CAT TEMPER | Curiosity Thrilled the Cat

Curiosity Thrilled the Cat is the Latest Release in Cat Temper’s Electrified, Pulse-Pounding Thrill Ride.

Like the rest of the world Cat Temper has been forced to deal with the frustration of sheltering in place during the pandemic of 2020. Curiosity Thrilled The Cat is an album inspired by the walls closing in on a head full of pent-up yowls and mad laughter. 9 songs, one for each life that would have been at risk if music wasn’t there to keep him out of trouble.

Known for its witty, clever and lovable combo of musical and visual branding, Cat Temper is the solo project of Boston-based meowsician and design guru Mike Langlie. After ending his long-running toytronica project Twink The Toy Piano Band, Mike returned to his musical roots mixing old school electro, heavy metal excess, and a bratty punk posture to create synthwave with cattitude. He's released 6 albums exploring the sounds of darksynth, 1980s sci-fi scores, and even a full alternate soundtrack to David Lynch's cult classic film Eraserhead.  Mike also has one of the most extensive and covetable toy keytar collections known to man.

Further explore the genius of Cat Temper at http://www.cattemper.com

SBK01 | CONTROL

Emerging London-based Electro-Synthpop Artist Steps into The Unknown, Takes Control with New Single and Music Video

SBK01’s new single “Control” opens with an expansive, retro drum kit and an off-kilter melody that sets her vocals against dark twisting 90’s-esque synth pads. The lyrics confront us with the cold, uncomfortable truth of living from a place of fear. A hopeful horizon emerges as layered synthesizers break through, surrounded by choral, cleverly layered harmonies and a middle-eight that reminds us of the beauty of being human. With vocals reminiscent of Kate Bush, Banks and Metronomy, SBK01’s unusual vocal toplines with understated, existential lyrics, all neatly arranged over moody synth aesthetics, creating a unique other-worldly dreamscape.

Combined with a high-fashion approach to her visuals, SBK01’s performances place her somewhere between musician and machine; robotic gestures are juxtaposed with distinctly carbon-based emotions, provoking questions about humanity’s increasing assimilation with technology and the digital-world.

For more updates on SBK01, visit www.sbk01music.com

Searing Essentials for a Summer Playlist

KORINE

Memories are oft-punctuated by sensational attachments; the heat of bonfire on a chilled autumn night, fresh baked bread that rises before an ever-withdrawing sun, the color-splashed blooms of an awakening hemisphere - a self-appointed soundtrack burning through the hottest of sun-soaked days. 

The following are the songs that have come to mean a lot to me personally as the heat intensifies and the days grow long - solidified as permanent fixtures attached to the memories of an ever-changing world - I want to project my passion for what I enjoy, as loudly as I can.

Night Hour - Glass Spells

The latest effort of California-based Glass Spells offers a sharp dose of their signature “fuzzy bass, piercing synths and dance beats” while carving out a modern sound that permeates and expands as it progresses simultaneously balanced by notes of post-punk and a nod to coldwave. By design, this song will get bodies moving and blood pumping.

No Wait - Korine

Korine’s “No Wait” draws parallels to New Order classics such as Your Silent Face and Ultraviolence while maintaining their unique mashup of post-punk, new wave, and indie electronic progressions. New Arrangements, featuring “No Wait”, begs to be explored, discovered, and replayed in perpetuity - there’s never been a better opportunity to dive in.

Silver Lines - Alexia Charoud

In “Silver Lines”, London-based, French artist Alexia Charoud escorts the listener through an ambient, electronic voyage contrasted against dreamy pop beats, haunting vocals, and visceral lyrics. This synth-laden track is just one of four stops on the journey that is Charoud’s newly released I-Refrain EP.

Undone - Kontravoid

The title track from Kontravoid’s Undone EP is persistent, unwavering, and unapologetic in the pursuit of percussion, while easing the audience through the pleasantly aggressive beats with soft-spoken, melancholic vocals and piercing synths - a peppering of faint static throughout keeps the individual listener from getting too comfortable, but just enough to keep coming back for more.

