We Have A Technical

We say this a lot, but trust us: you'd be very hard-pressed to find a more different pair of records than the one's we're discussing in this week's podcast that still have some relevance to the larger world of industrial. So join us as we travel from Velvet Acid Christ's 2000 foray into goa, Twisted Thought Generator, and art-rockers These New Puritans' use of industrial percussion on Hidden. All that plus some blue-sky thinking about in-depth interview subjects on the latest episode of We Have A Technical!

As much as we'd like to convey the image of austere, stoic hermits who only listen to music when we're giving it our full attention in a darkened room with top-of-the-line stereo equipment, like everyone else we throw records on while we're doing other stuff. It's with that in mind that we're each picking five task-driven records this week - what do we listen to while we're driving, cleaning, working, and whatnot? Listen to this episode and find out! All that plus some talk about the slow reemergence of live shows in the US and (*sigh*) the new :wumpscut: record.

The gents from Sturm Café are our guests on the podcast this week, and we had a blast chatting with them about their changing relationships with EBM, the importance of a catchy melody, and the nation-wide rewards of investing in music education (no, really!). Sturm Café are a band that has long been a favourite of the Senior Staff and we were very pleased to finally have them on the show. On a less upbeat tip, we're also discussing recent discoveries about goth rock band Sonsombre.

The mean and gritty retro-futurism of Pure Ground's brand of minimal synth and Absurd Minds' uncanny obsession with a particular era of Project Pitchfork's work inspires this episode of We Have A Technical, in the classic two albums format. The Senior Staff are also talking about the recent reporting on and revelations about abuse and harassment at LA's Cloak & Dagger club, and on a lighter note, teeing off on that forthcoming Smiths movie which is just gonna be total dogshit, y'all.

This month's bonus commentary podcast finds us discussing the charming confidence of Cabaret Voltaire's overt push into funk and pop territory, 1983's Micro-Phonies. A band whose evolution in some ways mirrors that of industrial as a genre, Cabs don't get nearly enough love and discussion around these parts as they perhaps should, so we're atoning with some discussion of Cold War paranoia, the free-flows of influence from dub, electro, funk, industrial, and post-punk, plus the band's johnny-on-the-spot conversance with the emerging cyberpunk aesthetic.

Scene-rooted cover tracks are the subject du jour in this episode of We Have A Technical. The expressive, the rote, and the crassly commercial versions of other artists' work which we've been drawn to and repulsed by over our years in the goth/industrial trenches are all up for discussion, along with new release news concerning Hide, Clock DVA, and Cygnets.

A striking pair of electro-industrial and EBM debuts are the focus of this week's podcast, as we turn our attention to Necro Facility's The Black Paintings and NTRSN's People Like Gods. How bands adhere to and break from their formative influences is always something we're interested in, and we have two very different approaches to that issue at hand. All that in addition to the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of Love's Secret Domain anniversary reissues on the latest episode of We Have A Technical.

After going ham with some rather abrasive rants on last week's episode, we're taking the backseat this week and welcoming on some Patreon backers who are keen to talk about records from a bands ranging from Russian synthpop (Stereopolina) to German darkwave (Diary Of Dreams) to American synthpunk (Six Finger Satellite) to Swedish neo-classical (Sanctum)!

This month's Patreon supported commentary podcast is dedicated to the infinitely varied and strikingly confident expression of high goth prowess that is Faith And The Muse's third LP. On Evidence Of Heaven William Faith and Monica Richards stride through history, love, and metaphysics, and marshal ethereal, neo-classical, deathrock, and many more sounds to a proudly flown standard. Ancient spirits, vengeful phantoms, and fuccbois sliding into the Queen's DMs are among the various topics grandiose and sundry the Senior Staff consider as they work their way through this classic goth stormer. Y

Do not adjust your podcasting device - We Have A Technical has not been replaced by that sports radio station you hear annoying ads for. We are, however, coming into our 350th episode guns a'blazing, with each of us picking five hot takes regarding the state and legacy of the music we love and discuss. No quarter given, none asked for. What legacy bands do we actually find rather dull? Which younger acts would we rather see in the spotlight than some less deserving bands? You'll hear all of that plus some discussion of new music from The Horrors and Alan Vega, and initial thoughts on the new Coil remaster.

