minimal synth

VA – Endangered Species Vol. 2 LP [DE-342]

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In their countless years of deep digging, Dark Entries has uncovered many curiosities, oddball Italo and synth-wave creatures too rare to live, too funky to die. Dark Entries’s conservationist efforts began with 2020’s Endangered Species Vol 1. Six years later, we are finally treated Endangered Species Vol 2, an even more ambitious effort which features eleven specimens previously deemed extinct, now safely preserved on vinyl. Things kick off with an extended mix of Palazzo di Danza’s “Play That Song For Me,” a lavishly produced German-Italo number propelled by a slinky bassline. Russian Olga Vosconyan’s “Cars” delivers what might be the moodiest song ever produced for a car commercial. Fuzz Dance maestro Alexander Robotnick appears with a previously unreleased male vocal demo version of “I Wanna Believe,” a legendary track that would later appear under the name Gina & the Flexix. Canadian industrial royalty Dwayne R. Goettel (Psyche) and cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy) team up on the horror-sampling hit-heavy blaster “Bastards.” Belgian EBM progenitors à;GRUMH… report for duty with a slab of machine funk on “The Army.” UK DIY stalwarts Khmer Rouge bring Krautrock-inflected minimalism with “Take Me (Across the Floor Tonight) In Dub.”

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VA – Endangered Species Vol. 2 LP [DE-342]

Orus Boris – Wavebreaker LP [OR163]

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“Wavebreaker” is a magnificent post-punk and minimal wave album originally self-released in 2024 by Orus Boris — a brilliant work that unquestionably deserved a proper vinyl edition for both its musical depth and outstanding technical quality. Built around a truly exceptional production, “Wavebreaker” moves in line with the finest contemporary wave sounds while constantly expanding its own universe. The album never feels nostalgic or predictable. Instead, it reshapes its influences into something fluid, sharp, and deeply personal, refusing to remain confined to a single language. Alongside its minimal wave foundations, the record introduces subtle incursions into darker electronic territories such as dark electro aesthetics, making each track feel unexpected and constantly evolving. Melancholy collides with tension, elegance with aggression, precision with emotional weight. The result is an immersive and surprising listening experience from beginning to end—a remarkable work that confirms Orus Boris as one of the most exciting and essential voices to follow within the new wave underground.

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Orus Boris – Wavebreaker LP [OR163]

THE NE21 – No Zone EP [OR162]

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The NE21 stands as one of the most mysterious and elusive projects within the contemporary post-punk and minimal wave landscape. With only two previous releases – through Domestica and She Lost Kontrol – the project has already secured an unquestionable place among the essential names of the genre. After five years of complete silence on the release front, “No Zone” marks their long-awaited return. The record expands the project’s unmistakable universe: cold synth lines, suspended atmospheres, hypnotic rhythms, and a haunting sense of isolation that moves between Trisomie 21 minimal wave austerity and Neon’s emotionally charged post-punk tension, aligned with other Italian wave visionaries such as DsorDNE while connecting with newer tendencies in electronic krautrock and proto-experimental music. Everything in “No Zone” feels deliberate and restrained, unfolding a ghostly elegance, balancing shadowy electronics with sharp melodic instinct. With “No Zone”, The NE21 not only return—they reaffirm their singular position as one of the most distinctive and enigmatic voices operating in the darker edges of underground electronic music.

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THE NE21 – No Zone EP [OR162]

Oppenheimer Analysis – Subterranean Desire (Valerj “Midnight Obsession” Rework) [FREE DOWNLOAD]

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Corsica’s own Valerj joins Slow Motion’s ‘A UFO’ free edit series with a cerebral rework of Oppenheimer Analysis’s “Subterranean Desire.” Built for the haze of the early hours, Valerj amplifies the spirit of the minimal wave pioneers, delving deeper into the enigmatic allure of the 1980s original. His signature percussion drives and swaggering synths pulse. Rising to a euphoric payoff, Valerj tastefully hones the tension and elevates the lyrical excellence. Showcasing his production mastery, Valerj transforms “Subterranean Desire” into a versatile, cinematic cut, equally set for a twilight drive or igniting a club floor. Vocoders sizzle, and the original’s elements are tastefully relit. Valerj not only honours the essence of the classic but propels it into the present, ensuring its legacy endures on dancefloors and in hearts alike.

Oppenheimer Analysis – Subterranean Desire (Valerj “Midnight Obsession” Rework) [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Moß Garten – Sekvensstyrd 1981-1986 [ANNA067] 

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40 years after its creation, Moß Garten – Sekvensstyrd 1981–1986 arrives as a compelling double vinyl LP, diving deep into the early Swedish DIY electronic scene. Inspired by pioneers such as Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire, John Foxx, and The Human League, Mikael Isaksson developed a distinct sound situated between minimal electronics, industrial, synth wave, and experimental sound art. At its core was the sequencer: pulsing, programmed structures forming the backbone of dense, often hypnotic compositions. Working initially with his cousin Jan or friend Thomas and later evolving into a largely one-man project, recordings were made on cassette tapes and in improvised studios—often under time pressure, frequently recorded and mixed within just a few hours. These very limitations gave the tracks their raw and immediate character. Using an arsenal of analog synthesizers, early sequencers, and drum machines, the project created music that feels at once cold, mechanical, and deeply emotional. Sekvenssytrd 1981–1986 is more than a collection of archival recordings – it is a vivid document of a time when electronic music was conceived as a radical and deeply personal form of expression.

