Archive for the minimal synth Category

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Blue Mathue – Perfect Pictures 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, blue mathue, clockwork orange, minimal, minimal synth, norsk, norweigan, synthpop on July 22, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Jumping across the ocean for the next two posts. This one was also a HUGE DJ staple for me over a decade ago that also lived in my record bag most weeks… This 12” is three tracks of dance-driven minimal synth perfection from Norway’s first synth pop band. Most folks will be familiar with the killer “Perfect Pictures” via the absolutely essential Maskindans CD compilation that collected dozens of equally amazing tracks from the Norsk scene. The second track on this 12” also appeared on the similarly excellent Burning the Midnight Sun compilation in 1984, which also featured tracks by Svart Klovn, Popul Vuh, De Press, and the underrated Fra Lippo Lippi. The third track here is exclusive (for now), and deserves an updated rip along with the rest of them.

While this was the only release by this duo, Jan Berg would quickly form Clockwork Orange, whose track “Sensation Boys” is another stellar gem from the era, Our good friend Nick from Crispy Nuggets was kind enough to share their lone 7” many years back, so be sure to check it out if you missed it.

Moving right along, hope you enjoy!

Blue Mathue – Perfect Pictures 12” (1983)
1. Perfect Pictures
2. In Our Dream
3. The Vision

*download it here*

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Factual – Full Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1982, 1983, 1984, actuel, minimal, minimal synth, nashville, post-punk, US, warm dark pocket on July 22, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Moving south-east here for the second of four posts today, this one collecting the full vinyl discography by Nashville, Tennessee band Factual, whose track “Psychotic Romance” is an underrated minimal synth gem from this rare neck of the woods. That track must have appeared in the majority of my DJ sets back in NYC’s Wierd party where its driving post-punk rhythms and buzzing synths made for a regular foggy dance floor killer. I haven’t heard the track in some time, and fell in love with it (as well as the similarly excellent tracks “Your Way” and “Wire and Chrome”) all over again when re-ripping these for y’all.

This band was otherwise a four piece, and vocalist/synth player Robb Earls also played in similarly like-minded bands Actuel (whose lone album Monuments is a sublime slice of moody Factory-inspired post-punk, maybe I’ll re-post that one soon as well) as well as Warm Dark Pocket, who released one killer 12” that I also should get around to re-ripping soon… Guitarist Skot Nelson would also join caustic industrial/post-punk project Dessau after Factual’s demise.

Here are all three Factual releases, all well worth your time. Enjoy!

Factual – Your Way 7” (1982)
1. Your Way
2. Think to the Beat

Factual – Psychotic Romance 12” (1983)
1. Psychotic Romance
2. Institutions
3. Wire and Chrome
4. Standing Alone

Factual – For the Song 12” (1984)
1. For the Song
2. Psychotic Romance (Remix)

*download all three here*

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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*

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Silent Windfall – And We Have Our Dreams LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, Danish, ethereal, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, post-punk, Silent Windfall on March 20, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been meaning to post this for a long time now. While many may already be familiar with this classic, this is a very special LP, one that has been soothing the savage beast these last few days. I hope this updated rip does the same for you all out there in this crazy world.

And We Have Our Dreams was released in 1986 via Skylight Records, and is the lone LP by Danish project Silent Windfall, who was primarily composed of bassist Lars Ranek and singer/multi-instrumentalist Bo Vess. Pernille Bøcker provides vocals on the first and the last track as well, adding a nice bit of feminine energy to this otherwise gorgeous LP, which is a mix of minimal new wave, post-punk, and ethereal. Some touchstones include early Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Tangerine Dream/Popul Vuh, Felt, This Mortal Coil, and maybe even a little of the mellower, folkier Pink Floyd tracks from the early 70s. There are two tracks with percussion on the first side that lean more post-punk, while the second side is a gentler affair, with expansive piano passages and ambient suites.

I really adore the range and delicacy of this album, and I hope you enjoy it as well…

Silent Windfall – And We Have Our Dreams LP
1. Here I Come
2. She’ll Be My Doom
3. Clouds Are Forever
4 And We Have Our Dreams
5. White Room
6. Float Like A Boat
7. Lifeline

*download it here*

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A Popular History of Signs – Justice Not Vengeance 7” / Crowds 7” / Comrades LP

Posted in 1980, 1980s, 1981, 1984, a popular history of signs, london, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, post-punk on January 24, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Kicking off 2025 here with a bit of a nostalgic post, compiling the first two 7”s and debut LP from A Popular History of Signs, who I first covered back in 2008, in the first year or so of the blog (ahh, memories). I’m sure most folks into this music have heard these releases by now, but the rips of this material I’ve heard before haven’t been great, so figured I’d give it a quick pass for posterity’s sake…

A recap of the band is certainly in order, especially for those who might be unfamiliar with them. A Popular History of Signs formed in London in 1979. Their sound mixed minimal synth and new wave textures with nervous post-punk vigor and busy percussion, at times sounding like the British answer to Talking Heads (or perhaps a more restless and aggressive Blue Nile). I’m incredibly partial to the track “Crowds” in both forms – the early 7”s mix is a minimal synth gem while the re-recorded LP version retains much of the tension of the track but trades in the skittish energy for a more synth pop sheen. The band changed lineups a handful of times throughout the 1980s, and caught the attention of Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, who remixed two of the band’s tracks for a fledgling Wax Trax label in 1985. The band released eight singles, one full-length LP, and called it a day soon after the release of 1988’s England in the Rain Mini-LP.

