This one has been a favorite from the moment I first heard it, a front-to-back excellent LP that’s all killer, no filler. As always, many thanks to Goutroy for originally ripping this LP, which was originally released in 1988 on Parabellum Records. Fem Snabba were a five piece post-punk band from Sweden whose discography consists of two LPs and three singles. Their sound is reminiscent of bands like All About Eve, Tinderbox-era Siouxsie, Asmodi Bizarr, latter-period Xmal Deutschland, a lil Cocteau Twins, and all the other great bands in this vein. A nice blend of ethereal gothic sounds, which is certainly a sweet spot around these parts…
As a bonus, I’ve included the band’s first 12” from 1986, which features different recordings of “I Ditt Land” and “Saknad” but is as equally dark and engaging as the LP.
Fem Snabba- Sinnesplats 12” (1986)
1. Vårda Ditt Skrik
2. Saknad
3. I Ditt Land
4. Sinnesplats
Fem Snabba- Pupiller LP (1988)
1. Saknad
2. Dagar Som Pupiller
3. Jord Och Stad
4. Gnistrande
5. Under
6. Kurragömma
7. Bårar Över Eld
8. Tinder
9. I Ditt Land
10. Nattfjärilen
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
A few posts back, I alluded to this stunning LP on Angel Records, the Italian label owned and operated by Fotoscura. This lone LP by Selena Moor was released in 1988 on the label, and is truly gorgeous in every which way. Despite the name on the sleeve, this is not a solo artist, but instead a four piece band that formed in the wake of Still Life, a more proper post-punk project with some crossover sounds. This LP continues in their footsteps, but adds a heavy ethereal atmosphere that should be perfect for those ready to slip into Autumn. Obvious touchstones here include Dead Can Dance, mid-period Cocteau Twins, but also Black Tape for a Blue Girl. While there are some very delicate passages on this LP, there’s also plenty of driving force throughout, just enough to keep things grounded.
After this LP, Giulia Lippolis went on to sing with Engel Der Vernichtung, who continue on unraveling the ethereal/darkwave/neoclassical threads here.
Without any further ado, the details:
Selena Moor- Medio Eva LP
1. Oasi Mandarina
2. Oniria Nel Quadro
3. Mahijora
4. Islanda
5. Orizzonte
6 Agueira #1
7. Aurore
8. Agueira #2
PS- for those hip to “the social media,” I’ve started an Instagram account for the blog, which you can find over here (systemsofromanceblog). Follow if you like, and see you soon enough!
I’ve always enjoyed this dreamy Italian post-punk record from 1988, and I thought y’all might, too. This is the lone LP from Fotoscura, a five-piece who were from Rome. The sounds are a mix of ethereal, melodic passages and melancholy post-punk, definitely recommended for fans of The Cure, The Essence, Lowlife and so on. I love every track on this record, some of my favorite kinds of sounds this side of the spectrum. Angel Records, the band’s label, also released a handful of neoclassical recordings as well as some Edge of the Water material. I’m also quite fond of the Selena Moor record, but I’m also a sucker for a good ethereal sound…Maybe I’ll post that one in the near future.
As for Fotoscura, there’s also a demo tape that fetches quite a pretty penny, but I haven’t heard it, sadly. Rumor has it there will be a reissue of some sorts coming, so stay tuned here (or better yet, over at the band’s Facebook page) for more details.
Fotoscura- Fotoscura LP
1. Guerra Senza Nome
2. …Nel Buio
3. Fotoscura
4. Cavaliere Del Nulla
5. 1991
6. Volo
It’s no small secret that I tend to go wild for things on the more ethereal/dream pop side of the spectrum, especially now more than ever before. With that in mind, today’s post was originally recommended by Goutroy and has become a fast favorite these last few weeks. Here we have the first 12” by The Telling a band from California. The band, consisting primarily of Don and Sheri Swanson, released this debut single in 1986 and followed it up with two albums in 1990 and 1998, respectively. I’ve heard a bit of the first record, which mixes in some more folk influences, via YouTube and immediately ordered a CD copy, but I haven’t heard much of the second record just yet.
This debut 12” features two vocal tracks and two dreamy, instrumental passages. While it may be easy to pick out the usual 4AD influences on this single, I also hear the playful art-pop influence of Kate Bush throughout, especially on closing track “Heaven Never End.” Other natural touchstones include latter-era Japan/early Sylvian solo works, and of course, the highly underrated Bel Canto, who were operating around the same time with their own blend of ethereal, atmospheric synth pop.
Hope you all enjoy!
