Archive for the darkwave Category

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Empire- Eu 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, celluloid, coldwave, darkwave, french, post-punk on March 7, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s one on generous loan from Glenn of Cult of Youth/Blacklist. Speaking of which, make sure you check out the latest Cult of Youth record, released last week on Sacred Bones. Killer punk and western influenced neofolk, highly recommended!

As for this 12”, there isn’t a lot of information to be found online, but hopefully someone can help shed some light on this project. Seems to be a one off release, issued on Celluloid in 1982. The band hails from France and combines the bleak coldwave sound of Charles De Goal and dancier, drum and bass driven post-punk akin to early Simple Minds (think “I Travel”) or Airstrip 1. All four tracks feature the same rhythmic stomp throughout, and I can’t choose a favorite of the lot. Hopefully you all enjoy this one as much as I do. Here’s the breakdown:

Empire- Eu 12”
1. Merveilleusement Fou
2. Figure de Style
3. Jeunes Fantômes
4. Coeur d’Europe

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 1.27.18)

3 Comments »

Sport of Kings- Parade 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, darkwave, post-punk, sport of kings, US on March 1, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

I know I just dropped a post late last night, but I can’t help myself. Was just giving this one another listen after ripping it, and really feeling it today. Here we have the final 12” from Sport of Kings, released in 1983. It still follows the same Factory Records template that their previous work did, adding in a mix of the Chicago and Miami sounds, respectively. Some might find the female vox on “A Fire is Burning” a bit much, but I truly love that kind of thing (also see the Mankinds Audio Development 12” & Ministry’s “I Wanted To Tell Her” for more of the same).

Don’t fret though, even though this final 12” is a bit more polished than their previous work, there’s still plenty of dark, deep bass grooves for you to enjoy here. For those who missed their previous albums, you can get the On a Tall Building 12” here, and their full length LP here. I do believe their first 7” is still hiding somewhere, waiting to be discovered. If anyone has it, please chime in! Otherwise, here’s the info for this record:

Sport of Kings- Parade 12”
1. Parade
2. A Fire Is Burning (Oligarchic Mix)
3. A Fire Is Burning
4. Tell Me Dance

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Minutes After…- Minutes After… LP

Posted in 1980s, 1988, darkwave, minutes after..., new wave, philadelphia, post-punk, US on December 14, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Been meaning to post this one for a while, but finally got around to ripping it. Random purchase, made a few months ago for a few dollars, based on the year (1988) and the cover artwork (Francis Bacon!), and found it to be pleasant enough to rip and share with you all. Here we have the lone LP by a band called Minutes After…, a melodic darkwave/post-punk band from Philadelphia.

The closest touchstone I have for the band is a sadly defunct NYC band called Bell Hollow, who were in turn influenced by the likes of For Against, The Chameleons, and Sad Lovers and Giants. A few piano chords thrown in for good measure, as well as soaring vocals on every track. It’s a solid record for fans of the more dreamy/ethereal/wistful side of post-punk, especially the first (and best) Tears for Fears record, Sad Lovers and Gaints, and the second Fra Lippo Lippi record (a must listen).

Here’s the information:

Minutes After…- Minutes After… LP
1. Cracks Of Dawn
2. White Ceiling
3. Raining On Earth
4. Cradle To Crypt
5. Her ~ A Dream Without Sleep
6. The View From The Park

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 3.16.17)

15 Comments »

The Arms of Someone New- Every Seventh Wave 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, darkwave, ethereal, synth, synthpop, the arms of someone new, US on November 29, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

This one, while potentially well known inside this circle, is a recent favorite of mine, and while the majority of their work appears elsewhere in the blogosphere, I haven’t seen this 12” around.

The Arms of Someone New (primarily a collaborative project between Mel Eberle and Steve Jones, also involved with Area) formed in Champaign, Illinois in 1983, releasing their first 7” the following year. At first, their sound had a biting, synth-driven edge to it, which eventually gave way to the growing ethereal scene into the late 1980s. I happen to dig the majority of their recordings in both spectrums, but this one falls more on the biting, danceable side of the band’s catalog. We have two remixes of the single here (both drastically different from the version that appeared on their 1984 12”), with two slower, but no less stellar tracks taking up the b-side. Here’s the breakdown:

The Arms of Someone New- Every Seventh Wave 12”
1. Every Seventh Wave (Intermix)
2. Every Seventh Wave (Album Mix)
3. The Sense of an Ending
4. Everything at Once

*download it here*

For those interested in the rest of the band’s discography, get it here, here, here, and here. Pretty sure this is the last piece of the puzzle!

