The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 12 April

SCOTT WALKER BOX-SET ANNOUNCED
Details have emerged of plans to release legendary songwriter Scott Walker's first five albums as a deluxe vinyl and CD box-set. The title will be Scott Walker: The Collection 1967-1970, and will feature the seminal albums Scott, Scott 2, Scott 3, Scott 4, and 'Til The Band Comes In. Each album has been lovingly remastered from the original tape reels. The CD edition will feature copious sleeve notes, and a 16-page booklet by Walker biographer Rob Young. The vinyl edition meanwhile contains limited edition prints, and a 48-page booklet of rare interviews with Walker.

Scott Walker rose to fame as a member of The Walker Brothers, a pop trio famous for their orchestral ballads and soaring vocal harmonies. After departing the band, Walker gained a reputation on his own as a fearlessly experimental songwriter, and was perhaps best known for his renditions of Jacques Brel songs such as Amsterdam and Jacky.

The Quietus quotes Rob Young: "Scott saw him attempting to let go of the schmaltzy ‘big sound’ of The Walkers; it would turn out to be a curious, occasionally uncomfortable marriage of three distinct modes: the middle-of-the-road covers made popular by the likes of Tony Bennett, Tim Hardin, Frank Sinatra and Petula Clark; the very different-styled arrangements of Jacques Brel songs; and Walker’s own compositions. It’s the weird chemistry between these approaches that makes Scott - and all four solo albums that followed - such beautifully unsettling experiences." The box-set is due out on 3 June.

KORG VOLCA LINE REINVENTS THE 303, 909 & 808
The enduring popularity of classic analogue synths and drum machines, such as the Roland TB-303, TR-909 and TR-808 have ensured that the prices of these vintage bits of kit have remained wallet-crushingly high for the last decade or more. For some producers however, using a 'soft synth' (software synth) or any kind of DAW (digital audio workstation) is simply not good enough - only analogue will do. Gear-heads will welcome the news that synth manufacturer KORG is about to release a new line, going by the name Volca.

After the success of their line of pocket-sized analogue ribbon synths, called Monotrons, the tech giant have modelled the Volca on the three classics of the analogue synth and drum machine world. The Volca units can be thought of as big brothers to the Monotron, with onboard sequencers, and a MIDI control option. Each is equipped with a replica of the beloved MiniKORG filter, from KORG's 1970 model. The output promises to deliver "real analogue sound" at the affordable price of $149 per unit, with updated versions of the classic sounds associated with the Roland models. For a demo, watch the video below. [Via XLR8R]

OLIVER STONE MEETS JULIAN ASSANGE
After meeting with Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, veteran film-maker Oliver Stone took to Twitter to deride two upcoming films about the beleagured anti-censorship campaigner. He began by praising Assange's efforts to reveal the secrets of governments, big businesses and the military industrial complex, saying: "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimized by the abusers of that concept... I don't think most people in the US realize how important Wikileaks is and why Julian's case needs support." He also slammed the upcoming We Steal Secrets, saying it was "not expected to be kind," and also The Fifth Estate, wherein Assange is played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Assange has previously desscribed that film as "a massive propaganda attack on WikiLeaks and the character of my staff." Read more at The Hollywood Reporter.  

NEW MUSIC: UNITED FRUIT, NEVADA BASE, PICTUREPLANE & KILLER MIKE, DEATH GRIPS REMIX PRODIGY CLASSIC 
Glasgow post-hardcore mob United Fruit have a new track out this week – the first material from their eagerly-anticipated new album, currently being mixed and mastered by Bruce Rintoul, who has previously worked with the likes of the Ting Tings, Twin Atantic and Fatherson. The band play the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on 25 April, PJ Molloys in Dunfermline on 26 April, the Tolbooth in Stirling on 27 April, and 20 Rocks in Dundee on 28 April. Further dates with Robot Orchestra and Verse Metrics have just been announced on the band's blog. 

Another Glasweigian band gaining a reputation for their live sets are electro and disco-influenced indie combo Nevada Base. They have a single out on 27 April, which will be available as a free download from local netlabel Black Lantern Music. All three tracks from the single, Foresight, are streaming now on the band's Soundcloud page. The release includes a remix by Optimo / Stuff Records favourite Magic Daddy.

Pictureplane was credited with coining the term 'witch house' back when the microgenre first emerged – his new track was created for a fothcoming video game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, featuring characters from the DC Universe. The game's soundtrack also features a track from Killer Mike – stream both tracks below. The soundtrack also features Minus The Bear, Depeche Mode and The Faint.

The Prodigy's 1997 crossover classic Fat of the Land recently underwent the 'remix and remaster' treatment, with various new takes by the likes of Noisia and Major Lazer falling disappointingly wide of the parent album's innovative standard. Leave it to The Prodigy's fearless spiritual successors, Sacramento cyber punks Death Grips, to right that wrong with this reinvigorated mix of Firestarter. Catch the Grips at Glasgow's SWG3 on 30 April.

