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Coldwave/Synth charts
Bestselling Coldwave/Synth vinyl
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Scooterboys From The Pool (limited 'black inside milk clear' vinyl LP)
Cat: CITI 033. Rel: 29 Apr 25
Review: Cititrax proudly presents the debut LP from Another Body Found here, which is the latest moniker of A// who is well known for his pioneering work as Le Syndicat Electronique. Emerging from the French underground with a dark electro, industrial, minimal synth and wave style, he has a stark and visceral take on raw energy and haunting atmospheres. There are plenty of mechanical, hypnotic beats here with heft bass and hints of dystopian fears. The title track reimagines Bronski Beat's 'Smalltown Boy' and strips it to its emotional core, 'Lost In The Northern Lights' has a cold, urgent sound and 'Murderous Earth' is brilliantly unsettling and melancholic.
… Read more in stock $26.52
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Review: Berlin-based producer JakoJako aka Sibel Kocer's debut album for Mute - after appearances on a stream of leading German labels including Tresor - is described as a distillation of ideas that she's been exploring for many years. In reality, that means working on a minimal set up, away from the computer while restricting herself to just a Eurorack and a Waldorf Iridium Core, in the search for spontaneity. She found it, for sure, as the results - recorded in Vietnam during the Tet Lunar New Year celebrations - are a feast of glistening arpeggios and lush modular textures, stripped back but full of expression and personality. 'Ghi-ta' will appeal to fans of vintage perky ambient productions the Pete Namlook/Mixmaster Morris collaboration Dreamfish, while 'Gio' has a touch of Tangerine Dream's classic widescreen sensibilities. Bold tones, bold debut.
… Read more in stock $25.71
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Review: Reissued over two decades since its original release, the second full-length from Liverpool's Ladytron still thrums with the same sharp-edged futurism that made it such a cult touchpoint. Tracks like 'Seventeen' and 'Evil' captured a tension between robotic detachment and raw emotional charge, anchored in the band's icy synth palette and minimal, deadpan vocals. While 'Blue Jeans' flirts with glammy melancholy, 'Turn It On' and 'Fire' dial up the menace, tapping into something more volatile. There's something surgical about the sequencing tooi'Cracked LCD', 'NuHorizons' and 'Cease2exist' stretch into more abstract terrain, before folding back into hook-laced electro-pop with the closing title track and 'The Reason'. With Daniel Hunt and Mickey Petralia co-producing, the album took shape in Los Angeles but never lost the European chill that defined their sound. It's a record that helped redraw the map for synth-pop in the early 2000sineither retro-futurist pastiche nor pure nostalgia, but something sleek, cinematic and entirely their own.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Leftfield
in stock $31.51
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Review: In 1984, Gary Numan launched Numa Records and started a new phase in his career with the release of Berserker. This album introduced a harder-edged digital sound into his canon while maintaining the analogue textures of his earlier work. It's a testament to the fact that Numan's creative evolution never stopped and blends both personal and fictional narratives into haunting tracks like 'My Dying Machine,' 'This Is New Love' and 'Berserker.' The remastered double vinyl edition includes the original album with bonus tracks that add extra perspective to this pivotal period in his career.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Leftfield
in stock $32.34
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Songs Of Love & Decay (2xLP + MP3 download code)
Cat: DKMNTLUFO 15. Rel: 10 Apr 25
Review: Broken English Club is the alias of techno veteran Oliver Ho and here he explores his signature industrial wave and post-punk sound with unflinching intensity as he lands on Dekmantel's UFO Series with Songs Of Love And Decay. It is a raw, brooding album dedicated to the late Juan Mendez aka Silent Servant with tracks like 'Crawling' and 'Death Cult' echoing his tribal techno roots. 'England Heretic' meanwhile channels eerie synthwave and Giallo vibes and 'Vessel Of Skin' delves into distortion-laced post-punk that contrasts with the stark futurism of 'Pacific Island Kill.' Ho blends cinematic textures with club energy throughout so makes for a dark, emotionally charged tribute that pushes beyond typical boundaries and is sure to resonate in the club.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Leftfield, Sandwell District
in stock $29.03
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Review: School Daze is a killer compilation put together by the Dark Entries label and the Honey Soundsystem crew, collating some of the early recordings produced by Patrick Cowley in the years between 1973-81 and were later used as soundtrack material in two gay porn films. You will probably know Cowley for his Hi-NRG output or 'that' Donna Summer remix or his behind the buttons work on Sylvester tracks. Be prepared for a surprise (well quite a few as the 'explicit content' warning on the cover lives up to its billing) as this collection presents Cowley as a producer capable of many styles and moods. The closest School Daze comes to the sound Cowley is most identified is opening track "Zygote" and from here the collection runs through primitive electronics, short bursts of wave and more with a few extended gems that highlight Cowley's talent for arrangement. One of the compilations of the year!
