VA – Waves Of The Future [MNQ100]

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018 hipodromealessandro adriani, an-i, beau wanzer, compilation, electro, illum sphere, industrial, mannequin records, not waving, ron morelli, shawn o'sullivan, silent servant, synth wave, techno, willie burnsLeave a comment

Mannequin’s 100th – a compilation looking forward featuring an international and serious cast. The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more. Which brings us to Mannequin’s newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point – none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin’s unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns, Silent Servant and Ron Morelli.

Borusiade – A Body [COMEME043]

March 8, 2018July 18, 2018 hipodromealbum, borusiade, comeme records, experimental, romanian, synth waveLeave a comment

Cómeme starts 2018 by proving again to be a safe haven and a sanctuary for sensitive plants and unique characters devoted to music – just like Miruna Boruzescu aka Borusiade – from Bucharest. This is the first album of Borusiade, in which she takes her music to a new level, finding her very own expression, that is making us first shiver then sweat, then chill and finally melt. Her visions unfold through 8 pieces of music that follow a dreamlike narrative of associations and transformations. Somber synthetic atmospheres, sparse and spatial rhythmical arrangements, strangely seductive melodies and lysergic ally pulsating bass lines lead us away from a dystopian present towards a sensorial experience we long to repeat as soon as it’s over. ‘A Body’ is a deeply poetic work in which again and again you will hear Borusiade’s voice, sometimes dissolving and recreating meanings in mantra-like repetitions, sometimes layering itself to pagan choirs of smooth ecstasy. Then again you will also hear that voice close to you, singing, sharing an experience or a thought. It is always soft, effortless and unpretentious, but always strong, clear and precise, like the voice that speaks to you in an altered state of consciousness. It seems to come from the same person that is holding your hand, when everything else seems to fade into uncertainty while wandering through strange times and places.

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.

Stallone The Reducer – Always Late [EST.83-08]

February 26, 2018February 22, 2018 hipodromeelectro, est.83's records, fit sound, post punk, stallone the reducer, synth waveLeave a comment

Stallone The Reducer is back. He’s always late, but he’s back. Stallone takes you on a one way trip that will make your head rattle, clattle and clank. Indecipherable robot voices guide you, while the busted up drums and industrial strength synths push you back and forth. This one is for the brave.

Das Ding / Dj Overdose – AM / PM [GFEP04]

February 21, 2018February 20, 2018 hipodromedanny bosten, das ding, dj overdose, electro, go! finger, jeroen warmenhoven, minimal synth, synth waveLeave a comment

Go! Finger returns to the vinyl grooves again! And this time showing a more dramatic and darkest side. Holland’s underground legends Das Ding and DJ Overdose, join forces, for the first time, to deliver “AM/PM”. A puzzling split release composed of two pairs of gloomy, sinister and hard to classify gems of the finest west coast electro. A delightful and state of the art chiaoscuro of today’s freshest dark electronics.

Juanpablo – Unmasked Discussion 21

February 14, 2018February 13, 2018 hipodromefrigio records, juanpablo, minimal synth, podcast, post punk, synth wave, unmasked discussionLeave a comment

https://soundcloud.com/user-256313381/unmasked-discussion-21-juan-pablo

Job Sifre – Bestaan [KH013]

February 14, 2018February 13, 2018 hipodromeelectro, industrial, job sifre, knekelhuis, synth waveLeave a comment

Job Sifre is one of the guys bringing new blood into the Amsterdam scene. This is the follow-up to his recently released debut on the new Artifical Dance label, where he continues his path of solid EBM fueled electronix. The record ends with the gorgeous ‘At Least We Try’, showing of his more tripping, rhythmic side.

Dr. C. Stein – La Bombe Plastique [AD002]

February 8, 2018July 10, 2018 hipodromeartificial dance records, dr. c. stein, experimental, hanjo erkamp, interstellar funk, synth waveLeave a comment

Artificial Dance has returned to the source for release number two. The 12” pays tribute to one of the most influential figures of Amsterdam’s original DIY electronic music scene, Hanjo Erkamp. During the first half of the 1980s, Erkamp had a hand in some of the most experimental and forward-thinking releases on the now legendary cassette label, Trumpett. Famously, he was a member of two of the label’s key bands – industrial outfit Doxa Sinistra and new wave combo Ende Shneafliet – but during the period he also recorded a swathe of solo tracks as C. Stein, most of which only saw the light of day decades later. ‘La Bombe Plastique’, a thrillingly spacey and futurist cut rich in proto-techno rhythms, intergalactic electronic motifs and drowsy choral vocals. For this timely reissue, the superb original version comes accompanied by a fresh re-edit created primarily for DJ use.

