News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Time for Arvika Festival 2002

Covenant 2002.

• Now, it's time for this year's Arvika Festival in Sweden (Thursday-Saturday). The line-up includes The Cure, Soft Cell, Primal Scream, Orbital, Covenant, The Mission, Luke Slater, Das Ich and Tiamat. Unfortunately KMFDM and Ohgr have cancelled, as previously reported. Arvika is the most important annual event for Release readers in Scandinavia. 15 000 people are expected this year. /Mikael Kahrle

Nitzer Ebb's new Maven unveiled

Maven live 2002.
Courtesy Maven management

• Founding member of UK hard-beat combo Nitzer Ebb, Bon Harris recently played his first post breakup gig in Hollywood. Dubbed Maven, the three piece played original tracks for the upcoming delayed CD slated for this fall. Harris, fitted with clothier Terri King's bondage suit worked through hard driving songs as well as some quieter moments. A special guest for the evening was DJ Twiggy Ramirez who recently departed Marilyn Manson.
An early Internet release track, "The Candidate" debuted on marilynmanson.net back in October 2000 after Harris completed help for Manson's "Holy Wood" pre-production. Director P R Brown's video for "The Candidate" was shot in November 2000 but has not been released to media.
Harris has worked with producer Bjorn Thorsrud for this album. Both had worked on Smashing Pumpkins' "Adore" recordings together in 1998. While the band members have been juggled over the last two years, Harris will complete the CD in Los Angeles along with the vocal help of Linda Strawberry.
EBM pioneers Nitzer Ebb broke up after their "Big Hit" tour. /Alex Veronac

Electronic pioneers influence New York band

Soviet united on stage in Toronto 2002.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• Soviet have completed their "Fear of the Red Dawn Tour 2002" in their hometown New York City. Their CD, "We Are Eyes, We Are Builders" was recently released and has been received well by the US alternative press.
Soviet are among the new breed of American bands going back to using analogue equipment to make their own music. Their latest CD is to be distributed in Europe this August by the German K7 Records label. Elements of OMD and other pioneering electro artists can be found in the mixture of a mid-80's John Hughes movie soundtrack. The quintet's live show had all the drama and utilized video snippets of days gone past. Soviet will continue to tour and release another video this year. /Alex Veronac

21 Jesus and Mary Chain singles compiled

• Are The Jesus and the Mary Chain reunited? Not a chance, sorry. But the US Rhino Records has just delivered a new compilation with The Jesus and Mary Chain called "21 Singles". Sounds like a good starting point for newcomers. /Mikael Kahrle

Nitzer Ebb gets remixed yet again
• NovaMute will be issuing another 12" single featuring classic Nitzer Ebb tracks being remixed by current producers. "Let Your Body Learn" is taken to task by Terrence Fixmer and "Control Im Here" is sliced and diced by The Hacker. This double a-side single is released via NoveMute on September 2 and follows last year's NovaMute 12" release of Derrick May and Thomas Heckman remixing "Shame" and "Join in the Chant". /Peter Marks

Four in one single from Alfa Matrix

Epsilon Minus plus three bands on a single single.

• Carrying on in the OffBeat (rip) records tradition, Belgian label Alfa Matrix has released a four in one single. It features Plastic Noise Experience, Aiboforcen, Hungry Lucy and Epsilon Minus. These four EP:s contain remixes by Implant, Angels and Agony plus many others and exclusive new material available only on this four for the price of one release. A double-disc limited edition is also available. /Peter Marks

Synthpop festival successful in Americas

Assemblage 23, Clear Vision, Beborn Beton, Mesh, Icon of Coil, Psyche, Covenant, TOY and And One live at Synthpop Goes the World.
Photos by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• Travelling music fans enjoyed the 15 band three day Synthpop Goes the World music fest in Toronto this past weekend. Bands as well as fans were amazed by the enthusiasm and appreciation for this type of event in North America. Many exclusive acts and premiere performances enhanced the event billing. Beborn Beton featured Daniel Myer on keyboards during their set. Darrin Huss joined And One on stage for part of their encore.
What many enjoyed was the sense of community found at the venue as they arrived from distant cities. Fans are now expecting another great collection of bands next year as many are planning to return.
See earlier Release news on the festival here. /Alex Veronac

Pet Shop Boys get along just fine


Artwork for "I Get Along" CD1.

• The new single from the British pop duo the Pet Shop Boys is the track "I Get Along" from their latest album "Release". As usual, a huge array of different formats can be found. First we have CD1, which is an enhanced CD containing the video for "I Get Along", together with "Home and Dry (Blank & Jones Remix)". A radio edit of the title track and the two new songs "Searching for the Face of Jesus" and "Between Two Islands" are also on there.
CD2 consists of three live tracks ("I Get Along", "Red Letter Day" and "Love Comes Quickly") from the recent "Release" tour.
Last, we have the DVD-single with the videos for "I Get Along" and "E-mail", and the track "Friendly Fire". There are some slight differences on the UK and Japanese versions of this single, so check out the official page for detailed info. Out on July 15. /Johan Carlsson

Famous DJ:s at PopKomm 2002
• The German music fair PopKomm will have a special party called "Hardbeat Propaganda: It's Hard and It Beats!" hosted by the promotion company Hardbeat Propaganda. The theme for the evening is "musicians as dj's" and several well-known acts will perform behind the turntables. The complete list is as follows: Vivid, Diary of Dreams, Prime Sth, De/Vision (tbc), Girls under Glass, Beborn Beton, Oomph! (tbc), Delaware, Haujobb, Melotron, and Substyle. This takes place on Friday August 8. /Johan Carlsson

Kraftwerk concerts in Paris confirmed
• We have now received confirmation that Kraftwerk will indeed play two concerts in Paris this autumn. The special occasion is the La Cité de la Musique at La Villette, and the dates are September 25 and September 26 /Johan Carlsson, Mikael Kahrle

Soft Cell releases delayed
• Cooking Vinyl will not deliver the new Soft Cell album "Cruelty without Beauty" until the end of September. /Mikael Kahrle