review: complications / compilations

Recently there have been released some compilations with 80's synth, new wave, post-punk and minimal electronics music. It is funny to see that some people try to commercialize and make hip and trendy music that was never meant to be that. Or... music that never had it to be that...

These compilations are basically nothing more then rip off's of the bootleg Flexipop compilation cd-r series. The most catchy tunes are taken from these compilations and the artists are chased down and there you are... you have a record...

Among this turmoil and aim for fame there are luckly always other people who do it in what I think is the right way and with the right music.

The first compilation that caught my attention was 'Genotypes' released by Genetic Music. Genetic of course has quite a history when it comes to releasing some lost 80's sounds. They were among the first to do this. This compilations was also planned to be released some years ago, before the current hype really hit the streets.

'Genotypes' maybe also is a Flexipop orientated compilation but it does not go for the catchy and easy tunes. For the most part it offers the listeners the more obscure among the obscure and tunes that are not instant dancefloor hits. For example the tracks by Urge, Ciaran Harte and Hysterica Passio are truly excellent and belong instantly to my favorite tunes of this era.

Even when a band is a bit more cult and well known as with Seppuku not the obvious track is selected ('New Illusion') but the B side of the 7 inch 'Under Your Control'. Absolute highlights are Mr. Numa with the awesome psychedelic track 'Story Of The Moon' and Jessica Denton & Patrik (Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart) Fitzgerald with 'Mr. And Mrs.'.

There are only very few comments to make about this record. The selecting and sequence of tracks is excellent. Only too bad it is released on CD and not on vinyl. Next to that I see no point in the Mecano track 'Robespierre's Re-Marx' being on this record. Of course it is a highlight of the era and absolutely a stunning piece... but it is easily available already. Besides this a spotless compilation!

But... if you like to go more obscure and move away from Flexipop and more in the realm of 'Kassettentäter'... that other great bootleg compilation series... but on vinyl... then there is a vinyl 7 inch compilation out now... just for you. NLW's lovely sublabel Schallplatten Aus Lurup has just released a six track compilation centered around the Diskret label.

Various bands from this German cassette label were featured on the Kassettentäter records... like 4721 and Reinheit des Herzens. Even though I do not like bootlegs these Kassettentäter records are a must have for any true fan of authentic NDW/minimal electronics/weird punk music from the late 70's and early 80's.

So, I was really happy to see Schallplatten Aus Lurup to release some of this music as an official record. Featured are six bands with one track each. The real connoisseur does already know what to expect: weird lo-fi stuff that will probably please only the real connoisseur.

And then still I am always happy to see there are people and labels out there who put out contemporary music. If you like the obscurities of the Diskret release but are hungry to hear new sounds then go for the Kernkrach compilation LP 'Schadstoffklasse Grau'.

This LP only features contemporary and mostly unknown minimal electronic acts. As I like to discover new sounds all the time you can imagine I am really happy with such a release. Especially as it turns out to be such good as this one really is...

The record has a real cohesive feeling. This is maybe due to the fact that some of the artists share some personel. But that is mostly on the A side. What truly attracted my attention is the B side. Which I can't stop listening to. The deep, hypnotic and repetitive electronics are excellent. It is all rather spacey and melancholy with just the right analogue sounds and rhythms.

Maybe some tracks are dead simple, still they are charming due to their authentic feeling. Think Skanfrom but more lo-fi and less evolved maybe so to speak. I am sure bands like Fabrik Ohne Strom, Kling Klang, Legodroid and Les Miserables Minimalistiques won't ring a bell with most people... not even the well informed... but for sure check this record out.

This is simple one the best minimal electronic releases that has been released recently and done with the right intentions and motivations. Besides that a highlight in the Kernkrach catalogue and that also says something of course!

All three release can be ordered from the Enfant Terrible webshop... (the Diskret and Kernkrach records will be added within the next days).

review: Siedlerheim - Westhafen

When WSDP (also known as Was Soll Das Schallplatten?) releases a new record I am always happy about it. True, sometimes I am more excited as other times but in the end the label never really did disappoint me. Some of the records I play the most are from this label.

So here we have Siedlerheim and WSDP saved another obscure German 80's band from being forgotten altogether with this vinyl release. They play in a way typical Neue Deutsche Welle / weird pop as it was done back then. The album consists of tracks recorded in 1981 and was released on tape that year on the Kompakt Produkte label.

The bands treats you with a very diverse album. At one time you get this weird pop track typical for the NDW era and the next moment punk music is poured over you and after that a great minimal synth piece is blasting from the speakers.

My favorite tracks are on the A side and have rather long strange titles... 'Das hässlichste Paar der Welt' is a great synth dominated song and 'Im Sommer war das Grass so tief' is a true highlight in music of this age. It is an amazing track with maybe a typical minimal synth touch but still with a sound of its own... it is swinging and it is melancholy. Only for this track the purchase of this LP is worth it.

And yes maybe this is music for a few enthousiasts of this style or substyle if you please and yes maybe this is not the best album by WSDP BUT... if you are into this stuff you just have to love it. It has the word authenticity all over it in capitals... and I mean the original music and this re-release by WSDP.

