Robert Rental was one of the British electronic pioneers in the late 70's with a legendary and legendary minimal output. A collaborative LP with fellow Scotsman Thomas Leer on Industrial Records, two 7" singles 'Paralysis' on (his own) Regular and 'Double Heart' on Mute and a live recording with The Normal / Daniel Miller on Rough Trade and that was about it. 'Mental Detentions' was his first self-released home recorded collection of demos from 1979 and near impossible to find.
He died already in 2000 and since then a few posthum releases and reissues where published; the more song orientated 1980 Demos 'Different Voices For You' on Optimo (and later on Klanggalerie), Untitled session recordings with Glenn Wallis / Konstruktivists from 1979 on Dark Entries.

The overall mood captured here is the bleak, post-punk atmosphere of late 70's England, unlike German Krautrock musicians who escaped into fantasy realms with help of spacey electronics this is minimal, existential and purist stuff close to early Cabaret Voltaire. All instrumental with the exception of some sampled radio voices "Vox Scientific" and a vague pastoral choir on the first "Untitled" track. Thomas Leer is also credited as being featured unspecifically.
Most of the tracks seem to be improvised, one take recordings and sometimes there is no clear separation between expanding the boarders of expression and doodling around with the equipment. Still the results are enjoyable and a highlight in the early days of affordable synthesizers and show a serious attempt to find a new futuristic approach to music.

Martin Bowes' remaster for this CD issue stays very close to the original tape sound, while he improved the dynamics the overall dull sound of a cheap tape is closely preserved. This makes it even a bit more historic and authentic but maybe difficult for new listeners to get into. The documentary approach is sealed with a simple picture of the original tape as cover design. A minimalistic and non-stylish approach which would have found Robert Rental's approval. Not to be missed.

This album left me wordless for a long time due to two reasons.
a) It's the first 'proper' release by [multer] since 2003 (!). There has been a limited CD of a soundtrack to an installation in 2011 and a live recording (2016) issued but nothing to follow up the great 'Kopenhagener Deutung' LP which convinced me to listen to one of the then best German acts at all.
b) The sheer volume - This triple LP collects recordings started as early as 2006 up to 2019. Reworked and reworked over again which makes this a condensed listening experience in three parts which is as a whole demanding for the right situation.

Part 1 : BasisrealitÄt (Fundamental Level Of Reality)
Recorded & Mixed 2007-2016
"Unerwartete Erwartungshaltung" and the other tracks of BasisrealitÄt connect directly with the strengths of the three piece line-up; slow long-form pieces exploring the fields of tension between ambient drone guitar, modular synth layers and field recordings. The tension never gets too much to distract but leaves one listening and loosing the sense of time.
Part 2 : Armutsgewöhnungszuschlag (Poverty Acclimation Bonus)
Recorded & Mixed 2006-2018
On "Armutsgewöhnungszuschlag 1" after a very quiet beginning which leaves doubts on my set-up [multer] use voice distant and echoing additionally for the first time. Even as a native speaker I did only get
the lyrics properly after reading. As socio critical as the title sounds as personal the lyrics are. Everything is connected somehow. What is left are two side-long pieces, extending the timeless mood and wide open to interpretations of any kind. In "Armutsgewöhnungszuschlag 2" Hellmut Neidhardt, also known as N with many solo releases in this disguise interrupts and complements the atmosphere with a long distorted guitar drone which livens the track up, after it's fade the march of time symbolised by ticking clocks moves on, a train is announced at the station before the final part of the lyrics come in and it fades out into oblivion.
Part 3 : Wolkenkuckucksheim (Cloud Cuckoo Land)
Recorded & Mixed 2010-2019
Birds chirping intensely, this interacts perhaps intentional with the aforementioned walk and being on it's way of "Armutsgewöhnungszuschlag 2" before calming layers of sound slowly (slowly) take over.
The 22 Min track "Nefelokokkuyia" boarders heavily on kitsch with this nature recordings used so prominently but leads to nowhere, fittingly to the overall title. An illusion of safety and harmony - Wolkenkuckungsheim. The final side - split into 4 segued tracks appears frayed and indecisive. Just a moment in time and when it's gone it's gone.

