What a weekend it was! We could tell you about how we spend our stat holiday (drinking beer and listening to records mostly) here in Canada, or perhaps about some of the interesting news relating to the world of Our Thing that have come across our desk. But we know the real reason you’re here: to get our take on New Japan’s G1 Special events that took place this weekend in Long Beach California. Yes, undoubtedly you’re thirsty for our views on the crowning of Kenny Omega as the inaugural IWGP US Champion, whether Cody Rhodes had the best match of his career against Kazuchika Okada (he did) and how Tomohiro Ishii is lowkey the most consistently great performer in the entire world of wrestling. Well, sadly we didn’t have time to write any of that up. We did do a Tracks post though, cold comfort though it may be.

For real though, New Japan has like, a lot of belts.

INVA//ID, “Overdose”
A tip of the I Die: You Die cap to Ryan from Youth Code for bringing this brand new electro-industrial artist to our attention. We know next to nothing about INVA//ID (not to be confused with friend of the site Séamus Bradd, formerly the.invalid), except that they hail from the steaming hotbet of industrial that is Los Angeles, and they like that classic 90s dark electro style. Go to Soundcloud to check out their stuff – including a pretty dope cover of X Marks The Pedwalk’s “I See You” – and keep your ears open for the name; we’re pretty confident you’ll be hearing about them a lot in the near future.

Distorted Retrospect, “Intermittent (V▲LH▲LL Remix)”
There was a time not so long ago when every week brought us either a new song or remix from V▲LH▲LL, but things have slowed down somewhat of late. That’s not a bad thing necessarily, because it makes something like this new mix for Distorted Retrospect (aka Christof Krztov) feel real special, a ghostly visitation if you will. You’ve got the usual spooky vibe and orchestral sounds in full effect, and we’re especially digging the vocal processing being used to bring the whole thing together. Take all the time you need for the next release guys, but don’t be strangers now ya hear?

Sally Dige, “Holding On”
We missed Sally Dige’s 2015 debut on Night School, but even if she wasn’t releasing follow-up Holding On on DKA, we’d have had to check it out after so many friends in the know expressed anticipation over more music from the German/Canadian transplant. The title track has all the cold and elusive markers of classic minimal wave, but is so full, lush, and replete with echoing layers of electro-pop that it’s impossible to think of it having too much in common with such a stripped down genre. Definitely bodes well for the rest of the record.

How Green is My Toupee, “Sense”
Every time we write or mention Cyborgs on Crack, we usually make it a point to mention not to be put off by the name, and that it is not a reflection on the terrific acid house by way of 80s post-industrial sounds produced by Domagoj Kršić. Imagine our surprise at reading his recent announcement that he would be backburnering CoC for a while and concentrating on a new project called…How Green Is My Toupee. Well alright then. On the real though, the name should give you a hint to dada sensibility conveyed by first single “Sense” and the weird left turn it takes about midway through. Always the unexpected with this guy.

Ortrotasce, “Primitive Colors”
The new Code EP from Florida’s Ortrorasce is full of spritely coldwave which dashes about with ease and panache, like this number. Should appeal to fans of The Present Moment, automelodi, and older Body Of Light. It looks as though they’ll be playing with High-Functioning Flesh in NY in a couple weeks if’n you’re in the area and keen to hear more.

Cretin Dilettante, “Signal Intrusion”
We’re not really sure what to make of the first sounds from the new LP by Dustin Sheehan’s Cretin Dilettante project, especially by the standards Basic Unit Productions has set thus far. It’s pensive and certainly speaks to the bedroom project roots of Sheehan’s first couple of releases, but there’s clearly a good sense for arrangements and instrumentation at the core of a track like “Signal Intrusion”, beneath wet, wobbling frequencies and finely minced and scrambled samples.