3 of our bands have made it into the Top 15 of the German Electronic WebCharts in calendar week 5 (30.01.2011). Placed in the charts for the fourth week now are EGOamp with “The Cabinet”, off of their self-titled EP, on position number 5. On number 10 there is Decence with “Genesis (Next World Piano Mix)”, available here as free download. And last but not least mind.area as new entry on a considerable 12th position with “deadlock (sed-mix)”, taken from the “stagnation//death ep”.

Many thanks to all the voters of our bands and your support that we and our bands are fortunate to enjoy.

http://www.gewc.de/reviews,0,1,1.html

After the successful free download EP “The Cabinet” (take a look here) in December, on 22th of February 2011 the debut album “Welcome To The Cabinet” by EGOamp will be published at Ionium Records.

EGOamp was founded 1920 in the beautiful town Holstenwall by Asmodi Caligari, the director of the local Insane asylum, and enchants the hearts of all sleepwalkers and night owls with their electronic dancemusic. After several live concerts on carnivals of the republic and a free download EP in December 2010 on Ionium Records now the first movie clapper of their Neverending Story claps. “And action”!

“Welcome to the Cabinet” is joining the love to german silent movies of the Twenties with musical influences of 80s Synthpop, EBM, House and Trance. EGOamp doesn’t consider themselves as a retroband, but know how to sound modern by the fat production of Chris Lietz (f.e. producer of “Die Krupps”). Loosely linked, the short soundscapes build a bridge to different threads of the cd. The central theme is the silent movie classic “Das Kabinett des Dr. Caligari” by Robert Wiene, 1920.

Fittingly the New Wave underground hit “The Cabinet” by the british band “Das Kabinette” has been adapted. Even the original authors of the track cherish the interpretation, so it’s an authorised cover version so to say. Also other subjects like loneliness, revenge and movies in general have been processed lyrically, often presented with a wink of an eye. The ironic component is manifested in the stylish approach of the band.

Asmodi Caligari seems to be slipped directly of an old silent movie. It is rumored, that they even come out of the long lost motion picture (“Das Erbe des Dr. Lang”, 1919) by director and theatre manager Joe Castle alias Josef Schloss, who speaks in the track “The Director” in person. “The Veil” describes the claustrophobic atmosphere of a room with the resulting isolation and escapism in severe drugs, which is based on dark harmonies, propulsive beats and lyrically stringency. “The Carnival”, “Holstenwall” and “The Cabinet” establish a relationship to the story of the movie “Das Kabinett des Dr. Caligari”. Movie connoisseurs will find many cineastic cross reverences. The tracks shows more likely a connection to the soundtrack of “Metropolis” by Giorgio Moroder, than to a classic filmscore.

You can explore a lot of things in this debut, which does not shrink away from combining different styles of music and so creates an unique blend, which might be interesting for cineastic maniacs as well as lovers of electronic pop culture. “Welcome To The Cabinet” will be released on 22th of February 2011 at Ionium Records.

Tracklisting:

1. Holstenwall
2. The Cabinet
3. Curious
4. We Are Freaks
5. The Carnival
6. The Director
7. The Surgery
8. The Camera
9. The Veil
10. Lady and the Tramp
11. Out Of Place
12. Egomanic Maniacs

Links:
http://www.ego-amp.com/
http://www.myspace.com/egoamp

On time with Christmas on 14th of December we have a very special delicacy for all EGOamp fans: “The Cabinet EP”. On this release you will find the awesome coverversion of the famous New Wave underground hit “The Cabinet” by the british band “Das Kabinette”, which gained attention on various underground samplers and in the clubs.

Remixers from Russia, France, Argentina and Spain delivered their interpretations of the hit, making it to their song. The free download will be refined with the exclusive remix of “Egomanic Maniacs” and the much sought after REIZstrom-remix of “The Camera”, both of them tracks off of the upcoming album “Welcome to the Cabinet”, to be released in Spring 2011.

The original Version of the EP was previously released on Black Leather Records and based on their idea and hard work. Thanks to Black Leather Records and all remixers, that made this release possible. You can purchase the Original Version of the EP eg. at JunoDownload.

