The late May bank holiday listening session is primarily synthpop and coldwave. Surely even the “indiest” indie kid needs some coldwave and synth-pop in their lives…..
Personal Touch – Egami
The label of Australian two-piece Personal Touch writes that they draw “heavily on influences from new wave and post-punk”. The four tracks may initially sound a bit too dancey for the average coldwave/post-punk fan but persevere and you may well be rewarded. Gloomy words are sung over melodious, nostalgic sounding synths. A couple of tracks here were slightly longer than they should have been but that said Precipice is a definite listen.
Available digitally via Ear Catalog
DSM-V – Into Nothing
Staying in Australia DSM-V is a collaboration between Marc Dwyer (Buzz Kull) and Morgan Wright (Burning Rose Records, Pelvis Records). Into Nothing is a danceable track with coldwave and other post-punk elements. It’s backed with Function and will be released via Third Coming Records on cassette and digital formats. Pre-order it from here.
Premier Mouvement – Elevage De Poussière
Premier Mouvement is a collaboration between Jean-Marc Le Droff (Egoprisme), Boris Völt (Mode in Gliany) and Irene de Milo. I am a big fan of 1980s cold/minimal wave and the five tracks here could have easily come straight from a long-forgotten cassette release from that era. Lettrisme and Fleurs de Sel are prime examples of this especially with the addition of the female vocals. An enjoyable throwback as well as looking forward too.
Egoprisme – No Words
And talking of Jean-Marc Le Droff, his own Egoprisme project has their own release out now too. No Words is an apt title as the EP contains three instrumental tracks. The label comments that the EP recalls the instrumental works of Depeche Mode (1983-86 era) or Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and I have to agree it’s very 1980s sounding. There are some lovely sounds on the EP, especially on the middle track Timeline.
No Words is available digitally on a pay what you want basis from Music From The Masses.
Kindest Cuts – All You Need Is Money/Public Hell
Kindest Cuts is a Canadian musician and producer Patrick Edward. All You Need Is Money features New Haunts whose forthcoming album Fight/Flight is produced by Edward. It’s a pulsating, thriving synth-pop track complete with deadpan but effective vocals. Flipside Public Hell, which seems to be a tale of these modern social media-obsessed times, is more of the same minus the backing vocals of New Haunts.
Tokyo Dancing – Stimuli
Is this really the first release from London’s Tokyo Dancing for three years? Blimey. Time flies and all that. Stimuli is a retro-sounding synth track that could have easily been a 1980’s TV series soundtrack. It’s over way to soon. I hope we don’t have to wait for another three years for the next track.
Pullo – Tenebrous
Blimey. No guitars today eh? Have no fear and hopefully this track, by Indonesian post-punk outfit Pullo, will provide a fix. It’s a lengthy one sounding like Franz Treichler fronting Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. In short, marvellous.
Rasha – 1
The two tracks on this release from Brazillian band Rasha are previews from a forthcoming EP. Dark but dancey synthpop is the order of the day as the band head straight for the gothic dancefloors in the same vein as Gene Loves Jezebel. Sólida is my pick of the two here as the vocals sound estranged over a thumping beat.
Dark-o-matic – A Cage With The Door Wide Open
A Cage With The Door Wide Open is taken from the band’s album New Hope which was released last year. It’s a synthpop track and if you did not know you would swear it was a long-forgotten 1980’s synth-pop track. It’s backed with a number of remixes and will be released via SkyQode next week. You can pre-order it here.
Vision Video – In My Side
In My Side by Athens (Georgia not Greece) based Goth-Poppers Vision Video is taken from the band’s upcoming debut long-player. Sounding like a poppier version of New Order’s Age Of Consent it’s an upbeat track despite its lyrical content. There are snatches of early U2 as well and the vocals of Dusty Gannon are catching. It’s backed with a non-album track Inked In Red and is currently available digitally.
Records I Like 