… Read morePlayed by: Joe's Bakery, Alexis Le-Tan, Charles Maurice, Felix Dickinson, Old Spice, Lawrence Le Doux, Guillaume Des Bois (Macadam Mambo), Curious Disco, Ikpathua, Sito / / Mischio Dischi Disco, Manu Archeo, Erik Skantze, Telephones, Tarjei Nygard, Stupid Human, SONNS / Machine Limited, Sleazy McQueen, Kid Who, Horton Jupiter, Juno Recommends Leftfield, Juno Recommends Experimental, Marsman, Nick The Record, Eddie C, I Love Disco!, Juno Classics, Steve Lee, Tony Poland, Brioski, J. Haller, Joe Drive, Alan Dente, Thread London, Facial Index (Brutaż/Piktogram/BLA), Avalon Emerson
… Read more in stock $30.69
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A Collection Of Rarities & Previously Unreleased Material (limited LP + MP3 download code)
Cat: RBN 018LP. Rel: 12 Jul 12
Review: John Maus has been operating at the fringes of the US underground for the better part of a decade now, with one of the most enthusiastic live shows of anyone in his circle. Much like his prolific contemporary Ariel Pink, Maus has amassed a massive collection of tracks which reference 80s synth pop, easy listening, and even hair metal, all swathed in a muddy but warm fuzz of reverb and delay. For fans this is essential, but even for those yet to acquaint themselves with his unique genius, its well worth investigating.
… Read morePlayed by: Chuggy, Ali Renault
in stock $24.88
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Cat: MIND 838. Rel: 11 May 23
Review: Recorded in 1981, Turning Japanese captures Kraftwerk at the absolute height of their creative dominance, but sometime before their true induction into the household name superstar category of artists. Still representing a very forward thinking, boundary pushing and - as a result - specialist sound, this nine-track live recording feels like yesterday's tomorrow.
Opening with a stunning neo-classical synth overture, we're then taken on a journey through the mind of the man machine, an industrial yet somehow strangely human proto-electro world that is defined by order and structure, while still allowing for enough funk and groove to make sure feet, hips and more move seemingly of their own volition. Perhaps not the most insightful take on the pioneering German band - nothing here that hasn't been said before - nevertheless we hope it goes someway to describing how precise, refined and overwhelmingly infectious they can be on stage.
… Read moreOpening with a stunning neo-classical synth overture, we're then taken on a journey through the mind of the man machine, an industrial yet somehow strangely human proto-electro world that is defined by order and structure, while still allowing for enough funk and groove to make sure feet, hips and more move seemingly of their own volition. Perhaps not the most insightful take on the pioneering German band - nothing here that hasn't been said before - nevertheless we hope it goes someway to describing how precise, refined and overwhelmingly infectious they can be on stage.
in stock $14.93
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Review: Wolfgang Flur is of course the former electronic percussionist of Kraftwerk during their classic era from 1974 to 1986. He's now set to release a new studio album featuring collaborations with several synth-pop and dance music icons. They include German techno duo U96, Yello's Boris Blank, Thomas Vangarde - better known as former Daft Punk mainman Thomas Bangalter - Juan Atkins, Antony Rother, Emil Schult and New Order legend Peter Hook. Flur has since become a celebrated solo artist whose music blends retro-futurism, melody and narrative while always maintaining an optimistic vision for humanity.
… Read more in stock $33.15
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VARIOUS
Whispers Of An Ancient World (red vinyl LP limited to 50 copies)
Cat: MQWAW 001RED. Rel: 05 Aug 24
Review: Initially released exclusively in digital format two years ago, the already cult favourite Whispers Of An Ancient World finally makes its way to vinyl courtesy of Mystic & Quantum but in highly restricted numbers. Featuring artwork by Kilian Eng, this red edition offers a mesmerising auditory journey. Ambient landscapes and evocative ancient ceremonies coalesce with explorations through lush jungles, tranquil acoustic melodies, and edgier dub motifs hinting at a looming dystopian future. Contributions from artists such as Diagonal, Mason Bee, and State Azure enrich its allure as the whole thing adds up to a cinematic tapestry that captivates with atmospheric depth.
… Read more in stock $48.64
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The Final Act (clear & yellow blob vinyl LP)
Cat: CITI 032. Rel: 01 Oct 24
Review: Citirax's next outing takes the form of a debut album from Los Angeles-based duo OP-ART. This pair, like so much great music of recent times, is born out of the creative isolation of lockdown and features Andrew Clinco, who you may know for his work with Drab Majesty. The alias they have adopted is an acronym of "Oblique Pleasures Amidst Rough Times" which they say reflected the challenges of their formation. Musically the duo is inspired by the 1960s visual art movement so embraces layered, psychedelic soundscapes with a minimalist approach and takes cues from New Wave artists like John Foxx and early OMD. OP-ART in particular focuses on analogue synthesis and gear like the Arp Odyssey and Moog Rogue while exploring time, romance, and existential themes with real emotional depth.
