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Archive for the coldwave Category

Réseau d’Ombres – Vinyl Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1987, coldwave, french, post-punk, punk, synth, synthpunk on March 25, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Ahhh, this band. This band, this band, this band. No single French coldwave band gets my blood boiling more than Réseau d’Ombres. While not romantic and wistful like many of their contemporaries (and like much of the music I tend to prefer), this French trio is downright relentless and extremely caustic, while also remaining completely and utterly danceable. If you haven’t heard them yet, stop what you’re doing right now, download this link, and get listening. You can expect some of the most hard-hitting, synth-driven, coldwave you’ve ever heard – in the vein of bands like Ausweis, Killing Joke, Suicide, Guerre Froide, early Charles De Goal, Les Provisoires, early Xmal, and of course, Bérurier Noir.

The Laval-based band was rather prolific, releasing five cassettes (one which is a live show from 1984), one 7”, one 12”, and two full-length LPs between 1983 and 1987. The live cassette Ireos has been lovingly reissued by Greek label ειρκτή back in 2014, while the other cassettes are a bit more elusive. Except one that is coming in the mail shortly, so more on that later, wink-wink.

When I get in the mood for this band, nothing else will suffice, and with things as they are these last few weeks – let’s just say they’re really hitting the spot today. With that in mind, I wanted to post freshly updated rips of the band’s vinyl-only catalogue, and by “freshly,” I mean, I digitized the two LPs and 12” single for my own personal listening over ten years ago, and just haven’t gotten around to sharing them yet. Much love to Nick from Crispy Nuggets for handling the band’s exceptional debut 7” as well, which I’ve included with his blessing. Also, check out his video restoration work on “Mirrors” as well:

As always, enjoy!

Réseau d’Ombres – Instant 7” (1985)
1. Instant
2. Mirrors

Réseau d’Ombres – Sotcha LP (1985)
1 New York
2 On The Floor
3 D’Estonnie
4 Bigger
5. Return Ticket
6. Blue Horsemen
7. Square
8. Whoska Sound
9. The Gold Of Netsa

Réseau d’Ombres – Axe 12” (1987)
1. Hanky Panky
2. Perska
3. The Gash
4. Holy Scab

Réseau d’Ombres – Faction LP (1987)
1. Soldier
2. Control
3. Howtch
4. Fire Away!
5. 7.00
6. Mockers
7. Today 5
8. Burnt-Offering
9. The Hanged

*download everything here*

Various Artists- Kram Production

Posted in 1987, black maria, cargo culte, coldwave, compilations, formule tag, ja ich bin, jangle, kram production, New York, no man's land, parade, roma, uncertain call on February 24, 2025 by Frankie Teardrop

Kram Production was a very short-lived label from France that put out but one compilation in 1987. Whether the label meant to live on past this one release, nobody knows. I also wonder if this label was meant to be French offshoot of Belgian label Crammed Discs, since one band on this compilation (Black Maria) would release the majority of their work on that label. However, this is merely a theory.

Guesswork aside here, this compilation is a rather solid selection of French coldwave, new wave, and jangly rock sounds. All the tracks are pretty good, though some highlights include Formule Tag, Uncertain Call, and Parade. Some bands like Black Maria and No Man’s Land would go on to have careers into the nineties, some like Ja Ich Bin, Uncertain Call, and Cargo Culte would put out just a handful of releases, while others such as Roma and Parade were never heard from again, unless there are some uncovered tapes out there. I do highly recommend the Formule Tag 12” and Uncertain Call’s 7” discography on the whole.

Hope y’all enjoy this one!

Various Artists – Kram Productions
1. Ja Ich Bin- En Travers De La Gorge
2. Cargo Culte- Stranger
3. Uncertain Call- Nickolaï Says No
4. Roma- Run
5. Parade- Blizzard
6. Black Maria- Rain
7. No Man’s Land- Les Morts N’ont Plus Mal
8. Formule Tag- La Sierra

*download it here*

3 Comments »

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7 & Compilation Tracks

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1987, 1988, coldwave, france, post-punk, ultime possibilité on April 3, 2023 by Frankie Teardrop

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Gérald Page, rhythm guitarist of French post-punk/coldwave band Ultime Possibilité during a brief birthday visit to NYC. He was kind enough to pass along a copy of the band’s first cassette, self-released in 1986, two years before their excellent 7”. I also have his blessing to share the recording here with you all. You can expect the same powerful, yet-catchy sounds throughout this tape, including an earlier version of b-side “No More Lies.” The rest of the tracks are unheard, exclusive to this release, and as incredible as the single that follows.

