Consistently Genetic Music, and No EMB Blanc, have released fresh new artists and acts. Genetic perpetually brings the unheard to ears and this ever changing countenance gives the label, now over a decade old, a rejuvenated and ever youthful appearance. Hopefully this willingness to test the waters will continue for decades to come.
Some of the bravest synth wave labels hail from Germany. Their courageous aspect stems from the fact they focus on contemporary artists. In a genre dominated by re-issues and mythical obscurities it can be very difficult for the modern to get a look in. Wierd has been dedicated to newcomers, and Dark Entries has dipped its toe in the debutant water. But it is German imprints, like of Genetic Music, who have been giving decades of time and space to bright eyed and fresh faced virginal acts. Electro, synth pop and New Wave have all come from the Genetic with some acts beginning their careers with Rhona, the likes of Bakterille Infektion for example. Now Genetic has spread its wings with No EMB Blanc and is casting its net ever further in search of unheard talent. Both parent and sublabel have recently been on releasing form.
[No EMB Blanc] The Surreal Funfair live up to the name with a circus of peculiar sounds on Navigation Lost—angular analogues and parallel pulses waltzing through the record. Ferris wheel Indie meets side-show synthesizer abstraction. “Always Know what to Say” blends confusion, atonal sounds and unsteadiness into a strange concoction. “3” paints a downtrodden picture with broad synth brushes and pangs of mechanical music. The listener is dragged into madness. “Mono” unnerves and intrudes whilst “Laika” touches on something distortedly lovely. The Surreal Funfair aren’t above, or below, anything. Clean vocals sit adjacent noise, accordion scourges intertwine with analogue chords. Much of the album borders egoistic experimentation. “At Night” is a haunted fairground and uncomfortable. When the sound works it works well, as in estranged and dissociated “Sleep.” At times ugly, but definitely unheard. Not music for a party. [Release page]
[Genetic] Likewise, Lower Synth Department live up to their appellation on Plaster Mould. The German outfit are dripping cool Cold Wave. Vocals are downtrodden with darkened synths and metronomic beats. The track that sums up this angst ridden dread is “I Failed In Life.” This is the kind of piece that Kafka might have tapped out if he’d had a synthesizer. Eclipsed, emptied and excellent. Industrial moods arrive with “Depth of Field Blur.” “Gawarit Moskwa!” has all the makings of a piece of forgotten Belgian wave, fledgling samples and a mechanical beats circling. “Auto-cycling” is dejected and stripped. A drum machine, minimal melody and beaten vocals for a dry eyed piece of minimal synth. But not all is grey. Amongst the crisp gloom are islands of light, such as “Enchanting the Ballroom.” ‘Paster Mould cannot escape the mascaraed malcontent, and it doesn’t appear to want to. Brooding, moody and brilliant. [Release page]
[Genetic] Unur arrive with Anywhere/Anyone. The debutantes open with the “Meanwhile, in the Food Chain.” The track has all the structure of an Indie piece but its style is synthesizer driven. Catchy yet distance. As the record develops these Indie undertones develop. “You Remember the Worst” generously pours strings and distorted vocals over terse machine toms. “Won Night Stand” combines guitars and synths but the style maintains that Indie aspect. “A Paper Chain with Blood Spots” follows in a similar manner. Traditional sounds are supported with electronic equipment to create an interesting work of post punk wave. [Release page]
[No EMB Blanc] Ceremony are on more traditional ground with Safrarin Sounds. These newcomers are from an indie and post punk line, twirling synths and drum machines into their composition. Guitars and vocals take centre stage with treble ingested tracks like “You Never Stay” and “Love Again.” But, when you think you’ve it figured Ceremony throw in almost indefinable pieces of slow wave like “Eurotrain.” But it iss “Eurotrain” that pushes that album’s boundaries. What follows is a spread of tracks exploring various themes through a set medium. Essentially this is a record for the Indie minded. A well executed album. Energetic, thoughtful and an interesting addition to the No EMB catalogue. [Release Page]
Despite having listened to Genetic Music since a teenager I always think of the label as being somewhat new. I’m not sure why that is, but I think it’s got something to do with the German imprint’s output. Consistently Genetic, and No EMB Blanc, have released fresh new artists and acts. Genetic perpetually brings the unheard to ears and this ever changing countenance gives the label, now over a decade old, a rejuvenated and ever youthful appearance. Hopefully this willingness to test the waters will continue for decades to come.
For more information about Genetic Music and No EMB Blanc, visit their websites at geneticmusic.de and no-emb-blanc.com.
