An exclusive performance can be expected from the American singer-songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle. She's back with a new album called ‘Electric Guitar: Two (Dowsing Voice)’. Emma makes beautiful poetic songs for fans of folk, post-rock, shoegaze and ambient. Expect an intimate live show. Not to be missed for synthpop fans is the Canadian act TR/ST. Singer Robert Alfons' project combines gloomy synthpop with industrial beats, dominated by dramatic vocals. TR/ST doesn't often perform live so “it's a show not to be missed”, says the organization of Grauzone.
More synthpop comes from the New York duo Tempers, who return to Grauzone for the second time. Tempers makes hypnotic synthpop / art rock with raw guitars and hypnotic vocals from singer Jasmine Golestaneh. For fans of Cocteau Twins, Chromatics and Cigarettes After Sex.
Guitar sounds come from British rising act Deadletter; their danceable post-punk accompanied by saxophone is reminiscent of Talking Heads, Gang of Four and Television. They recently toured with greats such as Placebo, Viagra Boys and Squid. The band is flattened on BBC radio.
Even rougher guitar violence comes from the brand-new feminist queer act Lambrini Girls from Brighton. The band plays very energetic, wild shows and were one of the best bands on Left of The Dial in Rotterdam. For fans of Bikini Kill or L7. More feminist sounds come from the Los Angeles trio Patriarchy. Singer, performer and provocateur Actually Huizenga explores the boundaries of dirty synth-punk/new-wave & industrial music in the style of Bauhaus and NIN. Topics such as sex, power and fetish are covered and can be seen in their spectacular live shows.
Qual is the solo project of the British William Maybelline (known from dark wave duo Lebanon Hanover, also to be seen on the upcoming edition). With this project he makes very danceable, electronic music, with influences from industrial and EBM. Kontravoid is the solo project of LA drummer/producer Cam Findlay (ex-Crystal Castles and TR/ST) With his analog synths he makes dark electronic catchy songs for fans of Cabaret Voltaire and Das Ding. Detroit trio Ritual Howls from Detroit celebrate the 10th anniversary of their classic debut album that is full of post-punk, industrial space rock and apocalyptic gothic rock.
VR Sex is the other band of Drab Majesty's Andrew Cinco/Deb Demure and mixes death rock, synth punk and post-punk. These idealists focus on lyrical themes that probe the possibilities of loss of autonomy through social media, the decline of human interaction, and celebrity favoritism. In addition to the night program, DJ Kendal aka Ritmo Fatale from Toulouse will play a danceable DJ set of synthpop, wave and italo disco. He can also be found at Grauzone as a duo with DJ/producer Pablo Bozzi under the name Infravision, to complete catchy synth beats.
Berlin-based transmedia artist, singer and producer Rosa Anschütz was influenced early on by industrial sounds from post-punk and dark wave and delivers one of the most exciting electronic albums of 2022 with her album Goldener Strom (on Ellen Allien's BPitch label).
More acts, films, performances and art will be announced in the coming weeks.