Zmatsutsi – Hookep Up [MMLP1001]

July 13, 2018March 15, 2021 hipodromealbum, disco, heidi armitage, joe gill, macadam mambo, minimal synth, sacha mambo, synth pop, tim hutton, zmatsutsiLeave a comment

Discover the sex-appeal of Leeds with the trio Joe Gill, Heidi Armitage and Tim Hutton aka Zmatsutsi. They deliver on this mini-LP a mixture of s’mazing slow beats tracks, a bit like Rimini was meeting Dusseldorf in a Golf VR6. ‘Hooked Up’ is a hazy and psychedelic trip into druggy, slo-mo disco territory. Built around head-nodding drum machine rhythms, undulating arpeggio lines, trippy synthesizer motifs and breathy, poetic spoken word vocals, it’s a hugely atmospheric and enjoyable affair. There are occasional forays into more boogie-inspired territory, but even these outings tend towards the throbbing, pulsating and hypnotic. Of course, we expect little less from the inspired Macadam Mambo label, but we were still surprised by the dizzyingly high quality threshold throughout.

Muziekkamer – II – Popmuziek [CYRE01]

June 26, 2018June 25, 2018 hipodromealbum, contort yourself records, experimental, minimal synth, muziekkamer, synth popLeave a comment

Left of centre experiments from the Dutch underground of yesteryear. Muziekkamer was the name of the home recording studio that gave birth to the twelve tracks on ‘Popmuziek’, an intriguing document of sketch arrangements and primitive, fairytale sampling wave cuts. This is music which excels due to its inherent naivety; the limitless ambition of ‘Black Box’ almost sounding like a precursor to the 90s ambient techno of Likemind or Stasis. On ‘Being Home Tonight’ we can hear an early form of what the likes of Tolouse Low Trax have been bringing to the forefront of contemporary club culture whilst the erratic art-rock of ‘Walkman’ mirrors what Leven Signs & co were doing over the pond. In trying to create something which represented ‘intrusiveness’ as a contrast to an earlier ambient tape the trio incidentally blurred the lines between various musical fashions to come. An amazing snapshot of time and place.

Inhalt – Commerce [DE213]

June 26, 2018June 25, 2018 hipodromedark entries records, electro, inhalt, matia simovich, philip winiger, steven campodonico, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries is proud to release ‘Commerce’, the third EP from San Francisco-based trio Inhalt, German for “content”. ‘Commerce’ is a close examination of the self destructive tendency of the ego in relation to the allure of negativity and mass tragedy. The EP details the psychopathy of relentless thirst mandated by neo-liberalism and traverses through the adoption of social and economic technologies that strengthen domination vis a vis self enslavement to disempowerment. Employing the best of both modern and vintage techniques, the four songs on the EP utilize dense production, big snares, and powerful German vocals from Philip.

Miss Kittin & The Hacker – Lost Tracks Vol. 2 [DE216]

June 22, 2018June 20, 2018 hipodromedark entries records, electro, michel amato, miss kittin, synth pop, the hackerLeave a comment

Miss Kittin & The Hacker are the electro duo of Caroline Hervé and Michel Amato from Grenoble, France. The pair met during the early 90s at a rave and soon after bought turntables and began DJing. In 1996, they started writing music heavily influenced by 1980s synthpop and post-punk bands, as well as Italo Disco. Lost Tracks Vol. 2′ contains 4 previously unreleased demos recorded between 1997 and 1999. The duo fused 80’s European New Wave/Italo Disco with 90’s Detroit Electro, by utilizing verse-chorus structures, they playfully shook up the loop based hard techno and electro that was popular at the time. The songs are direct, spontaneous, seemingly improvised in places. Miss Kittin sings about falling in love in the new millennium, snuff movies and controlling the unknown trip to death, all in her cheekily derisive French accent.

