Josie Pace

 

“Ever since I can remember music and performing were my main goals” admits musician Josie Pace.  Growing up in a family that love music and having supportive parents that encouraged her to learn everything about writing, singing and playing the guitar helped cement Pace’s passion for music and performing.  

 

Even though she performs under the name Josie Pace, there is a band mentality to the music and  performances.  Pace works with keyboardists and producer Ken Roberts in the studio working on music.  The duo collaborate to create music, concepts for music videos, photo shoots and live shows together.  Pace also enjoys collaborations with other artists and creating something unique and different from their styles.  “I’ve worked with my very good friend Sammi Doll of IAMX and Bullet Height on one of my own songs “Perfect Replacement” and on my cover off the Placebo song “Pure Morning” Pace explains.  Having also worked with Raymond Watts of PIG, Pace says “I am always looking for artists that I think will fit well and bring something new to the table with collaborations.” 

 

Pace enjoys writing about personal experiences and she considers writing a form of therapy with song writing helping her to express herself and relieve any pressure she is feeling.  She believes in some ways that writing songs and performing is like a superpower that allows her to reach out to people and make them feel less alone.  “I also love that writing the way I do, in more of a poetic manner, leaves room for the listener to connect with the song in their own way.” Pace explains.  

 

Describing her music genre as Electronic Rock, Pace sees her songs primarily as rock songs.  She writes them all on guitar and then transposes them to synth driven music, ensuring to keep live drums in each song to foster what she describes as a more human feel.  “It isn’t dance music and I think that is what makes it very different from a lot of “electronic” music that is out now.”  Preferring to write alone, after recording the songs on guitar Pace then records phrases and chord progressions on her phone until she finds something she feels is stronger enough to write around.  When Pace is happy with a song she has written she takes it into the studio where she works with Roberts to transpose it to electronic music.  In the studio songs may change a bit lyrically or rhythmically as the duo bounce ideas off of one another.  When the rough track is completed, Pace records the final vocals and the live drum and the song is sent to be mastered.  

 

“The style and aesthetic of everything we do is a magnified version of myself” says Pace.  She considers the visuals to be as important as the song and she relishes the styling of photos, videos and cover art.  Growing up Pace was influenced and inspired by musicians Prince and Joan Jett and fashion icons Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.  

 

Pace’s favourite part of the artistic process is live performances.  “The fact that I put so much into my songs and seeing so many people in person know them and the sing the lyrics back to me 

“ Pace describes as a humbling experience.  The energy of a live crowd and the release Pace gets from performing live is for her an overwhelming and inspiring experience.  Pace also loves to meet fans at her shows. “Because without fans I wouldn’t be able to perform” Pace acknowledges.

 

Pace believes there are some big things on the horizon for her and she always endeavours to keep future music fresh and new.  According to Pace in the future fans can expect “heavier music from me but also some stripped back music as well. “ Pace enjoys showing all facets of her music process.  Future plans also include headlining a tour, a new EP release and perhaps even a new full length album.

 

For a novice to Pace’s music she suggests that they prepare themselves for “hearfelt lyrics and “blow your face off”sound that will have you questioning your entire existence.” New listeners can expect to experience everything that is running through Pace’s head or weighing on her heart in a beautiful and poetic format that Pace believes is “best to relate to the listener and really let them adapt to each song in their own way”.

Links :

Bandcamp : https://josiepace.bandcamp.com/album/iv0x10v5

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JosiePaceGSM

Kevorkian Death Cycle

 

Formerly known as gRID the American Electro-Industrial band changed their name in around 1992 to Kevorkian Death Cycle because the name Grid had been taken.  While performing as gRID the band who is made up of Ryan Gribbin and Roger Jarvis had written a song about Jack Kevorkian Mecitron Machine.  Fully supporting Kevorkian commitment to humanitarian euthanasia, gRID changed their name to Kevorkian Death Cycle or KDC.

Having met through a mutual friend Gribbin explains that both he and Jarvis had been playing in other bands.  Gribbin began playing guitar for Jarvis’ band Servo Sector, also a project of Dean Whitman.  Not long after they joined up with Ron Robinson.  Whitman and Robinson are working on new tracks with KDC.  

 

Attracted to Electro-Industrial music Gribbin explains that it was completely different music from what he had been doing before which was mostly Rock/Metal.  “I loved the darker stuff like Coil Leaether Strip and Skinny Puppy, and then I heard the music that Roger, Sean and Rob were doing and I was into it.”  Jarvis simply describes his love of the Electro-Industrial genre of music by saying “The first time I heard skinny puppy I knew what my life was missing.”

