Synth-pop legends Martin Gore and Vince Clarke announced in November they formed a band,VCMG, and would release a series of EPs and a new album in early 2012. Their first EP, Spock, was released on November 30th through Beatport, followed by a wide release on December 13th. The second EP, Single Blip, will be included with Spock on the full-length album, Ssss, due out March 13th via Mute. Read the original announcement here.

The album art was revealed, as well as the tracklisting:

Ssss:

01 Lowly
02 Zaat
03 Spock
04 Windup Robot
05 Bendy Bass
06 Single Blip
07 Skip This Track
08 Aftermaths
09 Recycle
10 Flux

VCMG – Spock

Erasure – Sometimes

Depeche Mode – Surrender

Depeche Mode – Behind The Wheel (Mark Picchiotti Re-edited Vince Clarke Dub)

Depeche Mode / Erasure / BUY

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VCMG – Spock by Mute UK

The synth-based super-duo VCMG comprises Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and Erasure’s Vince Clarke, both responsible for some of the most successful electronic projects in the history of music. So to call it a super-duo may be an understatement. Anyway, I already covered the formation here, along with some essential DM tracks. So check that out for the background of how and why the duo is reuniting for the first time since 1981.

Their first EP, Spock, was released today via Beatport. In anticipation of its wide release on 12/13, VCMG are streaming the album’s self-titled track. “Spock” is pure techno — instrumental repetition heralded by buzzing synths and intricate drum loops. I was hoping for something a bit more, I don’t know, poppy? But this will certainly appeal to the techno crowd, even if it evades the Depeche Mode/Erasure camp quite a bit. By the sounds of it, Spock may be one of the most experimental pursuits of either producer’s career.

Depeche Mode / Erasure / BUY

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Synth-pop powerhouses Martin Gore and Vince Clarke have formed a band, VCMG, and will release a series of EPs and a new album in early 2012. Their first EP, Spock, will be released November 30th through Beatport, followed by a wide release on December 13th. Clarke and Gore last shared album credits on Depeche Mode’s 1981 debut album, Speak & Spell.

The two first worked together in the late ’70s, when Clarke, Gore, and Andy Fletcher were a part of a band called French Look, which would later become Composition of Sound and – with the arrival of Dave Gahan and departure of Clarke in 1981 – its ultimate incarnation, Depeche Mode. Clarke went on to form several projects (Yazoo, The Assembly) until his greatest success with Erasure, the popular electro-pop duo with Clarke and Andy Bell.

Gore has served as the chief songwriter of Depeche Mode, the most successful electronic band in music history. A strong case could be made that Clarke and Erasure, who have sold over 25 million albums, are in strong running for second place. So to call VCMG a synth-pop supergroup (say it fast) is certainly not an overstatement. It’s pretty much a given that their debut full-length will be lots of fun. As for the album’s sound? It may be more minimal-leaning than either of their main projects. “I’ve been getting into and listening to a lot of minimal dance music,” Clarke recently said, “and I got really intrigued by all the sound… I realized I needed a collaborator… so it occurred to me to talk to Martin.”

Depeche Mode – Stories of Old (studio outtake)

Depeche Mode – Somebody

MP3: Depeche Mode – John The Revelator

Erasure – When I Start To (Break It All Down)

Erasure – Be With You (Starshapes Remix)

Depeche Mode / Erasure / BUY

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Few artists can top the sheer moodiness of ’80s groups that teetered on the edge of post-punk and newly concocted electronic-pop. New Order and Depeche Mode are generally the most cited in this regard, and they are often the source of inspiration for revivalists of the movement today. These influences helped John Kunkel form the beginnings of The New Division out of his dorm room in 2005. “New Division” – the name an ode to New Order and its precursor Joy Division – shows the tremendous influence such groups had on his sound and others. The group turned into a four-piece by the end of 2006, and started playing throughout California to warm acclaim. The addition of Mark Michaslki actually gave The New Division two keyboardists, an edge that gave their live performances the type of depth that many electronic artists are unable to replicate on stage. Mirroring the key-driven emotional range of Brian Eno with an accessible rendering of ’80s inspired electro-pop, their music has grown increasingly fascinating as they build their reputation. With the arrival of their new album, The Rookie,  this year, The New Division have transformed their captivating live performances into a release just as infectiously moody as New Order, Depeche Mode, or – more accurately – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Both nostalgic fetishists and seekers of the new and worthy will find something of value on The Rookie.

