GLENN LOVE: Belle Epoque

Glenn Love

Belle Epoque

© 2005 Glenn Love (703513897821)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

Dark electronic beats with elements of electro, trance,ambient, neo-folk and celtic themes.

notes

Sonic-X label proudly announces a new CD release by GLENN LOVE!
The new album "Cryptesthesia" will be available at Sept. 05. 2008.

Glenn Love from Toronto (Canada) is well known to insiders of the electro-ambient scene around the world.

His previous releases and many live performances in Canada and Europe have established his reputation as a dynamic musician. Over the past six years Glenn has played frequently in Canadian Dark Raves, festivals, chill out rooms and main stages.

Glenn's first release „Cruel Utopia" (2001) received positive reviews and charted on Canadian college radio for 6 months, including widespread airplay on web radio.

With the second album „Belle Epoque" (2005) Glenn developed his sound utilizing dark electronic beats in combination with elements from neofolk, electro, trance, ambient and celtic music.

With this new third release „Cryptesthesia" Glenn moves from the ambient to the dark electro / industrial scene, without forgetting his roots in dark ambient trance.

For the first time Glenn Love sings (partially in German), introducing new hits for the electro-industrial dance floor.

Leading up to this new release Glenn toured in Canada and Europe. The new up tempo tracks like „Hang on", „Schnee von gestern" and „Sagt mir wo" were welcomed with a great response on the dance floor. The down tempo songs like „Nuit Musee" and „Cryptesthesia" and the hypnotic „Airships - Wutklang Mix" also proved to be very danceable. The two quieter tracks on the album, „River" and „Outskirts", round out the development of Glenn's style.

The intense new sound on the „Cryptesthesia" CD was produced and mastered at the German TS-Musix studio. The distribution of the CD will be via the Danse Macabre Labelgroup / Alive in Germany/Austria/Switzerland and worldwide export by Prussia Records / EMI. "Cryptesthesia" will also be available at the leading digital shops.

reviews

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  • there’re some interesting ideas running through this debut!
    author: Side-Line Magazine

    I can’t remember to have heard of this Canadian artist before. The official debut-cd reveals an interesting melting pot of electronics. It sounds quite fresh and full of nice electronic effects although I’m missing vocals. By the exception of one single track all the songs remain instrumentals and that’s maybe a point that has to be reconsidered. The only song with vocals is the “Mars ascending”-cut, but the remixed version by AntiStasis. Among the coolest pieces I’ll mention the harder “Landwehr” containing some heavier, industrial sounds and the more into wave like “Seventh veil”. Notice by the way that labelmate T.H. Industry made a remix as well. It’s a remix of “Iceland”, but I here prefer the original version! This is a project that can grow, but there’re some interesting ideas running through this debut! www.sonic-x.de (DP:6) DP.

  • A very successful work ...
    author: Zillo Magazine

    GLENN LOVE “Belle Epoque” With this his fifth album the Canadian Underground artist Glenn Love rigorously continues what had already distinguished his previous recordings. With his Dark Electronic Beats he produces purely instrumental soundscapes that are partly dark, partly wonderfully dreamy, mixes them with atmoshperic Ambient, groovy Trance and even elements of Celtic music. What should be positively emphasized is that he still creates this flowing, atmospheric world of music in the “old-fashioned” way by exclusively using Hardware-Synthesizers. The disc’s 13 tracks demonstrate great variety, since numbers such as “Airships” and “The last evening” are ideally suited to Chillout, while “Landwehr” or “Mars Ascending” with their grooves would not be out of place even at the clubs. The last-mentioned track is also available as an AntiStasis Remix, and the driving opening number “Iceland” re-appears at the end in a tougher guise by the German Industrial-Project T.H. Industry. A very successful work that does justice to its name by truly offering the listener a beautiful epoch. S.P. English translation by Judith Orban August 2006

  • Electronica at its finest and entertaining on top of it.
    author: MedienKonverter

