Here’s a long lost 12” from Jih, a new wave band from the UK. While their full length LP was shared here, there also are a few 12” singles kicking around. This one was released in 1986, the same year as the LP.
In true 12” fashion, the version of “This Gift” on this record is different than the LP version, extended by a few minutes or so. I do believe the version of “The Shadow to Fall” is identical, though. Here’s the rundown:
Jih- This Gift 12”
1. This Gift
2. This Boy
3. Shadow to Fall
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
*download both here* (RE-RIPPED 2.7.17)
****NOT a Journey cover, I promise!
You can also peep the video for “Pursuits of Happiness” here:
You may have seen this one over at Capa Nostra Syndicate, but not sure what’s up with the rip there, as it’s pretty unlistenable. What we have here is some pretty solid new wave from hometown NYC, with a slight commercial edge to some of the tracks. Some of the songs fall a little flat for me, but some are unexpected synthpop killers. I’ll let you all decide which tracks are which, but either way, this one’s definitely worth a listen or two.
Here’s the info for this 1983 release:
Velveteen- After Hours 12”
1. Nightline
2. Combo Boys
3. Nothing to Do
4. Wild Rain
5. Preoccupied
6. Get Wild
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
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 Canadian band 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. Three members of this band went on to form Vis-A-Vis, who released THIS great record as well as a second 12”.
Here’s the info for this killer mini-LP’. 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!
Rolling right along, here’s a recent dollar bin snag that’s every bit as good as I was hoping. Pulled this out of a bin based on the date (1983) and cover art alone, threw it on to preview, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s nice to know there are still plenty of undiscovered (and affordable) gems out there!
Not much I can tell you about this one, though. I’ve been told that the label, Phonogram Ltd., was not a true label, but instead, a company responsible for licensing tracks to smaller labels. I have to take another glance at the sleeve to confirm, but a few listings claim that this record was released on Mercury in the UK. Either way, Swiss Navy had a mind to create a dancefloor smash all over the world, and they damn well succeeded with this one, in my book. I don’t care much for the third track, a quirky earworm that while charming, can’t hold a candle to the title track. However, the two mixes of “Back to the Wall” more than make up for it. Here’s the details:
Swiss Navy- Back to the Wall 12”
1. Back to the Wall (Marine Mix)
2. Back to the Wall
3. Cool-De-Jack
Apologies in advance for flooding your hard drives with music, folks. Two posts in store for today- mostly because I promised some Wierd party attendees I’d drop these records immediately for download!
First, we have some killer French synth pop, highly reminiscent of Depeche Mode with some slight italo leanings. This single was released on CBS Records in 1987 and was a minor hit in the European club scene. This track also features the legendary Desireless (aka Claudie Fritsch-Mentrop) on backing vocals, hot off the heels of her own club hit. You have four mixes to choose from here, two extended 12” mixes, the lean single mix (my preferred version), and a spaced out instrumental version, which despite the title, has masked/processed vocals throughout. Think of it more like a dub mix than an instrumental…
Entre2mers released a follow up single, “Marine” in 1989 with bigger, almost Belgian-style grooves and orchestra hits. I’ve included the extended 12” mix here (sorry, don’t own this single or have the single mix digitally) as a bonus. Enjoy!
Philippe Entre2mers- Quai D’Orient 12”
1. Quai D’Orient (Version Club)
2. Quai D’Orient (Version Remixee)
Philippe Entre2mers- Quai D’Orient 7”
1. Quai D’Orient
2. Quai D’Orient (Version Instrumentale)
Philippe Entre2mers- Marine 12”
1. Marine
Check out the video here:
Stay tuned for another post in just a few minutes!
Hot on the heels of this morning’s post, here’s a very nearly complete discography of French synthpop band Goûts De Luxe. Some of you may already be familiar with the band, as a few of their a-sides were prominent, though now obscure, new wave hits- some of the best of the era. I also included one of the band’s finest moments (the killer minimal synth-esque b-side “Last Train”) on the most recent installments of the Systems of Romance loose tracks compilations. Since I haven’t seen their work shared out there, I figured it was due time to organize it and sort it all out for everyone’s enjoyment.