X-Mas can come!

Tracklisting:

1. The Cabinet (Edit Version)
2. The Cabinet (People Theatre Office Mix)
3. The Camera (Bulldozer Remix by Reizstrom)
4. The Cabinet (Kaball Vocal – Edit Remix)
5. The Cabinet (Raul Parra Remix)
6. Egomanic Maniacs (Leeds Mix)
7. The Cabinet (People Theatre Secret Mix)
8. The Cabinet (Cosaquitos en Globo Remix)

http://www.myspace.com/egoamp

Hardly a more appropriate title could Maikko, the creative force behind mind.area, have chosen for his latest work. Stagnation means death. Movement on the other hand is progress. The constant evolution, change, reshaping its dark, urban soundtrack, the exploration of musical possibilities, just not to be persisting.

After the album “long-distance side trip”, which received rave reviews, mind.area published within a short time the EP “stagnation // death”, which proves as impressive that the creativity of the machine sounds is far from being over. Atmospheric trance rhythms mixes with electro, dark ambient sound art with distorted industrial sounds – and creates a modern and unique sound universe.

Still on the pulse of the time, on the equally fascinating and menacing heartbeat of modern cities, mind.area consistently proceed with what they started on “long-distance side trip” away. In addition to three new tracks on “stagnation // death”, there are three remixes of well-known colleagues, that makes just as clear as the new tracks, what is important to mind.area. Modification, revision, interpretation and expansion of ideas, without lapsing into meaningless repetitions, no copies. mind.area are almost art … if there was no compatibility to clubs and dancefloors.

But exactly this balancing act makes “stagnation // death” to a real highlight. Dance is movement!

Tracklisting:
01_no chance (edit) 4:28
02_lowdown feat. reizstrom (control-version) 5:10
03_deadlock (sed-mix) 4:24
04_sap (miktek remix) 6:41
05_the call (EGOamp remix) 4:29
06_grief of love (LPF12 remix) 5:00

The EP will be released in digital download stores on 05th of July, 2010.

www.mindarea.de

A long-lasting cooperation becomes a commercial partnership: Ionium Records merges with Xenobiotic Records and distributes all releases on the authority of afmusic with immediate effect. Henceforth, Ionium Records’ founder Thomas Teehaa and Falk Merten, the founder of afmusic, will be responsible for A&R, promotion and the artist’s support service. Disributions as well as arrangements of Ionium Records will be managed by afmusic. Consequently, Germany’s most innovative subcultural record labels will be unified under one umbrella of Danse Macabre.

Together, afmusic and Ionium Records use the advantages of the World Wide Web, which bands as well as fans can benefit from: bands have the chance to promote and distribute their music professionally and contemporary – fans have the free choice between a wide range of more than 50 releases and are able to listen to all offered songs in complete length for free.

afmusic is Germany’s most innovative subcultural record label and leading address for newcomer’s net-releases regarding the music genres Wave, Gothic and Independent. The label was founded simultaneously to one of Germany’s most popular subcultural net-radios and has literally rocketed during the past year, with more than 50 releases. From now on, afmusic’s mastermind Falk Merten organizes and distributes Ionium Records as afmusic’s affiliated label.

Ionium Records’ music genre remains the same: Ionium Records continues representing the distribution of innovative electronic music, with focus on the dark culture and offers a wide and increasing range of EBM, Industrial, Ambient and Synthpop, which will be expanded based on the consolidation with Xenobiotic.

From 1st September 2009, the entire back-catalogue can be found on the new Ionium Records website. Moreover, a lot of new releases foreshadow the dark culture. The upcoming releases are already quite promising. In addition to the new release of the successful debut “Strangled Voices” by IN VEIN (side-project of Gothminister’s keyboarder Tom Kalstad) and a new album from EGOamp published by Ionium Records, 3 single-releases of Halo Effect at once are in the starting blocks.

By this year’s end, numerous new releases will be available on both labels. The net-labels of the Danse Macabre Group offer new bands and fresh sounds via home delivery. It is worth throwing a glance at and bookmark: www.ionium-records.info