» 1987 Systems of Romance

Archive for the 1987 Category

Kindergarten – Interference 12” / No. 3 EP

Posted in 12'', 1980s, 1982, 1987, minimal, minimal synth, minneapolis, new wave, post-punk, US on July 22, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Today, I intend to post at LEAST three times, perhaps even four if time allows. Hope your ears can take it!

In short, I’ve been going through my collection and re-ripping/de-clicking records that others have shared in the past in an effort to preserve the best quality and sound for these records. Back in the day, 192 was standard, and it was about hearing the music. Now that hard drive and SD card space is much less of an issue for most, it’s time to do the work to preserve these records as best as we possibly can. It’s an ongoing project that will probably take me the rest of my life to complete, but hopefully it’s helpful for folks out there.

With that in mind, let’s get things started with two records from Minnesota-based new wave/minimal synth project Kindergarten. I believe the band were a four (sometimes five) piece centering around vocalist Robert Engberg, drummer Bob Joslyn, and guitarists Chris Beaty and David Foley. Foley and Joslyn also played together in Things That Fall Down, a more experimental post-punk project. There are still some experimental synth sounds on thee band’s first release, 1982’s Interference 12”. By the time of their second release in 1987, the band evolved into a more post-punk/new wave hybrid, with a little more of a darker college radio kind of sound. They would release one more LP in 1988, which I have heard, but do not own and cannot share in a high enough bitrate. Maybe someday!

Anyway, with that in mind, I really enjoy both records here and I hope you do as well. Here’s the good stuff:

Kindergarten – Interference 12” (1982)
1. Interference
2. Auschwitz
3. God Only Knows

Kindergarten – No. 3 EP (1987)
1. Transportation
2. 10 Little Indians
3. Terri Goes Walking
4. Disco-X
5. Aquamarine

*download both here*

Réseau d’Ombres – Vinyl Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1987, coldwave, french, post-punk, punk, Réseau d’Ombres, synth, synthpunk on March 25, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Ahhh, this band. This band, this band, this band. No single French coldwave band gets my blood boiling more than Réseau d’Ombres. While not romantic and wistful like many of their contemporaries (and like much of the music I tend to prefer), this French trio is downright relentless and extremely caustic, while also remaining completely and utterly danceable. If you haven’t heard them yet, stop what you’re doing right now, download this link, and get listening. You can expect some of the most hard-hitting, synth-driven, coldwave you’ve ever heard – in the vein of bands like Ausweis, Killing Joke, Suicide, Guerre Froide, early Charles De Goal, Les Provisoires, early Xmal, and of course, Bérurier Noir.

The Laval-based band was rather prolific, releasing five cassettes (one which is a live show from 1984), one 7”, one 12”, and two full-length LPs between 1983 and 1987. The live cassette Ireos has been lovingly reissued by Greek label ειρκτή back in 2014, while the other cassettes are a bit more elusive. Except one that is coming in the mail shortly, so more on that later, wink-wink.

When I get in the mood for this band, nothing else will suffice, and with things as they are these last few weeks – let’s just say they’re really hitting the spot today. With that in mind, I wanted to post freshly updated rips of the band’s vinyl-only catalogue, and by “freshly,” I mean, I digitized the two LPs and 12” single for my own personal listening over ten years ago, and just haven’t gotten around to sharing them yet. Much love to Nick from Crispy Nuggets for handling the band’s exceptional debut 7” as well, which I’ve included with his blessing. Also, check out his video restoration work on “Mirrors” as well:

As always, enjoy!

