“Always Then” is the second album from UK post punk band The KVB aka Klaus von Barrel. The album will be released on Clan Destine Records and is featuring 10 dark wave, new wave tracks.
new wave
Doris Norton – Raptus LP [BWR144]
Doris Norton, pioneer in the early electronic/computer music, began her musical career playing avant-garde and progressive music using synthesizers such as Roland System 700, Roland system 100M and Minimoog (Jacula, Antonius Rex). This is the 30th Anniversary edition, the Cd version contains a TV appearance of Doris Norton in 1981 playing Psychoraptus.
Central Unit – Loving Machinery [MNQ024]
Mannequin is really happy to present the 30th Anniversary Edition of the 12’’ EP ‘Loving Machinery” from Central Unit, the cult New Wave mitteleuropean band based in Bologna. Formed in 1981, they were among the first in Italy to manipulate synths, drum machines and other electronic devices to create atmospheric soundscapes. Central Unit published in March 1982, the 12’’ EP “Loving Machinery” with 4 tracks, including a cover of “What Use?” from Tuxedomoon.
The KVB – Into The Night [DN010]
Downwards continue to split the crowd with their riveting 10″ series, presenting this astonishing slab of motorik depression from The KVB. Klaus Von Barrel show here something darker, sexily narcotic and thrusting to their sound. ‘Into The Night’ is a case in point, with couldn’t-give-a-fu*k, glazed-eye vocals heard from behind a wall of Joy Division synths and a bruisingly muscular, meth-fuelled bassline. ‘Lost’ is perhaps more spacious, mixing everything tantalisingly out-of-reach, but with just enough abrasive guitar to gnash on. Again on ‘Hide & Wait’ the flanging, fire-and-ice-breathing guitar is upfront, while vocals are half-heard in the murk next to unrelenting drums Stephen Morris would be proud of. Includes 10″ x 10″ insert.
Karl O’Connor – White Savage Dance [DN006]
Karl O’Connor digs into his sizeable archives for White Savage Dance, collating several key moments of his early experiments with industrially charged post-punk which surfaced during the early years of Downwards existence but were actually recorded long before. Sandwell District fans will find much to appreciate in the corrosive, metallic sounds that permeate throughout, not least the Anglo- Germanic versions of “Here & Now” that open and close the A Side. The jerking, spasmodic cold wave nature of the latter is a personal favourite here at Juno HQ. The B Side provides further intrigue as both tracks here see O’Connor step behind the mic, delivering some Robert Smith style vocals in his typical Brummie brogue atop sinewy guitars and drums that sound as if they’ve been carved from the hollow battering of caustic tin pans.
Wherenext? Audio Quarterly 1
Momentform – Momentform [WT007]
Wt Records takes another expected turn by releasing a mini LP of new wave tracks from Momentform. The first track, ‘Momentform is Fake,’ spans the gap between new wave and house with 707 rhythmic patterns and raw, unedited bass lines. ‘Selected Works’ with its melancholic vocals and juno arpeggio has a way of finding its way into your brain and staying there. 6 tracks of excellent melodies and melancholy angst make this a great record for listening from start to finish.
Precurseur Grand Bois – Round 1 [ZN006]
After closing their first series (Zusammen 1-5 was a more electro(nix) based series), a new project emerges. Precurseur Grand Bois is a concept of total art, a great project where the ”60’s meets the 80’s into the Zero Age”. A mixture of elements made of analog electronics, acoustic percussion and spoken word.
VA – Ongaku 80 – Alternative Waves From Japan [HLP103]
Collection of no-wave and minimal synth acts from the Japanese post-punk scene. Most of the tracks presented here are reissued for the first time.
Horrid Red – Silent Party [SAB047]
Edmund Xavier’s dark minimal wave project Horrid Red new EP on Soft Abuse. “Silent Party” features the group’s signature style of combining gloomy creepiness with an overall very danceable rhythm pattern, adding up to strangely irresistible party tunes, new wave & post-punk.
Neud Photo – Open-air Cinema [PYLON019]
Pylon Records presents an essential 6 track LP from New York via Detroit minimal wave producer Neud Photo, who takes the kraut of Kraftwerk, the sublime groove of early New Order, and the funk of Liquid Liquid to create vintage electronic masterpieces.
Martial Canterel & Tobias Bernstrup – Strange Land [MNQ017]
New single on Mannequin Label featuring a real collaboration between Tobias Bernstrup and Martial Canterel, in a sense that Tobias sings on the Martial Canterel-tracks and vice versa.
Parade Ground – The Golden Years [DE018]
Parade Ground has always been the duo of brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly from Brussels, Belgium formed in 1981. Taking cues from Post-Punk, Cold Wave, Dada and Surrealism, Parade Ground channeled suffering, tension and rage through pulsing synthesizers, skeletal guitar, severe bass and Jean-Marc’s expressive vocals as the most melodic and emotional instrument. “The Golden Years” is an 11-song, career-spanning collection of Parade Ground’s long out-of-print 7” and 12” singles as well as rare compilation tracks from the pioneers of emotional body music created during 1982-1988.
John Maus – We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves [UTR049]
Upset The Rhythm released John Maus’ third album ‘We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves’. Questing synthesisers, tensely strung bass lines and chasing drum machines providing the perfect backdrop for John’s deeply resonant reverb-drenched vocal.
Hardrock Stricker – MAXML II MNML
Futurisk – Lonely Streets Remixes [CITI004]
Minimal Wave takes an old sound in a new direction entirely, giving Futurisk’s classic ‘Lonely Streets’ a modern shake-up through a remix package from current artists – out now on MW’s sublabel reserved for new music and old favorites, Cititrax. Remixes by Prince Language, Chris Carter, Complexxion and Tom Furse.
VA – The Hidden Tapes LP [MW030]
A Compilation of Minimal Wave from Around the World ‘79-‘85. The Hidden Tapes features rare, unreleased, and licensed tracks from as far as Japan and the former Yugoslavia. Most of the bands on this compilation recorded on 4-track tape in their bedroom studios while two of them went further to collaborate by sending tapes through the mail. The sounds on this record range from raw proto-industrial to naive danceable Belgradian new wave, to filmic synthesizer music to more complex, vocal-driven melodic synthpop.
VA – Vinyl Extraction: Live At Robert Johnson Vol. 7 [PLAYRJC011]
Ata’s Volume of the “Life At Robert Johnson” vinyl extract with two of the most extraordinary songs and mysterious corkers of his outstanding compilation. Ramonaäs main man picked Grauzone with “Raum” and Zwischenfall’s “Flucht” for this special plate. As this wouldn’t be a treat in itself already, Ata extended the pop arrangement of “Raum” into an almost 8 minute long powerful ballroom blitz edit for all you new wavers and old romantics.
Tropic Of Cancer – The Sorrow Of Two Blooms [BLACKEST003]
A new release by Tropic of Cancer, the LA-based duo of Camella Lobo and Juan Mendez (aka Silent Servant). They make make raw, visceral music in the loose tradition of minimal synth, post-punk, industrial and goth, produced with authority and a supremely evolved grasp of spatial arrangement. Superb experimental edged & punk drone-rock infected cuts.
Tropic of Cancer – Be Brave [DO08]
Stark and beautiful.. an amazing new title from John Mendez (Silent Servant / Sandwell) alongside his partner Camella Lobbo with the one and only Richard H Kirk (Cabaret Voltaire, Sweet Exorcist etc.) on remix duties.
The Hipodrome Of Music 