This release reissues a collector gem which took to Jochen Lange, more than two years of hard researches to be able to track down the mysterious Roy Young. This guy, one day in 1980 entered the Octopus Studios with a Korg MS10 monophonic synth and a drum machine to give form to his visions about those times: Margaret Thatcher and police repression were the main influences and the big brother didn't wait 1984 to be alive and kicking. Guy, helped by studio's engineer Dave Hoser, recorded twelve tracks that he released on an album (and two of them also on a following 7") for his own label Vex Records. Few copies circulated and after that Transparent Illusion and STILL HUMAN became almost a legend. Anna Logue Records proudly reissue those recordings adding two demo versions of "Concepts" and "Vortex" and people can choose from CD format and clear, black or orange vinyl (this edition along with the sticker and the postcard has also a DIN A2 poster). Now, that we can listen to the music we can tell if this was really a gem and I can say that... yes it is. On Roy's songs you can hear the passion and the disillusion of a young guy who, inspired by punk and by the first electronic bands (sometimes I hear echoes of Tubeway Army/Gary Numan), decided to record those songs even if he could use only a synth and a drum machine. I don't know if that was a stylistic choice but I doubt that. Using Dave Hoser studio skills into multi track recording and into synth programming (MS10 as far as I know has no midi), Transparent Illusion delivered to history minimal electronic pop songs which sound nervous and futuristic, where a young guy sung lyrics like: "Someone stood behind me / I could feel their mind inside me / They are always searching / They love to see me burning".

23 Tage is the first result of the collaboration between Mona Mur, known for the collaboration with artists such as Einsturzende Neubauten and En Esch ,formerly of KMFDM. They want to create a blend of chanson, indie rock, and avantgarde-darkwave, so this album features several Berthold Brecht / Kurt Weill classics. Practically, it's a rock album in his structure: the voice of Mona Mur is able to lead the tracks and the En Esch's production is solid.
The album start with "Candy Cane" a mix beteween dance beats and rock guitars, then starts the album and this album id full of it. "Die Ballade vom Ertrunkenen Madchen", "120 Tage", "Snake", "Surabaya Johnny" on one side try to create the intended blend of style that, honestly, has some memorable moments. The other tracks, instead, flirts with the dance floor because are into the field followed by KMFDM, just listen to "The Thin Red Line", "Visions and Lies" and "Eintagsfliegen". It seems, in a certain way, more a split than a collaboration: the Mona Mur side (ballad oriented) and the En Esch side (EBM oriented).
However, due to the crafts of the artist involved, this album is a good listening: if only the blend became true, this collaboration could bring a truly great work. This one is just a nice listening, even if above the standard.
p.s.: the advance included also three remix, djs will be happy :-)

After five of silence from his second EP released on Orson Records, Andy Shaw is back with a new EP on Mullet Records. The Artificial Arm (Andy decided for this name because this reflects his personal situation), on RE-ARM is presenting four great electro funk tracks. "Welcome To Planet Funk" and "Go Back In Time" are here in a different edit compared to the old versions contained on the old EPs while "Press Start To Dance" and "You've Been Messing With My Mind" are two new songs which sound just great. Andy has a good ability into mixing and alternating analog synth sounds and it isn't impossible to stay still while listening synth glides calling for a new arpeggio. Bleeps and vocoder prepare the ground for warm pads which make you cry for more. The Artificial Arm is the ideal place where Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder meet and if you love electro funk you won't miss this release for sure. Available from tomorrow at the major download stores.

Rapido De Noir are a band coming from France who just released their first MCD titled BROKEN. The four tracks of the EP amazed me for the ability of the band to mix genres and melodies. The opening track, "Broken", sounds like Gang Of Four covered by The Cure helped out by LCD Soundsystem. The way they used choruses and melodic changes is great and is just sad they are without a label supporting them as their mix of new wave and post punk is up to date and within bass guitars effected with flanger and dissonant guitars you'll find synth melodic lines which enrich the whole sound and gives a bit of dance atmospheres. Check them and support them. They deserve it!

Brilliants are a duo coming from Forli', Italy. They born in late 2006 and we already were able to check them on the third chapter of "Some tunes" compilation. Their new EP bring to the attention of electro punk wave fanatics, five tunes (four are new as the main title was into the compilation) where upbeat rhythms, bass line distortions (they use bass guitar as well as a synth for this) and loud vocals are the core of the sound. They sound like a 60s garage punk band that time travelled to years 00 making a stop in the 80s to pee. During that break someone stole them their gear so they picked out synths, a drum machine and a new bass guitar and decided to get acquainted with those times to check some bands. Gang Of Four and Joy Division impressed them but also Bananarama seemed to have few hits they dug. Landing on the 00s, they discovered Daft Punk, Mr Oizo and realized that 80s influenced a lot of bands, also famous ones like Muse. Well, they thought, it's time to plug in our instruments and make some noise...