Category Archives: discography
mix: mixcloud monday (mix for gonzo (circus) – october 8 2013)
live: white water (heat lp release party, de nieuwe anita, amsterdam – august 30 2013)
album: heat (lp / digital)
release date: september 6 2013
format: lp / digital
label: narrominded
info
Heat is the new LP from Holland’s Hunter Complex, a record that looks to balance a functional (and very Dutch) ‘utility pop’ with a whole host of disturbing hints and suggestions. It’s a slightly unnerving listen, despite its attractive and powerful sweeps of melody. Recorded between 2010 and 2012, Heat manages – often very successfully – to persuade the listener that they’re tuning into a strange mix of Moroder’s film scores and ‘81-‘82 era Simple Minds. Digital synths, like the Roland D-50 and Yamaha DX7, give everything a suitably ‘period feel’. And the keys on Space are straight off Sons and Fascination, for example. Severed Heads covering China Crisis? Chris and Cosey making symphonic advert music in downtown LA? We can but dream.
But enough comparisons. Despite the LP wearing its sources of inspiration on its sleeve, and despite the fact that our descriptive narratives have (inevitably) to follow suit, it’s a seductive listen. Queasy, paranoid synth washes, rich, gloopy bass tones and weighty electronic stabs of rhythm drive the music on. The record’s got a feel of Stalker about it; cinematic, a taste of future-past served up on a plastic plate. Joep van Lieshout’s vision for communal living maybe, or a future that’s just out of reach, probably because it never escaped being imaginary.
single: space (digital)
release date: may 30 2013
format: digital
label: narrominded
info
Space is the first single from the brand new Hunter Complex album Heat, to be released August 2013.
compilation: various artists – christmas cover up (cd / digital)
release date: november 22 2010
format: cd / digital
label: sonic scenery
info
Compiled by Oscar Smit.
Continue reading compilation: various artists – christmas cover up (cd / digital)
compilation: various artists – kamp holland (2lp)
release date: june 19 2010
format: 2lp
label: enfant terrible
info
Enfant Terrible was one of the first labels to give recognition and attention to the pioneers of minimal electronics / proto-elektro / avant-garde pop / experimental pop music from the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Next to that it is one of the few labels in this field of music that truly invests in the development of new talents in this music tradition. In short: Enfant Terrible has been mapping the field of this counter culture and contributing to its development since the very start of its activities.
But in this world of followers and copycats we have an agenda of our own. We go furthur and dare to move into new territories. Both when it comes to content and ways of organizing the business part we are at the forefront of independent music culture. We keep it real, stay ourselves and a hundred percent independent.
While Enfant Terrible for an important part has built the current niche of minimal electronics we also have always looked beyond rigid style definitions and established artists. All our compilation releases have been highly acclaimed for this.
The time is now… we go for the logical next step… supporting and contributing to the local music scene.
Kamp Holland is an overview of the current independent electronic music scene from Holland. Some of the artists on this compilation have been inspired by the music tradition we have been building. Others are inspiring Enfant Terrible in its current development. Always furthur we go…
This is the Royal Dutch Underground!
Continue reading compilation: various artists – kamp holland (2lp)
album: hunter complex (cd / digital)
release date: february 2 2010
format: cd / digital
label: narrominded
info
Hunter Complex is the moniker of Lars Meijer. On his self titled debut album he moves from synthpop to electro and from italo to new wave. Just like the European electronic acts The Tough Alliance, Neon Neon, JJ, M83 and Delorean, there’s an imperative reference to the eighties in the music of Hunter Complex. Not only in the sound, but especially because of that intangible feeling. Meijer: ‘It’s a feeling that switches between whimsicality and melancholy. You can see that for example in Miami Vice – true television of the eighties: subtropical beaches, flamingos, but also nocturnal streets full of muggy evil.’
Around the turn of the century, under the name Larz, he created two lo-fi pop albums that reached a cult-status internationally. ‘Call Larz another bedroom genius – which he is, but he’s got that extra bit of special something about him’, Allmusic.com said at the time. In the years after his Larz albums Meijer broadened himself in experimental electronic music with the groups Psychon and Living Ornaments. With the last act his also released music on the legendary Skam label. Meijer: ‘After these experiments I thought it was time for pop music again. I’ve been walking around with the idea of this record full of synthpop songs for a long time, but in the last ten years I’ve finally learned how to actually produce it.’
compilation: these pictures of you – a delicatessen compilation (book + cd-r / digital)
release date: january 16 2010
format: book + cd-r / digital
label: delicatessen
info
For four weeks in a row different music photographers showed their photos at Delicatessen. Each week different musicians and writers where invited to give their response to one or more of the photos shown in the gallery. They were not given a specific assignment, but kept free, or in the dark , whatever way you want to see it. A week after each opening they read and played their response in the gallery.
ep: here is the night (cd / digital)
release date: december 17 2009
format: cd / digital
label: narrominded
info
Here Is the Night EP is the first release by Hunter Complex. Under this name Lars Meijer creates music with a clear influence of synthpop and new wave from the eighties. In January 2010 his debut album Hunter Complex will be released. As a starter, Narrominded presents this cd (also available as a free download) containing reworks of the track Here Is the Night by Garçon Taupe, Spoelstra and Coen Oscar Polack. Lars Meijer was previously active in electronic music acts Living Ornaments and Psychon and is the co-owner of the Narrominded label. Around the turn of the century, under the moniker Larz, he created two lo-fi pop albums that reached a cult-status internationally. ‘Call Larz another bedroom genius – which he is, but he’s got that extra bit of special something about him’, Allmusic.com said at the time.