SYNTHESIS Issue #1

HARTHOUSE INVADES AMERICA!! World-renowned German techno label Harthouse Records (and sister label Eye Q), helmed by Sven Vath and friends, are expanding their operations. Although they've had a successful UK branch for quite a while now, people in North America have had to resort to seeking out their recordings as Euro imports except for the few releases which were licensed to American Records and Planet Earth Recordings, specifically Hardfloor's "Funalogue" EP and some compilation albums ("The Point Of No Return", "A Taste Of Hard Trance", "Behind The Eye Vol. 1", "Axis Of Vision", "Global Virus"), along with Sven Vath's own stuff. With the new U.S. distribution set-up that Harthouse/Eye Q have now, we should be able to expect a steady flow of new material.

Already available are the following titles:

Hardfloor - Respect CD
Pulse - Surface Tensions CD
Resistance D - The Best Of CD
Spicelab - A Day On Our Planet CD
Der Dritte Raum - Mental Modulator CD
Alter Ego - Alter Ego CD
Various - Behind The Eye Vol. 2 CD
Various - Bitter Fruits CD
Various - Carry On Harthouse CD (best of collection)
Various - Dark Hearts CD (ambient remix album)

For fans of The Residents, those electronic purveyors of the musically unusual, there's a number of things out that you should definitely know about.... The second CD-ROM title from The Residents is now in release, called "The Gingerbread Man" and is said to be even better than their "Freak Show" release. An audio only CD version is also available. Something else which may not be getting wide-spread attention but is pretty interesting is The Residents' soundtrack album "Hunters: Predators And Prey" (made for The Discovery Channel!). Also, the band Primus has recorded a Residents tribute including the songs "Hello Skinny" and "Constantinople" on their EP "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver", the title song of which is in itself very obviously Residential in origin...!

The very prolific Aphex Twin is at it again with a new EP (and again having fun playing the strange name game) which he calls "Donkey Rhubarb", which includes a Philip Glass orchestral mix of "Icct Hedral" and two additional tracks (plus the title track), and also another one released on his Rephlex label called "Scharlach Eingang" by Bochum Welt is also rumoured to have his involvement..... Aphex Twin music is also featured in a TV ad for Pirelli Tires, which was the basis of the mythical "Tyre Trax" EP, an April Fools' Day scam perpetrated by England's NME magazine. If you like this particular piece of music, the Aphex release you should be looking for is the "Joyrex J9" EP by Caustic Window.

And now to a noticeably less prolific artist.... After about 6 years or so comes the debut album by J. Saul Kane's sample/dub styled project Depth Charge called "Nine Deadly Venoms", which is being especially well received by the public thanks to the timely popularity of the current 'trip hop' sound. Single-wise, the followup the Depth Charge's "Hubba Hubba Hubba" is also out now.... The "Legend Of The Golden Snake" single has actually hit the #1 position on the British Indie Chart, and yet another single has just become available called "Sex, Sluts & Heaven", both on Kane's own new label DC Recordings. Mr. Kane is also giving the uk's 'electro' revival scene a boost with the release, under his alias The Octagon Man, of the "Klunk" EP on his other new label Electron Industries (which has also just issued Eon's new "Wave Angel" single). It looks like he's been doing quite a bit to make up for lost time....!

Also on the subject of long-awaited releases.... After a few years of waiting the debut album from N-Joi called "Inside Out" finally emerges. And after quite a number of singles releases comes the follow-up album from the German masters of rave-pop Interactive, which is basically a singles collection called simply "The Best Of". They've also just recently released a '95 remix of their first hit "Who Is Elvis?". Another 'best of' collection from a longtime staple of the German scene is also out now -- Westbam. The album is called "Bam Bam Bam".

ATTENTION ALL RAVERS!! There's a new movie out on video you should definitely see called "Vibrations" (originally titled "Cyberstorm") featuring Christina Applegate as a new age raver trying to "find herself" who hooks up with a very down-on his-luck rock musician and helps transform him into a techno/rave star! The actual storyline is not that great, but the reason you should see this movie is for the extensive rave coverage (about a third of the movie!) which is highlighted by live performances from Utah Saints, Fierce Ruling Diva, U96 and Moses On Acid!! Check it out.

