The Hacker – Le Théâtre Des Opérations [DE184]

November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, electro, michel amato, miss kittin, techno, the hackerLeave a comment

Dark Entries announce the latest album from Michel Amato aka The Hacker, ‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’. Michel’s new live project sees the enigmatic artist go back to his roots, performing a 100% analogue set directly inspired by his first true loves of New Wave and dark, powerful techno. ‘Le Théâtre des Opérations’ features 8 new tracks spread evenly across 2×12’s cut at 45rpm for maximum sound quality and DJ utility. The title comes from a metaphysical journal by French-born Canadian science fiction writer Maurice G Dantec. Passionate about avant-garde techno, The Hacker has taken his influences and crafted a potent homage to the power of the synthesizer. Songs veer from gritty, raw EBM to dark, subterranean electro, effortlessly channeling the strains of the Michel’s musical DNA. The only vocal track features an appearance by longtime friend and collaborator Miss Kittin, named Time X’ after the French science fiction television series Temps X.

Peppermint Lounge – Perfect High [DE183]

November 2, 2017November 2, 2017 hipodromedark entries editions, dark entries records, electro, italo-disco, joerg burckhardt, matthias elvers, peppermint lounge, re-release, regina petersen, reissue, synth popLeave a comment

Dark Entries Editions reissue ”Perfect High” the 1983 debut 12” by Peppermint Lounge from Germany. The group consisted of Matthias Elvers (synthesizers, bass), Regina Petersen (vocals) and Jorg Burckhardt (drums, strings). They took their name from a popular 1960s discotheque in New York City. Treading the lines between Italo Disco, Electro, and New Wave, the trio crafted a unique sound difficult to classify. Melancholic arpeggiators, a throbbing baseline, stuttering samples, vocoder and the classic Roland TR-808 drum machine run throughout the track, which builds to a majestic crescendo. This reissue includes the original vocal version, backed with a shorter instrumental version.

Smersh – Sideways [DE187]

November 1, 2017October 31, 2017 hipodromeacid, charles manier, chris shepard, dark entries records, house, jtc, mike mangino, smersh, tadd mullinix, technoLeave a comment

Dark Entries returns to the New Jersey basement studio of Smersh to unearth an 18-minute jam session from 1989, backed with two contemporary remixes. “Sideways” was taken from a cassette titled ‘100’, which refers to a 100-minute jam session the band recorded to tape on June 12, 1989 in Piscataway. A frenetic hybrid of techno and acid with driving EBM style beats, “Sideways” weaves intricate industrial noises with synth melodies that drift in and out of phase. On the flip are two fresh remixes by different aliases of prolific Ann Arbor producer Tadd Mullinix. As JTC, he expands the sound palette, adding organ stabs and lush pads, drawing on Detroit deep house and UK garage. The Charles Manier remix features chanted vocals on top of an array of pulsating synths, stark percussion, and post-punky guitar effects.

Virginia – Blue Pyramid [DE181/ERC054]

October 24, 2017November 1, 2017 hipodromebezier, dark entries records, disco, emotional rescue, emotional response recordings, house, khidja, mark pistel, psychic tv, virginiaLeave a comment

Dark Entries and Emotional Rescue team up to further explore Psychic TV’s Acid House years. Psychic TV was formed by Genesis P-Orridge and Peter Christopherson of Throbbing Gristle with Alex Fergusson of Alternative TV in 1981. After various line up changes, the band shifted direction to dance oriented songs influenced by the House and Techno scenes of Detroit and Chicago. By 1988 the group included Dave Ball of Soft Cell, Fred Giannelli of Turning Shrines and Matthew Best of Carcrash International. During the summer of 1988 the group recorded a batch of songs at Time Square Studios in London that would appear under the guise of various artists compilations Jack The Tab’ and ‘Tekno Acid Beat’. The idea behind these ‘compilations’ of imaginary artists was creating a sense that a healthy acid house scene existed in the UK.

Group Rhoda – Wilderless [DE186]

October 17, 2017December 12, 2025 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, dark wave, electro, group rhoda, mara barenbaum, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Group Rhoda is the solo electronic music project of Mara Barenbaum, based out of Oakland, California, one half of Max and Mara. The project started around 2009 with a debut album ‘Out of Time, Out of Touch’ in 2012 on Night School Records. ‘Wilderless’ is Group Rhoda’s third full length and first for Dark Entries Records. Each of the these 7 songs draw forth tones of tropical darkwave and soft industrial, while negating the sound of conformity and control. The album explore themes of societal and spiritual displacement, contemporary serfdom, the depths of empathy, regeneration through destruction, and the tyranny of claiming recognition and power. Lyrics are poetically expressed through allegory and explore archetypes rooted more in abstract observation rather than hard line experience. Through transgression and imagination, Group Rhoda explores the arc of songwriting interwoven into stark electronic environments, and creates a bridge between the corporeal and the dream worlds.