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Moß Garten – Sekvensstyrd 1981-1986 [ANNA067] 

KKD – In A Secret Room LP [RWCLTR031]

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‘In a Secret Room’ is a retrospective that reopens the sonic and visual archive of KKD (Kriminal Killers Division composed by Loris Barbi, Alessandro Molinari, Guido Molinari, Giancarlo Vitali), bringing back to light a trajectory that long remained underground within the history of Italian new wave. The tracks, recorded between 1979 and 1986, reflect a constantly evolving process shaped by experimentation, improvisation, and a drive toward new languages. The project takes shape inside a former hotel in Italy’s Po Valley, transformed into a studio, rehearsal space, and visual lab. Here, among analog synthesizers, homemade electronics, and multitrack recorders, Kriminal Killer Division experimented with and pushed their available technology to its limits, developing a hybrid language: sounds captured from radio and the street, synthetic voices, guitars, and electronic sequences intertwine in compositions that move between art rock, minimal wave, and more industrial directions. This collection aims precisely to reactivate that imaginary. ‘In a Secret Room’ offers access to a hidden space where interference, noise, and intuition take form without mediation. Not a nostalgic operation, but a re-emergence: a living archive that continues to generate meaning in the present.

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KKD – In A Secret Room LP [RWCLTR031]

Poeme Electronique – The Echoes Fade LP [ANNA025]

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Poeme Electronique was Dave Hewson (synthesisers, production), Sharon Abbott (lyrics, lead and backing vocals), Julie Ruler (backing vocals) and Les Hewson (bass), formed in 1980 by Dave Hewson in South London, UK, in 1980. Dave was studying music and as a rare kind of student species he had a deep fascination for New Wave and electronic music thus also playing and recording electronic music ever since using the Boss DR-55, Cosmo Sound Super Drum, Elka Rhapsody 610, EMS Synthi AKS, Korg MS-20(X2)/Polysix/Polyphonic Ensemble 1000/VC-10 Vocoder, Linn Electronics LM-1, Octave Kitten, Roland RS-09/VP-330 Vocoder Plus, Simmons SDS-V Kit and Yamaha CS-80. This deluxe 2LP vinyl retrospective album includes original material from 1981/82, 16 tracks of which 14 have never been published before.

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Poeme Electronique – The Echoes Fade LP [ANNA025]

Das Ding – Practical Limits of Nihilism LP [EE045RTM]

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‘Practical Limits of Nihilism’ is a double album by Das Ding containing 14 brand new tracks. On the album, Danny Bosten searches for meaning in an incomprehensible world in which even nihilism does not offer a way out anymore. Created on self-built analogue synths and drum machines, Practical Limits of Nihilism sees the typical Das Ding sound evolving into new territory, including 4 vocal tracks. The atmosphere varies from dark wave to ambient trance and italo, while remaining true to itself. The artwork on the gatefold sleeve was also created by Danny Bosten and reflects a collapsing world, leading to the emptiness that is symbolised by the white vinyl the album is pressed on.

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Das Ding – Practical Limits of Nihilism LP [EE045RTM]

In Trance 95 – Code of Obsession (Expanded Digital Edition) [MW]

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Originally released in July 1990, Code of Obsession is the debut album from In Trance 95 — the Athens-based duo of Alex Machairas and Nik Veliotis, and one of the rare purely electronic acts to emerge from Greece in the 1980s. Recorded and released on the Wipe Out! label, the original album weaves together minimal synth, early EBM, and industrial textures across seven tracks, including Obsession Day, Shamandance, and Love Thing. A product of deep analog experimentation, Code of Obsession stands as a defining document of the Greek underground electronic scene and a key artifact of the broader minimal wave movement that would later captivate collectors and listeners worldwide. Previously only available on vinyl, this official digital release makes the album accessible for the first time to streaming and download audiences everywhere — expanded to 11 tracks with four additional recordings presented here for the first time.

In Trance 95 – Code of Obsession (Expanded Digital Edition) [MW]

Cabaret Voltaire – But What Time Is It Really? [MEME26CD10]

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Marking 50 years since the live launch of one of Britain’s most influential electronic bands (at the Sheffield Students Union Refectory on 13 May 1975), Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson reactivated the Cabaret Voltaire name for an exclusive live performance at the Forge Warehouse, Sheffield. A 4 date tour of the UK followed in November 2025. They were joined by Eric Random and Oliver Harrap.
“But What Time Is It Really?” was recorded on the Oct-Nov 2025 UK Tour and perfectly captures the mood of the UK dates. Fans travelled across the world to see the band present new arrangements of classic Cabs tracks such as ‘Sensoria’, ‘Crackdown’, ‘Do Right’ and ‘Spies in the Wires’ alongside ‘Tinsley Viaduct’, a contemporary piece of musique concrète composed by Chris Watson. 

