News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Four Scandinavian dates for Depeche Mode

August 31 2005 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg)

As expected, four new Depeche Mode dates were released today, for Scandinavia. Still no word on the rumoured 60 000+ people outdoor summer concert at the Ullevi arena in Gothenburg, but after today's announcement it's of course less likely.

Depeche Mode will play Gothenburg on February 26, Oslo on February 28, Stockholm on March 1 and Helsinki on March 3. As previously reported, Copenhagen will be visited on February 25.

Bodies without Organs aim at UK

August 26 2005 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

Electropop trio Bodies without Organs, with controversial Alexander Bard and Swedish synthpop queen Marina Schiptjenko, have just closed a fat contract with EMI in UK, which is the next step in their expanding career. Brits can expect a major launch of the band this autumn, with “Sixteen Tons of Hardware” as first single. The debut album and several singles are already out on EMI in their home country Sweden as well as in other territories.

EMI UK got interested in the band because of the Bodies' great success in Eastern Europe, where they are more or less superstars. In the eighties and nineties Marina Schiptjenko played in synthpop act Page at small clubs, in Sweden only.

Let's see how Western Europe responds to Bodies without Organs' sugary electropop.

Russians pay tribute to Project Pitchfork

August 26 2005 | By: Peter Takizawa (Tokyo, Japan)

Tribute compilations has always been a popular way in the alternative genre to reach a new audience for unestablished bands, by riding on the reputation of the band they pay tribute to.

A recently announced Russian tribute to Project Pitchfork is however one of the oddest we at Release have heard of. The compilation will be released on Russian indie label Q-Code Records and will be entitled "Russian Existence", exclusively featuring Russian artists from a variety of genres.

Barbican to host Japanese/German electronic music collaboration

August 26 2005 | By: Mike Whyte (Tokyo, Japan)

For those who appreciate quality music in a glorious setting, the Barbican, London's premier multi-art venue, will be hosting a very special collaboration between Ryuichi Sakamoto (composer of "The Last Emperor" amongst other numerous projects) and Alva Noto (Berlin-based pioneering electronic and visual designer) this October. Titled "Insen", and in support of an album of the same name, it promises to be a captivating blend of digital sound, delicate piano and on-stage video sculpting.

This special event, part of the "Onlyconnect" series of live events, is scheduled for October 10.

Robert A. Moog (1934-2005) music pioneer

August 23 2005 | By: Alex Veronac (Toronto, Canada)

Moog at work.

The development of the economical MiniMoog synthesizer brought on modern sounds of the early progressive art rock and new wave movements. It's inventor, Dr Robert A. Moog succumbed to brain cancer at age 71 in his home in North Carolina, USA two days ago, on August 21.

Moog built his first electronic musical instrument at age 14, that being a Theremin originally invented by Russian Lev Sergeyevich Termen some 29 years earlier. Bob Moog's music instruments and ideas were highlighted in the 2004 Hans Fjellestad documentary film "Moog" which featured many musicians who caught on to the advent of Moog's synthesizer. The company he founded produced instruments included the Moog Prodigy, Moog Liberation, MIDI Moog and earlier modular synthesizer designs. An impressive partial list of Moog synthesizer users can be found here.

A public memorial celebration is planned for Wednesday at the Orange Peel Club in Asheville, NC.

Ladytron confirm album release date

August 21 2005 | By: Aimée Kreuger (Stockholm, Sweden)

Ladytron live 2005.

With the single "Sugar" already out and "Destroy Everything You Touch" on its way (September 19), Ladytron have finally set a date for the release of their album "Witching Hours".

Originally, the album was to be released this summer, but the new release date is October 3, with a subsequent UK tour the same month.

Longing fans can now get renewed faith in the old adage "Good things come to those who wait": the video for "Destroy Everything You Touch" is out, with a chilly, beautiful video (which can be experienced at the Ladytron site). That is indeed good.

During their work with "Witching Hour", Ladytron signed for Island/Universal Records.

The track listing looks like this: 1. "High Rise" 2. "Destroy Everything You Touch" 3."International Dateline" 4. "Soft Power" 5. "CMYK" 6. "AMTV" 7. "Sugar" 8. "Fighting in Built up Areas" 9. "Last One Standing" 10. "Weekend" 11. "Beauty 2" 12. "White Light Generator" 13. "All the Way".

Tomcraft brings out more hard electro

August 21 2005 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

The German electro DJ Tomcraft has finished his third album, ”Hyper Sexy Conscious”, due out this September. First single “Dirty Sanchez” is already out, and the next single “Quelle heure est-il” is out tomorrow.

More Solitary Experiments

August 21 2005 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

German electro/EBM band Solitary Experiments will release their new album on September 29, via Out of Line. Included with the limited edition is an extra disc with the band's first live album.

Music for the masses from Apoptygma Berzerk

August 21 2005 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

Stephan Groth and his band are back in the limelight again, with their new album “You and Me Against the World”.

With old guitarist Anders Odden back in the band, the sound is more rock laden this time. Apoptygma Berzerk have already brought us (and radio stations everywhere...) the single “In This Together”. It's shameless approach has left fans wondering. I quite like the song though.

The album is out on September 12. There will (of course) be a limited edition, with two bonus tracks.

XP8 is back

August 21 2005 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)

More German EBM comes in the form of XP8, back with a new album called “(Hrs:Min:Sec)”. Check it out on September 19, and apparently you can await a mix of EBM and psy-trance.

M'era Luna 2005: a wet affair

August 17 2005 | By: Karin Martinsson (Hildesheim, Germany)

Waiting for the festival to take off.
Photo by: Karin Martinsson

Skinny Puppy, The Sisters of Mercy, The Neon Judgement, Hocico, Gåte, The Klinik, Kiew, Qntal, Deine Lakaien, Combichrist, The Birthday Massacre... There were many reasons to get wet on this year's edition of M'era Luna.

Besides the rain that turned the camping and festival area into small lakes and mud, M'era Luna 2005 attracted some 21 000 black-dressed goth, industrial, EBM and darkwave visitors with its impressive line-up. In total, some 40 bands gave it all on two stages in Germany's Hildesheim on August 13-14.

- We are very satisfied with this year's festival, even if we did not break last year's record of 23 000 tickets sold, says the festival's communication manager Mathias Petzhold.

- All bands entered the stages as planned, although it was close that The 69 Eyes shouldn't make it in time. We are already looking forward to organise next year's festival, he continues.

Complete report coming up soon.