Our two albums format finds us talking about retro dark electro and the outer limits of technoid in this week's episode of We Have A Technical. The last record from Necrotek has us discussing the slow emergence of consciously-throwback dark electro, as well as the atmospheric charms of that genre overall. Next, one-off side project Ammo's foray into drum and bass raises all sorts of questions concerning the rapid evolution of powernoise, and at what point breakcore completely diverges from anything pertaining to industrial. As if all of that genre splicing wasn't enough, we're also revisiting the legacy of minimal synth pioneer Absolute Body Control on the heels of some new tunes from them.

From the perspective of your co-workers who really wish you'd turn your headphones down, industrial music seems as far removed from pop as is possible. But that ain't the whole truth! This week's episode finds the Senior Staff discussing the role pop has played in shaping the sound and delivery of industrial music, as well as contemporary artists who are borrowing more liberally from pop traditions. We've also got some talk about forthcoming releases we're hyped for, in addition to Negative Gain Productions' cool new digital magazine.

Deep genre records from Z Prochek and Manuskript have Alex and Bruce talking about the odd intersections of sounds and styles only possible at particular periods in industrial and goth history. The tragic passing of Sophie and the recent allegations made against Marilyn Manson are also discussed.

The Senior Staff are discussing a modern EBM classic in Spark!'s Hela Din Värld in this month's Patreon-supported commentary podcast! In 2012 Mattias Ziessow and Stefan Brorsson added ambitious pop instrumentation and melody to their established anhalt EBM template, and produced one of the most enjoyable records it's been our pleasure to write about and discuss on I Die: You Die. We're discussing themes of conspiracy and humanism, breaking down the percussive structures which propel the record, and even working in some Nabokov and Mega Man!

The Pick Five format returns, with Alex and Bruce each highlighting some behind the scenes folks. Be they engineers, writers, label heads, or DJs, there are countless people who've helped to shape the music and culture we discuss who aren't as front-facing as the musicians themselves. We're discussing them, plus some Neubauten business on this week's episode of We Have A Technical.

The classic two albums format brings discussion of Minuit Machine's Violent Rains - an early example of the current wave of European darkwave we're continuing to enjoy - and Moskwa TV's Dynamics & Discipline - less an LP than a field testing of mid-80s electronic dancefloor sounds from Talla 2XLC & co. All that plus playing catch-up with the latest batch of (conflicting?) Coil reissues in this week's episode of We Have A Technical.

FLA mastermind, studio wizard, and all around industrial legend Rhys Fulber joins the Senior Staff this week for an illuminating conversation. Rhys discusses the process behind the new Front Line Assembly record, Mechanical Soul, the freedom afforded to him by his solo work, and having his passion for EBM come full circle in German clubs. This is a wide-ranging interview with one of the landmark figures in Our Thing, and we're very pleased to be able to bring it to you this week. We're also talking about forthcoming records by Cevin Key and Gary Numan!

We're starting the year off with our classic two records format for the podcast. First up its the sui generis 2012 12" from Aussie act Forces, which brought together classic body music and techno sounds in a way that's perhaps never been matched since, yet has definitely paved the way for many current acts. Next, we're examining the sober and somewhat dour approach to synthpop and futurepop taken by Namnambulu on their 2003 LP Distances. We also have thoughts on recent KLF news, plus the ongoing strife south of the border in the latest episode of We Have A Technical.

It's the annual off topic podcast! Recorded weeks ago in a haze of pre-holiday cheer, we honestly have no idea what we spoke about on this cast. Probably a lot of tired banter about our usual off-topic obsessions, pro-wrestling, Iron Maiden, comics and science fiction, whatever really. If that doesn't sound at all appealing to you than no worries, we'll be back next week with an on-topic 'cast. Until then, you're stuck with this mess.

The written coverage on the site might be taking a holiday hiatus, but the podcasting doesn't stop. As a coda to our Year End coverage, the Senior Staff are each picking five fave tracks of the year which didn't figure into our Top 25 list, and which they maybe wish they'd been able to spin IRL.