As a bonus, I’m also including two additional tracks the band recorded, both released on cassette compilations in 1987 and 1988 respectively.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Ultime Possibilité- Ultime Possibilité K7
1. Would You Smile
2. Sea of Faces
3. No More Lies
4. La Chambre Vide
5. Gardian Angel
6. Pensees Nocturnes

Compilation tracks:
1. Coute Que Coute (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
1. What Was Your Mission (from The Unknown 4 – 1987)
2. Coute Que Coute (alternate recording, from Orcades Machinales Volume 1 – 1988)

*download it all here*

Also, please enjoy this amazing TV appearance of the band performing the fiery “Coute Que Coute” on the ZAP program:

Much love to Gérald for his generosity and for all the music! <3

4 Comments »

Jinx- Too Late 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, coldwave, france, french, minimal, minimal synth, new wave on December 28, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Hi friends. Hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. This will likely be my last post of the year at this rate, a final sweet synth sayonara to 2020 in hopes we all find better tidings in the new year. Here’s a single that I’ve both loved and forgotten in recent months. I can’t remember where I first heard this one a few years back, but a friend reminded me of it a few weeks ago, and I fell in love with it all over again, as if I were hearing it for the first time, but knew deep down this was a deeper obsession. The band, a French new wave act named Jinx (erroneously spelled Jynx on the inner label). This is their lone recording from 1987, and both tracks are pure wistful, romantic synth bliss. I’m reminded a bit of Ivy’s Day, Coldreams, Jane’s haunting “It’s a Fine Day,” and Rive Gauche across the span of both tracks. I can’t really choose a favorite, and even though it’s the b-side that might appeal more to most folks with it’s dual male/female vox, moody atmosphere, and beautiful high synth leads, the a-side is no slouch either once you get past the intro, which appears at first glance to be a bit more reggae/dub-inspired before it settles into a similarly great groove.

For those eager to find a copy of this single and don’t want to wait for it to pop up online, the b-side has been lovingly remastered and reissued by the excellent Camisole records, appearing on a split with the also stellar Madame Bovary (another single where I can’t choose my favorite track, but lean slightly towards the a-side). Anyway, I’m sure you’ve all skipped right to the download link for this one, with good reason. Let’s cut to the chase and get to the details:

Jinx- Too Late 7”
1. Too Late
2. Rêve Inconscient

*download it here*

Otherwise, hope you all have a lovely new year, and hope to see many of you in the digital space in 2021!

Quick note for those playing along at home: I even hate to end this post on this note, but it deserves to be said after a slew of interactions I’ve had recently that have left a poor taste in my mouth… I am not a lossless factory, and will not be publishing/replying to any further comments about providing lossless rips here or the demand for “free” music as such from punisher Discogs users out there. Please kindly keep those comments to yourself, as you will forever be whining into an abyss. I’m more than happy to share the music I am passionate about, but if you’re interested in making baseless demands please either have something to offer in exchange (I am *very* agreeable to digital trades) or feel free to press that Discogs button yourselves.

4 Comments »

Tableau Noir- Correspondances LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, coldwave, france, french, minimal synth, tableau noir on January 15, 2019 by Frankie Teardrop

Happy new year, everyone!

I’d like to kick off 2019 with a record that just arrived in my mailbox just yesterday. This LP is a curious French obscurity from 1986, centered around the works of Charles Baudelaire. Each song on this LP pulls the title, lyrics, and inspiration from Baudelaire’s classic Les Fleurs Du Mal. The music is set to a minimal backdrop; cold synths, dry drum machines, angular guitars, and a mix of both male and female vocals across the board, often sung and sometimes spoken. It’s not as dark as you might suspect, given the subject matter, but there’s definitely plenty to love here, especially for fans of bands like Marquis De Sade, early Martin Dupont, Taxi Girl, etc. I’m especially fond of “Sed Non Satiata,” which I could easily imagine hearing in a club setting.

Since there isn’t too much more to tell about this LP, let’s jump straight to the details. Enjoy!

Tableau Noir- Correspondances LP
1. Correspondances
2. Le Voyage
3. Le Reniement de St Pierre
4. Lesbos
5. L’Albatros
6. Sed Non Satiata
7. La Mort des Amants
8. Le Serpent Qui Danse
9. Les Bijoux

*download it here*

5 Comments »

7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence)- 7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence) LP

Posted in 1980s, 1987, 7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence), coldwave, france, lyon, synthpop on December 16, 2016 by Frankie Teardrop

Thanks to Nick from Crispy Nuggets for re-ripping this gem for me to clean up and share with y’all! This is the lone LP from French synthpop/coldwave project 7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence), which translates to 7th Speech (For Better Existence). A little bit of a mouthful, but what we have here is eight killer tracks of lo-fi synthpop of the highest caliber. Every track here is a gem, most ripe for the dance floor, with a few moody coldwave numbers included for good measure.

