New releases last eight weeks: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Notoriously elusive, sophisti-thereal pop/post-punk collective Vazz answer to almost no-one. Emerging from the same late 70s/early 80s mutant formaldehyde mists that spawned This Mortal Coil and Crepuscule, yet bringing the dream pop sound to Glasgow, Hugh Small and Anna Howson are still going strong as a boutique bringing-together of mindful, magnetic musicians, pedigreed for the seemly discotheque. First released on Cathexis Records, we are indeed much cathected to both EPs in this collection. In sloshing but somehow still self-contained fashion, 'Your Final Word' swims in reverb nearly to the point of drowning its own harmonies, yet breathability is somehow still retained. 'Bleached White Skin' is the perfect storm of wavy wash, operatic doublings and ditzy drum machine, and 'Breath' brings spring-verb coldwave stylings to a languorous, pitchy closer. Then 'Feverpitch' and 'For A Reason' hear the compilation sprawl further into arpeggiating tumult, as we move on to material from the 1987 'Feverpitch' EP. This 40th anniversary edition collates both EPs and adds a handful of unissued minimal wave pearls.