Réseau d’Ombres – Instant 7” (1985)
1. Instant
2. Mirrors

Réseau d’Ombres – Sotcha LP (1985)
1 New York
2 On The Floor
3 D’Estonnie
4 Bigger
5. Return Ticket
6. Blue Horsemen
7. Square
8. Whoska Sound
9. The Gold Of Netsa

Réseau d’Ombres – Axe 12” (1987)
1. Hanky Panky
2. Perska
3. The Gash
4. Holy Scab

Réseau d’Ombres – Faction LP (1987)
1. Soldier
2. Control
3. Howtch
4. Fire Away!
5. 7.00
6. Mockers
7. Today 5
8. Burnt-Offering
9. The Hanged

*download everything here*

7 Comments »

Various Artists- Kram Production

Posted in 1987, black maria, cargo culte, coldwave, compilations, formule tag, ja ich bin, jangle, kram production, New York, no man's land, parade, roma, uncertain call on February 24, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Kram Production was a very short-lived label from France that put out but one compilation in 1987. Whether the label meant to live on past this one release, nobody knows. I also wonder if this label was meant to be French offshoot of Belgian label Crammed Discs, since one band on this compilation (Black Maria) would release the majority of their work on that label. However, this is merely a theory.

Guesswork aside here, this compilation is a rather solid selection of French coldwave, new wave, and jangly rock sounds. All the tracks are pretty good, though some highlights include Formule Tag, Uncertain Call, and Parade. Some bands like Black Maria and No Man’s Land would go on to have careers into the nineties, some like Ja Ich Bin, Uncertain Call, and Cargo Culte would put out just a handful of releases, while others such as Roma and Parade were never heard from again, unless there are some uncovered tapes out there. I do highly recommend the Formule Tag 12” and Uncertain Call’s 7” discography on the whole.

Hope y’all enjoy this one!

Various Artists – Kram Productions
1. Ja Ich Bin- En Travers De La Gorge
2. Cargo Culte- Stranger
3. Uncertain Call- Nickolaï Says No
4. Roma- Run
5. Parade- Blizzard
6. Black Maria- Rain
7. No Man’s Land- Les Morts N’ont Plus Mal
8. Formule Tag- La Sierra

*download it here*

3 Comments »

The Silence Cries – Silent Eyes LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, new wave, post-punk, swiss, switzerland, the silence cries on February 14, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Happy Hallmark Day, y’all! Better late than never with a new post. Here’s the debut album from Swiss post-punk/new wave band The Silence Cries, released in 1987. This three piece band reminds me quite a bit of Mecano, Svätsox, Razor Penguins, early Modern English, and other rickety, yet powerful post-punk bands from the early/mid 80s. There’s also quite a bit of sax, trumpet, and accordion throughout the LP, which adds a nice bit of tension. It’s quite an eclectic album – there’s a lot of variation and dynamic range across the album, and the band occasionally flirts with jangle pop, NDW, and more experimental shades, but still retains that gloomy post-punk sound I love so dearly.

The Silence Cries has a rather modest discography, three albums and two singles, all of which were released on the Winterschatten label. I couldn’t say how their sound evolved on their second and third album, but I’d be curious to find out one of these days. As always, feel free to drop a line if you have any of their other releases, and perhaps you’ll find the band’s first 7” single here soon enough.

Until then…

The Silence Cries – Silent Eyes
1. Change
2. Emotions
3. Grieni Auge
4. Fische Nur
5. Silent Eyes
6. Violence Is Growing
7. Why Should I Dance
8. Slow Death
9. In My Brain
10. Another Beer
11. Frontiers
12. Killed By Unfeeling

*download it here*

6 Comments »

October 8- October 8 LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, indie, jangle, post-punk, US on August 4, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the delay, folks. Hope everyone’s having a lovely summer (or winter, if you’re in a different hemisphere!). Here’s a recent favorite, chock full of summertime jangle pop/indie rock vibes. This LP was released in 1987 on the E Pluribus Unim imprint. The band was a four (sometimes five) piece from Dallas, Texas, and this is their only LP, and what a humdinger it is… Dreamy, melodic guitars reminiscent of early R.E.M, Grapes of Wrath, Winter Hours, Ups and Downs, etc. – heavier on the jangly side, but just gloomy enough to catch my interest. Amy Farrington provides vocals on a few tracks and serves as an excellent ethereal counterpoint to Bruce Gregory Dickenson’s more grounded vocals. Dickenson would join power pop band Pop Poppins shortly after recording this LP.

