Sparring ‘bout an “eye for an eye” — mythomaniac!

If someone told you it was gonna be this way before

You’d probably just remain as far away as you can evermore

Glasgow-based synth project Soft Riot is a delightful oddity that, thankfully, defies easy categorization. This long running retro-tinged, multidisciplinary, and undeniably imaginative endeavour recently graced us with a quirky and surreal tenth studio album, “No,” back in August. Among the collection of songs, a particular gem shines bright — It Never Takes Long to Say No, a track that waltzes through the cosmos of synth melodies, taking a detour into the land of experimental rhythms.

Soft Riot’s “No.” is out now. The record can be acquired through Possession Records and Wave Tension Records (NL).

Order the album here.

Follow Soft Riot:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Soundcloud

The post Glasgow-Based Retro Synth Project Soft Riot Debuts Video for “It Never Takes Long to Say No” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Moving along, stellar overdrive

Soft Riot, a retro-infused multidisciplinary artistic and imaginative synthesizer music venture, is set to release its tenth album No. on August 11th. The album can be acquired through Possession Records and Wave Tension Records (NL). One of the forthcoming new album’s standout pieces is “Linked Between Two Minds,” an enchanting fusion of cosmic-inspired synth melodies and experimental rhythms that transcend the conventional “4 bars of 4/4” pattern prevalent in most contemporary compositions.

This song combines the styles of Skinny Puppy and Martin Dupont into a unique art-pop creation. The haunting vocals of maestro Jack Duckworth can be heard over a mix of synth and percussion, creating a dynamic and intriguing sound. The blend of familiar and new elements makes for a dynamic and impressive auditory experience.

In the surrealist realm of Soft Riot’s music videos, the visionary eye of Duckworth serves as the director, marshaling dreams into reality. This creative genius doesn’t confine his craft to Soft Riot, however. Alongside the uniquely inventive Georgina Penstkart from Glasgow, he forms half of the artistic entity known as Flustervision. In this collaboration, their joint imagination embarks on journeys with artists like She Past Away, The Tomorrow Syndicate, and Marta Raya, spawning visual odysseys that are as captivating as they are mysterious.

“Music videos are an extension of my visual arts practice that I’ve been doing for decades for bands and promoters with poster design, collage work, album covers and more,” says Duckworth. “I’ve been doing design and art for almost as long as I’ve been doing music. Videos are taking visual ideas that come to mind and applying them to a song, moving in motion with the music.”

The original idea for “Linked Between Two Minds” came from a number of dreams Duckworth had relating the subject matter of the lyrics — strange and unexplained moments of mental synchronicity between two or more people, which maybe link into a grander, cosmic scheme of things.

“This video is one that has taken me the longest to produce so far. I made storyboards of all of the “scenes” in the video and then presented them to a group of friends here in Glasgow — all who work or have worked in music, creative arts in performance — and we all got into a local arts/music space here one night and filmed ourselves in front a green screen after which I brought to life.”

Watch the video for “Linked Between Two Minds” below:

The Glasgow-residing Canadian synth maestro Jack Duckworth, more commonly known by his stage name JJD, releases his tenth opus, ‘No.‘, under the Soft Riot banner. Admired for his distinguished ‘synthlord’ resonance within the European underground synth/post-punk scene, ‘No.‘ accentuates Soft Riot’s idiosyncratic artistic finesse within the ‘darkwave/synth’ genre.

Duckworth intricately weaves in strains of synthpop, Italo disco, and EBM, all while maintaining an indie flair that harks back to his earlier immersion in the 1990s North American underground hardcore/punk scene. This eclectic mix underscores his unorthodox approach, blending influences from various stages of his musical journey and showcasing his flexibility as an artist, all the while staying true to his unique sonic aesthetics.

The first forty copies of the vinyl LP will be sold through Bandcamp or live shows. They will come with a limited edition 32-page zine as an accompaniment to the record.