Medicine - Night Club

“Medicine”, a bit of a modern-classic offering from the 2012 self-titled EP of the prolific electronic duo, Emily Kavanaugh & Mark Brooks of Night Club, is dark, catchy, and a certified earworm. Melodic beats and thick, syrupy synth will get the room moving - the entrancing vocals and captivating lyrics will ensure that movemeant doesn’t cease. 

Call it Safe - Canter

Canter’s “Call it Safe” is an atmospheric and melancholic exploration that is reminiscent of classic cold wave sound cues that begins abruptly with a steady flow of soft synths and pads intertwined with evocative, familiar vocal stylings - it ends just as abruptly as it begins and where the ‘repeat’ function comes home. 

Young Again - Kraków Loves Adana 

Young Again by Krakow Loves Adana, the Hamburg, Germany based duo of Deniz Çiçek & Robert Heitmann begins simply enough, lulling the listener with soft, inviting synths enveloped by the rich vocals of Deniz Çiçek. As Young Again advances, drums and echoing guitars join the swelling cadre of complimentary sounds, resulting in a truly memorable experience that provides a farewell equivalent to its beginning. 

New - You Drive

“Time and time again, breath and count to ten” sets the lyrical and musical precedent that follows in You Drive’s “New”. Every beat, every intonation, every lyric is precise and calculated - as each layer of “New” builds, the listener is simultaneously elevated and pulled deeper into its intimate, dreamy clutches. 

Widowers - Replicant

Wasting no time, Replicant’s “Widowers,” from A Taste of Midnight, thrusts the listener into reckoning with “our modern dystopia” by way of fierce beats, intense synth, screaming guitar work, and damning lyrics & vocals; truly fitting of this tumultuous and revolutionary age. 

Roses - Mareux

Power is often perceived as strong overbearance, but Mareux’s “Roses” is a perfect demonstration of how such force and will can be harnessed in a measured and impactful method. Throughout the course of “Roses” lo-fi exploration, Aryan Ashtiani’s saturnine, yet passionate vocalizations marry harmoniously with the indelible lyrics, all painted on the backdrop of an imperishable bassline flecked with synthy glitter.

Soak up the sun, feel the heat, and let these songs wash over you. Add them to your playlists. Let them become the connection to your fond summer memories. 

Learn more & further explore the works of these fantastic artists :

https://glassspells.bandcamp.com

https://korine.bandcamp.com

https://alexiacharoud.bandcamp.com

https://kontravoid.bandcamp.com

https://nightclubband.bandcamp.com

https://cantermusic.bandcamp.com

https://krakowlovesadana.bandcamp.com

https://youdrive.bandcamp.com

https://replicantmusic.bandcamp.com

https://mareux.bandcamp.com

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Kyle Swenson (@cosmicfade) is an avid enthusiast of synth-focused tunes and an editor at ABSYNTH

FUTURE ENEMIES and C Z A R I N A | “Left Unsaid”

WORLD PREMIERE //

FUTURE ENEMIES and C Z A R I N A Unveil Emotionally Charged Dark Trip Hop Single and Music Video "Left Unsaid" 

(New York, NY) Brooklyn-based progressive synth and dark trip hop artists FUTURE ENEMIES and CZARINA release their effervescent and emotionally charged collaboration "Left Unsaid" today. Produced by FUTURE ENEMIES with lyrics and vocals by CZARINA, the single poignantly captures the sliver of time between the end of a chapter and beginning anew. Encapsulated in a unique blend of downtempo yet severe synths, carrying lush and ethereal vocals, the song sends the listeners into poignant poetry before crescendoing into thunderous drama. Rendered almost entirely without color, the music video is a collaboration born of the limitations of social distancing, forcing unique creative choices and yielding powerful images that belie their simplicity.

FUTURE ENEMIES and CZARINA have been longtime collaborators and co-producers. For her debut record, CZARINA had FUTURE ENEMIES lead the production and sound design on her marquee track "Silence & Surrender (Neon)."

