This vintage delight will hit the stores on December 8, 2023. For the enthusiasts waiting with bated breath, you can pre-order it now.

A Look into the Past with a Modern Lens

Dais Records, the bastion of sonic innovation and visual prowess, has always celebrated the rich tapestry of music’s past while pushing its boundaries. It’s no wonder, then that this collaboration with Retrospekt feels so apt. With Retrospekt’s mission of “Reviving retro tech for a new generation,” the two giants seem to be in harmony.

Dais co-founders Gibby Miller and Ryan Martin wax poetic about the days when the tactile pleasure of cassettes reigned supreme. For them, the cassette isn’t a relic but a timeless piece.

Martin is adamant about the format’s enduring potency:

“Cassettes aren’t nostalgic, they’re relevant. Making a mix tape for a friend or love interest is a talismanic offering. It’s a reaching out, a sharing of discovery.”

For Miller, too, cassette culture was seismic; he continues to see singular strengths in the limitations of older technologies:

“Having a device solely dedicated to music may seem unique to a person today, but there’s also a purity in it. The ritual of hitting play. Feeling the hum of the machine. Flipping at the end of the side. Tapes changed everything for me.”

Retrospekt’s journey, spearheaded by Adam and Kori Fuerst, echoes this sentiment. Starting with refurbishing vintage cameras, they expanded their offerings to include tape players, Game Boys, and other nostalgic tech wonders.

 “These vintage machines aren’t obsolete – they still provide pleasure and enjoyment,” says Adam. “More and more people today realize this, and they want to have an organic, intentional experience without their metadata being tracked by some corporation.”

The Craft Behind the Cassette Player

Nathaniel Young, Dais’ in-house creative maven, has meticulously redesigned the CP-81, ensuring that both the player and packaging exude a touch of minimalist elegance. This edition is bundled with Dais headphones, ensuring that listeners experience the compilation tape, C23, in all its glory.

Features: Play, Fast-Forward, Rewind, Record, Microphone Jack, Headphone Jack, USB Power Supply (Type-C), Battery Operable. Contents: Cassette Player, 223 Cassette, 2x AA Batteries, Dais Headphones, User Guide.

The C23 compilation pays homage to the legendary UK indie tape collection C86, and boasts unreleased tracks from artists such as High Vis, RIKI, and Drew McDowall.

Listen to the first three released tracks below:

For the digitally inclined, the compilation will be accessible on streaming platforms from December 8 – you can pre-save it here.

Track List

SIDE A:

High Vis – Forgot To Grow
High-Functioning Flesh – Down To Sense
Riki – SAS (For Those Who Speak And Spake)
Private World – Through The Distance
Body of Light – Out of Season (Demo Instrumental)
Helm – Evil Ceramics
Choir Boy – Happy to Be Bad With You (Demo)
Tor Lundvall – Black Fly Day
CoH – Vow a Vow
SPICE – I Don’t Want To Die In NY (Remix)

SIDE B:

VR SEX – Runway Runaway (Demo)
Xeno & Oaklander – Hoplite (Demo)
Tempers – Camino Del Sol (Antena Cover)
Cold Showers – Sliver (Inner City Remix)
AURAGRAPH – No Control
ADULT. – Few Warnings Are Important (2003)
Drew McDowall – Animals Will Sing
SRSQ – Phantasmata
Cold Gawd – Gin (At The Mountain)

About Dais Records: From its inception in 2007, Dais Records has been a beacon for pioneering sounds ranging from darkwave and post-punk to ambient and industrial. Its 16-year journey showcases a fusion of old-school sensibilities with the cutting edge.

About Retrospekt: Hailing from Milwaukee, Retrospekt has been the go-to hub for analog aficionados. From vintage cameras to classic gaming consoles, they’ve rekindled the joys of yesteryears with a modern twist.

Follow Dais Records:

Dais Records | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Retrospekt:

Retrospekt | Instagram

The post Dais Records To Release Retrospekt Walkman and 223 Cassette Compilation — Listen to New Songs from High Vis, RIKI, and Drew McDowall appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“We were both overjoyed to talk to Thomas, Eric, and Gero, who share the same kind of excitement and passion that we have,” says the band’s Matt McIntosh. “We’re really proud, and glad it’s in Nexilis’ experienced and capable hands!”

