Quantom 1+3- Memoires Alchimiques K7

Posted in 1990s, 1993, coldwave, darkwave, ebm, france, french, k7 on April 8, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Cassettes, the final frontier. This particular tape has been on constant rotation over at SOR headquarters since receiving it on a generous loan. Not a lot of information on the web about this release, but there’s quite a bit of info on the cassette itself, so I’ll do my best to explain.

This particular cassette was released in 1993. The band were a three piece darkwave act from France (Axel Evigiran and the above pictured Lydia on vox and Orphee Hangiclist on guitar and programming) flirting with hints of EBM and coldwave. The sound should be right at home for fans of Babel 17, Neutral Project, Nagamatzu, and Peche Mortel (whose demos are some of the best treasures uncovered on the internet). Nice and dark, gritty, yet with catchy electronics permeating the mix.

While this is their first cassette, the band released two more tapes into the mid-90s. Perhaps those may see the light of day in time… For now though, enjoy this excellent slice of pure French coldwave.

Quantom 1+3- Memoires Alchimiques K7
1. Celeano
2. Post Mortem
3. Sombre Muse
4. V.I.T.R.I.O.L.
5. 7eme Cimetiere
6. I’ll Never Forget You
7. Pohjola Land
8. Bleuts
9. Puta Nostra
10. Narcisse
11. Rendez Vous
12. Nordeste Mystique
13. Dusang Sur Le Marbre
14. Venise Nocturne

*download it here*

11 Comments »

Monty Cantsin- Ahora Neoismus LP

Posted in 1980s, 1988, ebm, monty cantsin, neoism, neoist, new wave on April 6, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

I have to admit, I always have fantasies of finding extremely rare and valuable records tossed away in the dollar bins. I’ve had my fair share of luck over the years, as I’m sure many have as well, but today’s post was an unexpected gem, unearthed from one of my favorite record shops here in New York City. I have seldom seen a copy of this one for sale, and it’s usually expensive when it creeps up.

This LP has been on my radar for ages, as I’ve only heard two tracks from this artist. One earlier track from the debut 12” can be found on Nick’s excellent VA comp, and I included an alternate version of a track from this LP on one of my own.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of Monty Cantsin, the original artist (who I believe was Canadian) was a firm believer in Neoism, a musical practice with a highly underground philosophy. The original artist in question encourages any and all to perform under the same moniker, and many have. You can read more about Neosim here, and read more of the history of Monty Cantsin here.

This LP comes with this message among the credits:

We encourage you to copy, reproduce, and spread these songs and ideas by any possible means. Call yourself Monty Cantsin. Do everything in the name of Neoism.

Neoists live to initiate revolution and to find Akademgorod, the Promised Land of Neoism. In this land, all mechanisms of logic are broken, control is impossible. The Great Confusion rules.

The basis of Neoism is, was, and always will be the song.

March 24th is international Neoist Day

As for the music, this LP has quite a lot going for it. Aside from being a springboard for Neoist ideas, full of rhetoric, this LP toys with an experimental sound with hints of EBM and minimal synth scattered throughout. Can’t really put my finger on this LP, but I do know I enjoy it very much! Here’s the information:

Monty Cantisn- Ahora Neoismus LP
1. I Am Monty Cantsin
2. I Believe In Neoism
3. Every 6 Minutes
4. My Blood Keeps Flowing
5. In The Swamp Of Neoism
6. Mass Media
7. Love And Joy
8. Headquarters
9. Long Live Neoism
10. Gloria Victoribus

*download it here*

4 Comments »

Glades of Darkness- Demo K7

Posted in coldwave, darkwave, glades of darkness, minimal, minimal synth on April 4, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s one that’s completely off my radar, as in, I can’t find any information about it whatsoever. Really excellent demo tape from a band called Glades of Darkness, who seem to have a very Italian sound, judging from the songwriting, atmosphere, and use of electronics. They fit in right with bands like Weimar Gesang and Chromagain, but no real knowledge of their time and location to be found. Sounds mid-1980s to me as well, but I can never be too sure about these things! Either way, fans of those bands as well as gloomy minimal synth and coldwave should find lots to love here.

If anyone could tell me anything about this band, it would be most appreciated!

Glades of Darkness- Demo K7
1. Time Passenger
2. I’m a Stranger
3. A Door
4. In the Garden
5. Go Away
6. Our Neoska
7. Wide Spaces

*download it here*

Enjoy! Lots more goodies to come over the next few weeks!

8 Comments »

Francis Martin- Modern Times LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, alan shearer, francis martin, french, instrumental, minimal synth, new wave, synthpop on March 31, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Let’s keep it rolling, shall we? Here’s an LP from 1984, very very much in the same vein as Alan Shearer. In fact, there’s a little bet amongst us bloggers that this very well may be Shearer, operating under a pseudonym for a major label release. There’s no overwhelming evidence that proves this, but the synth and drum machine sounds are near identical, as is the style of the LP. However, this one comes from France, so who knows for sure?

All tracks are instrumental, with tons of great minimal synth grooves contained within. Definitely a real gem. Loving the cover on this one, which makes it seem like a classical record at first glance, but glad those tags are on the side to set the story straight!

Anyway, if anyone DOES know the story behind this one, I’d sure love to hear it!

Francis Martin- Modern Times LP
1. Step By Step
2. Tea Break
3. Swinging Pool
4. Sports & City I
5. Sports & City II
6. Techno Tribe
7. Black Zone
8. Cold March
9. Anywhere Beyond
10. Between Two World

*download it here*

1 Comment »

Neuland- Neuland LP

Posted in 1980s, 1982, german, NDW, neuland, new wave, synthpop on March 30, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s an interesting German LP from 1982. A curious mix of styles all sit together on this one- including italo-ish vibes, synthpop jams, NDW weirdness, and even a little 70s a.m. gold. Some tracks are naturally a little more interesting than others, but the LP is not without its merits. “Gehirnamputiert” is a clear standout, ripe for a little dancefloor action. “Sympathie” sounds as if it features a bassline from the late, great Mick Karn, and “Zukunftsvisionen” could easily feel at home on one of the Sequins and Spandex compilations. Your mileage may vary, so I’ll leave it for you to decide:

Neuland- Neuland LP
1. Supermarkt
2. Maskenball
3. Eile Mit Weile
4. Gehirnamputiert
5. Unendlichkeit
6. Vampir
7. 39,9
8. Zukunftsvisionen
9. Sympathie
10. Neuland

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Regard- Demo Recordings

Posted in 2000, 2000s, coldwave, demo, french, post-punk on March 25, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a real treat to kick off the weekend. Here we have the demo recordings of Regard, a killer coldwave/post-punk band. Curiously enough, while the band hails from Italy, the majority of their lyrics and titles are in French. Their only officially released tracks were issued on the (absolutely essential) VM Cinque compilation, posted here at Crispy Nuggets. I was just informed today that this band is NOT the Italian Regard, but a NEWER French band with the same name, which definitely clarifies things a bit!

While the tracks here are a little less upbeat, you can expect some excellent sounds here: gloomy vocals, atmospheric guitars, and warm synths. Definitely a must for fans of Formes Nouvelles, Mémoires D’automne, and the first Résistance record, to name a few. Don’t miss out on this one!

Regard- Demo Recordings
1. Omission
2. Danse Macabre
3. Le Jardin Maudit
4. Notre Secret
5. Esthète
6. Regard

*download it here*

If anyone has any more info about these guys, I’d love to hear it!

13 Comments »

Various Artists- Remote Viewing Vol. 2 K7

Posted in 1980s, 1989, ambient, cassette, experimental, industrial, k7, minimal, minimal synth, remote viewing, remote viewing vol. 2 on March 21, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

This particular cassette comes on generous loan from Sean Mcbride, sole member of Martial Canterel and half of Xeno and Oaklander, two of the current synth scene’s most crucial players. For those who are unaware, the latest Martial Canterel record, You Today, has dropped via Wierd Records, and is quite the stunning piece of work. A modern classic, through and through. Pick up a copy here, if you haven’t already!

This cassette, upon hearing it, has quickly become an all time favorite. Released in 1989 on Network 23 (the first installment appeared three years prior, and has yet to be shared to my knowledge), this tape features an hour and a half of instrumental ambient and industrial works from several obscure artists. It’s a murky, unsettling, and highly atmospheric ride, without a single dud among the bunch. Many of the artists here appear exclusively among the series, while others have a few more scattered releases from around the same time. The standout for me is John Costello’s “Gormen Ghast,” which lifts off into minimal synth/dance territory after nearly three minutes of haunting atmosphere. There’s also an exclusive track by Colin Potter and a solid gem by Steve Hillman, to name a few. This is highly recommended for fans of Tangerine Dream, Coil, and John Carpenter’s film scores, but there’s a handful of great minimal synth gems sprinkled within. Dig it!

Various Artists- Remote Viewing Vol. 2 K7
1. Howard Ingram- Sacrestone 72
2. Michael Hines- The Spirit Of Radio
3. Greg Truckell- Mesh
4. Mangenta Mirror- NX-X1-11
5. R. N. Andrews- Chinese Dentist Time
6. Steve Hillman- Citadel Parts 1 And 2
7. Colin Potter- Malton
8. Kevin O’Neill- Lik Mai
9. John Costello- Gormen Ghast
10. What It Is- Rearing Pigs
11. Martin Coles & Rick Wernham- Object Detection
12. Rancid Poultry- Controlled Exposure
13. Peter Tedstone- Mystic Sequence
14. Tim Stebbing- Star City

*download it here*

15 Comments »

P!OFF?- Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, german, minimal, minimal synth, NDW, transparent on March 17, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a German NDW/synth rarity from 1982. Seems to be the first release on Transparent Records. Both of these tracks are plucked from the full length LP, also released in the same year. Quite an expensive LP, if you can get your hands on it!

You can expect some excellent quirky synth sounds here. The A-side has an excellent synthetic bass groove running throughout it, a bit of an oddball dancefloor classic. The B-side is a bit more spastic, kind of atypical of the NDW movement, but enjoyable all the same. Here’s the rundown:

P!OFF?- Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt 7”
1. Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt
2. Ich Kann Kein Französisch (Dansez)

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Bad Baby- S/T & The Second Coming LPs

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1986, bad baby, darkwave, german, post-punk on March 14, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

So far in 2011, I’ve been focusing on more guitar driven bands. It seems as if most of the synthpop/minimal gems have been uncovered, leaving very few rarities left to scour these days, many of which just aren’t that great to begin with. That said, the early-to-mid 1980s were certainly a huge breeding ground for the post-punk sound, and I’m sure there’s a slew of LPs left to discover in this realm. This particular German band fits the mold perfectly- and their material is as solid as it is seldom known.

Uploaded here we have both LPs from Bad Baby, a four piece from Hamburg. Cold guitar wave galore across two full records, released almost back to back. I tend to prefer the self-titled debut, but still find lots to love about their second 12”, which is the more commonly found of the two. Not much development in sound across these releases, just solid gloomy treasures that should be perfect for fans of Snake Corps, Blue In Heaven, Choir Invisible, Modern Eon etc. Googling this band is difficult, as little information can be found admist all the child-rearing tips and tricks out there. With that in mind, let’s get down to business:

Bad Baby- Bad Baby LP (1985)
1. A Dream Within a Dream
2. Broken-Hearted
3. Salvation Army
4. Promenade
5. Glasshouses
6. Mont Blanc
7. (Out of the Frying Pan) Into the Fire
8. Cry Baby Cry*

*Originally by The Beatles.

Bad Baby- The Second Scene LP (1986)
1. Twilight
2. Slow Down
3. Sleeping Hell
4. Blank Devotion
5. Alone
6. Sublime

*download both releases here*

9 Comments »

Siam- War and Peace and Inbetween LP

Posted in 1980s, 1989, hadar goldman, intensive care unit, israel, new wave, post-punk, siam on March 11, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Curiously, I’ve just come across two bands with the name Siam, both of which will be featured here over the next few posts! This particular post concerns the Israeli band, featured on a previous Systems of Romance compilation.

This particular band formed in the mid-1980s, releasing a 12” in 1986 (as Saiam) and this full length record in 1989. Material was recorded for a second LP, but was scrapped as the band split. A few tracks saw the light of day on a posthumous collection, released in 1996. As for this LP, it’s definitely a new wave classic, chock full of post-punk rhythms, big hooks, and buzzing synths. Some tracks follow a similar rhythm driven sound as my last post, while others have a more anthemic feel akin to the likes of New Model Army and The Alarm. My favorite track is still the synth-driven “Changing,” but there’s definitely lots to love here.

Also worthy of note: this band features contributions from Hadar Goldman, who was one of the key players in Intensive Care Unit, previously featured here. I do believe that’s a photo of Goldman on the cover, who is often credited on electric viola. Word on the street is that the band reunited in 2006 and is working on new material.

Without any further ado, here’s the info for this release:

Siam- War and Peace and Inbetween LP
1. Choices
2. Private Jokes
3. B.R.O. (Dance Mix)
4. You Are Siam
5. Don’t Want To Understand
6. In The Realm Of
7. Changing
8. Tel Aviv Down Town
9. Life Goes On
10. Changing (Live)*

*bonus track, also featured on the band’s s/t collection.

*download it here*

2 Comments »

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