[engl] Annie Lewandowski comes from Minnesota, a place full of things that are long and longer: church services, dinner tables, and worry lines, to name a few. Somebody said there are ten thousand lakes there; if that’s true, each of them shows up in some little way in Annie’s songs. She writes under the name Powerdove, which began as a band of one in California in 2007. A document of this brief solo era can be found on her EP Live from the Maybeck House (s/r, 2010). Before long, powerdove evolved into three; that trio (with Alex Vittum, percussion, and Jason Hoopes, bass) recorded Be Mine in 2009 (Circle into Square, 2010). On her new album, Do you Burn?, many of the songs were written along the scuzzy River Itchen in Hampshire, England, where Annie played concerts and went on the occasional European tour with Curtis McKinney, a laptop composer who uses Supercollider. After this year spent down by the sea, she returned to the US, settling in upstate New York and writing the rest of the material on the new album. When it came time to record, Annie enlisted the help of an old California friend, John Dieterich (Deerhoof), and a new French one, Thomas Bonvalet (L’Ocelle Mare). Three great improvisers, they worked fast. The result lies somewhere near the Marble Index, David Sylvian, Diane Cluck, and the Curtains (of which Annie is a former member). The roughness and fluidity of these tracks owe to their origin in mostly live takes, which have also lent a certain intima- cy to every sound: these are little songs to love, but there is also great mystery here, and even menace.

[engl] Sometimes I am bored of "new bands", sometimes I think will there ever be a band so exciting to bring me to the point of "I have to release this record asap" and sometimes there is just one answer - YES! One of the best synth punk albums that I've listened to in a while (like a long time). London's lo-fi synth punk, 2nd album and what a ripper! I think this record is eggcellent?! For all the eggpunks out there, we did it again! Haven't been this molested by good music in a while the whole album is killer and need to be played loud so everybody can hear it. The London one-man synth and garagepunk project is launching its first proper full-length release after some of its already very delicious singles and EPs. I have to say that Theo Zhykharyev just topped the recent short players with this album. The record is actually just one thing - one complete highlight. Something between Screamers meets early Numan/Tubeway Army and a health dose of DC hardcore. Awesome stuff! Energetic and slightly insane - it's hard not to love it. I think this will end up being one of the albums you whip out when someone claims no one makes great music anymore.

[engl] Preening is a band that is literally bursting with ideas. Their music is chockablock with tension and pressure -- gaskets blowing; pipes exploding; circuit boards fizzling out. A trio comprised of some of the Bay Area’s most active underground musicians, Preening are poised to cement themselves as one of their scene’s most crucial exponents of non-trad punk. Within Preening’s tumultuous music, elements careen and collide -- sax bleats; bass lines access spinal nerve-spots; drums poke and pound. When listening to Preening, one gets the idea that they are hyperactive butterfly-catchers; darting around with manic precision, trying to snare each and every winged creature, no matter how erratic its flight path. This speaks to both their innate curiosity and ability to improvise on a dime’s turn. This year has yielded a mini-deluge of Preening cassettes and EPs. On this release, the trio blast through 5 cuts of controlled chaos, exuding a nonchalant confidence in their mission. “Associated Press” lays it all out on the table -- Alejandra’s declarative vocals and commanding bass licks, Sam’s busy yet precise drum spasms and Max’s saxophone, which honks and squeals like Eric Dolphy was raised at Gilman Street. “PO Box” molds Preening’s art-punk into a danceable shape, but still keeping you off-balance while the song reasserts itself with each pass. “Greasetrap Frisbee” is a brief instrumental that closes out the side with everything-and the- kitchen-sink aplomb. On the flip, “Poison” finds Preening slowing down a smidge and focussing on groove as Max wails through both of his wind instruments (voice + sax). Ending with their “Face On,” Preening prove to be among the most exciting of a fresh crop of punks not content to regurgitate the same old formula. There’s no time like the present to participate. Take a look in the mirror and say Hello to the new you. -e/n

[engl] Forming amongst the toxic sludge in Los Angeles sewers rises the city’s greatest new threat, the PRETTIEST EYES. Their new album, LOOKS, is set to be released by Aagoo Records , on vinyl and digital formats. The band crafts a completely menacing blues-basedOriginally from San Juan, but now based in LA, the band operates as a three piece – Pachy takes care of the drumming and vocals. Marco plays bass and Paco plays keyboards, andCalifornia-based brethren, elevating songs from wild to straight-up berserker status. The three-pronged vocal effort calls to mindpsychedelic punk, loaded with razor-sharp elements and buzzing keyboards processed through effect pedals for an excruciating crunch.

