News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

"Holy" album from In Strict Confidence



• German EBM stars In Strict Confidence will be back soon with a new album entitled “Holy”. It’s coming both as a regular and limited edition with a bonus CD, six postcards, photos and stickers. Both editions are out on January 19. /Johan Carlsson

Attention electronic music lovers
• Available now on Funkwelten is an album to interest those of more experimental electronic music persuasion. A collaboration between two sets of artists, Polygon and For a Space, the Polyspace project highlights both quality electronica, combined with lush keys and melodies. Reminiscent in parts of early techno, this is an album that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Warp Records old "Artificial Intelligence" series. A true meeting in the middle between the two musical disciplines of the traditional and the avantgarde, this is an album that should appeal to lovers of electronic music everywhere. /Mike Whyte

Belgium independent music in focus

• It's getting closer to the Belgian Independent Music Festival on December 27, with a reunited Klink, Snowy Red, Insekt, Male or Female and others on stage. Klinik promise to play many old hits. Organiser, Belgian magazine Dark Entries, has compiled a "Belgian Independent Music Compilation 2" with festival bands and other acts. It comes with their latest issue, no 46.
Release will attend the fest and we hope to be able to publish a report afterwards. /Mikael Kahrle

Deathstars re-release debut album
• Thanks to Swedish industrial metal band Deathstars' license agreement with Sound Pollution, we will soon see a re-release of their debut album “Synthetic Generation”, this time with lots of extra material. /Johan Carlsson

Apoptygma side-project out next year
• We have previously told you Stephan Groth, mastermind behind Norwegian technopop band Apoptygma Berzerk, has started a new project called Fairlight Children. The band consists of Stephan, a girl named Marianne B, and someone called Tiff. The music is described as relaxed electro, or electro-lounge. The first single taken from the upcoming album “808 Bit” will be “Before You Came Along”, out in February. The album follows on March 15. /Johan Carlsson, Jens Krause

Long awaited Nitzer Ebb box will soon come true
• In a recent newsletter from the label Playground - who licenses Mute in Scandinavia - they sneak in a line about the rumoured Nitzer Ebb box. It’s called “Body of Work 1984 - 1997” and goes on to list it as both CD and DVD. The release date is set for April 12, 2004. /Johan Carlsson

New Decree album unveiled



• After leaving Front Line Assembly, Chris Peterson has been busy with the follow-up to Decree’s “Wake of Devastation”. Now it’s finally completed, and it’s called “Moment of Silence”, although silence is probably not a big part of the album, judging by the last effort. The band's line up has changed, as John McRae - also part of Will - has left, and vocal duties is taken care of by Sean Lawson. Jeff Stoddard has also left the band, and his guitar playing is replaced by Ross Redhead. Alas, no date for release is set yet. /Johan Carlsson

New single from Kraftwerk
• After the recent album “Tour de France Soundtracks”, Kraftwerk will have a new single out next year. It’s taken from the album, and the lucky track is “Aero-Dynamik”. Both CD and 12” versions with an assortment of remixes will arrive on March 15, but as far as we can tell, only in UK. /Johan Carlsson

New event headlined by Karl Bartos
• On March 13, Karl Bartos, Statemachine and Colony 5 will perform at Kolingsborg in Stockholm under the name Static v1.0. Among the guest DJ:s we find the Client ladies from England, this time without Andy Fletcher it seems. More bookings will follow.
Other major Stockholm events include Black Lucia with Daybehavior, Run Level Zero and Interlace next weekend, Marilyn Manson and Peaches (later this month), Armageddon Dildos (later this month), Kraftwerk (three nights in February) and Einstürzende Neubauten (March). A bit later, there might be a second Sonic Havoc festival. See On Stage. /Mikael Kahrle

Goldfrapp used in commercial by David Fincher
• British duo Goldfrapp can be heard in the new Xelibri commercial with a remix of their hit "Strict Machine". The commercial is directed by David Fincher ("Fight Club"). /Mikael Kahrle

Paul Kendall helped by Alan Wilder

• According to www.alanwilder.de, Alan Wilder has helped musician, producer and remixer Paul Kendall on his album "Capture" (out now under the artist name The Digital Intervention). /Jens Krause

Cheers and laughters at Playground
• Although a majority of the music companies go through hard times, Swedish "mega-indie" Playground Music has earned over half a million Euros and sold for 15 million Euros this year. The Scandinavian company has showed black figures for three years. Playground work with many "Release releases" from Mute, SubSpace Communications, Memento Materia, SPV, Beggars Banquet, Eagle, XL and others. Playground bought Edel-Mega in July this year. /Mikael Kahrle