As for band members, drummer John Luccibello also recorded with This Parade and The Tempest, two excellent obscure post-punk/goth bands. Singer Andrew Jarman was involved with psychedelic project Strange Fruit and more recently, Southern Arts Society . Christine Isherwood, who sang on Comrades, recorded with Salt Doll and The Jealous Lovers.

Here’s the info for these two releases – hope y’all enjoy:

A Popular History of Signs – Justice Not Vengeance 7” (1980)
1. Justice Not Vengeance
2. Possession

A Popular History of Signs – Crowds 7” (1981)
1. Crowds
2. Crossing the Border

A Popular History of Signs – Comrades LP (1984)
1. Body And Soul
2. Crowds
3. Tidy
4. Halcyon Days
5. Lenin
6. October Already
7. Father And Son
8. Five Towns
9. Land Of The Free
10. Comrades

*download all three releases here*

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Passing Smiles- Life 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, minimal, minimal synth, post-punk on May 10, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Fresh from the needle to the internet – it’s been a while since we’ve had a bonafide minimal synth record, so here’s one from 1981 that features all the great touchstones – rickety, loud synths, some post-punk guitars, and DIY vibes through and through. Passing Smiles were a US-based project that only released this 7” to my knowledge. John Ross, pictured on the back of the sleeve, is the main musician, playing all guitars and synths, while Bill Miles played drums and Brian Leech played piano on side B. Based on this, I might go so far as to say that this was a one-man project with help from some friends…

The A-side is the “hit” so to speak, while the B-side offers a more reflective, somber mood. Both tracks are excellent and certainly touch on the frailty of existence and the balance of life and death, even going so far as to feature a biblical quote (Philippians 2:8) on the back cover.

Without any further ado, enjoy!

Passing Smiles – Life 7”
1. Life
2. Death

*download it here*

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Magic Dragon – Emotional Landscape / Courage of Lassie – The Temptation to Exist LPs

Posted in 1980s, 1981, 1986, canadian, courage of lassie, magic dragon, minimal, minimal synth, neo-folk, neoclassical on March 6, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

Canada seems like an unlikely haven for a minimal synth/neofolk project with a very European-style sound, but that said, here are two of my favorite LPs from up north.

Magic Dragon formed from the wake of Private School, a punk band who released one single in 1979. Members Maddy Schenkel and Ron Nelson quickly formed Magic Dragon, enlisting bassist Rachel Melas to record their lone LP  Emotional Landscape, which was released in 1981 on Friends Records. The album combined the folky interplay of bands such as Steeleye Span and Mellow Candle with minimal electronics, skittering drum machines, and experimental passages, creating a singular sound that few bands, especially on the western hemisphere, were flirting with. Some other touchstones I can think in this vein are UV Pop, Mekanik Kommando, Solid Space, Les Joyaux De La Princesse, Collection D’arnell~Andrea, and Modern Art, all of which flirted with folkier and experimental influences over their tenure.

Magic Dragon soon evolved, adding violin player Rod Booth. The band changed their name in 1983 to Courage of Lassie (keeping the nostalgic/childhood magic and wonder alive in name), and self-released a cassette in 1984 that featured, amongst new material, the first track from the Magic Dragon LP. Their core folky/minimal synth hybrid sound remained intact, and the band soon recorded The Temptation to Exist, which consisted of a handful of songs from the cassette, a couple of new tracks, and a haunting cover of Pete Seger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” done in Marlene Deitrich’s German-vocal style. This LP was originally released in 1986 via Amok Records, but has been re-released in 1987 and 1991, respectively. The band would release two more albums (1988’s Sing or Die and 1994’s This Side of Heaven) before calling it a day.

While folks may have heard both of these records before, I’m happy to provide newly digitized versions. Hope y’all enjoy!

Magic Dragon – Emotional Landscape (1981)
1. Objet Du Desire
2. Memories
3. Egyptian Radio
4. Once Upon a Time
5. (White Monkey) Under the Volcano

Courage of Lassie – The Temptation to Exist (1986)
1. All That I Know
2. Iron
3. Hiroshima
4. The Rose
5. Hopes & Fears
6. La Notte
7. Sag Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind
8. Air Du Temps

*download both LPs here*

Be sure to visit the band on Facebook.