Order the album here, and find remixes and more for “Linked Between Two Minds” on Bandcamp below:

Follow Soft Riot:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Soundcloud
• Twitter

The post Retro Synth Project Soft Riot Ventures Through a Surreal Dreamscape in the Video for “LINKED BETWEEN TWO MINDS” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Athens-based EBM artist Qual (aka William Maybelline of Lebanon Hanover) sculpted the track into a stompy, aggressive rework. Meanwhile, in Glasgow Scotland, dark electronic disco group Ubre Blanca (Giallo Disco) twisted the track into a propulsive, rhythmic dance number. Finally…Soft Riot himself emerged from his mad scientist laboratory and cooked up his own alternate version of the track: the extended Sodium Glow Version.

For the purists, here’s the original track and video,  shot and directed by Soft Riot in Scotland. William Maybelline of Lebanon Hanover/Qual and MM Lyle of Marcel Wave make cameos in the video as well. You can read about the release here.

These three remixes are gathered on this release to tide over fans whilst Soft Riot toils behind the scenes for a new release in 2023. They also plan a series of shows in Germany including this week at Gothic Pogo (Leipzig), and Weird Science Festival (Frankfurt). German fans can find more info here.

The post Retro Synth Act Soft Riot Unveils Three New Versions of “Windows to the Wild” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“This concept translated itself into an idea about writing and the creative process in general, with that process translating into a metaphor about pouring one’s energy into a writing a book and the frustrations and breakthroughs that come with that creation process,” says the band.

The video itself was shot and directed by Soft Riot in Scotland over the course of a month or two, including the “outlandish” former industrial site of Ardeer, located on the Firth of Clyde just south of Glasgow. William Maybelline of Lebanon Hanover/Qual and MM Lyle of Marcel Wave make cameos in the video as well.

The frenetic, kinetic cinema verité style of camerawork makes for a surrealist experience, cutting between the gonzo writer at work banging away on his typewriter with various vices, and his imagination running amok through the fields. It’s a traipse through time, not landing anywhere in particular but The Land of Weird. A great visual for the track.

Watch below:

The track comes out on a new compilation, entitled Upperwave Selections Vol. 1, available on digital and cassette on 01 December 2021 via Miseria Records, a new Berlin-based record label started by Carlos Grabstein (89s† & Petra Flurr). It features a well-curated collection of artists offering cream of the crop electronic/wave tracks, including contributions by Filmmaker, Oberst Panizza, QEK Junior, Transhuman Rebirth and more.

Order Here

Likewise, Soft Riot announces a remix of “Corrupt State”, by Steven Jones & Logan Sky and featuring Steve Strange via Etrangères Musique.

Logan Sky was the synth player and producer in the final line-up of the legendary New Romantic group Visage, and was an instrumental force behind the group’s final 2013 release “Hearts & Knives”. After Steve Strange’s untimely death in 2015, Logan and his new musical partner Steven Jones picked up the track “Corrupt State”, an unreleased Visage track which was one of the last Strange contributed to — for the duo’s 2017 release of the same name. Logan Sky approached Soft Riot about re-working the track as a remix. Arrangement, programming and additional synth work was done by JJD. Additional electronic percussion, samples and vocals by MM Lyle (Marcel Wave).

The remix is sluggish, eerie; almost Lynchian via Blade Runner-Vangelis compositions, with scathing lyrics railing against political corruption. The dystopian poetry asks deep philosophical questions, a quavering chorus anchoring the track into stark reality. It’s despairing and yet floats through on a wave of futuristic optimism. A beautiful reworking.

Follow Soft Riot:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Soundcloud
• Twitter

The post Retro Synth Act Soft Riot Debuts Video “Windows To The Wild”—Plus Listen to Remix of Unreleased Visage Track “Corrupt State” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Originally Soft Riot’s Jack Duckworth had intended the album as a comprehensive archive of unreleased material collecting over the past decade: demos, odd bits, and other ephemera. Second Lives sees the release fine-tuned into an album of its own right, focusing on key tracks and bringing out their strengths, updating old tracks — often ones that are still played out live — providing them new life and perspective.

Tracks include redone versions of “Cinema Eyes,” “Another Drone In Your Head” and “Write Yourself Into The Void” (all from 2013’s Fiction Prediction), outtake tracks from 2020’s Chin Up and 2019’s When Push Comes To Shove, as well as out-of-print cover songs with new mixes from singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn and the legendary punk band Nomeansno.

