Victrola – Maritime Tatami [DE055]

January 13, 2014March 4, 2025 hipodromeantonio cuscin, carlo smeriglio, dark entries records, electro, synth pop, victrolaLeave a comment

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A special series called Dark Entries Editions, dedicated to 12” singles made for the dance floor. The first release in this series is Victrola, the duo of Antonio ”Eze” Cuscin and Carlo Smeriglio from Italy. The band formed in Messina, but later relocated to Florence to join the rich musical scene there with Neon, Pankow, Alexander Robotnick and Diaframma. Beginning as a 4-piece combo (two guitarists, bassist, drummer) in 1979, they slimmed down to a synthesizer and guitar-based duo a few years later.

Max & Mara – Less Ness [DE054]

December 3, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, cold wave, dark entries records, electro, mara barenbaum, max & mara, max brotman, minimal synthLeave a comment

Dark Entires is excited to introduce the debut album “Less Ness” from contemporary Bay Area duo, Max and Mara. Their collaboration began in 2012. Max is based in Oakland and has been a part of various projects most notably Brotman and Short and his current solo work as Business Etiquette. Mara is based in San Francisco and is known for her solo work as Group Rhoda. On “Less Ness” they worked with a hardware set up: 808 and Elektron drum machine, Moog, MAM, and Sequential Circuits synth with splashes of Mono/Poly and collage elements, vocoder lines and dubbed out vocals. They step away from the the computer as much as possible and prefer that their ideas can be traced back to the tools so that a sense of physicality remains. They find inspiration from all kinds of far out sounds, most notably dub, industrial, and various drug culture tangents. Lyrically the songs revolve around topics such as escapism, looking though cultural windows, and character role development. Some songs are a bit more surrealist in content with elements of hard realism and critical commentary.

Figure Study – Figure Study [DE053]

December 3, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, april chalpara, cold wave, dark entries records, figure study, minimal synth, nathan antolikLeave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to present the debut album by Figure Study, a contemporary band from New York. Figure Study is the Manhattan-based duo of Nathan Antolik and April Chalpara. For their debut self-titled album, Figure Study utilizes a carefully tailored set up of vintage analog synthesizers and drum machines. Figure Study creates a lush sound where haunting vocals echo over dark melodies that reflect an isolated and disintegrating world. Songs flux between dissonant dance numbers and more sparse, somber compositions, each carrying a sense of urgency and modernism. Figure Study’s sound includes influences from such early underground artists as Kirlian Camera, Nine Circles, and The Actor.

Patrick Cowley – School Daze [DE052]

November 22, 2013November 10, 2017 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, electronics, honey soundsystem, italo-disco, patrick cowley, post punkLeave a comment

11 track album by Patrick Cowley. Perhaps one of the most revolutionary and influential people in the cannon of disco music, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music coined The San Francisco Sound. By the mid-70ies, Patricks synthesizer skills landed him a job composing and producing songs for disco superstar Sylvester such as You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), Dance Disco Heat and Stars. This helped Patrick obtain more work as a remixer and producer. Of particular note was his 18-minute long remix of Donna Summers I Feel Love. By 1981 Patrick released a string of dance 12inch singles, like Menergy and Megatron Man, creating the soundtrack for a generation. Prior to his passing on November 12, 1982, he recorded two more Hi-NRG hits, Do You Wanna Funk for Sylvester and Right On Target for Paul Parker. In 1981 Patrick was contacted by John Coletti, owner of famed gay porn company Fox Studio in Los Angeles. John had heard about Patricks music from the legendary Sylvester and proposed he write music for his films. Patrick jumped on this offer and sent reels of his college compositions from the 70s to John in LA. Coletti then used a variable speed oscillator to adjust the pitch and speed of Patricks songs in-sync with the film scene. School Daze is a collection of Cowleys instrumental songs recorded between 1973 and 1981 found in the Fox Studio vaults. Influenced by Tomita, Wendy Carlos and Giorgio Moroder, Patrick forged an electronic sound from his collection of synthesizers, modified guitars and self-constructed equipment. The listener enters a world of dark forbidden vices, introspective and reflective of Patricks time spent in the bathhouses of San Francisco. The songs on School Daze range from sparse prototechno to high octane funk to somber post-punk to musique concrete, revealing the depth of Cowleys unique talent.