[engl] “Very pleased to be working with these boys… I first saw them ages ago at the Sattelite and they were cake-takers that night…now, they are stronger and weirder than ever. I couldn’t believe this new batch of tunes and their bananas-energy live show and, their fans are hard-core heads, just a soup of dance and mouths agog brutal, fractured, pogoing beats played by Pachy, also the singer, belching out vocal smoke rings in the laser light above the din they are flat out commands, militaristic in their delivery and yet catchy, like you like em Marcos, an extro-sensual bassist who climbs inside of your mind-clothes while grinding out aggressively greasy throbs and pulls and Paco, the keyboardist who at times plays reeling wailing lines that could be mistaken for a number of other instruments…and the hair on this dude I have a hard time remembering how nice his face is offstage, all you can see is a whip wigging out they are captivating, they are odd, they make strange and interesting choices…futuristic and yet drawn from the same sonic sludge that all mankind derives from they live and breathe early Los Angeles punk vibes while still innovating at every turn there is electricity in this sound they simply rule and what a pleasure to hear the album doesn’t stray far from what makes them just melt it in person recorded perfectly to harness the animal on a nice inanimate slab of plastic you can take home for fans of Screamers, Suicide, Chrome, and yes, a hint of a down unda Birthday Party”

[engl] Last year’s Pools having taken up a sizable chunk of our cold dark hearts, we were delighted to hear that LA post-industrial trio Prettiest Eyes have a new gang of crowd-stirrers. None too early, either; once you’ve become accustomed to their clanging synthetic orbit, it’s hard to find other tunes that truly scratch the same itch. Volume 3 bursts at the seams with chrome-dipped timbres and surprise sharp edges, alien klaxon-calls and wailing dissonance offsetting the ziplock’d grease of their insistent drum and bass grooves. Prettiest Eyes are one of the most exciting live bands going on right now, and Volume 3 catches them in fine fettle.

[engl] Cold, dark and icy post punk hits noisy, nervous and insanely driven punk. Disappointment, irritability, alienation, teen-angst, nightmares and hypnagogic hallucinations, packed on a 7". Cold and bleak, but bouncing in defiance, with sporadic tinges of fear. While other bands of their ilk go for a more sullen approach, PRETTY HURTS harnesses their aggression to power through each song like a well-oiled machine. There’s a sense of urgency and neurosis that’s ever-present throughout Escapement, which makes this one of the better EPs to surface this summer. If there was any EXPECTATION for this 7" PRETTY HURTS can answer with a shy, cold but defining YES! get this EP or listen to the boring other stuff out there...

[engl] "Princip’s debut LP translated from Hebrew - “You Are Here”, is what Dean Klein’s (vocalist & guitarist) managed to abrasively sum up as his personal take on modern existence, along with the frustration that creation and creativity may bring with them. Together with Sefi Akrish (bass) and Ben Tversky (drums), that forms a prominent, dancy yet sledgehammer pounding rhythm section - Princip conflates an honest outcome of their natural musicianship bound. Melding together boldly vocals in Hebrew, angular guitars, bits of shrieking saxophone and cathedral-like organs & synths is what Princip’s quirky mix of loosey, chaotic and rebelliously groovy post-punk consists of. 24 minutes within 12 tracks that lingers on with the unique high’s and low’s of the band that might make you realize that - You Are Here.

[engl] A love affair between Australia and Spain - one for the real rockers out there. Those lovers truly can't cease to amaze. Highly enjoyable one-of-a-kind sounding stuff from these masterminds. Demento synth noise from the creepy depths of a dark basement. The energy, hooks, and rawness elevate this above also-ran status, so if you’re a fan of this sound, you have to love it. A wave of skrunky, Adderall-eyed eggpunk-worship. This Split EP is an impressive collection of tunes, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this rockers come up with next. Wrap your favorite body parts in tin foil, dye your eyebrows blue, and get ready to sweat out chemicals when you listen to this one.

