Welcome back, music lovers. There is a subculture of folks who listen to minimal techno. There is at least one label devoted to the genre (Minimal Wave). This is just one of the tracks from Minimal Wave’s first release about 15 years ago:
Veronica Vasicka continues to curate and even record minimal wave recordings, as well as DJs on a regular basis.
Here’s the set she put together for a recent podcast on Soundcloud. It’s a chilling blend of 1980s’ inspired techno and contemporary electronic music. Dark, bleak, post-apocalyptic. Seems fitting for our times.
More Veronica Vasick, just in case you were curious. Originally recorded in 2004, but released in 2018. She is going through her archives and more of her originals will be out sooner or later.
Chris & Cosey recorded a good deal of minimal synth after splitting from Throbbing Gristle.
Since tomorrow is National Margarita Day and I have more margarita recipes available than I know what to do with, I’ll be serving margaritas every day this diary is on the rec list. I begin with something really goofy, Blindfolded Margarita from Tipsy Bartender.
I’ll have a serious recipe tomorrow, which begins in less than half an hour where I live.
Today’s margarita recipe is Devil’s Margarita from Tipsy Bartender.
I am serving this offbeat version of a margarita because Monday was National Drink Wine Day, which I skipped because it was also Presidents Day. Better late than never!
The third margarita recipe I’m sharing is Margarita by the Gallon.
Enjoy while watching tonight’s Oscars?.
For what I expect will be the last day this diary is on the rec list, I’m celebrating another national day in addition to the week-long celebration of Margarita Day by observing National Tortilla Chip Day by serving Mini Patron Margaritas with Mini Tacos from Tipsy Bartender.*
Looking forward to seeing what Don Durito has in store for Wednesday!
*All of the usual suspects have recommended this diary, so I’m not expecting any more.
I’d be shocked if any more recs happened at this point. Still sorting out what to do for the next one. Still have a day or so to get that figured out.
As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” This diary received another rec from someone who isn’t one of the usual suspects, although I might add them to the roster, so it’s back on the rec list. Time for another recipe!
Because yesterday was National Chocolate Covered Nut Day and today is National Pistachio Day, I’m serving the one margarita recipe Tipsy Bartender has that includes a nut of any kind, Strawberry Coconut Margarita
Gift was something of a footnote in the Sisters of Mercy canon. The band such as it was by 1986 was Andrew Eldritch, and remained him and a revolving door of side musicians subsequently. This was probably the most overtly minimal wave recording this outfit ever made. Used to blast this one quite a bit back in the day. The whole EP was worth repeated listenings.
Some more recent minimal wave:
And some more recent minimal wave:
Somehow can’t leave the Cabs out. This track would get remixed a bunch in the early 1990s by Richard Kirk & Mal right before they split. The remixes end up more minimal than the original.
One of the 1992 remixes of Kino. By this point, the Cabs were back to being an indie group. Their singles in the mid 1980s always seemed like they could fit in at least the club scene, and probable should have scored some legit hits. Their videos to support their singles were often, shall we say, probably a bit too much for MTV. One could say they were ahead of their time then, and now.
Some of Cabaret Voltaire’s early work as a trio.
Skinny Puppy seems to have some influence on latter day minimal wave artists:
My favorite Skinny Puppy song is Testure.
I particularly enjoy the samples from “The Plague Dogs,” as grim as they are.
I was pretty excited when VIVI Sect VI dropped. Maybe they hit their peak with that one. Some of their side projects were interesting listens as well. The Tear Garden had a couple fun albums – a bit more psychedelic than Skinny Puppy. Cyberactif (Tenebrae Vision was also a fun one-off.