Patrick Cowley – Afternooners [DE185]

October 17, 2017February 5, 2025 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, disco, electro, honey soundsystem, patrick cowley, synth popLeave a comment

Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records have teamed up once more to release the final volume of gay porn soundtracks by San Francisco-based musician and producer, Patrick Cowley. One of the most revolutionary and influential figures in the canon of disco, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music, “The San Francisco Sound.” Born in Buffalo, NY on October 19, 1950, Patrick moved to San Francisco in 1971 to study at the City College of San Francisco. He founded the Electronic Music Lab at the school, where he would make experimental soundtracks by blending various types of music and adapting them to the synthesizer. Featuring 70 minutes of music never before released on vinyl.

Severed Heads – Come Visit The Big Bigot [DE180]

September 23, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, garry bradbury, minimal synth, re-release, reissue, severed heads, simon knuckey, synth pop, tom ellardLeave a comment

Dark Entries present the deluxe 2xLP reissue of ‘Come Visit The Big Bigot’ by Severed Heads, one of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the Australian post-punk independent music scene. They began in Sydney in 1979, incorporating elements of ‘industrial’ noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style. After many line-up changes featuring Garry Bradbury and psychedelic guitarist Simon Knuckey, Severed Heads was the vehicle for composer Tom Ellard. ‘Come Visit The Big Bigot’ was Severed Heads’ first record to be released commercially simultaneously in Australia, North America and Europe in 1986. It was a prime period for this ‘industrial dance music’ and Bigot was a respected album that did well from the tour they did with Skinny Puppy that same year. Quite a few people still define the band by this period. ‘Come Visit The Big Bigot’ was made on a Fostex 16 track recorder in Tom’s bedroom, employing the newly acquired AKAI S612 sampler and Roland SH-101 to create most of the drum sounds. The album signaled a new direction, flirting with the dance floor and the pop song. Presenting the Heads at their most cohesive, while retaining their distinctive musical stamp. Tom’s vocals are harmonized, slowed down, sped up, run through fuzz boxes, backwards, drum machine rolls, sampled guitars, horn sections, and voices but with a subversive rather than malevolent intention. Tape loops are more subtle and define their own space and texture. Like the original Australian version of the album, we’ve included a bonus disc featuring three extended remixes by Sydney DJ Robert Racic (who produced the edited 7” version of “Petrol” we reissued in 2015), plus three B-sides from the ‘Twenty Deadly Diseases’12” and two additional tracks from the same recording sessions. All songs have been remastered by Tom Ellard, who worked very slowly and methodically with much better equipment over two years, letting each track have its own breath.

Hypnobeat – Prototech [DE179]

September 23, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromeacid, dark entries records, experimental, house, hypnobeat, james dean brown, pietro insipido, serendip lab, techno, tobias freund, victor solLeave a comment

Amongst those that keep track of these things, German trio Hyonobeat are considered proto-techno pioneers. While it’s not known whether Detroit’s Belleville Three were fans, you could argue that Hynobeat’s rhythm-focused approach pre-dated both techno and Chicago house. Thanks to this fine retrospective from Dark Entries, you can judge for yourself. The material included was all recorded between 1983 and 1986, with the wild, off-kilter polyrhythms and ragged TB-303 lines of “The Arumbeya Fetish”, mutant electro of “Kilian” and high-octane thrust of the decidedly out-there “Mission in Congo” standing out. Remarkably, Hypnobeat would chain together drum machines and bass synthesizers to create their tracks – a practice that would later become common during the acid house era.

Keine Ahnung – Keine Ahnung [DE174]

September 12, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, post punk, synth wave, keine ahnung, passiv, rolf schmuck, franz rodenkirchen, elke fuchs, olaf schumacher, hermann koppLeave a comment

