Space Art – Nous Savons Tout [DE124]

Space Art was the French electronic duo of Dominique Perrier (keyboards, vocoder) and Roger Rizzitelli (drums, percussion). Between 1977 and 1981, they released three albums of comsic synth pop, in which they laid much groundwork for French electronic music to follow. Space Art’s third single “Nous Savons Tout” was released in 1978 on IF Records. Their sound was similar to Jarre’s early analog albums, but with the addition of real drums. Dominique plays an ARP Odyssey, Clavinet, Eminent, and Minimoog, maximizing their warm textures. Roger plays the drums in an intricate fashion, influenced subtly by jazz fusion. “Nous Savons Tout” features an early prototype of the Vocoder, which the band used to create the chorus. On the flip is the slower ”Melodie Moderne”, an electronic take on classical rock songs of the 1970s. Both tracks were recorded at Studio Ferber Paris in June 1978. Like Richard Pinhas/Heldon and Yellow Magic Orchestra, Space Art created their own brand of dark space disco, paving the way for bands like Air and Mellow.

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Space Art – Nous Savons Tout [DE124]

Elitechnique – Automaticamore / Get Closer [DQPQ001]

Elitechnique with their new Disques Panoramiques project. Five 45’s scheduled with italo styled cover versions of 80’s rarities. Featuring female vocals on top of their slow and sexy disco grooves. Original versions by Patrizia Pellegrino and Valerie Dore coming in fine crafted Elitechnique versions. No samples used, all music performed with the elite technique from Phako and Florintintin.

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Elitechnique – Automaticamore / Get Closer [DQPQ001]

Facit – Mandag Mon Amour [WH010]

Hailing from Goteborg, Sweden, Facit is the project of Joakim Karlsson. For almost a decade, he has been producing tearful synthesizer music under various aliases, often teaming up with compatriot Mai Nestor on vocals. Smartly drawing a line between Swedish chanson and minimal synth, ‘Måndag Mon Amour’ is Facit’s second EP. Picture two passengers with paralyzing hemophobia, riding a sad carriage and smiling with tranquil melancholy, endlessy playing early 80s analog gear through some spring reverb. It doesn’t take long to remember « notre amour était dans un igloo » and never forgetting it.

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Facit – Mandag Mon Amour [WH010]

Effetto Joule – Mechanic Soldier [MR059]

Medical Records in collaboration with Crispy Nuggets returns to Italy for it’s 59th release. Hailing from Bologna, Italy in the late 80s, Effetto Joule were brothers Flavio and Valero Biagi , Massimo Chericoni and Valerio Tassinari. Drawing on influences of the early 80s new wave and synth pop scene and armed with an arsenal of synthesizers (Korg Poly-800, Roland alpha juno-1 and juno-2, etc) from the mid 80s, Effetto Joule crafted their own sound. With the exception of the few of the tracks, almost all were home recorded during the years of 1988-1990. Effetto Joule self released a couple of cassettes entitled Ultraviolet A and B as well as one 12″ single in 1989 on Top Sound Record (recently reissued by Mannequin Records with bonus material). The rest of their music has been unreleased demos from which thee tracks were hand selected. The tunes can best be described as densely new romantic with unquestionably catchy hooks and lovely vocals to boot. Standout tracks include Active Ray and Stars Your Memory.

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Effetto Joule – Mechanic Soldier [MR059]

Lunapark – Gefangene Voegel LP [DE113]

Lunapark is the trio of Burkhard Ballein, Klaus ”Schlips” Gebauer, Reinhard ”Zoppen” Benisch from Wuppertal, Germany. Formed in 1981 when the boys were dissatisfied with their surrounding musical environment. They packed their instruments and a cassette recorder and set off to create their own brand of Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW ‘New German Wave’). Their influences included The Beatles, Colloseum, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa as well as Sex Pistols, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Blondie and The Cure. “Gefangene Vögel’ (‘Prisoner Birds’) is their debut album released by Intakt Records, Stuttgart in 1982. Utilizing a simple set up of guitar, bass, drums, drum-computer, Korg MS-10 and Korg MS-20 they recorded 10 tracks that make up the album. Songs bridge the Belgian-type industrial and cold sounds with NDW quirkiness. In the vein of Sad Lovers and Giants, and Schleimer K they blend post-punk and new wave music with electronic influences. All songs are sung in German with monotone vocals and epitomized the urban Zeitgeist of the Cold War. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a replica of the original jacket design, which features a drawing of birds on a grid. There are 4 different color versions of the screen printed jacket: blue, yellow, magenta and turquoise. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11×11 insert that was included with the original pressing with lyrics and photos.