Get it at the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl

review: Das M - Ist Das Wirklich Nötig?

What a feast is this record! I could write on this record endlessly but I think I will keep it short. Das M released in the early 90's some cassettes with his music on his own label. The track 'Vergeude Nicht Deine Jahre' has become a cult piece due to the appearances on the bootleg compilation series of Flexipop.

Last year Kernkrach released an LP with new material. I liked it but was disappointed as I had hope for an official release of 'Vergeude Nicht Deine Jahre' on vinyl. The label told me a record with older material would appear in time... so I was very happy to see this record announced.

When I go my copy at home I was even more happy... it was packaged in a classic Kernkrach way... crazy and nice... in tracing paper (the special edition of the first 50 copies are on printed tracing paper... and yes I have one of those :) ) and the vinyl is pink... nice color for vinyl and even more for a 10 inch record like this.

But then... the intro... okay nice but an intro... and then 'Schneller Sein' kicks in... what a great minimal synth track!! It is a bit weird and very very tasty... I would go crazy on this track if any dj would play it ever. It has despite a rather happy sound also a melancholy touch... like basically all these tracks on this vinyl.

Even better is the next track 'Flohwalzer'... amazing... it is a minimal synth waltz with a perfect melancholy mood but still makes you happy with that crazy reggae rhythm... simply oustanding! It is that good you even forget to listen carefully to the next track... even picking up the needle and put it back at the beginning of this track... incredible addictive as it is.

The A side continues but I am still puzzled by the brilliant piece 'Flohwalzer'. The B side opens with another intro... sort of but much nicer as on the A side... more spacious synth sounds are used and give the record a nice varied feeling. 'Neonlicht' comes after that and it is another great track. A bit like Solitairen Effekten in a way... if they are doing their less rhythmic orientated thing... so lo-fi electronic pop with NDW influences mixed with some classic minimal synth touches.

'Kleine Märchenfee' is also something Solitairen Effekten could have done. It has the same neo romantic touch all over it and a nice playful rhythm. 'Vergeude Nicht Die Jahre' comes after this. Funny thing is that depsite it is still a great track with its raw touch and pumping but lo-fi beat it is not by far the best track in this record. Mostly this says something on how good the rest is.

For sure this is an instant classic and for sure any lover of this style and sound should not miss out on getting a copy... or maybe two copies. I am curious if Kernkrach picked all the best pieces of Das M or there are more great tracks on the original tapes. Anyway this nice 10 inch with 10 tracks is a must have. As simple as that!

Just putting on 'Flohwalzer' again...

Get it at the label or at the Enfant Terrible webshop: www.enfant-terrible.nl/

reviews: Bal Paré 7 inch and 10 inch

In the recent re-issue rush there are more then often not one but two (or more) labels releasing material by the same artist. Mostly this concerns only 1980's stuff. For Bal Paré the great and sympathetic label NLW did not look into the archives but released contempory tracks by this 80's cult act. Almost at the same time on the other side of the great Atlantic Ocean the Minimal Wave label released some previously unreleased tracks from the 80's by this artist.

Bal Paré consisted among others of Matthias Schuster. A name not unknown to lovers of 80's electronic /alternative pop music as he was active in Im Namen Des Volkes, Geisterfahrer and also in Jeanette Und Das Land Z. He is still active in various projects today.

The 7 inch on Minimal Wave features four songs from 1981 to 1984 and is all what you might expect... I do not mean this in any negative way but well... the people who know... well they know what they get. Served are four pieces of typical 80's minimalistic electronic music. The A-side is more dark and robotic sounding. Mostly due to the vocoder sounds and the fact they are more rhythmic orientated. The B-side is more melodic with very nice melancholy synth lines and a cheerful note in the end.

Then we have the 10 inch on NLW which features six rather poppy analogue elektro tracks with great melodies. The melancholy mood is there for sure but the vocals and overall style is much more poppy as on the 7 inch. Of course you hear some 80's references but it is not as if the 80's style is copied. These songs stand on their own for sure.

Especially the B side is excellent. Both title track 'Sommerwind' as 'Welt am Draht' hit the perfect note for being perfect soundtracks for the summer. The pulsating bass line combined with a beat that is all but dominant and the melodic synth lines are working together to get you into this mood of lost dreams and hope for future loves, dreams whatever.

Both releases have fitting sleeves and are equally good... but what if I would need to make a choice between them? It is a hard one but I will go for the 10 inch. Maybe it is because on this record Matthias Schuster shows he did not loose his talent at all and this record is still more relevant in today's context. But in the end I think it is the collection of tracks in general and the superb 'Welt am Draht' song more specific. There is no song of such quality on the 7". In case you do not need to make a pick... take them both as if you like this kind of synth stuff neither will be disappointing...

The 7 inch is limited to 600 copies and the 10 inch to 500 copies. Both are available at the Enfant Terrible mailorder: www.enfant-terrible.nl (see shop).