 

When writing new music Gribbin looks inward deciding where he is at with the world at that time.  Working with pent up angst and current feelings and thoughts Gribbin images a person or setting.  For Jarvis percussion and rhythm are the start for any new music because then he believes “everything falls into place after that.” 

 

Often inspired by movies and literature Gribbin grew up watching all kinds of 80s and 90s horror movies and he believes that’s what his imagination looks like.  Jarvis is sometimes inspired when watching a movie and he acknowledges that “imagery and sound go hand in hand for me.  Landscape translates to soundscape, action transforms to rhythms and percussion.”

 

Although not involved in the aesthetic or creative direction for the bands last couple of albums God I am and I am God, Gribbin was part of the creative presentation of the latest release.  Gribbin says “I really wanted to dive in and try to make something I was really happy with, both musically and artistically, and I am.” 

 

Both Gribbin and Jarvis enjoy live performances in front of an audience. Gribbin admits that pre-show it’s hard to see how much he actually enjoys live performances.  Jarvis describes live performances as a way to all get together and do what they love to do. 

 

Future plans for the band include continuing to make music, neither Jarvis or Gribbin see the band ending anytime soon.  Jarvis explains that “we have no limits or boundaries so anything is possible.”

 

Gribbin suggests new listeners to KDC should realize that first and foremost they are electronic.  Gribbin goes on to say “I feel like there is a message for anyone throughout our catalogue of music because we write our music and message for everyone.”  Jarvis recommends that new listeners “close your eyes and try and sing along.  The more you listen the more it makes sense. “

 

Links:

Bandcamp: https://kdcngp.bandcamp.com/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/KevorkianDeathCycle/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kevorkiandeathcycle/?hl=en

 

 

Voicecoil

 

Denver based Futurepop act Voicecoil has a name inspired by a component of a speaker that band founder Mark Sousa describes as “something we all use to consume music and other media”.  The component is basically used to convert an electrical signal to the vibration that we actually hear through our electronics.  The unique name popped into Sousa’s head when he was trying to come up with a name for the project to release their first songs.  Thinking the name Voicecoil was perfect for his needs Sousa ended up making it one word to make it stand out and simplify searching for the project.

 

ComprI sing of Sousa and at times, during live performances, various live line-ups ranging from one or two keyboard players, a guitar player and even a drummer at one point, Voicecoil now consists of Sousa and a keyboard player on stage.  Although Sousa admits he “would love to find a drummer if the right one came along.”

 

With music that centers around Pop/Dance compositions that have a traditional Pop song structure, Voicecoil admits the band doesn’t get too deep into the music genre game.  Sousa acknowledges that his “music is synth based and Poppy but has lots of dark theme. People will call it what they like.” 

 

The creative process of Voicecoil can vary at times.  Sometimes Sousa is inspired by a chord progression he likes that he can build a song around and on occasion a synth sound will inspire him to create a melody around it.  Even inspired by his dreams Sousa admits that now and then he hears musical ideas in a dream and he “wakes up to try and bring them into the real world.”  This either results in something sounding close to what he heard in his dream or sometimes it doesn’t.  It’s a haphazard process.  

 

Sousa does all the artwork for Voicecoil and though he says he isn’t a graphic artist he creates what he describes as “simple, minimalistic artwork” a style that has always appealed to Sousa.   He explains that he is “severely vision impaired and so things like contrasts and form are very important to me as that is generally how I view the world around me.”

 

Sousa enjoys playing in front of a live audience and relishes the thrill of connecting with people that are into something he created.  “Songs can sound different live and that’s always interesting to see how they translate”  Sousa says.  Touring also allows Sousa to travel and see new places which he enjoys.  When describing performing live Sousa explains  “when the lights are going and the music is loud and people are dancing, you can lose yourself in a moment and the only thing that matters is the moment you are in.”

 

Despite touring having become more difficult for smaller acts due to the pandemic and financial stresses, Voicecoil would like to tour again soon. There are many places all over the world that Sousa would like to travel to and perform in. He hopes that someday soon he will be able to perform in Germany, the country he was born in.   

 

Sousa believes that Voicecoil’s music will progress organically.  He also started working on a side project called Gravity Corp which is more aggressive and angry music, something Sousa hasn’t explored as much.  Sousa wants the listeners and fans to know that every little bit of support shown towards a band is appreciated and is important even purchasing things like T-shirts or buying an album on Bandcamp.  Sousa says that this kind of fan support goes “beyond keeping them creating and keeping our culture going, it also usually helps keep the lights on and keeps people fed.” 

 

To a new listener Sousa simply suggests they listen to the music and make their own judgement.  “Art is so incredibly subjective” says Sousa.