The Telling- The Telling 12”
1. Ghost of Tokyo
2. Cocoon
3. Sand Mass
4. Heaven Never End
Just spotted a photo of one of these LPs come up in a recent memories post, as I picked up a copy of this based on the cover art alone during my last trip to Boston a year or so ago. Here we have both vinyl releases by Emerald Vein, aka the solo project of Boston-based musician Robert Young. Previous bands of Robert’s included alternative band Uzi and post-punk band A Scanner Darkly, whose 1988 LP This Is the Way serves as a solid Sisters of Mercy-esque guitar record.
As for Emerald Vein, Young took things in a more ethereal direction, mixing a few post-punk tracks in with neoclassical and dream pop influences. Kind of my sweet spot for when the air has a bit of a chill in it still. Both of these LPs are unique listens, calling the likes of In the Nursery, Into a Circle, Breathless, Mark Renner, Eden, Black Tape For a Blue Girl, and maybe even a little Gilmour-era Pink Floyd to mind here and there. Land of the Living has a track or two with some co-harmonies from Colleen Nichole Jacobucci, and has an overall more experimental touch but is still very much in the vein of the first LP. Terence Donahue, drummer of A Scanner Darkly, also performs on a handful of tracks across both releases. Donahue was also involved with IPR stalwarts Deception Bay.
Here’s the details for both LPs. Note: will be taking better quality album photos shortly, please stand by!
Emerald Vein- Existence LP (1989)
1. Worship
2. Existence
3. Completely Nothing
4. The Messiah
5. Promise
6. Out Of My Head
7. Take Hold
8. In His World
Emerald Vein- Land of the Living LP (1991)
1. Land Of The Living
2. The Difference
3. The Living End
4. Memory Inside My Head
5. Breath
6. Father Of Lies
7. Light
8. My Maker
9. Bury This Void
10. Colors
Robert has also made a digital download of his favorite cuts from both albums available here, if you’d like to upgrade some of the tracks from vinyl rips to crystal clear digital copies. Definitely worth grabbing the link above for the full discography, and even though Robert’s Bandcampo is pay-what-you-want, I deeply encourage purchasing the tracks and supporting Young’s work.
For the last post of the year, I’d love to share two excellent CD-only collections of exclusive dream pop, ethereal, and shoegaze tracks from Bedazzled, released in 1994 and 1995, respectfully. I can’t help but get nostalgic during this time of year, and listening to these comps make me miss Bedazzled and the centralized US/Canadian dream pop scene that thrived in the late 80s and early 90s.
With that in mind, these compilations showcase the majority of the acts on the label, and include rare or otherwise exclusive tracks across the board. Most notable are repeat SOR-offenders An April March, as well as tracks from Mistle Thrush, Viola Peacock, Underflowers, The Curtain Society, Ultracherry Violet, This Ascension, and of course, Monica Richard’s pre-Faith and the Muse project Strange Boutique. Kindred Spirits extends a little further past the immediate Bedazzled family and includes tracks from Switchblade Symphony, Purple Ivy Shadows, and extremely underrated band The Garden, who are worth price of admission alone.
Of course, let’s get to the listening! Thanks for an excellent year, y’all!
Various Artists- Kindred Spirits CD (1994)
1. This Charm- Strange Boutique
2. Clown- Switchblade Symphony
3. Adrenaline- The Curtain Society
4. Pontus- Siddal
5. Falling in Love- Ultracherry Violet
6. Whispers- Mistle Thrush
7. Pocketful (Remix)- Big Hat
8. As I Hit the Floor- Twelve Tone Failure
9. Shave Your Head- Viola Peacock
10. Blackwell Road- Opium Den
11. Admire- This Ascension
12. Blithe Spirit- The Garden
13. Carry Nation for the First Time- Purple Ivy Shadows
Various Artists- Woke Up Smiling CD (1995)
1. She Is A Flower- Mistle Thrush
2. Cradle- The Curtain Society
3. In The Lonely Trees- Strange Boutique
4. Sense Of Skin- Where I Wake Warm
5. An Angel A Week- Viola Peacock
6. In Galleons Lap- Feast Of Saints
7. As Far As Forever- Johanna’s House Of Glamour
8. Shindo- Chainsuck
9. Wayve- Ultracherry Violet
10. Halo- Blueshift Signal
11. A Glendale Melody- Siddal
12. Delirium- An April March
13. Psalm To The Sun- Underflowers
14. Falling- Lanterna
Got an email request for the early material of A Primary Industry, an incredibly underrated UK band who walked a fine line between the avant ghetto of SPK, 23 Skidoo, and A Certain Ratio and the ethereal textures of Cocteau Twins and Operating Theatre. While their lone LP Ultramarine was released in 1986, there are quite a few tracks that point heavily towards the shoegaze genre that was barely a glimmer across a pedalboard at the time.
