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 Spandexcompilations. Your mileage may vary, so I’ll leave it for you to decide:
Curiously, I’ve just come across two bands with the name Siam, both of which will be featured here over the next few posts! This particular post concerns the Israeli band, featured on a previous Systems of Romance compilation.
This particular band formed in the mid-1980s, releasing a 12” in 1986 (as Saiam) and this full length record in 1989. Material was recorded for a second LP, but was scrapped as the band split. A few tracks saw the light of day on a posthumous collection, released in 1996. As for this LP, it’s definitely a new wave classic, chock full of post-punk rhythms, big hooks, and buzzing synths. Some tracks follow a similar rhythm driven sound as my last post, while others have a more anthemic feel akin to the likes of New Model Army and The Alarm. My favorite track is still the synth-driven “Changing,” but there’s definitely lots to love here.
Also worthy of note: this band features contributions from Hadar Goldman, who was one of the key players in Intensive Care Unit, previously featured here. I do believe that’s a photo of Goldman on the cover, who is often credited on electric viola. Word on the street is that the band reunited in 2006 and is working on new material.
Without any further ado, here’s the info for this release:
Siam- War and Peace and Inbetween LP
1. Choices
2. Private Jokes
3. B.R.O. (Dance Mix)
4. You Are Siam
5. Don’t Want To Understand
6. In The Realm Of
7. Changing
8. Tel Aviv Down Town
9. Life Goes On
10. Changing (Live)*
*bonus track, also featured on the band’s s/t collection.
Here’s a rare US entry to the new wave scene with a 2 track 7” from 1985. A complete obscurity, with nothing to be found on the internet or elsewhere. The a-side is a great guitar driven track with a few great synth hooks in tow. Almost sounds as if R.E.M. ditched the American underground and went for a more European aesthetic. It also kind of reminds me of the VHF LP, for those who enjoyed that particularly rare gem. A little gloom, but catchy all the same.
The b-side is far less interesting to me, with a more happy-go-lucky melody that recalls The Kinks, but different strokes for different folks. I’ll leave it for you all to decide.
The Instigators- We Don’t Know What We Want 7”
1. We Don’t Know What We Want
2. Electric Blanket
It seems as if Japan is one of the last vestiges of rare synth music, with many more hidden gems yet to be discovered. With that in mind, here’s an LP from 1983. Not a lot of info to be found on this one, but you can expect some great minimal synth-tinged tunes here, some with lyrics in English, and some more experimental and quirky than others. Other tracks, like “Mein Schatz,” are perfect for the dancefloor. For me the album really rolls up its sleeves and gets serious during the second half, but your mileage may vary.
There also exists a 12” for Fragments of Time, released around the same time. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for that one, but in the interim, here’s the information for this little gem:
Takumi- Meat the Beat LP
1. Hauch Von Mir
2. Snapshot
3. Tokyoite
4. In The Ordinary Way
5. Reproduced Functionalist
6. A Cloudy Sky In My Yard
7. Myron
8. Days of Romance
9. Dear Dori
10. Mein Schatz
11. Wave Over And
Here’s a long lost 12” from Jih, a new wave band from the UK. While their full length LP was shared here, there also are a few 12” singles kicking around. This one was released in 1986, the same year as the LP.
In true 12” fashion, the version of “This Gift” on this record is different than the LP version, extended by a few minutes or so. I do believe the version of “The Shadow to Fall” is identical, though. Here’s the rundown:
Jih- This Gift 12”
1. This Gift
2. This Boy
3. Shadow to Fall
Here’s the full 12” discography of DADA, another new wave band from New York City. Contained within are both of their releases, both which walk a fine line between catchy minimal synth and bouncy synthpop.
The first 12” was discovered whilst record shopping with Goutroy, who recently relocated to NYC via San Francisco. I randomly ran into him at a lesser record store, after a rather unceremonious trip home. A little solo shopping therapy turned into an afternoon of bin-hopping around the village. Sometimes I shop with the intention of looking for things I know, love, and plan to DJ. Other times, an interesting cover or title catches my attention, which is how I find most of the records posted here. However, this record was plucked out by Goutroy at one of my favorite shops in the East Village, a place that keeps odd hours and specializes in new wave. After one brief listen (he had placed this record in the “maybe” pile), I quickly became obsessed (perhaps annoyingly so) with his purchase, and quickly hunted down a copy of my own, and we’ve both been spinning it regularly at the Wierd party since. Camaraderie at its finest! That’s not to say there wasn’t a bit of competitive edge between us that day, as there tends to be when two underground music collectors hunt in the same shop at the same time. I feel like I paid more attention to what he had in his stack as opposed to the bins in front of me. He found R.E.K.’s excellent 12” (found here at Crispy Nuggets) and I seethed with jealousy. That said, we both found each other some excellent gems, and both walked away with some hefty purchases that day. The rest, you can say, was nerd history.