 

Links :

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/voicecoilmusic

Bandcamp : https://voicecoil.bandcamp.com/album/singularity

Webpage : http://voicecoilmusic.com/news

 

Strange Days by Voicecoil

 

The theme of loss was a huge inspiration for the new album by Denver Futurepop group Voicecoil.  During the pandemic the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen made everything around Voicecoil lead man Mark Sousa seem terrifying. “Then people started to die and I thought my whole world was ending” explains  Sousa  

 For most of the time during the pandemic Sousa couldn’t write.  When he was finally able to create music again he was very inspired.  “I also thought about the course of my life, what I wanted out of it and what I owed to those who believed in me when I was alive” , he says.   

The cathartic effect of music and music production have helped Sousa express how he felt after such a tumultuous world event. The songs “If/When” and “Vesterbrogade” reflect that point in particular.  The idea that you keep going as long as you can and make your life what you want it to be or die trying became a focus for Sousa.  He was inspired by a woman that he cared for very much who suffered a lot pain in her life all the while enduring it with courage. “No matter how much she hurt she had words of encouragement for me.  That will always stick with me.”  Both “If/When and “Vesterbrogade” take the listener on an almost frantic music journey with riveting beats and haunting lyrics.  

During the pandemic people Sousa loved dearly passed away in the span of a year and a half.  According to Sousa these people were the kind of people you only get to meet once in your life and he was devastated by their loss.  “For Katie”, “Why” and “Drift”, are songs all written by Sousa for people that he lost.  “For Katie” has a persistent and nostalgic sound with melancholic lyrics.   “Why” is a layered music journey with imploring lyrics and vocals towards the end of the song   “Drift” takes the listener on a musical odyssey with a tinge of hope afloat upon a beautiful melodic soundscape.  

 Engulfing the listener into a pervasive soundscape of evocative trance beats “Witness” has hypnotic vocals.   “Speak In Sine” has a techno dance orientated pop structure with retro sounding vocals. “Above The Static” instantly transports the listener into a fast paced technoid environment with dark lyrics and undulating, entrancing vocals.  Using repetitive bass lines and factory ambience “Line in the Sand” is filled with ominous lyrics and cautionary vocals.

 

“No Easy Reply” “is focused on the instant judgement of the internet age and the court of public opinion, often armed with no evidence making a judgement and decision about something.  Sousa describes this phenomenon  as “the mob mentality, cloaked in a veil of righeousness.”  He goes on to say that “that kind of thing always seemed to terrify me.”  “No Easy Reply” has foreboding lyrics adrift in a fast and retro beat.

The album Strange Days is a compelling pilgrimage through the soundscape inspired by Sousa’s personal experiences throughout the pandemic and is well worth a listen.

Dread Risks ‘automated disappointment”

 

Austin Electro-Industrial band Dread Risks second full length album “automated disappointment” is a dark and spiraling journey inspired by the trauma of existence and the inevitable hostility of shattered expectations. 

 

“Bound Limbs” starts the album, a musically dark and chaotic track accented by snarling, distorted vocals.  Gnarled whispered vocals and a frenetic pace take the listener into the diabolical soundscape of “Comadose”.  “Machine Identity” has a frantic dance beat with terrifying lulls and sinister vocals.  An industrial and swirling journey “Trace Amounts” tugs and pulls at the listener while inundating them with insidious and looming vocals and lyrics.  “Trauma Ties” is led by growling vocals and is a shadowy and lurid expedition.  With a choppy dance beat “Nothing in the Static” is an undulating and disorientating soundscape accompanied by askew, raw vocals.  “You Sleep In The Shroud That Buried Me” provides a convulsive music experience featuring malevolent vocals.  Dissonant haunting harmonies and a confronting industrial sound environment come together in “Obliteration Complex.”  With almost solicitious vocals “Extinction Form” has a hefty brutal back beat.   The final song on the album “Obliteration Complex – Ritchual” is a musical onslaught that’s poetic and primal with an unnerving drop in the music in unexpected places adding to the songs almost intoxicating effect on the listener.

 

Overall this grim and gritty musical journey is an insightful and deliciously enticing listen.  

Industry of Doom

  

 

With a name inspired by societies love for nihilism and what band member Gentleman Vox describes as the American “Culture of Doom” Industry of Doom is a collaboration between US musician Gentleman Vox and KÖSNIK from Bosnia-Herzegovina.  The duo met when Gentleman Vox, a seasoned traveler was in Bosnia. When he met KÖSNIK they discussed philosophy and music, discovering a shared interest in electro, punk, metal and techno music.  Gentleman Vox describes KÖSNIK, a musician who has been recording and playing guitar for some time as “technologically superior” to him but the duo have skills that compliment one another with Gentleman Vox writing the lyrics and providing the vocals and assorted oddities while KÖSNIK is the guitarist and programmer.  Both band members collaborate on the writing of the music  The band name was very much inspired by what Gentleman Vox describes as “an industry of doom, a market for the downfall or death of innocence.”  

