XTORT - Zwart (CD/ Vinyl / Digital) (DA records) Also known as the 'dark Michel Jarre', Xtort has been making his musical mark on the dark scene for years.A true lover of a wide range of electronic music and a worshipper of synths, his repertoire ranges from house and techno to industrial,minimal and Italo disco. Xtort's love of analogue instruments is immediately evident in the first song, When The Night Calls.Minimal synths to lick your fingers off. Not too artificial, not too complicated, but straight on. And that is also the power of this song that warns about the dangers of the night. One of the singles and the title track of this album,'Zwart', is cut from the same cloth. The analogue machinery is supported by an acoustic guitar. 'There I stand, everything is gone, no more friends, everyone is gone...Only you, you are still there. But you too know that I am poison to you... and everything turns black (...)' Call it a ballad if you like. It spits black ink like an octopus that feels cornered. No Way Out has a bit more tempo,but still bathes in the humus ofminimal…Xtort's third album, third time a bullseye.Nothing more needs to be said about that. [JB] PROJECT PITCHFORK - Elysium (CD/ Vinyl / Digital) (Trisol) Founded in 1989 by Peter Spilles and Dirk Scheuber, Project Pitchfork, a stalwart of the dark electronic scene, emerges from the shadows with their latest studio album, "Elysium." While the band's signature sound of dark, electronic compositions remains, there's a subtle evolution on "Elysium." Spilles' recognizable vocals are still a guiding force... Catchy pop sensibilities shine through tracks like "Melancholia," "Learning To Live," and "Memories," reminiscent of Project Pitchfork's 2013 hit "Rain" from "Black." However, the band hasn't abandoned their club-friendly roots entirely.."Elysium" serves as the final chapter in a trilogy that began with "Akkretion" and continued with "Fragment." It's a cosmic electro symphony that translates the music of the stars into a colossal,dark electronic cathedral.As a longtime fan, I can confidently say that "Elysium" is another triumph for Project Pitchfork. Whether you call it dark (electro) pop or electronic darkwave, this album is a masterfully crafted journey through sound, brimming with bravado and finesse.Highly recommended! [KI] HYBRIDS - Mythopia, The Sequel (CD/ Digital) In 2022, Hybryds released the beautiful 'Mythopia'. While Hybryds has always been experimental, this was a fairly innovative album, exploring more dreamy sounds and (3rioart) atmospheres that took on almost fairy-tale dimensions with the vocals of two nymphs – long-time singer Madeline Arndt, joined by the newer but equally remarkable Katharina.Then in January 2024, the next album came out: 'Mythopia, the sequel'.A first observation is that 'the sequel' does not consist at all of remixes of the original 'Mythopia', but of new material. Perhaps Magthea wanted to continue working under this title because it so well reflects the atmosphere in which he is currently working with Hybryds.A second observation is that 'the sequel'contains fairly hard drum sounds, so more emphasis on the rhythms, than its predecessor.Let that be a return to the ritual and tribal aspect that has characterised Hybryds'music for forty years now. Let me not beat around the bush…Overall,'Mythopia, the sequel' is a worthy successor to the first album, and a must-have for fans of Hybryds [XK] ATTRITION -The Black Maria (CD/Digital) Active since 1980 and still going strong,this Attrition is not one to wear out,despite the name. Attrition is the electro/industrial and much more project of and around the Brit Martin Bowes who releases a new album on his own Two Gods label. I've lost count,but there have been quite a few.On this "The BlackMaria"Martin Bowes is assisted bymany guests who contribute vocally and instrumentally. Female voices (Emke van Black Nail Cabaret, Elisa Day van Hetaira Decrépita and Yvette from the band Vaselyne, but also the original Attrition singer Julia (who is back after 20 years) give this album a more mystical,somewhat neo-classical and devotional touch. Attrition is still doing it in 2024 with a sound that is as unique and characteristic as it is different."The Black Maria" has certainly won my attention and knows how to keep it. [KI] Read full reviews on http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/reviews/ - 23 - www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be (Two Gods)
24 Publizr Home