POUPPEE FABRIKK - Armèn (CD /Digital/Vynil) (Alfa Matrix) Poupéé Fabrikk, the Swedish old school EBM machine that roar intrepidly with their Elektronisk Kroppmusik. They are often compared to pioneers such as DAF and Nitzer Ebb. They make it clear that gems don’t always have to be finely cut or polished to be able to shine. No, it’s clear they may also be raw and straight from the heart. Their minimalistic approach proves minimal is maximal. Their previous release, The Dirt, dates back to 2013 and was more like a retrospective upon which old demos had some plastic surgery and the necessary Botox for tighter skin or sound. So this means Armèn is their first real fully fledged studio album since the 90s. What has changed? At the base not much, it’s still uncompromising hard and sturdy old school EBM. Not lacking the necessary dose of aggression, for ten whole songs. Henrik Björkk’s impressive vocals, devastating bass lines and hard as steel indestructible pounding beats. Are they taking it to the next level? Most certainly! Harder than ever before straight in your face, sparing nothing. Stomping electronics that give one several ear-gasms ... [JB] FEU FOLLET - Le Champ Des Morts (CDr/Cassette) (Blackjack Illuminist Records) Alban Blaising’ s dramatic alter ego Feu Follet’s Le champ des morts was released in 2019 but keeps its fascination in solid health. The project is a ten track journey into the Nancy based artist’s vividly incandescent imagination, an island covered in umbratile wanderings and momentous u-turns. When you don’t happen to have plenty of information on an artist, the closest you can get to his inner, biographical world will always come from his uttermost fears and pleasures, grouped in an artistic project. That’s the Genesis of every passport and should be what we stick to when looking for gossipy traces of the artist we are devoting our ears to. Far from global stardom and close to the niche environment of cassette supporters, the record starts with a title track, a song that titillates Depeche Mode’s moods, tackling an atmosphere of pieces that highlight his mastery with long strides of sythethizers. It boasts a jaunty crescendo, in the lights of electronic heartbeats fitting for Lust For Youth and Cold Cave’s aficionados ... [ AQ] HYSTERY - Deuil (Cassette/Digital) With this new EP French Synth-punk band Hystérie present their first EP called Deuil (which is French for mourning) on Area Z after two releases on Parisian label ‘Le Turc Mécanique’. This EP contains five powerful tracks with dark melachonic synth lines, heavy guitars and punky angry vocals, completed with samples and nostalgic guitar melodies. The reason I chose this release out of hundred others is their unique sound, although I have to amid I’m usually not attracted to French sung songs, except maybe ’Je t’aime’ or ‘Joe Le taxi maybe’ … Anyway, before I wonder off too far … I would describe their style thus as Cold-wave-Industrial, reminiscent to the sound of Belgian bands like Red Zebra, The Neon Judgement and maybe even the more industrial Stin Scatzor. One can clearly feel the anger, dispair and dissatisfaction when listening to the songs. Not only the punky style vocals but also the global atmosphere that the songs, one by one, tend to breath ... Give this a listen and you might want to order this tape before it sells out! [HH] (Area Z) STEREOSEAT - Heavenly Creatures (CD/Vynil) (Lacienda Records) What do Belgian bands Kenji Minogue, Vive La Fête, Absynthe Minded and Pink Room have in common? Not a lot at first sight. Unless… It all started in Ghent (B) back in 2013, as a studio project by songwriter Tom Van Dorpe (Chrome Yellow) and sound wizard/engineer Sergej Van Bouwel (Absynthe Minded). They pulled out all the stops and lifted their live performances to another level, together with guitarist David Van Glabeke (Kenji Minogue) and drummer David Van Belleghem (Delavega). Over the years they became a scouring yet atmospheric rock band. Their style changed in 2018 with the arrival of second keyboard player Maarten De Meyer (Vive La Fête) and drummer Jelle Lefebvre (Pink Room, Celestial Wolves). Guitars are tuned as if they were synths, synths as if they are guitars. Twisted as hell. Stereoseat proves guitar music is not only relevant in 2020 but can still be innovative too. Stereoseat has lots of potential. Stereoseat has balls. Stereoseat makes good solid music. Heavenly Creatures is definitely a energetic album with its own sound ... [JB] - 19 - www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
20 Publizr Home