Dark Star was (is?) an artist(s) who skirt(s) the goth-industrial-electronic complex, but always from the electronic side of the fence. Perhaps best known for the 1994 album Headtrip (its first non-cassette release), Dark Star recorded the basic tracks for this set in 1995. Other than the 2000 release of Travelogue II and a couple of compilations from the cassette days, that was it.

Dark Star Artefacts (self-released)

This set has been enhanced from the original recordings by new vocals from former collaborator Edward Ka-Spel on the last track and (I think) a healthy dose of remixing. The sound is a bit more like 2025 than 1995, though the music itself is deeply entrenched in that earlier electronics and guitar construction.

Dark Star does not leave a heavy footprint. The press note I received did say the act is German. Is it one person? A collective? Always hard to tell with assembled music like this. And it doesnt matter a lot. I'm just curious, given the long gestation time for this project.

Perhaps closest in feel (for me) to Thomas Ludke's God Is LSD project from 1993 (though more conceptual and less metallic), Dark Star picked a good time to resurrect these recordings. I'm hearing more of this (sorry) dark elektro-industrial fare lately, and now folks have both a past and present touchpoint. The electricity pulses, if slowly. Feed on it.

Jon Worley