And since I'll be travelling for the rest of the month, I uploaded a month's worth of posts. Enjoy!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ego Loop: Nothingness LP
Sometimes I wonder if any of the songs from any of the records I post become peoples' "new favorite songs". I love sharing music with people, and am always happy for positive feedback on the music (although any feedback is good). I am curious if people will love this record as much as I do. This New Jersey electronic band only released this record (I believe) and then disappeared. I'm surprised I don't commonly see this on wantlists. It's got a few duds, but songs like "Becoming a Shadow", "It Follows", and "The Feelings Return" are dark, gloomy minimal synth masterpieces. I hear elements of Flue, Mecano, Twilight Ritual, and more in these songs. I think that if you enjoy the Windtorn EP from Juju that I popsted last year you should appreciate this too. I can't guarantee that it will be a new favorite, though. However for what it's worth, I've listened to "The Feelings Return" about 10 times in a row now, and all I can say is "WOW.
Ego Loop: Notingness LP
1988, Gris Records.
A1 Neon
A2 Painless Nothing
A3 Down
A4 Extract the Cork
A5 Fruit of the Null
A6 Becoming a SHadow
B1 It Follows
B2 The Seeds of Art
B3 The Feelings Return
B4 Eos
Steve Miro: Trilemna LP
Mutant Sounds shared most of Steve Miro's work waaaaay back in 2007, but I don't think that this was ever posted. It's the rare "Trilemna" LP - his solo work, after he dissolved Steve Miro and the Eyes. It's a mix of new wave, synthpop, art rock, and lo-fi indie. There are some great melodies, loads of synths, and hooks galore. The song "Cameo" is a perfect mix of all these elements. Steve Miro should have been bigger, and this release in particular seems to have been neglected. Also, it was the first release on Glaze Recordings, which also released the mini-LP from League of Nations...
Steve Miro: Trilemna LP
1984, Glaze Recordings
A1 Hip Movies
A2 Cameo
A3 Lyndy Gone Dunb
A4 No Sense At All
A5 Pretend To Forget
B1 Mary Mary
B2 Barren Histories
Intimate Obsessions: Erubus to Hades mLP
Here is an obscure early Third Mind Records release, from a UK band called Intimate Obsessions. Mixing darkwave, industrial, and post punk, these guys helped, in their small way, in creating the typical Third Mind Records "sound". Dark, moody, spooky, and very synth-heavy, this is a true gem that deserves to be heard. And just try to listen to "Assassin" and NOT bob your head and start singing along. With samples from Kennedy's Assassination, a driving bassline, and a chorus that will make you pump your fist in the air, it should have been a hit...
Intimate Obsessions: Erubus to Hades mLP
1985, Third Mind Records
A1 A State Of Mind
A2 Death Con
A3 Erebus To Hades
B1 Assassin
B2 Andante Con Moto
Loveland: That Neplusultra 12"
Have you ever wished that Depeche Mode would travel back to 1987, record a few tracks, and release them on a 12"? If so, you're in luck. Straight from New Jersey, here is Depeche Mode version 1.1, who released this 12" in 1989 and then disappeared. The song "When You Dress Up" was remixed on one of the Art of Mix DJ compilations, but otherwise these guys are pretty much unknown.
The credits on the cover were requested a little while back. Here they are:
Recorded at Reel Platinum Studios, NJ. Produced by LOVELAND, J Everett and R. Litterio. Engineered by Bob Aliecca. Graphics and logo by J Everett. Additional remix concepts by T. Wrigley, Mastered and pressed at Trutone Studios, NJ. Vocals, guitar, sampler: J VanDuyne. Vocals, synthesizers: R Litterio. Additional synths: D. Barrack. Management: Crevice Productions, 220 Mill St, Belleville, NJ 07109. 210-751-2974.
The credits on the cover were requested a little while back. Here they are:
Recorded at Reel Platinum Studios, NJ. Produced by LOVELAND, J Everett and R. Litterio. Engineered by Bob Aliecca. Graphics and logo by J Everett. Additional remix concepts by T. Wrigley, Mastered and pressed at Trutone Studios, NJ. Vocals, guitar, sampler: J VanDuyne. Vocals, synthesizers: R Litterio. Additional synths: D. Barrack. Management: Crevice Productions, 220 Mill St, Belleville, NJ 07109. 210-751-2974.