Death in Vegas – Honey [DRONE015]

June 22, 2018June 20, 2018 hipodromedeath in vegas, drone out records, electro, katie stelmanis, richard fearless, sasha grey, synth pop, synth wave, technoLeave a comment

Death in Vegas return with the single ‘Honey’, its second collaboration with Sasha Grey. ‘Honey’ is a slow, seductive serenade, with an organic, psychedelic tone: dreamy and dripping with intensity. The B -side features ‘Witchdance Dub’, Richard Fearless’ long-held remix Of ‘Witchdance’ Off Trans-love Energies, featuring the haunting vocals of Katie Stelmanis from Austra. This track is effortless, minimal dance music imbued with Fearless’ unique production sound.

Violence – Le Flux de la Nature [EE022RTM]

June 18, 2018March 13, 2020 hipodromeacid, electro, electronic emergencies records, industrial, synth pop, techno, violenceLeave a comment

Arcane electronic duo Violence, from Quebec, Canada, show their dark side on the four track 10-inch Le Flux de la Nature. Their underground spirit of new wave, French vocals, opaque and sometimes disturbing electronics reflect the complex rhythm of nature and intense human relationships.

DanyB – Jupiter Dance 0002 [JP-DB-0002]

June 6, 2018June 5, 2018 hipodromedanyb, disco, edits, jupiter dance, synth popLeave a comment

DanyB returns with the next intergalactic installment of Jupiter Dance. Spring-boarding from the Jupiter Dance radio show, which takes a regular tour through the lesser known avenues of Synth Pop, Space Disco & Italo. Here we have another three worked up renditions of awesome international obscurities Yugoslavian synth pop a’la League Unlimited Orchestra from the early 80’s shares a side with some wigged out Italian synth-pop Prog-Rock. While the A reworks and overdubs a Japanese locomotive synth shinkansen for strobe-lit commutes.

Vive La Void – Vive La Void [SBR198LP]

May 25, 2018May 23, 2018 hipodromealbum, sacred bones records, sanae yamada, synth pop, synth wave, vive la voidLeave a comment

Vive la Void is the new solo project of Sanae Yamada, co-founder and keyboard player of Moon Duo. Yamada wrote and recorded the self-titled debut album over roughly a two-year period, during windows of downtime in Moon Duo’s substantial touring and recording schedule. The dense, shape-shifting atmospheres of the seven songs grew out of late-night basement experiments in the layering of synthesizer tracks, a process that also led to meditations on the changeable nature of memory and perception. The result is an undulating blend of ethereal swirl, low end thrumming, and electric crackle, buoyed by Yamada’s understated but captivating vocal melodies and her striking lyrics.

Dollkraut – Fetish EP [CHAR014]

May 25, 2018February 26, 2019 hipodromecharlois records, de ambassade, dollkraut, electro, pascal pinkert, pinkman records, synth popLeave a comment

Charlois welcomes back label inaugurator Dollkraut, this time in company with De Ambassade. The label grants permission for them to share this 10” and create their own world, so they can coexist and share stories about lost love, condolence and isolation. On the A-side they come together in a dark room anthem about sex, lust and worship. It oozes with cold, heart-stabbing melancholia, yet carries the artists idiosyncratic warm and crunchy sound. The flip side scratches open the wounds left by the first song and sees Dollkraut drop his soft touch. What follows is a hypnotic voodoo track, summoning dark spirits with unsettling synths, shamanic vocals and tribal Jewish harp.

Sterk Water – Marie EP [CCR001]

May 16, 2018May 15, 2018 hipodromebetonkust, cobra club records, electro, legowelt, minimal synth, sterk water, synth popLeave a comment

This is Cobra Club Records with their first ever release. The Marie EP, featuring two originals by The Hague youngsters Sterk Water sporting repetitive minimalism, Dutch lyrics, early 80’s electronica and lo-fi minimal wave on Marie and Zonder Te Voelen. Legowelt and Betonkust are on remix duties. West-coast legend Legowelt obviously closed his curtains for this pitch dark mix for Marie and Betonkust makes you want to put on your ugliest pair of sunglasses with his trancey translation of Zonder Te Voelen.

