Let's have at first a look on the publishing label Nadanna which is kind of joint venture between the German Marc Schaffer with his famous Anna Logue record label, and the Canadian Nader Moumneh, who's better known as Mr. EAR and label owner of the classic Dark Electro / old-school EBM institution Electroaggression Records. While Marc's Anna Logue label focuses since its initiation in 2005 to release mostly undiscovered, rare gems of early 80's analogue Electropop, Synthpop, Cold Wave and/or Technopop artists and music projects, their mutual joint venture Nadanna concentrates to represent the styles in between the above mentioned like Italo Pop, Minimal Synth and Electropop.

A well recognized name here on our site is the Swedish contemporary artist Tobias Bernstrup who nowaddays returns to Nadanna after his 2019 album release „Technophobic”. Bernstrup is one of the very few internationally renowned artists who has been touring worldwide since the late 1990s providing visually his artistic vision. He has positioned himself successfully as one of the leading re-inventors of Italo Disco music provided through with his unique mix of Italo, Synthpop and Gothic Noir. Not to forget his own unmistakable stage persona wearing androgynous outfits in shiny latex and heavy make-up.

“Petrichor” is his 6th full length release and continues globally his musically outfit although a development can be noticed on here too. Although still relying on his pretty 80s inspired equipment with the beloved analogue warmth of among others the Oberheim DMX and/or the legendary LinnDrum drum machine, Bernstrup seems to reduce the often recognized tendencies to perform his artistic expression mostly into the Minimal Synth genre. „Petrichor” doesn't sound too minimal and it looks that he turns his head forward and allows himself to install contemporary styles like Synthwave-/Outrun-inspired genres too („Loderunner”).
The music arrangements, the sequenced bass-lines and pad programmings are sounding more opulent and better placed into the mix than ever before, maybe also because „Petrichor” got meticulously mastered by Doruk Ozturkcan (She Past Away). This album sounds more charming and catchy produced than ever before while he generally acts under his Neo-Italo- / melancholic Synthpop-style umbrella completed with up-to-date production skills. So „Petrichor” offers the listener quite entertaining 11 tracks of well-arranged, contemporary Synthpop music under the influence of his beloved Italo impact and with the analogical warm sounds of his 80's synthesizers.

Since Bernstrup can count on a wide ranging internationally based fellowship and thanks to the fact that he has released a few teaser tracks digitally before (“Challenger”, “Private Eye” or “Stranger”), this album collects his work of the last two years. Asides my personal, quite futuristic sounding favorite “Loderunner”, I tend to name “Only One” to be one of the catchier sounding highlights, while the more raw and cold sounding synthesizer lines of “I am Become” are sounding impressive.

This CD release is limited to 300 exemplars and offers additionally an extremely interesting bonus section with various remix contributions by such internationally renowned projects like Xeno & Oaklander, Ash Code, Qual, Supermatik (Doruk of She Past Away), We The North, Mexican DJ DMT Berzerk and Westcoast based DJ legend SanFranDisko. The Ash Code remix of “I Am Become” has my vote for its layered pad programming and the supportive guitar drops thrown into the mix.
Qual's so-called “World Wide Web Killer-Remix” on “Private Eye” is surely the most drastically formulated interpretation on a Bernstrup composition with its slow stalking kick-and-snare work and the harsh robot-like noisy placed in.

The good things do not end here as there will be two different vinyl editions of this Bernstrup album available, first, a black vinyl edition (limited to approx. 100 copies with printed lyrics inner sleeve, DIN A3 poster, hand-numbered and signed double-sided postcard), and secondly, a colored vinyl edition (limited of approx. 200 copies 140 grams transparent magenta, DIN A3 poster, hand-numbered and signed double-sided postcard).
Difficult to say, which of the both vinyl releases are the “must-have” item but I guess true collectors have to take both of them.

It also comes to the quintessence of this review because you also need this CD version of “Petrichor” too, especially with a fair look on the valuable bonus content featured here. Of course, this one can be directly purchased by Marc Schaffer's well working mail-order service reachable at the given contact details here.

