chain d.l.k. review: various artists – kamp holland

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various artists - kamp holland outside frontKamp Holland is a new double vinyl compilation of Enfant Terrible which gathers sixteen bands coming from Holland. The label in the past focused their releases on minimal electronic / experimental pop and industrial electronic sounds influenced or produced during the late 70s / mid 80s. With Kamp Holland Enfant Terrible is redefining things presenting sixteen tracks where some of them have been influenced by the sound covered by the label during the past years and some others are influencing the label for its future releases. Has something changed? Well, yes. I think that this is the most heterogenous release of Enfant Terrible as we find: pulsating and menacing electro sounds (good one Bye bye by Lesbian Mouseclicks), synth retro sounds (Bakeliet with Don’t Let Them Know, Neurobit with Inner Hideaway, Pornologic with Pterodactyl Extraordinaire and Milligram Retreat with Allégement), great synth electro wave (really nice and melodic Ruimtevaart Vooruit by Staatseinde and a good dancey one Desert by Hunter Complex), orchestral breakbeat (Autonon’s Not For Immortals reminds me of Venetian Snares), dark electronic sounds ( Milligram Retreat with Allégement), experimental noisy tunes (Puin+Hoop – Slaapstaking), percussive post punk (Hadewych with Apse sound like a mix of Einsturzende Neubauten and UK Decay), circus weird experimental tunes (Logosamphia with “La Hars” sounds like a 60s hammond toon song mixed with breakbeat on the final part), pure pulsating electronic noise (Peter Quistgard with NONO sound like a gabber track composed with a Commodore 64 while Murw with Een Soort Van Geel sound like a throbbing electro noise collage) and melancholic pop wave (like the closing Itlien by Treasure Of Grundo). Available in mid June.

Maurizio Pustianaz

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roar e-zine review: various artists – kamp holland

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various artists - kamp holland outside frontHet label Enfant Terrible kennen we inmiddels van de ondergrondse new wave en electroklanken die het label op vinyl de wereld in slingert. We kennen ze inmiddels al van een aantal platen, en nu hebben ze weer een nieuwe compilatie uitgebracht met het beste wat de Nederlandse electroscene te bieden heeft. De titel is Kamp Holland en het hele design is in stijl. Het ding is verkrijgbaar als dubbel LP in de beste traditie van het label.

Knisperende, minimale electro is meteen wat je te horen krijgt bij Lesbian Mouseclicks met Bye Bye, wat naadloos overgaat in het lome Don’t Let Them Know van Bakeliet. Na de eerste vier nummers is het al weer duidelijk hoe een lekker plaat dit is, waar de muziek naadloos in elkaar overgaat en je geen moment het gevoel hebt op te moeten staan om een nummertje over te slaan. Distel met Dögn is de nummer drie en zonder moeite gaat de trage, pulserende beat over in het dromerige bliepjesfestijn van Neurobit. Het nummer ebt langzaam weg en de A kant is klaar.

Dan schrik je wakker van de plotselinge zware bassen van Pornologic waar de track Pterodactyl Extraordinaire op steunt. Het is niet enkel minimalisme en koude electronica, want het vrolijke Ruimtevaart Vooruit van Staatseinde heeft lollige nederlandstalige zang. Het nummer is warm en doet meer denken aan een nummertje uit Sesamstraat. Deze kant van de plaat eindigt met Autonon met een zweverige synth track die klinkt als warme, positieve zonnestralen. Prima combinaties op elke zijde, wat niet geheel onbelangrijk is op vinyl.

Voor een voorproefje is er een mooie trailer beschikbaar van deze plaat, mocht de interesse geprikkeld zijn. Ik laat de tweede plaat even voor wat het is, maar geloof me, ook daar is genoeg te ontdekken voor de liefhebbers van ouderwetse, minimale electro. Enfant Terrible geeft Nederland een reden om trots op te zijn die hopelijk wel wat stemmen trekt.

4/5

Guido Segers

terrible music review: hunter complex

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hunter complex - hunter complex outside frontI am a big fan of Dutch popmusic and especially of new Dutch artists that are capable to produce some interesting and daring tunes in the fields of electronic music and experimental popmusic. Not because I am nationalistic or anything but partly as a reaction against the indifference of many Dutch people for their own history and culture. It is important to support local culture as simply it makes life nicer and better in the little world you live in.

Hunter Complex is the relatively new project by the Narrominded label boss. Narrominded have been working on promoting and putting out good new (Dutch) music since 2000. First with cd-r releases and later on vinyl and cd. The sounds range from elektro to experimental electronics and also some guitar stuff is in their catalogue.

Synthpop is the word when it comes to Hunter Complex. I must admit I did not get it when I first played this record. But it really grew on me with each play. Still I think the record would have been stronger when it would be trimmed from twelve to nine tracks or something. But in general this debut album is a masterpiece of contemporary synthpop.

The word pop should be written here in capitals. The production is quite thick in a Pet Shop Boys sort of way. Perfectly fitting the clear electronic beats and warm synthesizer melodies. What really makes this music so outstanding is that you hear classic 1980’s synthpop elements but still all sounds very fresh. The arrangements and rhythms are all but 1980’s I think. Also quite some unexpected elements pop up from time to time, like suprising hooks and twists in the song structure or a guitar part being added for a moment.

One of the highlights is Moonset with its steady beat and typical claps but also adding to that some almost ambient like synth lines and strings. Also Exit is really good with its loungy and laidback feeling and spacious synth lines.

If you are into classic synthpop and into some light summer tunes check out this release for sure. And for the well informed… this is probably more Anna Logue records stuff as Enfant Terrible material. But still… watch out for a new excellent track by Hunter Complex coming soon on the new Enfant Terrible compilation!

ET

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