ON TOUR: GARY NUMAN, DEPECHE MODE, SUEDE
A quick round-up of tour news – this year is all about the 80s synth-pop revival, with its' undisputed populist kings returning to the clubs and arenas of the UK to reclaim their crowns from the young upstarts pilfering their synth noises.

Gary Numan will be touring to support his forthcoming album Splinter, out in October (it is not, you'll be surprised to learn, a concept album about the villain from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Collaborators on the album include techno maverick Ade Fenton, now a regular overseer on Numan records, and Robin Finck, ex-guitarist with Nine Inch Nails. Catch Numan and co. live at the o2 ABC in Glasgow on 13 Nov, and at The Academy in Manchester on 14 Nov. 

Also hitting the road to support their latest effort Delta Machine (reviewed here) will be justly revered synth-pop icons Depeche Mode. Gahan and Gore's leather-clad crew are doing the arena circuit, taking in The Hydro in Glasgow on 11 Nov, and Manchester Arena on 15 Nov.

Undergoing their own revival, a reunited Suede tour the well-received Bloodsports (reviewed here) in October, stopping at Glasgow's Barrowlands on 27 Oct, and Manchester Academy on 30 Oct. 

NEW VIDEOS: ROB ZOMBIE, JAMES BLAKE, GHOSTPOET, ICEAGE, EAGLEOWL
What have a boombox, a yeti, and a bellydancer got in common? They're all in the new Rob Zombie video! As Zombie gears up for the cinematic release of his new film Lords of Salem, he has also found time to shoot a video for the track Dead City Radio and the Gods of Supertown. Looks like a pretty awesome party.

James Blake's new video for Overgrown, the title track from his new album, features a moody Blake traipsing through starkly-lit forests and hills, possibly still in a strop about how unfair the music industry is these days, what with "the kids" and their pesky "internets." Cheer up, James. 

Also feeling blue is Ghostpoet – his new video features some interesting split-camera work, contrasting the body language of several sets of young lovers as they ride around on a London bus. The track is taken from new album Some Say I So I Say Light, out 6 May. Ghostpoet plays Liverpool's East Village Art Club on 21 May, Glasgow's Broadcast on 24 May, Edinburgh's Electric Circus on 25 May, and Manchester's Gorilla on 28 May. 

Copenhagen post-punk mob Iceage are going from strength to strength on the basis of their incendiary live shows – see what all the fuss is about, and watch this clip of a live studio performance by the band, playing the track Morals. 

Finally, Edinburgh-based Fence darlings and self-described "lethargic pop" band eagleowl have unveiled a new video, taken from forthcoming album this silent year, due out on 13 May. The band's Bartholomew Owl describes the song as: "A message of defiance, but whispered not shouted."

FESTIVAL WATCH: GREEN MAN, ICELAND AIRWAVES, LOVE SAVES SUNDAY, CAMDEN ROCKS
A brief look at some new additions to the summer's festival calendar, and some updated bills – Green Man (15-18 Aug) have added Kings of Convenience, Phosphorescent, Steve Mason, BEAK>, and Melody's Echo Chamber to their lineup, while Iceland Airwaves (30 Oct – 3 Nov) have added AlunaGeorge and Zola Jesus to their bill.

Also added to the festival calendar is Love Saves Sunday (26 May) in Bristol, which will feature Nile Rodgers and Chic, Soul II Soul, Ghostpoet, Ms Dynamite, Hessle Audio DJs, and a wealth of dub, reggae and dancehall stars. Another one-day festival to watch out for is Camden Rocks (1 Jun), which features the likes of Therapy?, Turbowolf, Glen Matlock, Rise To Remain, and Fearless Vampire Killers.

TRAILERS: ELYSIUM, FILTH
Elysium is brought to you by visionary director Neil Blomkamp, the man behind District 9. Leaving aside the fact that it stars charisma vacuum Matt Damon, the visuals alone promise one of the most exciting science fiction films of the Summer – note the 'orbital' space station-cum-living-space which gives the film its name, which looks like it has come straight out of an Iain M. Banks Culture novel. 

James McAvoy's next film is a sex and drugs-fuelled Irvine Welsh adaptation, helmed by Jon S. Baird, director of the rather tasty 2008 hooligan flick Cass and scored by former Pop Will Eat Itself frontman turned composer par excellence, Clint Mansell. McAvoy stars as corrupt, bigoted cop Bruce Robertson. The trailer alone is so rammed with Scottish obscenities that The Badger has already decided it's going to enjoy this one, even though they used a Scissor Sisters track as the theme. Watch McAvoy hump, snort and pagger his way through the short teaser below.