The band’s origins date back to the mid 1980s in Brest, a city in northwestern France. The band’s lineup changed a handful of times throughout their short time together. After recording (or, in actuality, NOT recording) on the first single, original guitarist Jean-Éric Montfort left the band and was replaced by Marianna Kliska, wife of vocalist Jacques le Honsec. They released two more singles before calling it a day.
With the exception of the instrumental version of “Les Yeux de Laura,” and the promo mixes of the track, this zip file ocntains all the tracks recorded by Goûts De Luxe during their time together, including all three singles and respective b-sides. I hope you all don’t mind missing out on the instrumental mix, as I’ve never found them to be very necessary, but I should be able to track it down (in time) if needed. However, as a consolation, I have included a different extended mix of “Omaha Beach” that I can’t quite place on either single, with a different running time and everything! If anyone knows where it belongs, do chime in! Otherwise, let’s get to the details:
Goûts De Luxe- Les Yeux de Laura 7” (1986)
1. Les Yeux de Laura
Goûts De Luxe- Les Yeux de Laura 12” (1986)
1. Les Yeux de Laura (Extended Mix)
Goûts De Luxe- Omaha Beach 7” (1987)
1. Omaha Beach
2. Ubik (Mission Secréte)
Goûts De Luxe- Omaha Beach 12” (1987)
1. Omaha Beach (Remix)
3. Fade to Grey (Visage cover)
Goûts De Luxe- Dans Un Autre Pays 7” (1989)
1. Dans Un Autre Pays
2. Last Train
Goûts De Luxe- Dans Un Autre Pays 12” (1989)
1. Dans Un Autre Pays (Maxi Version)
BONUS- Omaha Beach (Extended Mix)
Since the band enjoyed some relative success throughout Europe, there are a few promo videos floating around. Here’s a clip for “Omaha Beach.”
Also, if your French is fluent, you can read more about the band (including lyrics, I believe) on their official website. There are also a slew of photos, and a demo recording hidden in the site, so be sure to explore:
Coming soon: Glamatron, DADA, and more French synthpop. Stay tuned, and happy 2011!
I have one more thing to post today, so might as well drop it now, while the iron is hot. Here’s a classic 12” by The Bridge, a DJ favorite of mine for some time now, recently acquired on vinyl. I believe this synthpop outfit acted as a three piece, releasing several singles in the mid 1980s. This particular record was produced by Paul Bell, who then went on to form Zerra One.
There’s a bit of discrepency between their first two singles, so let me try my best to explain. As listed online, there’s both a 12” for Love Dance (today’s post) as well as a single release entitled Industrial Love Dance, but both feature the same tracklisting, more or less, with slightly tweaked titles. Maybe the label (Second Vision) thought it was best to steer clear of the ‘industrial’ tag? If anyone can shed some light on this situation, I would be most appreciative!
The versions on this 12” also appear on the Industrial Love Dance single, alongside a shorter, more radio-friendly version of side A, which I’ve uploaded seperately for good measure. So with this post, you get all three versions of “Love Dance,” an edgy synthpop track with excellent hooks and solid vocals. What more can you ask for?
The Bridge- Love Dance 12”
1. Love Dance (Love Mix)
2. Love Dance (Industrial Mix)
*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 2.6.17)
You can nab the 7” version of the track from the Industrial Love Dance single by clicking here. Enjoy!
Been meaning to post this one for a while, but finally got around to ripping it. Random purchase, made a few months ago for a few dollars, based on the year (1988) and the cover artwork (Francis Bacon!), and found it to be pleasant enough to rip and share with you all. Here we have the lone LP by a band called Minutes After…, a melodic darkwave/post-punk band from Philadelphia.
The closest touchstone I have for the band is a sadly defunct NYC band called Bell Hollow, who were in turn influenced by the likes of For Against, The Chameleons, and Sad Lovers and Giants. A few piano chords thrown in for good measure, as well as soaring vocals on every track. It’s a solid record for fans of the more dreamy/ethereal/wistful side of post-punk, especially the first (and best) Tears for Fears record, Sad Lovers and Gaints, and the second Fra Lippo Lippi record (a must listen).
Here’s the information:
Minutes After…- Minutes After… LP
1. Cracks Of Dawn
2. White Ceiling
3. Raining On Earth
4. Cradle To Crypt
5. Her ~ A Dream Without Sleep
6. The View From The Park
*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 3.16.17)