I was able to snag the second 12” online for a relatively cheap price, and while I prefer the first release overall (especially the amazing a-side), the two sound very similar. Not surprising, given that they were released only one year apart. The band seemed to have a sense of humor, from their vocal delivery, lyrical content, and even the record label (presumably self-released under “A Major Recording Label,” whose only releases are these two records). The band members even all shared the same last name, though they may very well be brothers. Slight tongue-in-cheek humor aside, these tracks are perfectly suited for a dancefloor, and are some of my favorite obscure gems.
Speaking of that sense of collector camaraderie, you can also find this same post over at Goutroy’s awesome Viable Commercial blog, back up and running after a brief hiatus! Same rips, two blogs, at the SAME TIME for maximum listening pleasure! Here’s the info:
DADA- Age of Confusion 12” (1987)
1. Age of Confusion
2. Pursuits of Happiness
DADA- Right Men Tell Lies 12” (1988)
1. Discussing Missile Size
2. As the Sun Races By
3. Separate Ways****
4. The World They Left Behind
You may have seen this one over at Capa Nostra Syndicate, but not sure what’s up with the rip there, as it’s pretty unlistenable. What we have here is some pretty solid new wave from hometown NYC, with a slight commercial edge to some of the tracks. Some of the songs fall a little flat for me, but some are unexpected synthpop killers. I’ll let you all decide which tracks are which, but either way, this one’s definitely worth a listen or two.
Here’s the info for this 1983 release:
Velveteen- After Hours 12”
1. Nightline
2. Combo Boys
3. Nothing to Do
4. Wild Rain
5. Preoccupied
6. Get Wild
Here’s a scarce minimal synth single from Austria. The a-side is an infectious little new wave gem, while the b-side is a manic piece of oddball synth- something for both sides of the minimal synth spectrum!
This is Zerbrechlich’s only release, but the story doesn’t end there. Zerbrechlich was the electronic side project of Dämmerattacke, who appear on the very first Systems of Romance compilation. The Zip Guns, who issued one LP in 1994, also consist of several Dämmerattacke members.
Here’s the info:
Zerbrechlich- Am Strand Von Italien 7”
1. Am Strand Von Italien
2. Bei Den Beduinen
Thanks to the Museum of Canadian Music (www.mocm.ca) for the information and rip on this one, here’s the incredibly scarce 12” from Glamatron, released in 1981. Some excellent minimal synth tracks combined with organic touches, sometimes reminiscent of John Foxx-era Ultravox. Either way, a true gem. Kurt Laporte, credited as a songwriter on this release, went on to join Vis-A-Vis, who released THIS great record. Here’s the info for this killer 12”. Enjoy!
Glamatron!- Only The Heart Beats…….Inside The Silence
1. Passport
2. Facial Saviour
3. Factor 2-2-2
4. The Word (Death In September)
5. Continentals
6. Porcelain Doll
*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED* — a reissue of this LP is now available, with extra tracks! Pick it up!
Rolling right along, here’s a recent dollar bin snag that’s every bit as good as I was hoping. Pulled this out of a bin based on the date (1983) and cover art alone, threw it on to preview, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s nice to know there are still plenty of undiscovered (and affordable) gems out there!
Not much I can tell you about this one, though. I’ve been told that the label, Phonogram Ltd., was not a true label, but instead, a company responsible for licensing tracks to smaller labels. I have to take another glance at the sleeve to confirm, but a few listings claim that this record was released on Mercury in the UK. Either way, Swiss Navy had a mind to create a dancefloor smash all over the world, and they damn well succeeded with this one, in my book. I don’t care much for the third track, a quirky earworm that while charming, can’t hold a candle to the title track. However, the two mixes of “Back to the Wall” more than make up for it. Here’s the details:
Swiss Navy- Back to the Wall 12”
1. Back to the Wall (Marine Mix)
2. Back to the Wall
3. Cool-De-Jack
Systems of Romance was created in mid-2007 to serve as a dumping grounds for all great things coldwave, minimal synth, post-punk, synthpunk, industrial, synthpop, and various other combinations of these styles. Feel free to make requests, noodle around, and discuss all you like...
Otherwise, this blog is dedicated to showcasing material that has long since been out of print. If you are aware of any of these items being readily available from the artist or label, or take issue with these tracks being uploaded, please let me know so I can amend the post or remove the links.