Keine Ahnung was a quartet from Wörth am Rhein, Germany formed in 1980. The original line up was Rolf Schmuck, Franz H. Rodenkirchen, Elke Fuchs and Olaf Schumacher. Hermann Kopp from Stuttgart, a friend of the band, contributed a composition on their first LP and became a full member in 1985. The band members shared a common interest in industrial, pop, avant garde literature and cinema. They recorded three LPs in 6 years, two of which remain unreleased. In March 1983, Keine Ahnung recorded their self-produced and financed debut LP in two days in a small studio in Stuttgart (12 hours total). The mixing was done in one day in a studio in Karlsruhe, April 1983. The self-titled LP was released later that summer on their own PASSIV label in an edition of 1000 copies. This record obtained recognition far beyond the German borders. Keine Ahnung in the studio and live were completely different. Studio time was expensive in these days, so the music was minimal electronic pop, expertly crafted and razor sharp man machine music. The live sound utilized more complex synthesizers, tapes, guitars, metal percussion and custom built electronics. The beats and bass lines came from the Roland 606/303 duo triggering a KORG MS-20 for the bass drum. The track “Funkbild DPA” is a spontaneous “live in the studio” recording, that gives a hint of what the live sound was like. All four members would take turns singing and playing the instruments.

Flesh World – Into The Shroud [DE182]

September 7, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, andrew luttrell, dark entries records, flesh world, jess scott, new wave, post punk, sam lefebvre, scott moore, synth popLeave a comment

Flesh World is a dream punk group formed in the summer of 2012 in San Francisco. The quartet includes Scott Moore (Guitar, Synths), Jess Scott (Vocals, Guitar), Andrew Luttrell (Bass, Backing Vocals), Sam Lefebvre (Drums). Jess and Scott met while loitering around the Panhandle district, listening to records, gossiping, and playing live shows around town with their bands (Scott plays in hardcore group Limp Wrist and Jess played in the indie pop band Brilliant Colors). The pair immediately bonded over a shared love of The Velvets and The Mary Chain. They began writing songs in Scott’s lofted bedroom in the City and took their name from a XXX magazine. The fully formed band released their first self-titled 6-song EP in December 2013 for London punk imprint La Vida Es Un Mus Discos. Two 7” singles were followed by their debut album ‘The Wild Animals In My Life’ released in 2015 on Iron Lung Records. ‘Into The Shroud’ is Flesh World’s fifth release and sophomore album, and their first for Dark Entries Records. Each of these songs speak to a chaotic or sometimes eclectic period of influence of different books, ideas, drawings, saints, stories, and aims gathered in the two year writing process since the previous album. Themes of this record include writer, advice columnist, and Dreamland actress Cookie Mueller, the youth’s effect on the general political psychosis of nostalgia, icon Billy Fury, and the writings and drawings of Jean Cocteau as a hovering guide for living with less rules. The record is a topological map showing the cities of the Bay Area and Los Angeles in rapid change, looking to the books, records, and artists paid study to in order to create continuity in the constant flux of the city, the punk show, the gay world, and the rest of the environments Flesh World insulate themselves in for survival. The group’s dynamic has greatly solidified on this album with a brilliant new rhythm section.

Bézier – Primes [DE171]

July 28, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromebezier, dark entries records, disco, doc sleep, electro, nicole ginelli, robert yang, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries presents the latest offering from Bézier, a 3-track EP titled ‘Primes’. Bézier is the moniker of San Francisco based musician Robert Yang, who is also part of the Honey Soundsystem crew. ‘Primes’ represents the theme of primordial origins and creation with three tracks that explore disparate, sonic environments in each song. The title track flows and ebbs like currents in an oil slick. Out of something messy (like primordial ooze) arises organized chaos. ‘Stranger’ is a moody dark electro/wave track for a sweaty night cruising on the west coast of Holland. Set against an underwater sound canvas the song features seductive guest vocals and lyrics by Nicole Ginelli. Doc Sleep of Jacktone Records provides additional production duties. The final track, ‘Imperial Tranz Am’, is an airy, ethereal slow burner clocking in at over 13 minutes.

Lives Of Angels – Hole In The Sky [DE172]

July 18, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, gerald o’connell, lives of angels, minimal synth, new wave, post punk, synth popLeave a comment

Lives of Angels was the brainchild of Gerald O’Connell from London, England. ‘Hole In The Sky’ is an 11-track compilation of material from the Lives of Angels archives. Including two tracks from the original ‘Elevator To Eden’ cassette omitted from our vinyl reissue, two tracks from Color Disc compilations and 7 previously unreleased tracks. This compilation features the very earliest Lives of Angels recordings “Call Moscow” and “Somebody Else” as well as the final composition from 1986 “The Infinite Corridor” plus original mixes of “After Dark” and “Look Out Kid” different than the versions on the ‘Color Supplement’ compilation. ‘Hole In The Sky’ is an impressive example of early ’80s home recording; a DIY interpretation of the elegance and ambition of the previous decade’s krautrock.

