minimal synth

Das Ding – Why Is My Life So Boring? LP [EE001RTM]

hipodrome, , , , , , Leave a comment

Debut release for Electronic Emergencies hailing from Rotterdam. They present their first release, a new album of Dutch cold wave legend Das Ding: Why Is My Life So Boring? It’s a brand new 10-track album, which sounds crisp and young in the club and mature when you play it at home. Das Ding has always had that certain thing; strict and detached beats combined with warm melancholic melodies, emotionally distant and intense at the same time. The sound is clearly analogue and very specific since Danny Bosten rebuilds his vintage synths and builds his own sequencers and modular systems.

listen

Das Ding – Why Is My Life So Boring? LP [EE001RTM]

The Actor – Exploded View [MNQ057]

hipodrome, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Mannequin Records announce the reissue of one of the most important Dutch Wave bands The Actor, with their seminal 1982 tape “Exploded View”. “In the beginning of the eighties, a new phenomenon emerged: home taping. This way of recording resulted in a lot of noise. But that was less important then getting one’s music out to the public. A well known label for cassette bands in those days was the dutch Trumpett Tapes. They were the first to publish the music of The Actor, who became their top selling cassette band in 1982 and 1983. The Actor’s first release was Exploded View in 1982. The songs – sung both in English and German – often related to fashion, modernism, dancing and appearence. This made The Actor “quite fashionable.”

listen

The Actor – Exploded View [MNQ057]

In Aeternam Vale – GND Lift [MW057]

hipodrome, , , , Leave a comment

Gnd Lift is a slow building hazy hypnotic track with heavy atmosphere, fitting perfectly on a smoke filled dance floor. Jai Mang des Nerfs is a classic vocal driven synthpop track with the grit characteristic of In Aeternam Vales 80s cassette works. The 12″ closes with Animals Dont Mind, a slow and deeply emotive smoldering darkwave track that speaks directly to the heart, this one feels the most personal thus far. The Gnd Lift 12″ shows us all sides of In Aeternam Vale, his strengths lying in his ability to create both techno masterpieces and classic underground wave tracks, moving seamlessly from one to the next.

listen

In Aeternam Vale – GND Lift [MW057]

Dunkeltier – Rising [MME4004]

hipodrome, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DUNKELTIER - Rising

Dresden don Dunkeltier (aka Sneaker aka Gino ‘Der Hammer’ Galan) is next up on the Macadam Mambo flex, dipping into his personal armoury of EBM, industrial and post punk favourites for a premium set of edits. If you dug his Rat Life edits this year or got blown away by a Traxx session then you will definitely levitate towards the sounds here as Dunkeltier tweaks Kozmonaut, Absolute Body Control and EM. Do check the mind altering Phase Adjustment of “Tanzmusik” from cult Belgian crew Absolute Body Control which is exactly the sort of fizzing power electronics that will provide a welcome deviation into absolute beat down territory for the more adventurous selectors.

listen

Dunkeltier – Rising [MME4004]

Guyer’s Connection – Portrait [MW056]

hipodrome, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Minimal Wave presents a reissue of the seminal first album from Swiss Wavers, Guyer’s Connection. Tibor Csébits and Philippe Alioth formed Guyer’‘s Connection in Basel, Switzerland when they were only 14 and 15 years old. At the time they were in a new wave rock band called “Kurtzschluss” which they decided to break from in order to make purely electronic music. They began with two synthesizers, a drum machine, a 4-track tape recorder and a multitude of ideas. They channeled their unique and humorous vision into their first album, entitled Portrait which they produced themselves and self-released in 1983. Over the years, the album became a highly sought after minimal synth cult classic. It stands alone as one of the strongest examples of Swiss Minimal Wave, and probably the only one that is in Baseldytsch.

listen

Guyer’s Connection – Portrait [MW056]

