Rossetti's Compass is a

synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s ...

and EBM music band created in November 2010 by the British musician Mark Warner. It was conceived from a desire to explore different directions in the electro musical sphere, from pure synthpop to dark and menacing electro and EBM. In 2013, the band released three albums, including a limited edition semi-live recording session. True to its self-imposed remit of exploration, the Rossetti's Compass catalogue of works includes track remixes for bands from across the genre, including A.W.o.L. Angst Pop, Kant Kino, HNN, Technomancer, Shatoo, Attrition, and

Naked Lunch ''Naked Lunch'' (first published as ''The Naked Lunch'') is a 1959 novel by American author William S. Burroughs. The novel does not follow a clear linear plot, but is instead structured as a series of non-chronological "routines". Many of thes ...

Formation and evolution

Rossetti's Compass was conceived by Mark Warner during a 2010 visit to Berlin where he was working with Oppenheimer Analysis members

Andy Oppenheimer Andy Oppenheimer AIExpE MIABTI (born 1953) is a UK-based expert and consultant in counter-terrorism and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear weapons and explosives). From 2001 to 2021 he wrote hundreds of articles, edited journals ...

and Martin Lloyd (now deceased). At the time an active member of the

Minimal Wave Minimal wave is a broad classification of music that comprises obscure, atypical examples of genres such as new wave, stripped-down electronic or synthesizer music, synth-pop, post-punk, and coldwave. Most of the music tends to focus on elect ...

band Sudeten Creche, Warner was keen to explore the wider EBM sphere, and his early Rossetti's Compass compositions were used as set fillers by Sudeten Creche on their short European tour in April 2011. After Warner split from Sudeten Creche in late 2012, Rossetti's Compass began to grow. A successful collaboration on the first Rossetti's Compass EP, ''Tear Garden'', released in March 2013, led to the synthpop master and former member of

Apoptygma Berzerk Apoptygma Berzerk (; commonly abbreviated to APB or APOP) is a Norwegian band that produces a style of electro rock, industrial rock, synth-pop and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene as "futurepop". Apoptygm ...

, Per Aksel Lundgreen, joined Rossetti's Compass as a permanent member. A second EP, ''My Beloved'', was released in August 2013. Like ''Tear Garden'', it was mastered by Martin Bowes, a long-time friend of Lundgreen and a member of the British dark industrial music act Attrition. This second EP release coincided with Bowes joining the band as its third member. In November 2013, the band recorded a third, semi-live album entitled ''Cage Sessions 01'', which included guest vocals by Bowes' Engram partner John Costello. The Cage Sessions are a Martin Bowes innovation inspired by the old

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

band sessions, where musicians spend one day in the studio recording several tracks, and are interviewed at the same time. It is a chance for them to do something a little different. Profits from this release were donated by Rossetti's Compass to

Cancer Research Cancer research is research into cancer to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Cancer research ranges from epidemiology, molecular bioscience to the performance of clinical trials to evaluate ...

. Recording work has started on a full album by Rossetti's Compass, with its release anticipated in early 2014, to coincide with a series of live gigs, the first in the band's history.

Name

The name Rossetti's Compass encapsulates the idea of freedom of musical exploration that is the cornerstone of the band's ethos. While it expresses the concept of direction, this is driven from the heart by passion, thus casting aside the constraints of conformity.

Musical style

The defining sound of Rossetti's Compass lies among the distinctive multilayered textures of synthpop, and the hard, minimal, rhythmic beat of electronic body music (EBM), and everywhere in between. At the EBM end of the spectrum the sound could stylistically be labelled as "dirty pop" or "future pop". Clearly illustrating the diversity of the Rossetti's Compass range, the first EP, ''Tear Garden'', was described as "covering almost every phase of electro music". A diverse array of musical influences is behind the Rossetti's Compass sound, reflecting the exploratory nature of its music. Key influences include electro bands from across the genre, such as

Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, ) is a Germany, German Electronic music, electronic band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk was among the first successful a ...

, Cabaret Voltaire,

Throbbing Gristle Throbbing Gristle were an English music and visual arts group formed in Kingston upon Hull by Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, later joined by Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson and Chris Carter. They are widely regarded as pioneers of in ...

, Click Click,

The Klinik Klinik, (sometimes called The Klinik), is an industrial music band from Belgium, originally formed around 1982 by electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member. History Marc Verhaeghen originally formed Klinik ...

A Split-Second A Split-Second is a Belgian new beat and electronic body music (EBM) band established in 1985. The band is seen as one of the pioneers of EBM and their music influenced the creation of the new beat genre. History The project was born in 19 ...

, hard CORPS,

Test Dept Test Dept, sometimes credited as Test Department is a British industrial music group from London, England, that was one of the most important and influential early industrial music acts. Their approach was marked by the use of "found" materia ...

and Portion Control. Additional strains of punk derive from the likes of D.A.F.,

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

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and early

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...

, with new wave influences coming from bands such as

The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic music, electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their t ...

The B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

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and

Devo Devo is an American new wave band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs ( Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a No. 14 ...

. Further rock and synthpop influences are found in the form of Yazoo, Bowie,

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry (lead vocals/keyboards/principal songwriter) and Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson (bass). By the time the band recorded their Roxy Music (album), first albu ...

The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionis ...

The Legendary Pink Dots The Legendary Pink Dots (aka LPD) are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. In 1984, the band moved to Amsterdam, playing with rotating musicians and having, as core members, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Edwar ...

Leather Nun The Leather Nun are a Swedish rock music, rock group. Careening from garage rock to Gothic rock, goth and pop-rock. History The Leather Nun (a.k.a. Swedish language, Swedish: Lädernunnan) was formed in 1978 in Gothenburg, Sweden by radio DJ an ...

and

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

Members and musical pedigree

Mark Warner

Vocals, synth and guitar, programming :* 1978 to 1980 - The Firm :* 1982, and 2006 to 2012 - Sudeten Creche :* 1983 – 1985 - The Virgin Brides :* 1987 to 1988 - World Gone Mad :* 1992 to 1993 - Miles from Luton :* 1993 to 1997 - Tokyo Rose :* 1994 to 1996 - Three fiddlers Not :* 2010 to present - Rossetti's Compass :* 2010 to present - Touching the Void :* 2010 to present - Entscheidungs Maschine :* 2016 to present -

Per Aksel Lundgreen

Percussion and synth backing vocals, producer :* 1989 to present - Angst Pop :* 1990 to 1994 -

:* 1995 to present - Cronos Titan :* 1995 to present - Chinese Detectives :* 2013 to present - Rossetti's Compass :* 2013 to present - Shatoo

Martin Bowes

Synth backing vocals, sound engineering, mastering :* 1980 to present - Attrition :* 1996 to present - Engram :* 2013 to present - Rossetti's Compass

John Costello

Synth, backing vocals :* 1980 to 2016 - John Costello :* 1996 to present - Engram :* 2016 to present - Rossetti's Compass

Discography

* EP - Tear Garden (2013) - No Emb Blanc, catalogue No. NEB012 * EP - My Beloved (2013) - Sub Culture Records, catalogue No. SUBCULTURE012 * The Cage Sessions 01 (2013) - Two Gods, catalogue No. TGCS01 * EP - Attrition (2015) - Sub Culture Records, catalogue No. SUBCULTURE195 * Single - Shivering Skin (2016) - LJE Music, catalogue No. LJEM D007

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossetti's Compass British electronic body music groups English synth-pop groups Musical groups established in 2010 2010 establishments in England