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).
A while ago Galakthorrö material started to appear on Spotify (not all though), apparently the Arafnas were cooking on something. Then there was a newsletter which included new material, even a new Haus Arafna album! The first since 2011! So then some 7 weeks of impatience before I could finally put the new album in my player.
From “Children Of God” (1998) to “Butterfly” (2003) to “You” (2010) to “New York Rhapsody” (2011), Haus Arafna seemed to have been scraping off some rough edges. There always still were noisy industrial tracks, but there came more and more softer tracks.
When you put on “Asche”, it soon becomes clear that the Arafnas did not scrape off the sharp edges immediately. After two great industrial tracks, the pretty rough “Kreise Um Das Nichts” is presented, which also has the first Haus Arafna official video. The track is not as harsh as Haus Arafna can be though.
So after a first round in the player, I took another spin with my eye on the lyrics. From death to mourning and a lot of misanthrope. After a rough start, the album already gets more melancholic in tone, but combined with the lyrics, the new album is actually pretty depressive.
As we are used to from Haus Arafna, the industrial music is beautifully crafted, magnificently detailed, surprising too, since the sound certainly is not entirely the same as on previous albums. “Asche” contains but one track that can be described as melancholic, but it is certainly not all power electronics here. Also mrs. Arafna’s vocals are remarkably absent. She mostly functions as background singer.
Be all this as it may, the tracks on the new album are superb, but damn this album is heavy.
Also our tempted dissident comes with a new album, the third album in six years time, all on Galakthorrö.
Te/DIS’ latest seems a bit softer or simpler, I am not sure how to put it. The sound is still recognizable, but it differs somewhat from the previous albums, maybe a bit more… “poppy”?
If you know the project, the music is fairly simple and minimalist, a simple beat, a bit of melody and vocals.
Just as the previous two albums “Transparent Subsistence” sounds nice. Good to play when you want something uncomplicated.
Not a new project, but new to me. After six albums released between 2015 and 2018 and some other releases, this French project found its way to Galakthorrö.
This 33 rpm 7″ contains four tracks. The sound is pretty much like that of November Növelet and Da-Sein, somewhere between minimal wave and angst pop.
The songs on “Kelc’h-Lizher” are nice. I am going to have to see what other releases of this project sound like.
Nine years after the great album “Miasma” and four years after the “Paradise” 7″ there is finally new material of Herz Jühning.
“Samsara” does not contain any musical surprises, but Jühning made another great album in his distinctive sound. From slow “angstpop” to more industrial sounds and some tracks with a faster pace. Herz Jühning adds his recognisable vocals which are sometimes spoken, sometimes (slightly distorted) screamed. Wonderfully humming analogue equipment, nice details in the background, “Samsara” has got everything that we love Herz Jühning for.
What else to say? Get the album. The vinyl version if you are quick or just buy the cd when you are too late or simply prefer that format like myself.
Tanz Ohne Musik’s second release on Galakthorrö is a 7″. Four tracks, 33 rounds per minute.
Compared to the previous release on Galakthorrö (“Infinity” cd 2016) the sound is more ‘Galakthorrö’ again. Hints of Haus Arafna and November Növelet are abundant, but leaning more towards Arafna this time. The four tracks from the 7″ are good, maybe in a way more interesting as the album, more like some of the ‘pre-Galakthorrö’ releases.
Of course the 7″ is limited, to 515, but I am sure that Galakthorrö will have a download version available when the physical copies are gone.
