Hello, this is Todd at A Different Drum coming at you with a fresh update!  Welcome to the last day of May!  Wow, this year is flying by so far!   There are a couple exciting things to talk about for this update.

First of all, for those of you who are Daybehavior fans, you’ll be happy to know that the band is back in action.  They have a new song called “City Lights” which you can download from their website here :
http://www.daybehavior.com/

If you want to get your hands on more of my own, strange Saudade tracks, there is a new album available for download from iTunes or from Amazon.com and other stores.   Will there be a physical CD?  Maybe…some day, if finances allow.   You can see it on Amazon.com here :
http://www.amazon.com/Restricted/dp/B003N580PQ
Or here is where you can both listen or download tracks from all Saudade releases so far:
http://www.saudadesongs.com/listen.html

Oh, and my son and I made a new video for another Saudade track here , which is maybe a bit on the strange, melancholy side of the spectrum, but trust me, we had fun making it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b900h_8QJM

CHEAP BOX OF CD’S!  TAKE ADVANTAGE ON EBAY!

I haven’t done this for a while, so I thought I’d give it another go…  If you go to EBay.com you’ll find three identical boxes full of CD’s.  There are more than 60 CD’s in the box, including some older titles and some new CD releases as well.   The bidding starts at only $49.00 for the whole pile!  It’s a killer deal even if the bidding goes up!  So, if you want a lot of new music in your collection, or even if you have a desire to sell the CD’s one at a time, go for it!  Get a bunch for friends, or to give away at your local dance club!  I don’t care what you do with them– just thought I’d give you a shot at another cool deal :-)   See the CD boxes here :
http://shop.ebay.com/adiffe/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

NEW ARRIVALS:

Leiahdorus “Ode to the Builders” $14 — OK, I don’t actually have this CD here yet, but it should arrive in the next day or two.  I’m excited!   This third album from Leaihdorus has been a long time in the making, and the band has been taking a new direction in their live performances and their sound, impressing the vibrant indie pop / rock crowd in recent shows and even winning a “best new song” award in the New Mexico indie music awards.   The new wave tinge is still alive and existing fans should be just as happy as their new fans!   I’ll ship any orders the moment the CD’s arrive from the band!   You can order here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/LEIAD1/Leiahdorus-Ode-to-the-Builders

Dust is Noise “Fractured Forms” $14 — This is a cool new melodic futurepop release from Vendetta Records in Colorado.   The songs are mostly uptempo and intense with cool, melodic male vocal leads.   You can listen to audio samples and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/VM0020/Dust-is-Noise-Fractured-Forms

Various Artists “Spacesynth Revolutions Episode One” $20 — For fans of the retro-yet-futuristic sounds of the “spacesynth” movement, here is a new collection featuring melodic synth tracks from several underground artists including Cyreon, Galaxion, Resource X, and others.   Once again, the “spacesynth” sound is generally uptempo, instrumental synthpop with sci-fi themes and catchy synth melodies, pioneered by bands like Laserdance and Koto in the 80’s.   You can order this new compilation here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/AC0009CD/Various-Artists-Spacesynth-Revolutions-Episode-One

Well, that’s all for this update.   Fortunately, there is another import shipment coming soon and I should have some other new items from Europe to talk about.   Thanks for your support!
-Todd

It has been a couple of weeks since the last big update I sent out for A Different Drum’s store.   It is time to touch base again, but this week I only have a couple of CD arrivals to tell you about.   There are others coming soon.   First of all, to get an idea of what people are buying and enjoying these days, take a look at last week’s top 20 best sellers:

#1     Various Artists “Blank and Jones Presents So80s / So Eighties / Volume 2″ (3CD)     $30.00
#2     Mind In a Box “8 Bits” (MCD)     $11.00
#3     Vision Talk “Elevation” (2CD)     $18.00
#4     Mind in a Box “RETRO” (CD)     $15.00
#5     Technology “Brave New World / Featuring Elegant Machinery” (MCD)     $11.00
#6     Vision Talk “Dirty Italo Disco” (CD)     $14.00
#7     Lowe “Kino International” (CD)     $18.00
#8     Dekad “Confidential Tears” (CD)     $20.00
#9     Mind In a Box “Crossroads” (CD)     $15.00
#10     Various Artists “ADD X Chapter 1 - A Different Drum’s 10th Anniversary” (2CD)     $3.00
#11     Mind In a Box “Dreamweb” (CD)     $15.00
#12     Mind In a Box “Lost Alone” (CD)     $15.00
#13     Cosmicity “Resynthesized” (2CD)     $3.00
#14     The Girl and the Robot “The Beauty of Decay” (CD)     $20.00
#15     Pulcher Femina “Darkness Prevails” (CD)     $20.00
#16     Wave In Head “The Voice In Me” (CD)     $12.00
#17     Elevated Sins “Myth” (MCD)     $8.00
#18     Pet Shop Boys “Pandemonium / Live in London with DVD” (2CD)     $22.00
#19     De/Vision “Popgefahr” (CD)     $15.00
#20     A-Ha “Foot of the Mountain / Deluxe Edition with bonus PAL DVD” (2CD)

As you can see, it is kind of interesting that certain titles jump back into the top 20, even if they are older.  For example, the new Mind.in.a.Box release obviously has people thinking about the older releases as well.  Or you’ll see inexpensive $3 CD’s jump into the top 20 simply because people are discovering a good deal.    The top 20 list only counts the CD’s that are ordered through A Different Drum’s homepage, so it is only reflective of what people are ordering through the website, and that can vary a great deal from week to week.

