Review: Earlier this year Minimal Wave offshoot provided one of this year's most visceral dancefloor weapons in Kino-I, the debut from Doug Lee's new An-I project. Taking inspiration from techno, jack, industrial and punk, An-I successfully drew a line under some of the Berlin-based artist's previous disco-flavoured endeavours. And then some! If you like the Kino-I 12" you will love the new triplet of An-I productions housed on this appropriately titled Gutz 12". The title track alone should come with a health warning; such is the furious onslaught of machine funk it contains, whilst the unnerving "Rut" is the most schizophrenic production you will hear this year. Best of all id closing track "Save Us" sounds like a cross between in Aeternam Vale and Silent Servant. Pressed on a rather thick and dashing slab of magenta orange vinyl!
Review: Ahead of an oncoming Tbilisi party set to be thrown by the Sameheads crew, their latest 7" appears ahead of time as the latest offering by fellow friends, Andrea & Alexander. With just 300 copies available, this dreamy duo share a juxtaposed space with a more esoteric, gritty B-side, occupied by TINA's 'Vacation', which breaks from the usual Sameheads sound, almost entirely, to indulge a massively wonky inhumation. The A's own 'Olias', by contrast, is light and sixteen-thy, dotting along with detuned Italo saws and descending cadences of relief. Once performed live at the fabled Sameheads festival, City Of A Thousand Suns, the label here celebrate its recorded version for the world to hear on repeat.
Review: Hailing from Yorkshire, Geoff Bastow made music that took people pretty far away from the White Rose county, out to the cosmic discos of Italy and then onwards towards the stratosphere itself. Half a galaxy away from a part of England known for keeping two feet firmly rooted to the ground, calling spades spades and taking no nonsense from nobody. Often producing under the moniker K.I.D. during the 1980s, and making most of his sounds after relocating to Munich, Germany, Bastow's attention to detail, sense of space and spatiality, gauge of groove and understanding of what makes a dancefloor move cannot be understated. Save your words, though, and skip straight to this EP to explain all that to people - six takes on a stone cold classic.
Review: Berlin's renowned Iptamenos Discos its back with more great musical enchant in the form of this new white vinyl 12" in hand-numbered hand-stamped sleeve from Boys' Shorts. This dynamic queer duo comes from Greece and is made up of Vangelis (formerly of LAGASTA) and London-based Tareq. Their Something To Forget EP is a dazzling mix of disco with a whole world of subtle influences from other genres. Two originals come accompanied by innovative remixes from Gabe Gurnsey and Whitesquare to make this an effective outing that will likely win Boys' Shorts many new followers.
Fmsquared (Epiloggy) (Beauvine bonus Perc version) (3:17)
Lansqape4 (Short_onetake) (5:57)
Review: Royal Wavetable Mellodies & Old TDKs by Mexico baed artist Brainwaltzera is a perfect coming totters of the symphonic, the synthetic, the organic and the electronic. It's a record that could be a lost 70s classic as much as a new school homage to minimalism, experimental ambient and vintage synths. In fact, this is a selection of archive recordings in the artist's characteristically idiosyncratic style that we cannot get enough of. The collection of tracks are gorgeously native and innocent, with wispy melodies and retro keys all smeared and smudged into moving pieces of ambient that are beatless but dynamic.
Review: When Cabaret Voltaire returned to the release schedule in 2020 as the one-man Richard H Kirk show, fans were relieved to find that mind-bending meld of 1970s Kosmische, techno, dub, house and space-age experimental electro was as pure as it ever has been - the results being a typically fresh and forward-thinking record the man in question summed up as "no nostalgia... normal rules do not apply. Something for the 21st Century. No old material."
Less than six months later and the big CV has more next level business to offer us, coming in the form of Shadow of Funk, a new EP that offers something of a counterpoint or extension to last year's full-length, Shadow of Fear. Based on 'Billion Dollar' alone - an acid-driven big, dark room banger that closes this EP -this release looks set to make an equally heavy impact, but as with anything this man touches, the joy is in discovery. So, let's leave it at that.
