Dirk Ivens Week, Part 4

(One last A.B.C. related post before we pack our bags for NYC this weekend.)

Although Ivens has remained extremely active and prolific in better known bands, Absolute Body Control moved from the shadows and into the limelight just a few years ago with new interest in the formerly obscure minimal wave genre. [I use EBM as an umbrella term, simply because it would take way too much time and space to explain all the intricate differences between continental and specifically Belgian electronic music in the ealry 1980s. There are sixteen-year-old kids hanging out at record shops in Den Haag who could break it all down for you much better than I - if you have a few hours to spare.]

Although they played a major role in laying the foundations for electronic body music [or "industrial disco" as Reynolds puts it] Absolute Body Control are technically a minimal wave band. Ever since bands like Adult. renewed interest in electro, no-wave and other forms of electronic punk music that got kids digging deep into the history of this music, minimal wave has been making a steady comeback. A tremendous amount of credit must be given to East Village Radio co-founder Veronica Vasicka, who created the web community and record label Minimal Wave [dot org]. Much like Dan Selzer's Acute Records has put no-wave back in the spotlight by re-releasing long forgotten gems, Minimal Wave [dot org] has had an immeasurable impact on the resurgence of coldwave, minimal wave, minimal synth, etc., and it's fair to say that Absolute Body Control's current popular interest is in no small part due to Vasicka's passion and perseverance.


Störung - Warschau Pact [live, 1983]

Absolute Body Control released only one 7" single and a handful of limited run cassettes on Body Records from 1981-1984. In 2005 they released the double CD compilation Lost/Found on Tarantualla Productions. Although not exactly easy to get, Lost/Found was the first time nearly A.B.C.'s entire catalog had become available to the general public. (I was fortunate enough to get one of a few copies Solvent had imported from Belgium.) Just two weeks ago, A.B.C. released two new EPs on Dirk Ivens' own Daft Records, and Absolute Body Control's music will be available through major digital resellers for the first time ever on June 1st of this year.


Absolute Body Control - Is There An Exit? [live, 2007]


Absolute Body Control - Figures [live, 2008]