Krootchey – Qu’est-ce Qu’il A (d’plus Que Moi Ce Négro Lá) [DE167]

July 14, 2017June 7, 2022 hipodromecasablanca records, dark entries records, disco, fred versailles, funk, krootchey, philippe krootchey, re-release, reissueLeave a comment

Philippe Krootchey was a musician, DJ, radio and television host born in Versailles, France in 1954. In 1984 Krootchey released his debut single Qu’est c’qu’il a (d’plus que moi ce négro là)’ on disco label Casablanca Records. Subsequently the single was re-released the same year but sung in English as Whatazzy’. For this release he teamed up with former Love International bandmate Fred Versailles, who shared his love for Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well as glam rock and 70’s black American soul music. Fred remembers, The idea was to send a message about racism against black people with a humorous tone. The French title translates to What has this nigger got, that I do not have’ Reversing the racial scales, Philippe (who is black) would get the girls and the fame, making white people jealous. It was Philippe’s tactful way to joke about racism he had experienced and overcame.’ The result is a slick synthetic funk and electro boogie reminiscent of Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambata. Philippe rap and subverting racism at the same time. On the B-side is Voodoo’ a slowed down instrumental dub version that stretches out the original to over 7-minutes. Sadly on September 2, 2004 Philippe Krootchey died of a cerebral aneurysm, just short of celebrating his 50th birthday.

Shoc Corridor – A Blind Sign [DE164]

July 13, 2017January 4, 2022 hipodromechris davis, dark entries records, minimal synth, nogi prass, post punk, re-release, reissue, shoc corridor, shout records, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

SHOC CORRIDOR - A Blind Sign (reissue)

Shoc Corridor was the London post-punk quartet of Paul O’Carroll (Voice, Synth), Andy Garnham (Synth, Drum), Chris Davis (Guitar, Bass, E-Bow) and Nogi Prass (Synth) named after the Sam Fuller film from 1963. The group recorded a 4-song demo during 1981 in a tiny flat Chris shared with Nogi in Notting Hill. As their collection of instruments grew they set up studio a few blocks away in Andy’s flat at 20 All Saints Road. There they re-recorded Sargasso Sea’ along with On Reflexion’ on a TEAC reel-to-reel 4-track machine. In the summer of ’82, the band was booked into Decibel Studios in Stoke Newington for two and a half days with Mark Easton of Shout Records, where they reworked the two songs. The group usually worked through studio experimentation rather than constructing their songs in a conventional way. Their equipment list included a Korg MS-20, Wasp, Pro-One, Roland TR-808, WEM Copicat, guitars, bass, e-bow and an assortment of effects pedals. On Reflexion’ began as a Blancmange backing track, since Stephen Luscombe would sometimes use Andy’s 4-track, Korg MS-20 and drum machine. Chris has memories of Paul disappearing from time to time to the neighboring graveyard for inspiration, where they had to procure him from to lay down vocals. Their debut 3-song 12′ single, A Blind Sign’, was released in October 1982 on Shout Records. For this re-issue we’ve included the original skeletal Sargasso Sea’ 4-track demo from 1981. Evocative and dreamy, the music escorts you on a tour of icy landscapes, with Paul’s rich vocals guiding the way.

Bill Converse – The Shape Of Things To Come [DE158]

July 6, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromeacid, album, bill converse, chicago house, dark entries records, technoLeave a comment

Dark Entries present the sophomore album from Austin, Texas analogue hardware enthusiast Bill Converse. Immersed in the early days of the 90s midwest rave scene, Bill began DJing at a young age in Lansing, Michigan. Luminaries such as Claude Young, Traxx, and Derrick May were key early influences. Techno, noise, ambient and tape processing are all part of his uncanny sound palette. ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’ is a 70 minute journey spread across two pieces of vinyl. It’s comprised of seven tracks recorded directly to tape with no overdubs, made at Converse’s home studio. At the time of recording, Bill was sending this material to Josh Vance (Josua Dorje Ngodup) for feedback. Most of the time Josh would respond in the form of artwork, and then Bill would create another track inspired by this feedback chain. Converse has dedicated this series of tracks to him. The songs on this album reveal a sublime influence from Detroit techno, early Chicago house, and Acid. For this album Converse slightly bumped up the tempos geared for dancefloor energy. Built around vintage synthesizer lines and gritty drum machine percussion, the tracks evoke how things have changed and how they have come to be.