V-Sor X – Authors 2 [PM22]

May 10, 2018May 9, 2018 hipodromeminimal synth, morgan bryan, peripheral minimal, re-release, reissue, synth pop, v-sor xLeave a comment

Coming to Peripheral Minimal is a classic of the synth-pop scene. V-Sor X (pronounced VEE-SORE-EX), originate from the midlands town of Lichfield (known as, rather disturbingly, ‘field of the dead’, in Latin), an important (historically speaking) but unremarkable place. V-Sor X was founded in 1979 as a vehicle for Morgan Bryan, who influenced by the post-punk protagonists and the new-wave of electronic musicians, formed a band. This is a reissue of the first single by, ‘V-Sor,X’ entitled, ‘Authors 2’, originally released in 1982 on DOX Music, in a very limited edition of 300.

Traxx @ SmartBar (Chicago) 25.02.2018

April 30, 2018April 27, 2018 hipodromechicago, disco, italo-disco, jakbeat, minimal synth, nation records, new wave, smart bar, synth pop, traxxLeave a comment

Doris Norton – Personal Computer [MNQ120]

April 27, 2018April 25, 2018 hipodromealbum, doris norton, electro, experimental, mannequin records, re-release, reissue, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Mannequin Records present a trilogy of reissues from the avantgarde Italian-born producer Doris Norton, ”Norton Computer For Peace” (1983), ”Personal Computer” (1984), ”Artificial Intellingence” (1985). Apple’s first music ”endorsement” and Roland affiliate, Doris Norton is one of the most important women pioneer in the use of synths and in the early electro / computer music.

Doris Norton – Norton Computer For Peace [MNQ116]

April 27, 2018April 25, 2018 hipodromealbum, doris norton, electro, experimental, mannequin records, re-release, reissue, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Mannequin Records present a trilogy of reissues from the avantgarde Italian-born producer Doris Norton, ”Norton Computer For Peace” (1983), ”Personal Computer” (1984), ”Artificial Intellingence” (1985). Apple’s first music ”endorsement” and Roland affiliate, Doris Norton is one of the most important women pioneer in the use of synths and in the early electro / computer music.

Instant Music – Instant Music LP [DE201]

April 17, 2018April 17, 2018 hipodromealbum, bernd schöll, dark entries records, instant music, marion siekmann, mike hauer, minimal synth, synth popLeave a comment

Instant is the trio of Bernd Schöll (Bass, Vocals, Rhythm), Mike Hauer (Guitar, Synth, Percussion), and Marion Siekmann (Vocals) from Munich, Germany. They formed in 1980 after meeting through mutual friends attending the local art and graphic design school. The trio were dissatisfied with their surrounding musical environment. They set out to create their own brand of Neue Deutsche Welle fusing Dada, disco, and Krautrock. Over the course of 2 weeks in Summer 1980 the band teamed up with local producer Mario Strack to record 6 songs. These would make up their debut eponymous album that was originally self-released on 10” vinyl in 1981. They utilized a simple set up of guitar, bass, and keyboards, plus the BOSS DR-55 Dr. Rhythm drum machine. Metal scraps clanging appear on the tracks “Do Not” and “Optimate Minimum”, and a washing machine was sampled on the track “Joyboy”, which features Marion reading from the appliance’s instruction manual. The A-side features 4 tracks in 11 minute, while the B-side hosts 2 songs in the same stretch of time. “Charade” features no wave saxophone accompaniment from Kai Taschner of Munich New Wave band Luna Set. Marion’s vocals are between Nico’s Teutonic chill and Alison Statton’s (Young Marble Giants) playfulness, while Bernd takes a monotone approach. Lyrics for “My Boy” and “Everybody’s Gotta Mutate” were adapted from ‘Rotwang’, a fragmented novel written by Tim Hildebrandt, one of the brothers famous for illustrating the works of Tolkien.