The LP was self-released in 1987. The band hailed from Lyon featured Xavier Martin on synths, bass, guitar, and vox, Eric Arcil on synths, and Christophe Berthoux on synths as well. This is their only logged release, though the band’s Facebook page linked a few deleted videos with additional song titles, so perhaps there are demos or a self-pressed follow up in someone’s collection. Would love to hear more about that, if so! Otherwise, here’s the details:

7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence)- 7ème Discours (Pour Une Meilleure Existence) LP
1. Ruptures
2. Le Bébe
3. Cauchemars De Jour
4. Lait Caillé Et Peau Flasque
5. J’ai Cassé Ma Montre
6. Le Square
7. Vide
8. 7ème Discours

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 7 & 8

Posted in 1980s, coldwave, compilations, Intro, mélopée, New deutsche welle, new wave, post-punk, synth, synthpop, systems of romance, uk, various artists, Vibø, wave on September 1, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been talking a big game about this Various Artists compilation series for a long time. So many allusions to the next installment of loose tracks have been made over the past few years, always saying the same thing. Stay tuned, etc. Well, it just occurred to me that it’s been THREE (3) years since the last installment, which is just pathetic on my part. That said, in order to atone for these missed opportunities and empty promises, I’ve assembled not ONE, but TWO compilations, just like the old days. Some of these tracks were passed on by friends and allies of the blog, others by band members themselves, and as always, quite a few come from the record shelves. Little writeups to follow below, but for now, let’s get to the tracklisting, shall we?

Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 7
1. Blood Brothers- Beyond The Nightmare
2. Unfamiliar Skies- Loveland
3. I Wish- The Name
4. 4711- New Holland
5. Glass Lady- Glass Lady
6. Lovers- Siam
7. Forever Till Never- When Kids Are Alone
8. Dancing On Your Own- Martin & Martin
9. Loss- Camouflage
10. Saison Fleurie- Cello
11. The Haunting Moon- Lyon in Winter
12. ふり返った男- Imitation Brain
13. Epics- Moravagine
14. Deutschland Brennt- D.U.R.
15. GG Man- Underjordiska Lyxorkestern
16. Pathetical Twat- Weaveworld
17. Ansassa- Tiistai
18. Symétrie (Live)- Pro Memoria
19. Zondagsplicht- Vibø
20. Pour Everyone- Irrelevant

Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 8
1. The Tribute- Christophe Grelier
2. Sisters- Carter Burwell
3. Dancing to Kill- Almost Alone
4. Curtain of Love- Ce Soir
5. Ultraviolet- Fade to Black
6. L’Arbre- Mélopée
7. Frozen (Demo)- Yvonne
8. Uomini di Vetro- Sirtaki
9. Darkness- A Distant Echo
10. Clever Dancers- Paul Piacentini
11. Grey Day- Nick Haward
12. Nuclear Car- Chapter 13
13. Tornado- The Blue Law
14. In Your Window- Indians Fall In Love
15. Korea- European Toys
16. Grind- October Game
17. Stormy Weather- Systems of Romance
18. Apynee- Laughing Out Loud
19. Disunion- Baby Hotel Hunger
20. Is This the End?- Avo-8

*download both compilations here*

Vol. 7 credits:
1. French band, released in the mid 90s, early 2000s. Also known as Beyond the Nightmare About Claudia.
2. Rare compilation appearance from these US-based synthpop greats, responsible for this trashy 12”. This track was released in 1993 on the American Independence- The New York Underground compilation. They were never heard from again.
3. Another track with virtually no information to be found out in the ether. Welcoming any tips on this one!
4. Incredible post-punk with cold synths from the Netherlands. They have a wealth of unreleased material, all available on Youtube.
5. Sleazy italo disco vibes from the UK, This is their lone single, the flip being an instrumental dub version.
6. Not related to the Israeli band of the same name, but instead the second project from Jacqui Brookes, aka Shox and Intro, respectively. This is the b-side of their Catrix 7”, a much better song than the intended single.
7. The a-side from a killer post-punk/wave 7” from the US, released in 1985.
8. An old Wierd party favorite, donated by a friend some time ago. Has seen many a play on the NYC dancefloors, but I’ll be damned if I can tell you anything about this otherwise italo/synthpop smash.
9. Not related to the German synthpop titans, but instead the centerpiece of this Swedish wave band’s second record, released in 1986.
10. Neoclassical darkwave vibes from Portugal, released the mid-90s. This track hails from their third record.
11. Gloomy new wave track from a lone US 12”, released in 1986.
12. Japanese a-side, also from 1986.
13. Early Martial Canterel demo, recorded under the Moravagine alias and released on a 6 track cd-r of similarly early demos.
14. The A-side from a 1982 NDW single, released on Zenzor.
15. The standout track from this Swedish band’s lone LP from 1982. The rest of the album is a mixed bag of new wave/prog tracks, but this one is a cold gem.
16. Four piece UK band featuring frequent members and collaborators of The Chameleons, The Sun & The Moon, Black Swan Lane, etc. Features the same trademark sound as all three of these bands. Also appears in demo form under the name Music For Aborigines.
17. Standout track from this Finnish band’s debut LP, released in 1987.
18. Unreleased live track from this otherwise amazing French coldwave project, with heavy similarities to Cocteau Twins. Get their first demo tape here.
19. Unreleased demo track from these Belgian darkwave greats, whose 12” appears on these back pages as well.
20. Unreleased demo from Philippe Planchon’s post-Asylum Party project.