VA – Electrified Bodies [BVV03]

February 7, 2018February 7, 2018 hipodromeblack pond, bodyvolt, bruta non calculant, compilation, electro, eleven pond, flying bodies, minimal synth, nina belief, radikale analog fraktion, swesor bhrater, synth waveLeave a comment

Bodyvolt celebrate 10 years with a longplayer and 9 tracks by various artists: Bruta Non Calculant (formerly known through Invasion Planete Records and his project Le Syndicat Electronique), Eleven Pond (legendary 80s New Wave Band), Flying Bodies (Kommando 6), Swesor Bhrater (also coming from the Ex-Invasion Planete circle) Nina Belief (No Emb Blanc Records) TecRoc (Kommando 6), Naive (formerly known as :Codes, Autonom or as Code on Kommando 6), Black Pond (collaboration between Eleven Pond/Jeff Gallea + Beta Evers) and Radikale Analog Fraktion (Kommando 6).

Volta Cab – Rise Again 2LP [BAP106]

February 7, 2018February 6, 2018 hipodromealbum, bordello a parigi, disco, electro, konstantyn isaev, synth wave, volta cabLeave a comment

Temperatures are dropping and we’re all feeling the effects. Bordello A Parigi is letting the cold winds of the north swirl inside its doors with Russia’s Volta Cab bringing a fresh 2LP to the table. A spread of influences come together for the eleven tracks of Rise Again. Take Emerald’s Phantasy, a piece built on layers of percussion that blends elements of disco with notes of techno. Dark Room is a different affair. Arctic chords are cut with electro and distant vocals for an unsettling treat. Kruger stomps to a terse beat before lush pads bloom in a work that builds to dizzying peaks. Warm blasts balance these colder moments, the rich grooves of Savage Fury, the floor filling funk of Board Scandinavia and the removed romance of Sweet Exorcist all show another shade to the Volta Cab sound and of course there’s more. Rise Again is an audio collection of vibrant colours and hues, tracks pitch from icy blues to autumnal ambers and fiery reds; a musical kaleidoscope that stretches across a spectrum of styles.

La Contra Ola – Synth Wave & Post Punk From Spain 1980-86 [BJR015]

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 hipodromeaviador dro, compilation, derribos arias, diseno corbusier, esplendor geometrico, la contra ola, lavabos iturriaga, les disques bongo joe, linea vienesa, post punk, synth pop, synth wave, zombiesLeave a comment

A compilation dedicated to the early 80’s Spanish Synth Wave and Post Punk scene. First to be published outside Spain, this anthology explores the electronic music side of the independent music produced in the days in the Iberian Peninsula: Synthetic pop music with industrial sounds including futurist Art Rock, dance-floor productions and low-fi experiments on cassettes. Classics or true hidden treasures, this selection of nineteen songs is symbolic of the musical dawn that Spain experienced during the decade marked by the return of democracy and by the creative freedom initiated by Punk music. “La Contra Ola” covers the years 1980-1986, and the most striking thing about this LP is the diversity of sounds that these artists were using. Unlike the stale synth wave that swept across the UK in that Neo-romantic sway, the likes of Esplendor Geometrico, Derribos Arias, Linea Vienesa, or Tres, to whom this comp is dedicated to, used their own native influences to express their vision of electronic punk music, and the results can be heard all over this magnificent anthology. It’s a piece of history that we finally have more knowledge of, and we thank the ever-reliable Bongo Joe for it.

The Pulse Projects – Black Catalogue Rituals – 2004-2005 [SUBAPICAL02]

January 22, 2018January 22, 2018 hipodromealbert van abbe, electro, industrial, subapical, synth wave, techno, the pulse projectsLeave a comment

Subapical presents Dutch producer Albert Van Abbe’s The Pulse Projects – Black Catalogue Rituals (2004-2005). The Pulse Projects Black Catalogue Rituals (2004-2005) show Albert Van Abbe’s grittier electro/industrial focused work all recorded in the mid noughties. Here he serves up 4 tracks from the archives.

Solid Space – Space Museum [DE190]

January 6, 2018January 5, 2018 hipodromedan goldstein, dark entries records, matthew vosburgh, minimal synth, post punk, re-release, reissue, solid space, synth pop, synth waveLeave a comment

Dark Entries presents the first ever official vinyl reissue of Space Museum by Solid Space. Solid Space was the British duo of Dan Goldstein (keyboards, vocals) and Matthew ‘Maf’ Vosburgh (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals) formed in 1980. Amongst collectors of post-punk era cassettes, Solid Space’s sole album, 1982’s Space Museum, has long been a sought-after item. While scarce and hard to find, the demand is largely down to the music contained within. Combining bright and spacey synthesizers with cheap drum machines, fuzzy guitars and vocals musing on science fiction and isolation, the British DIY duo created something surprisingly magical and alluring despite its lo-fi creation.

John Maus – Screen Memories [RBN072LP]

January 3, 2018January 3, 2018 hipodromealbum, john maus, ribbon music, synth pop, synth wave2 Comments

It’s been a long time between drinks for John Maus. “Screen Memories” is the producer’s first new album since 2011, and glistens from start to finish. After opening with the grandiose synthesizer soundscapes of ”Combine”, Maus delivers a range of atmospheric instrumental and vocal synth-pop gems dripping with Italo-disco style arpeggio lines, John Carpenter flourishes and decidedly cheap, lo-fi drum machine rhythms. “Screen Memories” was written, recorded, and engineered by Maus over the last few years in his home in Minnesota. It’s a solitary place situated in the sub-zero winter temperatures creep into the songs as do the buzzing wasps of summer.