Worsel Strauss is a Frankfurt, Germany, based recording and performing artist who has worked under various monikers in the past, these days most of his work is centered around modular synthesizers. Schani Wolf (also based in Frankfurt) has a similar background to Strauss, but more with the mindset of traditional composer than electronica producer. 'Eigenwert' (roughly translated, "intrinsic Value") is not their first collaboration together, but perhaps their first under their own names. It is an album of 12 instrumental electronica tracks with a good old school flavor. Although there are a number of musical influences present (krautrock among them), the sound here evokes a certain retro-electronic vibe, more like the melodicism of Yellow Magic Orchestra than the minimalism of Kraftwerk. Actually, more like the early solo projects of Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto which were more experimental than YMO's main oeuvre. The tracks are generally concise and playful, and sometimes it's quite easy to tell who spawned what, such as the relatively strong melody on "Welcome to O" (Wolf) and the rhythmic experimentalism of "Nowhere near Al-Bassa" (Strauss).

The duo had only certain restrictions on making 'Eigenwert,' such as all the music was done on physical machines (no computer software, and a list of 35 pieces of gear with a chart showing what was used on what track inside the CD cover), employing odd time signatures instead of a straight 4/4 throughout, and the track had to be something they both really liked (there was an apparent abundance to choose from). They also call the music "Retronica." Interestingly enough, the album was mastered by Kramer of Galaxie 500 and Bongwater fame. What I really like about this album is its balance between the melodic and experimental, but even the experimental has certain pop sensibilities, as in the melodic repetition on "Must I always be a worker." There is some guitar used on the album perhaps most notably heard on "Taking a new town" which is the most overtly traditional rock and krautrock track on the album with its staccato monotone bassline and straight ahead drumkit rhythm. It came unexpectedly out of the blue and was ultimately welcome. Even though the album is 41 minutes it will likely seem shorter than that because Worsel and Shani keep you amused and leave you no time to be bored. As there are no vocals/song lyrics on the album it is likely to be overlooked commercially, which is a shame, because there is a good market for retro electronica or retronica bands, and the music on 'Eigenwert' has much to offer.

Lately, I haven't really wanted to delve into new music. Nostalgia seems pretty comfortable to me, and the old tunes just seem to hit the spot. Leave it to Elektra to shake me out of my complacency. It's been some time since I've heard from this uber-talented lady; 2016 I believe, and although she has an incredible backstory and catalogue of works, I'm not going to reiterate it here. Suffice to say her musical oeuvre ranges from pop to the avant garde with a lot of stops in-between. Her latest, 'Frequency' is 10 tracks of mind-blowing electro in 42 minutes. Sometimes seductive, sometimes disturbing, sometimes humorous, and sometimes angry, Elektra covers a lot of ground, and she did most of it (vocals, compositions, instruments, recording, arrangements, production, mixing, and artwork) herself, only with a little help from Niels van der Weiden with additional drums, programming, bass and keyboards on some tracks.

According to Elektra, 'Frequency' is based on a series of dreams she had been having while living on the grounds of a heavily haunted monastery. An otherworldly being would visit her every night for many months telling her the story of her life. How she used to be human, and how she made some wrong choices, and now she wanted her story to be heard. She moved Elektra till the depth of her soul, and she also made an effort to summarize her entire story in words, not just in words set on music. Perhaps that's why the album sounds so haunted, and now we know there really is a ghost in the machine!

From the infectious opening rhythmic sequence in "Take Your Time" your ears are likely to tingle with an anticipation you just can't put your finger on. Elektra's voice has never sounded better, and what starts out as an angelic vision of unconditional love turns into a fatal attraction scenario by the end. Yowza! "I don't need your love...I got my own" is the opening line of the techno-tronic "Electromagnetic Pulse" with a little reverse voyeurism ("I like watching you when they're watching me...") thrown in for good measure. Can't help but think about the Red Light District women of Amsterdam, and what might be on their minds any given night. Perhaps the obvious choice for the 'hot hit' from this album is the delightfully delicious "Fat, Sugar & Cream," which is repeated constantly throughout the song. It's also heavily dubstep influenced with lots of synth sweeps too. This is one fuck of a killer track that should be picked up by every alternative radio station in Europe and the UK. (Won't get played here in teenage wasteland excepting maybe a handful of college stations, and only after midnight.)