… Read more in stock $28.47
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Unexpected (limited translucent green vinyl LP + postcard)
Cat: MW 082. Rel: 19 Jun 24
Review: The excellent Minimal Wave serves up a long-awaited LP here that features unreleased treasures from the influential UK duo, Vicious Pink, who first met at The Warehouse night-club in Leeds in the late 1970s and went on to reshape synth-pop. They notoriously lent their backing vocals to friends Soft Cell but went on to have success as a duo with avant-garde singles that defied norms and climbed the UK dance charts between 1982 and 1986. Now, Unexpected offers glimpses into their creative process and is packed with pop experiments recorded on the fly, some of which are with Dave Ball of Soft Vell/Grid fame. Limited to 999 copies on Coke bottle clear vinyl, this release is a true collector's gem that includes an exclusive postcard.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Leftfield
in stock $26.52
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Review: Musician, writer and sometime member of Kraftwerk Karl Bartos wrote The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari as a tribute to the iconic 1920 silent horror film whose original music score had long been lost. Through electronic compositions, Bartos skilfully captures the eerie atmosphere and psychological depth of the movie, enhancing its haunting narrative with his sonic reinterpretation. The album immerses listeners in a world of suspense and mystery, blending ominous synth melodies with pulsating rhythms and cinematic soundscapes. Bartos' masterful fusion of retro-futuristic aesthetics and contemporary electronic music was made after he dug deep into his own archives to recreate epics he wrote as a young classical musician and offers an all-new perspective on the original soundtrack.
… Read more in stock $37.32
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Review: F.M. (Francois Marche) and Fa_Fane (Stephane Bodin) say they "perform live with an acid-tinged electro-dub set, a danceable balance between the organic and the digital, the hot and the cold." When it comes to the studio, the fine line they tread between machine and human, accessible and experimental is equally evident, making them sure fire winners in the world of movie soundtracks. Not least when the film is on the avant garde side of things, as Fotogenico is. Directed by Marcia Romano and Benoit Sabatier, the movie is a visually arresting, high tempo collage of a chase-mystery in which a father attempts to piece his dead daughter's story together using only the music she recorded. Glitchy, digi-dub and synthesised post punk ensues, among other stuff.
… Read morePlayed by: Alexis Le-Tan
! low stock $28.47
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Review: Most people know The Wolfgang Press as one of the longest serving names on the hallowed roster of celebrated UK label 4AD. Here, though, the project founded by Michael Allen and Mark Cox all the way back in 1983 find themselves on Regis and Female's celebrated techno and alternative label, Downwards, marking a change of family for the band's first new studio album in almost three decades. A 2nd Shape fits the imprint wonderfully well. Dubbed-out basslines, slo-mo drum machines, buzzing synth refrains, and disrupted, or at least unclean FX and melody making this a beautifully twisted post punk-post rock triumph that's as dark as it is beguiling, as moody as it is freeing, and as contemplative as it is immediate and confident.
… Read more in stock $34.83
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Review: There's an awful lot going on here, and as such plenty to talk about. Alternative Funk: Volume 1 is both a compilation and reissue, with the original outing landing on cassette in the early-1980s on VP231, a label set up by Pacific 231, AKA Pierre Jolivet. The albums were the brainchild of Axel Kyrou and Francis Man, founders of the legendary Vox Populi!, and their aim was to showcase far out sounds, at least som of which were their own.
What we have in the modern iteration is a snapshot of that expansive and often hallucinatory aural odyssey, with seminal and lesser known artists resting side-by-side on the track list. Stylistically broad, running the gamut from dub percussion to cold wave and industrial, it's yet more evidence of just how fertile a decade the 80s were.
… Read moreWhat we have in the modern iteration is a snapshot of that expansive and often hallucinatory aural odyssey, with seminal and lesser known artists resting side-by-side on the track list. Stylistically broad, running the gamut from dub percussion to cold wave and industrial, it's yet more evidence of just how fertile a decade the 80s were.
