Back catalogue: Industrial/Noise

Review: Harlem, the Stockholm-based duo, return with an eight-track exploration of dark, pulsating electronics. Drawing on influences ranging from King Tubby's dub to Robert Hood's minimal techno, they craft a sound that defies easy categorisation. Echoing the no wave dissonance of early ESG and the industrial edge of Cabaret Voltaire, they fuse these disparate elements into a potent sonic cocktail. 'Shut Your Body' opens with a muscular intensity reminiscent of Nitzer Ebb, its driving rhythms and gritty textures setting the stage. 'Fantasy Scan' picks up the pace, a dancefloor-ready jam that recalls Underground Resistance's hypnotic grooves. 'Blow By Blow' channels a nihilistic energy, its sparse arrangement and spoken-word vocals evoking the cold wave sounds of Kas Product. The B-side continues the sonic exploration with 'Dummy Up', a track that evokes the frenetic energy of a cult gathering, its electro and body influences recalling the darker side of the 80s underground. 'Sleuth' takes a more introspective turn, its repetitive grind suggesting a relentless search for the unknown. 'Contact High' brings back the seductive energy, its dancefloor-ready rhythms and infectious melodies reminiscent of early Detroit techno. The album closes with 'Wiggle Walker', a melancholic track that suggests a journey into the unknown. Harlem's music is a thrilling ride through a landscape of sonic extremes, a sonic experience that is both exhilarating and unsettling. Visceral but thought-provoking, this is a potent blend of genres and influences that defies expectations.

Review: Labyrinthe! stands as a singular achievement in Pierre Henry's illustrious career, showcasing his ability to craft music even when deprived of his usual sonic resources. The sounds for this piece were supplied by GRM collaborators, each bringing their own unique qualities and textures. Despite not being his own material, Henry's distinct voice and musical vision quickly come to the forefront. Through this intricate soundscape, Henry constructs a maze of audio, focusing intently on the development and manipulation of the sounds provided. His clarity of purpose and deliberate approach is evident throughout, as he shapes the contributions of others into something unmistakably his own. The piece is built upon the interplay of disparate elements, all meticulously woven together into a cohesive sonic journey. Henry described Labyrinthe! as a collaborative venture, a fusion of 58 sound fragments from seven different composers, forming a work that feels both expansive and tightly intertwined. His harmonic sensitivity ensures that the diverse sources never clash but instead create a complex, interlocking sound world. Labyrinthe! is a brilliant testament to Henry's mastery of electroacoustic composition and his remarkable ability to turn limitations into creative triumphs.