I know that there are tons of German bands that produce good industrial danceable e.b.m. but the second album by Pride And Fall in my opinion is a little gem of the genre. Their sense of melody is really good and they are able to create powerful distorted dance tunes with sing a long melodies. Try to listen to tracks like "Rectrospect" or the single "Border" and try to prove me wrong. Normally the bands that have an high amount of melody in their music try to sell themselves out by focusing their efforts only on looking for simple melodies, but in the case of our three Norvegian guys I think it must be something normal to create such catchy songs. Only "Pathogen" didn't convinced me that much (it was a sort of metal song played only with synths) but the other tracks are really good. "The guilding light" with its five minutes and half it is an instrumental electro ballad that break the ambience created by the other distorted tracks and show the skills of the band which is able to create different ambience and it is open to experiment a little within the e.b.m. genre. After that one you find a gem: "Ego". It is a catchy track where saw waves sounds cut your ears in two while other keayboards create a web of ambient sound that exalt Sigve vocals. You won't regret the purchase of ELEMENTS OF SILENCE, you bet!

This is the debut release of a new project hailing from Barcelona, Spain, consisting of four members – and also another proof that Spain has to offer here and there some talents behind the known CULTURE KULTÜR, PAIL or ALLIED VISION. The presented 10 tracks on this release here spin a wide range of diverse styles, ranging mainly from minimal EBM structures ("Ojos Secos") to some experimental, up to Powernoise-like efforts ("Larvas I", "Larvas II"). There is also space for some good Dark Electro themes with a remarkable melodic infiltration like on "Religion", as well as a scary, intense and slowed down track like "No Soy Nada", which is my favorite here. This act shows its talent – but there’s for sure a lot of room for some improvements, timing and recording quality aren’t fully convincing here. They are looking for label to get signed, but I would say that this would come a bit to early for them. This CD can be more seen as a first demo output to the audience and I would like to advise them to use the possibilities to get on some compilations at first. Be sure and check also back their nice web shop where they offer some nice shirts, stickers and this CD of course.

This is a side-project by the excellent French act E.S.R., consisting of both multi-talented artists Vince Puyol (E.S.R.) and Tommy T Rapisardi (label-owner DSBP, DIVERJE, IN-FUSED). Internet and so world-wide connection makes it possible to take easily the distance between France and the USA. Musically this project is focusing on several sci-fi themes, modern Electro sounds, experimental programmings and arrangements – not too surprising if you are already familiar with the sounds and music especially from E.S.R.. You will find a lot of similarities in style of composing, used sounds, also several tracks would do also well on a E.S.R. release ("Virus (Infected Mix)"). The influence of DIVERJE is reduced here, most recognizable on the tracks which feature Tommy’s lyrics and vocals like "Dead Inside", a track which receives here also a nice remix by the talented, but extremely underrated act TYPE001. The order of the track list also features an interesting concept, because after an instrumental track follows always a track with vocals. The colorful cover design done by Vince Puyol fits also well with the musically mood. This is a cold and very mechanized Electro/EBM album filled with a lot of impressive sounds above the average. For fans of E.S.R. and related a must-have, but also an impressive alternative besides the overrated styles – one of the finest pieces currently out there.

This autumn I've seen "Lords of Dogtown", an ok movie, nothing special in comparison to the documentary "Dogtown and the Z-boys", but definitely worth of the ticket (above all if you're into skateboard, or underground culture). Even if the average skater nowadays listens to crappy third rate punk bands or even worse to cheap gangsta rap, this work has nothing to do with the afore mentioned categories. Cocosolidciti is interested in high-quality electronic music and judging by they back catalogue and listening to this their costumers won't be disappointed. The menu is: electronic music with a 4/4 relaxed beat, sometimes it recalls some stylish Warp artist like Prefuse 72 or Savath and Savalas minus the post rock/instrumental feel, but that's just one percent of the whole mixture. With a such a cool rhythmical skeleton I was awaiting some rapping and it finally came with the third track ("Not a speculation" where Dose One is the mc!) and the song is a pure kick ass hit. Another interesting characteristic of this release is represented by its heterogeneity, one good example could be the electro-jazzy sketch of "Fingertip control". Andrew Coleman put together a smart tracklist and while listening you won't have the time to get bored by a single kind of song, just give a listen to such another great stylish exercise like the piano of "Rain and dogs" or to the acoustic guitar of "Constraints, huddles and hoops". Melody, melody and again melody, a great dose of class and if you're into hip-hoppish rhythm, electronic music, melody and post jazzy influences I think you outta add "Tony Alva's hair" to your want list.

A new release on the Scanner label, out of the Dark Dimensions label group. SPIRITUAL REALITY is a German male/female duo presenting here their second full-length release. They already printed a nice style description on the sleeves of their CD, "Electronic – Independent – Pop". Well, that fits it for sure – I would maybe add a constant Futurepop feeling to almost all of their tracks here. The chosen sounds and arrangements do not offer any sense of experimentalism, almost all structures are known and can’t surprise – with the one and only exception named "The System (TRITOXIN Remix)" placed on the last position, track 13. I haven’t heard about this project named TRITOXIN, but this remix finally shows a harder and more experimental side falling into some Powernoise efforts. Nothing against their good sounding vocals which are their main used "instrument" and perfectly placed into the mix. But I would like to advise them to try at times something different. A lot of tracks walk on the same level – you hear them once, you hear them twice – but after this they are forgotten. Nice exceptions are luckily included here with "Lost In Lust", "The Way Is Not Clear" and of course with their best track "What Can I Do?" – it is one of the very few tracks which has the right balance between dancefloor attitude and slow melodic phases. There is also to mention the remix of the highly recognized band like MASSIV IN MENSCH on the good piece "The Way Is Not Clear" – but to destroy the given dark but melodious mood of the original with the replacement through some more dancefloor attitudes can’t end in a satisfying result. This isn’t at all a bad release – I recognize their good compositions, their tasty arrangements and the good production – but I do miss that surprising element which could help this duo to left the average behind.