Leæther Strip – Teenage Demos LP [DE050]

October 31, 2013February 28, 2022 hipodromealbum, claus larsen, dark entries records, leæther strip, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries is celebrating its 50th release with Leæther Strip “Teenage Demos”. Leæther Strip is the solo-project of Danish electronic industrial artist Claus Larsen. “Teenage Demos” is a collection of Claus Larsen’s earliest recordings. Nine demo songs recorded between 1982 and 1986 never before released on vinyl. Influenced by Fad Gadget, Depeche Mode and Jean Michel Jarre, Claus began creating synth-pop melodies at age 14. Though the melodies were catchy and upbeat they had a hidden melancholy because Claus knew that he was different than others. “Dreaming” was his first attempt to “come out” to himself as a queer kid. Lyrically the songs reflected what was going on in his head: youth, hope and dreams. Claus used a simple set up: Moog Prodigy, Yamaha drum machine, delay pedal and spring reverb. He would record the bass and drums on a double cassette recorder, without midi, sequencers or preset sounds. By 1985, Claus composed instrumental songs as the final three tracks on this album illustrate. listen

Inhalt – Occupations EP [DE051]

October 31, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromebryan gibbs, dark entries records, electro, inhalt, matia simovich, minimal synth, philip winiger, synth popLeave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to release the sophomore EP “Occupations” from San Francisco based synth trio INHALT. Consisting of European and East Coast natives– Matia Simovich, Bryan Gibbs, and Philip Winiger– INHALT’s core operative strategy is of sonic fidelity and integrity rather than nostalgia. The record was produced over a year and a half, and mixed in both Austria and California, employing the best of modern and vintage techniques and technology. The sound is INHALT’s interpretation of the border between the voice driven song form and the expansive, extended 12″ arrangement. It is informed equally by the soundtracks of John Carpenter, as much as the vastness and sheen of Trevor Horn.

Figure Study – Lesson One [DE049]

October 31, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromeapril chalpara, cold wave, dark entries records, figure study, minimal synth, nathan antolikLeave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to present the debut 7″ of Figure Study, a contemporary band from New York. Figure Study is the Manhattan duo of Nathan Antolik and April Chalpara, who share writing and production duties, while April handles the vocals. For their debut single “Lesson One” they utilized small, simple analog synthesizer set up of all vintage Roland analog synths and drum machine. Figure Study’s sound includes influences from early minimal synth music such as Kirlian Camera, Nine Circles, and The Actor.

Bézier – Ensconced [DE048]

September 23, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromebezier, dark entries records, electro, minimal synth, robert yangLeave a comment

Dark Entries release the debut vinyl EP from Bézier entitled “Ensconced.” Bézier is the moniker of all-live-analog electronic wizard Robert Yang from San Francisco. Enchanted by the Cybernetic Broadcasting System (CBS), Robert started DJing as Robot Hustle, joining the Honey Soundsystem collective in 2007. Robert writes hooks, patterns and melodies in an automatic, stream of consciousness fashion. Memory and nostalgia play a big part in constructing his music. “Ensconced” is the follow up to Bezier’s debut cassette, released in 2012 on Break-Up records. The tile relates to themes of comfort and safety as well as complacency and entrapment. Influences range from the futuristic landscape of Syd Mead to the melodic energy of Patrick Cowley and the subdued, hidden motifs of My Bloody Valentine’s “Loveless.” Bézier blends elements of Hi-NRG and dark dance to drive the mysterious underwater instrumentals of “Ensconced.” Bezier’s studio set up includes a variety of vintage Roland and Korg synthesizers as well as the Italo Disco favorite LinnDrum. These six tracks were written, produced and mixed by Bézier at his home studio in San Francisco between 2009 and 2013.