Played by: ROTCIV, Juno Recommends Leftfield
in stock $13.82
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Vini Reilly (35th Anniversary Edition) (Record Store Day RSD 2024) (limited numbered LP)
Cat: LMS 1725126. Rel: 08 May 24
Review: The Durutti Column prove just how fertile the North West England music scene was during the mid-late-1970s and through the 1980s. Taking their name from an anarchist military movement active during the Spanish Civil War, the band was formed by Vini Reilly, who brought together a bunch of players from the nascent punk and post punk scene, and managed to turn heads in the process. One of which was Tony Wilson. One of the first acts to sign to his now-legendary Factory Records, they would remain on the imprint until its demise, by which time the project had become a solo thing for Reilly, whose name was already shorthand for risk taking with bold ideas. Take this record, for example, veering from Southern Mediterranean folk to experimental indie, sample-based rock-opera and more, it still defies expectations.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Rock/Indie
in stock $31.79
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Luton Hoo Estate 1997 (gatefold 180 gram green vinyl LP)
Cat: VC 97145. Rel: 06 Dec 24
Review: This gatefold green vinyl record captures a rare and electrifying live performance from the pioneering electronic music legends. Recorded at their 1997 Tribal Gathering festival headline, it's a showcase of the band's iconic sound that blends groundbreaking synth-driven melodies with hypnotic rhythms and futuristic themes. Performing classics like 'Autobahn,' 'The Robots' and 'Computer World,' Kraftwerk delivered a spellbinding experience that bridged their innovative past and continued influence on modern music all set against the historic backdrop of Luton Hoo Estate. It features plenty of their classics from the time, as well as - shockingly - a new track, titled 'Tribal Gathering' (and also sometimes referred to as 'Luton') that was written especially for the gig, never recorded in the studio and only ever played a handful of times. A great nostalgic trip.
… Read more in stock $17.42
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One Second (remastered with bonus track) (180 gram audiophile vinyl LP)
Cat: MOVLP 277. Rel: 14 Feb 14
Review: Music On Vinyl are our new best friends. With a wide range of music being reissued as of late, Yello's 1987 One Second is just spoiling us. Never being fully acclaimed when it was originally released, this is one album which really spans the full circle in terms of artistic ideas sonic experimentations. While being tagged primarily as a pop work, it's really more of a lesson in synth manipulations and nutty beat-making. "The Rhythm Divine" has to be out top track but do check the whole thing, it's magnificent...
… Read more in stock $24.88
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Review: Initially released in 2010, Minimal Wave's retrospective of obscure French '80s outfit Deux remains one of the label's most sought-after compilations. Here, it gets a deserved re-press, allowing a whole new generation of listeners to fall in love with the quirky works of the Lyon-based duo. The album's ten tracks, which were drawn from various obscure cassettes and seven-inch singles, effortlessly join the dots between moody electro, cold-wave, new wave and eccentric synth-pop, reflecting the pair's esoteric approach to wayward electronic pop. This second edition comes in a hand-numbered edition of 999 copies, with Minimal Wave's usual attention to detail present on the weighty packaging.
… Read morePlayed by: Tomasz Guiddo
in stock $26.52
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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!
… Read more in stock $29.84
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Review: Mark Van De Maat and Parrish Smith's Volition Immanent project is gaining more and more traction as of late, both for its cadence and aesthetic, but also because it sounds fresher and more explorative than most other bursts of cold-wave available on the market. The duo return to action with an LP for Japanese-French outlet Mind Records, tearing through our charts with sturdy flows of metallic beats, dubbed-out machine-drum funk, and that unmistakable neo-romanticist vibe that represents much of their own output, and that of the mid 1980s. Don't fret, however, because this has plenty of techno in its DNA, too. A recommended album.
… Read more in stock $20.46
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Endgame: Bronx Lotta Finale (Soundtrack) (gatefold 180 gram vinyl LP + inserts with obi-strip)
Cat: PULSE 001. Rel: 14 Mar 22
Review: Hauled from the vaults of cult ephemera, Endgame: Brox Lotta Finale is a 1983 gem of low-budget sci-fi trash for all B-movie weirdos. But if the film itself relies on its flaws for its charm, don't let that detract from the excellent soundtrack by Carlo Maria Cordio. The Italian synth composer also known for Troll 2, Pieces and other niche favourites serves up a panoply of incidentals, themes and sequences that will leave you reeling in a reverie of VHS grade bombast. Pulse Video have gone to town on this reissue, with high end artwork and eight collectible lobby cards in a gatefold sleeve which make this a must-have for all devotees of retro cinema oddities.
… Read more in stock $39.52
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Megatron Man (reissue) (limited heavyweight clear marbled vinyl LP in embossed spot-varnished sleeve)
Cat: SPLP 7052. Rel: 04 Nov 21
Review: Buffalo, New York born artist Patrick Cowley is well known as one of the most revolutionary and influential figures in electronic dance music of the seventies and eighties. He studied it in San Fran at the City College of San Francisco then mastered it in the studio over the ensuing decades. Megatron Man was his second studio album , released in 1981, and is a standout of the era thanks to the gliding and funky main tune 'Get A Little' with its great use of vocoder. The rest of the record in true Cowley fashion takes in hi-nrg disco, slow cosmic, electronic funk and boogie all with an erotic and libidinous overtone.