Josh Cheon – FACT mix 601

May 18, 2017May 18, 2017 hipodromedark entries records, disco, electro, FACT, house, industrial, josh cheon, podcastLeave a comment

Joe Garrasco & M.M – Action [DE160]

May 12, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromedark entries records, domenico ricchini, fuori di testi, italo-disco, jimmy mcfoy, joe garrasco, mm, out records, re-release, reissueLeave a comment

Dark Entries presents a 4-song EP of songs by the Italo Disco duo. In 1985 Domenico Ricchini teamed up with Joe Garrasco, a DJ at Free Club a Super Dancing Discotheque in Braone, Italy. Their first composition together was another hit single for Joe Yellow, “I’m Your Lover” released in 1986. In Spring 1986 the duo began working on a new song for a yet unnamed side project. They spent a few days at 33 Studio in Milan and recorded “Love Sex For Sale” with Jimmy Mc Foy on vocals. This project was titled Garrasco’s and the single was released in 1986 on Fuori Di Testi. Unsatisfied with the mix, they booked a fresh session at Regson Studio in Milan to re-record the song. The result was re-naming the projecting Joe Garrasco & M.M. (for the band Marita – Marillena) and the song as “Action” released on Out Records in 1986.

M&G – When I Let You Down [DE159]

May 12, 2017October 31, 2017 hipodromedark entries records, italo-disco, m&g, maurizio sangineto, mirko galli, re-release, reissue, sensation recordsLeave a comment

M&G was the duo of Maurizio “Sangy” Sangineto and Mirko Galli from Vicenza, Italy. Sangy began his music career in 1979 with Italian disco group Firefly and recorded a solo album ”Steps” in 1980. Two years later he co-founded Italo-disco band The Creatures and synth-funk crossover act The Armed Gang. He met young DJ Mirko Galli at L’Altro Mondo Studios in Rimini. In 1986 the pair spent a few days at Sandy Dian’s Recording Studio working on what would become their sole 12” maxi single “When I Let You Down”/ “Boogie Tonight” released on Sensation Records.

Solitary Dancer – Dualism [DE154]

April 13, 2017November 1, 2019 hipodromedark entries records, electro, marie davidson, minimal synth, solitary dancer, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries releases ‘Dualism’, the sophomore E.P. from contemporary Montreal-based duo, Solitary Dancer. They are known for their elegant, richly-sculpted sound design and knack for propulsive club rhythms that eschew rigid 4/4 drum patterns. ‘Dualism’ opens with “Anything”, equal parts Drexciya and Dopplereffekt — full of low-end bass stabs, blipping synths; swelling and washing to a cinematic close. For the first time on a Solitary Dancer record, vocals make an appearance in the guise of a male companion who’s lamenting a lost lover. “Losing Touch” takes a classic electro beat, and through the use of elegiac pad washes, distorted bass and menacing vocals, morphs into persistently engaging shapes. The B-side’s ”Emails 2 Myself” is a suspenseful corralling of intriguing sonic elements. Its fractured 707 beats combine with melancholic strings and features vocals by Marie Davidson. Also included is the instrumental version of “Emails”, accentuating the bass drum, snare, hi-hat and melodic synth tones, sailing into the subdued evening sun of the future.

From Nursery To Misery – Pixies In The Woods [DE153]

April 5, 2017July 17, 2024 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, from nursery to misery, gina fear, lee stevens, minimal synth, re-release, reissue, synth pop, synth wave, tina fearLeave a comment

From Nursery to Misery were three teenagers who grew up together on the same street in Basildon, Essex. Formed in 1987, the band was comprised of vocalists (and identical twins) Gina and Tina Fear, along with keyboard player and producer Lee Stevens. Lee invited the twins to over to record some music with him, suggesting they try singing over some instrumentals he had written and recorded on a newly purchased 4-track. They played a sum total of four gigs before splitting in 1991. Their recorded output, however, was relatively prodigious, with the band appearing on over 22 compilations, as well as self-releasing two album-length tapes ‘The Oak Tree’ (1989), and ‘Equilibrium’ (1990), and a split EP with Germany’s Nostalgie Eternelle, ‘Art is the Tool’ (1990). All these releases were home-produced, hand-made cassettes distributed and swapped via the Mail Art scene. ‘Pixies In The Woods’ is a 13-track career spanning compilation including three previously unreleased tracks. Tracks range from no-fi synth pop overlaid with ethereal, child-like vocals, to audio collages of animal noises and harrowing, double-speed monologues. Lee’s expansive synth productions, informed by the Blade Runner soundtrack, early electro records, and 4AD acts like Dead Can Dance, provided a rich, spacious platform for Gina and Tina’s sung-spoken introspective lyrics. Their songs are disarmingly direct and unfiltered, the product of three self-confessed misfits exploring difficult, often intensely personal issues.