IKO – ’83 [MR038]

hipodrome, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Medical Records is beyond elated to finally present to the world the first official reintroduction and reissue of the iconic IKO “83” LP. This coveted album by minimal synth aficionados around the globe has been out of print and very rare since it’s original release in 1982. Hailing from Montreal, Canada, IKO has always been shrouded in mystery. All 3 members come from an academic background (electroacoustic composition, etc), and they met at the University of Montreal in the music department. Taking from their collective influences of 60’s pop, prog and minimalist composers as well as early industrial, they played in a few early bands before solidifying the all-synth incarnation of IKO in it’s definitive lineup. The LP was originally released on Manhattan Formula.

listen

IKO – ’83 [MR038]

Pressures / Roladex – The Voices [MR030]

hipodrome, , , , Leave a comment

Roladex meet up with Pressures for a split EP of new wave choirs and industrial drum machine beats on this 7″ from Medical. While the former are a relatively new duo from New Orleans, the latter have already released on Medical and are back with a vengeance. “The Voices” by Pressures is a fast-paced, nigh-time jam with some nutty percussion work and a vast sea of lonely pads and solemn voices. On the B-side, Pressures give us “Glass Statuette”, a poppy beat groove that’ll stick in your head for hours, no thanks to its seductive and playful vocals.

listen

Pressures / Roladex – The Voices [MR030]

Radio-Logg – Sports/Tools [WEME313.17]

hipodrome, , , , , , Leave a comment

Stian Gjevik (EOD,CN), passionate and curious about electronic music, found in a Trondheim thrift store a tape of the norwegian legendary project : the educational music “Sports/Tools”. He contacted one of the two composers called Dildrian Schrodinger. He has managed to negociate with him a deal for a vinyl license with WeMe records. We can find in this project ordered by the norwegian state all an experimentation work with electronic machines from the 1980’s. It is sometimes accompanied by a clumsy singing quite modern at that time.

listen

 

Radio-Logg – Sports/Tools [WEME313.17]

Das Ding – Triffid Farm [SEJA008]

hipodrome, , , , Leave a comment

Rotterdam based Danny Bosten a.k.a. Das Ding has long been active in the scene, but was operating under the radar for some time. Both side A and the B side ”We Can Rebuild Him ‘, are popping in immediately. Das Ding is aiming at two goals: being impressive, both on the dance floor as in the intimacy of the living room.

listen

Das Ding – Triffid Farm [SEJA008]

Kirlian Camera – Uno LP [DE073]

hipodrome, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to release Uno, a collection of early recordings from seminal Italian electronic act Kirlian Camera. Keyboardist/vocalist Angelo Bergamini founded the project in Parma in 1979, initially naming it Suicide Commando, before discovering another project using the same name. By 1980, Angelo had recruited singer Simona Buja, keyboardist Fabrizio Chiari and bassist Mauro Montacchini. Their demo cassette, Dawn, attracted the attention of Italian Records, a popular independent label. The following year, Mauro left the band and was replaced by Giorgio Vecchi, and the band recorded their first mini-LP, Kirlian Camera. Uno compiles the 4 songs from the mini-LP on Side A and the 6 songs from the demo cassette on Side B. Also included is the bonus track Minitech, originally released in 1981 on flexi-disc. Kirlian Cameras clean, minimalist new wave is marked by strong haunting melodies, slow moving synth washes, and stark, dramatic vocals.

listen

Kirlian Camera – Uno LP [DE073]

Light Sounds Dark – Light Sounds Dark [LSD013]

hipodrome, , , , , Leave a comment

Blimey, Light Sounds Dark really went to town on this new compilation of curios, obscurities and delights that’s spread across three 12″s. If you’ve indulged in previous slabs of LSD curated obscurity then you should have an idea of what is waiting for you within the rather tempting mirrored, triple-gatefold sleeve; namely a smorgasbord of industrial, proto rhythms and early wave sounds. Unlike previous Light Sounds Dark transmissions, there is no identifying information of any sort.

listen

Light Sounds Dark – Light Sounds Dark [LSD013]

VA – Underground Wave Volume 4 [WR008]

hipodrome, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Compilation of old and new (mostly) Belgian & Dutch minimal synth tracks for the first time ever on vinyl.

listen

VA – Underground Wave Volume 4 [WR008]