That all said, A Primary Industry released most of their material on Sweatbox, an excellent label also responsible for the like-minded In the Nursery during their earlier and more experimental phase. The label also released a handful of Meat Beat Manifesto records, so you get an idea of some of the wildly oscillating moods and textures that can be found across all three bands. Otherwise, once A Primary Industry ran its course, the band morphed into Ultramarine (sharing the name with API’s lone LP), who released a series of more electronic/downtempo records in the 90s, and one in 2013. While Ian Cooper and Paul Hammond stayed on board for both projects, vocalist Jemma Mellerio left after Ultramarine’s first LP, Folk.
A Primary Industry’s work has been shared before, but at low bitrates that have since been scrubbed from the internet blogosphere. As their work is some of my very favorite, it was due time to dust off my copies of these records and share them across the board. Thanks also to Jeffo! for supplying a great rip of the band’s first 7”. I’ve uploaded the band’s four main singles and excellent LP from fresh rips, but have also included a handful of compilation tracks. I can’t take credit in any way for the lower bitrate comp rips, with the exception of the exclusive track from Bark, an excellent compilation from the Sweatbox label that also features The Anti Group, Perennial Divide, Meat Beat Manifesto, and In the Nursery. Just wanted to include the other comp tracks (minus Life at the Top, as the version of “Perversion” is identical to the 7” b-side, as is the mix of “Heart of Glass” from Bark) to complete the discography, more or less.
That said, if anyone has the elusive Real Time 6 compilation (or the exclusive track “Under Western Eyes”) I’d love to hear it, as that’s all we’re really missing here… Otherwise, enjoy!
A Primary Industry- At Gunpoint 7” (1984)
1. At Gunpoint
2. Perversion
Various Artists- Heures Sans Soleil LP (1985)
11. From This Prospect
A Primary Industry- 7 Hertz 12” (1986)
1. Cicatrice
2. Obeah
3. Biting Back
4. Bled Dry
A Primary Industry- Ultramarine (1986)
1. Body Blow
2. Beacon Hill
3. Shear
4. Sans Orange
5. Cicatrice
6. Watchword Weal
7. Gush
8. Raw Umber
9. Silesia
10. Rose Madder
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Various Artists- Suck (A Soundtrack For Everyday Living) LP (1986)
5. Rose Madder (Edit)
When’s the last time we had a video here?! With that in mind, there’s a video for “Cicatrice” (the first track of theirs I heard, and the winner among winners). Enjoy!
I’ve had this LP for YEARS- picked it up on a whim when I was carpet bombing Academy Records’ old Williamsburg location every other week. I recall liking it ok, but it took until yet another vinyl purge to rediscover it and finally appreciate it. Better late than never, I suppose!
Anecdotes aside, this is the first LP from Cassell Webb, released in 1986 on both New Rose and Statik Records, respectively. The sounds here are definitely moody and ethereal, quite delicate in some spots, but also not without its post-punk charms. Upon re-listening, I found touches of Fleetwood Mac and Area to be found throughout. Most notably for some readers, this record was a collaboration with Adrian Borland of The Sound, complete with guitar work, backing vocals, and even a cover of “Total Recall” from Heads and Hearts. Pretty cool!
Unlike most of the records featured here, this album was released on CD in 1988, which is the version I’ve uploaded here. That said, I much prefer the spacious LP cover… Either way you slice it, hope you folks enjoy!
Cassell Webb- Llano LP/CD
1. Llano
2. Voices to Rivers
3. In Arcadia
4. Every Time I Get Around You
5. Total Recall
6. Gypsy Solitaire
7. Wandering Ones
8. When the Rain Stops Falling
Apologies for flooding your hard drives yet again, but I’ve been meaning to post this tape for months now, and it’s due time for it to be heard. Here we have the debut demo cassette from Pro Memoria, a haunting and gloomy French Coldwave band from Lyon, one of the country’s hotspots for this sound. The cassette was self-released in 1988, and features three incredible studio tracks and one live number to top it off. Fans of Cocteau Twins, Lost Desert, Rosa Luxemburg, Baroque Bordello, Collection D’Arnell-Andrea, etc. will love this one.
There are a handful of scattered compilation appearances around the same era as this release, including two tracks on the often mentioned Nos Années Folles compilation (Lost Desert, Spleen Ideal, etc.) The band changed their sound a bit to incorporate some jazz influences, releasing Elegia in 1991. You can grab that one from 7” From the Underground. “Cinderella” from this cassette has been cleaned up and reissued on the excellent Transmissions Continued compilation on Infrastition.
Pro Memoria- 1988 K7
1. Cindirella
2. Le Cri
3. Secret Du Prisme
4. Pro Memoria (Live Lyon, Mars 88)
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.