Nagamatzu – Shatter Days [DE047]

September 23, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, andrew lagowski, dark entries records, minimal synth, nagamatzu, reissue, stephen jarvisLeave a comment

Dark Entries re-issues the debut cassette by British duo Nagamatzu for the first time ever on vinyl. Expanded with five bonus tracks, “Shatter Days” is a collection of nine songs recorded between 1983 and 1988. Featuring Andrew Lagowski (SETI, Legion, Terror Against Terror) on synths, guitar, and programming and Stephen Jarvis (Pure Motorised Instinct, Terraform) on synths and bass with Andrew Fleck (synths, occasional vocals). Nagamatzu self-released their debut cassette “Shatter Days” in 1983 after messing around with old tape machines, drum boxes and effects. All the songs were recorded onto a TEAC reel to reel in the dining room at Andrew’s parents’ house. Some of the backing rhythms and sequencers were recorded first and then the band played along live during overdubs. These instrumentals combine stuttering bass, guitar bursts and funeral keyboards draped over a dragging drum machine beat, calling to mind Clock DVA, early New Order or Cocteau Twins. Their sound is full of complex rhythm patterns and dark electronics.

Eleven Pond – Assemblage [DE045]

August 26, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dan brumley, dark entries records, eleven pond, jack schaeffer, james tabbi, jeff gallea, tim masickLeave a comment

The long lost sophomore album by Eleven Pond is finally out on Dark Entries. The band formed during the mid-80s in Rochester, NY, while attending art school, and were brought together by their shared love of 4AD and Factory Records. They released their debut LP “Bas Relief” in 1986, reisued in 2009. Before breaking up in October 1987, the band recorded eight songs that would sit in abandoned storage containers for over 25 years. “Assemblege” collects these multi-track recordings, which were originally made between March 1987 and July 1987. The lineup for this period was James Tabbi (vocals, acoustic guitar), Jeff Gallea (bass, drum programs, vocals, synthesizer), Jack Schaefer (electric guitar), Dan Brumley (sequences, samples, vocoder) and new member Tim Masick (electronic drums). “Assemblage” is a logical progression from “Bas Relief” and will satisfy listeners who were left wanting more. The songs are driven by strong melodic basslines, atmospheric synth washes, and textural guitars. James’ signature new wave vocals sound more British than American, recalling the best of New Order or Depeche Mode. Tim Masick’s drum programs add an electro element to Eleven Pond’s DIY sound. Their primary influences were Joy Division, Fad Gadget, and Echo and the Bunnymen, as well another obscure American college rock band, For Against.

XEX – Change [DE043LP]

June 21, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, synth pop, synth wave, xexLeave a comment

XEX were an all-synthesizer band from South River, New Jersey in the late 1970s. The band formed when a trio of high school misfits with funny names (Waw Pierogi, Thumbalina Gugielmo and Alex Zander) teamed up with some friends from Rutgers College. They released their debut album “group: xex” in 1980 which Dark Entries reissued in 2010. “xex:change” takes a leap from where the band left off at the end of 1980. David Anderson left the group making xex a quartet. Recorded during the summer of 1981 and produced with Ziggy Rodberg, xex further developed the aesthetic of the first album. The seven songs here are more complex and hypnotic than the synthpunk outbursts of “group:xex.” Their new synthesizers, a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and a Minimoog, evoke the high-tech utopia of Patrick Cowley and proto-techno of Afrika Bambaataa. Thumbalina’s vocals have a detached, icy quality. Lyrics revolve around xex’ melange of oeuvres – pop, kitsch and New Jersey mall culture – offering commentary on species-specific adaptations for copulation, technophilia/phobia and the Jersey shore. “xex:change”, a multiple entendre that refers to the evolution of the group since its first album, group interaction in the creative process, and underlying sexual ambiguity. The group did not have the funds to release the album and it sat in obscurity for over 30 years.

Los Microwaves – Life After Breakfast [DE044]

June 21, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, david javelosa, los microwaves, meg brazil, post punk, reissue, synth pop, todd rosencransLeave a comment

Los Microwaves was a San Francisco-based synth-punk trio who formed in 1979. The main line-up included Meg Brazill (vocals, bass, synthesizers), David Javelosa (vocals, synthesizers), and Todd “Rosa” Rosencrans (drums, bass). Their recorded output consisted of a handful of 45′s and their lone LP, “Life After Breakfast,” released on the legendary Posh Boy records in 1981. Creating sound and music from the fusion of techno-punk, new wave pop, and electronic music, Los Microwaves featured a quirky audio theater that was best experienced live and from the dance floor. Sporting a combination of earlier portable synthesizers, bass and processed percussion, the music continues to deliver a unique groove. “Life After Breakfast” contains 13 songs full of teen angst, jerky rhythms, melodic chants, and punky shouts. Meg’s vocals are cheeky and peppy, recalling the anti-pop sound of The B-52′s, Devo and early XTC.

Q4U – Q1 (Deluxe Edition 1980-1983) [DE040]

April 5, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, dark wave, electro, minimal synth, new wave, q4uLeave a comment

Q4U was born the winter of 1980-1981 in Reykjavík, inspired by the British punk movement. It’s original members were Elínborg Halldórsdóttir (Ellý) (vocals), Berglind Garðarsdóttir (Linda) (vocals), Steinþór Stefánsson (guitar), Gunnþór Sigurðsson (bass), Helgi (drums) and Már (synthesizer). Helgi and Már soon left the band and Helgi was replaced by Kormákur Geirharðsson (Kommi) on the drums. By early 1982 they self-released a full length cassette, “Skaf Í Dag” and appeared in the documentary “Rokk í Reykjavík,” which showcased the Icelandic punk scene. This version of the band ended and only two members continued on. In the summer of 1982 Ellý and Gunnþór recruited Óðinn Guðbrandsson (guitar) and Árni Daníel (synthesizer) from the band Taugadeildin. Their drummer was replaced by a Roland TR-808 drum machine they named “Elísabet II”. signaling a change in the group’s sound toward synthesizer-driven post punk. In August 1983 Q4U reinstated Kormákur to record a final set of demos and then called it quits. This compilation collects 16 songs from 1980-1983. SIde A features the original six songs from the “Q1″ EP, plus 2 songs from the “Rokk í Reykjavík” soundtrack. Side B collects 4 demos from 1982 and 4 demos from 1983, all presented on vinyl for the first time ever. Q4U began with a stylish, aggressive punk image before experimenting with drum machines and synthesizers, which almost nobody did in Reykjavík at the time. The later sound had gothic leanings,often compared with Siouxsie and the Banshees and Xmal Deutschland. Their body of work is united by the powerful vocals of Ellý, who mostly sings in Icelandic about controversial, political experiences, much like Ari Up of The Slits.

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Belaboris ‎– Once Upon A Time LP [DE041]

