synth pop

Techniques Berlin – The Language of Machines [1985​-​1991] [MEC090]

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Formed by high school buddies Andreas Gregor and David Rout, Techniques Berlin started in 1984 experimenting with synthesizers, drum machines and guitars. In the early stages, the band was heavily influenced by UK new romantic acts The Human League, Visage, Yazoo, OMD and Depeche Mode, as well as rising Canadian synth-pop bands Rational Youth, Men Without Hats and Trans-X. It took them a few years to master their electronic toys and create a unique blend of addictive electro-pop melodies and beautifully crafted alternative beats. “The Language of Machines” compiles a selection of original recordings between 1985 and 1991, including some favorite tunes and a few unreleased tracks/versions. 

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Techniques Berlin – The Language of Machines [1985​-​1991] [MEC090]

The KVB – Tremors LP [INV311LP]

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Cold wave duo The KVB are back with their new album ‘Tremors’ on Invada Records. The KVB returns to the darker sound that embodied their earliest releases whilst retaining the infectious pop of their last album ‘Unity’. The band have dubbed their new album ‘dystopian pop’, and wrote it with the live show in mind; full of energy, hooks and dynamic moments. Writing the album between Manchester and Bristol, and recording alongside James Trevascus (Billy Nomates, RVG), the band have drawn on their own back catalogue and the music that inspired them at the very beginning of their artistic journey. The end result is the most complete album from The KVB to date, full of emotive impact and pop hooks presented in a uniquely shadowy atmosphere and with an idiosyncratic detachment that adds to the cinematic quality of their sound.

vinyl / CD

The KVB – Tremors LP [INV311LP]

VA – Zeitgeist Chrome Vol. 2 [CT173]

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Cold Transmission presents the second chapter of their Zeitgeist Chrome series, dedicated to the finest electronic music. Includes songs by Grey Gallows, Kalte Nacht, Oliver Decrow, Rina Pavar, Teatre & Years Of Denial.

VA – Zeitgeist Chrome Vol. 2 [CT173]

Time Capsule – Sexual Desire / Heat In Africa [THANKYOU031]

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An interesting insight into some of the diverse dancefloor oriented sounds going on in Canada during the 80s sitting somewhere between electro, italo disco and proto house. A-side starts off on a slow paced 80 bpm pop/rock italo-disco crossover track featuring lyrics in english with an unidentifiable accent, very much reminiscent of Italian local neighbourhood private press ventures featuring someone’s sister on the vocal. 3 versions later, on the B side, things step up a notch coming in at 130 bpm with “Heat In Africa’s” drum machine propelled rhythmic mayhem pulling out all the latest studio bells and whistles of the time. Big electric guitar solo build up on the “Dance Mix” and additional Bonus Beats mix by Castro.

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Time Capsule – Sexual Desire / Heat In Africa [THANKYOU031]

Syntech – By Trial And Error LP [VPB016]

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This Dutch music project was created in the late 1980s by two graphic designers, Edwin Van Der Laag and Huib Shippers, who were in love with electronic music. Their debut album is divided into two parts, the first with Edwin’s music and the second with Huib’s. Obviously Van Der Laag’s songs are inspired by Laserdance, for which Van Der Laag also designed album covers, however Shippers’ part is slightly different, less aggressive, trance-inducing. This is the first part of the album and is the first vinyl reissue of this album since its first appearance.

vinyl / CD

Syntech – By Trial And Error LP [VPB016]

Synths Versus Me + NEA – Default Mode Network LP [OR100]

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After almost 6 years of silence since ‘Akelarre’, Synths Versus Me, the personal musical project of Nico Cabanas, co-founder of Oráculo Records alongside the young Italian promise India Nardone. Recorded analogically in just 2 months, fluctuates in a futuristic way between different kinds of unusual dark sub styles such as industrial noise, proto- tribal, synthpunk or krautwork, and, of course, among other dance-oriented such as EBM, new beat, synthwave, electro/breakbeat or trance. 

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Synths Versus Me + NEA – Default Mode Network LP [OR100]

Kama Muta – ΟΙ Φ​Ω​Ν​Ε​Σ Κ​Α​Η​Κ​Α​Ν [DYSTATIK]

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Greek poetry and electronic music are tied together with darkwave: kama muta present their debut album “The voices burned” on Dystatik Records. Based on a book that will be published at a later time, the songs talk about grief, love, suicide, isolation, equality and many more. The album is fluctuating from Synth Pop to Darkwave and from Minimal Synth to Synth Punk sounds, counting 8 times that the voices burned in an echo chamber full of buzz.

Kama Muta – ΟΙ Φ​Ω​Ν​Ε​Σ Κ​Α​Η​Κ​Α​Ν [DYSTATIK]

Oppenheimer Analysis – Oppenheimer Analysis [MW001X]

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Eighteen years ago, Oppenheimer Analysis made its indelible mark with the iconic track ‘The Devil’s Dancers,’ heralding the birth of the Minimal Wave label. Founded with a singular mission, the label set out to share this musical gem with the world. This historic release graced the world on December 6th, 2005. Remarkably, this EP has been elusive for a decade now. In an exciting development, the fifth edition of the Oppenheimer Analysis self-titled EP, is presented as a loving tribute to Martin Lloyd (1950-2013 R.I.P.), one half of Oppenheimer Analysis. The EP showcases select tracks from the 1982 Oppenheimer Analysis cassette titled “New Mexico,” the original remastered version of ‘The Devil’s Dancers’, along with two previously unreleased gems. 

