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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 »

Indifferent Dance Centre- Flight & Pursuit 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, indifferent dance centre, uk on July 11, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

This is another 7” that I’ve seen posted in the past, but I’ve cleaned up a donated rip here for maximum listening pleasure. Very lo-fi female-fronted post-punk here, two tracks that are as interesting as they are classic. Very minimal arrangements, steady drum machine rhythms, mellotron, and well-anchored bass make up the center of both tracks. Fans of the indie side of Factory (The Wake, Durutti Column) as well as bands like Marine Girls and Dolly Mixture should love this otherwise obscure single from 1981.

We know that the band hailed from the small cathedral town of Chichester, UK, but otherwise there isn’t much of a back story to this one. The sleeve itself is as minimal and DIY as the band’s sound, complete with what appears to be a hand-printed cover. There is reportedly an insert which reads “We’ve no Scotland, Martin Hannett, Paul Morley, Postcard or Factory to lend credibility to this record,” but you can tell their heart was in the right place with this one. Here’s the rundown:

Indifferent Dance Centre- Flight & Pursuit 7”
1. Flight & Pursuit
2. Release

*download it here*

9 Comments »

Eirin Peryglus- Bronson 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, eirin peryglus, minimal, minimal synth, synth, synthpop, uk, wales, welsh on June 27, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s an old favorite that the postman just dropped off at my door the other day, so I thought I’d celebrate with a fresh rip of this Welsh synthpop classic. Released in 1987, this is the first of five releases by the band, and my favorite that I’ve heard to date. Seriously, the A-side is the perfect mix of powerful female vocals, chorus-heavy guitars, and a rollicking beat, which plenty of synth hooks to keep you coming back for more. It’s been a regular in my DJ sets for some time, and I’d honestly rank it as one of my all-time favorites, through and through. The flip is no slouch, either!

Vocalist Fiona Owen was also a member of Plant Bach Ofnus (translation- Timid Little Children), who were a little more on the esoteric side, but no less delightful. Her husband, Gorwel, was also a member of the project, and the two still make music together to date.

Eirin Peryglus- Bronson 7”
1. Bronson
2. Y Dyn Newydd

*download it here*

4 Comments »

Sally Patience- The Triangle Man 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, electro, electronic, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, sally patience, synth, synthpop, uk on January 15, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Before we get started on new posts for 2014, may I please direct your attention to the following re-rips and reuploads:

B-Movie- Singles (new rips of Nowhere Girl, Remembrance Day, Marilyn Dreams, & the addition of A Letter From Afar 12”)
Signal Aout 42- Pleasure and Crime (new rip)
U-Bahn X- Young Hearts of Europe (new rip, new 7”’ rip, + digitally inserting Jabba the Hutt on side B)

Otherwise, sorry for slacking! I have a bunch of new, unheard posts in the works, a new various artists compilation, as well as a few re-rips of classics from my own personal collection to keep us busy for the first part of the year. So with that in mind, let’s kick the year off with a minimal synth classic that I believe was posted before by the great BX, but has disappeared since. I came across a cheap, sleeveless copy of this one in a dollar bin here in NYC, played it once or twice at WIERD, and promptly forgot that I had it until recently, when reorganizing and digitizing my 7”’ collection. This one is a tried and true killer, a bizarre electronic romp from 1984 with thick synth bass, disco strings, and eerie female vocals. The best analogy I can think of is dystopian disco- the kind of dance music that you’d dance to in Blade Runner or Logan’s Run, for example… The chorus is especially killer, and pays off in spades (human is so humorless- love that line). Fans of JYL/Angela Werner should also love this one. The b-side is equally stunning, a more unsettling synth track with a flamenco flair and backwards masked vocal samples.

This is the only single Sally Patience released, and no one knows what happened to her afterwards… Just a brief moment, as some of the best gems tend to be.

Sally Patience- The Triangle Man 7”
1. The Triangle Man
2. Buried In My Boots

*download it here*

7 Comments »

The Chyldren- Mortis Hora

Posted in 1980s, 1987, darkwave, synth, synthpop, the chyldren, uk on October 29, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Now that blog culture has come full circle, there are very few “holy grails” left to uncover. However, this LP has achieved near mythic status to me over the years after hearing a loose track ages ago. I don’t even remember how I came across the track, and having it tagged improperly didn’t help much, as it took me some time to figure out that the band name was The Chyldren and not The Children. Either way, I was always curious to hear the rest of it, and here we have it, another donation that comes courtesy of xerfrank. Thanks again!