“Signing, supporting and promoting newcomers is very important to us, so we are delighted to welcome A Cloud of Ravens, one of the currently most promising Dark Wave meets Post-Punk acts, to Schubert Music Europe and Nexilis,” says Thomas Thyssen, managing director of Schubert Music Publishing, and head of Recorded Music for Schubert Music Europe. “Beth and Matt are not only versatile artists, but more importantly great people who fit perfectly into our label roster and our label philosophy. Here’s to a great working relationship!“

Forming in the autumn of 2018, A Cloud of Ravens landed strong with a string of self-released offerings and marking their place in the burgeoning contemporary dark scene. The duo released their first full-length Another Kind of Midnight in 2021; a mournful yet triumphant paean exploring the damage caused by moral tribalism amidst a devastating pandemic.

This was followed by a remix EP, featuring reimagined tracks by artists such as ACTORS, Clan of Xymox, Chris Vrenna, John Fryer, and Ritual Howls.
Singer/guitarist Matt McIntosh and bassist Beth Narducci immediately began work on the next album last spring, mastered by Jason Corbett at Jacknife Sound.

Lost Hymns will be released in February 2023 with a single, The Blackest Mantra, coming out on the 2nd of September. The duo will be supporting Clan Of Xymox on their big US tour in the fall of 2022.

The post Brooklyn Darkwave Outfit A Cloud of Ravens Sign with Nexilis appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

In 1978, Nash and Dannie Flesher sold their Denver shop of the same name and relocated to 2449 North Lincoln Avenue. They founded the music label in 1980. Before launching the independent label, Nash and Flesher would use the North Lincoln Avenue storefront to promote and produce concerts for then-unknown artists such as Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Birthday Party, New Order, Einstürzende Neubauten, The Sisters of Mercy, Divine, and more. WAX TRAX! was responsible for bringing many artists to Chicago for the first time.

“Most tickets sold ran through this iconic building”, says Julia Nash, daughter of Jim.

WAX TRAX! RECORDS is credited for popularizing a new genre called “Industrial Dance,” later shortened as “Industrial.” Ministry, Front 242, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Revolting Cocks, KMFDM, Front Line Assembly, The KLF, Underworld, Coil, Psychic TV, Laibach, and more all got their footing in the U.S. through the label.

Wax Trax! opened its hallowed doors in a building that once housed a funeral parlour. They carried thousands of unique and rare titles in a vast range of genres: dance, soul, R&B, heavy metal, electronic, rockabilly, hardcore, glam, and avant-garde, as well as imports, indie releases, and bootlegs. The store was the center of underground music and culture in the Midwest throughout the 1980s and ’90s, serving as the go-to for music fans and musicians alike.  Wax Trax! was graced by huge stars during their Chicago visits: Robert Plant, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Black Flag, Buzzcocks, and the B-52s. They remained there until relocating in 1993.

“The store itself was an underground cultural mecca for people from all over the city, statewide and internationally to discover new music (like) punk and electronic,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “At the time they were frowned-upon genres, but they became very important in music culture.” The store’s staff, comprised mainly of musicians and DJs, became a valuable source of expert guidance and tips for cutting-edge and fringe artists, paving the way toward later marketing concepts in similar stores.

Julia Nash, the director of the 2018 documentary Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records, found her “true self” at the store and relocated to Chicago in 1987. From there, she has immersed herself in the rich Wax Trax! legacy. She equates Wax Trax! to iconic Chicago blues label Chess Records, which enjoys landmarked status. Although the genres are different, their importance to music fans is undeniable.

Julia Nash has launched a petition for her late father’s store to be landmarked. The designation will ensure that the building will not be demolished, or the exterior altered. Nearly 5000 people have already signed as of the writing of this article. She hopes to submit a historic landmark application by March 1 to the city’s Department of Planning and Development at its March 15 meeting, a move acknowledging the store and record label’s place in music history.

“If this store or label has meant anything to you at any point in your life, we hope you will join us at preserving this important physical piece of music history,” says Julia Nash.

For more information on the landmarking effort and to sign the petition, visit petitions.com.

The post WaxTrax! Co-founder’s Family Petition Chicago for Landmark Status for Record Store’s Original Location appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

First up: HAVING TO TALK DESTROYS THE SYMPHONY OF SILENCE, a special edition four-way compilation featuring Richard Ramirez, Hive Mind, VOMIR, and Astro (A/K/A Hiroshi Hasagawa and Rocoh). This is a limited special edition of 50 box sets, pro-dubbed on red/white cassette shells, cased in a black box, and set with black leather obi strips. An edition of 500 2LPs will be announced for order in the new year.

