EFA GERMANY ANNOUNCES BANKRUPTCY.
Aural Fixation: Music News
By Beata Patricia Pac
The March 2 news of bankruptcy of Germany’s music distributor EFA Medien has instantly affected the dark music scene, including bands like Das Ich, Garden of Deight, Clan of Xymox, The Fair Sex, and Corvus Corax. EFA’s demise also affects many record labels including Metropolis, Alfa-Matrix, Cold Meat Industry and Pandaimonium. Most musicians will remain in a state of financial flux until new music distribution contracts are re-drawn. In changing their distribution, bands and labels will be forced to change artwork on their product to reflect a new barcode for the SoundScan system for tabulation of tracked sales. If bands don’t obtain their music catalogues from EFA on time, some of them may be forced to repress their products. While the older products can still be sold through mail order or at gig merchandising booths, new releases will quickly have to get into the distribution channel in order to be sold and purchased.
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New and Upcoming Releases:
BJORK’S NEW BOX SET
Iceland’s greatest export Bjork is releasing a complete singles box early this spring. The box set will include all singles, re-mixes, and white labels combined. The collection will also feature hard to find and unavailable mixes that will be a must-have for all Bjork fans.
NEW ITALIAN SYNTHPOP EXPORT
Italy’s Syrian successfully debuted last year with the release of De-synchronized. The band’s new EP, Space Overdrive, offers the first glimpse of their upcoming album and features re-mixes and a CD-rom video.
MORRISSEY’S LONG AWAITED ALBUM DUE IN MAY
Morrissey, the former Smiths frontman, is releasing a new album that will bluntly and honestly tackle his views on America, religion and the Irish problems. Due May 17, You Are the Quarry will feature 12 tracks emphasizing a "poppier" side of Morrissey’s persona. The artist is still planning a major tour to support his new album with the first finalized appearance that’ll take place at Denmark’s annual Roskilde Festival on June 2. The singer is confirmed to appear for an entire week on CBS’ "The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn" beginning May 24. He will also curate the Meltdown Festival in England that runs from June 11-27.
FIXMER/MCCARTHY
SPV has recently signed an exciting act Fixmer/McCarthy. The band has announced the June 28 release of their debut album Between the Devil. Stay tuned for upcoming tour dates.
MINUSWELT LABEL’S FIRST COMPILATION
Cortex Compilation Vol. 1 is the first compilation from Minuswelt and features previously unreleased, rare and classic tracks by electro greats like In Strict Confidence, Melotron, yelworC, PzychoBitch, The Retrosic and Run Level Zero.
ORBITAL
British techno act Orbital has just completed a new album that will be out sometime at the end of the year. The legendary band will feature exciting guests on the album including, Lisa Gerard and Sparks.
MIKROMIX ONE COMPILATIONS
One of Germany’s youngest labels, Mikrolux, has just released Mikromix One, a unique compilation disc revealing the label’s highly unusual catalogue of bands. The album features minimalist transcendental electronic tracks perfect for those who enjoy experimental music with a human touch.
TOMMY T.’S DEBUT SOLO PROJECT
Diverje’s Tommy T. has released his first solo project under the name in-Fused. Misplaced brings us an eclectic mix of sounds, exploring the more experimental, power noise side of music. The album is filled with electro-industrial songs with hard driven rhythms, diverse structures and static sounds.
SKINNY PUPPY’S THE GREATER WRONG OF THE RIGHT
A long awaited new release of Cevin Key and Nivek Ogre’s The Greater Wrong of the Right will be out in stores on May 24. Skinny Puppy’s guests will include Wayne Static (Static-X), Statik (Collide), Danny Carey (Tool), Omar Torres (Hologram), Cyrus Rex, Traz Damji, Pat Sprawl, Otto von Schirach and Saki Kaskas. The confirmed track list contains "I’mmortal," "Pro-Test," "EmpTe," "Neuwerld," "Ghostman," "dOwnsizer," "Past Present," "Use Less," "Goneja," and "DaddyuWarbash."
THE MISSION’S LIVE DVD
The Mission has recorded a live DVD on their recent German tour during their April 13 concert in Cologne. In addition to the DVD, the band is soon to return with a new studio album as a follow up to 2000’s Aura.
Delays:
NICK CAVE’S THE VIDEOS DVD
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ "The Videos," collections of the band’s music videos was pushed forward from March 29 to May 3 and the expected content will be slightly altered.
SIOUXSIE POSTPONES HER TOUR
Siouxsie and the Banshees’ Siouxsie Sioux’s has postponed her highly anticipated tour until the fall due to complications following the singer’s sinus surgery. A post on her official Web site by Budgie, Sioux’s husband and Banshee percussionist, stated: "The reason for this is that after her recent successful Sinus operation, Siouxsie has unfortunately contracted a ‘Secondary Sinus Infection’ just three weeks after being given the ‘All Clear.’ We know some people have already made travel plans along with their ticket purchase and so we want to give everybody as much time as possible to alter those plans or to obtain refunds if necessary. It’s because we also want to give Siouxsie as much time as possible to make a full and complete recovery that we are rescheduling the tour to start in September." For more information go to www.thecreatures.com.
