Archive for December, 2011

Diastereomer- Mothersun 7”

Posted in 1989, darkwave, diastereomer, japan, japanese, minimal synth, new wave, puppets records, sect commune, synth, synthpop on December 19, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

This will likely be my last post until after the holidays, so why not end this year (my fifth) with an extremely rare and extremely top shelf 7” from Japan!

I first discovered this Japanese duo through a Youtube clip, and have been playing their tracks almost nonstop at the weekly Wierd records party ever since. This particular 7” dates back to 1989 and was released on Puppets records, a private press label that was also home to Sect Commune, co-producer of this gem. High school friends Yoshio Fukumitsu and Katsuya Shoman took turns singing on these tracks (Fukumitsu sang and contributed lyrics to the A-side, while Shoman wrote the music to both tracks and is responsible for the vocals and lyrics of the flip). Both played synths, with Fukumitsu also contributing bass and Shoman on piano.

Fans of Xymox, Depeche Mode, OMD, and various darkwave legends both big and small will find lots to love on this record. Many thanks to Katsuya Shoman for the extra info and generous permission to upload these for you all to enjoy!

Diastereomer- Mothersun 7”
1. Mothersun
2. Place

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* – check out the new Ignition Advancer LP, which collects these tracks as well as a few unreleased gems from the band, via Bitter Lake Recordings.

While I’m here, I just wanted to thank everyone for the wave of support over the years. This blog wouldn’t exist without the camaraderie and interaction of friends, fans, and the musicians who have chimed in with their support and kindness. See you all in 2012!

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The Pollen- Contrasts/Factory Hours/Colours and Make Believe

Posted in 1980s, 1989, adrian borland, coldwave, dreampop, french, indie, post-punk, the pollen, the sound on December 12, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Updated 12/16/24!

For those who enjoyed the Pollen LP posted a few entries back, here’s a post that is both supplemental and one which renders the previous post obsolete. Contained within we have pristine CD rips of the band’s output, including both albums and the Factory Hours single (both the 12” and 7” tracks appear), all of which were released on the legendary Danceteria label. Contrasts also comes with bonus tracks from the Nurturing Desire 12”, which completes the discography, more or less (missing are a handful of live tracks from a best of as well as the single for River of Life, which has two remixes and a unique b-side)*

After The Pollen called it quits, two members formed shoegaze band The Park, who released one album in 1992*.

If you dug the Adrian Borland-produced mini-LP, be sure to download this one as well, for additional songs, higher fidelity, and as of December 2024, their sophomore record, which has grown on me considerably over the years… “Factory Walk” is also a killer track, complete with that cold post-punk sound we all know and love, with poppier and folkier-inspired b-sides. Fans of bands like The Popguns and Darling Buds as well as French coldwave/The Sound/etc. will hopefully adore this band as much as I do!

Have at it, folks!

*2024 update – stay tuned!

The Pollen- Contrasts (1988)
1. Nurturing Desire
2. Passionate Reading
3. Military Tactics
4. Dream
5. Like the Wind
6. Killer
7. Heathen World
8. Peel the Skin
9. Faraway
10. Hard Times
11. Breaking Out

Tracks 1, 2, and 7 from Nurturing Desire 12”. The rest appear in different order on the Contrasts mini-LP.

The Pollen- Factory Hours (1989)
1. Factory Hours
2. (In Your) Head
3. Bushes and Briars
4. Passionate Reading (Remix)

Tracks 2 and 3 from the 12”. Track 4 from the 7”.

The Pollen – Colours and Make Believe (1989)
1. Wake Up And Fight
2. No Stranger
3. River Of Life
4. Watching Silently
5. In The Country
6. Jeune D´Esprit
7. The Darkness Is Around You
8. The Journey
9. A Better Past
10. Colours And Make Believe
11. 1990

*download all three here*

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Luxembourg- La Cible 7”

Posted in 1985, coldwave, french, luxembourg, post-punk on December 8, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Fresh from the heart of France, here’s a joyous and upbeat coldwave single (an oxymoron, perhaps?) from 1985. This limited edition single is the band’s only release, a private press with little-to-no information out there in the ether. The b-side is what really does it for me here, as it reminds me quite a bit of The Sound’s “Sense of Purpose,” with a lighter touch.

I could make a rather educated guess about which city this band was from, but that would be all too easy, wouldn’t it? About as easy as clicking the link below and downloading this little treasure!

Luxembourg- La Cible 7”
1. La Cible
2. Le Secret De L’ombre

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 6.4.13)

3 Comments »

Pink and Black- Sometimes I Feel… 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, pink and black, synthpop, uk on December 5, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s one that’s been posted elsewhere in the past, but I’ve given my own copy a once over. High quality, click removal, the whole works.

This 1984 single hails from the UK and is pure synthpop bliss. The main track appears twice here, in both extended and single form, and both versions are just ripe for the dance floor. There’s also a Spanish promo issue of this single from 1985, but I believe it’s nearly identical to this one, with the radio version appearing on side A. Also, there’s a rumour out there that one of the members of this project was also in Sex Gang Children (Illuminated Records also featured several Sex Gang related releases, as well as Portion Control & Poison Girls), but I can neither confirm nor deny this for sure. However, what I *CAN* say is you’re all gonna love this one.

Pink and Black- Sometimes I Feel… 12”
1. Sometimes I Wish (Dramadance USA Mix)
2. Sometimes I Wish (Radio)
3. Miss Fortune

*download it here*

6 Comments »