Album Release 2011:
Time for Change
Available as CD and Download amongst others at amazon.com, bol.com and iTunes.com.
They’re back again! The head and voice of the german techno-cult-act Moskwa TV: In close collaboration with Andreas Velte and Christian Walter [Fruit, owner of Klanghouse-Studio (a. o. Nils van Gogh, Mundstuhl, Automanic)], Paul-Alexander Schulte [Earth Nation, Vorsprung durch Technik, Winson, Laith Al-Deen, DAF, Silicon Funk] and Mike Burn [a. o. Mike Burn & Friends, The Mabuse Project (with Kai Eckhardt, Sean Rickman & David Haynes), Burn/Hewer/Iorio (with Mark Hewer & Daniel Iorio)] singer and songwriter Ion Javelin now has completed the art pop-album Time for Change which, in comparison with early Moskwa TV, turned out to be more elaborated, more complex and just cooler without though having lost touch with the central features particularly of the very last album of Moskwa TV called ‘Javelin’: Thrilling, sophisticated compositions, charismatic, within the refrains often polyphonic singing, finely tuned & vivid arrangements which from time to time leave space for (also acoustic) solos, imaginative sound-landscapes as well as ambitious lyrics with references to psychological, political and philosophical issues.
Apart from the flawless electro-pop-titles THERE IS SOMETHIN’ and BEING BOILED, a hot inventive cover of the Human League-classic with a straight house beat, as well as a wide-ranging track (LOSE MYSELF) dominated by electric guitars and furthermore powered by Kai Eckhardt’s fretless bass [Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, John McLaughlin] that could have emanated from a collaboration of The Cure with Japan and Tears for Fears, the long-player sometimes moves in lounge-like realms (THE ABILITY TO CHANGE, A PLACE IN THE CITY), sometimes akin to minimalist-electro (PARANOIA, GENERATOR X.O.7/8), just to present itself on the other hand romantic and soundtrack-like (LET HER GO) or impetuously electro-raving, reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers or Underworld, though more song- and pop-orientated ((WE SHOULDN’T) TAKE A CHANCE). Moreover, you can listen to a whacky & slightly darkwave-like duet (WALKING THROUGH THE RAIN) with Antje Schulz [In strict Confidence, Chandeen, Spin spin Sugar). The CD is rounded off with the previously unreleased bonus video-track PULSING ADRENALINE originating from Javelins last album ‘Broken Surface’ (produced with Harald Löwy [Chandeen]); with its mixture of experimental, ambient, ballad- and jazz-like elements this song enriches the albums extraordinary musical range once more.
Time for Change is a missing link for everyone interested in imaginative and intense music that’s mainly based on synthetic sound generators but still sounds organic, and who appreciates clear singing with a distinctive timbre, which in an imaginary cosmos of voices should be assigned to the zodiac sign of the reflected & controlled but nevertheless strongly emotional loner, somewhere between Gahan, Sylvian, Heppner, Hutchence, le Bon and the early Ferry.
Especially due to the 80’s revival [IAMX, Heaven 17, Duran Duran, Hurts, Wolfsheim, De/Vision, Air etc.], which has lasted for several years now, a younger audience with a taste for exquisite, electronic based pop might develop a strong liking to the music of Ion Javelin as well.
Further information to album and single
Biography
Ion Javelin was singer and co-songwriter of the german techno-cult-act from the late 80’s: Moskwa TV built bridges spanning from early techno – with great influence on the techno-/electro-scene at that time – to ambitious electro-pop; releases throughout Europe, the USA, South America and Canada, twice listed in the US-Billboard-Charts, 3 LPs, lots of singles and compilations. Further informations about Moskwa TV:
In the 90’s Javelin had been producing – besides numerous individual titles – 2 complete albums, one of them with keyboarder [a. o. Hired Help Band, Tokyo, T. T. D’Arby, Milli Vanilli] and renowned producer [Rob & Fab, Moskwa TV, Cantara, Jade] Volker Barber; however, both works haven’t been published by now, because at that time the major labels – inspite of their high esteem for the material – opined this kind of music wouldn’t be marketable in a big way during the highday of techno, house and hip hop [e. g. Michael Wolf, A&R Virgin (Germany): “If you had come along with that stuff some years ago, we would’ve snatched it out of your hands.“]. Javelin resigned a release in the independent segment, yet remained unfazed, kept on producing his style of music and occasionally also entered into cooperations, e. g. with Chandeen or Pascal FEOS.
Javelins perennial cooperation with Harald Löwy, songwriter of Chandeen, former label-head of Kalinkaland Records, induced the project Broken Surface; the concept-album – based on one of his literary essays and therefore produced exclusively in terms of artistic criteria – tells the coherent, expressionistic appearing story of a culture shock experienced by a stranger on his trip through N.Y.C.; almost continuous positive and euphoric critiques, abroad as well.
Afterwards: Collaborations with e.g. The Disco Boys and In strict Confidence (Chart-Entries).
In the recent past Ion Javelin has been working together with new partners (Andreas Velte and Christian Walter [Fruit, Klanghouse-Studio (a. o. Nils van Gogh, Mundstuhl, Automanic)], Paul-Alexander Schulte [Earth Nation, Vorsprung durch Technik, Winson, Laith Al-Deen, DAF, Silicon Funk] and Mike Burn [a. o. Mike Burn & Friends, The Mabuse Project (with Kai Eckhardt, Sean Rickman & David Haynes), Burn/Hewer/Iorio (with Mark Hewer & Daniel Iorio)]) on the new art pop-album Time for Change which, in comparison with early Moskwa TV turned out to be more elaborate, more complex and just cooler, without though having lost touch with the central features particularly of Moskwa TV’s very last album, ‘Javelin’: Thrilling, sophisticated compositions, charismatic, polyphonic singing in refrains, finely tuned & vivid arrangements which from time to time leave space for solos (at times even acoustic), imaginative sound-landscapes as well as ambitious lyrics with references to psychological, social and philosophical issues.
To see former projects first click here here and then on the moons.