FUTURE ENEMIES is Brooklyn-based music producer Joe Peretore. After nearly two decades producing and mixing various local artists (and getting to audition for Nine Inch Nails in the process), Peretore created this solo project to leverage harsh synth tones and trip hop–inspired beats that add up to something dark, ethereal and unforgettable. For the latest updates, visit www.futureenemies.com.

CZARINA (formally styled as C Z A R I N A) is Vero Faye Kitsune, an award-winning synth and electronic artist, songwriter, producer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. CZARINA has captured recognition for her uniquely stylish performances and dynamic approach to songwriting, production and audio-visual creative direction. For all news related to CZARINA, visit www.czarinaofficial.com.

"Left Unsaid" is available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud. 

INTERVIEW //

C Z A R I N A Interviews FUTURE ENEMIES, Reflects Upon Friendship and Their Latest Collaboration “Left Unsaid.”

Some time in the early fall of 2002, a giant flubbery mass of gelatinous substance covered the entire corner of North 12 and Roebling in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The previous night’s rain fall exacerbated hundreds of gallons of Jell-O dumped on to the sidewalk to grow into a massive, whale-like wall. Authorities showed up. They didn’t know what to do, much less how to clear this one out, because water is obviously not the answer.

I don’t have a lot of regrets in life, but this event surely haunts me to this day. Not because I was the one responsible for this legendary mess that almost gobbled up the northern tip of the hippest part of town, but because I really wish I got an invitation to the previous day's Jell-O pool wrestling match that led to the most unorthodox method of disposal of a giant gelatinous pool: Over a balcony facing an empty street late at night. Stories of Brooklyn's finest hipsters battling it out in neon-hued, slippery slopes had been something I've been wanting to witness. The mess left on the street eventually dried up and disappeared with the help of heat and sunshine. Still, it was unfortunate that I only met the party host, Joe Peretore, several months after. Or maybe it was fortunate tidings regardless, as Joe and I had cultivated a unique type of friendship over the years that mimics the bonds between two siblings: Constantly annoying each other, simultaneously leaning on one another, and being each other's worst critic. Even though I'm a year older, Joe has definitely been like a big brother who served as the perpetual, pragmatic voice of reason despite of his history and track record with gelatin. I’ve taken some serious gambles in life, and Joe has always been one of the first to fish me out, slap me in the back and remind me not to repeat my own disasters again.

Then there was music.

During his early years as an emerging Brooklyn-based music producer, Joe's refined approach to his craft landed him an invitation to audition for Nine Inch Nails — a momentous signed photo of him and Trent together captivatingly enshrined on his wall, which I would often pray to whenever Joe and I get into debate as to which key to transpose my vocals on Melodyne. The latter got interrupted by the annoying demands of New York life, which he and I would often commiserate over along with several other should've, would've and could'ves. Then came nearly 2 decades of climbing the ladders of real estate and building design empires for Joe and me respectively. Despite of what we each had achieved in our respective professional careers, an underlining current of unresolved creative passion for creating music and art continued to spark (or fester, depending on how one looks at things), shackling both of us until we each came into a quiet realization that there might be an impending life crisis that needs to be averted. It was high time to exercise crisis-prevention and make a dash for musical glory… Or at least just get the stuff out of our system. To be fair (and by being the more reckless and bolder of the two) I had a 2-year head start when I debuted my project C Z A R I N A in June 2018. When Joe finally acquiesced to help lead the production of my debut single “Silence & Surrender" after me nagging him for months, it triggered a whole series of events for him which included a visit to Tokyo's grand mecca of synthesizers, a purchase of Sequential Prophet-6, a Sony A7 III, and loads of other paraphernalia. Then at the end of 2018, he approached me with a draft composition consisted of searing, harsh tones over some fresh trip hop beats that would later be entitled as "Left Unsaid." His project FUTURE ENEMIES was born.