UK bass-fetishists LFO are back on the remix front -- they have remixed a track called "Eclipsed" by H.A.L.O. which should be out now; and, besides a collaboration with Plus 8 label's Richie Hawtin as F.U.S.E. Vs LFO, they are also supposed to be conjuring up remixes for the next Bjork single. On the current Bjork single "Isobel", Goldie (of Metalheads fame) does remixing duties. Goldie's debut album "Timeless" is also now out.

The recently disbanded Black Dog Productions, who have also done remixes for Bjork, have something that definitely makes for a strange combination in the remix arena.....which is their mixing of the song "Premonition" by Ned's Atomic Dustbin!! Another Bjork remix alumnus, Underworld, also do mixes for the Chemical Brothers (formerly Dust Brothers) single "Leave Home". The debut album from Chemical Brothers is also now out, called "Exit Planet Dust".

German acid-mongers Hardfloor have been busier than just about anyone in the remix department. They have an excellent mix of Robert Armani's "Circus Bells" (available now on the fairly solid "Hypnotic State" CD from the U.S. label C & S), and they also pop up on The Shamen's latest called "Destination Eschaton", as well as the '95 version of Mory Kante's "Yeke Yeke" track, contribute a '95 remix of an old rave classic "Is Anybody Out There?" by Bassheads, and, go back to their techno roots (?) by performing mix duties for The Human League on their single "Filling Up With Heaven" and remixing New Order's "Blue Monday '95". Have I forgotten any....? Oh yes....also look for their remix of the early rave hit "Infinity" by Guru Josh!

New Order have released an entire double CD remix album called "The Rest Of New Order", disc 2 of which contains no less than 8 mixes of "Blue Monday" (!). The album features not only Hardfloor but a number of other remixers such as Armand Van Helden and C.J. Bolland, who has been distinguishing himself quite nicely in the remix world as well, with mixing on Orbital's "Lush" single and (along with Carl Craig) appearing on Tori Amos' "God" remix EP.

Swiss technopopsters Yello get the remix treatment from a veritable who's who of movers and shakers on today's techno scene with their recent remix album "Hands On Yello", each paying homage to this uniquely influencial band in their own distinct styles (a similar concept to Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Hi Tech No Crime" album, which featured interpretations of their tracks by Mark Gamble, 808 State, Orbital, Altern 8, LFO, Robert Gordon, Sweet Exorcist, Graham Massey, The Shamen and The Orb). The lineup of talent for this album is as follows: Cosmic Baby, The Orb, Westbam, The Grid, Oliver Lieb, Ilsa Gold, Plutone, Carl Craig, Jam & Spoon, Jens, Moby, Carl Cox and Hardsequencer. Yello have also put out a good rave-inspired single called " Tremendous Pain", which is the first new material since the release of their last album "Zebra".

Electro-Industrialists Chris & Cosey also have a remix album ready to go by the name of "Twist". The title track is remixed by Fred Gianelli, who has worked with Psychic TV and Spawn among other projects, and runs the Telepathic record label. The first compilation of Telepathic material has also been released through the Dutch ESP label called "Telepathic Wisdom Vol. 1". On a related note, Psychic TV also has a new album called "Sirens (Ultradrug: The Sequel)" in release.

Die Krupps also have a remix album out of the best of their goth-metal-industrial stuff called "Rings Of Steel". Remixes for this album were performed by personnel from the following outfits: Die Arzte, Clawfinger, Nine Inch Nails, Sisters Of Mercy, Cassandra Complex, Gunshot, Revolting Cocks, Carcass, Einsturzende Neubauten and Biohazard. In addition to this, Die Krupps has another album of all new material just out as well called "Odyssey Of The Mind".

Chemlab have a remix mini-LP by the name of "Magnetic Field Remixes", which is easily their best material to date. They decided to keep the mix duties all in the family for this release.

German industrial gods KMFDM get the remix treatment from the disco god himself Giorgio Moroder on their latest single "Juke Joint Jezebel". It should be interesting to hear what this one will sound like (not that KMFDM have been adverse to disco influences in the past, mind you....!).