Flesh Prison also announces the release of their first art book, “Unfinished, Decomposing and Re-Assembled: The Fashion Works of Richard Ramirez. NOT to be confused with the serial killer of the same name, Richard Ramirez is a prolific musician, widely recognized as a leading pioneer of the Industrial subgenre known as harsh noise. Ramirez uses predominantly homemade noise sources, using things from the earth, like rocks and human-made, decomposed, and repurposed steel and metal. At times, the piece works in conjunction with extremely well-crafted controlled feedback – and at other times, sporadic squealing feedback.

Although known predominantly for his work in the sonic realm, he is also a brilliant fashion designer. Ramirez began designing clothing in the ’80s. As a child, he learned sewing skills watching his bedridden paternal grandmother’s handicrafts. In homage to her, he named his fashion line Richard Saenz. 

THE FASHION WORKS OF RICHARD RAMIREZ

Informed musically by goth-rock and the local club scene, Ramirez has worked with the likes of Merzbow, The Haters, Con-Dom, Smell & Quim. Most recently, Ramirez has collaborated with Thurston Moore, which will soon be available in a powerful LP. Unfinished, Decomposing and Re-Assembled is out and available internationally, as well as alongside the book release, there will also be a limited edition of 25 hand-dyed long sleeve shirts, each unique to their own; as well as 10 crop-top shirts.

Hive Mind is the solo project of multidisciplinary LA-based artist Greh Holger (Chondritic Sound). Hive Mind blasts low-frequency oscillation and filter sweeps, giving the listener a hypnotic, trance-like experience. Holger collages sub-bass and grumbling classic MS-20 growls, concluding with pure content, silence.

VOMIR is the project of Romain Perrot, a noise artist based in Paris, France. With over 300 releases to his name, VOMIR is a pioneer of the harsh noise aesthetic. He describes his brutal monolithic sound as:  “No change, no development, no ideas, no remorse.” For this release, VOMIR offers his own repetitive, atmospheric harsh noise wall. The frequency of the resulting sound is determined by resonance frequencies and the acoustics of the room, the directional pick-up and emission patterns of the audio signal loop between the speaker, and the distance between them.

Astro is a Japanese noise unit that began in 1993 as the solo project of Hiroshi Hasegawa, who is best known for being a founding member, along with Mayuko Hino, of the legendary noise group C.C.C.C. (Cosmic Coincidence Control Center). In 2013, Astro became a duo with the addition of Rohco (Hiroko Hasegawa). Hasegawa pays homage to the concept, A Challenge to the Opposing Concepts of Silence and Noise. 

Japanese noise artist Psychiatrist, aka Yasuyuki Uesugi, is young yet extreme. In Uesugi’s words, “Experimental noise sounds are made by pedal effectors. These noise sounds portray my state of mind. Therefore, I am a ‘psychiatrist’ who analyzes the mind.” Each cassette is limited to 25, printing on O cards and bonded in leather cases with a steel FLESH PRISON logo emboss.

2 PIGS UNDER 1 UMBRELLA – TECHNIQUES OF PLEASURE

The final addition to the batch is a collection of twenty-five special edition box sets from 2 Pigs Under 1 Umbrella, setting the scene for a soundtrack for your darkest desires. The Viennese duo is known for its rough and dark electronic tunes, as well as their distinct aesthetics using and playing with BDSM clichés. Techniques Of Pleasure includes tracks from limited edition cassettes, compilations, and unreleased material recorded for this release. 2PIGS create an electronic atmosphere, informed by EBM and the likes of Chris & Cosey.

The special edition will include pink glitter cassette shells housed in a black latex casing, wrapped in pink fishnet seals, and a pink leather obi strip. The remaining 75 edition will be available in a few weeks, pro-dubbed and pad printed in boxsets with a consumer-grade obi-strip.

FIT TO FASHION is a plus-size line by Edley ODowd. This collection for Flesh Prison includes XL-XXXL shirts that are dipped, dyed, bleached, and bolted, each unique to its own. Each piece features a classic Flesh Prison logo by J.S. Aurelius. Bleached black tote bags will also be available in a limited edition of 20 – and a limited number of black shirts in the same bleach splattered manner. Finally, we have 10 Flesh Prison mugs, printed by our friends at What We Do Is Secret.

