This month it’s been 44 years since Kraftwerk released Die Roboter (The Robots), the first single which was taken from their iconic album Die Mensch-Machine (The Man-Machine) album (May 1978).

The original 7” single releases contained Die Roboter (The Robots) on at the A-side and Spacelab on the B-side. Both were shorter (radio) edits as they would appear on the album. The single was released with German sung version of Die Roboter, as well as an English sung version on the A-side. Both featured the English sung Spacelab on the B-side.

The lyrics reference to the at that time revolutionary technique of programming robots and how they can act as slaves for the human race.

The Russian words "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoy slugá, " mean “I am your servant") and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoy rabótnik, "I am your worker”).

When the song is performed live, the band is nowhere to be seen onstage but is replaced by legless robotic copies bearing recabling faces of all members.

In 1991, a re-recorded and re-arranged version of the song was issued as a single from the band's album The Mix.

Die Roboter - 7”
A. Die Roboter 4:20
B. Spacelab 3:34

Die Roboter - Lyrics

Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Jetzt sind wir voller Energie
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir funktionieren automatik
Jetzt wollen wir tanzen mechanik
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Wir sind auf alles programmiert
Und was du willst wird ausgeführt
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir laden unsere Batterie
Jetzt sind wir voller Energie
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter

Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik
Ja tvoi sluga
Ja tvoi rabotnik

Wir sind auf alles programmiert
Und was du willst wird ausgeführt
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir funktionieren automatik
Jetzt wollen wir tanzen mechanik
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter
Wir sind die Roboter

Songwriters: Ralf Hütter / Florian Schneider-Esleben / Karl Bartos
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Chart peak postions (1978)
18 German Singles Chart
39 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play

DISCOGS

Soon it's the annual Gothic Scene high mass: the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig. Annual? Well, since 1991, but of course with the exception of the past two pandemic years.

A little while ago, doubts have been raised about the use of the Agra Halle, which is arguably the largest site on which the festival takes place. For those who don't know the festival: the WGT takes place in many different locations all over Leipzig, but the Agra Halle - which is located well outside the city centre - is the beating heart with the largest concert hall, the campsite and a gigantic "black" market.

The city of Leipzig originally planned to host Ukrainian refugees on the Agra area, but has now confirmed that the refugees will not be accommodated on the site until after the festival. This means the festival can go ahead without any problems.

So the WGT will take place again this year. There are currently 133 artists confirmed to perform at the festival, with more to follow in the coming weeks. The WGT will take place from Thursday 3 to Monday 6 June.

Hereby the already confirmed artists:

13th Chime (UK) - A Split Second (B) - Accessory (D) - Aeronautica (D) - Aesthetic Perfection (USA) - Alex Henry Foster (CDN) - And Also The Trees (UK) - Astari Nite (USA) - Basszilla (F/D) - Bedless Bones (EST) - Beyond Obsession (D) - Blacklist (USA) - Blitz Union (CZ) - Boytronic (D) - Brandenburg (RUS) - By The Spirits (PL) - Cabaret Nocturne (B) - Centhron (D) - Cesair (NL) - Children On Stun (UK) - Choir Boy (USA) - Clan Of Xymox (NL) - Collection D'Arnell-Andrea (F) - Combichrist (N/USA) - Corvus Corax (D) - Culk (AT) - Cultural Underground Neo Terror (D) - Cut Hands (GB) - Dark (D) Live-Premiere - Dawn Of Ashes (USA) - De Ambassade (NL) - Dead Lights (UK/NL) Bühnenpremiere - Death In Rome (AQ) - Deathsomnia (UK) - Decembre Noir (D) - Devil-M (D) - Die Arbeit (D) - Diodati (D) - Eisfabrik (D) - Enter Tragedy (D) - Erdling (D) - ESA (GB) - Faderhead (D) - Fejd (S) - Feuerdorn (D) - Fiddler's Green (D) - Finsterforst (D) - Fïx8:Sëd8 (D) - Flint Glass (F) - Forndom (S) - Frankenstein (USA) - Funhouse (S) - Future Lied To Us (D) - Garmarna (S) - Girls Under Glass (D) - Grendel (NL) - Grundeis (D) - Haggefugg (D) - Hellgreaser (D) - Horskh (F) - Hørd (F) - I'm Your Stalker (D) - IAMX (UK) - Jadu (D) - Jihad (USA) - Joanna Gemma Auguri (D) - Kaizer (D) - Kite (S) - Kontrast (CH) - Kontrolle (D) - Korine (USA) - L'Âme Imortelle (A) - Lacrimas Profundere (D) - Lacrimosa (CH) - Letzte Instanz (D) - Liebknecht (D) - Lights Of Euphoria (D) - Linea Aspera (AUS/GB) - Lizette Lizette (S) - Loell Duinn (HR) - Louise Lemón (S) - Lucy Kruger And The Lost Boys (ZA) - Messer (D) - Metallspürhunde (CH) - Minuit Machine (F) - Mister Misery (S) - Nachtblut (D) - Neuroticfish (D) - New Days Delay (D) - Night Nail (USA) - NightNight (USA) - Nim Vind (CDN) - NNHMN (D) - Noisuf-X (D) - Nosferatu (GB) - Nullvektor (D) - Of The Wand And The Moon (DK) - Orange Sector (D) - Painbastard (D) - Paralyzzer (D) - Patty Gurdy's Circle (D) - Proyecto Mirage (E) - Pyogenesis (D) - Rabia Sorda (MEX/D) - Ragnaröek (D) - Regard Extrême (F) - Reichsfeind (D) - Rezurex (USA) - Riki (USA) - Ritual Howls (USA) - Rue Oberkampf (D) - S.P.O.C.K (S) - Schneewittchen (D) - Schöngeist (D) - Seelennacht (D) - Shad Shadows (I) - She Owl (IT) - Shireen (NL) - Sigue Sigue Sputnik (UK) - Sjöblom (S) - Soft Kill (USA) - Soko Friedhof (D) - Solar Fake (D) - SRSQ (USA) - Stahlmann (D) - Storm Seeker (D) - Sulpher (UK) - Superikone (D) - SYZYGYX (USA) - Tanzwut (D) - Terrorfrequenz (D) - The 69 Eyes (FIN) - The Devil & The Universe (A) - The Exploding Boy (S) - The Fright (D) - The Names (B) - This Morn Omina (B) - Tobias Bernstrup (S) - Totenwald (D) - TR/ST (CDN) - Trobar De Morte (E) - Twisted Nerve (SCO) - Unzucht (D) - Varg (D) - VNV Nation (GB/IRL) - VV & The Void (AU) - Waldkauz (D) - Warfield (She Wants Revenge) (USA) - Warm Graves (D) - Whispering Sons (B) - Whispers In The Shadow (A) 25. Jubiläum (+1) - Winterkälte (D) 30 Jahre Jubiläumskonzert - Xotox (D)
(XK)