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Front and Fantasy – Treatment 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, Danish, darkwave, Martin Hall, minimal synth, new wave on July 25, 2022 by Frankie Teardrop

It’s been a minute since we’ve had a post here – sorry about that, folks. Been a rough few months here. It’s ALSO been a minute since we’ve had a true dark synth/wave classic featured on these pages, so with that in mind, let’s highlight this lone 12” by Front and Fantasy, a Danish duo featuring a pair of Martins: Martin Krogh and the ever-prolific Martin Hall. This 12” is the only release by the duo, dropping in 1985, the same year Hall himself released his first non-cassette solo recording, the equally excellent Relief. Martin Krogh was in a handful of goth/post-punk bands, many of which only had a handful of tracks, and sadly, he passed away in 1987.

For those uninitiated, Hall and his many collaborators certainly had a knack for creating some of the most arrestingly powerful darkwave records, many of which could have been heard on a weekly basis at NYC’s Wierd party (and elsewhere across the globe, I’m sure). Tracks like SS-Say’s “Care,” Ballet Mécanique’s “Lied,” and Under For’s “Free-Force Structure” were staples in my own personal DJ sets, and it’s easy to decree the A-side from this 12” in as an instant classic in the same vein, from the moment the stabbing synth bass lines take hold. I can almost taste the fog now, as those warm synth pads kick in, while Hall’s deep croon cuts through the pulsing electronics.

The B-side is an interestingly deconstructed mix of the track- focusing primarily on the isolated vocals and empty spaces, with a distant beat and the otherwise minimal guitar line driving the second half of the piece. It’s a curious addition, worth a listen or two. Come for the icy dance floor smash, stay for the more experimental dub mix.

Enjoy! More posts to come soon!

Front and Fantasy- Treatment 12”
1. Treatment
2. Re-Treat

*download it here*

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Zon 6- Som En Tiger 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, elegi, minimal, minimal synth, post-punk, swedish, zon 6 on September 20, 2021 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been obsessed with the title track from this 7” for many years now, and just last year decided to pick up a copy and make a fresh rip of it. Too weird to be a hit, too good to be an obscurity, this is the only single from this Swedish five piece, released in 1983 on MNW. The project is an offshoot of Elegi who released a similarly jazzy but more upbeat post-punk record in 1981.

The a-side here gives me chills, though the b-side is still quite a good listen. The a-side truly ticks all the right boxes for me: female vocals, spastic NDW-esque rhythms, bubbling percussive synths, bleating sax, and plenty of dark driving post-punk edge to keep things sounding sinister. Recommended for fans of Christiane F.,  Mona Mur, Malaria!, and the like…

Not much more to be said, so happy listening!

Zon 6- Som En Tiger 7”
1. Som En Tiger
2. Allt Nu

*download it here*

4 Comments »

Jinx- Too Late 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, coldwave, france, french, minimal, minimal synth, new wave on December 28, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Hi friends. Hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. This will likely be my last post of the year at this rate, a final sweet synth sayonara to 2020 in hopes we all find better tidings in the new year. Here’s a single that I’ve both loved and forgotten in recent months. I can’t remember where I first heard this one a few years back, but a friend reminded me of it a few weeks ago, and I fell in love with it all over again, as if I were hearing it for the first time, but knew deep down this was a deeper obsession. The band, a French new wave act named Jinx (erroneously spelled Jynx on the inner label). This is their lone recording from 1987, and both tracks are pure wistful, romantic synth bliss. I’m reminded a bit of Ivy’s Day, Coldreams, Jane’s haunting “It’s a Fine Day,” and Rive Gauche across the span of both tracks. I can’t really choose a favorite, and even though it’s the b-side that might appeal more to most folks with it’s dual male/female vox, moody atmosphere, and beautiful high synth leads, the a-side is no slouch either once you get past the intro, which appears at first glance to be a bit more reggae/dub-inspired before it settles into a similarly great groove.

For those eager to find a copy of this single and don’t want to wait for it to pop up online, the b-side has been lovingly remastered and reissued by the excellent Camisole records, appearing on a split with the also stellar Madame Bovary (another single where I can’t choose my favorite track, but lean slightly towards the a-side). Anyway, I’m sure you’ve all skipped right to the download link for this one, with good reason. Let’s cut to the chase and get to the details:

Jinx- Too Late 7”
1. Too Late
2. Rêve Inconscient

*download it here*

Otherwise, hope you all have a lovely new year, and hope to see many of you in the digital space in 2021!

 

 

Quick note for those playing along at home: I even hate to end this post on this note, but it deserves to be said after a slew of interactions I’ve had recently that have left a poor taste in my mouth… I am not a lossless factory, and will not be publishing/replying to any further comments about providing lossless rips here or the demand for “free” music as such from punisher Discogs users out there. Please kindly keep those comments to yourself, as you will forever be whining into an abyss. I’m more than happy to share the music I am passionate about, but if you’re interested in making baseless demands please either have something to offer in exchange (I am *very* agreeable to digital trades) or feel free to press that Discogs button yourselves.

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