So how about that Terminus line-up, then? It’s great to see the majority of the bands from the cancelled Fragment line-up being able to make it onto the fully fledged version of the fest, but the addition of some never-seen-by-us acts like Randolph & Mortimer and Louisahhh as well as perennial ride or die site faves like Seeming and Kite has us incredibly excited to finally, finally have Industrial Summer Camp back at full strength. Loads of chat about the full line-up to come on this week’s podcast to be certain.

Hem Netjer: not a brand of Scandinavian modem

grabyourface, “FKNBSTRDS”
We’ve been following the work of producer/performner grabyourface since they showed up on Covenant’s “False Gods” a few years back. New single FKNBSTRDS​/​HOWDAREU is something of a departure for the project; while previous releases like Sea were more sombre and lyrically driven, these two tracks are straight up bangin’ industrial techno. And they work: grabyourface has done a good job establishing her vocal and production persona that even a sharp turn like this one still feels like her work. It’ll be interesting to see how much further this sound is pursued, or if it’s just one aspect of a developing arsenal of styles.

Archon Of The Fairlight, “Dogmatic”
There’s scant information about this new project out of Georgia at the moment, but its first track gets plenty across on its own. An effectively stabby electro-industrial number which draws upon LORAH as well as a good amount of Vancouver-school influence, it’s not far removed from the way acts like Cardinal Noire amplified and modernized classic electro aggression.

Kite, “Bocelli”
Any day we get a new Kite song is a good day. Following hot on the heels of the tense and appropriately titled “Panic Music” comes “Bocelli”, a really lovely ballad that relies equally on Niklas Stenemo’s comforting warble as much as it does a really rich and uplifting arrangement of orchestral synths. While we love a good Kite dance track, we’re just as much into these baroque numbers they occasionally bust out (“Nocturne” being a notable example). Absolutely cannot wait to see these cats again in North America this year.

Sleep Forever, “Mystified”
Keeping things in the synthpop realm for a minute more, it’s been a while since we checked in with Sleep Forever, the solo project from one half of Veil Of Light. Sure, EPs like Vertigo took a much more melodic approach to coldwave than Markus’ main project, but those records were a far cry from Boyhood, the project’s first full-length. It’s full-bore summer bliss emotive synthpop time with numbers like this, which perhaps brings the likes of The Echoing Green to mind alongside larger names like Erasure.

Lights Of Euphoria, “Access Denied”
The new Lights Of Euphoria single doesn’t deviate too far from the style that they’ve been plying for decades, but it’s a damned punchy and effective iteration thereof. Big and broad high-gloss Euro dancefloor synths skip along a solid beat which hearkens back to dancefloors of the late aughts.

Hem Netjer, “Salt and Tears (featuring Victor Noriega)”
Vancouver’s pagan industrialists Hem Netjer have been teasing their debut LP for a while now, and with their live debut nigh at Vancouver’s Verboden in a few weeks (and on the recently announced Terminus lineup) it’s a good time for another taster. Like preceding tracks we’ve heard from them, this one revolves around the vocals of Raven Rissy, the throat singing of Jesse Ellyt, with the added production muscle of iVardensphere’s Scott Fox behind it, plus some didgeridoo from Victor Noriega of Cuelebre. Crank this at the next woodland ritual y’all.