Soft Riot has been keeping busy between album releases, appearing on various compilation albums, collaborations, and remix projects.

One revisited track was 2013’s “Cinema Eyes.” The video for the track was given a glitchy, German Expressionist reworking with a nod to Fritz Lang.

Other projects involving Soft Riot include remixes for Logan Sky and Steven Jones (Visage), a collaboration with Iv/An and Madmoizel for a group project called Tral Neu, a contribution to DREAM BABY DREAM – Compilation #1, and  OSTROFTI – Sudden Vision Zones (Mantra #02), a four-track album to be released under a moniker used by Soft Riot; meandering soundtrack pieces delving into ambience, drone and soundtrack-influenced electronic music. This will be released on the US imprint label Meditape on 11 July 2021 through the label and the Soft Riot store.

Listen below:

Second Lives will be available on CD, cassette, and digital.

Order Here

Tracklisting

1. Lovers In A Dangerous Time — Bruce Cockburn cover
2. Cinema Eyes (Version IV)
3. Another Drone In Your Head (Second Version)
4. Your Back To The Stone (March Version)
5. Write Yourself Into The Void (Second Version) — Nomeansno cover
6. We Are The Chopped (Second Version)
7. Fool For A Day
8. Long And Tangled Thoughts

Follow Soft Riot:

• Website
• Facebook
• SoundCloud
• Twitter
• YouTube

The post Retro Synth Act Soft Riot Releases “Second Lives,” a Collection of Rare and Reworked Tracks appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The homey bar, with its “living room flair,” is a cultural hub for the city, a gathering place for artists and home to misfits in Berlin.

“I ended up at Dream Baby Dream quite by chance, often the best way to find things. It’s a place with a genuine passion for music and a certain aesthetic that doesn’t contradict having an open mind for something different. This is not to be taken for granted these days, where people look for the quick road to “success” without giving much thought about what makes music important in the first place,” says Ason Teva, whose track Malmilian is featured on the record.

The album features a diverse array of performers garnering their support for the venue from all over the globe, including Zachery Allan Starkey/Bernard Sumner, Acid Couple, Phase Fatale, Front 313, Miles Brown, Soft Riot, Peter Kirn, and many more.

Front 313’s Alan Oldham weighed in on his contribution, and the importance of Dream Baby Dream to Berlin’s musical landscape: “Before the pandemic, you could play a techno set anywhere in Berlin. But what if you wanted to play a shoegaze/postpunk set? Or an old school, non-mixed industrial set? Not only is Dream Baby Dream a great space filled with all us expats and misfits, it is a needed venue for diversity of musical (and visual) expression, and it’s very important that it survives this current situation. I was glad to help, and would Again.”

Post-Punk.com joins forces with The Brvtalist, CDM, KEYI Magazine and Renee Ruin as media patrons for this project. Partnering labels include Sonic Groove, Instruments of Discipline, BITE, Liber Null, X-IMG, aufnahme + wiedergabe, Braid Records, Antibody, and PI Electronics.

Help preserve an important part of Berlin: the digital album is available for purchase and streaming here.

Here is the track list in full:

1. Funf Euro Bitte by Phase Fatale/Unhuman
2. Shadows by Fairground of Tears
3. Ornias by Halv Drøm
4. Blowout by Acid Couple
5. Force  by Zachery Allan Starkey feat. Bernard Sumner
6. Refactor (Instrumental) by Primary
7. CyborgEnabler by Peter Kirn
8. Total Control by Patrick DSP
9. World Condition by Sarin (MÆDON remix)
10.  Abhorred by Clarissa
11.  Isolate by FRONT 313
12.  Recon Mission by ADAM X (SARIN REMIX)
13. The Gateway by Miles Brown
14. A Spade Is Played Again by Soft Riot
15. Imagine If Your Hand Were A Drug by OPERANT
16. Everything Burns by Spit Mask
17. Exit To The Beat by CANDY
18. Blood Is Beauty by MÆDON
19. Dancing With Myself  by LIIneas (aka Eve Schwarz)
20.  L’Isle Tornoiant by RAUM
21. Fake Placebo by 3.14 feat. IN ATLAS
22. Malmilian by Ason Teva
23.  I Hope Your Dreams Come True by The Horrorist