As a lyricist and songwriter, I tend to hone in on slivers of time that are often overlooked. "Left Unsaid" is about the moment a person draws in their last breath before a fold and starting anew. I wrote it during a time I was entering a very pivotal chapter in my life after folding a much-beloved enterprise, leaving old relationships, getting lost in the process and ultimately finding meaning and a chance for true love. What better way to gently articulate personal resolve and the quiet that comes right after chaos. And just as much as Joe has always served as a proverbial pillar throughout our friendship, his composition and his creative partnership in "Left Unsaid" and many others have provided the grounding force and encouragement for such deep, reflective articulation.

And now, upon the release of our new track and music video, I am finding myself at the turn of a new chapter once more: Switching continents, leaving New York City for the first time since my family and I first moved here over 30 years ago, and changing lanes towards a whole new aesthetic and stylistic direction with my own art and music.

With that said, "Left Unsaid" is beyond just any other collaboration. It is a momentous and profound epilogue to a remarkable journey and a true friendship like no other. But first, there are a few things I need to clarify with Joe, a.k.a. FUTURE ENEMIES:

CZARINA: How old were you when you first started doing music production/writing. What circumstances led you to it?
FUTURE ENEMIES: I was 16 or 17 when I discovered you can make music on computers without any substantial additional investment. Virtual instruments had just started existing and I had a pirated version of Cubase. I asked to borrow my moms credit card so I could buy a $20 drum machine plugin (at the time it was also the ONLY drum machine plugin that would let you load your own sounds) at the time and it changed my world. At that age despite my predilection for industrial rock I was mostly making light hearted pad heavy ambient music (think Enya)

CZARINA: What inspired you to start FUTURE ENEMIES (aside from me nagging you?)

FUTURE ENEMIES: It's a good name, it deserves a band! I am only half joking. Do I need a better reason?

CZARINA: What is your artist thesis with FUTURE ENEMIES?  What do you want to express and accomplish creatively?

FUTURE ENEMIES: I am honored that you assumed that I have thought about it that hard... I love pop structure. If you play "Left Unsaid" at double speed it sounds like Scandinavian techno pop. I want to make earworms but with production that sounds oppressive and otherworldly. I'm a sound designer first and foremost I think. Expect more of that organic, living electricity sound that "Left Unsaid" does so well from me. 

CZARINA: Which bands/artists have served as your biggest inspiration? What do you admire so much about them?

FUTURE ENEMIES: Nine Inch Nails. Big Black Delta. Lorn. TOBACCO. Thom Yorke. All of them are doing a similar thing, bending a collage of fascinating soundscapes into a conventional(ish) song template while subverting some expectations. They're are all also massive synth nerds.

CZARINA: Favorite Synth?

FUTURE ENEMIES: The Sequential Prophet-6. It is the ONLY instrument on "Left Unsaid" other than the drums and vocals. Some people don't like it because it's too "simple". LOL to them.

CZARINA:  In regards to filmmaking, who is your favorite filmmaker/any favorite movies or visual artists you like to draw inspiration from?

FUTURE ENEMIES: I'm a fan of arthouse horror so I'd say Ari Aster (Midsommar & Hereditary) and Panos Cosmatos (Mandy and Beyond the Black Rainbow). I also really like "The Eyes of my Mother" by Nicolas Pesce which directly inspired the (largely) colorless look of the video for "Left Unsaid"

CZARINA: You’ve got a talent for mixing drinks. Favorite cocktail? Care to share the recipe?

FUTURE ENEMIES: Really depends on the mood of the day/time of year. Right now, in the beginning of Summer? Banana Daiquiri. A whole ripe banana, 2oz Rum, 1oz quality banana liqueur, 1/2oz fresh Lime juice, 1/2oz sugar syrup, 12oz of crushed ice. Throw it all in a blender until smooth and pour it in a hurricane glass. Enjoy in a hammock on a sunny day. 

CZARINA: Do you like absinthe?

FUTURE ENEMIES: As a modifier in cocktail it's absolutely essential. I don't drink it straight but a tiny bit goes into most of the cocktails I enjoy. I keep it in a little dasher bottle and a little perfume spray bottle for misting on top of drinks.

CZARINA:  Life motto and philosophy that has kept you alive and going?

FUTURE ENEMIES: No.

CZARINA: Ok, fair enough.