Old and new meet at electro-pop festival
Back a year after its launch, the Eisplanet Festival, a one-day event featuring acts active in electro-pop, dark-wave, industrial and experimental, returns to the same venue, the Gagarin 205 club, this Saturday. On the bill for this year’s event are German legends DAF; synth-pop act Melotron; Kirlian Camera, a highly individual Italian act whose course dates back to the early ’80s; as well as two well-received local newcomers, Astyplaz and Genetic Variation. DAF, who emerged back in 1979 with Mute Records, a highly influential label in the post-punk / new-wave era, will be the evening’s headliners. The act’s intense electronic dance rhythms, combined with melodic appeal, proved tremendously influential and helped guide the work of similar-minded electronic acts of today, among them VNV Nation, Covenant, And One, Icon of Coil, Apoptygma Berzerk and Project Pitchfork. Renowned as one of the early electronic era greats, along with Kraftwerk, Front Line Assembly, and Skinny Puppy, DAF has now regenerated new interest with its latest album, «15 Neuer Lieder,» which sheds new light on the band. DAF’s performance on Saturday will be the band’s first in Greece. Synth-pop hit-makers DAF will be preceded by Melotron, a popular act on Greece’s electronic pop-dark wave pop scene. The synth-pop band, which has enjoyed repeated success on alternative singles charts and is a regular performer at major European festivals, can be guaranteed to entertain with its delightful and innovative sounds. On before Melotron will be Kirlian Camera, an Italian act that was established in the early ’80s. They drew attention on the underground electronic circuit for creating a highly individual style which continues to be the distinguishing feature of their work today. Atmospheric melodies, both icy and emotional, occasionally break out into frenzy. Kirlian Camera’s mostly melancholy work is fronted by alternating female and male vocals. Particularly popular in Greece, their latest album, «Invisible Front.2005,» which was released last year, was voted the year’s best album by readers of an electronic music website, www.synthpopavenue.gr. Local participation The scene for Kirlian Camera will be set by local newcomers Astyplaz, who, in relatively little time, have become a prominent act on the «Greek electro» circuit. Following its success in Greece, the band’s debut album, «Name Your Slippers,» is now being prepared for a foreign release in Canada. Astyplaz’s Eisplanet Festival appearance will be accompanied by visual projections. The festival will be launched by Genetic Variation, a new Greek band that has already managed to make some impact beyond local frontiers. Its debut album, «Rest Your Imagination,» released by local independent label Cyberdelia, reached 12th place on a German music chart for alternative music. The group goes into the festival with just a handful of shows as experience. Saturday, 7.30 p.m., Gagarin 205 club (205 Liosion, tel 210.854.7600-2), within close proximity of the Attiki train and metro station. Advance ticket sales at major music stores, 30 euros (35 euros at the venue’s box office on concert night).