… Read more in stock $35.66
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Songs To Learn & Sing (reissue) (180 gram vinyl LP + insert)
Cat: 019029 5156725. Rel: 18 Feb 22
Review: Echo & The Bunnymen's first ever best-of compilation, first released in 1985, gets a reissue. Accruing all the hits, we begin with the seminal 'Rescue' before careening through 'Never Stop', 'The Killing Moon' and 'Seven Seas', recalling the new wave band's emotive drawl and gushing instrumentals, coinciding with the time in which their contemporaneous album, 'Songs To Learn and Sing', was released.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Rock/Indie
in stock $25.15
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Surrender: A Collection (remastered) (limited gatefold red vinyl 2xLP in embossed sleeve)
Cat: 405053 8664423. Rel: 08 Apr 22
Review: Alan Vega & Marty Rev's career as Suicide spanned an incredible four decades. During those years, they rarely if ever got much credit for their work but as is often the way, once time passed they started to get deserving plaudits and an ever growing status amongst fans and critics. Now said to be one of the most inspirational outfits of the 70s, they influenced everyone from Depeche Mode to Soft Cell. This brand new, remastered collection takes in tunes from all across the band's career and has plenty of big, raw, energetic and eclectic sounds with track from their first album in 1977 and most recent in 2002.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Rock/Indie
in stock $32.89
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Third Album (180 gram vinyl 2xLP + insert)
Cat: NBLP 003. Rel: 20 Oct 22
Review: As one of the iconic partnerships from the electroclash era, Miss Kittin & The Hacker helped define seedy synth tackle at the turn of the century. Given the prevalence of minimal wave in this day and age, it feels like the perfect time for them to come back with a new album. Teetering between pop nous and the darkest of deviant nighttime dreams, this is everything you would want from a return of the Grenoble greats. Listening to 'Purist' and they could easily be taking on the charts, while a trip into 'La Cave' is like donning your finest leathers and sliding into the dungeon.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Electro, Rave Energy
in stock $27.09
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As Long As The Light (LP)
Cat: LPGRON 258. Rel: 22 Apr 22
Review: Michael Rother from acclaimed wave bands such as NEU! and Harmonia steps out for a new album As Long As The Light that finds him collaborate with Italian musician Vittoria Maccabruni. It is a work packed with dark moods, with towering sonic constructions and plenty of unsettling emotions. They are created by Rother's trademark melodies and expressive guitar harmonies and all eight songs manage to break new ground despite the fact that over the last 50 years Rother has amassed such a fine catalogue. This one is eerie and excellent and will conjure up a mental movie like no other.
… Read more in stock $24.88
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Review: Over the course of her three year solo career, London-based Australian Carla Dal Forno has steadily moved from a dark, stylish and bleak all-electronic sound to something a little warmer and more organic in tone. On "Look Up Sharp", her third album, she continues this trend, complimenting her usual lo-fi drum machines and synths with low-slung post-punk bass and the kind of pastoral, traditional instrumentation more often associated with folk music (think flutes, recorders, clarinet etc.). It's a curious blend, but one that works wonderfully well throughout the album, and especially on those songs to which she adds evocative, often melancholic vocals.
… Read more in stock $17.68
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More D4ta (Deluxe Edition) (180 gram vinyl LP + poster in die-cut sleeve)
Cat: MTR 122DLX. Rel: 13 May 22
Review: Moderat performed what they knew would be one of their last concerts in 2017 - at least, for a while, anyway. Having been in need for a hiatus, COVID restrictions kicked in and the pressure to juggle performing and music-making was off. Thus came 'MORE D4TA', an album that strove after connection and collaboration in an era where the potential for such was stunted. Now finally finished and polished, the album comes for all to enjoy, demonstrating some of the duo's most focused and pop-structured production and modular chops.
… Read more in stock $21.84
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Review: Next up on Dusseldorf's Themes For Great Cities is the debut LP from local trio Folie 2, comprised of vocalist Marlene Kollender, Gregor Darman (aka Rasputin) and Sebastian Welicki (LSW/Trashlagoon). Anyone who caught their great podcast on LYL Radio full of slow, trancey music knows what to expect on this one. There's a strong nod to '80s pop for the most part, but also taking in chugging dark disco slow burners ('Confrontation') neon-lit boogie down numbers ('Night Times') and taking influence from sounds of their homeland circa the '70s ('Fullness Of My Heart').
… Read more in stock $23.77
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Ce N'est Q'Un Debut (160 gram vinyl LP)
Cat: MEDICAL 002LP. Rel: 15 Oct 14
Review: Twenty nine years ago (can you believe it) Alexander Robotnick released his first album, Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut, featuring what's arguably his most defining track "Problemes D'amour" with the Harajuku-cute vocals of Martine Michellod. It's this album that has influenced countless French synth pop acts and a horde of old school electro lovers, and all this time later it's been repressed (again) by the label that first released it, Medical. Keeping the sacredness of this LP firmly intact by sticking with the keyboard-head artwork, Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut - along with Man Parish's 1982 self-titled debut - should be in all of our record collections.