March 19, 2013April 20, 2021 hipodromealbum, belaboris, dark entries records, electro, fresh good minimal, kimmo miettinen, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Belaboris was born in 1982 as the brainchild of Finnish producer Kimmo Miettinen. He would put together an all-girl band that looked great in photographs but were backed by professional musicians. The first line-up was Vilma Vainikainen on main vocals, Sisko Vainikainen and Rita on back-up plus Jake and Mari who did not sing at all. The backing band behind Belaboris was a local New Wave group called Tyhjät Patterit ( which translates to Empty Batteries). The main songwriter was Esa Ijäs (guitar, synthesizer) along with his bandmates Ari Ijäs (bass) and Martti Jalonen (drums). Belaboris’ debut 12″ single “Kuolleet Peilit” was released in November 1982. “Once Upon A Time” collects songs from all three EP releases and the “Olipa Kerran” mini-LP as well as two unreleased demos never before on vinyl. In Finland the synthetic Futurist/New Romantic pop was simply called “Futu”. Belaboris were in their own peculiar, undefinable no-woman’s-land, in between the Finnish Futu and Gothic scenes. Between 1982 and 1984 Belaboris crafted catchy, melodic synthpop with the occasional guitar. Their lyrics were stylistically “kitchen sink melodramas” with occasional Gothic elements inspired by movies. The name Belaboris, is a combination of the horror actors Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

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Fall Of Saigon – Untitled EP [DE038]

February 18, 2013June 29, 2019 hipodromedark entries records, fall of saigon, florence berthon, minimal synth, pascal comelade, post punk, re-release, reissue, synth wave, thierry denLeave a comment

Dark Entires Records is honored to re-issue the debut EP by Fall Of Saigon. The band was born in 1981 when Florence Berthon (Vocals), Pascal Comelade (Organ, Synthesizer) and Thierry Den (Guitar, Vocals) met at a concert in Montpellier, France. They chose to the name the project Fall Of Saigon after a song by UK post-punk act This Heat. They self-released their debut EP in 1983 citing Nico & The Velvet Underground, Suicide and James Joyce as influences. The 6 songs on the EP were recorded in two stages. “She Leaves Me All Alone” and “On The Beach At Fontana” were sung by Thierry and recorded at Pascal’s home on a Revox 2-track in one shot. The four songs sung by Florence – “Visions”, “Blue Eyes”, “So Long” and “The Swimmer” – were recorded and mixed at the Montpellier Languedoc Video Animation Center by Jean Alain Sidi on two ReVox A77 reel to reels and a small mixer. On “Visions,” “Blue Eyes” and “So Long,” the group employed a drum machine that could only play four or five rhythms with a single slider to increase or decrease the tempo. The songs were minimal: verse, chorus, no bridge, no intro. Built on a simple spine, they create a feeling of space with just a voice and an organ or synthesizer melody. Full of class and inventiveness, Fall Of Saigon are often compared to Young Marble Giants due to the fragile, ephemeral quality of the songs.

Informatics – Dance To A Dangerous Beat [DE037]

February 18, 2013July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, informatics, michael trudgeon, post punk, ramesh ayyar, steve adam, synth pop, synth wave, valek sadovchikoffLeave a comment

Informatics were a post-punk electronic band from Melbourne, Australia formed in 1981. Michael Trudgeon, Valek Sadovchikoff, Steve Adam and Ramesh Ayyar met in the experimental sound studio while attending the same art school. Philip McKellar later joined the band in 1983. They came to work together through a shared fascination in electronic music and the capabilities of analogue synthesizers. In early performances, long before the advent of samplers, the Informatics used a collection of synthesizers and other analogue and hand built equipment. These were patched together to create a unique battery of sounds. Informatics early songs have a brittle, cold, disconnected feel made by a Roland SH-101, Korg MS-20 and a lot of processed guitar. The later songs utilize newer technology and ambient, synthesized melodies closer to their country mates Severed Heads.

VA – The Thing From The Crypt [DE036]

February 18, 2013February 15, 2013 hipodromecompilation, dark entries records, exhibit a, image in ruin, new wave, post punk, sad lovers & giants, soft drinksLeave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to present “The Thing From The Crypt,” a 16-track compilation of UK DIY/Synth/New Wave/Post-Punk originally released in 1981. Showcasing the thriving post punk sound of Watford, a town in Hertfordshire, England, located 20 minutes northwest of central London. “‘The Thing From The Crypt’ neither attempts to sell a ‘Wotford sound’ nor claims to be a comprehensive guide to the area’s best beat bands. Like all good compilations, its essence is variety: some tracks will make you come whilst other will make you vomit.” – original liner notes by Robert Dellar.
This compilation features 8 bands with two songs included by each group.

