For those not as jazzed about the previous guitar-driven posts, here’s something that should whet your appetite and offset the darkness a bit, courtesy of BX. I posted the a-side to this magnificent French minimal synth 7” on the first Systems of Romance compilation, and suffice to say, the b-side is of similarly high quality. Also an instrumental, but some great grooves here.
This 1981 single is Theirry Meyer’s only release, so not much more to tell about this one. Enjoy!
It’s been a long eight months, but I’ve since tracked down the remaining Sanity Plexus discography, consisting of a 12” and a full length LP. While the band taps into a little more production value here, there’s still the raw, DIY aesthetic throughout both releases that appeals. Fans of raw post-punk and indie rock with hard-hitting minimal drum programming should find lots to love here. Synth fans will especially dig the LP, which features arpeggiated keyboard lines and string pads to flesh out the sound a bit further than the two previous releases.
Both of these records were released on the same label as the debut 12”, which you can nab here if you missed it. Without any further ado, here’s the info:
Sanity Plexus- Tough Guy Shell 12” (1990)
1. Tough Guy Shell
2. Career Boys
3. Ambassador of Angst
4. The Pleasure Utensils
Sanity Plexus- Fidelity LP (1991)
1. It’s Not What You Think
2. Fatty Takes A Flyer
3. You Never Can Tell
4. Malevolent Angel
5. Big Chill
6. Why I Don’t Dance
7. Ozone-Friendly Boyfriend
8. Slice Of Life
9. Pop
10. Scandal In A Small Town
I’ve been meaning to post this LP for months now, don’t know why it’s taken me so long. Up on the slab is the lone LP by Claude Raines, a US based guitar-driven post-punk band from Rochester, NY. Rochester must’ve been a great breeding ground for awesome, underrated post-punk, between this LP and of course, Eleven Pond. In fact, Cedric Herrera, vocalist for this band, was also the singer of Red Violet Red, the band that preceded Eleven Pond!
The closest touchstones for this 1987 LP include The Church, The Chameleons, Psychedelic Furs, and The Snake Corps, complete with the big guitar driven sound of all those bands. Perhaps a bit of a R.E.M./Grapes of Wrath vibe as well, just a bit heavier than either of those bands tend to run. According to the band’s Myspace page, run by an official member, they are hoping for a reissue and are looking for interested parties or labels who could make it happen. Hopefully this post here can bring this excellent LP to more widespread attention. Feel free to reach out to the band!
Claude Raines- Claude Raines LP
1. All Of The Days
2. No Talk
3. Stumbling Hard
4. Looking Around (Acoustic Mix)
5. Moving Through The Fields
6. Dancing
7. Looking Around
8. Going Under
Here’s a killer post-punk 7” from 1982, released on Portion Control’s Rhythmic Records. The band hailed from the UK and this is their only release, though Albie De Luca of Gene Loves Jezebel/Furyo was a member. Definitely a must for fans of (early) New Order and Modern English. Coincidentally, members of Modern English produced this one. Otherwise, gloomy vox and punchy rhythms make this one a must for all fans of this kind of sound!
Troops For Tomorrow- Songs of Joy & Faith 7”
1. Songs Of Joy & Faith
2. The Prisoner
Fulfulling a quick request to kick off this week, here are the remaining two Parade Ground 12” releases, both of which have not been shared to my knowledge. You can get the rest of their material here, here, and here respectively, where you can also read more about these Belgian EBM pioneers.
Parade Ground- Man In a Trance 12” (1984)
1. Retired
2. This Luxury
3. The Net
Parade Ground- Hollywood 12” (1988)
1. Hollywood
2. Hollywood (The Sexiest Fish)
Here’s the full 12” discography of DADA, another new wave band from New York City. Contained within are both of their releases, both which walk a fine line between catchy minimal synth and bouncy synthpop.
The first 12” was discovered whilst record shopping with Goutroy, who recently relocated to NYC via San Francisco. I randomly ran into him at a lesser record store, after a rather unceremonious trip home. A little solo shopping therapy turned into an afternoon of bin-hopping around the village. Sometimes I shop with the intention of looking for things I know, love, and plan to DJ. Other times, an interesting cover or title catches my attention, which is how I find most of the records posted here. However, this record was plucked out by Goutroy at one of my favorite shops in the East Village, a place that keeps odd hours and specializes in new wave. After one brief listen (he had placed this record in the “maybe” pile), I quickly became obsessed (perhaps annoyingly so) with his purchase, and quickly hunted down a copy of my own, and we’ve both been spinning it regularly at the Wierd party since. Camaraderie at its finest! That’s not to say there wasn’t a bit of competitive edge between us that day, as there tends to be when two underground music collectors hunt in the same shop at the same time. I feel like I paid more attention to what he had in his stack as opposed to the bins in front of me. He found R.E.K.’s excellent 12” (found here at Crispy Nuggets) and I seethed with jealousy. That said, we both found each other some excellent gems, and both walked away with some hefty purchases that day. The rest, you can say, was nerd history.
