Systems of Romance

Pavillon 7B- Pavillon 7B LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, coldwave, france, french, goth, pavillon 7b on March 19, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

A real quick and dirty post here for today- simply because I’ve had little time this week, have had this in the queue for many months, and almost forgot to post it… Here we have an updated copy of the s/t Pavillon 7B LP from 1987, lovingly re-ripped by the one and only BX. A true coldwave classic from Dijon, a small town in the east of France, featuring dark and passionate female vocals and thin, mad-carnival synth lines . One of my favorite LPs, by far- one that seems to get better with each listen. The band also released several cassettes, appeared on many compilations, and issued a collection on Minimal Wave in 2007 which collected many of the band’s earliest works. ‘Black Generation’ was also featured prominently on several compilations, including the excellent Transmission compilation from Infrastition, which I’m sure you’ve all heard by now…

Even if you’re already familiar with this one- you’re in for a treat!

Pavillon 7B- Pavillon 7B LP
1. Black Generation
2. Wish
3. Sensation
4. The Sailor
5. Les Nouveaux Abris
6. Sphere
7. +
8. Love Loser
9. Somebody

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Marte in Ariete- Demo K7 +bonus

Posted in 1985, coldwave, italian, marte in ariete, post-punk on March 10, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve always had a soft spot for rare Italian wave. Most of my favorites in this genre hail from France, but Italy is a very close second in my heart as far as quality and quantity is concerned. With that in mind, I have a bunch of rare Italian releases to post, a new undertaking that will take quite some time to properly document. Of course, other posts will come in between as warranted (so many things in the queue!), but fans of Italian wave should definitely check back over the coming months for a lot of great unearthed material.

First up, we have a demo tape from 1985 ripped by Fabrizio. The five piece band is named Marte in Ariete (click here for a list of members) and hailed from La Spezia, a town near the border of France. With that in mind, the tracks here employ a very French coldwave sort of sound, but in the Italian tradition and language. Cold synths, excellent guitar work, the kind of quality you can expect from the genre. The band would contribute two further tracks (including a lyrically reworked version of “Confusione” that’s sung in English with nearly identical music) to the C.O.D.E. compilation from 1985, which features more of the bands that will be posted here in the future. I believe Venus+On has posted the full compilation, but since I can’t seem to ping that blog at the moment, I’ve included the two Marte in Ariete songs from that compilation as well, which completes the band’s discography. Check back here for a link for the full comp. once the blog resumes!

Just one catch with this demo–the final track has a series of errors where the tape was blank and cuts off abruptly, so I’ve cut those bits and faded the track out around the 5:00 mark to save you guys the frustration of having several blank spaces and an abrupt ending to an otherwise great song. It seems like the song had another minute or two to go, so it’s an unfortunate loss. If anyone happens to have a copy of this incredibly rare gem, please feel free to rectify this for us with a fresh rip! No photo for this one either, so use your imagination and otherwise, hope you guys enjoy this incredibly rare Italian obscurity!

Marte in Ariete- Demo K7 (1985)
1. Confusione
2. Nostalgia
3. Ultimi Fuochi
4. Petali Neri

Bonus tracks from C.O.D.E. (1985)
5. Abuse
6. The Final Scene

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Opera Multi Steel- Regret Qui S’Ecaille K7

Posted in 1980s, 1987, coldwave, french, minimal, minimal synth, opera multi steel on February 24, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

While Opera Multi Steel are one of my favorite bands, I’ve never had the chance to feature them here, as most of their material has been reissued or posted elsewhere. However, I realized this particular cassette in 1987 hasn’t been ripped in the past, and aside from two tracks, does not appear on the otherwise excellent K7 Archives collection issued by Vinyl on Demand in 2008.

For those unfamiliar with Opera Multi Steel, the band was founded in 1983 in Bourges, France. Brothers Franck and Patrick Lopez joined Catherine Marie for their first 12” and debut LP, both essentials in the French coldwave/minimal synth scene. They were one of the more prolific bands of the genre, and have released top shelf music constantly without splitting up or reuniting. Two further members would join the band in 1987 and 1988 respectively, just after this tape was released. You can read a more detailed biography here.

Opera Multi Steel ‎– Regret Qui S’Ecaille K7
1. Regret Qui S’Ecaille
2. General Hospital
3. Désir Plaisir Après Tristesse
4. Lady Du Sentier De Loosy
5. Messager Monotone
6. Poisson D’Argent
7. Mon Permis De Conduire
8. Mawata

*download it here*

2 Comments »

A Love Sound- I Need 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, a love sound, Contempo Records, italian, minimal, minimal synth, synth on February 12, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Incredible Italian minimal synth from 1984, released on the always excellent Contempo Records (Death In Venice, Venus In Furs, Diaframma, Voices, as well as various 4AD distro in Italy).

