Genre: Latvian Industrial

Resource Links: Semema-industrial.net

Semema is an audio and multimedia collective dedicated to producing audio and multimedia projects from within Latvian industrial music scene. To trace the roots of Semema you must look back to recent history when Latvia gained its independence from the former U.S.S.R. Upon the independent nations liberation new influences began to flood the small nation, and in turn, subcultures began to emerge. Latvia’s newfound freedom stimulated young people within the culture to begin exploring industrial music and its subsequent culture. Native Latvian’s began highlighting industrial music at locals clubs that began to draw in others seeking to discover something new and refreshing. Before long Latvian musicians began to join the emerging subculture creating their own contributions to industrial music. Semema has emerged as the prominent voice and focal point for Latvian industrial culture and music.

At the time of writing this review Semema has manifested several daunting projects including an interactive website titled “Fatal Chat,” an online radio broadcast dedicated to industrial music titled “Die Sturmwelle,” and the organizations website Semema-industrial.net which acts as an international access point for those seeking to learn more about the activities of Latvian industrial artists and other artists from abroad. The latest project conducted by Semema has been the production of Comrades in lost ... a full-length audio and multimedia CD that features contributions from a wide array of Latvian industrial musicians.

Comrades in lost… is an excellent introduction to six eclectic and very intriguing Latvian musicians including Traur Zot, Devnoise, Claustrum, 2ot, Barodarho, and Knauzers. I have had the good fortune of being introduced to the music of Traur Zot & Claustrum through their split release “Returning To The Past By Silence” which was released by Old Europa Café and reviewed at Heathen Harvest. The other four bands are relative new comers to my ears. Comrades in lost… highlights what I like to believe is true industrial music. In the vein of music you have come to love from labels like Old Europa Café and Steinklang Industries, Comrades in lost… features old school industrial acts working with raw sounds and true industrial music as opposed to sequenced dance music with harsh frequencies.

In addition to highlighting some of Latvia’s seminal industrial musicians, the CD also features a very interactive computer program. The multimedia feature imbedded upon the CD plays on your computer and launches a three dimensional computer simulated environment in which the user can navigate. Navigation is easy and allows you to roam a small computer generated compound populated by small rooms. An array of particular rooms within the compound feature various visual / audio contributions that are described as “…an artist's (Girts Korps) subjective perception of the industrial topic.” Upon entering the “active” rooms, the user is transported to another interactive screen where an individual statement by the artists is messaged to the user while an interactive video production plays. The video elements are varied and highly artistic ranging from surreal slideshows to disturbing short film features. The level of production investing in each audio / visual contribution is exemplary, I was impressed by the dedication, and professionalism the multimedia section received. The program connects to the Semema website upon activation updating the content of the program. Semema has stated that program content will continue to be added after the publication of the CD.

The first three tracks on Comrades in lost… are contributed by Traur Zot. These tracks include the songs “Kas tu esi?” “Comrades in lost…(with Claustrum)” and “ Mort Port.” The music of Traur Zot is created using layers of industrial sounds, noise, and dark ambience. The tone tends to be martial. The songs are lengthy and evolve smoothly through various phases as the music builds and morphs. Male vocals are dispersed throughout the tracks. At times the vocals sound original and heavily treated and at other times they sound as if they have been lifted from historical sound footage. The mood of the music reminded me a bit of Tordoih but Tordoih never quite enters the realm of industrial noise that Traur Zot treads. If you where to mix the noisier output of Folkstorm with the somber war inspired sonorities of Tordoih you might create music approaching the sound of Traur Zot. The music of Traur Zot is incredibly dense and suffocating as the artists brings to bear upon the listener a wide range of sounds and vocals. As you swim through the murky rumbling darkness you find yourself being driven by undecipherable ideologies and dogmas transmitted by voice, volume and frequency. I for one am highly anticipating the first full length album Traur Zot as these three songs featured on Comrades in lost… have left a lasting impression.

Devnoise contributes tracks four through six. The sound of Devnoise is distinctly different from Traur Zot though both are firmly grounded in old school industrial music. Devnoise is slightly less dynamic than Traur Zot and definitely not as dense. The music of Devnoise culminates slowly evolving in a linear fashion as it moves from industrial noise to rhythmic noise. Simplistic rhythms are combined with industrial atmospheres in very carefully constructed compositions that pair rhythm and industrial sounds into jagged and stuttering compositions that drive the listener forward with aggression. The music is unforgiving and does not wait for the listener to become comfortable but rather forces the journey forward sweeping the listener along with sheer intensity and brutal indifference. On track six title “Merkaba (RT-32)” Devnoise demonstrates a much softer side of his music with a spacey ambient song that gently drifts upon waves of ambient music while bleeping robotic noise chirps. Devnoise is a multifaceted project capable of demonstrating various faces and moods.

Claustrum contributes tracks seven through nine. Claustrum continues the hardcore industrial assault with three unforgiving tracks that range from simpler rhythm driven confrontations to squelching dark ambient / noise compositions that engulf the listener like an apocalyptic aftermath. Claustrum shares similarities with Traur Zot though the music of Claustrum tends to be cleaner and not as infested with noise and torrential walls of morphing sound as Traur Zot . Track eight-titled “Pogrebni (rudens lapas)” shows a very soft and deliberate side of Claustrum as they construct a very delicate and eerie ambient atmosphere that supports a spoken word recital. The music is very subtle and soft pulling away from the industrial onslaught of previous songs. With that said track, nine titled “Polar plasma wave” sees Claustrum deliver a rumbling behemoth of a song featuring dense layers of looped noise and shrieking electronics paired with static madness. From refined dark ambience to abusive noise, Claustrum displays a wide-ranging talent.

2ot contribute tracks ten and eleven. 2ot delivers some very back to basic noise contributions that offer no love amidst the sterile industrial punishment. Utilizing primary sounds in noticeably uncluttered compositions 2ot serves it up old school style with two compositions of minimally manipulated electronics. Both tracks offer listeners a barren journey of basic sound principles with fluctuating sine waves and reverberating stuttering static waves. 2ot pulls back the noise and industrial mayhem to produce music that is straightforward and created out of the essentials.

Track twelve-titled “Vara vairo varu” sees Barodarho offering their solitary contribution to the mix. “Vara vairo varu” continues in the vein of stripped down industrial music with a slowly building soundscape of definitively industrial sounds supporting a spoken word recitation. The music creates a tense composition as sounds bleep in the darkness akin to warning sirens. Other tones and pitches are manipulated as well for ultimate discomfort. The mood of the music is one of urgency and anxiety.

Comrades in lost… ends with the final track by “Naaves eenaa” by Knauzers. Knauzers offers a mellow and slightly sinister track that unifies industrial sounds with gentler ambience, smooth rhythms, symphonic orchestration and disturbing vocals. The result is a sensual song shrouded by a sinister darkness that manifests but does not eclipse the mood of the music. I would definitely have enjoyed hearing more from Knauzers.

Semema have offered industrial music fans a great opportunity to check in with the emerging industrial music scene in Latvia and I encourage Heathen Harvest readers to take advantage of this opportunity and discover some refreshingly new music. Its people like those working to make Semema manifest and the musicians who contributed who make the industrial scene what it is. Without folks like Semema taking the imitative to create a culture to support the music our scene would either fade into oblivion or be swallowed up by large greedy corporate music interests. Support your scene on an international level and treat yourself to some new music!