DsorDNE – È Un Sole LP [DE206]

March 28, 2018March 27, 2018 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, dsordne, experimental, hax, marco milanesio, re-release, reissue, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

DsorDNE (pronounced Disordine) is a project from Torino, Italy that evolved as group out of the electronic experimental post punk project Novostj in 1987. At the core of DsorDNE is Marco Milanesio, musical engineer and co-founder of the HAX record label, joined by a revolving cast of musicians. Their spectrum ranged from experimental to structured electro-poetry and Soundtrack like instrumental electronic music. In 1987 they released their first track on a split-single with The Legendary Pink Dots. Between 1987 and 1994 they released 6 full length albums, 3 split-EPs and appeared on various cassette compilations. Ã Un Sole (Itâs a Sun) was the groupâs only vinyl full length originally released in 1990 on HAX. Itâs 8 tracks of electro-beat poetry and experimentation recorded between July 1989 and January 1990 by Marco Milanesio (music) and Roberta Ongaro (vocals) with guests Claudio Burdese (guitar), Danilo Beltrame (guitar) and Cristiana Bauducco (vocals). The album is broken up into two distinct halves. Side A contains four chunks of hard hitting, percussive patterns and rushing bass sequences. Dark, moody female vocals force their monologues through the machinery in their native Italian tongue. The traditional song structure is carefully avoided by giving lyrics equal opportunities be they recited, half-sung, whispered or spoken. Side B displays moodier moments, less savage attacks and subtler sensuality, veering towards the more melodic and existential.

Dormir – In Pursuit [BRXPR001]

March 16, 2018March 16, 2018 hipodromeburning rose, cop envy, dark wave, dormir, leo james, pelvis records, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Burning Rose and Pelvis Records meet in the middle to dish up Dormir, a two piece machine from Melbourne, Australia featuring Morgan Wright (formerly of Melbourne hardcore act Imprisoned) and Harry Maslen (formerly of Postblue). Two tracks of blacked out vocal electronics originally released on cassette are now brought to the floor with remixes by Leo James (Canyons, Berceuse Heroique) and Cop Envy (Opal Tapes, Templar Sound).

Bézier – Parler Musique [DE200]

March 7, 2018March 6, 2018 hipodromealbum, bezier, dark entries records, minimal synth, robert yang, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries release the debut album from Bézier titled ‘Parler Musique’. Bézier is Taiwanese-American musician Robert Yang who is also part of the Honey Soundsystem crew. A multi-instrumentalist, Robert grew up in Southern California then planted his roots in San Francisco in 2005. Over the years in SF he has built an impressive analog synth-based studio, which also serves as the creative hub for his riveting live performances. Parler Musique clocks in at over 52 minutes with 8 tracks are spread across four sides for maximum loudness. The album title is a French transliteration on the phrase “Parlor Music” and is evening music for a meeting of minds in a drawing room or a literary salon. To ‘talk about music’, the actual translation of the title, the album is a hotbed of ideas. Different genres are crisscrossed: punk, synthpop, jungle, new romantic, industrial and new wave. Airy melodies, surging arpeggios and symphonic breakdowns counterpoint cold digital drum sounds to convey beauty within inescapable and impending daily processes.

DJ soFa – Sanpo 098 07.02.2018

February 26, 2018February 27, 2018 hipodroments radio, sanpo, sofa, synth popLeave a comment

Fockewulf 190 – Body Heat [DE202]

February 16, 2018February 15, 2018 hipodromedark entries records, fockewulf 190, italo-disco, re-release, reissue, synth popLeave a comment

Dark Entries continues to license and reissue some of the greatest – not to mention hardest to find – Italo-disco ever made. This 1984 single from Italo-disco duo Fokewulf 190 is a great example. In many ways, it’s atypical of Italo-disco, eschewing the style’s usual arpeggio basslines in favour of a bubbly synth groove inspired by electrofunk, onto which is layered stylish, new wave influenced synthesizer melodies, atmospheric chords, snaking synth-saxophone and a highly accented vocal – originally un-credited – from future Italian synth-pop star Fred Ventura, who was then in the early stages of his career. Naturally, the headline vocal version comes accompanied by a fine instrumental, which is more like a delay-laden club dub in feel.