Immersion, an instrumental electronic duo made up of Wire frontman Colin Newman and Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact), return with new album ‘Analogue Creatures Living On An Island’ set for release 25th November via swim~. The duo are sharing new single 'Fireflys' from the album online now.
Whilst both Colin Newman and Malka Spigel have been busy with several other projects and collaborations over the years, they have returned to their critically acclaimed project to dazzle listeners with a new collection of magnetic electronic instrumentals. New track 'Fireflys' is a
Immersion’s new album of seductive instrumentals takes in a wide range of moods and energies. Their music is a kind of Electro-Kosmishe - the sound of the 21st century, which nonetheless draws inspiration from German pioneers such as Cluster and Popol Vuh. And, like those groups, Immersion can create a world which is simultaneously devotional and sensual.
Combining the considerable talents of Malka Spigel of Minimal Compact and Colin Newman of Wire, Immersion is a true collaboration, with no delineation between who plays or does what. “We don’t have fixed roles in Immersion.” Says Spigel. Newman concurs. “You can’t really tell who plays what.”
Between 1994 and 1999, Immersion released three critically acclaimed albums of expansive instrumental electronica. Music which encom- passed the meditative and the hallucinatory. They also garnered remixes by some of the biggest names in electronic music. And then? Then, they faded from view...
Cut to a mere 17 years later, and a new Immersion album glides into earshot. Their sound is unmistakable. And yet, clearly the duo have evolved. Immersion has returned a different beast. The pulsing and sliding analogue synths are still present and correct. Indeed, the stately and plaintive Mechanical Creatures , with its constantly evolving web of analogue synth throbs, could easily find a home on Fripp and Eno’s classic Evening Star album. But there are also several sonic advancements from Immersion’s previous recordings.
The most noticeable differences are the introduction of guitars into the mix and an increased sense of urgency to their compositions. This means, Analogue Creatures Living On An Island cannot be classified as ambient music. Although it does have its contemplative moments - such as the gently unfolding Slow Light - the majority of the album is powered by a strong sense of motion. Nanocluster is a tense and insistent composition. Coming over like the score to some futuristic spy film, it demonstrates Immersion’s skill at creating miniature sound worlds alive with detail. Meanwhile, the urgent forward propulsion of Organic Cities weaves in shades of prime era Tangerine Dream - and may well be the album’s highlight. The fact the album has been largely constructed using analogue instrumentation rather than digital, definitely gives it a warmth and depth which sets it apart.
During Immersion’s 17 years hiatus, Spigel and Newman have been far from idle. Spigel has released acclaimed solo albums, exhibited her distinctive photography and performed sell out shows with a reformed Minimal Compact. Newman meanwhile, has helmed the revitalised Wire through a series of stunning gigs and poll topping albums. Besides which, the pair collaborated with Max Franken and Robin Rimbaud (aka Scanner) as Githead, purveyors of skewed art-pop. And yet, despite all these outlets for their creativity, they decided the time was right to reactivate Immersion. “It felt like the right moment for us to do something with synths again.” Says Newman. “We had the urge to create instrumental, free-flowing music, which didn’t depend on any kind of verse/chorus/middle eight format. Music that could also be propulsive without resorting to any kind of obvious drumming”
And it’s true the album exhibits a very organic flow. Another contributory factor could well be the duo’s relocation from London to Brighton. “We live 10 minutes away from the sea,” says Spigel. “We walk by it almost every day. It’s different every time we see it, even every hour. We’ve definitely been inspired by the light and the sound.” This influence is perhaps heard most strongly on Spinner, the sonic equivalent of a bright spray of light radiating across a seascape.
‘Analogue Creatures Living On An Island’ is the point where Immersion emerge from being one of the UK electronica scene’s best kept secrets, and gain the recognition they so richly deserve.
For those who prefer vinyl, the album is available spread across two 10” singles Analogue Creatures and Living On An Island respectively.
Covenant announce new album „The Blinding Dark“ to be released November 4th, 2016
“We live in dark, confusing times and COVENANT wrote an album about how that makes us feel. In a world that has stopped making sense, we need to learn how to see in the dark and “The Blinding Dark” is a triumphant embrace of the strengths and resilience of the soul. It’s the dystopian, unforgiving music of the reflective shadows we all carry within us, but often lack the courage to take a good look at. It’s implosive instead of explosive, fuelled by cold fury rather than a roaring fire, as beautiful as a collapsed star.” (Joakim Montelius)
„The Blinding Dark“, COVENANTs 9th studio album to be released November 4th, 2016, is exciting not only because of its compelling title, but also since it shows a remarkable development in style, something that COVENANT decidedly wanted to do with this record – and not least thanks to the subject matter they address. The Swedish/German outfit has perhaps just delivered their artistically most ambitious album yet.
The world is no field of flowers, and everyone makes the experiences at least once in a lifetime, that where the light exists, there is also darkness.
Leszek "Morph" Trzaska (vocals, guitar, compositions) was a singer and bassist in many metal / hard rock projects since year 2000 and he created Dark Side Eons in 2012. Together with Kate "Moonskin" Trzaska (synthesizer / programming), which joined the band in 2014, the two musicians started to play their first shows already in the same year.
The debut album, which was created between 2014 and 2016 contains 12 energetic songs, that transport the feeing to take a journey though endless depths of human soul, through the universe and the wholeness of a life. Every song tells it’s own story and the multifacetedness of the whole album are not at least the result of the various influences of Minimal, Dark Wave, Gothic Rock and Post Punk, that give DARK SIDE EONS their unique sound.
Here's a teaser from Cynical existence's upcoming album "Dying Light" which will be released by Advoxya Records later this year.
ZOS KIA was formed by John Gosling (MEKON), John Balance (COIL) and Min - with guest Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson (THROBBING GRISTLE). Their one and only album, Transparent, was released August 23rd 1983 in a cassette only edition on the now defunct Nekrophile label, Austria. They were the first released recordings of both COIL and ZOS KIA. It was reissued years later by COIL (Threshold House / Eskaton) in an edited edition. The entire recordings are now released on CD/vinyl for the first time and are completely remastered from the unedited tapes. Includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks by AKE (pre-ZOS KIA).
The music on Transparent is genuinely unsettling and disturbing, with a more primal Industrial feel than the Coil album which followed; 'Scatology'. An essential insight into the very early work of these extraordinary artists and an undeniable link between Coil and Throbbing Gristle.
Double vinyl edition in a sumptuous gatefold sleeve with 12" booklet of unseen images. Ltd 500 white vinyl edition for COLD SPRING mailorder only. Both editions come with download card.
CD edition presented in a 6-panel digipak with booklet containing all images.