Hope y’all enjoy this LP as much as I do… I can’t seem to get enough of it lately.

October 8- October 8 LP
1. Capitalism
2. Tomorrow’s World
3. The Love I Want
4. A Place To Go
5. Corrupt Means
6. Killing Time

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Primitive Pleasure – The Vision 7”/Jupiter Remote LP

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1987, indie, jangle, new wave, primitive pleasure on May 20, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Been seeing a lot of love for this one on the net since I ripped this, so figured it was due time to post it properly. Here we have 2/3rds of the discography by US-based jangle/new wave/indie rock band Primitive Pleasure. We’re missing the first 7” from 1984 here, but plenty of great tracks to pore over in the meantime. “The Vision” remains a standout, appearing on both the LP and the 7” in identical form, minus the synth blurbs at the beginning of the LP version. These segues feature throughout the entire LP, cementing the album as a pure hybrid of both new wave and jangle pop that’s a perfect listen for springtime.

Guitarist Pascal Tiger also played in a folkier project called Courtney & Western while Axel Kröll would go on to write and engineer with other bands such as The Blow Monkeys. Brook Thaler, who played organ/synth on “The Primetimes,” also recorded with new wave project Social Register, who released one 7” in 1981.

If anyone can contribute a rip of Love is a Nasty Girl from 1984, please give a shout. Otherwise, enjoy!

Primitive Pleasure – The Vision 7” (1985)
1. The Vision
2. Become a Target

Primitive Pleasure – Jupiter Remote LP (1987)
1. Your Carousel
2. Unspoken Words
3. Life In Between
4. Souls Will Shine
5. The Vision
6. Drifter Blues
7. Jupiter Remote
8. The Primetimes
9. Forever…
10. More Than Stars
11. Painting By Miro
12. Requiem

*download both here*

3 Comments »

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7 & Compilation Tracks

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1987, 1988, coldwave, france, post-punk, ultime possibilité on April 3, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Gérald Page, rhythm guitarist of French post-punk/coldwave band Ultime Possibilité during a brief birthday visit to NYC. He was kind enough to pass along a copy of the band’s first cassette, self-released in 1986, two years before their excellent 7”. I also have his blessing to share the recording here with you all. You can expect the same powerful, yet-catchy sounds throughout this tape, including an earlier version of b-side “No More Lies.” The rest of the tracks are unheard, exclusive to this release, and as incredible as the single that follows.

As a bonus, I’m also including two additional tracks the band recorded, both released on cassette compilations in 1987 and 1988 respectively.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7
1. Would You Smile
2. Sea of Faces
3. No More Lies
4. La Chambre Vide
5. Gardian Angel
6. Pensees Nocturnes

Compilation tracks:
1. Coute Que Coute (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
1. What Was Your Mission (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
2. Coute Que Coute (alternate recording, from Orcades Machinales Volume 1 – 1988)

*download it all here*

Also, please enjoy this amazing TV appearance of the band performing the fiery “Coute Que Coute” on the ZAP program:

Much love to Gérald for his generosity and for all the music! <3

4 Comments »

Passiflora- Statica 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, italian, jangle, passiflora, post-punk on March 2, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Traveling through Europe and landing in Italy for our third and final post today. Passiflora were an Italian outfit who tapped into similar sonic territory as Cocteau Twins, combining ethereal vocals with classical influences, jangly/folky post-punk, and some sax thrown in for good measure. Other touchstones include the excellent and underrated All About Eve or even perhaps The Innocence Mission, if they had a more post-punk edge.

This 1987 single is the band’s first release, though a cassette and a LP would follow after. The band would change vocalists in 1988, splitting after the 1991 LP release.

As always, enjoy!

