Detox Static

A word and a brand new name-your-price download from Belgian electro giants Front 242 and Alfa Matrix ...

In the summer of 2015, when announcing the upcoming release of the much awaited remastered version of their “No Comment” album due to arrive in spring 2016, FRONT 242 not only offered the unreleased RADICALG remix of “Take One” for free to their fans (alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/album/lovely-day-remastered-take-one-radicalg-mix), but also opened a remix competition for the same classic song as well.

Overwhelmed by the success of the competition and the several hundreds of remixes that got sent to Alfa Matrix, it took us much more time than initially expected to get all of these competition entries played to the various jury members and eventually reach a final top 3 of the most favorite remixes.

Today to thank you all for your much appreciated patience, we are proud to release with FRONT 242 the free “Detox Static” EP exclusively available only through Bandcamp. It features a remastered version of “Take One”, plus the remix work by the 6 (and not only 3!) first winners of the remix competition.  Congratulations to AD:KEY, EISFABRIK, KANT KINO, TEFONIK, RESTRICTION 9 and DIGITAL 440 for being part of the “Detox Static” sonic adventure. And a big thank you to all of you who took part in the competition. 

Enjoy this EP until we soon announce the upcoming remastered versions of several iconic FRONT 242 albums showcasing the band’s innovative sound in its best audio quality possible today. You will be able to hear these albums on vinyl and cd with the improvements or differences permitted by today's audio technology.

And 2016 being a very special year for both FRONT 242 and Alfa Matrix, you can definitely expect the unexpected! There is so much more to come... Stay connected!

Front 242, Alfa Matrix, and Take Five

Earlier this year, back in July, I blogged about Belgian electro-technocrats Front 242, the Alfa Matrix label, and an appetite-whetting remix competition.

The plan – according to the blurb at the time – was that the winning remix of Front 242’s (track) ‘Take One’ would get a release at the end of August (2015), and be made available as a download on the Alfa Matrix bandcamp page.

Or so I thought … cue electronic tumbleweed floating across the vast cyber plain that separates various arteries of the worldwide information super-highway.

I checked back regularly, re-checked, and triple checked, even, but still nothing appeared.

Until last week, when yet another one of those super impressive ‘Matrix Downloaded’ name-your-price compilation releases appeared on said bandcamp page, and what’s that I spy with my rather beady eye? … included on there is a remix of ‘Take One’ by a producer called Kant Kino. Which I can only presume was the winning remix.

Regardless of that, and more to the point, this is the 5th edition of the Matrix Downloaded series, and once again it’s a very extensive package featuring all of the label’s key artists (61 tracks in total). If you’re unfamiliar with the label – and I’d suggest that the sonic wizardry of Front 242 is a fairly accurate guide – then what have you got to lose by downloading and sampling?

If you’re really keen – or a convert – you can also grab the four previous compilation releases as name-your-price downloads. Don’t be shy …

It's A Lovely Day!

I’ve long been a fan of Belgian Techno/EBM giants Front 242. I blogged a little bit about that once before (here). Front 242 enjoy a massive cult following – and have done for some 30-plus years – but are almost completely unknown in mainstream music circles. Anyway, I note the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page is offering a couple of free tracks to download ahead of 242's acclaimed No Comment album getting a 2015 reissue/makeover.

Grab a copy of the remastered ‘Lovely Day’ and a remix of ‘Take One’ (click here).

There’s also a remix competition on the go for anyone wanting to put their own signature on ‘Take One’ – the Remix Kit is included in the download. This from the Alfa Matrix page:

FRONT 242 this time also challenges your creative skills and opens a remix competition by including to this single a remix kit for the classic track “Take One”. You can find the download link for the remix kit in the PDF that is included in your download as bonus. FRONT 242 will select their 3 favourite remixes to be inserted in a second free download single which will be released on August 30th! Deadline for the remix submission (in non-mastered WAV 16bit format) is August 15th 2015, you can send your submissions to webmaster@alfa-matrix-store.com using dropbox or wetransfer! Make sure to title your remix by adding your band/artist/DJ name to the WAV file title that you will share with us...

Lost Alternative 80s: Front 242

Belgian EBM/industrial music pioneers Front 242 are not exactly unknown in terms of “lost” Eighties bands, but they certainly never achieved a great deal of prominence within the mainstream. And compared to similar artists of the same ilk – say, the likes of Cabaret Voltaire and Ministry – Front 242 were largely under-appreciated by all but the most hardcore fans of the EBM “genre”.

This track, 'Masterhit (parts 1 & 2)', from 1987, represents the absolute pinnacle of Front 242’s output (for me) and the album it appeared on – Official Version – was probably the band’s finest moment.

I’ve selected this one because it was special for me on a personal level – it was, back then, as I recall it, the track I used for my first – very amateurish – attempt at sampling. In a laughable attempt to replicate the genius of Tackhead, armed only with very limited equipment, I layered some English football commentary atop of cut up segments of 'Masterhit' to “create” something rather, um, different. I think I still have a cassette tape copy of that ill-advised effort hidden away in a box somewhere at the foot of the wardrobe. There’s a very good reason it has remained in that box for so many years and I doubt I’ll be digging it out again anytime soon ...