Astute fans of minimal wave should already be familiar with Störung, a duo from the Netherlands who released one classic full length record in 1982 (get it here on Mutant Sounds). Their sound combines some of the most striking minimal electronics with dirty guitars, bass, and alternating male and female vocals.
The band formed in 1981, and during their lifespan released both the This is Future LP and the respective Dreadful Dance 7”. Though a recent archival release by Minimal Wave Records (currently available for a meager $8.50!) appeared two years ago, the band had only these releases under their belt, but still had several unrecorded tracks in their repertoire. An unofficial cassette was released by their label, Combinator, in 1983. The bootleg featured several Störung staples alongside a series of unreleased tracks, recorded during one of the band’s live sets. These are the only known versions of some of these tracks, and though the quality is a bit warm due to the nature of the release, it still holds up as an additional piece of the Störung puzzle.
Without any further ado, here’s the information for the release:
Störung- The Art of Combining Cassette
1. Empire SX
2. Nooduitgang 2
3. Modern Fetch
4. Drums Keep Thundering
5. Europe Calls
6. Radio Lines
7. Onweer
8. This Is Future
9. Siberia
10. Don’t Want To Know
11. Warschau Pact
For the second post for today, I’m pleased to offer the full discography of California based minimal synth band League Of Nations, who released just one LP and 12” on Glaze Records.
League of Nations were a two piece consisting of Laurie Jean on drums and programming and David Sinfield on piano, synth, and voice. The pair had also released one 7” in 1981 under David Sinfield’s full name. Otherwise, here’s the information for their discography.
League of Nations- Music For the New Depression LP (1984)
1. Illuminous
2. Overlord
3. Index Of Motion
4. Fade
5. Systematic Eyes
6. For A Moment
League of Nations- Fade 12” (1983)
1. Fade (12” version)
2. Thin Ice Wall
DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED- purchase the League of Nations/David Sinfield reissue here on Anna Logue!
I’ve caught wind of a few various, but unofficial reissues of the full length record. There also seems to be a myspace page, linked here.
Apologies for the disappearance, ladies and gents, been off the radar for most of last week. To make up for it, here’s a generous donation from a contributing member, which collects rare tracks and one 12” by Canadian synthpop act Voice. There’s little information to be found about the band (as it tends to be in matters like this), but otherwise, Voice featured contributions from Dwayne Goettel, who would join Skinny Puppy soon after their demise in 1986. Goettel also played keyboards in likeminded act Psyche, who would open for Skinny Puppy’s earlier incarnations.
Otherwise, seven tracks can be found in the file below. Four hail from the band’s 1985 Anno Di Voce 12”, released on Switch Records. The other three hail from an 1983 cassette release. An alternate version of “Lime” exists on this release, but the other two tracks are exclusive. The lineup on the cassette release was Malcolm Swann, Dwayne Goettel, Sherri Iwaschuk, and Jeff Sawatzky. Jeff would depart before the recording of the 12” single.
Without any further ado, here’s the info!
Voice- Anno Di Voce 12”
1. Lime
2. Business As Usual In Beirut
3. Wake Up Dreaming
4. I Am the Walrus [Beatles cover]
I’ve been enamored with UK synthpop/new wave band Fiat Lux’s killer track “Secrets,” which was lovingly deposited into my collection a few weeks back. Since then, I’ve been trying to track down the band’s complete discography, piecing together extended mixes, 7” recordings, and as many unreleased tracks as I could muster, and I’m finally able to offer what I believe to be the complete discography of Fiat Lux. Though no track is as gloomy and delicious as “Secrets,” there are still quite a few obscure new wave cuts ripe for the discovery.
Fiat Lux, firstly, translates from Latin as “Let There Be Light,” originally a Biblical quotation. The three piece band formed in 1982, releasing a handful of Polydor singles along a three year period before disbanding in 1985. Though a few of these singles were collected as a mini-LP, Fiat Lux never issued a full-length album proper. Upon disbanding, vocalist Steve Wright joined Camera Obscura and formed Hoi Poloi. Meanwhile, multi-instrumentalist Dave Crickmore is currently a member of Durbervilles. Unfortunately however, saxophonist/keyboardist Ian Nelson (member of Tattoo Hosts Vision On! and brother of the infamous Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe), died in his sleep in 2006.
Anyway, according to HiredHistory, a comprehensive fan made page, the following is Fiat Lux’s entire discography collected. There’s a few tracks that overlap, so please forgive the occasional dose of redundancy. Otherwise, I’ve also tracked down a handful of unreleased tracks, demoed over the years but never officially released. I’m on the hunt for more and will keep everyone posted if they turn up. Otherwise, without any further ado, here’s the rundown:
Feels Like Winter Again 7” (1982)
1. Feels Like Winter Again
2. This Illness
Photography 7” (1983)
1. Photography
2. Aqua Vitae
Photography 12” (1983)
1. Photography (Extended)
2. Aqua Vitae (Extended)
Secrets 12”* (1983)
1. Secrets
2. Comfortable Life
3. Aqua Vitae (Extended)
*there exists a 7” of “Secrets,” but the A and B side are the same as the 12”.