There is another thing I want to clarify about the way A Different Drum’s online catalog works.   I want to explain this simply because it may help you decide how and when to order items that you enjoy.    Since this is a small online store, and I don’t have endless funds to stock every synthpop release out there (and limited space as well), I focus mainly on the lesser known artists, the imports, and items you can’t easily pick up in the larger stores.   I don’t bother stocking every new release that has synthpop interest– for example, you didn’t see me stock the band OWL CITY, even though they play synthpop and became a huge sensation (thanks Radio Disney).  Why?  Well, you can pick up Owl City at your local Walmart or at Amazon.com for less than $10 so there is no reason to order it from A Different Drum when I can’t even buy it wholesale for that price.   Heck, I bought my own copy from Amazon for less than $9 when it was on sale.

Also, I like to keep the online catalog small and manageable.  There are other mail-order stores that list EVERY CD that they have ever carried, and even some items that they don’t regularly stock or have never had on their shelves.   They often don’t have inventory for many of the items that are listed.   That can be useful when searching for release information, etc. but I believe it can also be quite frustrating for shoppers who then want to order a CD and end up waiting weeks or months for it to actually show up.   That is why I ONLY list items that I actually have in stock, or that are momentarily out while my new shipments are in transit.   If an item sells out and I don’t intend to restock it regularly anymore, then I remove it from the catalog.  That’s it!  It is then gone!   Maybe I’ll get it again some day if the band puts out something new and there is once again a demand.  For example, Pulcher Femina put out a very cool new album.   Some folks are barely discovering this band now, so I’m reordering the previous album which has not been in the catalog for more than a year.  You’ll be able to get it again because there is once again a demand.  Once the demand goes away and people don’t order it anymore, then I won’t stock it, so it disappears from the catalog.

Why does this matter?  Well, only because it is easier for me to manage, and hopefully it is easier for you to know the CD titles  that you’ll be able to get your hands on quickly.  You’ll also have an idea of what is popular at the moment, simply because it is still on the list.  That also means that if you really want a new release, you may want to buy it sooner rather than later, because later it may not be readily available.

Of course, if there is an older title you really want, and you can’t find it elsewhere, you can always email me at todd@adifferentdrum.com to make a special request and I’ll do my best to get it for you.  Keep in mind, I can’t get out-of-print, extreme rarities any easier than you can, so keep the requests to release that we know exist

Whew!  OK.  Now on to a couple new items that came into the store this week:

Beata Beatrix “In the Garden of Ecstasy” $16 — This new Brazilian import presents a cool new band with dynamic female lead vocals and a cool blend of synthpop with a semi-gothic tone as well as some club appeal.   I’ve only listened to the first few tracks so far, but what I’ve heard sounds solid!  You can check out audio samples and order the CD here if you like what you hear :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/WO25/Beata-Beatrix-In-the-Garden-of-Ecstasy

Absurd Minds “Serve or Suffer” $15 — This CD is now released in Canada / USA so it is in stock for a lower price than the import.   It is a cool band that blends edgy futurepop with dark synthpop.   I added audio samples to the online listing so you can check it out.  Listen to those samples and order the CD here .
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/AOF091/Absurd-Minds-Serve-or-Suffer

I also added a song by each of these artists on the radio player, along with tracks from several other new releases so you can always explore the every-changing “sampler” and discover new music.   Just open a browser to this address and enjoy :

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/Player/

OK, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I thank you again for your support!
-Todd

Welcome to the month of May, and welcome to another update from A Different Drum!  I have a big pile of new CD’s that arrived in the store this week.  It’s rather nice to be busy

NOTE:   I have 14 promotional Blind Faith and Envy CDEP’s that I’m going to put into the next 14 orders for free, until they run out.  If you want one, order quickly.  How is that for incentive?

NEW ARRIVALS:

Wave In Head “The Voice In Me” $12 — After some years of silence, Michael Pohl of Wave In Head is back with a fourth studio album!  Wave in Head has been a staple in the synthpop community for several years, and this newest effort displays all of the crisp production and well crafted songwriting that you would expect from an experienced electronic artist. The album thematically explores different sides of self-discovery, the meaning of life, and love.  Go here to listen to audio samples and order the album (Synthpop Addict Club members need not order):
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/ADDCD1295/Wave-In-Head-The-Voice-In-Me

Mesh “How Long” (MCD) $11 — This is the second single from Mesh’s stunning new album “A Perfect Solution” and it lives up to everything I would want and expect from a Mesh single– great remixes, including a nice extended version, and exclusive bonus tracks.   In fact, the bonus song “Save Everyone” is as good as anything on the album.   This is definitely one to pick up.  See the track list and order the CD single here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MIND149/Mesh-How-Long