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Oppenheimer Analysis – Oppenheimer Analysis [MW001X]

Dunkeltier – Macht Spaß! [RAS-EDIT1]

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Dunkeltier is back on wax, this time on the German label Reach Another System aka RAS Records. It comes as no surprise that it’s a surprise box drawing from the bottomless pit that is the 80s. And again, these edits are closer stylistically to his dark side project boldly named GOTT than to his more gleeful mainstay alias Sneaker. The sources of these four obscurities are only revealed to the third ear of the knowledgeable digger, but let us give you a hint – gathered are Teutonic Titans, a Bauhaus offshoot and a digital symphony orchestra.

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Dunkeltier – Macht Spaß! [RAS-EDIT1]

Ethereal Beat – Underboard [THANKYOU029]

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A hard one to put in a box when it comes to genre, floating somewhere between italo and synth pop, originally released in Switzerland in 1985. “Underboard” is very cool paced downtempo number that builds up with layers of subtle percussion lusciously adorned by some heavy saxy reedsmanship and mysterious vocal accents with no real message – 100% chill o’clock served on ice. “Cedar Of Lebanon” picks up the tempo a notch, once again setting the scene for the reeds to shine as the catchy melody is presented, beautiful 80’s instrumentalism from a golden age, clearly not made in Ableton. B side features a respectful DJ tool style remix by Anatolian Weapons.

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Ethereal Beat – Underboard [THANKYOU029]

Miss D. – Moving [EHAW008]

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Miss D. used to work as a model in New York. That she ended up in Vienna was sheer coincidence. That she became a recording artist was never planned, either. She moved to the Austrian capital with a well-known commercial producer in the mid-1980s, and soon she found herself recording TV ads for ice cream manufacturers. One day in the recording studio, someone had the brilliant idea of producing a proper record with her. The outcome was the highly sought-after disco oddity “Moving”, which was originally released in 1986, but most copies were destroyed due to a lack of commercial success. Now getting a second chance, “Moving” is as strong as Austrian disco productions from that era come: slow, bouncy, full of personality and consistently surprising.

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Miss D. – Moving [EHAW008]

Teatre – 2 Songs [FLR04]

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Ferry Lane Records welcomes Teatre AKA Viktoras Urbaitis for its fourth release. ‘2 Songs’ presents the Lithuanian producer at his most introspective. On the A-side, ‘Alone’ offers a languid, bittersweet melody evoking the golden era of synth-pop. The B-side, ‘Low’ intensifies the mood while still embracing melancholy.

Teatre – 2 Songs [FLR04]

VA – Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX [Eskimo]

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Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX is the second compilation for Eskimo Recordings compiled and curated by Berlin-based Musician and DJ Luca Venezia, aka Curses, to explore the darker side of club music. Spread across 3CDs and three 2LPs Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX features a mammoth 49 tracks that join the dots between early industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle, EBM legends like Nitzer Ebb and the post-punk experiments of people like Malcolm McLaren and Big Audio Dynamite with some of the most exciting artists around today, such as Boy Harsher, Nuovo Testamento and Years of Denial. Where the first Next Wave Acid Punx compilation was a personal journey for Luca, a lockdown inspired exploration of his record collection to find the thread that ran through the music that had soundtracked much of his life, DEUX is a celebration of that music let loose on the world, the thrill of music performed live, the smoke and strobe filled clubs you’ll hear it in and the artists you’ll find on those stages.

chapter 1 / chapter 2 / chapter 3 / CD

VA – Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX [Eskimo]

Poetical Licence – Footprints [LER1033]

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Poetical License was a brief project uniting Scottish born and Aotearoan (New Zealand) musician Mark Airlie and keyboardist and vocalist Keri Ansley after the duo met in New Plymouth. The solitary 7” came together in 1986, recorded at the infamous Auckland studio, The Lab. The A side’s fragile Footprints is as utterly charming as it is drenched in melancholia with a delicate glockenspiel lick and Ansley’s ethereal delivery of the vocals. On the B Side, Room 101 pivots to wonky rock and a more post-punk approach to composition. The two tracks shine brightly among an abundance of outsider gems made in Aotearoa during the 1980s

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Poetical Licence – Footprints [LER1033]

Machinegewehr – Life EP [BAP191]

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Since 2014, Silas Schletterer has been part of the Bordello A Parigi family. Under his Machinegewehr guise, the Rotterdam artist released three show-stopping synth centred records. 2023 sees him put out his fourth, Life. Burbling arpeggios, a signature of his sound, are present for “Sans.” Clever inviting melodies, another feature of Schletterer’s style, mix beautifully with clean percussion and samples for a definite dancefloor favourite. The title work follows. Measured and meditative, “Life” employs a familiar sound palette with very different outcomes. The pulsations, the throb, of Machinegewehr is there, but there is a considered melancholy that brins a bittersweet balance to the piece. Steady kicks and vocal snippets introduce “Pills.” Shifting melodies, piano stabs, driving rhythms and spoken word come together to create a heady brew of sheer pleasure. Vocals are central in the closer. “Neurons” narrates a fantastical story of subdued sci-fi sorrows and wistful yearning, all to a silken synth-pop soundtrack. A welcome return from a multifaceted musician.

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Machinegewehr – Life EP [BAP191]

Shakkatam – Run [HVN063]

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Back in 2017 Tear Apart Tapes released “Run”, a song by Shakkatam. John Talabot immediately connected with it and played it as the closing in many of his dj sets. Hivern Discs now presents “Run” in a new context, with three covers from artists we admire: Cucina Povera, Céline Gillain and Dania.

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Shakkatam – Run [HVN063]

EYE – Honolulu / Saigon [KH047]

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Laurène Exposito releases her 3rd album on Knekelhuis. Honolulu / Saigon is a collage of unreleased material, and previously on cassette released work. Some songs go even back to the era of Sabine and ties in wonderfully with Laurène’s previous work. She’s been performing some of these tracks back in the days.

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EYE – Honolulu / Saigon [KH047]