    Medienkonverter.de – Review of GLENN LOVE – BELLE EPOQUE by Björn Attention: hot electronic tip! Canadian Glenn Love is back – with “Belle Epoque”, his second presentation after “Cruel Utopia” in November 2001. Here in Germany/Europe probably only insiders are familiar with his project, but in North America this active underground artist has already garnered much praise from his live performances at Canadian dark raves as well as on main stages, a reputation not least confirmed by his top ranking on hit-charts and much radio play. Purely instrumental (like the rest of the album) “Belle Epoque” is an electronic conglomeration, presenting plenty of variety ranging from monotonous forward thrust to complex, calm numbers and yet maintaining a very clearly recognizable through-line. The whole project was deliberately performed on analog synthesizers only, with no playing around on PCs. Of course it’s clear that other toys such as samplers were used, but really only to produce beats and samples for loops providing a fascinating, rhythmical trip into a soundscape that is sometimes chillout-heavy, peaceful, warm-sounding, even occasionally abyss-hugging, at other times beat-heavy and harsh. The first cut, “Iceland”, immediately provides good proof for this recommendation without first having to listen to the entire album. The sounds Love uses instantly awaken memories of earlier, analog days – the drumset and bassline are there in full force. On “Airships”, “Belle Epoque” or “Waking Dreams” Glenn Love’s playful way with sounds makes for a very pleasant tootling dancing rhythmically through your brain, “Waking Dreams” also seems to follow traces of Cyclotimia’s ‘Eschaton’. Opulent but not over-ornate, these titles are an inspiring feast for the ears, especially through earphones. Listening like that also allows you to most easily discern his self-confessed combination of Neo-Folk, Celtic, Electro, Ambient and Trance influences. On this CD the absolute groove with a rhythm that makes you move can be found in “Landwehr”. This track, equally infectious and atmospheric, is so compelling that it makes reaching for the ‘skip’ button definitely worthwhile – for ‘back’ that is; by the way, for “Seventh Veil” see “Landwehr”. Best would be to use the ‘repeat’ button only once at the very end; although the two re-mixes of Anti-Stasis and T.H. Industry are certainly not the worst, they’re not really in harmony with Glenn’s second release, nor is the first-time introduced “Mars Ascending” among his best songs. However, the “Iceland” re-mix could surely rock any electro dancefloor. “Belle Epoque” shouldn’t just decorate your shelf, but instead be constantly used in your well assorted CD collection. It doesn’t matter how you interpret the meaning of the title – whether as a reminder of earlier times (more musical underpinning than the actual historical background), or as an independent ‘beautiful work’, or as the impetus for a new musical flowering. In any case, in contrast to all of today’s many releases which generally can always be compared to some other musical style, Glenn Love and his recognizably individual style is in a category unto itself, namely “Electronica at its finest – and entertaining on top of it”. Even if you have no interest in such music, you absolutely should listen to “Iceland” with its distorted, whirring guitar riffs, “Airships”, “Landwehr”, “Waking Dreams” and “Seventh Veil”! English translation by Judith Orban July 2006

  • 10 Points !
    author: Legacy Magazine

    LEGACY MAGAZINE - March 2006 Glenn Love "Belle Epoque" (Sonic X/SXD) Techno in the Legacy Soundcheck??? That's probably what some colleagues thought too, and in their utter amazement handed out low point fines. But aside from the fact that 95% of Legacy writers should never be given any technoid music to review, GLENN LOVE'S creations have a greater right to exist than it appears. The man is actually a DJ, comes from Toronto/Canada, and also creates his own original music in his spare time. His 2001 debut album titled "Cruel Utopia" seems to have done well on his home turf, and therefore the German label Sonic X was prepared to give the man a leg-up in releasing its successor "Belle Epoque". But this disc contains not merely Techno, for the name GLENN LOVE stands for a colourful and vast - though partly somewhat antiquated - range of electronic music, encompassing elements of Ambient, Industrial, Trance, Chill-Out and EBM. It's nicely categorized on the label flyer as 'Dark Electronic Soundscapes', since there's no doubt it is 'dark', it's 'electronic' in any case, and instead of conventional songs the listener gets to hear instrumental, mostly atmospheric expanses of sound. Nevertheless the album is danceable and from time to time the 13 songs (including remixes of AntiStasis and T.H. Industry) produce an hypnotic effect. Frequently you get the feeling of listening to a soundtrack, while in your imagination you watch cameras rush through post-modern industrial waste lands and big city ghettos. Also remarkable is the fact that GLENN LOVE - contrary to tendencies on the current music market - is said to have rendered his songs exclusively with genuine Hardware Synthesizers. So there's no chance for Plug ins. "Belle Epoque" may be a controversial album not only for its erroneous placement on the Legacy-Soundcheck, but also because it doesn't offer readymade Standard Electro, revealing instead the attempt to add an individual note to the genre. For some spoiled modern-age-Electro fans this may be hard to swallow at first, but it says something about the artist's daring. (SB) 10 points

  • Tremendous disc !
    author: sonic seducer

    Here is a translated review from Sonic Seducer Magazine : SONIC SEDUCER Glenn Love “Belle Epoque” Whether Glenn Love is his real name or if he just thought up a particularly delightful pseudonym shall remain an open question here, for it ranks among the rather less interesting aspects of this extremely interesting second album by the meticulous Canadian sound manipulator. Yet Love’s darkly pounding electronics are neither noisy Power-Industrial nor ritual Ambient, and least of all any dance-floor Electro. That in his native land Love frequently provides sound for Chill-Out-Zones at murky Raves fits into the picture, because it would be possible to describe “Belle Epoque” as dance music for people who don’t like to dance. Though his tracks are rhythmically stringent and provocatively monotonous throughout, they are more suited to building up a mood than to wearing away the urge to move. Glenn Love approaches the work so unobtrusively that, in the beginning, the album is almost in danger of rushing past the listener – only after 3 or 4 pieces you notice that the restrained but relentlessly pumping material possesses massively hypnotic Loop qualities. If Martin Rev had a notion to re-release the last Suicide album, this time without Alan Vegas’ singing (or what Vegas thinks is singing), the result might perhaps sound similar to “Belle Eppoque”. And you might just have to program out the two Electro Mixes of T.H. Industry and Anti Stasis, that seem somewhat out of context but are probably necessary in view of club suitability. Tremendous disc. Thomas Pilgrim