Blue Emotion 7” (1984)
1. Blue Emotion
2. Sleepless Nightmare
Blue Emotion 12” (1984)
1. Blue Emotion (Extended)
2. Sleepless Nightmare (Extended)
Hired History Mini-LP (1984)
1. Secrets
2. Photography (Extended)
3. Blue Emotion (Extended)
4. Comfortable Life
5. Sleepless Nightmare (Extended)
6. Aqua Vitae
House of Thorns 7” (1984)
1. House of Thorns
2. Three’s Company
House of Thorns 12” (1984)
1. House of Thorns (Extended)
2. Three’s Company (Extended)
3. Sally Free and Easy
Solitary Lovers 7” (1984)
1. Solitary Lovers
2. No More Proud
Solitary Lovers 12” (1984)
1. Solitary Lovers (Extended)
2. No More Proud (Proud Mix)
3. No More Proud (Dub Mix)
Unreleased Traxx:
1. Breaking the Boundary
2. The Moment
3. Solitary Lovers (Alt.)
4. Splurge
All of these tracks are sorely out of print, but perhaps the remaining members of the band can clean ’em up for a proper reissue. Otherwise, if you catch wind of any of these releases, snap them up! Otherwise, thanks again to HiredHistory for all their dedicated efforts in cataloging this band’s brief stint. Visit for more on the band, including press photos, gigography, and more information than you can shake a stick at! Otherwise, I’ll leave you with one final treat, the video for “Secrets,” my favorite track from the lot!
Sorry for the delay, ladies and gents, but I’ve returned and look forward to resuming regular activity on this blog. To kick things off, I have two posts lined up for this afternoon. The first is Belgian minimal wave/synthpop band Pas De Deux, who formed in the early eighties. Taking their name from a popular French dance step, the band’s first appearance was a legendary performance at the Eurovision Song Contest, where the band debuted their mainstay “Rendez-Vous” to a misunderstanding crowd. Despite it’s lukewarm reception (the band placed third to last in the competition), “Rendez-Vous” became a rather prominent Belgian single in the summer of 1983.
The band released one mini-LP, and surrounded its release with a handful of singles. The Des Tailles LP, released in 1983, has been reissued a handful of times, each with slightly different tracklistings encompassing further b-sides and single tracks. However, here’s the information for the original Belgian pressing, released on Parsley Records.
Pas De Deux- Des Tailles Mini-LP
1. Rendez-Vous
2. Mani Meme
3. Lits Jumeaux
4. Take A Cigarette
5. Instant Karma (John Lennon cover)
6. Cold Turkey/Axe Ends (Medley)
*download link removed by request*
For your viewing pleasure, here’s the infamous Eurovision Song performance of “Rendez-Vous”, complete with alternate instrumentation. Oh, the internet!
This particular band hails from Boston and mixes coldwave guitars with minimal electronics, shifting gears into more of a synthpop/italo-inspired dance act over the years with plenty of big beats and catchy hooks. Primarily a two piece based around Kearney Kirby and Ann Prim (expanding to a four piece over time), November Group was once known as Wunderkind, but changed their name to reflect a group of German expressionist artists before their first release in 1982.
The band released two 12”s and two mini-LPs , and I’ve tracked them all down for your listening pleasure. Wikipedia seems to list an untitled cassette release with a handful of tracks, but I can’t seem to find any information about it one way or the other. Should this tape actually exist, and should any astute readers have it handy, feel free to send it our way. Check out the tape HERE.
Otherwise, here’s their entire vinyl output for yr perusal:
November Group- November Group Mini-LP (1982)
1. Shake It Off
2. Flatland
3. Pictures Of The Homeland
4. We Dance
5. The Popular Front
November Group- Persistent Memories 12” (1983)
1. Put Your Back To It
2. I Live Alone
3. Night Architecture
4. Heart Of A Champion
November Group- Work That Dream Mini-LP (1985)
1. Volker/Work That Dream
2. Put Your Back To It (Remix)
3. The Promise
4. Arrows Up To Heaven
5. Careful (A Life Is A Fragile Thing)
November Group- Work That Dream 12” (1985)
1. Volker
2. Work That Dream (Extended Mix)
3. Work That Dream (Instrumental)
Anne Clark is an UK-based experimental musician and poet, who began her career in 1982 and still records to this day. Her work combines spoken word, experimental music, and minimal synth electronics in a rather successful manner, adding a bit more introspection to the dancefloor.
