Post-Maschinenfest Playlist, November 2007.

ADULT. - Why Bother? (Ersatz Audio)

Even bleaker yet also more dynamic than their last LP, this set of high energy electro-punk dirges delivers a concentrated dose of suburban misery that’s perversely euphoric and says much about our times. The trademark ADULT. visual design and despairingly elegant track titles help make it one of their best releases.

Heimstatt Yipotash - Perpetual Beta (Hands Productions)

Crunchy precise beats with intricate digital effects: force and complexity interwoven.

Nullvektor – Electrophrenique (Hands Productions)

Stays within a strict dancefloor-oriented template but combines harsh technoid textures with strange voice samples, IDM fragments, rave and quasi drum n’ bass elements. Mangled trance patterns mutate into noise-scoured darkwave club anthems. A unique combination that doesn’t always quite work but which at its best is spectacular.

Pia Burnette & Felix Kubin - Detached From All Objects (Gagarin Records)

Unusual but subtly addictive noir electropop collaboration.

SleepResearchFacility* - Deep_Frieze (Cold Spring)

Antarctic themed, subtly powerful suite of five tracks with beautiful artwork.

TenHornedBeast - The Sacred Truth (Cold Spring)

Dark ambience from a member of Endvra. Veers between quasi-classical passages sometimes reminiscent of Autopsia and heavier guitar and choral dronescapes.

Tonal Y Nagual - The Unseen Deserts (Ritalin Aktif/UMB)

Hard to classify vocal led project on Thorofon’s label. Some tracks have a definite early eighties/post-punk atmosphere, includes the unsubtle but intriguingly raw track “My Girlfriend is A Car.”

Various - Artists Anonymous #2 & #3. (Bunker)

Two more compellingly dirty, brown and miserable compilations of dark electro by mostly obscure and unreleased artists.

Various - Forms Of Hands 07 (Hands Productions)

Limited edition compilation giving an overview of the current Hands sound.

Various - Maschinenfest 2007 (Pflichtkauf)

Perhaps the finest in this series of annual compilations with several superb tracks by Skin Cage, Greyhound, Eva 3, Ahnst Anders Ambassador 21 and more.

Unknown Artist - Ugandan Speed Trials
(Downwards)

Another obscure but essential dose of Birmingham techno.