“Nocturnal” plays with effervescent synth twinkles and a roaring guitar akin to contemporary post-punk acts like ¡Forward, Russia!, with an approach of decreased harshness. Judging by the quick guitar swipes and bustling synths in the beginning, listeners may anticipate a heavier electro-rock sound comparable to White Rose Movement or She Wants Revenge. When Kunkel’s relaxed vocals come into play alongside the swiftly synthesized variations, comparisons to more polished and mature electronic-rock acts like Cut Copy and Twin Shadow are apparent instead. The nod to groups like Depeche Mode and New Order are found particularly in the percussion, like the reverbed, hollow feeling of automated snares beginning at 02:45 being not too far from “Bizarre Love Triangle”. The addition of guitars is accomplished in a more sophisticated and revised sense though. “Starfield”, a track that was highly buzzed-about at the end of last year, is a lusher effort that showcases this well, along with the gratifying layers of synths. Their slow trickles help create an aquatic feel, the whirring of a synth-bass backing them continuously as a crisply sonorous guitar riff glides effortlessly along the plane. It’s anthemic, not terribly predictable, and a creatively rewarding yet true-to-heart tribute to acts like New Order, Depeche Mode, OMD, and Echo & the Bunnymen, all of which continue to influence swarms of independent artists. The New Division are one of the finer examples.

RIYL: New Order, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Brian Eno, Cut Copy, Twin Shadow, Echo & the Bunnymen, ¡Forward Russia!, Electronic, Monaco, The Human League

TIP: Download The Rookie on GroopEase at a discounted rate.

The New Division – Nocturnal

The New Division – Starfield

Official Site / MySpace / BUY / GroopEase Discount

The post The New Division appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The subdued form of electronic-pop that NYC-based Silk Flowers pursue is a glittery cross between industrial ambience and chillwave. Behind their simplistic leads of bass-synth and keyboards, the trio presents interesting pieces of percussive-laden samples that range in feel from chaos to Shangri-la. More often than not, the song’s backgrounds mimic the sounds of a metropolis or grimy scene of industry. The stuttering chiptune-like synths of “Chance” slowly progress over a ringing reminiscent of a harbor busy with freighters and forklifts, while the bouncy griminess of “Frozen Moments” is supplemented by an ambulance-like whirring in the distance. Early Ariel Pink comparisons are fairly abundant, though it would be wiser to use his friend John Maus as a point of comparison. His beautiful arrangements are sometimes lost behind a unique mode of production that reflects the soundtrack to a 1980s science documentary. But once you can get over his bizarrely deadpan vocals and style of production (think Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos”!), it is clear that his lack of recognition is slightly absurd. After all, anyone who influences a promising act like Silk Flowers deserves their due.

Their second album, Ltd. Form, is a great find for any fan of Maus, OMD, or Depeche Mode. “Fruit of the Vine” pursues a more conventional rhythmic route, complete with a straight drum loop more reminiscent of club-ready dance than atmospheric synth-pop. Once a floating arpeggio gets things underway, an airy synth pad flutters with a sort of whimsical elegance, sporadically overlapped by a grimy synth more akin to Daft Punk than Air. Once the spacey synth arpeggio returns, we are introduced to the group’s unconventional vocals. Similar to Maus’ deadpan drawl, the voice is neither dominating nor melodically sweeping, but beneficial nonetheless. Dave Gahan can be credited as a huge influence to this styling as well. Silk Flowers sometimes have the tendency to meander along too much, like on the overly placid “Covered Lamp”. It has nothing to do with it being an instrumental effort, as many of the tracks on Ltd. Form are just that. The excellent “Small Fortune” uses slick guitar reverberations reminiscent of Daft Punk and Ratatat over caressing synth pads that, once again, resemble a sci-fi sort of exoticness.