Post.23 – Whispers [STILLATON1]

January 3, 2018December 20, 2018 hipodromeindustrial, minimal synth, new wave, post punk, post.23, stilla ton, synth waveLeave a comment

The first release of the Swedish label Stilla Ton comes in the format of 6 tracks pack from Post.23.

Trisomie 21 – Chapters IV [DE195]

December 21, 2017December 21, 2017 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, hervé lomprez, minimal synth, phillipe lomprez, post punk, re-release, reissue, synth wave, trisomie 21Leave a comment

Trisomie 21 is a post punk band formed in 1981 by Phillipe Lomprez (vocals, drums) and Hervé Lomprez (guitar, electronics), two brothers from Abscon, in the North of France. They began composing songs at the age of 16 while studying at school. Their music consists of lush soundscapes that do not easily fit into any one category. Lyrics are sung in English because in the north of France the duo sought to contradict the trend at the time for everything to be sung in French. Since 1983 they’ve recorded 15 albums and appeared on numerous compilations and remain active to this day. For their fourth album the Lomprez brothers spent September and October of 1985 recording nine new compositions. In January 1986 ‘Chapter IV, Le Je-ne-sais quoi et le presque-rien’ was released by PIAS sub-label Scarface. The title came from a 1957 book by French philosopher and musicologist Vladimir Jankélévitch. The songs on the album, including the emblematic The Last Song’, were captivating, original and without concession. This record further opened the door to new opportunities, and the band’s music spread further internationally. Sadly some of the songs had phase related problems and caused partial cancelation playing back monophonically, so the band remixed and re-recorded the songs and reissued them on CD only in 1987.

Powell – New Beta Vol 2 [DIAG041]

December 21, 2017August 2, 2018 hipodromealbum, diagonal records, electronics, experimental, powell, synth waveLeave a comment

Powell loosens up and reaches out on the 2nd New Beta playground – a place to explore his more reflexive, emotive urges – with seven curious permutations that swerve from Æ-style abstraction to pointillist electro-acid and a brace of mutant diskotheek breakers. As with the first volume, he’s clearly still gassed off his new hardware, resulting in a nerve-jumping fizz and crack that sounds like he’s jamming with fingers directly in the jack ports, channelling his thoughts and feels practically unimpeded.

Shakkatam – Change / Run [TAT022]

December 21, 2017December 20, 2017 hipodromejacqueline fuijkschot, miss nixon, shakkatam, synth pop, synth wave, tear apart tapesLeave a comment

First release by a female ensemble from Rotterdam. Shakkatam is a collaboration between Miss Nixon and Jacqueline Fuijkschot. All tracks are recorded at the attic of the Falafular Modules HQ.

Sellorekt / LA Dreams – Turbo Quest [TURBO02]

December 20, 2017December 19, 2017 hipodromedisco, la dreams, mothball record, mothball turbo, sellorekt, synth waveLeave a comment

Following on from 2015’s ‘Dreamatic’ EP by FM Attack is the belated next chapter in Mothball’s ‘Turbo’ series, dedicated to the best in contemporary synthwave. Sellorekt / LA Dreams is one of the most prolific and consistent artists in the genre, with a musical oeuvre spanning more than 30 albums. This 6 track EP has been carefully selected to make a thematically cohesive and exhilarating listening experience with maximum replay value.

Trisomie 21 – Wait & Dance LP [DE194]

December 19, 2017December 19, 2017 hipodromealbum, dark entries records, hervé lomprez, phillipe lomprez, post punk, re-release, reissue, synth wave, trisomie 21Leave a comment

Trisomie 21 is a post punk band formed in 1981 by Phillipe Lomprez (vocals, drums) and Hervé Lomprez (guitar, electronics), two brothers from Abscon, in the North of France. They began composing songs at the age of 16 while studying at school. Their music consists of lush soundscapes that do not easily fit into any one category. Lyrics are sung in English because in the north of France the duo sought to contradict the trend at the time for everything to be sung in French. Since 1983 they’ve recorded 15 albums and appeared on numerous compilations and remain active to this day.In Spring 1985 the group went back into the studio to record a new batch of songs. Trisomie 21’s notoriety had increased following two concerts in Belgium and the Brussels recording label Play It Again Sam decided to sign them. In September 1985 the 5-song mini-LP ‘Wait & Dance’ was released by PIAS sub-label Scarface. It contained the band’s first female guest vocals on two of the tracks. Sadly some of the songs had phase related problems and caused partial cancelation playing back monophonically, so the band remixed the songs and reissued them on CD only in 1987. We have added the 5 remixes as bonus tracks here presented for the first time ever on vinyl.