Blutengel dedicate themselves again to the eighties and present ten iconic songs from this musically formative decade in their very own style on the forthcoming album "Fountain of Destiny". Blutengel succeeds in an impressive balancing act, while respectfully retaining the original essence of the song and at the same time infusing each track with their very unique touch. In addition, two brand new Blutengel songs are added as bonus tracks, which fit perfectly on the new album "Fountain of Destiny".
Be it the emotional "Forever Young" that is released today, or the already in the original wonderfully twisted "Dr. Mabuse" or the dystopian "Down in the Park" - there is heart and soul in each of the cover versions on the new Blutengel album "Fountain Of Destiny", which offers a sheer delight for the ears and the spirit combined at the same time with skilled musicianship and a natural feeling for creating the perfect sound.
The cover songs were handpicked by Chris and Ulrike Goldmann and are those tracks "that appeared to me to be out of this world from today's point of view", Chris explains with sparkling eyes that you only get when listening to the music of the eighties. The fact that "Fountain of Destiny" could become a real Blutengel album after all, which was initially announced as an EP/mini-album, is owed to the commitment of the label, Out Of Line Music, as well as the artists themselves. "We, unfortunately, had very few clearances at the end of the year.... together with the label, we decided to wait a little longer and give the copyright holders another go," informs Chris. And that paid off! And as Chris confirms "there are now 10 tracks and plus my two own Blutengel songs we even have 12 songs now - which is absolutely perfect for an album. Sometimes patience is worth it!".
Blutengel online:
https://www.facebook.com/BlutengelOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/blutengel_official_chrispohl
http://www.blutengel.de
HOCICO shares the long-awaited new single 'Broken Empires' and music video!
These are exciting times for all followers of the Mexican Industrial-Electro legends HOCICO! As the band dropped their new single "Broken Empires" via Out of Line Music.
Erk (vocalist) explains: "Broken Empires, is a song about the current state of the world. It resumes how the pandemic was a way to achieve power and control for some and how it transformed the world into a darker place for some others." And Racso (music) adds: "Musically speaking "Broken Empires" is a futuristic and modern vision, it's a blend of dark electro with the new trends of mid-tempo and dark synth."
HOCICO are looking forward to "completing and releasing our new album in 2021 and hopefully, we get to tour the globe with it afterwards", says Erk.
ABOUT THE MUSIC VIDEO
Accompanying the release of HOCICO's new single, Erk explains, "we found it interesting - the idea of making a video where we are not part of it. This time we want to deliver the message separating ourselves visually from it to create an unusual feeling on the audience. We found an actress in Canada who performed the song in front of the camera, it's a simple but powerful idea." Watch the music video below!
Hocico:
Racso Agroyam (Music) and Erk Aicrag (Lyrics and Vocals)
Follow HOCICO
Electronic Artist ALIA SYNESTHESIA Reveals The 'Cult' of Productivity With 'Stop Go'
Russian/Canadian artist ALIA SYNESTHESIA has revealed her new single, "Stop Go."
The song itself is about dead-end jobs and the cult of productivity. This theme runs throughout her forthcoming EP, Anhedonia due out later this year. In this case, it's about climbing senseless corporate ladders and sacrificing things one loves in order to perform at work, to survive and to stay afloat.
For fans of: BJORK & NINE INCH NAILS
About the forthcoming EP, Anhedonia:
Anhedonia, scheduled for release in July 2021, will be the first concept EP to be originally released under the name of ALIA SYNESTHESIA. Paying homage to the sounds of the 90s (trip-hop, NIN, The SugarCubes, Bjork) Alia brings in the combination of pop and operatic vocals, distorted cello riffs, and booming, danceable basslines.
In Psychology, "anhedonia" refers to inability to experience pleasure or loss of interest in pleasurable things. It’s linked to depression and other mental health disorders. ALIA SYNESTHESIA conceptually explores anhedonia of modernity, with all it’s silent hysterics and mental storms, not only as a de-contextualized nebulous tendril of clinical depression, but as an every day side effect of mental battles for purpose and meaning within the grinding cult of productivity.
Anhedonia will be released in two editions, White (standard edition) and Black (limited to 20 copies only). There are slight differences between the editions that provide different context to each. Both editions are available for pre-order on the project site: https://anhedonia.koncept.wiki/.
42 years of Staircase Mystery - Siouxsie And The Banshees release their second single!
