STM 259 - Celldöd

Celldöd is the project of Swedish native Anders Karlsson, a veteran of the Swedish EBM/industrial scene. Apart from his current moniker, Anders is also part of the industrialized heavy electro outfit Severe Illusion, and The Pain Machinery duo delivering harsh old-school EBM with punkish dynamics. He also runs the Brutal Disciplin label and thus maintains creative independency by putting out a lot of his own releases. As Celldöd, Anders explores the more dancefloor-oriented sounds, sometimes bending towards harder techno fringes, but widely incorporating the EBM intensity, twisted acid tunnels, and industrial sensibilities. The physicality of the sound is at the forefront here with all the rhythm-based madness, where Anders distills his experience into a stream of electrified music for the body and the brain. Grittier, lo-fi synth aesthetics also occasionally surface, and the whole result is a tight and balanced sound. All of this is on display in Anders’ latest release for the wonderful DKA Records, Fragmenterade Minnen.

Secret Thirteen Mix 259 is an exploration of punk aesthetics manifested over a wide variety of forms. In addition, it can be perceived as a summary of influences that can be traced whilst wandering through his vast discography. The tracks stretch across different decades and generations, but the majority are interrelated by common inspirations and a kindred approach towards sound. The synth/EBM heavyweights range from the lo-fi techy sharpness of Beau Wanzer to the noirish gloomy grooves of Fad Gadget or Beta Evers’ punchy anthem for gothy dancefloors, Move In My Body Rhythm. Anders also exposes a more cartoonish side with the forgotten nighttime balad, Straight Lines by The Units. A darker mode of the icy and elegant new wavers Visage, or Solidit, a hazy synth piece by Chris Carter. In the end come the raw and distorted guitars with some more straightforward punk numbers - Blind Justice by The Business or the riotous Summer of ‘81 by The Violators. The mix constantly shifts between synth and guitar sounds, between more experimental and full-on dancefloor cuts, but the transitions are smooth and you can feel a coherence and common thread. So put on your badged leather jacket - this set demands it!

“It doesn’t matter if it’s electronic, dance music, dub or rock. The dirt and grit must always be present. Long live the freaks and the misfits, the pioneers, the risk takers and the oddballs. Punk is more than just a genre. It’s a way of life. Death before boredom.”