Universal Poplab duet with Nina Natri

Photo by: Rasmus Lindell

• Swedish synthpop newcomers Universal Poplab will release a second single called "New Baby Boom" in late January to make way for their debut album. The single is a duet featuring Nina Natri (ex-Fidget, Homy) and includes another song and three remixes. A video is also done to promote the single.
The label SubSpace Communications also plan releases with Spetsnaz, Tyskarna från Lund, Univaque and Vacuum. /Peter Takizawa, Mikael Kahrle

European release date for Front Line Assembly

• SPV reports the European release date for Front Line Assembly's new album "Civilization" will be January 26. The track list looks as follows: "Psychosomatic", "Maniacal", "Fragmented", "Vanished", "Strategic", "Civilization", "Transmitted (Come Together)", "Dissident" and "Schicksal". /Mikael Kahrle, Jens Krause

And One and Statemachine on the Autobahn
• And One and Statemachine will tour Germany during the latter half of January. The "Aggressor Tour 2004" ends in Berlin on January 30. /Mikael Kahrle

A new Popkomm

Messe Berlin.

• Popkomm, one of the world's leading music trade fairs, revealed the plans for the 16th fair in 2004, on a press conference at Moscow Club in Berlin this Wednesday. As the shaky music industry is undergoing major changes, Popkomm takes on a new direction.
Popkomm moves from Cologne to Berlin and the fair will be held later than usual next year, on September 29 to October 1 (previously August). Berlin offers more of everything and the organisers plan for more concerts and showcases during the nights in connection to Popkomm at Berlin's many venues and clubs. They spoke of Berlin's musical history where the Neue Deutsche Welle and other alternative genres have played a significant part. Today Berlin has around 1000 bands and 560 music companies.
Popkomm wants to put more emphasis on the indie scene.
- As a matter of fact, Popkomm definitely more than ever will be the place for the independent, Christian Göke, managing director of Messe Berlin claimed.
Popkomm will also focus on the technical evolution. And as Europe stands more and more united, they want the fair to be less German and more European by working harder with territories like Eastern and Southern Europe. /Mikael Kahrle

Arvika charge up for 2004
• Next year's festival in Arvika, Sweden, will take place the three days between July 15 and 17. 120 artists are expected to perform on six stages. 15 000 tickets will be available (cheaper before December 31). Arvika 2003 was sold out. /Mikael Kahrle

Official Nephilim site now open
• In accordance with Carl McCoy's wishes, the official Fields of the Nephilim web site is now open to the public. The site features just about everything you'd ever want to know about the band and is chocked full of amazing visuals.
According to the timeline for the band, Tony Pettit is no longer a member of The Nephilim (as they are called now). McCoy is forging ahead with a new album and speaks volumes about last year's fiasco with the album "Fallen". As to who is in the band currently, nothing is stated but there is a rather mysterious section of the site which is dedicated to "The Order of the 24th Moment" and is only accessible by being a member of said order. One cannot join, apparently, and the site states: "We will find you...". No live dates are mentioned and no recent interviews are available yet. More news as we get it. /Peter Marks

A look back with X Marks the Pedwalk
• The work of classic EBM band X Marks the Pedwalk headed by Sevren Ni-Arb will be available again. The Dying Culture label is releasing a double-disc digipak called "X Marks the Pedwalk - Experiences" filled with 30 tracks; both mixes, unreleased songs and classics. Look for it after Thursday. /Johan Carlsson

Tiamat on tour?
• Tiamat plan to tour with their new album "Prey" in early 2004, according to member Anders Iwers. Release Kalle Malmstedt was invited to Iwers home for a quick chat. Read the mini Spotlight. /Mikael Kahrle

Canadian industrial band makes soundtracks for comic

Weave live in Toronto this year.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• Canadian dark industrial act Weave performed in Toronto on stage in a rare appearance since opening for Hocico earlier last year. The electro performance marked the release of their new enhanced CD "Fraktal" which includes a mix by locals Epsilon Minus. The video "While I Bern Their Bodies Kleen" partially follows characterizations in the comic Elsinore. Weave are completing two soundtrack CD:s to be included in upcoming issues of the comic by Kenneth Lillie-Paetz and Brian Denham. /Alex Veronac

New Blutengel single

• The German horror-futurepop band Blutengel will soon have a brand new single out. It’s called “Forever” and comes out on December 8, via Out of Line. /Johan Carlsson

Retro synthpop generated by System
• The Swedish electro duo System - with Hr A and Hr B - makes minimalistic and retrostyled synthpop. An EP called “Generator EP” and the debut album “Silicon Based” is out now on Lobotom Records. They played live at the Stockholm club Metamatic, on the release party, November 28. /Johan Carlsson