Overall I think it would have gained a lot if the singular parts where published separate or shaped into a double album. Still a remarkable effort and hopefully for [multer] a chance to start anew with those recordings out of the way.
The three heavy weight LPs are packed in a solid cardboard with insert (lyrics & credits - also in English), all sparse and giving not too much away but eco-friendly tasteful.
Limited to 100 copies only.

The mini album 'Nix Sub Sole' is the result of a collaboration by DsorDNE with classical trained singer Paola Bianchi aka Femina Faber on voice and lyrics who some may know as the voice of Ludmila, among her more
The language sung is Latin, which gives the texts a unique harmony and a general medieval and neo-classical feel to the tracks present here. The music was composed, performed and produced by Marco Milanesio entirely in Torino's O.F.F. Studios.
The opening track "Astrum Crudele" sets the mood, a downtempo celestial track, through the vocals immediately reminiscent of Dead Can Dance in a different timeline where they went electronic instead opening up to world music. "Sepulcrum" continues in the vein of rhythmic ambient and "Serenity" shows once more the fragile balance beetween a powerful solo voice and the instrumentation.

Paolo Bianchi's Voice is placed mastefully in an emphatic setting overall and finally in "Somnium Aetherum" heading towards a lighthearted beautiful way without getting superficial and the instrumental epilogue "Deep" closes this collection on a calm and peaceful note.
Here Marco Milanesio takes his more experimental side way back to provide a perfect setting for Femina Faber's approach. Enclosed and translated lyrics might have been interesting but otherwise if you're not fluent in latin the concept of the voice as human instrument works out really well.

In late September released this limited 6 Track CD (100 copies only) is only partially available digital - self released and distributed you have to contact DsorDNE via their bandcamp to get hold of this.

This is the first single of an announced posthumous album by (DJ) Cheb i Sabbah who was wellknown on the global fusion scene until his death in 2013. Recorded and co-written with Peter Murphy and also featuring fellow global singer Azam Ali "Keep Coming Back" is a wailing mid-tempo ballad, with middle eastern harmonies. These embrace an ardent Peter Murphy, reminding me of his 1995 'Cascade' albums mood when he had given up on alternative rock mostly, here paired with oriental and soulful female vocals. The downtempo ethno pop in sublime and graceful 8 Minutes length is not for the western listener with a pre-set of expectations.
The original version is accompanied by a Remix from singer Azam Ali, the Persia born, India raised and now United States citizen whose voice graced among many others also works by Juno Reactor, Conjure One and Tyler Bates' score of '300'. The remix is not very far from the original, most likely due to respect to the memories.
Last on this EP is the Opium Sabbah Remix by his son, moving bravely a step further away from the original with slight hip hop influences and also featuring a spoken words section by his daughter, Eve Cherokee El Beze. She states that Murphy's inital idea was to transfer sentiments and images of reincarnation, survival, returning home and been given a second chance.
Why it took 8 years to release this is a bit mysterious but the basic themes are timeless and if you love Peter Murphy's voice you'll enjoy each outing which is not necessarily Bauhaus connected too.

Julia Bondar's 4th longplayer builds on the strength of last years 'Industrial Symphony' and developes her deep techno style further. A total of 9 dreamy, slighly acidic soundscapes follow each other seamlessly. Sometimes with a distant voice and a duet on "La Neige Et Ses Messes Noires" which is a collaboration with French collective Maman Küsters and was the first (digital only) single but nothing makes this an incoherent album - partly due to using their own analogue modules she developes with her partner Andreas Zhukovsky who also recorded the tracks, partly due to her sense of mingling melancholy, space, drifting and euphoria to a special pleasure. The original sound design and superb mastering does no harm either.
Again published via their own independent company Endorphin.es Productions, based in Barcelona nowadays this born Ukrainian artist transfers after midnight emotions based on solid grooves with a surprising nonchalance and elegance.
An album bond to be in various reflective year end listings, not only mine.