 

Industry of Doom’s music is shrouded in doom with a nihilistic aspect running through.  The band’s  music has what Gentleman Vox describes as “an honest and refreshing mirror of true intentions of humanity both socially and politically.”  Not wanting to be pigeonholed into a certain genre, Industry of Doom describe their music as having Industrial Doom and Industrial Rock, with elements of Electro Metal and even Punk.  Gentleman Vox categorizes the bands first four songs as having hints of Punk, Progressive, Art Rock, Industrial and Metal.

 

The creative process for Industry of Doom involves the writing of the lyrics first.  Gentleman Vox says that for the process of songwriting to occur he “completely frees his mind”. In this state he is able to envision the lyrics.  “We have an idea of the aggressive or subtle nature of the lyrics and try to match the feelings of the lyrics” Gentleman Vox explains.  

 

Writing what they want to hear and inspired much more by ideas and anger, the new music by Industry of Doom highlights that “You are not your past! You are not your family!”  The music resonates with the idea that you always have a chance to renew yourself from what the band believes is  “the human debris you once were”.

 

Industry of Doom relish live performances providing their audience with a very large scale show which Gentleman Vox construes as a “sort of passion play that will shock and hopefully make sense once it is over”. The duo choose clothes for their performances that are both ritualistic and provide the then  with some anonymity.  Their music cleverly exploits  a sense of danger that Industry of Doom have always loved in music.

 

With no clear notion of where the bands music is heading Industry of Doom are more interested in what it will naturally evolve into.  “I couldn’t care less if it sounds like metal, industrial or carnival music as long as its good and interesting” says Gentleman Vox.  Although Industry of Doom hopes to tour extensively they do have some visa issues to overcome.  

 

For a new listener to Industry of Doom’s music Gentleman Vox says “ if your interested in aggressive-electro-metal-industrial-doom-punk music then you will love it.  Other than that, anyone who’s a teenage runaway or easily manipulated we’re here for you.” 

 

 

 Links: 

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Industry-of-Doom-101363775971758/

YouTube : https://youtu.be/og9--XykvyE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crooniek, Neo Fanfare with a Gothic Twist

 

Belgian Neo Fanfare group Crooniek started in 2005 as a mini Fanfare for one specific occasion.  With over forty different musicians having participated, sixteen years later this ensemble is still creating music.  With usually at least seven musicians collaborating at any one time, the band has typical fanfare instruments such as flugelhorn, cornet, alt saxophone, tuba, euphoniums, drums and melodic percussion.  Gerry Croon, the founding member of Crooniek is accompanied by his cousin Jan Croon , who plays the euphonium and was a foundation member of Crooniek.  Soon after they met Croon’s now wife Annelies Callewaert who plays flute and melodic percussion joined the band.  Despite being primarily an instrumental band for years Crooniek has in recent years collaborated with singers including Olivier Soil for the album Demonen & Dromen by Olivier & Crooniek in 2018 and with Xavier Kruth for the album Puin van Dromen by Winterstille in 2020.  

 

 

While growing up Croon took inspiration from gothic bands such as Sisters of Mercy, Lacrimosa, Goethes Erben, Sopor Aeternus as well as more metal bands such as Dimmu Borgir and Tristania.  He also had a passion for playing the cornet in fanfares and brass bands.  “With Crooniek I try to combine my two passions” Croon explains.

 

The album Puin van Dromen, has a Dark Folk Gothic sound.  Performed with singer songwriter Xavier Kruth the album had all the arrangements written by Croon.  “On this album we combined brass and other typical fanfare instruments with harsh guitars and so on.”  Croon is very proud of the unique sound created for this album. 

 

Crooniek’s new album was made in collaboration with Kevin Imbrechts, the frontman of the band Illuminine.  Imbrechts lives in the same village as Croon, Kampenhout, Belgium.  Using fanfare instruments and a dark melancholic sound the new album Trail of Time is a new type of music for Fanfare. 

 

The new album Trail of Time marks a watershed for Croon and Crooniek.  Exploring themes inspired by reminiscing on life and representing a musical review of Croon’s life the album is a combination of songs with Kevin Imbrechts, a few songs with Olivier & Crooniek as well as Winterstille.  Older songs that have been remastered are combined with new sings written by Croon.