The infrequency of vocals on Ltd. Form proves for effectiveness in the long run. The immediate use of them on “Band of Color” may catch listeners in the midst of the album off guard, but the slick variety of the track provides no obstacles. In fact, many listeners will likely wonder why vocals were not featured more prominently after listening to this. Here, it resembles Devo’s automated swagger behind stabs of synths and murky bass lines. For different effect, the whispering vocals in “Present Dreams” provide a solemnly haunting effect, like the sounds of a dolphin’s sonar across the distance of a dark sea. The arpeggio that subsequently follows is quite beautiful despite its simplicity, hearkening back to ‘80s synth-pop in the vein of Erasure and Yazoo. While Ltd. Form has nothing that will jump Silk Flowers to the echelons of contemporary synth-pop recognition, it will appeal to a niche that has been waiting long for an original release that is tributary without being derivative.

RIYL: John Maus, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Ariel Pink, Devo, Gary Numan, Air, Erasure, Ultravox, The Human League, Blancmange, Heaven 17, Visage

Silk Flowers – Small Fortune

Silk Flowers – Band Of Color

Silk Flowers – Frozen Moments

Blog / MySpace / BUY

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In my first feature of Grimes, I made the point that the music of Claire Boucher resembled conceptual art. With gauzy layers of synth that embed themselves into post-punk rhythms reminiscent of Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control”, theatrical art-pop hooks that resembles the likes of The Knife and Björk, and subtle sampling to the effect of Kraftwerk and Burial, her music does not confine itself to one influence or genre. Instead, one experiences a meshing of several different components that combine for a sound that – while occasionally bizarre or puzzling – is thoroughly fascinating in its delivery. Boucher’s engrossing tendencies does not stop at the appearance of her style though, as her pop tendencies are present in each song. Unlike the absurdly pretentious conceptual art that offers an interesting delivery but no substance, Grimes plays like an infectiously majestic series of stylistic concoctions. Boucher makes her music align with her artwork and photos, which feature abstract shapes (usually of body parts) and a wide array of colors that give off the initial appearance of spontaneous disarray, only to reward the attentive viewer with beautifully cohesive formations that take effort to spot – but not too much to the point of becoming frustrating. Like her artwork, Grimes’ music has plenty of unconventional surprises.

Boucher’s additional talents in the visual arts were shown off wonderfully on her debut Geidi Primes, which featured songs that were as apt for artistic cinema as they were for caliginous electronica venues. I noted that a track like “Sardaukar Levenbrech” would be a great choice for inclusion in the next film by Hirokazu Koreeda, who is able to combine traditional Asian music and contemporary electronica to riveting images of resignation, loss, and isolation. Then there were efforts like “avi” that followed more catchy dance, with its reverbed percussion, pulsating bass, and gleaming of strings creating a dark but soothing atmosphere among Boucher’s flexible vocals. Her voice alternates between a subdued murmur of sorts and high-pitched flashes of enthusiasm, showing no hesitance to hold a shrill note if it sounds appropriate over gushing synth pads and austere percussion. We are merely a few months after the release of Geidi Primes, and apparently Boucher is discontent in having just one album to compete for a spot in the Top 50 of the year. Her new album, Halfaxa, was released in typical under-the-radar fashion, and it stands just as strong as its predecessor released earlier this year. To my delight, Boucher has not alternated her sound much, which she describes primarily as “goth-pop”, but with a heavy influence from “Medieval organum, R&B and hip-hop.”

