The Wolfgang Press – one of the longest-running bands from the iconic 4AD label. The band was formed in 1983 by Michael Allen (vocals, bass) and Mark Cox (keyboards). The debut album by The Wolfgang Press, “The Burden Of Mules”, was an important release for post-punk. Over time, The Wolfgang Press’ musical proposition expanded, with the artists reaching for more pop-oriented pieces as well as experimental ones.
Their new album, “A 2nd Shape”, features key members of The Wolfgang Press: Michael Allen and Andrew Gray, joined by Stephen Gray, Andrew’s brother. The songs are bleak, but not without ingenuity and artistic vigour. The Wolfgang Press is an enigmatic and underrated group in the history of rock music. Following its break-up, 4AD released the retrospective compilation Everything Is Beautiful, and the artists embarked on solo careers. In 2024, the band returns with a new album and will perform at Soundedit in Łódź, Poland. This is one of the biggest musical surprises of the year.
Justin Sullivan & Dean White (New Model Army) – their latest, sixteenth studio album “Unbroken” was released in January 2024. It has received critical acclaim and climbed the album sales charts worldwide. Since the release, the band has toured relentlessly.
Formed in Bradford in 1980, New Model Army is now in its fifth decade and shows no signs of intending to stop. In 2023, the group released the double concert album “Sinfonia”, a unique performance recorded with an orchestra in Berlin. Immediately afterwards, they discounted this success with their premiere album “Unbroken”. The band began writing songs for the new album as early as 2021. The musicians wanted to encapsulate and summarise, everything that is and has been happening both in an insanely fast-changing world and in their own private spaces. Soundedit will feature Justin Sullivan & Dean White with a special set.
Clan of Xymox – a band well-known to Polish fans thanks to Tomasz Beksiński’s programmes, great albums and numerous club and festival performances. Considered a true “classic” of the dark wave movement, the group formed in the Dutch city of Nijmegen in 1981. Initially, it operated as a duo comprising: Ronny Moorings (keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Anke Wolbert (bass guitar, vocals). Since signing with 4AD in 1985, they have recorded several albums appreciated at the time (and still highly regarded) by both fans and journalists, among them their excellent 1986 release “Medusa”.
Juno Reactor – this group is an electrifying and unusual combination of techno rhythms and fiery flamenco. Juno Reactor is synonymous with innovation in electronic music. The group is led by visionary electronic pioneer Ben Watkins. It has won a devoted fan base through its constant pushing of musical boundaries, extensive discography and unparalleled performances. Juno Reactor’s shows are an immersive spectacle that engages all the senses. It is a celebration of music as a transcendent art form.
Juno Reactor’s songs have been used in such films as “The Matrix Reloaded”, “The Matrix Revolutions”, “Mortal Kombat”, “Brave Story”, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”, and “Texhnolyze”.
The Wolfgang Press, New Model Army, Clan of Xymox and Juno Reactor will perform on 27 October (Sunday) during the 16th edition of the Soundedit International Festival of Music Producers and Sound Designers in Klub Wytwórnia (Łódź, ul. Łąkowa 29). Tickets at 169 PLN available: tickets24.pl, goingapp.pl, ticketmaster.pl, empikbilety.pl, wytwornia.pl and at the club’s box office.
Photos: organiser’s press materials