All talk aside, this record, like VHF and Eleven Pond before it, deserves it’s mythic status, less so based on the quality of the recording but moreso because it was never *officially* released. Sure, there are copies of it out there, especially if you’ve got $700 to spare, but good luck finding this one in your local record store. The story behind it is simple: band makes record, record goes to print in 1987, record does not make it past the test pressing phase. It should be self explanatory, but in case you’re not a vinyl collector or of a younger generation, test pressings are simply copies of an album used to gauge the quality of a pressing, as anomalies, variables, and errors can be rather commonplace. Now in my experience, there’s usually only four or five test pressings of a given record, mostly for individual band members or label personnel. With that in mind, I’m not sure how 8 people (or more, since discogs records are never 100% accurate) came across a test pressing, but I suppose it could be possible that they pressed more of these than usual to be sold at shows or given away to friends. Either that, or some people on discogs are theoretical collectors. All copies of this album come complete with a (rather goofy) cover/sleeve that looks professional, but the inner label is handwritten, as shown here in photos.

Now, let’s talk a bit about the music. You might expect this record to be a complete novelty, judging from the goofy cover, terrible font choices, and religious themed psuedonyms used by the three band members (my personal favorite is Lucifer the Cross, though your mileage may vary). Well, it’s not. The album is a rather good, if but a little one-dimensional synth-driven record that utlizes the same bombastic drum machine pattern and vocal melody on almost every track. So, while the band certianly doesn’t take themselves too seriously, even on the compositional side of things, there are some nice gems to be found here, even if they all sound pretty interchangeable with each other. The good news is that the album is rather short- 7 tracks in 25 minutes, so as long as you like the vibe, it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

You know, it’s funny that I mentioned both VHF and Eleven Pond up there, as this album almost comes across like a hybrid of both records, combining the synth-heavy, toe-tapping catchiness of VHF with the darkwave/Factory records vibes of Eleven Pond. The religious themes also remind me heavily of Eyes of God, but in all honesty, this LP sounds like a long lost, fully synth-driven cousin of Sanity Plexus, but I digress. Check this one out for yourself.

The Chyldren- Mortis Hora LP
1. Private Crucifixion
2. Sin
3. Chase Me
4. Speed
5. Burn
6. Fade Away
7. You
8. Dope

*download it here*

7 Comments »

Toccata- We Are the Sub-Machines 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1987, british, new wave, synth, toccata, uk on October 8, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I first heard this one on a cassette while sitting in a car outside the Wierd party with Martial Canterel and Nick from Crispy Nuggets, and we all couldn’t get enough of it. ~~I’ve been trying to track the single down since with no luck, but~~ many thanks to Klumpa for providing a rip of this one to share. We can expect a few more treats along these lines, including a handful of loose tracks just itching to be compiled and an Italo flavored 7” to come over the next few weeks.

Very little info to be found about this band (who shares the name with classical terminology, making it difficult to google), though the sleeve indicates that this was released in 1987 and featured the duo of Jan Sinclair and Pete Ward, with various guest musicans and backup singers contributing. There are a few Pete/r Wards out there, some active around the same period, so I can’t really pinpoint which, if any, are responsible. Believe me, I’ve tried!

However, here we have two excellent tracks, the a-side coming across like a Kissing the Pink/Eurythmics hybrid with a stomping, torch song rave-up, while the b-side has a very neofolk-esque frailty reminiscent of the Nature & Organisation record and other Rose Mcdowall contributions over the years…

Any more information on this one is welcome!

Toccata- We Are the Sub-Machines 7”
1. We Are the Sub-Machines
2. Gypsy Eyes

*download it here* (RE-RIPPED 11.21.15)

10 Comments »

Sits. Vacant- Alone In the Dark 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, perfect circle, post-punk, sits. vacant, the tier garden, uk on September 9, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been curious about this single for some time now, first hearing the title track from Stéphane’s excellent Coldwave.fr website, and now, thanks to the always excellent Bx-59cppw, here we have the full 7” from UK post-punk band Sits. Vacant. We have four excellent guitar driven post-punk tracks from 1981, with both a mix of gloom and bite to keep fans of both sides of the spectrum happy. If you enjoyed Sinking Ships, Language From Memory, Headleaders, Normil Hawaiians, etc. (basically, the DIY post-punk sound from the early 1980s), then this one is for you! As a nice bonus, the Bowie nut in me loves the Heroes-era photo as the 7” cover, a nice and welcome nod to the man who helped usher in the new dark wave.

While this is Sits. Vacant’s only release, the band changed their name soon after, becoming The Tier Garden (not to be confused with Edward Ka-Spel and cEvin Key’s Tear Garden, who formed in 1985, a year AFTER this band’s first release). The Tier Garden released three singles, all of which are available for free download via Last.fm. Some other members also collaborated on a 7” under the name Perfect Circle (this time predating the alt-rock supergroup by 15 years, my guess is they got the name from the R.E.M. classic).

Wait a second- is the name of the Perfect Circle track ‘Only When It Rains’? Very, very interesting. Anyway, you can hear both tracks on youtube (the b-side, ‘On Returning’ is an excellent melancholy dirge on first glance, while the a-side is akin to early Mighty Lemon Drops with a more new wave flavor), but leave a note here if you happen to have a copy or a nice rip of this 7”.

OK, enough babble, here’s the info for this excellent 7”. Thanks again to BX-59cppw for the donation!