The other track that's likely to garner some airplay is the next one, "Soldier" with its haunting melody. By the time we get to the title track I'm reminded a little of Jarboe (wondering what she's been doing lately), especially on "Freedom Train," an unusual sort of melodic recitation with explicit sexual references, and a crying baby, which I found fairly disturbing. (The infant, not the sex.) If you found that weird, the industrialized "Darebedoll" pushes the envelope even further. Gotta love the line "...I'll be your fucking dog, and no more Iggy Pop, enough of ripping off, I'm saying hey, hey hey, I want you Darebedoll..." Absolutely twisted, but in a good way.

Three more tracks I will leave without comment, not because they don't merit it (they do) but I should save something to be surprised by. Just a teaser though- one of them seems to be a nod to Portishead, musically. This is a great album worthy of many lofty accolades reviewers more talented than moi are bound to heap upon it. Every aspect (vocals, synths, programming, songwriting) is incredible. If I didn't already know Elektra, I would be on a mad search to find out everything about her after listening to this. As is, once again, she's set the bar high…really high. Available on CD (limited) and download now, vinyl (also limited) coming in September. Wouldn't mind having a vinyl copy myself...

I've been listening to the so-called Electroclash New Wave revival with pleasure as I found some artist like Miss Kittin & The Hacker or Ladytron really had the spirit of the 80's; daring, frivolous, energetic and open-minded.
Also I'm a keen watcher of reunions of acts who dare to comeback after x years like OMD, Ultravox, Blancmange, Visage ... not necessarily always successful musically or financially.
Jones & Logan are connected to the later, Logan Sky was Keyboarder in the final line-up and Steve Strange introduced them to each other. They work together since arround 2015 and released 4 albums to date.
Accomplished Musicanship meets Neo Romanticism quite succesfully here on the sample of 'European Lovers' I got for review. When Gary Barnacle adds Sax to "Sons Of Hallucinations" paired with french vocals by Charlotte Condemine it's a great pairing immediately revoking past spirits.
Steve Logan himself as main singer is a different chapter, his voice is capaple only of a limited range which he uses cleverly, never mixed too far in the front and kept in sonor timbre it fits the general mood of a slightly decadent and sentimental background drop for late nights.The lyrics might be meaningful but even in the ballad "Past & Future Lives" they leave no lasting impression. In my ears Steve Logan still need to find his voice and perhaps a little more passion, otherwise a whole album full of sentiments without the daring touch is just too much at least for my tastes.
Available as DL and CD with 6 additional tracks and mixes.

There's activity behind this Minneapolis-based electronic label established by Jason Hollis (Endif, Retcon) and Brooke R. Calder (Felipe & Brooke, Lolly Pop). As a result out of this, The Red Hour is a mutual project between both. “Cracks” is as far as I know their first release under The Red Hour moniker, a Maxi-Single release which surely is intended to gain some first recognition and to introduce a coming album.
While Jason's Industrial-/Noise-project Endif is rather intended to satisfy the needs of a small niche of specialized listeners, The Red Hour is surely destined to reach a wider audience with the clear intention to be successful. A "Femme-forward Darkwave duo from Minneapolis" so they call it, it needs to be said, that musically “Cracks” is a catchy and fast-forward marching Techno-/Electronic tune with a crafty produced dancefloor-compatibility.
Outstanding is the general nasty attitude provided through the raunchy vocals and BDSM-inspired lyrics of Brooke on here. Well, who won't like to lick her boots now...? ;-)
Already the chosen remix contributors speak for itself and the strategy behind, as there's prominence on this release available. The names of the remixers include the famous Belgian musician Jean-Marc Lederman (The Weathermen, Fad Gadget, Front 242), the UK-based and Analogue Trash-recording project Nature Of Wires, DJ Transporter, Steven OLaf (who has been around for years by remixing acts like Xorcist, Out Out or Hate Dept.), Prophei, and Badrich.
Both the remix contributions of DJ Transporter as well as Nature Of Wires bring in fresh club food while the interpretation of Jean-Marc Lederman unites Jazz and Big Beat elements and is surely the strangest and most unexpected contribution on here. Badrich tested diverse Glitch percussion elements on it, while Steven Olaf used a few Break-Beats and guitar loops on it to integrate a rather more classic Industrial-/Coldwave influence to this globally modern sounding track in.
Decent stuff available on here provided by all remix contributors available as download-only release available via the Bandcamp refrences of label and band project. A YouTube video to support this track and the project is in the works too. Give a try!