Bleak times call for bleak tunes. I’ve been promising some minimal wave for a while, so I’ll turn this over to an acquaintance of mine who loves to post these lovely mixes — sometimes on Soundcloud, and at other times on Mixcloud (as is the case here):
Another Cold World January 2017 (Mix 3)
List of artists/tracks in this mix:
Enzo Kreft – Posthuman Dream
My Mystical Creature – The Curse
Black Spider Clan – Keiner Kommt Hier Lebend Raus
Vanessa Saturn – Kleines Madchen
Dominik Nicolas – Underground ( Adan & Ilse Remix )
Pelotone – Fear
Xarah Dion – Derive
Various Reasons – Stilts
Pelotone – Memories
Adam Berces – Death Automatic
Adam Berces – De Vagyunk Programozva II
Deathcvlt – Mask
Black Spider Clan – Far Behind
Octuvre – Ataque Nuclear
VDM – The Rope
Dionigi – Descend To Level One
There are facets of this era that remind me of the early 1980s, and some of the technopop of the time really spoke to me (there was a time when I could not get enough Soft Cell). Contemporary minimal wave is not merely a homage to that early era, but rather an update and refinement of the style, adapted to our own times and without the technological limitations of the old analog synthesizers. Enjoy.
Tips? Recs? I like my beer as ice cold as my synth-based music.
Yeah, I played this album over and over again for a few months:
Elvis Costello and Marc Almond helped get me thru my early ’80’s sexual angst.
That one was definitely a fave for a while.
And, in the role of the lead artist who helped me get thru my early ’90’s angst, sexual and otherwise…
…Trent Reznor.
Since I already was into electronic music, it’s no surprise that industrial was of interest to me as well. Trent Reznor’s work has stood up remarkably well. I also listened to a lot of J.G. Thirlwell’s records (he went by many variations of Foetus) as well as Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, and 23 Skidoo. A friend of mine called it “junk funk”, which I suppose is an apt enough description from one angle. I just heard music that seemed to fit the time and place, and for better or worse, still has some relevance.
The video for that NIN song is pretty terrific as well.
NIN had great songs and videos for a while. Trent Reznor has developed into a very solid soundtrack artist. The soundtrack from the US version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo comes to mind immediately, but I recall he’s scored other films as well. Very good at capturing the emotions underlying a scene. Thirlwell’s soundtrack work on series like Venture Bros and recently Archer were very logical developments from his early work as Foetus. He also has been commissioned from time to time to compose art pieces of one sort or another. I’d always hoped that one of the members of Cabaret Voltaire would break into the soundtrack biz. So much of the Cabs’ early output seemed ideal for action flicks (especially those dealing with foreign intrigue and espionage), and Both Kirk and Mallinder seem to be very active and have no shortage of ideas. I keep coming back to the idea that there are a number of talented artists from that broad era (late 1970s-late 1980s) who not only captured the spirit of the times, but have matured over the years and still do interesting work.
Speaking of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, have you read through The Girl in the Spider’s Web yet? Was curious to see if you had given the new author a chance and what your thoughts were. As I know we’ve talked before, the pacing of that novel is different from the original trilogy. Much more I’d love to say, but would like to get your take before doing so.
I think nalbar is the one who’s shared this genre with you. I haven’t read them.
Yep. Was hoping I’d hear from nalbar, who has periodically discussed the books and films with me on threads in this particular series of diaries.
No worries. I know you and I did not share an interest in that particular series of novels, as far as I know. 🙂
Yeah, I see the subject line you posted now.
It’s like our first explicitly fascistic President-elect has me distracted or something.
Hey!
No, I have not read it yet, though I have it in my que. Right now I’m reading Everitt’s biography of Augustus.
I don’t have much time these days because I’m back at work, and still have to do all the wood work on my remodel. I’m getting about 10,000 dollars in hardwood this month.
But there might be a snag because about 30 minutes ago the wife just told me she might want to move the oven.
.
Luck with it all, nalbar.
Back to the early ’80’s:
The delightfully cheesy FUTURE!
OMD were fun. There are occasions when I miss that time in my life. Then I read a few history articles or books and remember why I was glad to have it over.
“Then I read a few history articles or books and remember why I was glad to have it over.”
LOL yeah.
#1 smash hit in 1985:
And hunger was solved forever.
Chumbawamba put out one of their first albums not long after that video was made, called Pictures of Starving Children in Africa Sell Records. That was their statement about how useless that particular effort was.
I was a bit of a hanger-on in the anarcho-punk scene. Some of the more experimental bands in that scene were of great interest to me. Chumbawamba definitely. Flux of Pink Indians (later just Flux) and Apostles also tended to put out fun recordings. There weren’t a lot of openly gay or bi punks in the 1980s, so the Apostles’ willingness to open up and write songs about being gay was quite a comfort to me (I’m bi, and have been out about it for a good bit now, but I remember that the 1980s was not a particularly friendly time to be so).
Just listened to a bit of The Apostles. Really like the arrangement for “Breaking Barriers”.
I was introduced to this band by Kurt Cobain; he wrote that they were one of his favorites:
I can’t get enough of that song. Nice tight hammering of the groove twice in a minute, with a great close.
Speaking of fine arrangements:
Also good live.
Yeah, I saw that immediately afterwards and was disappointed I didn’t post that live version here. Thanks for doing so.
I’ve posted this previously.
Talking Heads would fit nicely here too, no?
You know what this place needs? Story Time. Non-boring REAL educational tales from life. Not too wordy … keep it interesting. What do you think?
I’d say let’s try it. Set up a diary and see what happens. Be patient. It may take a few diaries to catch on. I’m trying to revive the Fotoflog – will probably put up another next week. Meant to this week, but spent yesterday mostly sick. Anyhoo, that one will also take a while to reestablish since the photographers among us have long since vanished, and to me understandably so.
I’ve wanted to see a bit more of a community feel here again. So, you have my encouragement.
OK, will get on it. Here we go for starters … potential topics:
I swear, “I got a million of ’em.”
Choose one.
Yep, gonna take a while for folks to participate. I’ll look for your post and put up a photo or two.
I always loved a good challenge. The foto flog is up. We’ll see who shows up. I look at this effort as truly a marathon, rather than a sprint.
Back to the apropos ’80’s synth music:
Ahem:
Loved this one:
And still do.