Sits. Vacant- Alone In the Dark 7”
1. Alone In the Dark
2. Nowhere to Run
3. Vacancies
4. It’s Too Late

*download it here*

1 Comment »

Language From Memory- Fortune 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, language from memory, minimal synth, nick head, post-punk, uk on May 3, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

England was ripe with excellent DIY post-punk and minimal synth gems, bands inspired by Factory Records, early Cure singles, etc. Some of my favorite 7”s (Obscure By Degrees, Persons Unknown etc.) were birthed from this era with the same aesthetic. So with that in mind, here’s another obscure gem from Towerbell Records, released in 1981. This is the one and only single from Language From Memory, who disappeared into the ether soon after recording this 7”. It’s a shame, as the a-side here truly kicks ass, one of the best undiscovered gems I’ve stumbled upon in recent times. Incisive guitars, Sad Lovers and Giants-esque string synths, and catchy, fist-pumping hooks abound. Power pop lovers will also enjoy the flip.

The band were from northern London, and played out quite often in the early 80s. As for their disappearance, I believe they changed names and continued on together. A fan who knew the band back then states that Nick Head played rhythm guitar on this single. The name may be familiar to some, as he also acted as producer/engineer for KMFDM and Exit 13.

This single is also proof that not all obscurities are out of budget, as there are tons of copies out there to be had for relatively cheap, even by discogs standards. Towerbell seemed to have some backing behind it, and a decently stacked roster, which was formed out of the disco era and included Shirley Bassey and Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) as well as a series of popular TV series compilations. I haven’t heard of much else from the label, so perhaps this single is an anomaly, but either way, aspiring collectors should have no problem finding a copy for themselves…

Language From Memory- Fortune 7”
1. Fortune
2. The Coat

*download it here*

3 Comments »

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of It All LP & Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, 1986, blue hollow, coldwave, dreampop, new wave, post-punk, the wild flowers, uk, US on January 28, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Hope you’ll all indulge me for a little two-for-one post here. While these two records are generally unrelated, they sound incredibly complementary and it’s no stretch that if you love one, you’ll probably love the other. Also, both LPs have been posted by other blogs in the past. I only double dip today to offer fresh rips and hopefully to turn you guys on to two excellent, if but vastly under-appreciated post-punk masterpieces from the mid-80s.

First up is the debut LP from The Wild Flowers, which you may have heard via Curious Guy’s excellent post from 2006. There, he mentions that the band was the original outlet of guitarist David Newton, who left soon after to form the also excellent Mighty Lemon Drops. I’m on my second copy of this LP, between DJing and home listening, so that should speak highly of this particular record, which calls the lush majesty of bands like The Chameleons, Icicle Works, The Lucy Show, Breathless, The Sound, and of course, Echo & the Bunnymen’s Heaven Up Here to mind. You can grab their first two 7”s here. I do have the third LP, 1988’s Sometime Soon. It’s been a while since I’ve heard it so I don’t remember how it stacks up, but I’m very interested in hearing 1987’s Dust.

The second LP is the one and only release by Blue Hollow, who rose from the ashes of Gluons, a darker and more dissonant band from Massachusetts. Stealing a Whisper, which was released three years later, would shed much of the cacophony and offer up a record that sits comfortably alongside The Wild Flowers on sheer strength of songwriting. Equally lush and romantic songs and catchy hooks, clearly pulling from the same set of influences and delivering a similarly striking album…

It’s a shame that neither of these records are more well known, even in these circles, so hopefully this post brings them to a wider audience. Enjoy!

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of it All (1984)
1. Melt Like Ice
2. Beggar Man
3. The Promised Land
4. After All These Years
5. Dark Times
6. The Joy of it All
7. Bamboo
8. Hold the Torch
9. Things Have Changed
10. From the Sky

*download it here*

Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper (1986)
1. Color of Night
2. Inhale
3. Running Down
4. Blue Hollow
5. We Fall
6. Hearts Hang Souls
7. Wildskin
8. Stranger

*download it here*

Thanks for indulging me here today… For those who are looking for something new and unheard, hang tight- as the next few posts will feature very rare cassettes, demos, and more! Thanks to all who have sent things over in the past few weeks- it’s always appreciated!

11 Comments »

Incee Wincee Spider- Don’t Know Anythin’ 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, goth, incee wincee spider, post-punk, punk, uk on November 1, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a razor sharp 7” from the UK, released in 1988. Was turned on to this one by Michael of Return to the East/The Anxiety of Love. Highly recommended for fans of Lack of Knowledge, Razor Penguins, Play Dead, and other bands who employ the anthemic, yet razor-sharp post-punk/goth sound. One of my favorite 7” sleeves, for the record.

I know very little about this band, as this is their only release. There are four names attached to it, but no traces of activity in other bands/projects. If anyone has any info about these lads, feel free to chime in.

Incee Wincee Spider- Don’t Know Anythin’ 7”
1. Don’t Know Anythin’
2. See My Love Shine

*download it here*

11 Comments »

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