Vol. 8 credits:
1. Neoclassical track from the mid-90s, released on the Cantara I compilation. Christophe was mostly active in No Words.
2. Plucked from the Psycho 3 soundtrack and featuring Stanton Miranda, yet another killer collaboration between the pair that brought you Thick Pigeon and the killer Wheels Over Indian Trails 12” on Factory Benelux. This is Carter’s first soundtrack work, a world where he is still active today.
3. Unreleased demo from this UK synthpop duo.
4. Flip side from a Scandanavian synthpop single from 1983. This is the first of three singles by Ce Soir. The A-side is nice, but this is the real standout of the two.
5. Lone compilation appearance from these US goth greats. It’s by far my favorite track of theirs, with a menacing edge and a slightly questionable organ line. Released on an otherwise mixed bag compilation. Miller High Life wave?
6. Centerpiece of this French coldwave band’s CD release from 1995. Get their earlier material here.
7. Demo track from mid-90s Sweden.
8. I couldn’t tell you a thing about this one!
9. The only released track from this Belgian synth band, released on the Blitz Pop 2 compilation in 1983.
10. Standout from the 1985 Out of the Box LP, recorded in one continuous take. Another Wierd party favorite.
11. The a-side from an extremely rare UK minimal synth single, released in 1983.
12. The b-side from a US-based 7” from 1982.
13. Gloomy, standout new wave track from a lone US 12”, released in 1988. If I recall, this is the only track that sounds anything like this.
14. Unreleased track from this UK-based post-punk/goth band, originally featured on the band’s Myspace page. This one goes out to Michael B. Wood from Return of the East, who passed away recently, but not before sharing this obscure band with the world.
15. Title track from this rickety UK post-punk band’s second release from 1984.
16. Probably the most well-known band on here, if only because it features a young, pre-Nettwerk Sarah McLachlan on vocals. Originally released in 1986 on the Out of the Fog (The Halifax Underground 1986) compilation.
17. US-based 12”, ~~named after this blog~~ just kidding, but still a nice slice of excellent new wave from 1983.
18. Another one I know virtually nothing about, and welcome any further information!
19. AKA Hotel Hunger, a Danish post-punk band. This track hails from their first 12”, released in 1986.
20. UK-based indie-rock/pop in the style of Shop Assistants, Flying Nun records, etc. This is the title track from their 1987 12” of the same name. Thanks to Goutroy for passing on an extra copy!

12 Comments »

Various Artists- 13 CD & L’Appel de la Muse LP

Posted in asylum party, coldwave, compilations, ellysgarden, france, french, goth, goth-rock, little nemo, lively art, post-punk on May 13, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a two for Tuesday post- two indispensable French compilations that you may have seen around before over the years, but both of these may serve as upgraded versions of what’s available in the ether.

Let’s start with 13, a near-perfect sampler of the Lively Art roster released in 1990, just as the label was hitting its peak. Just one glance at the artists gives the impression that Lively Art was truly on par with Factory Records, if nowhere near as well known outside of France and Belgium. It’s easy to forget that And Also the Trees had several releases on Lively Art, since they stick out like a sore thumb amidst a slew of French coldwave bands. That said, they certainly share the label’s aesthetic, in many ways a touchstone for La Vague Froide. Otherwise, you have classic tracks by Asylum Party, Museum of Devotion, and arguably Little Nemo’s best song… Not too shabby! The CD version provided here features three additional bonus tracks, to boot- bringing the total number of tracks to…well…….