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Lunapark – Gefangene Voegel LP [DE113]

Some Bizarre – Don’t Be Afraid [DE117]

Some Bizarre are a trio formed in Bergamo, Italy in 1983. The line-up is Marino Scarabelli (music, producer), Tiberio “Tyber” Scarfone (arrangement, producer) and Stefano Brignoli (lyrics, vocals). “Don’t Be Afraid” was their first composition, recorded in Milan in 1983 and released on Il Discotto the same year. Stefano, sitting on a sofa in the studio, wrote lyrics while Marino composed the music. They developed their sound with a Mini Moog, Prophet 5, Korg Synthesizer, and Linn Drum. Stefano sings of a romantic night with a lover, dancing into a dream world. Heavy percussion serves as counterpoint to the infectious melodies, which were inspired by Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Backup vocalist Enrica Danesi adds a powerful call-and-response for the chorus, elevating the dramatic tension. The B-side features an instrumental version.

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Some Bizarre – Don’t Be Afraid [DE117]

Ghibli – I’m Looking For You [DE116]

Dark Entries has always been rather canny when it comes to their Italo-disco reissues, often unearthing obscurities from one-shot artists who disappeared just as quickly as they arrived. Ghibli was one such artist. He only ever released one single, I’m Looking For You, back in 1985. That it still sounds fresh, despite its’ obvious period features – bubbling, Bobby Orlando style synthesizer sequences, bold chords and a heavily accented Italian vocals – is testament to the skill of the record’s original producer, Alfredo Baraldi. As with the original pressing, this Dark Entries edition comes back with the superior Instrumental version.

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Ghibli – I’m Looking For You [DE116]

Essaie Pas – Demain Est Une Autre Nuit [DFA2481]

Montreal-based electronic duo Essaie Pas is comprised of Marie Davidson and Pierre Guerineau. Both are respected musicians in their own right – Marie having released two acclaimed solo records, with Pierre being best known for production work on underground Canadian musicians such as Dirty Beaches and Femminielli. Essaie pas was born on a hot summer night in 2010, releasing some ultra-limited singles which culminated in their debut LP, Nuit de noce (Teenage Menopause Records) in 2013. The mix of drawling guitars, français mumbles, and minimal electronics caught the ear of DFA Records, who booked the pair to open for Factory Floor on their first North American tour.

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Essaie Pas – Demain Est Une Autre Nuit [DFA2481]

VA – Domestic Landscape Vol 2: Underrated Synth Classics 1982-1990 [DOM026L]

Spain’s Domestica are up to their usual antics, and this time it’s the second instalment of their excellent Domestic Landscape series, a varied and much-coveted collection of perfectly contemporary post-punk and coldwave oddities from the 1980s. We’re in love with every track on here, and we’re not exaggerating, this gear is of the highest calibre, and all very much relevant in a DJ nowadays. Think Optimo in the midst of a smokey, mid-morning set in a dark basement, and you’re almost there. Track upon track of solid gold discofied industrial music. Killer; highly recommended.

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VA – Domestic Landscape Vol 2: Underrated Synth Classics 1982-1990 [DOM026L]

H ø R D ‎- Focus On Light [GDLP004]

Here at Giallo HQ we first noticed H ø R D whilst searching for tracks for the fictitious Wild In Blue Ost, and his music has gone on to be some of the best we’ve ever heard, so much so that we jumped at the chance to release the debut album by this incredible artist. Eight Reverb-Soaked Urban-Gothic Melancholic songs, between synth-shoegaze and violent EBM, Focus On Light is a beautiful heartbreaking LP that will resonate strongly with fans of Pornography-era The Cure, Joy Division and classic Nine Inch Nails.

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H ø R D ‎- Focus On Light [GDLP004]

Geneva Jacuzzi – Technophelia [MR053]

Medical Records releases the first full length LP in 5 years by LA’s Geneva Jacuzzi. To say Jacuzzi is a multifaceted artist would be an understatement. She is well known for her uncompromisingly obtuse synth-driven pop and one-of-a-kind performance art that is comprised of one time only spectacles and installations. Her works have been presented in famous art institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA and numerous other venues across the globe. She has developed a very focused cult following in the art and music scenes. She was originally well known for her multitude of self-released home recordings but also released a full length Lamaze in 2010 on the Vinyl International to much acclaim. Not to mention her track The Sleep Room featured on The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol 2. Technophelia is the culmination of a hybrid of DIY and professional studio recordings (with the help of esteemed producer Chris Coady) that resulted in this exquisite album. Features the soon-to-be-hits I’m A TV and Cannibal Babies. Lovers of unique and left-field wave such as Gina X, Ronny, and the like will be transfixed by the raw, oozing newness of it all.

