The Tapes – Selected Works 1982 – 1992 [ELP017]

In addition to his prolific output as Not Waving, London-dwelling Italian Alessio Natalizia has developed quite an interest in profiling the vast archive of music that surfaced from his motherland in the 1980s. After Strut tapped him to curate the Mutazione compilation back in 2013, Natalizia has taken to square his focus on more specific artists, with this Tapes retrospective following a similar profile of Daniele Ciulini last year. Selected Works 1982 – 1992 spans a decade of recordings from Tapes, aka brotherly pair Giancarlo and Roberto Drago whose style of industrial music absorbed the counter-cultural influence of William Burroughs or Throbbing Gristle, and the sci-fi dystopia of J.G. Ballard and John Foxx. The 21 tracks here will delight anyone with an interest in the obscure annals of European primitive electronics.

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The Tapes – Selected Works 1982 – 1992 [ELP017]

Manfriday – Groove / Winners [KSS1155]

Here’s an EP with two songs that are sure to take you back. Originally mixed by the legendary Larry Levan of the world famous Paradise Garage. These two Tracks were both considered anthems when played by Larry himself. Officially released in 1986, but this ‘’Demo Mix’’ of  “Winners” was never released. Larry Levan played this unreleased cut for many years. “Groove” was never actually released and it was Larry’s Secret Weapon.

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Manfriday – Groove / Winners [KSS1155]

AMM – Ammmusic [BT018]

Black Truffle is honoured to present the first vinyl reissue of the classic debut album from AMM, AMMMusic. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its recording in 1966, this reissue makes one of the cornerstones of the experimental music tradition available again in its original form, replete with Keith Rowe’s beautiful pop art cover and the terse aphorisms by the group that served as its original liner notes. A testament to the interaction between the experimental avant-garde and the countercultural underground, the album was originally released on Elektra, recorded by Jac Holzman (the label’s founder, responsible for signing The Doors, Love, and The Stooges) and produced by DNA, a group that included Pink Floyd’s first manager Peter Jenner. (Pink Floyd paid tribute to AMM’s influence on their improvisational sensibility with the track ‘Flaming’ on their debut album, named after the piece that occupies AMMMusic’s first side, ‘Later During a Flaming Riviera Sunset’).

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AMM – Ammmusic [BT018]

DECA – Synthetic Lips LP [DECA001]

DECA - Synthetic Lips (remastered)

Mothball Record starts its 2016 release schedule with a bang by releasing their first LP. Originally produced in a tiny edition of only 100 copies back in ’87, this dark masterpiece from prolific Italian artist DECA finally appears as an official reissue on Mothball (in collaboration with Bordello A Parigi) remastered from the original tapes. “Synthetic Lips” is an absolutely diverse album spanning industrial, synth-pop, ambient and even elements of new age…some tracks will hit immediately and others will reward repeated listening.

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DECA – Synthetic Lips LP [DECA001]

Amin-Peck – Love Disgrace [BST-X006]

AMIN PECK - Love Disgrace

Amin Peck is an electronic studio project, contaminated by the New Wave from U.K. like most ’80s electronic bands. Amin-Peck walked a fine line between Disco and Minimal Wave throughout the course of the early 1980s, oftentimes incorporating shameless Pop melodies and Avant-garde leanings. Amin Peck were an italian band leaded by Giorgio Fioroni (aka George Fyron, arrangements, production, vocals) with Leonard Parker (arrangments, keyboards) and Max Marne (production). Incredible but true, Amin Peck started as ‘hard rock’ guitar band in the 70’s… and becoming one of the best examples of italo disco. This limited edition contains full-length versions plus uncut audio material (A2) tracked down during tape restoration. The first pressing coming from 1982 was pressed only on 7inch in U.K.

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Amin-Peck – Love Disgrace [BST-X006]

Ashra – Blackouts [SPALAX14759]

Blackouts is a solo album by German musician Manuel Göttsching, released in 1978. It was originally released as an Ash Ra Tempel album, but the 2011 reissue of the album is credited solely to Göttsching. The album was written and performed entirely by Göttsching on electric guitar, keyboards.

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Ashra – Blackouts [SPALAX14759]

Optik – Music, Harmony & Rhythm [MBG291]

OPTIK - Music Harmony & Rhythm

Groovin Recordings introduce the release of Optik Music Harmony & Rhythm, another great EP originally released in 1991 under MBG International Records. Optik is the alias of Giorgio Canepa and Ricky Montanari, two of the most talented italian producers from the early ’90s italian underground-house movement. In this EP we find two killer deep-house tracks, Music Harmony And Rhythm and Illusions, two great examples of the italo-house touch of the early ’90s that we found in a lots of other productions by MBG, Don Carlos and Key Tronics Ensemble, to name a few. Illusion is also sure an epic track, it was the last disc played at Vae Victis (Misano, Italy) and the first disc played at Novenove (Gradara, Italy), two of the most famous italian after hours of the 90’s era.

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Optik – Music, Harmony & Rhythm [MBG291]

Clarence G – Hyperspace Sound Lab [CAL006]

Before his untimely death in 2002, Drexciya member James Stinson recorded a number of killer solo records. Hyperspace Soundlab, initially released in 1991 and credited to Clarence G, is undoubtedly one of his best. It’s long been something of an in-demand gem, with copies changing hands for several hundred pounds. Here, Clone have done us all a favour and given it a much-needed reissue via their Aqualung series dedicated to all things Drexciyan. As you’d perhaps expect, all four tracks explore the Detroit elecro sound Stinson did much to develop, with the producer adding his own rap vocals to the killer “Clarence G’s Club”, and the ghetto-influenced bounce of “Cause I Said It Right”. Elsewhere, “Turbine” is an exercise in industrial-tinged drum machine abuse, while “Data Transfer” sees Stinson doffing a cap to classic Chicago acid.

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Clarence G – Hyperspace Sound Lab [CAL006]

Candido – Dancin’ & Prancin’ [SA8520]

Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco’s straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP’s and a handful of 12″ singles that changed the face of underground Disco. The first of these two LP’s made for Salsoul was the truly epic “Dancin’ & Prancin” containing the all time classic “Jingo” which has been sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It’s a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji’s 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style. The LP also contains one of the deepest Disco records of all time; “Thousand Finger Man” a testament to Candido’s percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more.

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Candido – Dancin’ & Prancin’ [SA8520]

Kirlian Camera – Eclipse [NTNO7871]

Norton North presents a collection of deluxe re-releases by Kirlian Camera: after 26 years the best-seller album Eclipse is again available on vinyl with the original tracklist and artwork. This record is one of the most representative albums of the 80’s, with his icy and pop style at the same time, a monumental classic for the synthpop and electronic scene, but also darkwave and experimental (the title-track “Eclipse” is a real classic for each underground club worldwide). Original released by Rose Rosse Records.

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Kirlian Camera – Eclipse [NTNO7871]

Steve Poindexter presents Kareem Smith – N B Battle Track [S3004]

Co produced by Steve Poindexter this EP presented Kareem Smith to the world. All superb deep cuts here from 1991 full of soul and attitude. Re-released in conjunction with Trax 2015.

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Steve Poindexter presents Kareem Smith – N B Battle Track [S3004]

Laurent X – Machines [TX163]

Made by Mark Imperial & Vinnie Devine as Laurent X, ‘Machines’ was conceived in a 16 track studio with an unquestionable Roland TB-303, but also a TR-808, TR-909, a Juno 106, some FX and a bucket of rib tips. According to Mark Imperial, he and his friends (specially Vinnie Devine) had a mad fun playing with gear.

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Laurent X – Machines [TX163]

Shinichi Atobe – Ship Scope [DDS014]

Hugely sought-after techno classic  – the precedent to ‘Butterfly Effect’, originally released on Berlin’s legendary Chain reaction and out-of-print for 15 years, now newly remastered from vinyl by Matt Colton at Alchemy. A massive personal favourite of Demdike Stare’s, Shinichi Atobe’s ‘Ship Scope’ was Chain Reaction’s penultimate release in 2001 and, with the benefit of hindsight, also one of the legendary label’s most sublime offerings.