I’ve been especially into her second record these days, 1983’s Changing Places LP, which features the successful single “Sleeper in Metropolis,” which appeared in remixed form in 1985. The record’s A-side [trax 1-6] was recorded and composed by David Harrow, while the second side [trax 7-11] were written and performed by Vini Reiley of the Durutti Column, giving each side a distinctively different tone. Without any further ado, here’s the info for the record:
Anne Clark- Changing Places LP
1. Contact
2. Sleeper In Metropolis
3. Poem For A Nuclear Romance
4. Wallies
5. Lovers Audition
6. Poets Turmoil No. 364
7. Echoes Remain Forever
8. All Night Party
9. Pandoras Box
10. Feel
11. The Last Emotion
Synthpop/New Wave outfit SSQ were formed in 1982, changing their name from simply Q and adding two members. The name shift was mostly due to Quincy Jones’ use of the letter for his own production work.
The California-based band released just one record in 1983, but recorded two songs for the Return of the Living Dead soundtrack, released in 1985. Meanwhile, lead singer Stacey Swain’s popularity began to eclipse her remaining bandmates, and the outfit changed their name to simply Stacey Q. Most are familiar with her new wave hit “Two of Hearts,” though the remaining musicians are still credited as SSQ on the sleeves of Stacey Q’s first two records, Better Than Heaven and Hard Machine. The band also released a few tracks without Swain’s vocals, which appeared exclusively on soundtracks. Also worthy of note that core member Jon St. James not only manned the decks for Berlin’s Pleasure Victim LP (the two bands were labelmates over several occasions), but he also released two excellent synthpop records in the mid-1980s. His track “Trans-Atlantic” remains a favorite.
Without any further ado, here’s the information for the band’s lone release as SSQ, 1983’s Playback, complete with extra bonus tracks including b-sides, extended mixes, 3/4 of the original Q 12”, and an infamous soundtrack appearance.
SSQ- Playback LP
1. Synthicide
2. Jet Town
3. Big Electronic Beat
4. Clockwork [instrumental]
5. Screaming In My Pillow
6. Anonymous
7. Walkman On
8. N’importe Quoi
9. Playback
10. In Living Color
11. Video Girl
12. Music’s Gone
13. Shy Girl
14. Trash’s Theme
15. Tonight (We’ll Make Love Until We Die)
16. Big Electronic Beat (Extended)
17. Synthecide (Extended)
Tracks 1-8: LP
9-17: Bonus Tracks
*DOWNLOAD REMOVED BY REQUEST*- stay tuned news about a new SSQ reissue coming soon!
The album featured several singles which appear on Stacey Q’s respective greatest hits reecord. Both “Synthicide” and “Big Electronic Beat” had decent showings during their tenure, but I’m more partial to the penultimate track “Walkman On.” However, it’s been ages since I’ve posted videos on a regular basis, so click below to watch the promotional clip for “Synthicide” in all its shameless glory:
Here’s a rare experimental/minimal treat to start your weekend, ladies and gents. Little information available about Daily Fauli, but this lone record, released in 1983 on Gry Records, is a minimal synth gem, through and through. Hailing from Denmark, Daily Fauli is the one man project of Søren Fauli, who now works exclusively in film.
Naturally, this particular gem is hard to come by on vinyl, fetching rather high prices on most auction sites, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. It’s pressed on transparent green vinyl to boot, making it an extra rare and unique treat.
Anyway, enough blabbering, here’s the information proper:
Daily Fauli- Fauli Til Dauli LP
1. Bus
2. Out of Sync
3. Bird
4. Zoo 2
5. Hard Kogt 1
6. No 1 On 2
7. Nobody Home
8. Speed
9. Hard Kogt 2
10. Swinet
*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED – please pick up an official copy of the reissue via Minimal Wave!
Shoc Corridor are a very recent discovery of mine, and a pretty damn enjoyable listen. The band is a London based darkwave/minimal synth outfit who formed in 1982 and split only two years later, leaving behind two LPs and a handful of 12” singles.
Though the band had several rotating members, it was mainly a studio project, core consisting of Andy Garnham and Paul O’Carroll. Original members Nogi Prass and Chris Davis left the band after their first 12” due to visa problems. However, tracks these two recorded appeared on their first proper LP, 1983’s Experiments in Incest (6 tracks long, it could be argued that it’s a mini-LP, though each track is on the long size). The band would record one more LP in 1984, but split soon after the suicide of then current bassist Paul Humphries. An anthology of the band’s material appeared on CD in 1993, but all of the band’s output seems to be very much out of print.
Without any further ado, here’s the information for the Experiments in Incest LP:
Shoc Corridor- Experiments in Incest LP
1. Khartoum
2. On Reflexion
3. Artificial Horizon
4. Iceberg
5. In A Empty Room
6. Travelling By Hand
*download link removed* – this LP has been reissued by Dark Entries! Click here to purchase.
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.
Astute fans of minimal wave should already be familiar with Störung, a duo from the Netherlands who released one classic full length record in 1982 (get it here on Mutant Sounds). Their sound combines some of the most striking minimal electronics with dirty guitars, bass, and alternating male and female vocals.