  • Electronic Music for connoisseurs
    author: Dark Heart Magazine

    Review Dark Heart Magazine - November 2005 With "Belle Epoque" Glenn Love presents the successor to his debut disc "Cruel Utopia". Once again he mixes in an interesting way a variety of musical influences, such as Ambient, Trance, and Electro, to produce a dark instrumental sound track of a particular kind. By listening to this CD you undertake a journey - not only of Glenn Love's musical world, but also of your own spirit. The consistently ambitious songs offer a lot of scope for interpretation and your own ideas. In that regard the title of the album "Belle Epoque" seems very suitable - a journey through a different era. Originally the phrase was applied to the artistic heyday and economic changes of the period 1871 - 1914 in Europe so abruptly ended by WW I. And some of the songs reverberate with a kind of melancholy that this era is over. The CD comprises 13 songs, among them 2 remixes of T.H. Industry and AntiStasis! Independent Electronic Music for connoisseurs! Recommendations:"Iceland", "Darkroom", "Mars Ascending". Conclusion: Give a listen! Raiting 3/5

  • Glenn Love is a living example of how to do electronic music
    author: Elektrauma

    Review Elektrauma - January 2006 Put on the CD right away and listened to the first song…wow! Glenn Love, a musician and artist from Toronto (Canada), instantly inspires enthusiasm. The life-force of the first song "Iceland" is its simplicity, displayed in swirling bass runs and the staccato melody. The very first grooves of "Belle Epoque" prove that pure electronic instrumental music can be inspiring when it is arranged intelligently. Glenn Love's specialty is to rely on the good old synthesizer and, without using computer-generated music, to revive the craft of punctiliously pursuing detail. That's why Glenn Love's creations always have that touch of '80s Underground Electronics à la Fad Gadget or Umo Detic. Though the beginning might hint at a dance album, the later cuts show that Love is not interested in conquering the clubs. Above all, the songs want to create atmoshphere. And he does that very successfully. "Waking Dreams on the Bridge of Night" uses broad expanses and minimal drum programming. In contrast "Seventh Veil" is filled with driving percussion and seductive guitar. These are only a few examples of how music is defined here. Only the remixes at the end were really not necessary. Glenn Love is a living example of how to do electronic music. A 'must listen' in any case. Raiting 5/6

  • Unconditionally recommended for purchase
    author: Obliveon Magazine

    Review Oblivion Magazine - December 2005 With "Belle Epoque" the Canadian Glenn Love has produced a truly remarkable and satisfying electro album, for here an underlying technoidal and ambient soundcarpet is overlaid with the most varied musical influences, and the whole is woven into a conglomerate of sound that has ultimately resulted in a really fascinating and entertaining album. These musical influences run the gamut from early Simple Minds or Ultravox through Celtic rythms and melodies, to distorted industrial grooves and samples, all the way to futuristic-sounding soundscapes à la early Jean-Michel Jarre or Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream (just listen to "Airships"). In addition, "Belle Epoque" maintains throughout a slightly dark, melancholy undertone. In Canada "Belle Epoque" had already made its debut this past summer, and we can only rejoice that a distribution label has been found for this musical jewel, which so clearly demonstrates that even in today's Electroscene it is possible to follow new and innovative roads. With this disc Glenn Love has succeeded in producing a master work. Unconditionally recommended for purchase.

  • Congrats to the artist and Sonic-X for this courageous release.
    author: Chain D.L.K.

    Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Glenn Love is a sole underground musician and successful live performer at some dark raves in his home country. With this full length CD now released under the wing of the German Sonic-X label he presents his second official studio release. It is music based globally on Dark Electro themes which plays and combines with several different elements like Electronica, Trance or Ambient. Instrumental music more designed for some Chill-out areas than any straight dancefloors – I would recommend the use of a good pair of headphones. This CD features 11 original tracks done by Glenn Love plus two remix works constructed by ANTISTASIS and T.H. INDUSTRY to make sure a straighter and dancefloor-friendly attitude. The best tracks here are to my taste the more darker pieces like “Walking Dreams” because of the thick synth layers, and the easy-listening “Airships”, which features some Trance elements. I like the own identity of the sounds and the ideas behind this project. This music is something special asides all hyped styles and trends. Congrats to the artist and Sonic-X for this courageous release – moreover because I think that any bigger commercial success will not happen in our “short-hair-rivethead” generation. I see it quite difficult to earn any recognition without the use of vocals – so is life and unfortunately an unwritten rule of the scene. Nevertheless it is nice and enjoying – I hope it will enter unforeseen success! Review by Marc Tater.

  • This dude is bad in the best sense of the term.
    author: Morbid Outlook

    A new album from the Canadian electronic artist, acclaimed for his 2001 release, “Cruel Utopia”. Trance electonica with strong grooves and atmosphere. Excellent club music as well as good “busy music” while doin’ stuff around the house. There is a continual sense of urgency and import that repeatedly pulls your ear back to it no matter what else you might be doing. This dude is bad in the best sense of the term. For more information, check out www.glennlove.com

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