Kernkrach has just done what it does, unearth and release exciting electro pop, cold wave and synthesizer music. The focus of late has been on the Hertz-Schrittmacher arm of the parent imprint and the results are, as ever, something very special.
It’s been a couple of years since I put finger to keyboard for Kernkrach, one of Germany’s finest electronic music labels without doubt. Although the labels once heavy flood of output has stymied to a steady stream, one constant has remained: quality. Whilst other imprints that come under the tag of synth wave have garnered fanfare, many of their owners become acclaimed DJ’s (whether rightly or wrongly), Kernkrach has just done what it does, unearth and release exciting electro pop, cold wave and synthesizer music. The focus of late has been on the Hertz-Schrittmacher arm of the parent imprint and the results are, as ever, something very special.
Just before Christmas Delos released their first full length vinyl album, Microcosmos. After the first round of digging you might think Delos is some new outfit with a scattered number of releases, in fact Joachim Saleina, the man behind the music, has been a pivotal figure at Kernkrach for many years with releases as Cosmic Hula Radiators, Epic Dreams and Mängelexemplar to name but a few. This recent LP collects thirteen tracks of synth pop with themes that stretch from romance, man’s place in the world and our place in the universe. The stargazing gets underway with the cascading chords of “Cluster.” Cold astral sounds are countered by warmer touches before the heart wrenching “Systeme.” “Pulsar” lowers the tempo whilst keeping those rich synth lines. Vocals are despondent, reflecting frosty notes that tremble and spike. “Welt” closes the A-Side in stunning fashion. A piece that sounds like it might have been made for a space program for some failing socialist state, the track beams with brightness as bleeps orbit a shining utopia. Delos pulls you back to earth with the cold electro of “Hangover” before unveiling the cheerful radiance of “Visitor.” Across the record tracks are short, but none more so than the dark and doleful title piece which seems to belong to another album. Yet, this is a characteristic of Microcosmos; melancholy mingles and melds with the joyful analogue trill. Perhaps the greatest praise I can pay the album is the fact that I have returned to it day in day out since its arrival.
Earlier in the year came a repress of Anesthetic’s debut 7″ and a split release from Mexico city’s Werner Karloff and Tata Technikk. Russia’s Anesthetic are made up of three young musicians, young meaning barely in their twenties. Their sound masks their youth, a synth pop style brimming with lovelorn laments and clever keyboard hooks. “Void” rumbles on EBM tracks, stark stabbing melodies kept in line by stark beat. Dead pan vocals arrive to chill the already frigid style. But, rather than maintaining a cold distant the track begins to warm, thawing those northern winds as a human touch enters.
Both Tata Technikk and Karloff offer three tracks, the former opening with the sweetened synth lines of “Eg Elska Nonnabita.” A piece of pumping wave, beats crash and vocals pour scorn in this cracking example of the genre. Darker tones enter with the black and edgy “Fjorar Gradur” before the insular and unsettling “Isskapur.” Karloff’s offer is somewhat of a mystery to me, the mystery being is it played at 33rpm or 45rpm. Usually this isn’t much of an issue but on this release I was puzzled, it’s 45 for anyone still unsure but it does a great job at 33 too. Beats speed with wonderfully woven chords laid in front of big and broad lyrics. “Dead Places.””Grey Rain.” “Modern Communication.” Each of the three heaves in a forlorn manner, analogue coolness with a touch of guitar string for some extra ballast.
In an interesting twist, Kernkrach’s is going further; as far as Canada even. A recent 7” has just been appeared on Nancy Records, an associate of the German imprint. Two tracks make up this colored vinyl by a new group, The R.I.P.ped Nancy’s. Despite being released in the cold wiles of North America the title piece, “Highway Superstar” is very much an autobahn based affair. Synth to its core, rasping beats race against throbbing keys as a tale of speed and police chases unfolds. “Black Hawk Down” follows in a darker vein. Vocals speak of in a sullen voice, lamentable lyrics countered by surging notes in a piece that balances uplifting music with violent verse.
I’m a bit of a broken record when it comes to Kernkrach. There’s so much fanfare and fawning over so many synth labels, some of it being deserved of course, whereas this German label has kept its head down and stuck to the business of releasing some of the best electro pop and wave made. My advice for 2018, leave that EBM reissue, leave that repress of whatever for another day, get the headphones on and go down the analogue rabbit hole with these guys; you won’t regret it.
Visit www.kernkrach.de for more.