2 Comments »

Cathedral of Tears- Cathedral of Tears 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, cathedral of tears, darkwave, enigma records, Jack Grisham, new wave, post-punk, TSOL, US on October 6, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Moving right along, here we have a 12” by Cathedral of Tears, a US-based darkwave band with a danceable edge. This is the band’s only record, released in 1984 on Enigma Records, which was generally known for dark, sleazy punk (The Cramps, Dead Milkmen, TSOL etc.).

Though the record does flirt around with a more new wave sound, the project was primarily an outlet for Jack Grisham, of TSOL, which explains the ‘odd man out’ style of this record. Either way, expect some good darkwave grooves here.

Also, I believe there were several muscians involved with the project, including Mike Patton (Adolescents/Middle Class) on bass. I’ve stumbled upon some choice words about this 12” from Jack himself:

“This is one of those mistakes you make that you can’t take back. My dad died, I was going through a lot of shit…I stole the tapes. We had a record…we wrote a bunch of new songs, went in the studio & I stole the tapes. Our record company had said, ‘There’s no song here that will get radio play,’ & I was like ‘Bullshit, there is.’ So I stole the tapes from the record company, took it to the radio station, & they were playing our song (Black Emotion) while I was driving away. (laughs) & it turned out to be the number four requested song on the station that year. With no record out. & then Enigma finally put it out. They finally put it out, but it was too late. I had already done the damage by the time it came out.”

Neat, though I must disagree that this record is a mistake! Don’t take my word for it, though- here’s the info for 12”.

Cathedral of Tears- Cathedral of Tears 12”
1. Trap
2. A Situation Of…
3. Calm Storm
4. Black Emotion
5. Ballet
6. Whisper From The Deadland

*download it here*

11 Comments »

Calculated X- Some Change/No Change 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, american, Calculated X, darkwave, minimal synth, new wave, post-punk, US on September 20, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Last but not least, we have the second 12” by Calculated X- released in 1983. Taking over where their first 12” (uploaded here, for those who missed it) left off, there’s more of the same infectious new wave/post-punk grooves present here, with a slightly poppier edge. Let’s dive right into this one, shall we?

Calculated X- Some Change/No Change 12”
1. Some Change No Change
2. Cool The Water
3. You Will Know Us
4. Don’t Look At You

*download it here*

Don’t forget- there is a CD-reissue of all these tracks available on X-Tracked records. You can grab a copy here, which I highly recommend if you enjoy these two 12” records as much as I do! There’s a few bonus tracks and live cuts as an extra incentive, so be sure to nab it while the getting is good!

1 Comment »

Nightmoves- Transdance 12” & Remixes

Posted in 1980s, 1981, 1984, dance, darkwave, minimal synth, Night Moves, Nightmoves, remixes, synthpop, uk on May 21, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Going to be stepping away from the blog for a week, so I plan to leave you all with not one, but TWO stellar releases of the dancier, club-oriented variety. First on the slab, I’ve uploaded several different issues of Nightmoves’ (a.k.a. Night Moves) classic “Transdance”- a killer darkwave dance track that many should recognize. Unfortunately, this song never received the credit it was due, but is easily one of the best tracks of the ’80s. I’ve attached several different versions of the track, one under the guise of the reissued 1984 12” Robot Rock release (including a handful of alternate tracks) and a remixes 12”, which might just be a fan-made collection of mixes. If you’re not completely sick of the song by the time you’re through listening, I’ve also included the significantly shorter edit of the song, plucked from the 7” and included on the None Night of Flexipop Vol. 4 comp.

The UK-based project formed in the wake of Gary Numan’s chart breakthrough in 1979, when vocalist Michael Guihen placed an ad in NME looking for synth players. The original three piece lineup (known then as Oblong Mauve) folded after a few practice sessions, leaving Michael to form a new band. He struck an interesting partnership in 1980, meeting and developing tracks with Denis Haines, Gary Numan’s keyboard player. In exchange for providing the backing track for Numan’ “Love Needs No Disguise,” Michael received help in developing “Transdance,” the standout track from the original lineup’s demos. It was recorded in 1981, and since then, has seen several different versions as lineups changed and technology improved. The infamous UK mix even featured backing vocals from Eve Goddard, Adam Ant’s wife. The band eventually called it a day in 1984, as public tastes shifted dramatically.