I was able to snag the second 12” online for a relatively cheap price, and while I prefer the first release overall (especially the amazing a-side), the two sound very similar. Not surprising, given that they were released only one year apart. The band seemed to have a sense of humor, from their vocal delivery, lyrical content, and even the record label (presumably self-released under “A Major Recording Label,” whose only releases are these two records). The band members even all shared the same last name, though they may very well be brothers. Slight tongue-in-cheek humor aside, these tracks are perfectly suited for a dancefloor, and are some of my favorite obscure gems.
Speaking of that sense of collector camaraderie, you can also find this same post over at Goutroy’s awesome Viable Commercial blog, back up and running after a brief hiatus! Same rips, two blogs, at the SAME TIME for maximum listening pleasure! Here’s the info:
DADA- Age of Confusion 12” (1987)
1. Age of Confusion
2. Pursuits of Happiness
DADA- Right Men Tell Lies 12” (1988)
1. Discussing Missile Size
2. As the Sun Races By
3. Separate Ways****
4. The World They Left Behind
Here’s another oddball minimal synth gem I’ve had sitting in the upload queue for some time now. A rare entry from the United States, Ohio to be exact, dating back to 1985. You have two mixes of the catchy and quirky single here, backed with a more atmospheric track on the flip. I personally prefer the b-side, but especially enjoy the duality of this release.
You can hear more from the band on a 2007 CD reissue, which features some unreleased gems and “The Fall.” This release was prompted by several inquiries from fans and collectors over the years. Read more about the band’s history (complete with a comprensive bio and gear-list) here, and be sure to pick up a copy of Time Capsule by clicking here!
Perfect Jewish Couple- Ménage À Trois 7”
1. Step Back (Extended Version)
2. Step Back
3. The Fall
Here’s a scarce minimal synth single from Austria. The a-side is an infectious little new wave gem, while the b-side is a manic piece of oddball synth- something for both sides of the minimal synth spectrum!
This is Zerbrechlich’s only release, but the story doesn’t end there. Zerbrechlich was the electronic side project of Dämmerattacke, who appear on the very first Systems of Romance compilation. The Zip Guns, who issued one LP in 1994, also consist of several Dämmerattacke members.
Here’s the info:
Zerbrechlich- Am Strand Von Italien 7”
1. Am Strand Von Italien
2. Bei Den Beduinen
Picked this 7” from 1985 up at one of my favorite NYC record shops, the newly unveiled Heaven Street Records in Greenpoint. Bears no relation to either the Dorian Gray posted here, or the Dorian Grey posted here, though both are worth checking out as well. Seems to be a popular name for those in the pre-Google age!
What we have here are two tracks from the UK wave scene that strike a balance between Into a Circle and Crocodiles-era Echo and the Bunnymen. Not shocking to hear the band once supported Gene Loves Jezebel, as there’s a melodic post-punk vibe running through this single. The b-side is a more percussive and groove-oriented remix of the title track, for those who appreciate that sort of thing. Dig it:
Dorian Gray- Promise of Love 7”
1. Promise Of Love
2. Miles Away
There’s another 12” from 1986 out there, priced a little higher than this 7”. Hope to snag and share that one sometime soon, so stay tuned. There’s also a video for ‘Promise of Love’ kicking around on YouTube, linked for your viewing pleasure:
Thanks to the Museum of Canadian Music (www.mocm.ca) for the information and rip on this one, here’s the incredibly scarce 12” from Glamatron, released in 1981. Some excellent minimal synth tracks combined with organic touches, sometimes reminiscent of John Foxx-era Ultravox. Either way, a true gem. Kurt Laporte, credited as a songwriter on this release, went on to join Vis-A-Vis, who released THIS great record. Here’s the info for this killer 12”. Enjoy!
Glamatron!- Only The Heart Beats…….Inside The Silence
1. Passport
2. Facial Saviour
3. Factor 2-2-2
4. The Word (Death In September)
5. Continentals
6. Porcelain Doll
*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* — a reissue of this LP is now available, with extra tracks! Pick it up!
Systems of Romance was created in mid-2007 to serve as a dumping grounds for all great things coldwave, minimal synth, post-punk, synthpunk, industrial, synthpop, and various other combinations of these styles. Feel free to make requests, noodle around, and discuss all you like...
Otherwise, this blog is dedicated to showcasing material that has long since been out of print. If you are aware of any of these items being readily available from the artist or label, or take issue with these tracks being uploaded, please let me know so I can amend the post or remove the links.