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Shinichi Atobe – Ship Scope [DDS014]

Imre Kiss – Midnight Wave [LT013]

Imre Kiss finally lands back on the Lobster Theremin mothership, this time with a reissue of his seminal tape album Midnight Wave. A seminal, bold and instantly nostalgic LP, Midnight Wave showcases Imre’s immense ability to craft vivid landscapes of ethereal sound, infused with layers and years of emotional content. Culled from live-to-tape synth sessions in his once London abode, these tracks are the result of melancholic and restricted surroundings and trappings. What has emerged is a body of crackling, warm ambient and techno with a vast, cinematic scope. A sonic portrait of an alienated moment in London, told using industrial visceral tools and visualised through the cutting figure of a lonely individual boarding the 5am night bus home.

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Imre Kiss – Midnight Wave [LT013]

Splash Band – The Music Of John Carpenter [ZYX210611]

A few weeks ago, John Carpenter released his first solo-album. Reporting about this release the media used to mention also the Splash Band. Now, the Splash Band is available again. On this CD you can find the 1984 released album “The Music Of John Carpenter” as well as six bonus track. The bonus tracks are the ultra-rare single version of the songs Philadelphia Experiment, Christine, The End, Die Klapperschlange, Starman and Big Trouble In Little China.

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Splash Band – The Music Of John Carpenter [ZYX210611]

Shoc Corridor – Experiments in Incest [DE100]

SHOC CORRIDOR - Experiments In Incest

Dark Entries Records reissuesthe LP ‘Experiments in Incest’ from the  80s UK-based Minimal Synth band Shoc Corridor. The founders of this project, Chris Davis and Israel-born Nogi Prass, who eventually had to leave the band because there were problems with her Visa, started making music in 1979, influenced by German electronic bands Kraftwerk, Neu! and recent developments in UK Post Punk like Public Image Ltd., and formed a band, adding by Paul O’Carroll, Paul Humphries and Andy Garnham to the line-up. The departure of Nogi and Chris, who left with her, from the UK in late 1982 made it virtually impossible to continue with Shoc Corridor, but despite that, they released two LPs in 1983 and 1984 (Experiments in Incest and Train of Events). The band eventually disbanded after the suicide of bass player Paul Humphries following the release of Train of Events.

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Shoc Corridor – Experiments in Incest [DE100]

Smackos – The Age Of Candy Candy [BH018]

Smackos is one of Danny ‘Legowelt’ Wolfers lesser-known aliases. It was first used in 2004 for The Age of Candy Candy, a suitably eccentric experimental electronica full-length that was only ever released on CD in limited quantities. Here that album finally appears on vinyl thanks to the efforts of Berceuse Heroique, and it’s every bit as weird, wonderful and out-there as you’d expect, with Wolfers pursuing his passion for spacey, weightless electronics, far-out soundscapes, occasional skuzzy rhythms and dystopian synthesizer workouts. It’s previously been something of a hidden gem in his vast discography, and should be an essential purchase.

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Smackos – The Age Of Candy Candy [BH018]

Fingers Inc. – Another Side [ML9001LP]

Some 17 years after it’s original release, Fingers Inc’s expansive debut album, Another Side, remains one of the greatest deep house full-lengths of all time. Here, the album gets the re-master and re-issue treatment, with the original double vinyl set being expanded to a triple to guarantee loud cuts for club play. While there are plenty of well-known Heard and co classics present – “Mysteries of Love”, “Bring Down The Walls”, “Can You Feel It” etc. – it’s actually the long-forgotten album tracks that really hit the spot. It’s on these moments – often influenced as much by ’80s soul and synth-pop as acid and Chicago jack-tracks – that Larry Heard, Robert Owens and Ron Wilson really cut loose.

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Fingers Inc. – Another Side [ML9001LP]