Archive for the german Category

The Cave- Remain In Dark 7”

Posted in 1980s, coldwave, german, post-punk, the cave on November 16, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a rare post-punk single from Germany, whose release date is unknown. Believe me, the single passed through my hands briefly, and I couldn’t find a date on it to save my life! If i had to guess, I would say 1986, but don’t quote me on that. This is their only release, on an otherwise unknown record label. A mysterious record, through and through! If anyone out there has any more info, feel free to let me know!

Otherwise, some nice cold sounds here that should feel right at home for fans of the genre. Really melodic and understated tracks, with just enough punch to make them interesting. I prefer the flip-side, but your mileage may vary. See what the fuss is all about:

The Cave- Remain In Dark 7”
1. Remain In Dark
2. Dull Reflections

*download it here*

Apologies for the low quality cover. Forgot to take a snap of it!

Schadstoff- Fly K7

Posted in 1990s, 1992, coldwave, german, post-punk, schadstoff on November 7, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the delay here, folks. Still working on finishing up our new apartment, and haven’t been able to set up the ol’ turntable yet. However, I have a few tapes I’ve ripped recently so I’ll try to keep things going as I can. Here we have some excellent German guitar sounds here, from 1992. Very rough around the edges (the tape is actually a demo from the band, and seems to be the only thing they ever released), but there’s quite a bit of promise to be heard here, if only they had stuck around a bit longer and made some official recordings.

Don’t let the date fool you. Schadstoff very much falls into the vein of the mid-80s post-punk greats such as The Chameleons, Lowlife, Snake Corps, The Names, etc. It’s certainly raw and noticiably underdeveloped given the circumstances, but I have a feeling you guys are going to dig it, regardless. Here’s the info:

Schadstoff- Fly K7
1. Picture
2. Homeland
3. Walk Away
4. Fly
5. Butterfly
6. Happyness

*download it here*

Vono- It’s Time LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, ebm, german, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, vono on September 28, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve had this on deck to post for a bit, but what better time to post it than now? Mr. Goutroy of A Viable Commercial has dusted off and uploaded Vono’s quirky and charmingly amateur first LP over at his space, so in true blogger camaraderie fashion, here’s their final LP. Bookends for your listening pleasure, if you will.

Whereas Dinner Für 2 is a simple, yet detached record, this 1986 entry is anything but. Four years later, the duo grew as musicians and fleshed out their sound from their humble beginnings. It seems that one day, someone must have pissed in their Cheerios, as the band developed a more aggressive EBM-esque sound in the vein of Body 11, Bigod 20, Front 242, and other such bands with numbers. However, this is not a play-it-by-numbers EBM record as you might expect from that description. The vocals are a little more palatable than most EBM bands of the time, organic tones in lieu of the overdriven vocals that would become a genre staple into the 1990s. If anything, the LP is harder to pin down, stylistically. Other touchstones I’m hearing here include mid-period Wire (The Ideal Copy is my favorite, in case you were wondering) and the atmosphere of Peter Gabriel’s third and fourth records (cool!). Also hard to deny the Public Image crib on track six. No samples, but well, let’s just say it sounds like a response track.

There’s no real standout hit a la “Headhunter” or “Sensoria” here, but this album functions well as a whole. Besides, there are plenty of deep, funky synth grooves packed that make this LP worth a peek for any fan of the wave spectrum.

Vono- It’s Time LP
1. It’s Time
2. This Door
3. Geh Deinen Weg
4. Zerstoert
5. Here Comes
6. Love Song
7. Lebe Heute
8. Das Wars

*download it here*

I’ll be on hiatus for a little bit here, as we’re gearing up for a big move, and it’s likely we won’t be setting up the turntables for a few weeks. I may have a few things loaded in the queue to bring out here and there, but I’ll be loaded for bear when I get back to full functionality!

Two of China- Telk Mee 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, german, synthpop, westside music on July 20, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Contained within we have a classic slice of Westside Music synthpop, circa 1984, courtesy of Jeffo!, a fellow NYC DJ.

Generally known as a vehicle for Andreas Tomalla (Moskwa TV, Bigod 20, MCL), Two Of China released three 12”s in total (2 if you’re not counting the Axodry collaboration), including a rather straightforward cover of “Los Niños Del Parque” by Liasons Dangereuses. This particular 12” can still be found for dirt cheap (that can also be said about most Westside releases), but we all know that just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s good, don’t we?

Just noticed the back of this sleeve comes with the potent quotable: “If you don’t listen to this record you cannot enjoy the essence of future music.” Well, what are you waiting for, kids!

Two of China- Telk Mee 12”
1. Telk Mee (Wild Version)
2. Telk Mee (Strange Version)

*download it here*

For another great Westside Music release, see this post from the archives.

If you dig this post, please be sure to support the label and the artist by purchasing these tracks via iTunes!

Turo- Agent Orange LP

Posted in 1980s, 1982, german, krautrock, matthias thurow, minimal synth, NDW, prog, turo on June 20, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Up on the slab we have the lone LP from Turo, a krautrock/NDW release that should be right at home for fans of the more oddball minimal synth sound. This particular LP hails from 1982 and was the brainchild of Matthias Thurow, who also operated under the pseudonym “Tales of Mr. E.” This LP was predated by a 1980 release on the same label (Biber Records) under the name Turo’s Tutti, but that’s not all. Thurow’s career dates back to the 1970s, as a member of Eulenspygel, a German prog band with a handful of releases under their belt.

