Linea Aspera return with their second full-length LP, combining analogue production techniques with evocative emotional authenticity that ties themes of inherently human experience to cosmological concepts of physics and astronomy.
minimal synth
VA – Endangered Species Vol. 1 [DE262]
In eleven years of deep digging, Dark Entries has uncovered many curiosities, lone exemplars of the scarsest breeds. They are lurking in Croatia, on the streets of New York, maybe in the back of your own dusty closet – these odd-ball Italo and synth-wave monsters are too rare to live, too divine to die. Once-lost creatures now have a home with Dark Entries’ new Endangered Species series. The inaugural edition features five specimens previously deemed extinct, only mentioned passingly in lore and speculation, but now safely preserved on vinyl. The first cut on Endangered Species Vol. 1 is the previously unreleased electro-New Wave gem “Munich” by John King, an artist best known for his work as one half of the Dust Brothers, lauded producers of the Beastie Boys’ legendary Paul’s Boutique. “Munich”, a Danceteria-ready cut produced in 1983, sheds some light on King’s earlier interests, bridging between freestyle and emotive synthpop. Next up is a rare demo version of The Actor’s “Picture 210”. The Dutch duo here channel both the minimalism of Kraftwerk and the Surrealism of Throbbing Gristle to create one of the finest teary-eyed Goth club anthems. Brazil is a synthpop band from Croatia, and they feature with their 1990 cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World”, which is sure to turn some heads on the dancefloor. The eerily faithful production belies Brazil’s re-working of the song’s lyrics. “L’Étranger (Ana Gharib)” by Jamal Khe follows, a pearl originally only available on an impossibly rare French 7” from 1983. Khe is from the Ain Beida region of Algeria, and his Arabic vocal melodies perfectly complement the propulsive percussion and airy arpeggios from producer Jacky Bourgogne. Closing the record is the previously unreleased “Abemus Mind” from Marzio Benellil’s project Nightless. Recorded in 1983, this moody, low-tempo Italo groover features Gregorian chant-inspired vocoders and jazzy piano courtesy of Benelli’s collaborator Marco Falagiani. All songs were mastered for vinyl by George Horn. The sleeve is the first in a series of endangered animal designs by Eloise Leigh, featuring the glam tiger in its natural, 1980’s habitat. Also included is an insert with lyrics, photos, and notes. Please assist us in our efforts to preserve this planet’s weirdest beasts.
The Nation Presents: A Black United Front (part 1) Sterilization
this is a new segment series focusing on rare vinyl from the basement/vaults, cd and music material from the headquarters and recording studio of Nation …
Portray Heads – Portray Heads [MW074/BL-015]
Minimal Wave Records and Bitter Lake Recordings are happy to present their first collaborative release, a double LP by mythical Japanese underground electronic trio Portray Heads. Their self-titled double LP spans all their recordings to date including the songs from their rare “Elaborate Dummy” flexi (1985) and follow-up “Oratorio” (1986) Influenced by early 1980s European New Wave and Japanese synth-pop, their songs range from circular poppy synth gems to moody dark new wave anthems – all led by strong female vocals.
Elmer Davy – Break From Isolation #004
Exhausted Modern – Year of the Rat [ENDILLP02]
Exhausted Modern’s debut full-length titled The Year of the Rat is a proof of the thought-provocation that author’s name generates. Released on his own Endless Illusion imprint, the album doesn’t have all the answers, it simply offers Exhausted Modern’s perception of the modern times and also the energy to do something with them. The title, borrowed from the Chinese zodiac calendar, doesn’t slip to mere esoteric prognosis, it fittingly and provocatively comments on broken mechanics of society, capitalistic hierarchisation and emotional frustration of its victims. Despite the dystopian character of Exhausted Modern’s sound, which ranges from fast melancholia through suspicious calmness to slowly bubbling rage, it doesn’t feel like the end of the world. It’s critical artistic statement of a person who despite seeing all the darkness, also sees the way out of it.
Human Figures – Footsteps [POP127]
Popnihil returns with an album of intricate postpunk from Daniel Holt’s new project Human Figures. Besides running Ardetha Records, Holt has impressed with dungeon synth and ambient projects, his dark synth duo Vault, and a mind-melting techno 12″ for L.I.E.S. Records. But Human Figures is a completely new and personal avenue of expression. “Footsteps” features hymnal, meditative post-punk from musical polymath Daniel Holt.
Daniel Holt – Simulate Podcast 18
Daniele Cosmo – Launching day & night
Mike Tansella Jr. – Phormix Podcast #180
En Direct – A Shattered Frame EP [LUN07]
Transmission incoming. ‚A Shattered Frame‘ is the follow-up to En Direct‘s 2018 debut. It contains five tracks of dark and weird origins, equally split between the obscure and the danceable.
Crossed Wires – Crossed Wires [LSD032]
Light Sounds Dark present ‘Crossed Wires’ an eponymous collection of music salvaged from a dusty cassette in the depths of the archives from the productions of an 80s psyche-experimentalist. Expect raw, unheard, previously unreleased music,. about as authentic as it gets.
VA – Ecdisis Vol.3 [FRV033]
Ecdisis Vol 3 is fresh and ready to wreak some havoc. Up first is Vinilette’s rework of Flux of Pink Indians’ “Nothing Is Not Done.” A brood of beats, this rhythmic romp is inspired by the 1986 piece on Uncarved Block. Layers of kick drums, bongos and toms echo and judder as a cold line circles and closes ever tighter. Following we have the head honcho, Juanpablo with his extended edit of Mac Blackout’s “Do The Dance In Your Head”. The intro is given room, adopting a doom disco march, before the fearsome crash of strings. The lyrics, a lurid tale brimming with menace, are sweetened with twirling notes in this grisly stomper. The final attack sequence comes care of Mick Wills with his amazing cut of an unreleased track by Argentina’s great producer NGLY. Dark and looming this distortion streaked encounter will leave bodies and speaker cones raw.
Trenton Chase – The ‘Ransom Note’ Mix
Marsman @ 2020 Intergalactic FM Streaming Festival
Mick Wills @ 2020 Intergalactic FM Streaming Festival
Das Ding LIVE @ 2020 Intergalactic FM Streaming Festival
Marsman – Digital Tsunami 179
Das Ding – Industrial Universal 1.1 [PNKMN18.1]
3 years after the original vinyl press, Pinkman and Tear Apart Tapes (Das Ding’s own imprint) join forces for a fresh take on ‘Industrial Universal’. The cassette features the re-release of the 4 tracks from the sold out EP on the A-side, and 4 new productions on the B-side. Industrial Universal 1.1 adds an extra turmoil and energy into the already time tested cocktail, delivered in Das Dings style.
Onont Kombar – Epitaph Of Ego [V-030]
A few years back label boss I-F was listening to a dj-set from one of his favorite dj’s Do Te Ra Ho! which contained a track which is a weird cross-over between ambient, electro and industrial and which was seemingly without ending. He asked him what track this was and it turned out to be an unreleased track named The Last Day Lasts Forever from the mysterious outfit Onont Kombar who previously only had a release on his own imprint Ordo Viatorum. After connecting to Onont Kombar he told him he wished the track would never end and that is why he decided to release it full-length on Viewlexx to make sure it will, indeed, last forever. The title track Epitaph Of Ego is a catchy psychedelic minimal synth track which has been used as jingle on Intergalactic FM for quite a while now so you may recognize it from there. Then there is Moondust In My Eye, a wonderful dreamy dance floor track, warm and cold at the same time, almost like watching a full moon all night while being warmed by a campfire.
The Hipodrome Of Music 