Tracks 1 and 3 are the standouts for me here, the first being a club friendly slice of synth perfection, and “The Kind” being the epic masterpiece on this 12”, complete with an arpeggiated 808 solo, the first I’ve heard in this style for sure. The other two tracks toss in some acoustic guitar with the electronics, and while they’re not as strong overall, they do a fine job of rounding out this excellent 12”. While it’s not a musical touchstone, the singer reminds me a bit of Peter Murphy at times- less so the deep croon and more snide and biting. Seems like the band was very into the synth scene at the time, and listed all the gear used to make the record on the back sleeve. Some very iconic gear there!

A Love Sound- I Need 12”
1. I Need
2. Sickness
3. The Kind
4. Pale Jade Eyes

*download it here*

If you dug this one, stay tuned for a few Italian donations over the next few weeks!

5 Comments »

Fauli- Jugend Unsinn K7

Posted in 1980s, 1982, Daily Fauli, denmark, experimental, minimal, minimal synth, Søren Fauli on February 5, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Good news for fans of Daily Fauli’s scarce Fauli Til Dauli LP, previously posted in 2009. Word on the street is that the long sought after LP will receive the reissue treatment via Minimal Wave, due out later this year. Even better news, today’s post is related, and features Søren Fauli’s first cassette release, a generous donation from a reader that left me stunned, as I had no idea there was another release, let alone one that predates the LP by a year!

11 tracks of unabashed minimal synth with a slightly punk edge- a tape that should please fans of the rare, DIY aesthetic. The cassette sleeve doesn’t come with a tracklisting, though I’m told the first track goes by the name “Slow.” If anyone knows the proper names for these tracks, feel free to chime in here. Otherwise, enjoy this immensely rare piece of Danish minimal synth, and stay tuned for that reissue!

Fauli- Jugend Unsinn K7
A1-6
B1-5

*download it here*

5 Comments »

RITUALS MIX016

Posted in Uncategorized on January 29, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I love making mixes and playlists, and spent much of my youth constructing cassettes to pass the time. I was hoping to make another tape recently, but the record deck on my tape player seems to be shot for the time being. So I did the next best thing and made a mix for RITUALS, an excellent post-punk/darkwave party that takes place at K&M bar in Williamsburg on the last Thursday of each month. I’ll be DJing there in February for the Tiers/Stereograph show, so if you’re local, be sure to check out the party! Either way, hope you enjoy this mix! You can peep the tracklisting & listen/download HERE!

1 Comment »

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of It All LP & Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, 1986, blue hollow, coldwave, dreampop, new wave, post-punk, the wild flowers, uk, US on January 28, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Hope you’ll all indulge me for a little two-for-one post here. While these two records are generally unrelated, they sound incredibly complementary and it’s no stretch that if you love one, you’ll probably love the other. Also, both LPs have been posted by other blogs in the past. I only double dip today to offer fresh rips and hopefully to turn you guys on to two excellent, if but vastly under-appreciated post-punk masterpieces from the mid-80s.

First up is the debut LP from The Wild Flowers, which you may have heard via Curious Guy’s excellent post from 2006. There, he mentions that the band was the original outlet of guitarist David Newton, who left soon after to form the also excellent Mighty Lemon Drops. I’m on my second copy of this LP, between DJing and home listening, so that should speak highly of this particular record, which calls the lush majesty of bands like The Chameleons, Icicle Works, The Lucy Show, Breathless, The Sound, and of course, Echo & the Bunnymen’s Heaven Up Here to mind. You can grab their first two 7”s here. I do have the third LP, 1988’s Sometime Soon. It’s been a while since I’ve heard it so I don’t remember how it stacks up, but I’m very interested in hearing 1987’s Dust.

The second LP is the one and only release by Blue Hollow, who rose from the ashes of Gluons, a darker and more dissonant band from Massachusetts. Stealing a Whisper, which was released three years later, would shed much of the cacophony and offer up a record that sits comfortably alongside The Wild Flowers on sheer strength of songwriting. Equally lush and romantic songs and catchy hooks, clearly pulling from the same set of influences and delivering a similarly striking album…

It’s a shame that neither of these records are more well known, even in these circles, so hopefully this post brings them to a wider audience. Enjoy!

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of it All (1984)
1. Melt Like Ice
2. Beggar Man
3. The Promised Land
4. After All These Years
5. Dark Times
6. The Joy of it All
7. Bamboo
8. Hold the Torch
9. Things Have Changed
10. From the Sky

*download it here*

Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper (1986)
1. Color of Night
2. Inhale
3. Running Down
4. Blue Hollow
5. We Fall
6. Hearts Hang Souls
7. Wildskin
8. Stranger

*download it here*

Thanks for indulging me here today… For those who are looking for something new and unheard, hang tight- as the next few posts will feature very rare cassettes, demos, and more! Thanks to all who have sent things over in the past few weeks- it’s always appreciated!

11 Comments »

Denial- California Dreaming 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, australia, australian, denial, m squared, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, synth on January 23, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Ever since I picked up an instrument, I have wanted to record a cover of infamous 60s pop hit “California Dreaming” and expose it for the haunting dirge it really is… While I’m sure it’s not a stretch to envision a darker world painted in the Mamas and Papas hit from 1965, the idea always appealed to me. However, looks like the job was done already, thanks to Australian synth band Denial, who issued a stark, brutal cover of the tune in 1982, backed with an excellent original rickety post-punk track…

This lone 7” was released on the infamous M Squared label, who were responsible for Xero and Scattered Order as well… This is the only release under the name Denial, but they were previously known as Aural Indifference, who appear most prominently on The Minimal Wave Tapes vol. 2 compilation from 2012 as well as a compilation on M Squared.

Denial- California Dreaming 7”
1. California Dreaming
2. The Weathermen

*download link removed*

This 7” has been reissued as of May 2016 on A Colorful Sound. Copies can be purchased on their official site, or through Juno‘s mailorder!

8 Comments »

L.A.S.’s Crime- Five Lies & Electa K7s

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1988, darkwave, electronic, italian, l.a.s.'s crime, minimal, minimal synth, post-punk on January 15, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Two excellent tapes here from Italian project L.A.S.’s Crime, short for Lord Arthur Seville’s Crime, named after a classic Oscar Wilde novel. L.A.S.’s. Crime consisted of the duo of Sandro Marchetti and Maria Elena Brogi, who were very diverse and prolific over the course of five years. The great Bx59cppw has shared several of their cassettes in the past, and Italian label Mannequin has reissued a compilation of material in 2012, featuring thirteen tracks from the band’s tenure, including a handful from these two tapes. More people seem to know this band than ever before, so why not share a few more pieces of the band’s discography!

L.A.S.’s Crime- Five Lies K7(1986)
1. Five Lies
2. Taedium Vitae
3. And Now
4. Statuary Emotion
5. Last Metro
6. Arabian Silence
7. Macabra Danza
8. The Lost Men
9. Devil In The Mirror
10. The Garden
11. Without Nothing
12. Inner World
13. The Important Day
14. My People Gone Away
15. Mary’s Room
16. The Snake
17. Small Man
18. The Final Scream

L.A.S.’s Crime- Electa K7 (1988)
1. Atmosphere n.1
2. Animals Die
3. Atmosphere n.2
4. Party’s Over
5. Atmosphere n.3
6. Morpheus
7. Atmosphere n.4
8. Matrix
9. Atmosphere n.5
10. Dark Xmas
11. Atmosphere n.6
12. The Ultimate Sacrifice

*download both here*

The band recently joined Facebook as well and have uploaded a bunch of pictures, interviews, and miscellaneous images. Feel free to drop them a line!

4 Comments »

Spleen Ideal- Untitled K7

Posted in 1980s, 1989, cassette, coldwave, france, french, spleen ideal on January 7, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s another generous donation from Marc Collin, formerly of Persona/New Horizon label and currently the brains behind Nouvelle Vague. This is his own project, formed by Collin and Xavier Jamaux, who is now actve in film scoring.

I can’t seem to get enough of this tape lately… Really great combination of organic instruments and electronics here (and even a sample from Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares); straight up perfect coldwaves from France. Fans of bands like Résistance, End of Data, etc. will find lots to love here. You can also find two more tracks by Spleen Ideal on the amazing Nos Années Folles comp from 1990. I believe this tape was released in 1989.

Spleen Ideal- Untitled K7
1. Vague a Lame De Fond
2. Try Another World
3. Reflet D’une Beauté Mortelle
4. Conte de la Folie Ordinaire
5. Desseins a Colonier
6. Kasrolnikov

*download it here*

3 Comments »

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