Passiflora- Statica 7”
1. Statica
2. Gente Del Teatro E Della Morte

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Ear Trumpet – Bring on the Dirt LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, art-punk, art-rock, bc gilbert, buzzcocks, ethereal, experimental, siouxsie and the banshees, steve severin, tony barber, uk, wire with tags ear trumpet on October 14, 2022 by Frankie Teardrop

Back in the early pandemic days, I (and a few pals) started going through our collections with the sole intention of re-digitizing and improving digital copies of our records across the board. So many LPs and singles that exist out there ripped poorly with low bit rates, from back in the long long ago, when digital space was a premium and hearing the record by any means necessary was the one true goal. While we all can be grateful that those rips existed back then to give us a taste of unheard pleasures, now’s the time to improve things. You’ve likely seen me updating posts here and there over the last few years, and I’ve been doing a lot of work behind the scenes as well, spending most of my free time (that isn’t taken up with child care, band responsibilities, and horror movies), sifting through gigabytes and gigabytes of rare records, meticulously separating tracks, de-clicking with the most careful of hands, ensuring that all the music remains intact at the best quality possible. It’s been a labor of love, and I probably have enough posts to keep me going another decade or two. That all said (getting to the damn point), back in 2020, someone asked me to make a new rip of this classic experimental record from UK project Ear Trumpet, and while I can’t remember who asked for it at this point, this post is for you…

Ear Trumpet were a supergroup of sorts, if one could call it that… Aside from two fellows named Neil and Gary, some of the more famliar players include The Banshees/The Glove’s Steve Severin (on organs/synths), Wire/Cupol/Dome’s Bruce Gilbert on guitar, and latter day Buzzcocks/Lack of Knowledge’s Tony Barber on bass, all of which lend their immense talents and knack for experimentation to this LP. This is their lone LP, released in 1987… and while on paper it could easily sound like a goth/punk hybrid by the numbers with these alumni on board (and I’d be perfectly happy with that, mind you), the results are actually quite unique – ethereal in spots, experimental art rock in others, with a solid post-punk bedrock coursing through its veins. I feel like this album is rather underrated in circles – not discussed nearly as much as other Banshees or Wire offshoots, to my knowledge. A blog back in 2008 spoke about it with similar affinity, but otherwise, I don’t see it discussed as much in music groups, forums, etc.

The project released a follow up in 1987, a three-track 12” that continues the story a bit, though I don’t believe Gilbert or Barber performed on that release. It’s been a minute since I’ve listened to the 12”, but I recall it being much heavier/less subtle and nuanced than the LP, hitting more like a Loop/Swans kind of thing. While I like those bands quite a bit, the second release doesn’t hit me quite the same way as the LP, but your mileage of course, may vary.

All that said, here’s the info for the debut LP.

Ear Trumpet – Bring on the Dirt LP
1. Acts Of Devotion
2. Whack
3. Ask My Mother
4. You Go On There
5. The Smell You Get From Old Books
6. Fall Back In Houses
7. No Spill Over
8. Bring On The Dirt
9. Fetch My Bag
10. Last Bus Fever

*download it here*

4 Comments »

A Motion Industry – Pylon the Pressure 7” / compilation tracks

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1987, A Motion Industry, post-punk, uk on August 18, 2022 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s another one lovingly ripped by Goutroy of A Viable Commercial – from his shelves to your hearts. This is the lone single from UK post-punk quartet A Motion Industry, released in 1986. A solid two-track affair, for fans of driving, anthemic bands like Rhythm Corps, The Sound, U2, etc. Lots of guitars here. Aside from this lone 7”, the band does appear to have two additional loose tracks out there, one on the cassette-only compilation Against the Tide and another on 1987’s Sample & Hold compilation. Goutroy was kind enough to rip the latter as well for us, and I’ve found the former out on the internets (not either of our rips), so happy to include both tracks for y’all to complete the discography.

If anyone can help fill in the gaps on their story, we’re all eyes! Otherwise, straight to the good stuff: