Superconscious Records offshoot ”Suco” returns with two bizarre club edits from Bjorn This Way aka Francis Inferno Orchestra.
synth wave
Bocal 5 – Musique Electronique LP [DE137]
Bocal 5 were a No Wave art group composed of Doc Pilot (synths, vocals), Zouka Dzaza (bass), Florian Guillou (synths), Mickey Lepron (electronic drums, bass) and Evy Tinguette (lead vocals). The project was born in November 1980 in Tours, France as the brain child of Doc Pilot. Between 1981 to 1986 Bocal 5 recorded one 7” single and a cassette-only album before taking a year off in 1984 to launch X-Ray Pop. Influenced by Erik Satie, Brigitte Bardot, Suicide and Young Marble Giants, they call their music ”minimum naive new wave.” “Musique Électronique” is a 19-track compilation of songs recorded across 1983, most of which have never been released on vinyl before. 16 tracks appeared on the “From Bocal 5 To X-Ray Pop” album originally released on cassette by Sound of Pig in 1984. Both tracks from their debut 7” originally released in MB5 1984 are included and show a progression in sound as a result of newer recoding equipment and techniques. Also present is a song from the tape compilation “Andreas N°3 L’Animal” released by Fraction Studio in 1984. Armed with a Korg 770, MS-10, Prophet Pro-One, Roland TR-707 and TB-808 they crafted their own brand of quirky synthesized electronic pop. Songs are short, concise and well structured; richly textured, moving at a quick speed with hardly a pause. Evy’s pouting, tongue-in-cheek vocals (sung in French) come together for a catchy, sensuous, danceable, eccentric psychedelic ride. This collection shows the group’s sense of humor, vitality and carefree playfulness.
Jonny 5 – Blindsign [PWAVE002]
Release number two on Pleasure Wave comes from Jonny 5. Here the edit meister delivers four tracks of cosmic goodness, adding synths and drums to the cut n paste..
Death In Vegas – Consequences of Love [DRONE009]
United over a love of Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey, Richard Fearless partners with artist and writer Sasha Grey on ‘Consequences of Love’, the second single from Death in Vegas’ critically lauded sixth studio album, Transmission. In the spirit of this collaboration, we are thrilled to announce the release of ‘Consequences of Love’ with a remix by iconic electronica pioneers Chris & Cosey. “After listening to the stems we could sense a kind of “October Love Song’ vibe in there so – so that’s kind of what we aimed for. We really enjoyed doing it, there was lots of dancing around the studio while we worked on it.” Chris Carter.
Executive Slacks – Seams Ruff LP [DE128]
Executive Slacks began in the hot, humid summer of 1980 Philadelphia by Matt Marello, John Young and Albert Ganss, three bored, broke, anxious art students. Starting out with performance art in subways, they soon took their angst-ridden act to galleries and night clubs. The band found their moniker in a run-down bookstore after seeing an ad for men’s polyester pants. They pieced together sounds that captured the growing paranoia of an age predicted by Orwell and the growing inequalities of the 1980s. They excavated two cassettes that contained their earliest recorded material from 1980 and 1981. “Seams Ruff” is a 13 song compilation from these cassette collections plus a bonus flexi disc featuring a live performance on WXPN from 1980. The tracks were created with the use of heavily modified synthesizers and noisemakers, the broken innards of a grand piano, metal oil drums and a spray painted Harmony Rocket guitar. The Slacks drew their influences from contemporaries like Cabaret Voltaire and Tuxedomoon, as well as Disco and Dadaism. Dripping in nihilism, the song’s lyrics tackle the existential dread of the late 20th century and three of the songs are taken from “Mann ist Mann” a 1926 play by the German modernist author Bertolt Brecht. Executive Slacks’ unique brew of primitive electronics, harsh guitars and aggressive vocals inspired many bands like Ministry, Front 242 and Skinny Puppy.
The Pool – Dance It Down/Jamaica Running [DE130]
Patrick Keel is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and performer. The Pool was his solo project, the sum of fifteen years of experience in live bands, studios, and home recording. Patrick was heavily influenced by the radio of the early and mid 1960’s in Dallas. The British bands and Black soul of the era gave him a distinct style, and shaped his musical attitude. The New Wave/Punk/D.I.Y. attitudes of the late 1970s inspired him to express himself in a new way. 1980 saw the release of “Pool One,” a sixty minute home-produced cassette. “Pool Two” followed in 1981, which received much praise and little distribution. In 1982 he released a 5-song self-titled vinyl EP of tight, skeletal, synthetic dance music. In 1983, “Dance It Down/Jamaica Running” 12” EP was released on Moment Productions. Based on response from D.J.’s in New York and the Bronx, Patrick went back in the studio and remixed two songs from the self-titled EP for rapping, scratching and break dancing. “Jamaica Resting” was sped-up, extended, and reconfigured as “Jamaica Running”. The whirlpool synth-strut of “Dance It Down” came out of the studio as “Dance In Dub”, with a heavier kick and extended dub outro. These spacious versions were optimal for DJ play, slotting regularly in sets at hip clubs like Danceteria. For this reissue we’ve added two bonus European remixes from the 1984 12” of “Dance It Down/Jamaica Running”, released on Nunk records from Belgium. Both songs employ the use of a Boss DR-55, Korg MS-20, Korg PolySix, and a Prophet 5, and were mixed on a 16- track Ampex recorder. The Pool’s spartan, self-assured songs are experiments you can dance to
Folkvett – Tröskelvärk [PATER003]
Pater Noster introduce the debut LP from Swedish synth wizard Christian Åkerström. Produced under the alias Folkvett, ‘Tröskelvärk’ is a collection of ten infectious, hypnotic and cinematic frost-covered Nordic synth jams. Analogue and uncompromising melodic minimal synth, this is music for the ice-cold punks.
Ron Berry – Where Dark Forced Meet [VOD145.RB]
Born in Manchester, UK 1947 Ron Berry became interested in electronics as a child in the mid fifties making radios and other electronic projects. His first musical instrument was a home-made electric guitar made out of scrap wood with pickups fashioned from magnets and coils found in old headphones. He played in his first band at school 1962 and then in various groups as lead guitarist in and around Manchester during the Beatles led Mersey beat era. The “Where Dark Forced Meet” album was first released in 1982 on cassette by Flowmotion label.
Stephen Cadman – Big Smith Stays in Bed [VOD145B1SC]
Stephen Cadman is a synthesist from Leeds, GB now living in Australia. In late 1980 he produced and released a C60-Tape on his own Big Smith’s Nose Tapes-Label. His synth music and style in the vein of Tangerine Dream and other german electronica bands of the 70’s found interest to Ian Dobson and was then distributed via Ian and also (re)-released shortly after on the Flowmotion-Label.
Synths Versus Me – Tormento Part 1 [OR11SE2016]
Oraculo Records announce a new release, “Tormento Part 1” from Synths Versus Me. After the sold out Synths Versus Me first album “Auferstehung”, they release the first part of their second album “Tormento” that have been divided in 2 parts on the vinyl edition in order to maintain the EP/Maxi sound in all the tracks.
ΠΡΟΣΟΠΟ – Prosopo [LXRC027]
Lux Rec shifts again its attention to Greece. ΠΡΟΣΩΠΟ (PROSOPO) is June’s newest alias,and means Face -disturbed microcosm where to experiment with different machines, unconventional textures and rhythms. The result is as uncomfortable as it gets, arid desires, despair concealed with cold resonating motives. A fast descent into a deserted heart. A feverish feeling, much like when it is warm and one still shivers. Annoyed greek Gods playing tricks on humans.
VA – In The Dark Again 05 [DARK005]
Another well selected wavey release on In The Dark Again, with tracks from Kline Coma Zero, Lvrin, June and Dmitry Distant & Igors Vorobjovs.
Dmx Krew – The New Age Travellers [EKS009]
This record can easily be classified as Library. Listening to these tracks moves your senses back and forth through time, from 80’s sci-fi back to Raymond Scott’s early 50’s experiments. The perfect soundtrack for bedrooms, late night dinners and greenhouses Ed Dmx contributes to a tradition in musical history, a richly vivid trail in which composers influence each other’s harmonies and ways of writing tunes, like an endless ping-pong game between minds and individuals but at the same time between continents and places throughout the world. Unlike many of Ed Dmx’ electro- oriented productions, ‘TheNew Age Travellers’ shows a more intimate side of his work. A story told through short synthesized conversations and electric piano improvisations is reminding us to cry, dream, remember, feel, live … and love.
In Æternam Vale – Pink Flamingos [DM3D013]
In Æternam Vale, long the best-kept secret of the french synth punk scene, has been revealed many times now. This is about writing a new chapter of that 33+ years story, that begun in Lyon in 1983 as a band, whose leader Laurent Prot – an electronics pioneer and maniac – took over as a solo act since 1985. This new album explores another side of ‘IAV’, that echoes how Laurent sounds now – a ferocious take on techno, post-punk rhythmic elements and drone soundscapes, planted with unrestrained improvisation, and getting closure with a song time after time. This record is not a compilation of tracks that would stick to a particular time period or subgenre. On the contrary ; there is a definite common thread, that had been found while losing oneself in the intensity of his spectacular live performances lately. Being carried away by his drone improvisations and smothering bass bins, and hearing him play his music, both old and new, there is a singular feeling of both freedom and transcendence that emanates from his music. Some of his lives have lead audiences to become completely silent, and taken away by hypnosis, some other have caused a riot, leading the audience to ultimate excitement. IAV stands for a whole-hearted involvement in the making of his music, and despite the cold and electronic textures, there is a sense of intimacy that we’ve tried to reflect through the choice of the closing song “La Pluie”.
Vinilette – Beyond The Meridian
Cold Colors & Xiu – Loneliness [OR0082015]
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.
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.
VA – Der Zeltweg – Italian Tapes Industrial Music 1982-1984 Volume 2 [MNQ081]
Second volume of ‘Der Zeltweg – Italian Tapes Industrial Music 1982-1984’, the legendary Musumeci’s tape label existed for some few years in the early 80’s. Edition of 500 copies on 160 gram black vinyl. Coloured Vinyl. While the A-side is filling all the music produced by some of their side projects (Errata-S-Corrige, Gasdehyde and Herpes-Z) that we already introduced in the first volume, plus an unreleased Musumeci very early studio track ‘Apologia/Musumeci’, the B-side is presenting for the first time the full reissue of ‘The Psychophatic Blossom – Il Fantasma della Libertà’ tape (Der Zeltweg 002), an unexpected guitar-bass-noises experimental album, permeated by philosophical declamations in Italian language and short pulsating rhythmic compositions.
Alessandro Adriani – Montagne Trasparenti [MF111LP]
Alessandro Adriani has become a trusted source for all kinds of beyond-the-grave coldwave delights, from Maoupa Mazzochetti to The Neon Judgement. Aside from his work in releasing forgotten gems and up to the minute synth incantations, Adriani has also been quietly issuing out his own music as well. Primarily this has taken the shape of Newclear Waves, having surfaced on split tapes and 7″s on Mannequin as well as an album on Desire back in 2012. Under his own name, production has been less forthcoming, although Adriani did pop up on Nico Fidenco’s 2015 album Zombi Holocaust with a remix of the track “The Magic Is In The Process”. Now though it’s time for the Mannequin boss to delve back into the long player game with Montagne Trasparenti, which is scheduled to land on Monofonus Press in late March. Adriani in fact collaborated with Willie Burns as Interbrain and delivered a track to the IXTAB compilation on the Austin, Texas-based label last year, but now he returns with nine tracks that further expand on his own interpretation of ghoulish body music. According to the label, the album was recorded between Adriani’s native Rome and adopted Berlin, “in various years of travelling, composing, fighting with cables and machines.”