Diorama “Cubed” $20 — This band has become one of the top acts from Germany that blends the eletronic production of modern synthpop together with a somewhat gothic mood.   This album continues that sound and perhaps even lifts them to a higher level.  Their single “Child of Entertainment” (you can watch the video on A Different Drum’s homepage by looking at the single listing) was a very cool way to kick off the album, and the other tracks do not fall short.    You can order this regular edition of the album here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/A114/Diorama-Cubed

Diorama “Cubed” (Deluxe Box Edition) $32 — For the fans and collectors, you can pick up this very cool box set edition of the new Diorama album which comes in cool packaging with a 5-track bonus CD, a special cube, and a 25 page booklet.   Order the limited edition here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/A114-box/Diorama-Cubed-Deluxe-Box-Edition

Pulcher Femina “Darkness Prevails” $20 — The last album from Pulcher Femina really turned me onto this band from Italy.   It was impressive, but it started to feel like perhaps it would be their last as the years passed by.  But here is their next album, and it is everything I would have wanted from them!   I have to say, this is one of the highlight albums of the year, for sure.   They blend great uptempo electronic music in a futurepop vein with smooth, melodic vocals that remind me a bit of classic Xymox.    If you enjoyed the new BLUME album (which I’d also highly recommend) this one falls in that same general sound and you should check it out.   Listen to the audio samples and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/CD0123/Pulcher-Femina-Darkness-Prevails

note:  If the last Pulcher Femina album “Shadows of the Lovers” slipped past you somehow, don’t worry, I’ll have it back in stock next month.

X Marks the Pedwalk “Inner Zone Journey” $15 — After a decade of silence, this pioneering industrial band is back, picking up where they left off with their “Drawback” album, working in more melodic vocals, dance-floor-friendly music, and a trancy synthpop touch.    It is nice to have them back in action!   Order the new CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MET648/X-Marks-the-Pedwalk-Inner-Zone-Journey

In Strict Confidence “La Parade Monstruese” $15 — I had the imported limited edition box of this album earlier, which has sold out.  But now you can pick up the much less expensive US release of this cool, dark act.   Order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MET646/In-Strict-Confidence-La-Parade-Monstrueuse

System Syn “Strangers” $15 — This is another act that combines elements of synthpop with darker, industrial-edged sounds.  Their popularity has been growing steadily over the years and this new album presented by Metropolis Records continues to build on that reputation.   Order the new album here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MET643/System-Syn-Strangers

Mind.in.a.Box “8 Bit” (MCD) $11 — This limited import single includes 4 tracks– three versions of the cool title tracks which was definitely a stand-out from their new album “RETRO” and a bonus track called “Last Ninja 2″.   You can watch a silly video of the band guys playing around on A Different Drum’s homepage.  You can watch that video and order the single here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MIND164/Mind-In-a-Box-8-Bits

Orange Sector “Krieg und Frieden”  $20 — Orange Sector has been around for several albums now, developing their classic EBM sound, and this new album sticks with that hard-edged, rhythmically strong approach with mostly chanted vocals with German language lyrics.  This is edgy club music for when you want to stomp around.   You can listen to audio samples and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/FACT3143/Orange-Sector-Krieg-und-Frieden

The Girl and the Robot “The Beauty of Decay” $20 — This is an interesting new import that combines cool, sometimes retro-flavored synthesizer music with a dreamy female vocalist.  Sometimes it reminds me of the band Somegirl, particularly on the slower, more emotional songs.   This is a cool new synthpop find.   You can check out the audio samples and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/TRI389/The-Girl-and-the-Robot-The-Beauty-of-Decay

Various Artists “Blank and Jones Presents So80s Volume 2″ (3CD) $30 — As with the first volume in this series, this 3-disc set features one disc with the songs beat-mixed together by Blank & Jones, while the next two discs feature the original 12-inch versions of the 80’s classics.  See the complete track list and order the set here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/SC0314/Various-Artists-Blank-and-Jones-Presents-So80s-So-Eighties-Volume-2

Various Artists “Dependence - Next Level Electronics 2010″ $16 — This import compilation is the newest to be presented by the Dependent label.   It features many exclusive remixes and previously unreleased songs from bands like Edge of Dawn, System Syn, Interface, Mind.in.a.Box, Informatik, and more.   See the complete track list and order the CD here :
http://www.adifferentdrum.com/buy/MIND161/Various-Artists-Dependence-Next-Level-Electronics-2010

I also have the regular edition of the new Sadman album for those of you not interested in the limited edition (which I still have 2 copies left).

If you’d like to listen to music from some of these new releases, among others, then feel free to open a browser to this address :

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/Player/

There are currently 35 tracks for you to enjoy.   Consider that address to be a constantly updated compilation for you to explore new artists.   Maybe synthpop music fans have found it be a very helpful tool in finding new artists and getting a feel for what kind of sound those artists play.

Thanks again for your ongoing support which makes it possible for me to keep A Different Drum going even on a small level.  I appreciate it very much!

-Todd