 

Croon’s creative process when writing new music always starts with a feeling.  “You cannot control it.  It just comes in from somewhere out in the spheres.” Croon explains.  When inspiration hits Croon says that it’s imperative to records your ideas quickly because at times the inspiration is fleeting and may just disappear.  Once he has written down his ideas Croon is adamant that the new songs be different, unique and not a copy of any previous song.  

 

Having been born in Belgium, one of the smallest countries in the world,  Croon describes it as “ a complicated, crowded busy land, but also a safe and social land”. He doesn’t believe that growing up in Belgium has had a huge impact on his music but it may have had some bearing on the themes he explores. “The village Kampenhout, where I live, has also a unique history and stimulating sites and these served as inspiration for a few songs”. Croon admits.  For the album Trail of Time Croon took specific events from his home town Krampenhout and used them as inspiration for songs.  

'At the Lemmeken Monument' is a tribute to the victims of the plane crash, which took place in 1961, near Croon’s hometown. 

“On Wednesday, February 15, 1961, a Boeing 707-329 of Sabena, the national Belgian airline, crashed in 'Het Lemmeken', a district of Kampenhout. All of its sixty-one passengers and eleven crew members were killed in the accident. Among the passengers were the entire American figure skating team (US Figure Skating Association) on their way to the Prague World Championships. Young champions, some of them no older than sixteen, on their first ever trip abroad, en route to their moment of glory. On the chicory field where the Boeing fell, two young men were working. Michel Theo De Laet was fatally hit by flying debris, while his workmate Marcel Lauwers lost a leg. He was dragged from among the rubble by an aunt of Theo's. He is the only survivor of this terrible crash. A monument has been erected at the site.” 

 

 

'Condemned to the fire”: Josyne Van Vlasselaer' goes further back in history, to the ancestors of the composer Ludwig Van Beethoven.

“Distant ancestors of Ludwig van Beethoven lived in Kampenhout. One of them was Aert van Beethoven. He was married to Josyne Van Vlasselaer. She was arrested on August 5, 1595 by order of the mayor Jan-Baptist van Spoelberch on suspicion of witchcraft ("suspitie en inditie van soverije") and taken to a Brussels prison. Villagers had accused her of having a pact with the devil, because four horses had fallen dead in places she had passed by.

Of course, she denied the allegations, but exhausted, she admitted everything on the torture rack. On the eve of her execution, she made a failed attempt at suicide by swallowing potsherds. She was condemned to the stake. 

Only one woman was ever sentenced to death as a witch in Brussels, and that was a distant grandmother of the famous composer …”

 

 

‘Melancholy at Torfbroek’ 

“The Torfbroek in Kampenhout is a remnant of a vast and unique swamp in the Low Lands, fed by very calcareous groundwater. It offers a unique landscape with large open ponds and is the last remaining refuge of several plant species in Flanders. It is one of the most valuable nature reserves in Western Europe. But above all, it is also a place of deep melancholy.”

 

Crooniek are very involved in the aesthetic of the band.  The cover for the album Trail of Time has the hand of Croon’s father Victor who is seventy one years old and the hand of his eldest son Wout who is twelve.  The pocket watch on the cover of the album belonged to Croon’s grandfather Marcel who died a decade ago.  The album cover represents four generations.  “My father’s hand passes my grandfather’s pocket watch to the child hand of my son”. The cover is a beautiful symbolization of how time passes and will someday run out.  Croon says “my father’s hands were never too small to guide me growing up I can only hope I am strong enough to follow his example. “

 

Enjoying live performances Croon explains “ Its always nice to rehearse together, or to play concerts for an audience.”   Thrilled to play live, at times it is difficult for Crooniek who rely at least on seven musicians at a time to be available to perform live.  Juggling, jobs, families other musical projects and availability is a tricky process for all the musicians involved in Crooniek when wanting to perform to a live audience.  

 

Crooniek is open for new directions and projects in the future.  Hoping that Crooniek albums reach a larger and more diverse audience Croon acknowledges that streaming does now affect the exposure bands can achieve due to the saturation of the music industry.  Croon also believes that streaming of music has made people less likely to buy albums.  “That is understandable but not in favor for the artist who has made a lot of production costs.” Croon hopes that in the future people will buy albums again.

 

For a new listener to Crooniek, Croon suggests that they listen to Trail of Time.  “It my take some time to get into the album but when you do so, you will discover the many musical layers in the song.”  

Links :

Webpage : https://www.crooniek.be/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Crooniekband/

Olivier & Crooniek : https://www.olivier-crooniek.be/

Winterstille : https://www.winterstille.be/