Eleven Pond - Bas Relief LP

I think this one is going to make a lot of people happy. The band Eleven Pond was from New York, and they released this LP in 1986. I just love the ultra lo-fi, DIY feel of the entire thing: It was self-released (no label, even!) in one pressing of 500 copies and hand-numbered on the front. Both the front and back have silkscreened artwork. It was recorded live to a 2-track (hence the lo-fi nature) and self-produced.
Almost every song is killer dark post-punk or electronic wave. They seemed to take cues from Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division/early New Order, Fad Gadget, and Depeche Mode.
As far as I know, this was the only record they ever released (does anyone know for sure?). Songs like Watching Trees, Tears and Cinnamon, Portugal, Ignorant Father, and Temporal deserve to be heard. I can guarantee that nobody will be disappointed in this one.

Tracklist:
1. Tears and Cinnamon
2. Watching Trees
3. Days Hence
4. Tightrope
5. Portugal
6. Asterisk
7. Moving Nowhere
8. Changing Face
9. Temporal
10. Ignorant Father
11. Ask

Get it here:
Link removed because the record has been reissued!
1986, self-released, New York

Zoo-Z: Skyline/On & On 7"

Here's one of those records that I just lucked into one day, and simply cannot get enough of. From Hayward, CA, USA, this was a trio that played pure minimal electronic music. I've searched for info on these guys for a year or so, to absolutely no avail. The electronics (especially on "On & On") are brilliant, bringing to mind Eurpoean bands like Neural Circus, Vice Versa, or a more restrained Transparent Illusion. The only part that's a bit rough are the vocals - a bit too loud and Devo-quirky for the type of music they're playing. But aside from that, this is a solid release. I don't think they released anything else (does anyone know?).

The songs are:
1. Skylines
2. On and On

Get it here:
Zoo-Z: Skylines/On & On 7"
1982, Tri-Z Records, Hayward, CA

V/A: Signal to Noise Set

Here is one of my all-time favorite compilations. If you like 80s electropop, this is right up your alley. It was released in Australia in 1984 on Only a Revolution Records. Some of these bands released a few records (Nuvo Bloc, Informatics, Human Backs), but most pretty much went nowhere. For some reason the band Dono Detti got three songs on the album, while everyone else only got one. What's amazing is that almost every song is great. My personal favorites are "The Great X-1" by Informatics (pure electro dance goodness) and "Shackles and Chains" by Second Glance (a synthpop smash that could have been huge).

Tracklist:
1. INFORMATICS - The Great X-1
2. MODERN JAZZ - Radio Scream
3. DONO DETTI - Man Unlimited
4. SECOND GLANCE - Shackles and Chains
5. SOFTWARE SEDUCTION - Try
6. SHANGHAI AU-GO-GO - Talk Back
7. DONO DETTI - Flesh and Steel
8. INTO THE EAST - I Stand Still
9. NUVO BLOC - Living Brigade
10. HUMAN BACKS - Frankenstein
11. DONO DETTI - Forbidden

Get it here:
Various Artists: Signal to Noise Set
1984, Only a Revolution Records, Australia

Ducks in Formation

First today is this rare release from an Australian post-punk band called Ducks in Formation. There isn't much info on these guys out there, and form what I can tell this is the only record they released. I hear similarities to Echo and the Bunnymen, early Church, and The Sound. I personally dig all three songs from this forgotten gem.

The songs are:
1. Darkness Falls
2. Number One
3. The Creeping


Get it here:
Ducks in Formation: Darkness Falls 12"
1982, Larrikin Records, Australia

Debut...

So here is yet another music blog. Basically, I occasionally rip records to my computer so that I may listen to them on my mp3 player as I walk to work, and I decided to begin sharing some of the things I rip. I'll be ripping obscure post punk, synthpop, minimal electronic, indie pop, C86, and more. I aim to provide obscurities that are out of print, and hopefully you'll like some of them!