MEGALON'S REVIEWS (#1)

Various - The Spacefrog Vol. 1 (on Superstition) ---- Dutch release

Something a little different from the Superstition label, which seems to be known mainly for its acid/trance output. What we have here is a release of varying styles, mostly within ambient territory, but also touching base with trance and 'trip hop' along the way. Overall, this is quite a nice package: with a lot of relaxed yet uplifting tracks over the course of the 2 extraterrestrial-amphibian-emblazoned CDs.....too many different sounds to sum up briefly in fact, so I'll give descriptions with the track listings below. Standout tracks include the supremely cerebral "South" by Humate feat. Rabbit In The Moon, as well as Marmion's "Nothing Is Real", a techno/hip hop cut, and some good kicking trance by Freakazoid with "Xexex".

CD 1

_1 ) Frequency Surreal - Part 1 ..........{abstract ambient}
_2 ) Marmion - Nothing Is Real ..........{trip hoppy groove}
_3 ) Cracked - Lucky Girl ..........{tribal trance}
_4 ) The Hang-over Red - Edge ..........{ambient w/wiggly electro beats}
_5 ) Humate feat. Rabbit In The Moon - South ..........{melodic, cerebral ambient}
_6 ) Emit Ecaps - Low Resolution ..........{ambient, not-quite trip hop}
_7 ) L.S.G. - Fragile (Ice Age Remix by Marc Gage) ..........{electro-squiggly ambient}
_8 ) Carl Marks - Heavy Heart ..........{bouncy ambient invaded by weird noises}

CD 2

_1 ) 3 Minute Tantra - Skydiver ..........{acid trance}
_2 ) Cracked - Lex Barker ..........{electro-squiggly trance}
_3 ) Freakazoid - Xexex ..........{catchy, melodic trance}
_4 ) Bigeneric - Atrex ..........{moody but upbeat midtempo trance}
_5 ) EF. 3. A - Fee Bee ..........{light rhythmic ambient}
_6 ) L.A.C. - Blue Lagune ..........{laid back trance/house}
_7 ) The Hang-over Red - Hoosh ..........{light Detroit-style techno}
_8 ) DP-SOL - Spacecake Part 4 ..........{spooky acid-washed trip hop}

Various - Rave Massaker (on Sub Terranean/SPV) ---- German release

Compiled by DJ Hooligan, this 2 CD set is a compilation of straightforward, hard pounding rave tracks -- not particularly big on subtlety perhaps, but very effective all the same. This collection of hyper trance, gabber and gabber-trance is designed for maximum blasting/stomping/raving power, and delivers results that are better than a number of other gabber-trance outings I've heard lately, with more interesting and hypnotic sounds, and generally more musical sounding.....but with the hard-ass aesthetic firmly in place. Leave your seriousness and political-correctness at the door and you may find this highly entertaining. (This item is also noteworthy for the 'colourful' artwork inside its deluxe digipack case!) Standout tracks include "Dreamland" by M.A.F. X-perience, "Silversky" by Society For Psychical Research, "Outside World" by Sunbeam, "You Better Ask Somebody" by Hardsequencer, and O.K. 94's "Rock 'N Roll For The Future".

CD 1

_1 ) Raving Bastards - Love Time
_2 ) Chill 'N Force - Move Raver (Kemo Mix)
_3 ) M.A.F. X-perience - Dreamland
_4 ) Society For Psychical Research - Silversky
_5 ) Obsessiv - Tune In, Tune On, Drop Out
_6 ) Nettuno - I Cry
_7 ) Razor - Is It Love
*_8 ) Sunbeam - Outside World
_9 ) Ravers Nature - Tricky Symphony
10 ) Nip Collectiv - I'm About
11 ) RBM - Banyo Love
12 ) Paranoia X - Party Program
13 ) NR-Gizer - Raving Generation

CD 2

_1 ) Hardsequencer - You Better Ask Somebody
_2 ) The Bazeman - Can You Feel The Baze
_3 ) Underground Nation Of Rotterdam - Bitch (Alici Remix)
_4 ) D + F - Hard Attack (Logo Mix)
_5 ) Six Pack - Drunken Piece Of Shit
_6 ) Spastic Egg - Stick Up (Remix)
_7 ) Two Terrorists - I Come From Brooklyn
_8 ) Hool's Hardcore Experience - Abba Abba
_9 ) O.K. 94 - Ronk 'N Roll For The Future
10 ) Magnetic Pulstar - Tatanka Dance
11 ) DJ Rob - Open Your Mind
12 ) Charlie Lownoise & Mental Theo - 1,2,3, For Germany
13 ) Skyrider - Partytime

