaro Makaritoru!” and the period-action series “Kage no Gundan IV” and “Kage no Gundan Bakumatsu Hen”. In 2003, he appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” as Shiro, assistant to Sonny Chiba’s Hattori Hanzo, which introduced him to many viewers outside the tokusatsu audience.

Ōba later ran the action and event company Luck JET. He returned to Japan Action Enterprise through a business tie-up in 2007, after earlier leaving Tokyo to return to Matsuyama while caring for his mother.

His later career repeatedly returned to his three best-known hero roles. In 2011, he played Daigoro Oume again in “Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle” and later returned as Shiro Akebono in episode 44 of “Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger”. In 2012, “Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger vs. Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie” brought his past roles together: Retsu Ichijouji, Daigoro Oume and Shiro Akebono all appeared in the same film.

His final major credited tokusatsu return before his death was “Space Squad: Gavan vs. Dekaranger” in 2017, where he appeared as the original Retsu Ichijouji alongside the second-generation Gavan. The film also included live-action combat scenes by Ōba himself.

With Canal Froid, we welcome a French band that has been active since 2024 and released its debut the following year. “Things Are Different Today” feels more like an EP or mini-album, featuring six tracks.

The opening song is performed in French, while the remaining tracks are sung in English, delivered with a noticeable French accent. The vocal style often leans more toward a half-spoken, half-sung approach rather than traditional singing. Musically, the band leaves little room for doubt: this is a Dark Wave-oriented production in which atmosphere—and especially melody—is largely driven by the guitar, despite the presence of electronic arrangements. The guitar effectively dictates the mood, resulting in a collection of generally strong and engaging songs, although one track introduces a slightly more pompous element.

That said, certain aspects of the production could still benefit from refinement. Even so, Canal Froid clearly shows promising potential. (Rating:6½).

Listen to “No Sense”:

https://canalfroid.bandcamp.com/track/no-sense

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Size Records press release) Swedish electronic artist Karin Park shares her new EP ‘EVO’, set for release on May 8 via Size Records. The project marks the first instalment in a trilogy of interconnected releases titled ‘EVO-LUT-ION-(EN)’. Alongside the announcement, Park also unveils the video for ‘Explodera’.

Following the singles ‘Sing Your Sorrow’ and ‘Shadow’,  Park now reveals the full four-track EP. Inspired by the work of Hilma af Klint, ‘EVO’ signals a new creative chapter exploring transformation, freedom and artistic growth.

Written and recorded with French producer Anthony Belguise, the EP emerged through a fluid and deeply collaborative process. “It was like a love story,” Park says. “Sometimes a song would change almost completely from one day to the next. We had a flow through the whole process that I have never experienced before.”

Across its four tracks, ‘EVO’ moves between vulnerability and release. Opening track ‘Try’ captures the tension between self-destruction and devotion, centred around the idea of being a “good fuckup” while still trying to hold things together for love. ‘Shadow’, co-written with Joe Goddard, strips things back into a more intimate space, exploring loneliness in a way that feels quiet yet deeply present. Closing track ‘Sing Your Sorrow’, written for Park’s daughter, forms the emotional core of the EP and reflects a desire to carry someone else’s pain in order to ease their suffering.

Meanwhile, ‘Explodera’ arrives with an official video directed by Pål Laukli. Laukli says: “Bringing super heavyweight boxer Brage Lange and Karin Park together in Slakteriet Studio was a lot of fun. We didn’t plan much beyond feeding off the energy in the room, and I really like the outcome.”

The track channels frustration and the feeling of being held back by the very things you care about, while pushing toward escape and freedom. Park adds: “I didn’t fully understand what ‘Explodera’ was about until I rewatched Raging Bull. The anger and frustration in the song suddenly felt very clear, and I saw myself in the main character. I thought I was writing a love song, but my real feelings came through. That’s why the video needed to feel brutal and masculine. Pål brought me to a boxing gym in Oslo where we met Brage Lange, and that experience shaped the whole video. We later shot everything in Pål’s studio, improvising freely thanks to our long creative relationship.”

Karin Park interview

We also had a quick round of questions for Karin by mail this week.

Side-Line: Tell us about the new EP, the first in a trilogy?! 

Karin Park: The first EP EVO is the first in a trilogy called EVO-LUT-ION-(EN). It was inspired by a painting by Hilma Af Klint. 

I wanted to find a frame around the project so that I could be free in my creations but not lost. It was one of her paintings in the EVOLUTIONEN series that kicked the whole thing off and it even looks like a record. I can really relate to her personality too. She was an occultist in a Christian environment like me. Stubborn and obsessed with working on her mission but also fragile and doubtful. Full of questions. Always. The lyrics on the EP is all personal, about the struggle and frustration of being both a mother and an artist and trying to be a safe spot for someone else when you are really a bit all over the place yourself. But also the deep love I feel for my family. 

I made this in collaboration with Anthony Belguise who shares the love for analogue synths and beats with me. It was the best experience I’ve ever had in a studio. And we both share the attention to detail, so we really went deep with this one. We’ve used Moog, Prophet, modular synths, Lyra 8, Korg MS 20 but also pump organ and a lot of vocal samples from me and my children.  

S-L: You’re just back from LA – more songs were made there? 

KP: I made some new songs there, yes. They are all in bits and pieces, but it’s starting to crystalize. I will flesh them out in my studio this summer. 

I know a lot of people in L.A. who has also worked in my studio in Djura. So, it was about time to head over. Also, one of my best friends and long time collaborator on photography Thomas Knights lives there, so it was nice to catch up and get a bit of spring. I even went surfing one day. Not very goth. But mostly I worked in the studio. 

S-L: What’s ahead?

KP: I’m doing a show in Stockholm tomorrow, and I’ll be going to Great Escape in the UK to play next week. Then Falun and Berlin. There will be a bit of travelling going forward. I’ll also do a show in Oslo in August.

Playing live is really my favourite thing to do so I can’t wait! We are also finishing a new Årabrot album which sounds pretty cool now, so lots of things to look forward to. 

Also available on lot’s of other streaming services!

About Karin Park

Karin Maria Erika Park was born in Djura, Sweden, and began her recording career in Bergen, Norway. She debuted with “Superworldunknown” in 2003, followed by “Change Your Mind” in 2006 and “Ashes To Gold” in 2009. Her career then continued with “Highwire Poetry” in 2012 and “Apocalypse Pop” in 2015, marking the shift into the synth-driven and darker electronic work.

Later releases included the “Blue Roses” EP in 2018, “Church Of Imagination” in 2020, the collaborative album “Alter” with Lustmord in 2021, and “Private Collection” in 2022.

Outside her solo material, she co-wrote Margaret Berger’s Eurovision entry “I Feed You My Love” and has also been active with Årabrot, which she fronts alongside her husband.

Originally emerging as a guitar-led singer-songwriter, and as one half of the noise rock duo Årabrot, Park has evolved her sound into a rich blend of analogue textures and electronic influences spanning house, techno, synthwave and UK garage. While her production has expanded, her voice remains central to her identity.