… Read more in stock $27.64
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Review: After doing the rounds for years as a bootleg CD, Depeche Mode's Live in Basel 1984 is finally getting a release on vinyl. For fans of the legendary Essex band, or merely those with an in interest in early new-wave synth-pop, the album should be an essential purchase. The quality of the recording itself is rather good (something of a surprise given its age and the fact that it would have most likely been recorded to tape), while the band's performance is superb. It's basically a celebration of the Mode at their early synth-sporting best, teasing and titillating an enthusiastic Swiss crowd. Musically, we get a mix of cult favourites, early album tracks and now iconic singles such as 'New Life' and 'Just Can't Get Enough'. Ace.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Leftfield
in stock $18.52
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Spirit Exit (gatefold silver vinyl 2xLP)
Cat: LY 001LPC. Rel: 08 Jul 22
Review: Italian composer and modular synth wizard Caterina Barbieri makes a debut on the Light-Years label here with a profound work of ambient beauty. Known for her musical vortexes, she warps space and time with her compositions and has done ever since breaking through with 2017's double-album Patterns Of Consciousness. Spirit Exit again finds her start up her modal rug and get to work in her home studio amidst Milan's two-month pandemic lockdown in 2020. It's a personal work that "takes inspiration from female philosophers, mystics and poets spread across time." The transportational sounds are as complex as they are emotive from front to back.
… Read more in stock $22.10
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God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners (gatefold 200 gram vinyl LP)
Cat: DGMLP 5. Rel: 29 Jun 22
Review:
For the first time ever since the mid-80s, Robert Fripp's God Save The Queen is now avaialble on fresh vinyl once more. It was the second solo album from Fripp and is made up almost entirely of so-called 'Frippertronics,' which means much of the record was performed by improvisation. Under each track are solid drums and bass to get the grooves going and guitar loops for the five tracks were recorded live in concert during 1979. It's a real left turn of an album and one that can be as mesmerising as it can wild.
… Read moreFor the first time ever since the mid-80s, Robert Fripp's God Save The Queen is now avaialble on fresh vinyl once more. It was the second solo album from Fripp and is made up almost entirely of so-called 'Frippertronics,' which means much of the record was performed by improvisation. Under each track are solid drums and bass to get the grooves going and guitar loops for the five tracks were recorded live in concert during 1979. It's a real left turn of an album and one that can be as mesmerising as it can wild.
Played by: Juno Recommends Ambient/Drone
in stock $16.86
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Review: Robert Fripp's pioneering work in electronic music reached its influential peak with the so-called Frippertronics tour of 1979. Creating compelling soundscapes out of tape loops might not seem revolutionary now, but it certainly was at the time, and out of the tour came this limited and highly prized album, perhaps the most sincere recorded document of Fripp's creative breakthrough. Now Let The Power Fall is being pressed on vinyl for the first time since its initial release on Editions EG in the 80s, and it comes with additional versions of '1984' never heard before.
… Read morePlayed by: Juno Recommends Ambient/Drone
in stock $16.86
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Boy (Japan Edition) (LP + insert + MP3 download code with obi-strip)
Cat: AMDS 7. Rel: 30 May 22
Review: Here comes a special Japanese edition of Harvey Sutherland's superb Boy album. Since debuting in 2013, Mike Katz has released a lot of music under this alias, always flitting between interconnected styles (electronic disco, deep house, jazz-funk, nu-boogie, revivalist New Jersey garage and Italo-disco) without ever laying down an album of all-new music. Boy, then, is a significant milestone in the Melbourne producer's career and offers an exploration of what he calls "neurotic funk" - a boundary-blurring fusion of jammed-out analogue electronics and live instrumentation that draws on a multitude of musical styles without neatly sitting in any one pigeonhole.
… Read more in stock $40.64
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Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 (Soundtrack) (gatefold heavyweight black vinyl 2xLP)
Cat: LSINV 293LPALT. Rel: 20 Jan 23
Review: We thought they didn't make them like this anymore. Then they made four seasons like this, and we all remembered what it meant to combine fantasy, horror, coming of age, and stick the lot in the most nostalgic decade for many people aged between mid-20s and late-50s. An age that, even if memories are hazy or you weren't even born ye, still manages to reflect the way the world was and had been for some time. The culmination of half a century's progress in mechanics and engineering, the final hurrah before the tech revolution got underway and changed our lives for good.
A key part of what makes Stranger Things so evocative is the music itself. Each instalment is littered with great chart tracks from the year in which they are set - not least this time round, with Kate Bush rocketing to the top of the charts with 'Running Up That Hill' thanks to its use in the show. Nevertheless, the finest sounds on offer are the original tracks, which come in the form of these synth heavy masterpieces, which should be longer, but instead opt for a 'keep them wanting more' philosophy.