Halfaxa represents, in several ways, the beginning of a transformation period for Boucher. All the songs on Halfaxa are recorded like on Geidi Primes, in DIY fashion directly through the microphone on Boucher’s computer. Change is on the horizon though, at least in regard to studio methods. It would be difficult to spot this based on the quality of her material, but quality songwriting and production always shine regardless of the medium. Ironically, directly after she wrapped up Halfaxa, Boucher realized how to record things through an interface. As a result, “Crystal Ball” – which was recorded using his new interface – did not make it to the album, but Boucher said this likely represents her “new phase”, which she looks forward due to the elimination of MIDI and the prospect of recording her synth straight into the computer. The result is not nearly as dark as her previous material, but with an optimistic glimmer that translates into a more upbeat and overall infectious effort. The percussion pattern follows post-punk as usual, with the click-clacking of minimalist percussion resembling the ominous shuffle of Joy Division. Boucher’s voice is crisper and more expansive than usual though, the variation between her high-pitched and lower vocals combining for some clever hooks. Her methodologies remain the same as various vocal melodies overlap for a sensational melodic turn-out, but “Crystal Ball” suggests we should expect a more accessible output from Boucher in the future. Regardless of whether or not “Crystal Ball” is on the album, I feel it is great enough to catch on like fire regardless. Expect to see this one posted on a bunch of blogs by the end of the year.

Moving on to cuts that actually made the album, “sagrad …” . Boucher’s ooh-ing complements a harp-like progression guided by a single snare, with the ooh-ing eventually serving as an additional synth pad as her lyrical verses emerge. The harp/mandolin-like qualities are eventually phased out in favor of an effervescent synth pad that begins to recall fastidious dance-pop in addition to the initially prevalent dubstep, a style that is present more often than not in the percussive additives alone. The structural route this song takes is extremely spontaneous, perhaps a bit too much for some, but the beauty of the track speaks volumes. The bursting effort “Dream Fortress” may appeal to those who like their structures a bit more accessible, as Boucher expands a string-drenched intro into a bouncy hustle of delicate synth whole notes. Her vocal melody here initially resembles the fantastic “avi”, but that is before the track incorporates additional string elements that border on the avant-garde. The squealing samples contrast with the strings around the two-minute mark quite remarkably though, and especially when the percussion kicks back in there is little to doubt as far as the track’s innovative appeal goes. The conclusion greets the listener with the same delicate chord progression from the beginning, albeit this time with a clanging yet fitting arpeggio that allows the song to end with its feet still on the ground.

Many of Boucher’s songs are so spontaneous and visually stimulating that length is not an obstacle. In fact, there are several five-minute tracks on here that I wished would go on longer. Tracks like “world ? princess” and “sagrad …” contain a multitude of memorable moments that bear repeating before a transition comes on too abruptly. What follows is always entertaining, but there are some greater ideas than others and it is evident that Boucher is still learning to identify these and capitalize upon them. “Weregild” does not suffer from this at all though, standing as one of the better efforts on Halfaxa in regard to mood, tempo, and general infectiousness. Like “Crystal Ball”, this should spread rapidly among fans of moody electronic music. This one specifically recalls Depeche Mode, a band that Boucher is not hesitant to express her respect for (check her shirt in the second press shot). Of course, Boucher’s voice is extraordinarily unique here as usual, and her exploitation of the various pitches she is able to emit is awe-inspiring. Check out the retrospective push of billowing synth sequences around the 02:30 mark and try not to be swept away. Most songs on Halifaxa are just as inspiring, and Boucher is the only artist I am aware of in 2010 who has released two full-lengths worthy of year-end mentions.

RIYL: The Knife, Björk, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Kraftwerk, Marissa Nadler, Forest Swords, How to Dress Well, Prince, Black Dice, Hildegaard von Bingen, Cocteau Twins, Twin Shadow, Julian Lynch, Wild Nothing, James Blake, Autre Ne Veut, CEO, Avey Tare, Glasser, Gold Panda, Small Black, Blackbird Blackbird

Grimes – Crystal Ball

Grimes – Weregild (mirror)

Grimes – Dream Fortress

Arbutus Records

MySpace

BUY

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Things usually fare well for film geeks when they show a passion for making music. By film “geeks”, I’m not referring to that friend who can name every David Lynch or Lars von Trier film. They might know every underground film in existence, but if they have no knowledge of production or the film aesthetic than they are merely a critic (and probably a bad one at that). This is not to say that an artist cannot simultaneously be an enthusiast of his own medium, and vice versa. The potential for artistic growth is wonderfully sporadic and somewhat randomized, and when it comes to film-savvy people there tends to be a greater advantage for them to grasp the necessities of quality music. It somewhat mirrors the tendencies of a quality film after all, where atmosphere, performance, and stylistic consistency are vital aspects. In a sense, even though mise en scène is visually bound, music has its own form of it. The subtle, sometimes indescribable tendencies that take place in music set the scene, and it is reliant on the artist to formulate the proper visual and/or audible accompaniment within their medium.