The post Berlin Institution Dream Baby Dream Releases All Star Underground Music Compilation appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Each August, meteors fall in a spectacular shower known as The Perseids. Saint Laurentius, whose feast day is commemorated every August 10, met his martyrdom on an outdoor iron grill. The August skies have been described throughout history as “crying stars,” giving rise to the colloquial term, “St. Lawrence’s tears” (Laurentiustränen in German).

Laurentiustränen’s lyrics describe the annual August starfall as “drops of sorrow,” comparing them to a smile, a figure, a flash of the eyes – all memories one wishes to hold dear forever, but as ephemeral as the flash of a plummeting meteor.

The video visually complements the Polish-born Raya’s clear, minimalist vocals. A collaborative effort between Raya, Georgina Pentskart and JJD (as Flustervision), Laurentiustränen was filmed on location on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast. The rugged landscape serves as a dramatic backdrop, with a generous helping of retro-futuristic effects. Raya’s kohl-lined eyes pop out against hi-contrast crags, ancient walls, and cloudy skies. She weaves in and out of the background; a melancholy traveler through the time-space continuum.

Watch the video below:

Soft Riot’s Jack Dkwrth of Possession Records had this to say about the video’s production in a recent blog post.

“Over the years I’ve become increasingly more interested in video, channeling this into the numerous videos I’ve done for Soft Riot and Possession Records over the years, as well as perhaps having a strong interest in film in general. It’s an artform that for me bridges the gap between music, film that I’m interested in as well as my years of experience being a graphic designer. Around a year ago I teamed up with local video artist and video effects wizard Georgina Penstkart to do something creative with a partner, mainly as all the music and graphic design I do was a one-person operation and I was craving to work with other people again. Previously that had been playing in bands but I thought I’d try something that I hadn’t done before. We opted to choose the name Flustervision for our video work, the name chosen from a fake film credit used in the Possession Records Short Film 02 video released late last year.

Last year we shot a lot of footage for a video for Berlin-based artist Marta Raya on her visit to play in Glasgow, using locations in the Clyde Muirshiel moors outside of Glasgow as well as a few locations along the Ayrshire coast, including Dunure Castle and Portencross Castle. We also shot footage in the studio on a green screen. This footage was layered and composited together in an initial edit and then treated through a number of Penstkart’s analogue modular video synthesizers.”

“REFLECTION” will be released as a 12″ LP on EINS:ZWEI:ACHT in February of 2020.
eins-zwei-acht.com

The post Marta Raya Releases Mesmerizing New Video For “Laurentiustränen” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“Taking Off The Edge” is a bubbly foray into a synth´ and colour saturated parallel universe, infused with shimmering horns, and spastic metallic sounds, sonically showcasing Soft Riot as being a vessel from which the quirkiness of late-night television programs such as the much-lauded Night Flight lives on.

Watch the video below:

When Push Comes To Shove is available as vinyl LP, digital CD, and digital download.

Pre-Order Here

“Taking Off The Edge” is also available as free/pay-as-you-want digital single with two exclusive non-album tracks that you can pick up here.

The post Watch Soft Riot’s Foray into a Bubbly Synth Infused Parallel Universe with “Taking Off The Edge” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The Eyes In The Walls reflects Soft Riot synth maestro Jack Dkwrth’s personal take on the anxieties of urban living and existing a media-saturated world.

Conceptually the video is an immersive glimpse into a parallel universe where a Network 23-style cable access channel mirrors the absurdities of our own consumer existence, including the station ID’s and product advertisements that bookend the experience.

Additionally, you can watch the full promotional video for the album below—a film which stands alone in it’s own right by building a world that exist 1980’s nostalgia fueled dystopia.

The Outsider In The Mirrors is  out Feb 9th on Possession Records.

The post Soft Riot showcases a psychedelic synth collage in the video for “The Eyes On The Walls” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.