Flexi Wave presents some rough synth dark wave from San Fransisco.
synth pop
Degada Saf – No Inzro [MNQ009CD]
Degada Saf was a transgressive-dada-ist musical combo coming from Veneto, Italy. Degada Saf played a synth-electronic music, a kind of involved no-disco with no-sense lyrics in esperanto. Their music suggests a peculiar mixture of post-modernism synthesized electro assaults, new wave’s imaginative minimalism and pop art aesthetic vision. “No Inzro” makes constant interferences between rigorous avant-gardism, alternative music styles and colorfully plastic electro pop. The spectrum of musical imagination reveals a lot of good surprises, notably with the opening theme “La Rhumba de Shang Hai” which directly gives the tonality of the entire album: kitschy retro-popish ambiences based on dancing minimal hypno pulses and efficiently cold melodies. A groovy and captivating electro experience and a pretty decent introduction to the band’s very own musical universe.
Inhalt – Vehicle EP [DE024]
Dark Entries presents the the debut EP “Vehicle” from San Francisco based synth trio Inhalt. Consisting of European and East Coast natives– Matia Simovich, Bryan Gibbs, and Philip Winiger– Inhalt’s core operative strategy is of sonic fidelity and integrity rather than nostalgia. In the “Vehicle” EP the brutality of the analogue transistor rhythm section meets the sincerity of the human voice.
Vocoder – Cuadro Sinóptico [DE026]
Dark Entries presents a 4-song compilation from one of the finest groups of the Spanish New Wave/Techno-Pop scene of the 1980s. Vocoder were a quartet from Zaragoza, Spain formed in 1981 by Keyboardists Antonio Laval, Alfonso Olarte, Antonio Tenas and vocalist Pilar Pellicer. “Cuadro Sinóptico” compiles both 2-song 12″ maxi singles as one 4-song EP. All four songs were recorded during 1984-85. A futuristic sound for the modern age topped with Pilar’s charismatic vocals. Lyrically they address robotic love, disco dancing, and the tropical island of Mindanao.
Pye Corner Audio – Black Mill Tapes Volume 3: All Pathways Open [PCA003]
Right then, our Head Technician has sworn that he will have the next instalment of Black Mills Tapes ready for us by the end of January. Volume 3: All Pathways Open comprises a further twelve tracks lovingly transferred from those now fabled 1/4″ and cassette tapes. The Advisory Circle kindly lent a hand and retransferred ‘Electronic Rhythm Number Eighteen’ for which we are very grateful. Our Head Technician tells us this particular segment had been giving him a fair bit of trouble, so the help was appreciated.
Josh Cheon – Who are you Dark Entries?
Hard Corps – Clean Tables Have To Be Burnt LP [MW035]
Minimal Wave is proud to present our 35th release, a full length LP release entitled “Clean Tables Have To Be Burnt” by UK legends Hard Corps. Hard Corps gained some notoriety for their unique and uncompromising live shows throughout the 1980s. It was the juxtaposition between their hard edged industrial sound and the fragile and enigmatic vocals of French frontwoman Regine Fetet that created an unusual dichotomy, lending to their strength of character as a band and thus allowing them to stand out from the rest. Now for the first time ever, rare unreleased versions of Hard Corps tracks from the 1980s have been remastered and are being made available.
Nachtliche – Fullmoon [CY005]
It all started in the industrial North Western part of Copenhagen in a small apartment. Nikolaj Birgens and Esben Kolster, inspired by the eighties cold wave, started creating music together using synthesizers, drum-machines, amplifiers, sequencers, guitars and stompboxes. Surrounded by factories and human dirt, dark songs are born…
Twilight Ritual – The Factory Scream [OS018]
Twilight Ritual was/is the main project by Geert Coppens and Peter Bonne. During the early eighties they were involved in many other bands including Autumn and The Linear Movement, but Twilight Ritual is by far the most inspired project. The spirit of the band lingers on beneath the work of Autumn through A Split Second. The work of Twilight Ritual is diverse, yet consise. Their pioneering album Rituals inspired other musicians and became an underground cult classic in the minimal synth genre. “The Factory Scream” is a compilation of varied works recorded during 1984 and 1986.