Die Klapperschlange (Escape From New York) (vocal)
Die Klapperschlange (Escape From New York) (instrumental)
Die Klapperschlange (Escape From New York) (edit)
Die Klapperschlange (Escape From New York) (Nomoo remix)
Review: One of legendary filmmaker John Carpenter's few forays into electro-disco proper, 'Die Klapperschlange' is an instant throwback, the title theme from the 1981 sci-fi film Escape From New York. Everyone knows this melody, yet few could point to its origin, and that's likely due to the German release of the John Carpenter film being titled 'Die Klapperschlange' ('The Rattlesnake'). And yes, you heard us right: John Carpenter himself made this piece of music. A multi-talented man indeed, though he did work with fellow composer and sound designer Alan Howarth to add the finishing touches here. It's as if this track were made for the anarcho-discos of the future, its inherent darkness rendering it seemingly unassailable by the crumbling of society or public breakouts of violence depicted in the film. Plus, there's *that* unmistakable four-bar extension, in which a three-note hook has permanently wedged itself in our minds - wowee. And on this new release via ZYX, we've got two new alt-mixes and an outrun techno remix from Nomoo. Sweet!
Review: 1asia is a label that focusses on Asian artists from a broad array of genres and Caslean is next up with the beguiling Sweet Adventure, a remix EP that finds her work reinterpreted by an array of innovative talents. 'Munir's Bandung First Trip' is serene electronica with lush and dreamy lines and naive vocals floating up above the smooth and uplifting rhythms. 'Meng Que's Yard' brings jumbled percussion and sugar synths to a broken beat jumble and 'Mogwaa's Studio In 07307' is a retro-future cut that pairs bouncy nu-disco with dubby pads. Last of all is 'Knopha's Re-clockwork,' another innocent and pure electronic world of neon synths and intriguing vocals.
Review: Ceremonie hail from France and have an '80s-inspired sound that hits differently. Their songwriting reaches new levels and draws on well-chosen, well-designed sounds with a wonderful sense of melancholy and just the right balance of drama and subtlety. After an indie-pop leaning cassette a few years ago they now land on Enfant Terrible with a contemporary take on retro new wave and synth-pop. Three of the tunes are originals, one is a cover of French 1980s new wave band Message and there is a whole new album in the works, apparently. Great stuff.
Review: Cetu Javu's 'Dame Tu Mano' is something of a classic for lovers of early synth sounds and now it is back and reissued on grey marbled vinyl. Known for their blend of synthpop and Latin-inspired melodies, this track captures Cetu Javu's signature emotive style and irresistible sense of analogue rhythm. Originally a hit in the late 80s and early 90s, this fine single is a staple for fans of 80s beats and its great vocals also bring plenty of old-school vibes.
Review: Cetu Javu's 'Por Que?' gets a fresh release on vinyl from Blanco Y Negro and it's a proper nod to classic dance nostalgia. Side 1 kicks off with the extended mix of 'Por Que?,' a melodic, synth-heavy track packed with infectious grooves, followed by 'Don't Leave Me,' which keeps the energy high with its pulsating basslines and emotive vocals. Side 2 brings a remix of 'Por Que?' that adds a modern twist, alongside the original album version, perfect for fans craving that irresistible late 80s/early 90s dance vibe.
Review: Soanish mega-label Blanco Y Negro continues to reissue rather good, but frequently overlooked, gems from its vast archives. This one, from German-Spanish synth-pop band Cetu Javu, dates from 1992 and sees the combo combine their early Depeche Mode-esque vocals and synth sounds with nods to the more driving, peak-time ready sounds of European house music. That's best exemplified by the opening 'Remix' version of title track 'Dame Tu Mano', which also comes in the moody synth-pop style 'Extended Mix'. Over on the flip, we get the chiming melodies, mid-80s Pet Shop Boys grooves and Euro-dance bleeps of 'Una Mujer (remix)' and the Bobby Orlando-meets-Shep Pettibone fun of 'Tempo (remix)'.
Review: Cetu Javu's iconic track 'Por Que?' (which as you probably can work out translates as why?) returns on a lovely grey marbled vinyl 12" courtesy of Blanco Y Negro Spain. A timeless classic from the late 80s and early 90s synth-pop and electronic scene, this single captures the band's signature blend of infectious melodies and emotive Spanish vocals. It's a fiery sound that is packed with melancholic undertones and driving rhythms that mean it has remained a dancefloor favourite for fans of vintage electronic sounds. This special edition offers a pristine homage to the era that takes you back in an instant.
Deborah Sasson & MCL - "(Carmen) Danger In Her Eyes" (Curses Revamp) (6:38)
Philadelphia Five - "Not Leaving Without Jerry" (Andi Revamp) (5:11)
JWB Hits The Beat - "House Fatale" (Curses Revamp) (7:01)
Voyou - "Houseman" (Stockholm Syndrome AU Revamp) (5:51)
Review: An EP that takes you through elevated 80s-inspired coldwave and synth soundscapes, matching nostalgia with modern production and featuring a seamless fusion of proto-techno, EBM and synth-pop. Side-1 opens with Deborah Sasson & MCL's 'Danger In Her Eyes' (Curses Revamp), a thrilling reimagination of new beat and synth-pop. The addition of vocal samples elevates its vintage essence, delivering a futuristic gem that's both haunting and danceable. Next, Andi's rework of 'Philadelphia Five's Not Leaving Without Jerry' injects energy with its uptempo groove, merging EBM rhythms with a dash of disco flair for an infectious, club-ready cut. Side-2 starts with 'House Fatale' (Curses Revamp) by JWB Hits The Beat, an ode to late 80s synth-pop akin to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. Chopped vocals and melodic synths create a hypnotic, era-defining vibe. Finally, Stockholm Syndrome AU's revamp of 'Voyou's Houseman' leans into heavier industrial and EBM tones, blending them for a powerful conclusion. This collection is a great example in reviving and reinventing vintage sounds, offering a fresh perspective on timeless styles.
My Favourite Stranger (Boris Brejcha remix) (7:10)
My Favourite Stranger (Ela Minus remix) (3:46)
My Favourite Stranger (Lond Island Sound remix) (4:48)
Review: Much loved doom monger emo kids Depeche Mode have always been ripe for remixing by new generations of electronic music artists and so it is that there 'My Favourite Stranger' gets a series of re-rubs here on Columbia. Tech house mainstay Boris Brejcha remixes first and elongates the grooves with mournful pads up top. The Ela Minus remix of the same tune brings some extra textured and darker moods and the best is saved till the last if you ask us. The Lond Island Sound remix is high speed and tinged with electro synth work as the moody vocals echo about the mix to trippy effect.
Before We Drown (Chris Avantgarde extended remix) (5:43)
Before We Drown (AC Wet remix) (3:59)
People Are Good (Indira Paganotto Psy remix) (9:29)
People Are Good (AC Fool remix) (6:45)
Review: The fifth edition of Depeche Mode's Memento Mori white label remixes series hears four new remixes added to the post-hoc vinyl selection, offered to the world after the release of the synthpop pioneers' most recent eponymous album. Beginning with the demure atmospherics of Chris Avantgarde's 'Before We Drown', then into two propulsive, audio-brut experimental downtempo versions by AC, but not before a brilliant pystrance B1 by Indira Paganotto, which makes for a squarely sagacious sendoff.
Review: Depeche Mode's 'Wagging Tongue' was first released in 2023 as the star number from the indelible synthpop band's comeback album and swansong, Memento Mori. Something of downtempo musical elegy, the original track is a crisp exercise in melancholy uplift, colliding the band's usual synthetic arpeggiations with grass-is-greener lyrical themes. Now, however, comes a new ten-track remix bundle, of which select remixes have been chosen for a set of limited releases on wax. Most of the artists enlisted for the job have done a stellar job, amping up the tempo to a neatly electrified 130-ish-bpm, while indulging the zeitgeist's penchant for well-rounded but beefy sonics. On this one, none other than Daniel Avery sticks out with a futureological cosmic electro take, while Hawtin Gaiser opts for knocking big-room techno, and Henning Baer cools things down with a cityscape-soaring 808 remix.
Ghosts Again (Chris Liebing vs Luke Slater remix) (8:02)
Review: First featured on Depeche Mode's critically acclaimed, James Ford-produced 2023 album Memento Mori, 'Ghosts Again' returns in remixed form. Liverpool-based melodic techno maestro Massano (real name Sam Rose) steps up first, delivering a raw, heavy and mind-mangling take that sits somewhere between darkened new wave, moody techno, and early noughties electroclash sounds. It's a fine remix all told that showcases the best of the Basildon band's original synths and vocals, while dragging the track kicking and screaming towards the dancefloor. Techno veterans Chris Liebing and Luke Slater take over on side two, predictably delivering a fearlessly fast, weight and intoxicating take that's as stomping as they come and twice as dirty.
Review: Enjoy The Silence, Depeche Mode's standout single from Violator, marked a significant moment in the band's career, becoming their most successful UK single since 'Master & Servant' in 1984. 'Enjoy The Silence' captured both critical and public acclaim, peaking at number six in the UK charts and achieving top spots in Denmark and Spain, as well as reaching number eight in the US. The 12" version is beloved by fans with the myriad of great remixes the song provided. This new yellow vinyl version helps meet the demand of an always desirable dance record. The single's success earned Depeche Mode their first Brit Award for Best Single of 1990. This newfound positivity extended to the subsequent reception of Violator, solidifying 'Enjoy The Silence' as an iconic track in Depeche Mode's discography. The song continues to be celebrated for its brooding, tender qualities, and its ability to resonate with audiences globally as well as the iconic video.
Review: You might well have caught two thirds of Dina Summer lurking around modern minimal wave circles as Local Suicide, but now they're pressing on into further sinister synthscapes as Dina Summer. Following their standout debut LP Rimini in 2022, the trio are back with a seductive new EP that sees them strutting into 2024 with some of their best material to date. The synth hooks on 'Unter Strom' are towering triumphs of pop-minded sound design, with some discernible Italo throb happening in the low end. 'All Or Nothing' is a fierce and formidable peak time slammer, while 'Excess' is the kind of supersized electro-goth workout you'd equally expect from Miss Kittin & The Hacker.
Review: Drab Majesty's latest EP 'An Object In Motion' is a deep mix of blackgaze and goth psychedelia, consisting of just four tracks flirting with a mystical, guitar-driven spirit. Don't let the number of tracks deceive; the project clocks in at just under half an hour, in large part thanks to the long-form number 'Yield To Force', which pits strange distant alarm sounds against graveyard-shifting fingerstyle guitars, in what amounts to a night-drive around old town suited well to any atmospheric surrealist crime flick. Only your first and last tracks use vocals, and when they do, the combination of deeply high-and-low-end registers are great complements for the artists' lyrical musings on misery and wonderment.
Review: Contemporary LA cold-punks Drab Majesty bring together coldwave and and shoegaze for their latest EP, An Object In Motion. The four tracks therein are examples of those styles' most atmospheric and ethereal facets, showing off the distinctive vocals and guitarwork of the project's mastermind, Deb DeMure, the androgynous alter ego of one Andrew Clinco. A swirling, emotive fusion, something between Slowdive (enlisting the help of Rachel Goswell one track) and Romo, emerges.
Review: Drab Majesty was first set up by Andrew Clinco in the beating heart of the US music industry, Los Angeles. It's here, in a metropolis defined by both glitz, glamour and plastic, and wild experimentation and unconventional thinking, that the artist once best known as drummer in Marriages adopted a new androgynous persona, Deb Demure, and then drafted Mona D (Alex Nocolaou) as keyboardist and vocalist. That was 2016. Now here we are today, a few albums deep and faced with their latest offering. An Object in Motion takes bold strides in many directions, from the beautiful, natural ambient of 'Cape Perpetua' to goth-shoegaze worthy of Gary Numan himself, 'Vanity', the EP moves away from typical readings of genres like dark wave and takes us on a journey to a place defined by synthesised ethereality.
Five Times Of Dust - "Computer Bank" (The Floor mix) (7:12)
Five Times Of Dust - "Armoured Car" (6:57)
Unovidual & Tara Cross - "Like I Am, Comme Je Suis" (The Floor mix) (7:11)
Unovidual & Tara Cross - "Imponative" (3:28)
Review: Thanks to the eternally revered Minimal Wave imprint, out of NYC, Mark Phillips and Robert Lawrence's Five Times Of Dust project is going through a bit of a revival. The duo had first released some post-punk cassettes back in the 80s, and they clearly have not been forgotten. On this new remix EP, "Computer Bank" is given a makeover in the form of a The Floor remix, who proceeds to add all sorts of quirkiness over the tune's tough, heavy bass and driving rhythm; "Armoured Car" breaks the 4/4 in favour of something much closer to the band's original drum machine style. Once again, on the flip, we have a remix of "Like I Am, Comme Je Suis" by The Floor, who throws up a gnarly electro bass onto shady, neo-romantic vocals, and the whole things is finished off by "Imponative" from Unovodual and Tara Cross, who produce a slow, heady industrial groove for the dancefloor.
Fullness Of My Heart (Tolouse Low Trax Scissor Jazz Hat mix) (8:11)
Disco (TBZ Weired Disco) (4:26)
Universal Sucker (3:54)
Moon Metal (7:42)
Review: Dusseldorf-based trio Folie 2 return on Themes For Great Cities to follow up their debut long-player from earlier this year. Eingriffe features yet more genre bending experimental pop by Gregor Darman, Marlene Kollender and Sebastian Welicki. Local legend Tolouse Low Trax kicks things off with his Scissor Jazz Hat mix of 'Fullness Of My Heart' before they get stuck into some low-slung cosmic funk on 'Disco' (TBZ Weired Disco) and on side B there's the neon-lit night moves of deep cut 'Universal Sucker'.
Review: Front 242's re-release of their timeless classics on crystal clear vinyl is a true gift to electronic music aficionados. Originally unleashed in 1983, the Endless Riddance EP, following their debut album Geography, remains a pivotal moment in the genre's history. This release served as the bedrock for the group's influential sound, shaping industrial and EBM music for decades to come. Front 242's dedication to their craft and relentless innovation is evident in their ongoing influence on electronic music. As they embark on their final tour in 2024, it's a fitting tribute to their enduring legacy. With their mantra, "always ahead," Front 242 continues to pave the way for future generations of electronic artists.
Review: The always excellent Minimal Wave presents a rare EP from Greek electronic pioneers In Trance 95 here. Alex Machairas and Nik Veliotis formed the duo in 1988 and very much helped define Greece's early electronic scene with their minimal synth and EBM-inspired sound, all of it usually marked by analogue warmth, hypnotic melodies and a futuristic sensibility. This release captures their innovative spirit and cult legacy across six unreleased tracks recorded between the late 80s and early 90s in Athens. It sounds magnificent and is a long-overdue glimpse into their visionary archive for new fans, or a fine reminder of their roots for those who have always been tuned in.
Review: Leipzig based Riotvan, run by Peter Invasion and Panthera Krause, welcomes Kalexis and Paulor for this collaborative four track that mines techno's deepest depths. 'Going Through The Void' is a moody and slow motion opener that rides on an undulating bassline with plenty of ambient pads for company. 'Energy' is more edgy, a stomper with fractured vocals and wonky synths that builds a darker mood. On the flipside there is the brilliantly unhinged and unusual melodies of 'Lashes' which sounds like a marching band on acid and 'Magnetic' closes down with haunting low ends and spooky pads.
Review: While in 2024 we're supposed to understand, acknowledge, hear and appropriately respond to the trials and tribulations playing out in minds across the world, in many ways driven by global events and the status quo system we have rather foolishly settled on, for the time being, Lebanon Hangover's hiatus-ending two-tracker - their first studio work since 2020 - opens with a clear message. "Life is full of wonder, it's better than going under." Perhaps not the most sensitive way of telling us to appreciate our lot, the track itself, which nods to Head On The Door-era Cure, is all melancholic chords and a feeling of dizzying, perhaps even manic despair alongside the comfort that comes with recognising the universal human condition. It's a joyful but slightly sinister lead. Flip it to find 'KYIV', an acoustic-ambient-Cocteau Twins-esque tribute to the sorrow and pain of Ukraine, and, by association, other war torn regions of the world.
Review: Definitely one for the collectors, Lime was Canadian duo (then husband and wife) Denis and Denyse LePage, and 'Angel Eyes' was originally the second single from their third studio album, 1983's Lime III. Almost 40 years later, the track has returned as a short form release, offering the original synth pop anthem, and a clubbier dub mix.
For many, though, not least Unidisc Canada, the label carrying this re-release, the major selling point is a remix - and something of a remodelling - courtesy of Turbo Recordings boss and dance music icon Tiga. Forsaking the rather smiley and bouncy original work, in favour of something grittier and altogether more dystopian, it's a masterclass of rough, gnarly broken electro, reworking and chopping vocals into disorientating loops, before finally introducing a kind of warehouse synth pop sound.
Review: Hugely successful German disco duo Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen are Modern Talking, and they made lots of sentimental as well dance floor-ready disco sounds back in the 80s. Much of it is being reissued by the behemoth that is Music On Vinyl and next is a limited edition marble red and blue vinyl version of this three-track 12". There is a campness to this which fans of the likes of Erasure are sure to enjoy - 'Jet Airliner# (Fasten Seat Belt mix) has big 80s drum sounds and glistening synths while the vocals drown in reverb. The instrumental is a little more clean though the drums and arps still make for a big impact and the radio version is also included to close.
Review: 'Don't Worry' is a classic song by Modern Talking, the German duo of Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders which was released in 1987 as part of their fifth album, 'Romantic Warriors'. The song features the signature sound of the acclaimed duo, with catchy synth melodies, disco beats and harmonised vocals. The song is a classic example of the Euro disco genre that the West Berlin duo popularised in the 80s and has certainly stood the test of time.
Review: Narco Marco returns to Pace In Stereo for more adventures through yesterday's tomorrow. As ever, the production is incredible, offering two tracks that pack a timeless sound informed by Italo, early electro-pop, cold and synth wave, a twin delight that somehow serves as the ideal home or headphone listen, yet is also dance floor ready and primed for proper parties. Starting on the slowest, tempo wise, 'Bald Tag' doesn't exactly owe a debt to Kraftwerk but certainly offers a place for sounds could have evolved in the back catalogue of the German pioneers. It's a weird and warbling, stepping, highly musical ride. 'Ice Tea', meanwhile, opts to get more of a stomp on, glittering harmonies painting stars in the sky above, vocals swapped out for more melodic depth.
Review: Despite the title sounding like an archive collection, 1994 is actually the debut album from OKRAA. It has an emphasis on live performance and makes for a gorgeously immersive and even evolving listen from the aways excellent A Strangely Isolated Place label. All four pieces are over with minutes but they are worthy of their playing time for the way so much unfolds in such engaging fashion. Synths are cold and innocent on 'Ola De Luz' while 'Heartless' is more textural, dark, heavy in its mood. The title track is another heavy and introspective one while 'Plasma' has a more optimistic feel that lifts the spirts.
Review: Minimal Wave has put together a special 18th-anniversary reissue of its first release, namely Oppenheimer Analysis's self-titled EP. It now comes on limited and hand-numbered 180-gram vinyl with a poster and makes just as much of an indelible mark as it did almost two decades ago. It has been rather elusive since then and features the original remastered version of 'The Devil's Dancers', some tracks from the pair's 1982 cassette 'New Mexico' and two previously unreleased tracks that are all presented as a tribute to the late Martin Lloyd, one half of Oppenheimer Analysis, who passed away back in 2013.
Review: In March 2024, Oriental Magnetic Yellow, the legendary techno unit formed by Namco game music composers, celebrated their 30th anniversary by re-releasing six albums. As part of this celebration, their popular track 'RYZEEN' is now available for the first time on 7-inch doughnut vinyl. The release includes the original version and a special B-side recording used as BGM for 'Super Locomotive' on Sega's 2022 reissued Mega Drive Mini 2 console. With members Hiroto Sasaki, Nobuyoshi Sano, Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara, Oriental Magnetic Yellow pays homage to Yellow Magic Orchestra with a humorous twist. 'RYZEEN' evokes the fun, nostalgic, early video game music and a cover sound of YMO of course. this release is a delightful blend of retro charm and playful innovation, perfect for techno and game music fan alike.
Review: Hailing from Philadelphia - currently up there with the most artistically arresting cities in the US (having spawned the nickname 'New York's most exciting borough' among those wanting weary of the Big Apple's gentrified shell) - Plastic Ivy make music that's pure drama on disc. Or digital file, depending on your chosen format. Founded by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lira Marie Landes, when teamed up with bassist, producer and engineer Daniel James Shields, the duo are something real to contend with.
Here we're given four pieces of compelling evidence proving that point. Original versions ooze a kind of affected sexuality, a retro-tinged electro-punk ride through the experimental side door of a night in the club, nodding to influences from Kitten to The Human League. Remixed, though, 'Superior Corruption' is nothing short of a banging electro number filled with attitude and cheekiness. Essential.
Review: DFA Records prime mysterious new Brighton signees Proper Monday Number with a sure start, flicking the proverbial Rube Goldberg machine into gear with a banging remix of their otherwise unreleased debut track 'High Horse'. Here, of course, it's LCD Soundsystem / DFA's very own James Murphy at the remix controls, together with resident DFA DJ and "decent human" Matt Cash. Toolroom dance moods extend over a lusciously simple seven minutes, bringing home FM stabs and LinnDrum faceslaps aplenty. And the lyrics: "stop what you're doing now... you ain't got no crown! get off your high horse! turn this ship around!" In our day and age, we need more anti-stagnation, ego-teardown anthems like this, so we welcome the sentiment by the masked duo.
Matra Murena (feat Local Suicide - Rafael Cerato remix) (5:41)
Review: Plenty of dark disco's finest practitioners come together on this new 12" on Iptamenos Discos, with Psycho Weazel serving up the original tune. They are two producers from Switzerland who mix up indie-dance, cold wave, breakbeat and EBM. Here they offer 'Mains D'Argile' featuring Curses which has sweeping, widescreen synths bring a retro feel to a stiff, kinetic beat. The wonderful Marvin & Guy offer an extended mix for extra long club fun and then it is Local Suicide who guests on 'Matra Murena' which brings a perfect mix of light and dark to stark grooves, and Rafael Cerato remixes to close out the package.
Review: Q Lazzarus was always going to be a good fit for the cult synth and cold wave crew, Dark Entries, and so it proves here with this overdue debut. Diane Luckey was born in 1960 in New Jersey and created her iconic moniker while living in NYC's East Village. Her breakout moment came after meeting director Jonathan Demme during a 1986 snowstorm; he was captivated by her demo playing in her taxi. Their encounter led to the unforgettable inclusion of 'Goodbye Horses' in Silence of the Lambs. Despite its cult status, Luckey and collaborator William Garvey remained largely overlooked but surely that will change now as they offer up five unreleased tracks that have been newly mixed from original master tapes.
Review: Sevdaliza's debut EP The Suspended Kid was first released in 2015. She put it out on her own Twisted Elegance label and at the time said that "The title is how people responded to me in social situations. I realised that those things that deflect me from social situations - not getting along with your coach or your boss or whatever - it made me realise I had to choose a different path."It is a highly creative work of experimental electronic which has since seen her go on to your 35 countries. Now for the fist time ever the album is pressed up to 2000 individually numbered copies of clear vinyl.
Review: Sexbeat are the latest gem you're about to fall in love with from the lost generation of punk, Now Wave and Neo-Goth. We only wish there was more information we could share about them, other than the fact they hit hard and manage to straddle the lines between raw and nasty and strangely romantic and melodic. It's rousing stuff that wants us to sing along while getting spat in the face because the front row is so close to the stage and the vocals are delivered with such resolute aggression. On this self-titled A-sider, they launch from the starting blocks with all the energy and atmosphere of an era that's sadly now confined to history, rolling bassline and driving drums immediately gunning for your attention, nodding to the likes of Surf Nazis Must Die and Aufrichtiges Zappa.
Review: Breakcore don DJ Balli and tropical electro purveyor Sindaco team up on the aptly titled Mutant Goth Italo. True to its name, the Italian duo deliver a batch of oddball, high-energy Euro dance filtered through a nocturnal lens, with affecting vocals from Ossydiana. The twisted pop sensibilities of opener 'Pizzeria Brigada Rossa' set the tone i a feverish pace, shimmering synths, and a searing vocal top-line. The gorgeously sleazy 'Febbre' is a standout, driving yet restrained, while 'Ricatto' impresses with its sinister synths, crisp drums and undulating bass. Closer 'Fedeli Alle Linee' lets it all hang out, pairing singalong melodies with snappy rhythms and snarling bass arps.
Memorabilia (Daniel Miller 2023 remix - instrumental) (5:13)
Memorabilia (The Hacker 2023 remix) (6:35)
Memorabilia (Wally Funk 2023 remix) (5:39)
Review: The birth point of ecstasy in British music is usually credited to acid house and the second summer of love: a cemented vision of kids sweating and vibrating in clubs, fields and warehouses in 1988, united by universal empathy and mind-popping sounds. However, in 1981, a couple of young men from Leeds went to New York, discovered the drug in its infancy, fused its' gritty synth pop to acid house's squelchy 303 groove and recorded an album - Soft Cell's Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. The rest, as they say, is history.
Review: Nothing but gorgeousness seems to characterise the work of the Minimal Wave imprint over the recent years. It's a label that is both unpredictable and continuously elegant in its choice of reissues. This time, it's a wonderful unearthing of Soma Holidays cult-hit, Shake Your Molecules. The Franco-American duo was part of Brooklyn's clique of artists throughout the 1980's, and although their sound is firmly representative of that era, the tracks are still ridiculously fresh and seductive both in their melodies and vocals. The title track is a sort of synth-pop tune gone wrong in a good way, where drugged-up lyrics meets morphing synths and metallic drum machines, whereas the Dub cut could easily be played in most techno DJ sets these days. On the B-side, we have the charming, atmospheric glow of "Too Many People" and "Art Dimension", the top pick in our opinion and one which is screaming to be be remixed into a contemporary house tune.
Review: In typical Music From Memory fashion, their latest archival release shines a light on one of the UK's lesser-known bands of the early 1980s. The System released a lone single in 1981, followed by a now incredibly rare debut album, Logic, in 1983. Three of the cuts here are taken from that set, including the dreamy, downbeat Balearic-pop opener "Almost Grown" - a wonderfully evocative six minutes, all told - and the far-sighted, spacey, proto-techno shuffler "Vampirella". This EP also includes one previously unreleased track, "Find It In Your Eyes", which was rescued from long-forgotten master tapes during the licensing process.
Review: The Outer Edge reckons that this first release on their label is one of "the rarest and simultaneously best-recorded independently released German new wave singles in history." Bold words, but probably not far wrong. 80s outfit Total wrote it as the first and title single for an album deal they signed. It's a killer cut with hints of 'The Message''s hip-hop rhythm and alluring female vocals over a lush bassline from the Jupiter 8 keyboard and DMX drum machine funk driving it along at such an inviting mid-tempo. The withering cosmic keys add extra spacey goodness and here it comes with a couple of alternative mixes, though the OG is really the one.
Review: A world of brutal beats and hard edge techno rhythms beckons on this new min album, vocals often obstructed by brushing synths and comprised textural sounds, tortured leads and fizzing apocalyptic energies that make it perfect for gritty warehouse raves. Opener 'The Brain Plays With Me' sets a powerful tone from the off, while 'Claroscuro' slips into a slower but just as caustic world of sound. 'Don't Trust In The First Whispers' is a paranoid chamber of reflected vocals and crashing hits that has you looking over your shoulder and 'Melted Doubts' is doom laden drone from the end of the world.
Review: One-off masterpiece release of German minimal synthpop from Gutersloh, Germany in 1984. Recorded in a DIY recording studio in a former prison for the mentally ill, located on the outskirts of a forest near the artists' homes, aptly named Prison Studio, in 1984, the release was privately pressed on 7" by the band itself, distributed in limited quantities and has changed hands only a few times on public marketplaces since its original release. Wave Shape's Transmission has always been as rare as it is good, to quote Basso. Now, the release is made available again to collectors and DJs as the first release on Average. Included in this 12" repress are two stunning new remixes by virtuoso producers and friends Alexander Arpeggio and Aradea Barandana, each bringing their own flavour to the table.
Review: Zarkoff taps into myriad different sources for inspiration here - there are swirling vocals that remind of Bowie, chilly synths from Depeche Mode and lithe beats from the contemporary underground. It's all crafted from melancholic synths as the heavenly voices soar up top and hypnotic drum machine beats lock in the groove. It makes for music that is both suited to more cultured club sets but also home listening sessions. 'Bureau Degradation' is our favourite for the slightly speedier beats and more pained vibes of the synths. A brilliantly original EP, wherever you look.
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