… Read moreA key part of what makes Stranger Things so evocative is the music itself. Each instalment is littered with great chart tracks from the year in which they are set - not least this time round, with Kate Bush rocketing to the top of the charts with 'Running Up That Hill' thanks to its use in the show. Nevertheless, the finest sounds on offer are the original tracks, which come in the form of these synth heavy masterpieces, which should be longer, but instead opt for a 'keep them wanting more' philosophy.
in stock $29.03
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Review: Franc Moody is a UK band whose new album Into The Ether is steeped in deep funk and served up with a healthy dose of optimism, which sure is something we could also use plenty of right now. All the tunes find the band searching for a utopia, a better place for us all as summery comes to an end. It is a flawless and coherent work with rich orchestral layers and grooves to spare as warm, cosmic new disco is explored from a skilful instrumental angle with alluring vocals carefully draped over the top. Some cuts go deeper like the opener, some bring dancefloor joy like 'Raining In LA.'
… Read more in stock $21.56
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Silver Streams (transparent orange vinyl LP limited to 300 copies)
Cat: PLANT43 008LP. Rel: 06 Mar 23
Review: Perhaps slightly better known for his dancefloor-enlivening electro productions, this is actually the third full length ambient album from UK producer Emile Facey under the Plant43 moniker. He's been writing and storing up atmospheric synthesiser experiments alongside his dancefloor oriented output since his last ambient LP The Countless Stones released in 2020, and the eight tracks here are meditative, ethereal affairs, Facey carving out a beautiful set of vivid emotions out of crystal clear pure sounds and arpeggios rolling like gentle waves lapping at a shore. Imagine classic Tangerine Dream combined with the balance and poise of Global Communication and you're getting close.
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Played by: Juno Recommends Ambient/Drone
in stock $12.71
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Review: The third full length from Hawaii-born, LA producer singer/producer Jess Labrador, operates in a sweet pot between the dreamy and the nightmarish, atmospheres shifting without warning and genres fused and abused, particularly focussing on joining the dots between between electronics and classic songwriting. Labrador's sonic skills - her day job is as a professional mastering engineer - is very much evidence on what is her first almost completely DIY production, with every note and frequency in its place for maximum devastation and emotional resonance.
… Read more in stock $30.41
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Review: Swedish-British singer-songwriter Jay-Jay Johanson is now well known for his uniquely melancholic vocals and this new album Labyrinth is another fine example of that. The title track is airy and delicate, with his tender, spoke-sung vocals drifting over a gentle piano. 'The Maze' comes as a Tomas Nordmark Labyrinth Rework with swirling pads making for a churchy vibe as the voice of Johanson hangs poignantly in the air above. Elsewhere 'Paris 2' is a little fuller, with downtempo percussion and busier piano chords and 'The Girl with the Moog in Her Hair' has great retro synths for a subtle cosmic outing.
… Read more in stock $20.18
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Film De Guerre (remastered) (LP + poster + insert)
Cat: MG 140. Rel: 06 Jul 23
Review: Film De Geurre aka Fred Laser, Max Whiteshoe, Victor Chon and Xenia dropped their self titled dark wave, post punk and minimal synth masterpiece back in 1981. It has become a cult classic ever since and is their one and only ever album. It now comes reissued with a 24"x24" poster & original insert with lyrics courtesy of Mental Groove. The rhythms throughout are stark but compelling, with jangling guitars layered up over the chilly synths and dark, deadpan vocals delivered up top in a matter of fact style. It has a steady pulse that keeps you locked in as the guitar strings ping about and the mood changes from curious and beguiling to more moody and direct
… Read more in stock $30.41
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Review: Shoegazers and experimental outfit Cloudland Canyon blend ambient, drone, krautrock, psychedelic, house music into their own unique tapestries. The band, led by Kip Uhlhorn, is now back with this new self-titled album which his another widescreen exploration of the cosmic sonic realm. The band is now more than 20 years into their career and for this one embraced the future by collaborating with AI. This allowed them to generate and create "compositions that sound like they are meant for an alternate realm where both beauty and suffering are both present, but not at odds with one another."
… Read more in stock $24.88
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Review: Instrumental synth pop producer Gozen Atila, AKA Anadol - named after an old Turkish car company - has been building a stellar reputation for herself as a purveyor of 1970s and 1980s influenced electronic soundscapes since her first full length, curuyen Yillar (Rotting Years), turned heads among press and public alike in 2012. Plenty has come between then and now, but finally we're given Hatiralar, a record that was made around the same time as her debut but has never before seen the light of day. Informed by the experimental European and Eurasian movie scores of decades past, fans of Bruce Haack and The Space Lady will find much to fall head over heels for here, touching on naive keyboard chart hits from outside the Western music industry, kosmische, science fiction sounds and obscure electro forms, it's a strange but enticing trip into another world.