Kinder Aus Asbest – Artificial Seasons
Old school minimalsynth, nostalgic but with a glimpse of the future from Swedish band Kinder Aus Asbest.
VA – Let’s Go Into Space… [369.006]
Private Records releases a compilation of scarce and sought after tracks which previously have only been released on 7” somewhere in the late 70’s and early 80’s. A cosmic journey into early techno and modern club music prototypes.
Trevor Jackson – Metal Dance: Industrial/Post Punk/EBM: Classics & Rarities 80-88 [STRUT091LP]
The latest Strut Records release shines more light on the clanking, far-sighted world of the 1980s’ most revolutionary genres – namely industrial, post-punk and EBM. This time Trevor Jackson is at the helm. His two-disc selection touches on many different strands, from bleak synthesizer jams and crunchy punk-funk to twisted industrial disco, mutant electrofunk and almighty percussive workouts.
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.
Army Of God – Salvation [AOG001]
Brand new, mysterious label and production outfit The Army Of God are on the march. This debut release, “Salvation” is an yet unknown recording dating from somewhere in the 80’s. The recording comprises glorious, slow-mo and dark wave vibes with vocals chanting about apocalyptic religious visions like a sci-fi dark gospel theme. Salvation comes with a dub version as well as a sophisticated Spaventi D’Azzuro re-make on the flip.
VA – Svensk Bonnasynth [ET006]
“Svensk Bonnasynth” basically says it all… this is Swedish Electronic Hillbilly Music! The musicians involved in Adolf Filter, Kord and Monster Apparat have a long tradition in producing electronic music and have been active in the Swedish music world for years. With this record they serve us roots music coming from analogue synths… traditional and conservative electro and synth music…!
Frank Alpine – Frank Alpine [VR0026LP]
Erupting from the seamy neon-lit wasteland of Los Angeles, California – Frank Alpine’s self-titled debut offers a darker, sleazier view of the current cold-wave resurgence. In fact this disc might have more in common with the shuddersome compositions of Chris & Cosey than it does with the contemporary Brooklyn indie set. There’s a no-wave grit to Alpine’s pained squeals, and over double-time electrical beats he eulogizes a city in decline. It’s hardly even ‘cold’ at all – the sound of Frank Alpine is soaked in sweat, booze and the remnants of a night out you’d rather forget.
VA – Circuit d’Actes [LFL003] FREE DOWNLOAD
A collection of 4 synth-pop, minimal wave, darkwave tracks released in 2010 on Le Forme Lente, now available for free download on their soundcloud and bandcamp pages.
Ali Renault – Ali Renault [CYBERDANCE011]
One of the UK’s most endearing electro stalwarts presents his debut solo album after nearly ten years of operations. All that experience has been funnelled into his eponymous LP, a sexy, melancholic crush of Italo, Electro, Synth-pop and disco bearing vocals from none other than Fred “The Voice Of Italo” Ventura and Marika Gauci of Hotel Motel. Marika opens the account on a Freestylin’ Electro ace ‘Snowdrift’, while ‘Mont Chaberton’ is pure Euro-synth romance, and the likes of ‘Zombie Raffle’ and ‘Pagan Run’ put his sleazy spin on fat-bottomed slow disco. ‘Fade Away’ features a typically cool vocal from Fred Ventura on some kinda savant-electro-boogie rhythm, but we’d have to say our favourite is the humid Italo/EBM throbber ‘Flies a Kungan’. Lovers of phat, raw, analog electro need to check this album instantly.
Xeno & Oaklander – FACT mix 299
Leda – Welcome To Joyland [369.004]
Re-press of a secret masterpiece by Peter Baumann (under the alias Hacoon Mail) and Hans Brandeis. Music that lies somewhere between Space Disco and Minimal Wave. Beautiful synth structures with Leda’s mesmerizing vocals on top.
The Hipodrome Of Music 