Various - Federation Of Techno House (on LD Records) ---- Belgian release

Don't let the title confuse you -- this is not house music by the popular definition of the term.....what we actually have here is 2 CDs of trancey techno tracks, some of which incorporate house-oriented beats and some which don't; however, it could be said that this music actually adheres more closely to the minimal/experimental aesthetic that was typical of the early house artists (in other words, everything that was actually interesting about the music in the first place....) than a lot of what is considered 'real house music' these days, which I believe is the point they're trying to make here. The selection of artists is international in scope, with Belgium getting a major part of the spotlight. The direct house-influence is more evident on disc 1, and pretty well thrown to the wind on disc 2, but both contain plenty of interesting moments. This is definitely a good one for trance fans; and also if you've always liked the idea of house music but dislike a lot of the recent output, then this album is something to look into. Standout tracks include "Blueprint" by L.S.G. (aka Spicelab), "Distorsion" by Thee Dawnsmen (aka Felix Da Housecat), "Magnetic Neurosis" by Encephaloid Disturbance, and Protect System's "Waves Of Energy".

CD 1

_1 ) Sax 4 Two - Sacha's Love
_2 ) Fiction - Streams (flabbergasted)
_3 )Shazz - Leave Me
_4 ) Eve & Night - Hacienta (Rolling Base Mix)
_5 ) Man-Dello - Shomyo (Sweet Melody Remix)
_6 )L.S.G. - Blueprint (Version 2)
_7 ) Taiyo - Taiyo
_8 ) Thee Dawnsmen - Distorsion
_9 ) D.S. - Furioso
10 ) Conman - Bodyshifter (Outer Mix)

CD 2

_1 ) Encephaloid Disturbance - Magnetic Neurosis
_2 ) Bassliner - Acid Shadow (Space Mix)
_3 ) Scan X - Leitmotiv
_4 ) Basic Gravity - Rajah
_5 ) Moog - Euromotors
_6 ) DJ Rope & Marco Bailey - Spice
_7 ) Protect System - Waves Of Energy
_8 ) Caustic 14 - Alien IQ
_9 ) Goldfinger - All Those Trees
10 ) Trancesetters - Secrets Of Meditation (Shi-Take)
11 ) Deep Space Nine - Brown Sugar

Various - Technomancer 4: The Hard Edition (on Antler-Subway/Astralwerks) ---- U.S. release

A collection of tough, minimal technobeats from Belgium. I think a better title for this album would have been "The Dark Edition" as these cuts are noteworthy more for their edgy atmosphere than their actual hardness.....with the exception of the pounding track by The Daedalus Project! Most cuts are in a heavy trance vein, with a block of tribal trance from Trancesetters and one experimental non-dance track called "Beyond The Cortex Limit" by Encephaloid Disturbance. This dark-trance sound of Belgium is definitely something unique in the scene, so if you haven't experienced it yet here's a good place to start. (A word of advice when listening to this music: Play it loud!!) Standout tracks include "Total Attack" by Rezoid, "Renegate Ectoplasm" by Encephaloid Disturbance, and Trancesetters' "Secrets Of Meditation".

_1 ) DJ Bubba - The Unknown Future
_2 ) Rezoid - Total Attack (On Acid)
_3 ) Trancevision - The American Dream (Acid Dreams Mix)
_4 ) The Daedalus Project - Speedball (T-Vee Remix)
_5 ) Encephaloid Disturbance - Beyond The Cortex Limit
_6 ) Encephaloid Disturbance - Renegate Ectoplasm
_7 ) Asphyx - XTC-Alarm
_8 ) Zolex - Yes And No (Sharpei Mix)
_9 ) Trancesetters - Secrets Of Meditation (Remix)
10 ) Trancesetters - Meeting Of The Spirits
11 ) Trancesetters - Neurodisco