Of course, this is only part of the Nightmoves story. The rest is viewable (along with some amazing photos) on the band’s official Myspace page, so click for the full story and some additional visuals. Without any further ado, here’s the info for this zip.

Nightmoves- Transdance 12” (1984)
1. Transdance (UK Club Mix)
2. Transdance (New York Disco Mix)*
3. You Can Take My Love
4. Beat This
5. Nightdrive

Nightmoves- Transdance Mixes 12”
1. Transdance (Edit)
2. Transdance (NYC Mix)
3. Transdance (UK Mix) –> same as UK Club Mix
4. Transdance
5. Transdance
6. Transdance (Remix)

bonus track- Transdance (7” Version)
*not on original 12”.

*download the lot here*

18 Comments »

Feu Ma Mere- Seasons of Mournful LP

Posted in 1980s, 1989, coldwave, darkwave, Feu Ma Mere, german, goth-rock, The Angina Pectoris on March 25, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s an obscure German darkwave record dating back to 1989. The band was a two piece, centering around the efforts of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Joelen Mingi and Alexander Klaffke. This is their only LP, though the band seem to have a cassette release from the same year, which I’d love to hear if anyone happens to have a copy of it!

The band split just a year after releasing this LP. Mingi continued on with The Angina Pectoris, which aimed to update Feu Ma Mere’s electronic sound with a more fleshed out lineup.

As for the record at hand, it’s a curious blend of gloom vocals, simple driving drum machines, and layers of dreamy, ethereal keyboards, definitely a good listen for fans of the more wistful darkwave sound. You kind of get a good idea of what you’re in for by simply looking at the cover, but other touchstones may include Xymox, And Also the Trees, and Breathless. Here’s the info:

Feu Ma Mere- Seasons of Mournful LP
1. Eyesore
2. The Agony After
3. Remain
4. The Coldest Sea
5. Confession
6. Fashion Dance
7. Searching
8. The Hiding Place

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED by Adrian on 5.19.23)

8 Comments »

Entertainment- Gender CD

Posted in 2008, coldwave, darkwave, deathrock, Entertainment, georgia, post-punk, US on March 22, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

I have a handful of synth/coldwave updates to keep you kids salivating throughout the week, but first things first, I have a newer LP from a fantastic underground artist to whet your appetite. Uploaded with permission of the band, here’s Entertainment’s debut LP in its crisp, intense glory.

I’ve been honored to share the stage with these boys in the past, and am pleased today to bring you a digital upload of the 2008 CD, currently out of print last I’ve heard. A handful of copies of the CD can still be found on Amazon, but you can get your hands on a limited edition remastered LP via Duchess Archive by clicking here. Otherwise, astute listeners can expect buzzing synths, unforgivable rhythms, and incisive vocals, coming at you from Athens, Georgia. You can read a little more about the record on Post-Punk dot com (click on “reviews” and scroll down for initial take on this hard-hitting latter day classic). Otherwise, here’s the information:

Entertainment- Gender
1. Romance in a Rain
2. Swing Movements
3. A Seduction Walks
4. Patroness
5. New Joys
6. The Nervous Walk
7. Confusion of Senses
8. Flesh

*download it here*

Stay tuned for LPs by Feu Ma Mere and Bugger West to follow in the next few days!

9 Comments »

Eyes of God- Eyes of God

Posted in 1980s, 1984, darkwave, eyes of god, san francisco, synth, US on March 9, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

A few months ago, a friend and fellow DJ turned me on to Eyes of God, a four piece San Franciso-based darkwave band, filled with heavy guitars, blaring saxophones, powerful female vocals, and religious lyrics. Little information was available on the net, and at the time, it seemed as if the band only had the one release. The 12” I was originally given has also been uploaded on A Viable Commercial, one of the best blogs around these parts. That particular 12” was released in two formats, with different covers but the same basic track listing, likely released as a label cash-in.

However, I stumbled upon what I believe to be the band’s only other release, a debut 12” dating from 1984 and containing four proper studio tracks (not remixes). Naturally, I freed it from the confines of the dollar bin and am pleased to upload it for your listening pleasure.

Eyes of God- Eyes of God 12”
1. Love Letters
2. Secret Life
3. Sin Twist
4. Cruel Party

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 10.9.17)

6 Comments »

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