Fans of P!off?, Neuland, and Silvia should find lots to love here. Some really strange, moody, and wonderful stuff on this LP, counterbalanced with a few repetitive dance-oriented pieces and straight up pop tunes. There’s even a song on here that reminds me of I’m Your Man-era Leonard Cohen, and that’s pretty darn cool!

Needless to say, it’s very difficult to put your finger on this one, but it’s definitely worth a listen or two or three. Enjoy!

Turo- Agent Orange LP
1. Agent Orange
2. Ich Will Hier Raus
3. Unterwegs
4. Es Ist Soweit
5. Bei Mir
6. Lang Hin
7. Was Denkst Du Denn Wer Du Bist
8. Komm Wir Gehn Hier Weg
9. Hey Du
10. Brüderchen Und Schwesterchen

*download it here*

————–

While I have your attention, might I direct you all here, as well? For fans of the French coldwave sound, I’ve been active in a band called Dream Affair (yep, named after this 12”). Our debut LP is currently available in digital formats and will be out on vinyl via AVANT records on June 27th. Exclusive tune here!

Sorry for the shameless promotion, but I promise to make up for it with lots and lots of goodies to come over the next few weeks. Please, mr. postman…

Neuland- Neuland LP

Posted in 1980s, 1982, german, NDW, neuland, new wave, synthpop on March 30, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s an interesting German LP from 1982. A curious mix of styles all sit together on this one- including italo-ish vibes, synthpop jams, NDW weirdness, and even a little 70s a.m. gold. Some tracks are naturally a little more interesting than others, but the LP is not without its merits. “Gehirnamputiert” is a clear standout, ripe for a little dancefloor action. “Sympathie” sounds as if it features a bassline from the late, great Mick Karn, and “Zukunftsvisionen” could easily feel at home on one of the Sequins and Spandex compilations. Your mileage may vary, so I’ll leave it for you to decide:

Neuland- Neuland LP
1. Supermarkt
2. Maskenball
3. Eile Mit Weile
4. Gehirnamputiert
5. Unendlichkeit
6. Vampir
7. 39,9
8. Zukunftsvisionen
9. Sympathie
10. Neuland

*download it here*

P!OFF?- Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, german, minimal, minimal synth, NDW, transparent on March 17, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a German NDW/synth rarity from 1982. Seems to be the first release on Transparent Records. Both of these tracks are plucked from the full length LP, also released in the same year. Quite an expensive LP, if you can get your hands on it!

You can expect some excellent quirky synth sounds here. The A-side has an excellent synthetic bass groove running throughout it, a bit of an oddball dancefloor classic. The B-side is a bit more spastic, kind of atypical of the NDW movement, but enjoyable all the same. Here’s the rundown:

P!OFF?- Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt 7”
1. Mein Walkman Ist Kaputt
2. Ich Kann Kein Französisch (Dansez)

*download it here*

Bad Baby- S/T & The Second Coming LPs

Posted in 1980s, 1985, 1986, bad baby, darkwave, german, post-punk on March 14, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

So far in 2011, I’ve been focusing on more guitar driven bands. It seems as if most of the synthpop/minimal gems have been uncovered, leaving very few rarities left to scour these days, many of which just aren’t that great to begin with. That said, the early-to-mid 1980s were certainly a huge breeding ground for the post-punk sound, and I’m sure there’s a slew of LPs left to discover in this realm. This particular German band fits the mold perfectly- and their material is as solid as it is seldom known.

Uploaded here we have both LPs from Bad Baby, a four piece from Hamburg. Cold guitar wave galore across two full records, released almost back to back. I tend to prefer the self-titled debut, but still find lots to love about their second 12”, which is the more commonly found of the two. Not much development in sound across these releases, just solid gloomy treasures that should be perfect for fans of Snake Corps, Blue In Heaven, Choir Invisible, Modern Eon etc. Googling this band is difficult, as little information can be found admist all the child-rearing tips and tricks out there. With that in mind, let’s get down to business:

Bad Baby- Bad Baby LP (1985)
1. A Dream Within a Dream
2. Broken-Hearted
3. Salvation Army
4. Promenade
5. Glasshouses
6. Mont Blanc
7. (Out of the Frying Pan) Into the Fire
8. Cry Baby Cry*

*Originally by The Beatles.

Bad Baby- The Second Scene LP (1986)
1. Twilight
2. Slow Down
3. Sleeping Hell
4. Blank Devotion
5. Alone
6. Sublime

*download both releases here*

Ultimatum- Countdown 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, german, synth, synthpop on December 8, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a killer German synthpop single, shameless and high energy as anything from the era. This 7” dates back to 1984, and features an infectious instrumental on side A. For those looking for vocals, there are plenty to be had on the darker and moodier flip-side. A pretty well balanced single, if you ask me.

The back of the sleeve claims that the band was primarily a two piece, but also features a handful of thank you credits for bass and programming work. Not much else to be found about these boys, so here’s the information:

Ultimatum- Countdown 7”
1. Countdown
2. Vorbei

*download it here*

Trash X- Perestroika 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, german, synth, synthpop, the twins, trash x on December 4, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Just found this killer big-beat synthpop single – a playful two track 12” from Trash X, released in 1988. It’s the band’s only release, and was engineered by Ronny Schreinzer of The Twins.

It seems as if this particular release was a collaboration between several esteemed writers and producers, including David Heilmann (Wire, Depeche Mode) and H+N (Holger Flesch & Norbert Endlich). While it sounds of Russian origin, the single was actually recorded and released in Germany.

Not much more to be said about this one, so here’s the information:

Trash X- Perestroika 12”
1. Perestroika
2. Rigormortis Everywhere

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 1.4.19)