John Kowalski and Rian Trench named their band Solar Bears as a tribute to famed Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. The two had always shared a love for cinema, but it is hard to say if it ever trumped their love for music. Considering the degree of success they have experienced in the latter thus far, one could say their decision to focus on Solar Bears is in the best of their interests. When speaking about their music, their interest in film immediately emerges. “With Moroder, for instance in Scarface, some of the pieces are quite minimal but they are very effective,” Kowalski said excitedly in an interview with Dummy, who would also enforce the duo’s enthusiasm with their “ability to paint a vivid landscape with a relatively minimal palette; creating resonant textures from very little”. Judging by their colorfully atmospherically music, you get the sense they would produce something evolutionary on film… something that evolves from monochromatic dullness to a thriving gloss of colors and imagery. Their own music would be a perfect backdrop considering it can pull precisely the same thing off.

Solar Bears’ debut LP, She Was Coloured In, contains a rather apt cover image. You see a red woman crossing her hands with reflections of her by her side, all set in a different color. The colors actually reflect the three monochrome images on a TV – RGB – and the woman’s figure looks as if it is fading out against analog video noise. As one of the better electronic debuts of 2010, She Was Coloured In shows the band’s range of flexibility. They can at one point sound like a producer of lullabies, with soft sweeping synths collaborating with luxurious orchestral elements, like the lucid twinkle of arpeggios in “Solarization” or the exotic “Cub”, which dabbles in woodwind-like sounds over chirpy synth pads. That a song called “Quiet Planet” represents one of their more rambunctious works is ironic, but it certainly show their infectious works more in the vein of a Röyksopp or Ratatat. Their restrained efforts may be more impressive though, at least for those accustomed to more organic and atmospheric works by artists like Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Their music recalls Kraftwerk’s innate abilities to turn electronic sounds into consummate atmospheres, whether it be complete with lavish hooks or developmental chaos. The chiptune-like percussion maintains a steady futuristic tone, often in 4/4 and accompanied by instruments that are both organic and technological. Like the interlude in “Forest of Fountains”, around 02:19, when it goes from a funk-like trance into a soft interlude of guitars. The transition is mesmerizing, as the cohesiveness of the journey is worth listening for alone. Their bass also has a tendency to sound organic, like in “Children of the Times” where a deep bass tone resonates alongside a vocoder and soft electro-keys, and it is one component of an essentially powerful rhythm section. At least for the sound they successfully produce here. They tread an appropriate line between naturally existent field recordings and man-made electronica, pushing forth an interesting emphasis on the production of their own music in the process. The sonorous tone of the synth pad throughout “Twin Stars” has a cinematic feel to it, almost like the build-up to a frenzied battle in some sophisticated manga re-enactment. The little flicker of synths that gradually add on contribute to the pulsating suspense. With examples like these, the duo are clearly masters of believable soundscapes, and their elaborate songwriting and production really go a long way in separating Solar Bears from the masses of atmospherically-dependent electronic artists.

RIYL: Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Röyksopp, Ratatat, Gauntlet Hair, Twin Shadow, Tamaryn, Candy Claws, Women, Neu!, Elektric Music, Klaus Schulze, Cluster, Tangerine Dream, New Order, OMD, Orbital, Ultravox, Front 242, Laibach, Harmonia, Yello, Telex, Depeche Mode, Can

Solar Bears – Forest Of Fountains

Solar Bears – Children of the Times

Solar Bears – She Was Coloured In

Planet Mu Records

MySpace

BUY

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