Sunday, June 30, 2013

xex' Changes out on Dark Entries

Dark Entries Records have released of xex' second album 'Change' as the final piece of our Americana Underground trilogy which comes from the state New Jersey, circa 1981. The album was recorded in the early 80's but the band did not have the funds to release the album and it sat in obscurity for over 30 years.
 All songs have been remastered from the original reel to reel tapes for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in jacket created by Alex Zander for his senior art project in college in 1980. Each LP includes a double sided 11×11 cardstock insert with lyrics and photos. Also included is a full length DVD featuring a 9-song xex concert from 1981, recorded at Hurrah in New York. With the bonus DVD included in the new LP, more people will see xex perform than ever saw them play live. More than 30 years later xex:change finally sees the light of day and fits in today’s world all too perfectly. 

  www.darkentriesrecords.com/xex-change

Retrovision: Altered Images- Bring Me Closer

Thirty years ago, Altered Images released "Bring Me Closer". It was one of the several singles which were taken from their third album 'Bite' which was released during the same year. The first single "Don't Talk to Me About Love", reached UK #7, becoming one of the group's biggest hits, "Bring Me Closer" made it only to #29. Soon after the final single and the group completed a UK tour, they disbanded.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Mute Announces The Cabaret Voltaire Reissue Series

Mute are delighted to announce a series of Cabaret Voltaire releases, starting with the vinyl issue of Cabaret Voltaire’s iconic 1981 album 'Red Mecca' – out on 22 July 2013. Remastered and available here on vinyl for the first time since Mute’s reissue in 1990, Red Mecca features the line up of Richard H Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson, and is Cabaret Voltaire’s third album, and the final full album with co-founder Chris Watson. 
 The series of Cabaret Voltaire releases will continue with a box set release on vinyl and CD in the autumn. #8385 (Collected Works 1983 –1985) will collate four of the Cabs’ classic mid-period releases, remastered – The Crackdown (1983), Micro-Phonies (1984), Drinking Gasoline (1985) and The Covenant, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord (1985) – alongside bonus CDs and DVDs.

Mote info about the first reissue:
http://mute.com/cabaret-voltaire

Monday, June 10, 2013

Out This Week: Lust For Youth- Perfect View

Lust for Youth are back with new album which is out this week. This is the third full length album by the Swedish producer Hannes Norrvide which is announced to be warmer and more inviting than any of his previous work. The new album is entitled 'Perfect View' and is composed of largely instrumental pieces, focusing more on beats, samples and general ambiance. 
 The band will embark on their first European and us tours this spring and summer, joining Chelsea Wolfe in Europe this April/May and touring the Us in late May beginning with the Chaos in Tejas festival and ending with Brooklyn’s Northside festival.


 

Sunday, June 9, 2013

The New Chameleons' Reissues Announced for June 17th

Blue Apple Music, the official store for the music of the Chameleons has announced the reissue 'Dreams In Celluloid' and 'Why Call It Anything?'. Both releases are available combined and separate. 'Dreams in Celluloid' is a collection of rare recordings and this two CD set features newly re-mastered versions of classic early recordings, plus the ultra rare Tony Fletcher EP. The second reissue is Chameleons' fourth album 'Why Call It Anything' which also features two CDs. The first CD is the original album reissue while the second features the Chameleons live in concert at Manchester Academy, a sold out hometown show recorded in 2001, during the band’s brief reunion. 
Both releases are announced for June 17th and they were re-mastered in Spring 2013. 

  http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/chameleondetails

Next Wave: Engines of Malice

Engines of Malice is a French duo consisting of Roxy (Contre Jour) on vocals and Chris (The Glow Inc) on keys, programming and guitars. Their musical style can be described as Industrial/ethnic and they deliver a high-energy melting-pot of electro, ethnic, industrial, orchestral and rock influences, the sound of a fierce heart going into battle. This year sees the release of their self titled debut EP which will be out on July 9th. "Surrender", one of the songs from the upcoming EP and one of our favorites was already released as a single in February. A must for Austra, Zola Jesus and iamamiwhoami fans.

https://soundcloud.com/enginesofmalic
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Engines-of-Malice

Friday, June 7, 2013

WAW: Vår - In Your Arms

The Danish group Vår, originally known as War and the Iceage offshot have released their debut LP 'No One Dances Like My Brothers' this year. Their music is a mixture of coldwave, post-punk, industrial, and ambient music, with few stylistic boundaries in sight. This is the video for their song "In Your Arms" which was directed by Kristian Emdal. Their LP is out on Sacred bones Records.

 http://sacredbonesrecords.com/releases/sbr088


Tuesday, June 4, 2013

The Style Council's Classic Album Collection Announced for Release on July 15th

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Style Council formation and celebrates their first single releases. All put together the label Commercial Marketing will release 6 CD box set which will feature all the band's studio albums, from their debut "Introducing The Style Council' all the way underground motivated 'Modernism: A New Decade'. This new box set is going to be released on July 15th and it is available on pre-order. 
www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Album-Selection-Style-Council

Monday, June 3, 2013

May Singles Round Up

In Conversation: INHALT

 The gentlemen of the San Francisco based trio, INHALT, are currently locked away and hard at work on their upcoming EP titled "Occupations". This being the follow up to their "Vehicle" EP. A fine and entrancing four song vinyl collection of pulsing, vibrant, rhythmic, and sometimes a bit abstract electronic craftsmanship. I remember being absolutely smitten after just one listen to each of the one minute samples. I desperately needed to hear them in their full glory and finally got the opportunity  upon the official release. In fact, it was one that made it into our Top 20 EP's of 2012 list; rightfully so and well deserved.
Matia Simovich, Bryan Gibbs, and Philip Winiger incorporate the best bits and pieces of their early and current musical influences into their own songwriting. That said, they ultimately put their own personal spin on things. There is no blatant rehash to be heard here and that's something that's difficult to come by these days. The aforementioned three took some time out, from their recording, to answer a few questions i had. Here is what they had to say.


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Best of 1983 - The Singles List

The year 1982 was all about Michael Jackson's Thriller which became the best selling album of all time. The video for the song proved to be challenging for the MTV airwaves and it is also considered as one of the best videos of all time. Along with Michael Jackson's success other artists followed; David Bowie released Let's Dance, his most commercial album to date and ladies rocked too, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper released their debuts too exploring the weird and unconventional and Kim Wilde won the Brit Award for best British female artist. 
In 1982, the first compact discs were produced in Germany and were already sold in Japan during the third quarter of the same year. In 1983 they also went on sale in the USA and they will certainly revolutionize the music industry in the coming years. 
New Wave slowly faded into Pop and its biggest stars of the decade Michal Jackson, Madonna, Prince and George Michael will rule the charts for the rest of the decade and beyond.
 

The following Top 50 represents the result of the 'Best of 1983 - The Singles List' poll from 2013 together with our in-house votes. 

Updated: 06/2020


01. New Order- Blue Monday 

02. Depeche Mode- Everything Counts 
03. The Smiths- This Charming Man 
04. Michael Jackson - Thriller 
05. The Sisters of Mercy- Temple of Love 
06. Simple Minds- New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84 
07. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Relax 
08. Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) 
09. The The- This is the Day 
10. Siouxsie and The Banshees- Dear Prudence 
11. Yazoo- Nobody's Diary 
12. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Cutter 
13. U2- New Year’s Day 
14. David Bowie – Let's Dance
15. Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna have Fun
16. Pat Benetar - Love is a Battlefield 
17. Talking Heads - Burning Down The House 
18. R.E.M.- Radio Free Europe 
19. Spandau Ballet - True 
20. PIL- This is not a Love Song 

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