While 13 is incredibly strong, L’Appel de la Muse is an all-time favorite. Track after track of dark French perfection. This is the first of five comps bearing this title, this series was perfect for showcasing new, underground French post-punk acts, oftentimes broadening their geographical horizons over the years. This first installment was the only release on vinyl, and kicked things off for the Alea Jacta Est in 1989. Alea Jacta Est would go on to release most of Lucie Cries’ discography, as well as Ellysgarden‘s debut release. Meanwhile, there are several repeat offenders across both of these compilations. Little Nemo’s “Alan’s Waiting” appears in re-recorded form here, and this version has never been compiled elsewhere. You also have killer exclusives from Excès Nocturne, Message, and a delightfully bizarre, yet satisfying track from Medikao, just to name a few. All in all, a flawless compilation, and part of a perfect pair. Enjoy!

Various Artists- 13
1. Tribes Are Meeting- Teepee
2. Love or Madness- Asylum Party
3. This Place- Data-Bank-A
4. Lover Pot Pie- Sky Cries Mary
5. Stiff- Numb
6. City Lights- Little Nemo
7. The Party- Mary Goes Round
8. Quimbi Come Home- Museum of Devotion
9, Istante (Live)- Club De Rome
10. Anton’s Mind’s Getting Blind- Collection d’Arnell~Andréa
11. The Subject Animal- Anechoic Chamber
12. (In the) Name of Surival- Circle Confusion
13. Wallpaper Dying- And Also the Trees

Various Artists- L’Appel de la Muse
1. The Muse’s Calling- Lucie Cries
2. Froh- Clair Obscur
3. Les Enfants- L’An III
4. Sex Gore- Medikao
5. Alan’s Waiting (2nd Version)- Little Nemo
6. Dahlia Noir- Excès Nocturne
7. Anastoria- Tuatha De Danann
8. The Nightmare (1st Version)- Mary Goes Round
9. The Grave- Message
10. Dreaming- Asylum Party

*download both here*

13 Comments »

Mélopée- Mélopée & Lyelle K7s

Posted in 1980s, 1990, 1990s, coldwave, france, french, goth, goth-rock, k7, mélopée, post-punk on March 9, 2015 by Frankie Teardrop

Two fantastic, rare, and undersung cassettes up on the slab today from Mélopée (translation- threnody), a coldwave band from France. Very little to be found on the net about this band, as both tapes were self-released in very limited numbers. One of the tapes (Lyellle) dates back to 1990, while the self-titled cassette doesn’t have a year attached to it, but is likely around the same time period, give or take a year in either direction. Outside of a handful of compilation appearances, the band also released a CD in 1995, but I haven’t heard it aside from the track that appears on the excellent Beaucoup, compilation alongside Lucie Cries, Ellysgarden, Résistance, Babel 17, and more, to say the least…

Fans of all the aforementioned bands (as well as the slew of Mémoires D’automne tapes from a few years back) will find lots and lots to love here!

Mélopée- Mélopée
1. Le Vide D’Un Cœur Solitaire
2. A L’Aube De La Vie
3. Les Tempes Blanchies
4. Mémorial
5. Ignaledre

Mélopée- Lyellle
1. Petite Vieilles Fanées
2. L’Arbre
3. Lyellle
4. Vision
5. Niomée
6. Procession
7. Inwradness

*download both tapes here*

8 Comments »

Azile- La Sainte 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, azile, coldwave, france, french, lyon, post-punk on April 29, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

It’s been a dog’s age, ladies and gents- or at least it feels like it’s been some time since my last post. Life’s been a bit crazy here, but all is well, and I’m hoping to resume regular activity here soon. With that in mind, here’s a new acquisition originally introduced to me by the always astute Stéphane B. of coldwave.fr. Olivier, the singer and guitarist of the band was kind enough to send me a copy and to lend his permission to share the single here with you all.

This is the lone release by Azile, a French coldwave band from Lyon, home of some of the best bands of the era, including Gestalt, L’Enfance Éternelle, Opéra De Nuit, etc. The latter is actually an excellent touchstone, as I find some sonic similarities between the A-side of this single and ODN tracks such as “Inviation” and “Karen Lloyd.” It’s a short blast of excellent coldwave that I’m glad exists in this world, no matter how obscure. The flip is no slouch either, combining acoustic guitar and churning synth stabs.

This 7” was self-funded and self-released by the band in 1988, though Olivier mentioned that the band recorded a few more tracks around the same time. I hope to be able to share those with you soon, but in the meantime, here’s the details for this excellent single.

Azile- La Sainte 7”
1. La Sainte
2. L’Homme Qui Tombe

*download it here*

4 Comments »

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