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Geneva Jacuzzi – Technophelia [MR053]

Visonia – Opals Sunflowers [TRAJECTORYLP3]

The second Visonia album out now on Last Known Trajectory. Stunning cold-wave influenced techno and electronics, ‘Opal’s Sunflowers’ continues the new-wave/cold wave theme combined with inimitable romanticism. Coupling emotive elegance with eighties synth-pop influences and the result is quite simply splendid.

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Visonia – Opals Sunflowers [TRAJECTORYLP3]

Stabat Stable – Ultrissima On The Junk’s Moon [CACHE014LP]

Incredible, idiosyncratic and obscure early 80s French futurist DIY project led by Jean-Luc Aime (Univers Zero) this feature-length album of elusive recordings marks the bone fide axis point where Zeuhl-Skool meets synth pop, dark ambient and early electro culled from rare vinyl and disparate cassette co-op releases for this first ever LP release.

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Stabat Stable – Ultrissima On The Junk’s Moon [CACHE014LP]

The Frozen Autumn – Time Is Just A Memory [DE108]

The Frozen Autumn is an Italian darkwave band, formed in May 1993 in Turin, Italy. Originally the solo project of singer, keyboardist and synth programmer Diego Merletto, guitarist Claudio Brosio joined on during early studio sessions and live performances. Together they recorded and released two albums, “Pale Awakening” in 1995 and “Fragments of Memories” in 1997. In 1998, Claudio left the band and Diego recruited Arianna (aka Froxeanne) who sings, programs and composes. After 18 months of work, The Frozen Autumn’s third album, “Emotional Screening Device”, was released in April 2002. “Time Is Just A Memory” is a 6-track overview of songs from The Frozen Autumn’s first three albums. Characterized by a blend of melancholic vocals, atmospheric gothic-wave and 1980s-style electropop, the duo call their style ”frozen wave”. The Frozen Autumn have stated that labelmates Clan of Xymox have been their main source of inspiration over the years. Other influences include Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, The Sisters of Mercy, Xmal Deutschland, David Sylvian and Depeche Mode. These six tracks stand out for their rich melodies, from the guitar-laden early tracks “Dusk Is Like A Dagger”, “Wait For Nothing”, “There’s No Time To Recall”, and “This Time,” to the electronic sheen on later songs “Is Everything Real?” and “Silence Is Talking”.

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The Frozen Autumn – Time Is Just A Memory [DE108]

Wolfsheim – The Sparrow And The Nightingales [DE107]

Wolfsheim are a synthpop duo from Hamburg, Germany consisting of Markus Reinhardt (music) and Peter Heppner (lyrics and vocals). The band was founded in 1987 by Markus Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi and was named after Meyer Wolfsheim, a fictional character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’. Ricciardi soon left the band and was replaced by Peter Heppner, a childhood friend of Reinhardt’s. Together they produced their first demo tape, ‘Ken Manage’, in 1988. After making a second demo tape, ‘Any But Pretty’, in 1989, Wolfsheim applied at various labels until they caught the attention of independent record label Strange Ways Records. They are best known for their debut breakthrough single, ”The Sparrows and the Nightingales”, the first single to be released on Strange Ways in 1991. The band’s musical style takes cues from the 1980s New Romantics, new wave, synthpop, and darkwave. The track’s sombre synths were produced by Carlos Peron of Yello. Reinhardt says the lyric was inspired by ‘The Great Gatsby’, ‘in the ‘onomatopoeic tension’ between predator and security.’ Over six minutes, the narrator describes being lost, unsure of where his life is heading, using highly metaphorical language. On the flip is a brand new remix by German producer Ancient Methods, a pseudonym of Michael ‘Trias’ Wollenhaupt, who provides a driving, EBM-leaning, amphetamine-laced club ready cut.

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Wolfsheim – The Sparrow And The Nightingales [DE107]

Bionda e Lupo – Ton Rire EP [BAP053]

Past midnight. Empty streets. From an ill lit doorway a sound. A woman. Shadow. A scent. Drawn into one. Smoke and synthesizer music swirls. Bionda E Lupo. Crossing the threshold, tripping into twilight. Analogue emotion, styles twirled like garlands. Nervous shuffles and the touch of fingertips. Weaving, bodies twirl as morning shoulders into night. The realisation. The edge of eyes. Curl of lip. The click of heels with creak of floor. Feeling flows, ebbs, cascades and floods. Lipstick and heavy perfume. Two forms swimming in currents, bending to one another in the warm glow of aging speakers. Breath and pulse quicken. Electricity spiked with passion. The final embrace. Whispered promises. A kiss.

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Bionda e Lupo – Ton Rire EP [BAP053]

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]