[engl] PROGROMO was a short lived brain child of Bernd Zimmermann, the mastermind of bands like ADD, DEUTSCHDENCK and maybe most prominent ISOLIERBAND. Zimmermann recorded a bunch of tracks in 1982 at Joswigstudio in Dusseldorf, this happened right after - as story goes - EA80 recorded their famous debut full lenght. Red Lounge Records head honcho Tex Dixigas himself unearthed these recordings durings the time of research with the ISOLIERBAND releases.

[engl] PROGROMO was a short lived brain child of Bernd Zimmermann, the mastermind of bands like ADD, DEUTSCHDENCK and maybe most prominent ISOLIERBAND. Zimmermann recorded a bunch of tracks in 1982 at Joswigstudio in Dusseldorf, this happened right after - as story goes - EA80 recorded their famous debut full lenght. Red Lounge Records head honcho Tex Dixigas himself unearthed these recordings durings the time of research with the ISOLIERBAND releases.

[engl] New LP by brilliant Post-/Math-Rock band from Hong Kong.

[engl] New Mini-LP by brilliant Post-/Math-Rock band from Hong Kong, and their first release outside of of their homeland. Limited edition of 300 copies.

[engl] Although Wroclawian duo uses typical rock instruments and sound, they avoid referring to typical rock or post-rock structures; instead, guitars and drums as tools of composition owe a lot to syncretic Rock in Opposition scene, funk-hitting no wave, and post-punk that wished to turn its own limitations into unlimited space. Przepych is a response to these endeavors. Typical rock line-up instruments, enriched by samplers are handled by band members of the following formations: Kurws, Ukryte Zalety Systemu (UZS), Norymberga, Pustostany and others. Przepych is another one of many bands that rehearse at CRK Salka – a place and environment of musicians who associate themselves with Wroclaw-based DIY social-cultural center called CRK.

[engl] From the cradle to a 9-5 job, buried in unread emails and PMQ youtube alerts, tackling issues such as Question Time Bias and Workplace Etiquette. Public Body formed late 2018 with a clear aim to write the perfect soundtrack to whatever you do whilst procrastinating at your day job. 'Ask Me Later' “Labour-oppressive wellness initiatives; machinic lubricants. Half a century of unprocessed bitterness, constricted by social norms as corporate structures. The Program fails through successive firmware updates while, in the background, slideshow graphics show that rage tends towards infinity. The face of a destabilised workforce in a society that secretes symbolic concessions as a defence reflex against meaningful change. Your positive attitude is keeping us all in line.” Emil Mniszko ‘Table Manners’ "You are sitting in the lobby, a ghostly jingle drifts through the airwaves while a mute screen shows familiar suited men seated around a large circular table. The calendar says 2020, but that can’t be right. Memories of an information age fall away as the spectres of a forgotten future pass into you." Emil Mniszko

[engl] Public Body’s brand new EP is a five track counting work of chaotic post punk. Flavour of Labour’ was released digitally as well as on 12” vinyl via Six Tonnes De Chair Records! Its title gives away what inspired the Brighton-based post punk group to write their latest release, ‘Flavour of Labour’ talks about different themes such as terrible jobs, financial struggles, and describes social observations. It is the to the point lyricism that had me hooked to Public Body’s sound and style, add some guitar licks, swinging synths and pounding drums and you’ve got a mix of punk, garage and math rock that is vigorous and thrilling! Their EP was recorded at Echo Zoo studios and opens with the eccentric ‘Formica’, we can hear the influences of bands such as FEET (who producer and guitarist Theo Verney previously worked with), Squid and Sports Team. Those influences are reflected in the spoken vocals and fast paced soundscapes consisting of weird elements and rambling guitars! Their sound is an organised mess, a chaotic blend of effects and noise, yet catchy and repetitive like a mantra which makes their songs, such as ‘Flavour of Labour’, so easy to get addicted to! When working forty-odd hours in shitty call centre jobs, it’s barely possible to feel good when you arrive home after work, which is what inspired vocalist and guitarist Seb Gilmore to write a song… Or ten. Previously released singles ‘Hard To Concentrate’ and ‘Reset My Password’ are a breath of fresh air, a spacious sound that is fast paced and listens like a double shot of caffeine without having the jitters afterwards. These guitar-driven punk rock tracks are exactly what we need after a long day of work, feeling heard and understood and no longer so alone in leading a shitty work life. The agitation comes to life in their carefully crafted sounds and soundscapes, about the inspiration behind ‘Reset My Password’ and the situation at the height of COVID Gilmore said: “Everyone was clapping for NHS staff and key workers, and that got me thinking what my place is in all this mess. I then logged onto my work computer and was advised by a popup that it was time to reset my password. So I wrote a song about how pointless and useless my job is to the world when everything felt like it was breaking and seemed apocalyptic.” The EP’s closing statement is single ‘Sunburnt’, a screeching and ferocious track most melodic of all and politically charged like none of the others. It is relentless, energetic and potentially my favourite of the EP. A great slice of Public Body, as well as all other singles on the EP which has clearly been created with the end product in mind. All five tracks work hand in hand and bring a complete picture of what goes on in Public Body’s personal, professional, and musical mind! Words by Laura Rosierse