Stephen Mallinder: Vocals, bass, keyboards, samples
Chris Watson: organ, modular synths, samples, field recordings
Eric Random: Keyboards, guitar
Oliver Harrap: Electronic percussion

In memory of Richard H. Kirk.

Cabaret Voltaire – But What Time Is It Really? [MEME26CD10]

A² – Das Beste Aus Hagen Redux LP [OR146]

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Das Beste Aus Hagen Redux is an icy transmission from the early circuitry of European minimalism. A² revives the pulse of proto-electro with surgical precision—pure voltage, no excess. Cold synth lines snake through monochrome rhythms, delivering drama without decadence. It’s music for neon-lit silence and synthetic nostalgia, built from tape hiss, static tension, and analog dreams. Minimal synth stripped to the bone—resistant, elegant, and eternal.

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A² – Das Beste Aus Hagen Redux LP [OR146]

VA – Underground Wave Volume 7 [WR020]

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Again, a unique compilation by the leading Belgian re-release label Walhalla Records, specialized in minimal synth, cold wave, electro, and more. Following the widely acclaimed — and mostly sold-out — previous Underground Wave releases, totaling six albums so far and counting, there is now Volume 7. This release features Dutch and Belgian bands, each filling one side of the record. It offers a wealth of ultra-rare and previously unreleased material sourced from cassettes, deeply rooted in the electronic scene of the 80s and 90s.

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VA – Underground Wave Volume 7 [WR020]

Evelyne / Masao – Testpattern LP [DE-330]

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Evelyne/Masao bring ‘Testpattern’ to Dark Entries for the label’s first foray into vintage Japanese electronics. Masao Hiruma and Fumio Ichimura’s project Testpattern is known for their release Apres-Midi, a cult slab of synthpop perfection released by Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono’s legendary Yen Records in 1982. While Hiruma and Ichimura parted ways following Apres-Midi, Hiruma’s musical endeavors would continue after recruiting French/American model and vocalist Evelyne Bennu. The duo spent time performing in Tokyo clubs while recording at Hiruma’s home studio throughout 1984 and 1985. The album Testpattern comprises seventeen of these songs, which have never been released previously. The Evelyne/Masao duo continues building on the soundworld of Apres-Midi: lush, sophisticated electronics with intricate yet minimalist production. Tracks like “Sakuramochi” and “Bird Island” bear influence from Hosono most clearly, their soaring melodies revealing a subtly ironic redeployment of East Asian musical tropes. But Testpattern is more than homage to Yellow Magic Orchestra. “Tabac” and “Le Soleil Se Leve” display oddball sensibilities closer to Sky Records icons Asmus Tietchens or Cluster. Elsewhere, the project shows affinity for the punkier ethos of continental DIY electronics, like on the quirky “Alien Go Home” and a positively skewed cover of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Bennu’s vocals provide a common thread through these explorations, as she alternates deftly between New Wave deadpan and unhinged chanson singer—check her waxing maximally Francophone on “Au Clair de Lune,” based on an 18th century French song. Testpattern will be available on both double LP as well as CD, and includes a fold-out poster with liner notes with lyrics. This album is dedicated to Masao Hiruma, who passed away in 2011.

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Evelyne / Masao – Testpattern LP [DE-330]

VA – Nihon No Wave 2 [MEC099]

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Japan’s electronic music scene has always stood out as uniquely distinctive. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a wave of underground projects, bands, and independent labels – primarily based in Tokyo and Osaka – began crafting their own sound. Inspired by the post-punk, new wave, and experimental movements emerging from Europe and North America, these artists embraced a DIY ethic, using whatever technology they had access to in order to forge something entirely their own. This movement, often referred to as the “Nippon-wave” scene, remained largely hidden from the outside world. Many of its releases – on cassette tapes, flexi-discs, and privately pressed vinyl – never distributed beyond Japan’s borders, making them rare treasures for the few who managed to discover them. “Nihon No Wave” presents a selection of these long-overlooked recordings, making them accessible to listeners beyond Japan for the first time. This is Nihon No Wave part 2.

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VA – Nihon No Wave 2 [MEC099]

VA – Nihon No Wave [MEC030]

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Japan’s electronic music scene has always stood out as uniquely distinctive. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a wave of underground projects, bands, and independent labels – primarily based in Tokyo and Osaka – began crafting their own sound. Inspired by the post-punk, new wave, and experimental movements emerging from Europe and North America, these artists embraced a DIY ethic, using whatever technology they had access to in order to forge something entirely their own. This movement, often referred to as the “Nippon-wave” scene, remained largely hidden from the outside world. Many of its releases – on cassette tapes, flexi-discs, and privately pressed vinyl – never distributed beyond Japan’s borders, making them rare treasures for the few who managed to discover them. “Nihon No Wave” presents a selection of these long-overlooked recordings, making them accessible to listeners beyond Japan for the first time. This is Nihon No Wave part 1.

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VA – Nihon No Wave [MEC030]