release date: november 26, 2026 >>> bandcamp
steeldough is a multi-dimensional collaborative project designed to collide audio, visuals and community into a pulsating, timeless centre.
>>> ORSON (version) plays “trapnel” on callshop radio from 22:32 (september 16, 2026)
>>> KATIUSHA plays “widmerpool” on kindred from 40:23 (october 27, 2026 – soundcloud)
>>> AN TAOBH TUATHAIL plays “maclintick” on ireland’s national radio station rte from 1:47:54 (october 29, 2026)
it all begins in the studio of newdotcom (comfortnoise). the tracks on steeldough (com12) are pure, club-driven kinetic energy that breaks free from the dictates of four-to-the-floor techno. this is bass music carried by deep, vibrating basslines, off-kilter, driving kicks, slashing hi-hats, and a complex system of textures, reverbs and delays – a profound nod to sound system culture, infused with unmistakable echoes of the latest south african amapiano tunes. these tracks – perfectly mixed and mastered by lino schilling/atrice and brian sanhaji (calyx) – demand a physical body.
as these sonic impulses ripple into the studio of artist sven egert, he responds with his pictorial relief untitled (2022) – a rugged topography of solidified silver matter where deep folds, furrows, and scratches fracture the light. digitally recoloured under an extreme macro zoom, the cover of com12 mutates into a glowing, undulating, copper-orange landscape that captures the dynamic energy of the audio. this aesthetic expands into the music video (also created by egert) for the opening track, setting all elements into motion simultaneously.
it is here, through the title of this first piece, widmerpool, that the release anchors itself within anthony powell’s monumental novel series [com11]. nomen est omen: the titlesare chosen for their phonetic texture. yet they are more than sonic markers; kenneth widmerpool, pamela flitton, audrey maclintick, and x. trapnel represent mercurial literary characters behaving like diverse metals that are first kneaded, then pressed into form.
the circle of this collaborative project closes for a couple of hours on a late autumn evening in 2026. at an exclusive exhibition, the silver original matter catches the eye, while the sound floods the room from heavy speakers, and the video is projected across the walls. sound, visuals, and community condense into a pulsating, timeless centre. it generates an energy that carries people forward for a long time to come – towards new, unpredictable experiences.
all tracks w & p by Marius Neukom
mixed by Lino Schilling/Atrice
mastered by Brian Sanhaji @ Calyx
cover artwork by Sven Egert w/ Untitled (2022)
p & c 2026 com12