Oraculo Vinyl & CDs

Review: Asymetric80 is a really versatile producer. He's proven that with several fresh EPs in recent years on a range of different labels and they have explored everything from menacing electro to dark techno via industrial and noise. This new outing on Oraculo somewhat blends all that together into something new and fresh. 'Rara Avis' opens with stomping drums and EBM synths, 'Instant Manifesto' is a metallic techno workout and 'Plenary Indulgence' layers up scuzzy noise and gothic designs into something stark and strobe-lit. 'Innocent Stigmanta' and 'Internal Tears' bring more late night terror.

Review: It's been a minute since we last heard something new from Luca Venezia's Curses! Project. In stark contrast to his work as Drop The Lime, Curses! is betrothed to minimal wave melancholy, and after he put together the awesome Next Wave Acid Punx compilation for Eskimo last year we finally have an outright new EP on Oraculo. Lead track 'Gina Lollobrigida' is a darkly romantic thrummer with washed out vocals from Cici, which then gets suitably ghoulish, club-ready remixes from Zero Call and Nabta. Venezia then finishes things off with 'Anni Fa', a steely piece of lo-fi wave with chilling piano and the toughest of snares.

Review: On the fourth edition of Ride The Wave American synthwave, exquisite neue Deutsche welle and British post-punk are all well represented. The sound throughout this EP is dark but always somehow romantic, with pained vocals dragged out over the crips beats and rays of light and warmth coming from the synths. Carlo Onda's 'Viele Grusse Aus Yokohama' is particularly playful n its approach to noir-synth atmospheres and Karl Kave cooks up some real guitar angst on 'Atomlabor.' It's a hugely limited EP, with just 300 copies pressed on high quality solid green 180g vinyl.

Review: Spain's Oraculo label are known for coming through with the best new talent among the coldwave circles, and this fine mini compilation is another lesson to all those dabbling in industrial music in this day and age. Stockhaussen starts of deep and chimerical in "Gold Colors", but Factice Factory's "Lodged" offers a more lighthearted slice of 80's reminiscent melodica. Synths Versus Me features with the excellent "Machines Loves Better", and more of the same highgrade pseudo EBM is thrown down by Italy's Marcello Giordani and Werner Karloff. Tip!

Review: Oracule Records' latest limited edition release comes from post-punk duo Traitrs, who made their debut with the cassette-only Rites & Rituals last summer. This first vinyl outing is something of a forthright affair, with the Toronto duo delivering tracks that meld elements of impassioned, early '80s gothic rock with cold wave and minimal wave influences. There's a wall-of-sound Joy Division feel to "Gallows Hill", while the spiraling guitars of "Burnt Offerings" recall classic late '80s shoegaze. Elsewhere, the duo's Gary Numan-esque vocals come to the fore on the discordant, guitar-heavy fuzz of "Heretic", and crawl from beneath a ton of dark-rock noise on opener "Lya".

Review: Ultra Sunn hark back to a specific period of dark wave doomed gloom here across three thrillingly robotic and menacing tunes. They are built on stark drums, taught, rugged bass stabs and overlaid with deadpan vocals that are dehumanised and despondent. Elements of DAF's industrial textures, Sisters Of Mercy's famous doom-mongering hallucinations and Depeche Mode's brilliant dark-pop all feature and a Sarin remix helps seal the deal on this essential EP. This is a limited edition 180g vinyl on solid green wax specially remastered by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios.