Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Following up last year's production with Baltimore techno legend Maurice Fulton on 'Jigoo', the next release on Gudu is the first of two songs by label boss Peggy Gou that she will release over the coming months. Her first single in over two years, it translates to 'Butterfly' and is another collaboration. This time with fellow Korean sensation OHHYUK who is the lead singer and guitarist in the band Hyukoh. 'Nabi' is a downtempo, pop-inflected number said to be inspired by '80s synth classics and '90s Korean songs that Gou's mother used to play at home during her childhood.

Review: Canadian composer, arranger, songwriter, and electronic music pioneer Mort Garson just keeps on giving, even now, 15 years after his death. Archival releases since have come not-so-thick-and-fast, but occasional and well thought through, with Journey to the Moon & Beyond the latest example of this. Not, as the cover and title might suggest, the score to some forgotten 1970s animated classic, but instead a collection of stuff very few will have heard before, let alone had opportunity to buy, it's really something special. On the track list, then, you'll find the soundtrack to 1974 Blaxploitation movie Black Eye, or at least part of it. Similarly splendid, but in a very different way, are the grand tones of 'Zoos of the World', originally made to accompany a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name. Then there's the music he wrote for the 1969 moon landings, as used by CBS News at the time. History bottled, or rather pressed, get it while it's fresh (and in stock).

Review: It can often take months or even years of therapy to even begin to start addressing the real reason you're in the room talking to a trained professional. For Gazelle Twin, it has taken three albums - and more than a decade - to get to a point where it feels comfortable enough to turn her razor sharp songwriting gaze inwards. So, whereas before we heard observations on outward looking subject matter, here we take a turn for the insular. The result is an altogether darker experience, musically and thematically. There's a constant sense of drama and tension to this art-pop odyssey, and subjects such as childhood trauma - and its impact on our adult selves - are never off the table. Almost operatic, while there's plenty here to challenge, not least the universal expectation that later in life things get less scary, ultimately Black Dog is also about overcoming and confronting our most existential fears.

Review: It's a shame that Geneva Jacuzzi doesn't come out with her own releases more often, as we've been big fans of her work - and her voice, of course - ever since her first releases began to emerge around 2008. She's back with a bang on Seattle's Medical Records, home to some of the finest synth pop and coldwave of the last five years alongside the likes of Minimal Wave, kicking things off with the deliciously danceable kicks of the title track, "Technophelia". More playful moments like "Casket" "Cannibal Babies" are frequent and full of life, but we're really into the darker, broodier cuts such as "God Maker", "Ark Of The Zombies", or even the fantastic "Squid Hunter". Tipped!

Review: Gesaffelstein's fourth album, GAMMA, marks a departure from his previous work, embracing camp over cool. With influences ranging from seventies electro-punk to synth-pop, the album is a riot of overdriven synth-pop and vintage rock'n'roll. Singer Yan Wagner's oily baritone adds depth, channeling Dave Gahan's toughness with a humorous twist. The album's eccentricity shines through in Wagner's deranged lyrics and unpredictable delivery, injecting humor and unpredictability into the mix. Tracks like 'The Urge' and 'Hysteria' showcase Gesaffelstein's knack for crafting sharp hooks and infectious grooves. Clocking in at concise lengths, each track contributes to the album's charm, focusing on thrusting hips and sharpened hooks rather than lofty concepts. GAMMA is a refreshing departure from Gesaffelstein's previous sound and a exciting new direction.

Review: Dark Entries are reusing two albums from Philadelphia-based experimental duo The Ghostwriters. their debut as well as this follow-up, Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear from 1981. Formed by the late Buchla innovator Charles Cohen and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Cain in 1971, the duo initially performed as Anomali before evolving into The Ghostwriters. Their work is a mix of improvisation and composition and it always stood out for its unique electroacoustic sound shaped through collaborations with visual artists and choreographers. Objects in Mirrors delivers eight minimalist tracks to get stuck into from the chaotic groove of 'Fix It in the Mix' to the ethereal "Moon Chant.' This remastered edition includes photos, and liner notes, and will donate proceeds to SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse).

Review: Greatest Fits is a deep dive into the superb sounds of German avant-garde new wave pioneer Gina X on the cult Dark Entries label. This double LP compilation spans the whole of the bold, boundary-blurring career of Gina X Performance, which came together first in 1978 when singer Gina Kikoine and producer Zeus B set out to create "the absolute union of music, poetry and travesty". With selections take from four of thieves albums, you'll find their signature blend of icy electro, camp theatrics and subversive pop throughout, and it all ranges from the pulsing 'Nice Mover' to the decadent 'No G.D.M.' Greatest Fits is both a musical time capsule and a vital reminder of how far ahead Gina X always was while also serving as a celebration of queer culture and synth-driven hedonism.

Review: Joe Goddard's superb album Harmonics receives the deluxe treatment here on lovely double pink vinyl. Expanding upon the original release, this edition delves deeper into Goddard's musical universe. From infectious grooves to ethereal melodies, each track showcases his prowess as a producer and musician. The deluxe edition adds layers of complexity and richness, providing listeners with an even more immersive experience so whether you're drawn to the pulsating beats or the intricate harmonies, Harmonics in its deluxe form promises to please.

Review: Originally released back in the early '80s, Veronica Vasicka's label has done its audience a fine service by re-releasing Portrait by Swiss duo Guyers Connection. Full of self-conscious vocals and in places decidedly lo-fi synth lines, it's surprising and disappointing that this collection wasn't a big hit first time round. After all, both "Pogo of Techno" and "Keep the City Clean" are as catchy as an oddball Yazoo, "Die Grille" is a jaw-dropping, windswept synth composition and "National Und Stander" sees the duo fuse ponderous piano lines with pulsing, rippling basslines. Best of all though is "Ein Glas Voll Gurken" a breathy synth-pop song that could have conquered charts had it been sung in English.