As we move into 2022, we move onto our vinyl catalogue that will include our FP014 compilation on vinyl Vl/A – “The Shaft, the Blade, the Tip of the Spear” ft. Richard Ramirez, Pod Blotz, Vomir, Hive Mind, Test Dept, The Body, the Rita, Brighter Death Now, SPK, Sprung Aus Den Wolken, Tone Generator & Laibach. 

We are also very excited to release the aforementioned Richard Ramirez/Thurston Moore LP, as well as re-issue of SPK’s first single from 1979 –Mekano/Slogun on 7” vinyl.  We have also welcomed Ralf Wehowsky/P.16.D4, Kouhei Matsunaga and Bastard Noise.

Find all of these releases and more at the Flesh Prison Store.

The post Flesh Prison Records Releases—2 Pigs Under 1 Umbrella Debut Video for “Piece of Flesh” and More! appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

With a heavy emphasis on soundscapes and ambience, Qyburn offers a fresh cinematic take on the classic goth sound with elements of staccato chiptune, fused with the eerie synth vein of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, and Jean-Michel Jarre. Qyburn’s evocative, resonant vocals tie it all together.

“I’ve been trying to find a home for its physical release. I couldn’t ask to be collaborating with a better label than Matriarch Records,” says Qyburn. “The Matriarch has been endlessly supportive throughout this entire process, and she’s really put together an amazing package for these tapes and CDs. I hope people will enjoy it, and can look forward to more exciting announcements from me coming soon.”

Matriarch Records is a one-woman-owned label that seeks to promote primarily female, genderqueer, and LGBT+ artists.

“The idea behind Matriarch Records was to create a safe and inclusive space in the alternative community, whether that’s Goth, Metal or Punk,” says The Matriarch. “The music industry is still male-dominated and I want to make an effort to change that.”

Listen to Wax Mask below:

Matriarch will also offer a limited-edition t-shirt featuring artwork by designer Simone Nieves.

Order Qyburn’s Wax Mask here.

Follow Qyburn:

• Instagram
• Bandcamp

The post LA-Based Darkwave Artist Qyburn Releases WAX MASK on CD and Cassette 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.

TRAITRS’ Sean-Patrick Nolan and Shawn Tucker have developed a large international fan base the old-school way within the past four years: producing good music, playing live wherever and whenever possible, and then giving their best on every damned evening and – to put it bluntly – thereby winning over pretty much every single person in the room.

Songs like “Thin Flesh”, “Witch Trials”, “Youth Cults” and “The Lovely Wounded” have been essential parts of the setlists of Cool Goth DJs around the world when you actually still could go to clubs.

The Toronto based duo used the COVID-19 self-isolation downtime creatively to work diligently on new material, which will see the light of day in 2021. Official news on this will follow in the coming weeks and months.

As the rampant pandemic currently dictates, TRAITRS met in a video call with their new label partners in the form of Celsius Management + Hardbeat Promotion Managing Director and Freakwave Co-Labelhead Eric Burton and Schubert Music Managing Director / Head of Recorded Music and Freakwave co-label head Thomas Thyssen to toast the signing of the contracts and the future collaborative shenanigans.

Shawn Tucker (TRAITRS):

“It’s a huge honour for TRAITRS to be the first band announced on the Freakwave roster. It was crucial for us to find a new place to call home and we’ve found it with Freakwave. I couldn’t be happier to start the next phase of our career with this talented team led by Thomas Thyssen and Eric Burton. With the support of Freakwave, Sean and I can continue to develop and produce our art to the best of our abilities on a much larger scale.”

Sean-Patrick Nolan (TRAITRS):

“Our goal from day one was always to create music and art in the freest and purest manner possible in the hopes that one day we could potentially live off of our art. With Freakwave and Schubert, it appears this may in fact become a reality. This is an exciting time for us and an exciting time for our fans. 2020 absolutely fucking sucks, but Shawn and I and the entire Freakwave family have busted our asses to ensure next year is a much better one.”

Eric Burton (Celsius Management + Hardbeat Promotion, Managing Director + Freakwave, Co-Labelhead):

“Starting the machines of our Freakwave label with TRAITRS is great. The band is highly motivated and knows exactly where they want to go. I am very happy to be able to accompany TRAITRS on this new path.”