Hipodrome’s 2012 Review (Part III)

January 7, 2013February 17, 2025 hipodromealan hurst, asso, automatic tasty, axis records, baz reznik, bunker records, cititrax, claro intelecto, clone records, creme organization, cyril, d'marc cantu, dark entries records, degada saf, delano smith, delsin records, delta funktionen, dino sabatini, do it yourself fuck the rest records, downwards records, echospace, elitechnique, emotional response, fachwerk, frustrated funk, fxhe records, hard corps, hospital productions, indigo aera, innergaze, iron curtis, jacob korn, jahiliyya fields, jeff mills, karriem riggins, l.i.e.s., legowelt, linea aspera, lives of angels, louis haiman, luke hess, m>o>s recordings, makam, mantra, mike dehnert, minimal wave records, mirau musik, mote evolver, music man records, nick anthony simoncino, orgue electronique, oscar mulero, peoples potential unlimited, peter van hoesen, photodementia, private records, prologue, prplx, red cavity records, regis, robert hood, shifted, silent servant, soviet soviet, stones throw, stress, sushitech records, tanz ohne muzik, tempo, thug records, time to express, type, uncanny valley, vatican shadow, versalife, warm up recordings, wil-ru records2 Comments

Finally we are at the last part of the 2012 review. In the first part of our review, the preferences of our followers are shown, according to the number of click and stars. Top 3 albums of the years, top 3 EPs, compilations and mixes loved by our followers can be seen here.

In the second part, I presented some of my favorite events and performances from last year. For more details go here.

Continue reading “Hipodrome’s 2012 Review (Part III)” →

Smersh – Cassette Pets [DE035]

December 13, 2012July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, chris shepard, dark entries records, dark wave, industrial, mike mangino, post punk, smersh, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries has dug deep in the New Jersey basement of Smersh to release the double LP compilation “Cassette Pets”. Smersh was the duo of Mike Mangino and Chris Shepard, who started writing music together in the late 1970s. They were uninterested in traditional notions of songwriting or live performance. Everything they needed was in Piscataway NJ: a basement full of musical toys and instruments, novelty space microphones, a TR-606 (the same “Roland” who was listed as a member of Big Black), a SH-09 (Cabaret Voltaire’s favorite synth), and — perhaps most importantly — a couple of tape recorders. By 1981, this dedication to spontaneous creativity had already produced countless recordings, and the duo began releasing cassettes as Smersh via their own Atlas King label. On “Cassette Pets” are 17 songs, featuring some of the many highlights from Smersh’s vast discography, spanning 1981-1994. Smersh’s sound is a lush hybrid of techno, industrial, dance, and experimental. Sometimes easy, sometime not. Most songs revolve around driving EBM style beats, intricate industrial noise manipulation and synth melodies. The Smersh sound has so many faces it doesn’t fall into any one category.

The Product – Alive Again LP [DE034]

December 13, 2012July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dan stielow mortazavi, dark entries records, dark wave, electro, kenneth neuhaus, post punk, synth pop, synth wave, the productLeave a comment

The Product were a duo from the small villages Kvistgaard and Espergaerde, in the north of Denmark. Dan Stielow Mortazavi wrote the lyrics and sang while Kenneth Neuhaus composed the music and played the instruments. They met in the Autumn of 1982 and recorded their sole album “Alive Again” over a weekend. The LP features 11 songs recorded in two short live takes directly onto one cassette. The Product employed a basic set up of Micromoog, Roland JX-3P and TR-606 Drumatix. Nine of the songs employ only these two synthesizers and drum machine while two songs feature a guest bassist. With these three instruments they crafted melodic, icy electronic rhythms with detached vocals. Lyrics revolve around growing up in broken homes, alienation and romance.