[engl] This is utterly brilliant, amazing stuff - my ears are blessed. Nihilistic post punk jams with a generous serve of primitive electronics. The music is beyond this universe, the message is perfect for our times. The post and synth punk on the first public interest recording, hailing from Oakland is quite variable, e.g. Sometimes hanging out the cold synthwave sounds like another electrified variant of DIÄT and USELESS EATERS in a spacy abgroovemode. Or how would it sound like AUSMUTEANTS and PUFF if both bands took something seriously? To put it simply, what we’ve got here is something like an under-caffeinated Television Personalities, or a darker Wire who stumbled upon synth. Great synthpop songs delivered with just the right amount of damage. But just really vicious at times, too. I mean, these teeth are gleaming. Rolling down a hill in a garbage can. Each song is belted out with a short, sharp fit, with some synthesisers occasionally glistening out at the edges. The restraint is all the more fierce as it amplifies everything that's fucked about them. This is pure and damn good, futuristic Post-Punk. Warm synthesizer sounds meet minimal instrumentation that already reminds of a purified version of TOTAL CONTROL. Behind the mask and the project hides Chris from MARBLED EYE, which the sound alone suggests, with such a sensitivity for super-mature songwriting that would have been even ahead in the '80s, and especially now.

[engl] New band from Switzerland, including Mike (YC-CY, WALTER FROSCH) and Roman (DEADVERSE, LO FAT ORCHESTRA). The LP contains 10 songs. Some kind of really original sounding post-punkish Noise-Rock (or vice versa). Superficially it's a violently trashy and noisy sound, but behind that wall of noise are cool and infectious tunes. Yeah, awesome Noise-Rock, and not all like the title (same as always) suggests.

[engl] Surprising new Post-Punk album from Switzerland! Shortly following the first album, here´s more of the athmospheric, dark and melodic Post-Punk, Shoegaze and Noise-Pop sounds, vibrating into one huge movement. With the first LP, they remained in mystical obscurity, but at least we know now it´s a swiss “all-star band” including Mike of YC-CY/WALTER FROSCH, and more. LP comes with 16-pages A5-booklet feat. lyrics and photos.

[engl] With a slight line up change in the drum department we see RAKTA tighten up their more tense, soundtrack natured developments alongside their more sparse and vulnerable elegance. They consistently manage to create a tripped out creep chamber with room to explore as the aura builds to nightmare crescendos juxtaposed with shaking silences. Simultaneously eerie and serene. With each new release we see more and more of what makes this group so essential in the canon of modern music.

[engl] RANK / XEROX from San Francisco finally return with four songs of messy post-punk with hidden pop james and dark guitar scratchers and synth screamers. Distorting messy and catchy at the same time.

[engl] On their first release since 2017, the elusive RANK/XEROX treat us to two delightfully dreary pop tunes that present a Factory/4AD gloom with an icy silver lining. There is hope in the notes but what lingers most is a dystopian trod through life on Earth in 2019. The resiliency of humanity is inspiring but will that be enough to keep us all going? Probably not. The fatal flaw of humanity is, well, that it is human at its core. Let's dance? 350 black and 150 transparent green vinyl records housed in a 12pt reverse board glue pocket sleeve with an 11x17 poster and download card included. Recorded by the band. Mixed by Mikey Young. Mastered by Joe Carra. Art by Kevin McCarthy.