The lastest batch of Galakthorrö releases came with a Haus Arafna 7″ that is available on green and black vinyl (and probably sold out by the time you read this).
The title track is a slow and melancholic track in the vein of the most recent Arafna releases. On the other side there is the much rougher “Auserwählt”. A wall of noise, a pounding rhythm, mr. Arafna’s distorted vocals; the more dramatic approach to their sound. A great track.
Galakthorrö picked up a new project. This time from France. If Discogs is correct, this is Distoromance’s second release. The project consists of a duo that share other projects that are equally unknown to me, Abîme and Kalte Lust, the latter going back over a decade.
The 7″ can be placed in the more ‘minimal wave’ side of the Galakthorrö spectrum. The music is alright to good, but somewhat typical.
The lastest full length of mr. and mrs. Arafna is a recognisable NN release. The sound perhaps became even more melancholic though. Here and there NN became a bit more ‘minimal wave’ in sound and there are perhaps some ‘synthpoppy’ tones.
“Electrical” remains in the slower pace whereas previously the speed would go up a bit every so often. Imagine the melancholic side of NN, but then a full album.
With Te/DIS you know what to expect. Except a few experiments here and there, mostly in collaboration, the sound of Frank Ursus does not really evolve.
“Impending Divulgence” is no exception. When you know the previous albums, you pretty much much know what to expect. Simple rhythms, Frank’s recognisable vocals and only here and there a new sound or tone.
Not bad, not groundbreaking. Tempted Dissident as we know him.
“Kosmoloko” (2004), the first Galakthorrö compilation, opens with the brutal and brilliant “Hymn To Despair” of Haus Arafna. The somewhat calmer, but magnificent “After All These Years” follows. Then there are two superb tracks of Subliminal, dark, noisy industrial. Only with Karl Runau things become a bit more quiet with his analogue soundscapes. Maska Genetik follows with two brilliant angsty industrial tracks and at the end there are two typical tracks for the later sound of November Növelet.
“Kosmoloko 2” (2012) turned things around. The dark dance sounds of November Növelet open this compilation, but they are immediately followed by two raw tracks of Subliminal. Herz Jühing also contributed two magnificent angsty industrial tracks. The odd Hermann Kopp has two tracks and the second “Kosmoloko” ends with two superb Haus Arafna tracks that I can also describe as angsty industrial.
On “Kosmoloko 3” there is but one track per artist. It opens again with Haus Arafna, but this time their new depressive side; well-crafted, but not the style I prefer. More tear jerkers come from Aska, but their sound is a bit more angstpop. November Növelet also have a fairly melancholic track and a not too strong one. Hermann Kopp follows with a slow and minimalist track. The contribution of Sühne Mensch opens in a promising way with analogue humming working a bit towards a Herz Jühning style. This is the most interesting track so far. Interestingly, after a typical Te/DIS track, Jühning himself follows with a good and raw track reminding of older Haus Arafna material. Back to the more contemporary melancholic pop sound with Mode In Gliani and a relatively uptempo Da-Sein. Karl Runau is still around and he closes “Kosmoloko 3” with an alright melodic soundscape.
I miss the brutality of the Galakthorrö releases of old. Where the first “Kosmoloko” contains only great tracks, the second mostly good tracks, “Kosmoloko 3” has but a few good tracks. The three in line -I suppose- show the development of the label over the years. While my musical preferences grow more extreme over the years, Galakthorrö becomes less and less so. Thanks to Herz Jühning for keeping up the energy a bit.
After the heavy “Asche“, the title does not exactly suggest a happy release. Indeed, the title track is quite like the material on the last album. A great track, with the misanthrope of the “Asche”.
The other track is called “Welt Verzicht” (‘world renunciation’). It is a little lighter on the rhythm, but also more “angstpop”.
The first track is magnificent, the other one is great, but I would not mind some old school Arafna noise again some time.
After a 7″ on Galakthorrö a couple of years ago, Mode In Gliany returns to the same label for an album, available on vinyl and cd. Contrary to most other Galakthorrö project, Mode In Gliany also releases material through other labels.
The focus of Galakthorrö seems to be more and more the darker end of minimal wave and less the industrial of days gone. I find this a pity. Even though most releases are alright, I seldom play anything safe Arafna, Növelet, Subliminal and sometimes Herz Jühning.
Anyway, Mode In Gliany has more of a melancholic style. Perhaps not as much as Sühne Mensch or the latest material of Haus Arafna, but more than for example Da-Sein. The album is nice though.
The fourth release (third album) all on the same label.
“Sore” opens with an analogues humming with some ‘Arafnian’ sounds, fitting for the label. In “Hell Over You”, the sound is more the November Növelet type minimal wave that we got to know Da-Sein for. It does seem -though- that Da-Sein leaned more towards the darker end of the style on “Sore”.
Like before, the slightly rougher tracks are the more interesting. There are some other ‘Arafnian sounds’ to be found on “Sore” and this time there are also more ambient tracks.
Like the previous releases of Da-Sein, the new album is nice, but I do not expect to listen to it a lot.
Galakthorrö once again found a new project. This time not (and can I say ‘fortunately’?) a November Növelet type project. Not that “Sühne Mensch” sounds as harsh and dark as Subliminal or some (earlier) material of Haus Arafna though (would we ever get more such material?). Sühne Mensch reminds a bit of the “angstpop” of Arafna’s latest “Asche“. It is not (and can I again say ‘fortunately’?) as depressive as Arafna’s latest.
“Schmerzportrait” has the humming interference, analogous melodies and singing of Haus Arafna (but a very different voice) with here and there a Tanz Ohne Musik or Herz Jühning tone. Of course, the project has a sound of its own. “Angstpop” is a very fitting description. Most tracks are quite melancholic.
“Schmerzportrait” may be the first release of Sühne Mensch, it certainly is not the first release of Michael Belletz. Judging his Discogs page, Belletz is more of (or also) a dance producer, but also with projects leaning more towards industrial. One release was made available by Hymen (Ant-Zen) so he is not a newcomer to the scene either. Having an open musical taste is a good thing, so I guess I will just go and find out what Belletz’ other projects actually sound like.
The album is good, but not great. It will do well as background music when I am reading. It is a kind of music that I do like to listen to, so… The sound really fits on Galakthorrö too, but I must say that the Arafnas no longer release but masterpieces. So: good, very ‘Galakthorrö’, darker than Aska, Tanz Ohne Musik or Da-Sein; more in the Herz Jühing corner of sound.
Galakthorrö found another angstpop project, this time from Iceland. It is not really a new project either. Since 2014 Aska has been releasing material.
“Út Við Sundin Grá” contains slow angstpop, perhaps reminding more of early November Növelet than later material of this Arafna project. Here and there I hear a bit of Maska Genetik as well, Herz Jühning perhaps even?
The album is not a materpiece to my ears, but it is a nice album. It is slower and less ‘disco’ than several other recent Galakthorrö releases, which is good.
Available on cd and mc and vinyl (if you are quick of course).