Thomas Thyssen (Schubert Music, Managing Director/Head of Recorded Music + Freakwave, Co-Labelhead):

“Since we have been working with TRAITRS on different levels for a longer time already, this next step and signing them to label- and publishing deals was ultimately only a logical consequence. In any case, we are immensely happy to welcome one of, what we believe, by far the most exciting and promising Post-Punk acts of the modern era as the first band to be signed to Freakwave.”

While we wait for new material from TRAITRS, you can find their back catalog on the duo’s Bandcamp page here.

The post Post-Punk Act TRAITRS sign with New Label Freakwave appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

“It is very important to us to support Berlin’s underground scene at Krake Festival.  We’ve been following Fleisch for a while and are looking forward to them showcase their sound at the festival!!” -Krake Festival

Ahead of Halv Drøm’s (aka Saxon Jorgensen) appearance as part of the Fleisch showcase, we spoke to him about Krake, and his methodology for creating sound, and how he was enlisted to play the festival this year:

I went to Krake festival a few years ago as a guest and liked some of the artists and this year they requested me for the Fleisch showcase which I’m really looking forward to!

What exactly is Fleisch?

Fleisch is a Party / Record label focussing on contemporary EBM,Techno, Acid, breaks and Electro. Some of my favourite times dancing were in the Urban Spree basement at a Fleisch party! I had the pleasure to play these parties with Lghtwght, Zanias, Primary, Phase Fatale, Agency and so many more but we were the core djs at the start! I and August started doing these back to back sets which we were doing a lot over these past years in different scenes.

Our next party is on the 7th September with Kontravoid from Canada and Lucy Cliché from Australia!

Who are you excited to see/perform with at Krake? 

Reka because she’s an incredible Dj and JK Flesh because I’m feeling a lot of his tracks!

What is your musical background?

I was the guitarist for Ascetic: with August Skipper (Operant) and Andrew Jigalin (Owner of Dream Baby Dream). I had made music before but really that band and working with those guys was my main thing and informed my musical universe!

What is your methodology for exploring sound and creating music? Can you give a specific example of a moment in your creative process?

I find field recordings a good way to start as there’s so much texture and atmosphere to inspire an unusual palette. I also sample my guitar through many different effects pedals and perform the parameters. I still use a sample pack I made recording a loading dock at the back of a super market 6 years ago! I walked around hitting everything in that space to create most of the big percussive hits in my tracks. Im refining that approach so far!

Is there a practice in alchemic spirituality in the creation of music? Maybe transmuting things into tangible existence that are perhaps nebulous in the void?

Sound can be healing so whether its simply the resonant frequency effecting your cells or the sound that tells a story that brings you to a better awareness it’s definitely a mysterious tool that we can utilise. There’s certain frequencies that alter your brain waves and or restrict parts of your brain and focus on other areas that may help you have visions. But for me alchemy is about transitional stages to become the best version of your self!

What can we expect from your set at Krake?

I’m always on the look out for special tracks that have that impact on me. That get me in the moment and out of my head. Frenetic, romantic, absurd, dark and primal is usually what I’m going for in my sets!

Halv Drøm’s set begins at 2:30am. For more information on the festival, go here.

The post An Interview With Halv Drøm Ahead of Fleisch’s Krake Festival Showcase appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Now Daniel Miller is curating Mute: A Visual Document—a 320 page book of comprehensive discographies, including photography and video stills from legendary photographers, conceptual artworks, and “rare ephemera and equipment”. Also included is a family tree of Mute artists,  and anecdotal and photographic contributions from important figures in the label’s history that include Moby, Alison Goldfrapp, Anton Corbijn, Bleddyn Butcher, Brian Griffin, Jon Spencer, Barry Adamson, Ivan Novak (Laibach), Angus Andrew (Liars), Adrian Shaughnessy and Tom Hingston.

The book follows the comprehensive 10-disc singles and b-sides boxset Mute: Audio Documents 1978 – 84, which was released in 2007.

Mute: A Visual Document, is a project helmed by author and musician Terry Burrows is being released by Thames & Hudson on November 28th

Pre-Order Here

The post Mute: A Visual Document to feature 320 pages of archival material curated by Daniel Miller appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

More info on the Anniversary Party Here

Also, today on aufnahme + wiedergabe—two noteworthy EP releases are out:

Schwefelgelb | Dahinter das Gesicht

Veil of Light | Ursprung Remix

The post 6 Years of aufnahme + wiedergabe | An interview with Philipp Strobel appeared first on Post-Punk.com.