Here you can find some pictures of the 2019 performances @ WGT.

www.Wave-Gotik-Treffen.de

French darkwave project, Distance H has just unveiled their debut single, "Bitch 16". The track is made in collaboration with Ophelia from Saigon Blue Rain and will appear on Distance H's forthcoming EP, Intimacy.

"Bitch 16" is in some ways opposed to Sweet 16 and its form of happy, carefree transition. When sweetness gives way to brutality; when detachment gives way to obsession, when desire gives way to disgust.

It is a frontal and direct title, that a more distant , disconnected and almost salutary passage does not manage to soothe.

"Bitch 16" is available NOW on all digital platforms.

www.facebook.com/DistanceH

Disorder is one of the two EPs released in 1988 on Third Mind/Wax Trax by Canadian electro-industrial band Front Line Assembly. Originally it was available on vinyl only but later Disorder was released together with the other ’88 EP Corrosion as a CD album called Convergence (1988) and 1995 repackaged with additional tracks as Corroded Disorder.

At the time of recording Front Line Assembly was Bill Leeb and Michael Balch, while Dave Ogilvie was their engineer/producer.

Disorder (12" - WAX 041 / TMLP 24)

A1. Body Count
A2. Obsession
A3. Aggression
B1. Lurid Sensation
B2. Die-Sect
B3. The Wrack

DISCOGS

[WITH_TEETH] was released on 3rd May 2005 by Nothing Records / Interscope Records. It was the fourth studio album produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and long-time collaborator Alan Moulder. Reznor recorded the album at Nothing Studios in New Orleans, the last release he recorded at the location before permanently relocating to Los Angeles. Former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl contributed drums and live percussion on seven of the album's tracks.

After the band's critically acclaimed double album The Fragile (1999) and following tour Trent Reznor returned to New Orleans. During this time, Reznor became increasingly addicted to alcohol and drugs, resulting in depression and writer's block. After Reznor decided to go to rehab, he began work on the new album. In line with some of NIN’s previous material, the record features notably introspective songwriting, influenced by Reznor's battle with and recovery from alcohol and drug abuse. It’s audible that Reznor was also heavily inspired by the use of more analog electronic effects and instruments, specifically tape delay and modular synthesizers

The album generated three singles, The Hand That Feeds, Only and Every Day Is Exactly the Same.

Upon release, [WITH_TEETH] was well-received by critics, albeit less than their previous work.

[WITH_TEETH] became NIN’s second album to reach number one in the US, and was eventually certified as a golden record.

The album was released as a standard CD, double vinyl, a DualDisc and a CD/DVD combo. In addition to 5.1 surround and stereo mixes of the songs, the DualDisc (and DVD) contain the video for The Hand That Feeds, an interactive discography and a slide show of album artwork

In June 2015, an instrumental version of the album was released to Apple Music.

[WITH_TEETH] debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 272,000 copies in its first week. The album has been certified gold in the United States and the United Kingdom and platinum in Canada.

[WITH_TEETH] (HALO 19 - CD-Digipak)

DISCOGS

Videos of the title track [WITH_TEETH] seem hard to find, still we found some blurry but good sounding fan-filmed/made live versions, check them below!