Loveland: That Neplusultra EP
1989, Font Records
A1 When You Dress Up (4:04)
A2 Little Dreamer (4:33)
B1 When You Dress Up (Extended Mix) (7:05)
B2 Stop The Evolution (4:35)
Þeyr: As Above LP & Fourth Reich 12"
Here are two releases from the kings of Iceland's post punk scene. Þeyr featured future members of Kukl and Sugarcubes, and they were also famous for working with Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke when he retreated to Iceland to avoid the coming Armageddon. Turns out Jaz was a bit off the mark, there. Killing Joke's influence is all over these releases, especially the very rare "Fourth Reich" 12". Most of their material has never been reissued, as the master tapes were destroyed, but not by Armageddon (probably). There was a CD of some of their material released in 2001, but that was the only time any sot of reissue was produced (and possibly not officially, either). Anyway, this is classic, and if you don't have it yet, download it now...
Þeyr: As Above LP
1982, Shout Records
A1 Homo Gestalt (3:31)
A2 Killer Boogie (2:58)
A3 Dead/Undead (3:22)
A4 Wolf (2:51)
A5 Technologos (1:58)
A6 Poème (2:48)
B1 Current (3:21)
B2 Rúdolf (2:49)
B3 Are You Still There? (3:08)
B4 Enough (2:23)
B5 Shout (3:00)
B6 Mjötviður (2:55)
Theyr: Fourth Reich EP
1982, Shout Records
A1 Public (3:25)
A2 Metamorphosis (3:43)
B1 Zen (3:42)
B2 Blood (3:00)
Noh Mask: Oriented LP & Gaijin 7"
Because you've always wanted to hear a Belgian synthpop band's homage to Japan, I present Noh Mask to you. This was a duo of Michel Silverstein and Jo Lemaire, who was in Belgian bands like The Names and Digital Dance. While an electronic concept album about Japanese culture could go quite wrong, these guys were obiously pros, as this album somehow effortlessly mixes synthpop, minimal electronics, and even a bit of industrial together with quite distict vocals. Almost every song is a winner here - New Horizons is a killer electropop song with a driving beat and bassline, Twilight in Tokyo is a bit industrial and dark, and the B side to the Giajin 7", Change of Roles, is a synthpop gem. Get this one; you will be pleasantly surprised!
Noh Mask: Oriented LP & Gaijin 7"
1984, Himalaya Records
LP tracks:
A1 Call From The Orient (4:51)
A2 Gaijin (4:35)
A3 Dancing With My Shadow (3:40)
A4 Maiko Girl (6:08)
B1 Empire Of The Signs (4:17)
B2 Twilight In Tokyo (5:59)
B3 New Horizons (6:32)
B4 Blossoming Port
B5 Dreams Of Youth (0:33)
7" tracks:
A Gaijin
B Change Of Roles
Wombat Suicide: Selftitled EP
Here is an obscure EP from a San Jose, CA band called Wombat Suicide. Not much is known about this band. I believe this is their only recorded work. They played a mix of synthpop and dark post punk. They were a pretty synth-heavy band, and the song "Kissing the King's Feet" is pretty much all electronics and vocals that sound like a poetry recitation. Other songs, like Just Working or No One Cares, are a bit arty and sound a bit similar to the LA synth-goth-art punk band Bay of Pigs. It's a bit of a mysterious EP, and definitely worth a listen.
Wombat Suicide: Selftitled EP
1984, Blue Cloud Records
A1 Just Working
A2 Divide & Conquer
B1 No One Cares
B2 Alternative
B3 Kissing the King's Feet
Moev: Cracked Mirror EP & Rotting Geraniums EP
For those not in the know, Moev were a synthpop band from Vancouver, Canada. They released most of their material on Nettwerk Records. They were a good synthpop band, but I am mostly a fan of their very early work. The material here predates even their Zimmerkampf LP and their "Early Years" CD. Their first two EPs, shared here, are minimal electro-pop with their original girl singer. The "Cracked Mirror" EP, their self-released debut, is sometimes so minimal that it sometimes borders on fragile. They find a bit of a backbone with the excellent "Rotting Geraniums" EP, which starts out with one of the truly great synth basslines, and even has a rerecorded version of the song Cracked Mirror. These are highly recommended. Download them if you haven't heard them yet!
Moev: Cracked Mirror
1981, Noetix Records
A1 Cracked Mirror
A2 2.3
B1 Obituary Column
B2 M.T. M.T. N.M.E
Moev: Rotting Geraniums
1982, Go! Records
A Rotting Geraniums (4:51)
B1 Cracked Mirror (5:48)
B2 Sunday Crisis (5:23)
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