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 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.
Old school minimalsynth, nostalgic but with a glimpse of the future from Swedish band Kinder Aus Asbest.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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…!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pure electro pop inspired tracks that go further then just doing retro 80′ electro cuts. Pulsing synth lines with a touch of the NY disco punk, mixed with some housier bits and stirred up..
Wt Records takes another expected turn by releasing a mini LP of new wave tracks from Momentform. The first track, ‘Momentform is Fake,’ spans the gap between new wave and house with 707 rhythmic patterns and raw, unedited bass lines. ‘Selected Works’ with its melancholic vocals and juno arpeggio has a way of finding its way into your brain and staying there. 6 tracks of excellent melodies and melancholy angst make this a great record for listening from start to finish.
Celestial Joy has been recorded by Edmund Xavier at Video West in San Francisco in occasion of Horrid Red first West Coast tour and first ever live appearances. As from the title, Celestial Joy is a step away from the depressive synth punk of their first releases. Instead, there is some sort of light cleaved through this album, though only a weak light can filter to the depth of the dark environment we are moving in. The recording session saw the newly established core trio of Edmund Xavier, Bunker Wolf and Clay Ruby (Burial Hex) in charge, with further assistance by Nathaniel Ritter, Tim Berresheim, Carly Flies, Catholic Pat and Christine Boepple.
Minimal Wave proudly presents a newly remastered vinyl edition of the cult Swedish cassette compilation Orgelvärk, subtitled “en stadig samling Svensk synthmusik” – “a solid collection of Swedish synth music”. Orgelvärk is a compilation of Swedish synthpop, experimental and industrial music representative of the underground tape scene that thrived there in the 1980s. Orgelvärk was originally compiled and released on cassette in 1986 by Tor Sigvardson, also known for his own musical project 18:e Oktober and cassette label Neuköln. The vinyl edition includes five previously unreleased tracks which were submitted to Tor for the original 1986 cassette release but due to space limitations, never made it on there. All twenty-four songs have been remastered from their original tapes especially for vinyl by Tor himself.
Originally released on Paris Records in 1985 Ruth’s LP sold just 50 copies and was relegated to obscurity until the track “Polaroïd/Roman/Photo” started appearing on bootlegs and compilations in the early 00’s, slowly becoming the cult synth pop classic it is nowadays. An original copy goes for upwards of £300 on ebay and Ruth are a shining light from an oft forgotten music scene that is becoming increasingly influential today.
The Hipodrome Of Music 