… Read morePlayed by: GK Machine
in stock $29.03
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Strange Pleasures (10th Anniversary Edition) (gatefold turquoise vinyl LP + poster + MP3 download code)
Cat: WLR 004LPX. Rel: 22 Jun 23
Review: .It has been 12 years since Still Corners debuted via the ever-strong Sub Pop label, presenting themselves as an archetypal dream pop band at a time when the sound was experiencing something of a resurgence. More than a decade later, so much has changed about the world and its genres du jour, and while this lot have developed their style evolution might be going a little far. Still, if it ain't broke and all that. Ultimately, as Strange Pleasures proves, theirs wasn't even fractured. Indeed, this is gorgeous, fluffy, inviting stuff that seduces without being overtly sexy, and invites us to jump on white fluffy clouds for the duration. Of course, there are more commanding elements, occasional edgier synth pop interludes interspersed throughout, but for the most part this is wonderfully opiate stuff.
… Read more in stock $27.91
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Lacrimae Christi (reissue) (180 gram gold vinyl LP + insert)
Cat: MMA 03. Rel: 17 Jan 24
Review: Yugoslavian synth-pop band Videosex formed in 1982 but settled on its more lasting line-up in 1983 with Anja Rupel on vocals, Janez Kriaj playing bass, Iztok Turk drumming, and Matja Kosi and Nina Sever both on keys. A year later they broke through with their Videosex 84 debut album and then had another local hit with the follow-up, 1985's Lacrimae Christi. It now gets a first-ever international release, all remastered and on nice heavyweight vinyl. The group had plenty of mainstream hits - two of them are on this album in the form of 'Sivi dan' (or Gloomy Day) and 'Tko je zgazio gospo?u mjesec' (or Who Ran Over Mrs. Moon), played some big concerts and even appeared on national TV before eventually splitting up in 1992.
… Read morein stock $20.18
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Review: If we tell you that's Marseille's new wave electronic heroes Martin Dupont have supported the likes of The Lotus Eaters, The Lounge Lizards and Siouxsie and the Banshees, but also been sampled by Madlib and Tricky, then we're beginning to get to the heart of their wide appeal. Now, after the success of 2018's The complete collection 1980-1988, the band have returned complete with original members (alongside some new additions) and their first new LP for 35 years. It's not hear to see their influence on electronic artists - the surging, dark DXS7 synths and programmed drums remain intact - as well as the goth appeal of singer Alain Seghir, with his shadowy voice clocking in somewhere between Scott Walker's doomy self-reflection and Billy Mackenzie's compelling histrionics, shown off to its best here via 'Nice Boy' and 'Your Passion'. Drama, death and tragically doomed love... What more do you need to liven up your lunch hour?!
… Read more in stock $21.00
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Fig 1 (LP + MP3 download code limited to 200 copies)
Cat: BRC 01. Rel: 23 Jan 23
Review: Fresh, warm and spontaneous - brainwave research center's eight track debut album is everything that electronic music sometimes forgets to be. Recorded and produced in the back of Smith's synthesizer/electronic repair shop, Specs Sales & Repair, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the project is a joint collaboration between NYC-based house/techno producer, Chase Smith (W.T. Records, Apartment, is/Was), & documentary filmmaker, Christa Majoras (School of Visual Arts).
Described as a distillation of influences from experimentalism of Steve Reich, Laurie Spiegel and Black Dice, the 90s ambient techno of The Orb and Pete Namlook/Fax and more motorik flavours like Kraftwerk, Suicide, Manual Gottsching, it's a gentle but lively affair from the Art Of Noise-esque 'ah ah ah ah ah' and bubbling jam 'Bird Brain' to the epic arpeggios v guitar closer 'Day Dreaming'. This is first of four releases that the artist has planned, but there's certainly enough here to get your teeth into for now.
… Read moreDescribed as a distillation of influences from experimentalism of Steve Reich, Laurie Spiegel and Black Dice, the 90s ambient techno of The Orb and Pete Namlook/Fax and more motorik flavours like Kraftwerk, Suicide, Manual Gottsching, it's a gentle but lively affair from the Art Of Noise-esque 'ah ah ah ah ah' and bubbling jam 'Bird Brain' to the epic arpeggios v guitar closer 'Day Dreaming'. This is first of four releases that the artist has planned, but there's certainly enough here to get your teeth into for now.
in stock $15.47
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Review: Berlin's Jennifer Touch is back with a second album of her synth, cold wave and electro collages and this one is inspired by reading 'Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck. She was touched by the idea of the settler's movement and got into the mindset of a cowboy while writing these tunes. The resulting sounds are full of hope and mystery and were all written in an explosion of creativity and energy in just a couple of months. That plays out in the urgency of the grooves making for another great long player.
… Read more in stock $24.88