Today 42 ago Siouxsie And The Banshees released ‘The Staircase (Mystery)’, it was the band's second single and was released as a stand-alone single on 23 March 1979 (Polydor Records). It also became the band’s second top 40 entry, peaking at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.
B-side features a cover-version of the 1973 T. Rex song ‘20th Century Boy’.
The song was later added to the singles compilation album Once Upon a Time: The Singles. Also the remastered 2005 version of their debut album The Scream, contained this single as bonus material.
The acknowledged British music Melody Maker hailed the single upon its release and wrote: "The Banshees have been able to come up with a couple of slices of excellent music for their singles. 'The Staircase' hasn't anywhere near the commercial potential or immediacy of 'Hong Kong Garden', but nevertheless it's a great song. A sinister almost mesmerizing tune, dominated by Siouxsie's unorthodox vocals – it grows and matures with each play.
The Staircase (Mystery) (Tracklist)
A. The Staircase (Mystery) 3:06
B. 20th Century Boy 1:57
DISCOGS
Siouxsie and the Banshees (1979 line-up)
Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
Steven Severin – bass guitar
John McKay – guitar
Kenny Morris – drums
The Staircase (Mystery) (Lyrics)
Stare case lying face up
Stare cat on a mat
Looking down
Slide down the banister
Take the escalator
Slide down the banister
Or try the elevator
I was standing on the landing
Now I'm standing in the hall
Looking up
Won't someone assist me
Solve this mystery
Somebody assist me
Arrange the symmetry
Muffled footsteps on the carpet
Spiral steps start spinning
Around me
Which floor which ceiling
You're off balance
Which floor which ceiling
It's all upside down
Stare case lying face up
Stare cat on a mat
Looking down...
Songwriters: Sioux / John Gareth Mckay / Kenneth Ian Morris / Steven Severin
The Soul Walker | Celebrating The Sound Of The Late Scott Walker († March 22, 2019)
The voice of the late Scott Walker (born Noel Scott Engel; January 9, 1943 – March 22, 2019) is the sound of the sixties, everything that is free, soulful and beautifully constructed. When he sings the world stops turning and you are transported back to that decade. Visions of Mini Coopers, Mini Skirts, Piccadilly Circus and James Bond Films flood the senses.
Those of you unfamiliar with the sound of Scott Walker can try and imagine that it is the place in the road where Jim Morrison and Brian Wilson meet, think of the song 'God Only Knows' sung by The Doors instead of the Beach Boys, a perfect pop song sung with a dark intensity.
Indeed Walkers influence goes beyond that of a conventional artist, he has been cited as highly influential on songwriters such as-Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Steve Wilson, Thom Yorke, Jarvis Cocker, Neil Hannon and Julian Cope to name just a few.
For a man who was expected to follow the same path as Andy Williams or Frank Sinatra, falling into the superficial mainstream pop of other such crooners, he diverged his creepy sense of orchestral arrangements and focused his career on creating new paths instead of following ones already laid out.
When it comes to deconstructing Walker you find he is one of those rarities in music whose main instrument is his voice, the focus of every track, capturing the intense mood perfectly. With lush strings, drums, horn sections and guitars are always present but harder to reach as the voice is the vehicle the song rides on, everything else is there to promote it.
His split from The Walker Brothers, a bold step as they were at the top of their game, may have been down to him feeling like he was not doing want he had envisioned. The simple pressures of coming up with songs for The Walker Brothers had stunted his own personal creativity ,at one time it is said they had a larger fan base than The Beatles. In September of 1967 ,a little under six months since the last Walker Brothers album,'Images', Scott released his first solo album simply titled 'Scott'.
A critical and commercial success,reaching as high as no number-three on the UK charts, still on the heels of the Walker Brothers success although it would be the following year before it would see a Stateside release under the title ‘The Loner'. The albums varied material has and can be split into three sections, broadway hits, Walkers own compositions and covers of the infamous Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel and here we have the real triumph for Walker.
Brel, who only recorded songs in his own native language, where as Walker was able to acquire the English translation songs before anyone else.
On Walkers following two albums he included another six songs collectively by Brel, always citing him as one of the greatest songwriters on the planet.
The closing Brel penned track on 'Scott' called 'Amsterdam' was recorded and released by David Bowie during his Ziggy period,it is at this point you understand the full influence and impact of this fearless singer,as he both stirred the fearless musical adventures in so many others and gave them a focal point on which to model themselves on,Walker may not have been the biggest selling male solo artist of that decade but perhaps he was the most important.
[Kevin Burke]
