Embracing THE ARMS OF SOMEONE NEW

Susan Sleepwalking

Σχετικά απόμεροι, παρά τις επανεκδόσεις της Projekt, οι εύθραυστοι τούτοι λυρικοί ποπ ονειρότοποι εκτείνονται από την απέριτη νεοκυματική μελαγχολία ως τις παρυφές της αιθέριας/γοτθικής σκοτεινιάς... Εκεί βεβαίως που αργά ή γρήγορα... οι υπνοβασίες (Sleepwalking) μετατρέπονται σε ολισθήματα (slipwalking)...

love power & justice

Introductory material selected (by LFDJ) from the first 2 LPs and early singles of this not much known (despite the reissues of label Projekt ) lyrical synthpop\darkwave Illinois band formed in 1983 by Steve Jones (later on AREA) and Mel Eberle.

LPs
Susan Sleepwalking 1985, Office records
Love, Power & Justice 1986, Office Records
Promise 1988, C`Est La Morte Records


tracks:
01.holy dance (Holy Dance, 7``)
02.whitefrairs (Holy Dance, 7``)
03.angel of odd (Burying the Carnival, 12``EP)
04.with Louise (Susan Sleepwalking LP)
05.Susan slept here (Susan Sleepwalking LP)
06.seven days from now (Susan Sleepwalking LP)
07.holywood (love power justice LP)
08.no city fun (love power justice LP)
09.next year in Jerusalem (love power justice LP)
10.summer dress (love power justice LP)
11.believe me (love power justice LP)
12.your evening at home (love power justice LP)
13.our town (love power justice LP)

The Arms of Someone New (100mb)

For more infos, discography, etc. you can visit:

http://www.myspace.com/thearmsofsomeonenew

http://info.comm.uic.edu/arms/

THEE FOURGIVEN / THE SKEPTICS

THE SKEPTICS - Snallygaster (US, 1986)

THEE FOURGIVEN - salvation guaranteed (US,1989)

aspects of salvation according to the neo-psych, 80`s garage religion...

THE MAGICK HEADS "Before we go under" (NZ, 1995)

Line up:Robert Scott (guitar,bass vocals) / Jane Sinnott (vocals) / David Mitchell (guitar) / Jim Strang (drums)

Ενθύμιο από την μέση (και λίγο ώριμη) ηλικία της πάλαι ποτε περίφημης ανεξάρτητης νεοζηλανδέζικης σκηνής, τοτε που μπορεί να μην μεγαλουργούσε πια τακτικά, συνέχιζε τουλάχιστον όμως να ασκεί καίρια την πολιτική της ανακύκλωσης (προσώπων, σχημάτων, ιδεών)... αλλα και της όπως πάντα παρεϊστικης ανάμιξης, λίγο πολύ, όλων σε όλα... διατηρώντας την μνήμη του εαυτού της φρέσκια και ζωντανή.
Έκτοτε, και όσο οι παλιοσειρές επαναλαμβάνονται, εξαντλούνται και βγαίνουν στη σύνταξη, τόσο περισσότερο αναρωτιώμαστε αν οι υπό εξαφάνιση πιγκουίνοι του νησιού είναι πράγματι είδος σπανιότερο απο την λεγόμενη καλή νεοζηλανδέζικη ποπ.

BEFORE WE GO UNDER

CICALA MVTA "CHING DONG, The Return of Japanese Street Music" (JAP, 1998)

streets of global parading

Avant - improv - folk - punk - prog - jazz - new orleans - klezmer - gipsy - balkan - east asian.... you need a train of words to describe.... music that starts from japanese street performances (chindon) and goes globally... madly.
The sound of CICALA MVTA is developed around the mainman/composer WATARU OHKUMA`s distinctive clarinet improvisations, by an unsual line up of musicians playing the tuba, percussions, fiddle, cello, electric guitar... The compositions are complexed, rich in multicultural references, with many unexpected turns and changes; the "street" feeling though, (lyrical, dramatic, bufooning ) is always present...
"CHING DONG..." is the german version of the first self-titled CICALA MVTA album.
Moniker CICALA MVTA honours the memory of the great, early 20th century japanese streetmusic singer, Soeda Azembo, the "mute cicada".

CICALA MVTA - CHING DONG (120mb)

MADE TO MEASURE volume one

Self-defined as "a collection of aural garments that have or could have been commissioned as soundtracks", belgian MADE TO MEASURE series (branch of Crammed Disc label) have excursioned since 1984 "into the vast soundscape delimited by ambient / neoclassical / chamber / travelogue / trance / meditative musics"

Their diverse list of avant artists includes among others: HECTOR ZAZOU, STEVEN BROWN, BENJAMIN LEW, AKSAK MABOUL, JOHN LURIE, MINIMAL COMPACT, YASUAKI SHIMIZU, BRION GYSIN, DAVID CUNNINGHAM...

Check other LFDJ pages for MADE TO MEASURE works...and listen to the debut MTM release here...

Made To Measure vol. 1
MINIMAL COMPACT - BENJAMIN LEW - AKSAK MABOUL - TUXEDOMOON
(69mb)

CLAIR OBSCUR " In Out " (FRA, 1987)

Violins, cellos, trumpets, flutes, various percussions, theatrical vocals, lyrics of Robert Burns, Franz Kafka... and a sad ceremonial darkfolk/neoclassical atmosphere sink the senses into deep romantic visions that are, artistically, too wide to be tagged just as coldwave or goth.
A surprisingly wonderful work from a french band whose previous works hadn`t prepossessed us for something so good... Posted here by request.

CLAIR OBSCUR - In Out (50mb)

ERIC RANDOM: works 1979 - 1984

Associated with BUZZCOCKS, CABARET VOLTAIRE, NICO... and moved gradually from post-punk/DIY to advanced explorations, Mancunian multi-instrumentalist ERIC RANDOM (ERIC RAMSDEN) developed very interesting industrial-electronic soundscapes, rich in abstract, jazz, dub and eastern music ideas approached with a "free" attitude.

First half of 80`s was his most creative period. During that time he made with THE TILLER BOYS the kraut/post-punk influenced EP "Big Noise From The Jungle" , played with Cabaret Voltaire (as PRESSURE COMPANY) and released works with the BEDLAMITES.
In 2005 LTM Publishing released the 2CD compilation "SUBLIMINAL 1980-82" comprised singles, extras and the LP "Earthbound Ghost Need".

Selected works :

THE TILLER BOYS "Big Noise from the Jungle" (EP, 1979, New Hormones)
ERIC RANDOM "That`s what i like about me" (12``, 1980, New Hormones)ERIC RANDOM "23 Skidoo/Subliminal" (7``, 1981, Les Disques du Crepuscule) ERIC RANDOM "Dow Chemical Co/Skin deep" (7``, 1981, New Hormones)
ERIC RANDOM MEETS THE BEDLAMITES "Earthbound Ghost Need" (1982, New Hormones) ERIC RANDOM & THE BEDLAMITES "Time Splice" (1984, Doublevision)

THE TILLER BOYS -Big noise from the jungle, EP, (19mb)

23 skidoo/subliminal, 7``

Dow Chemical co/skin deep, 7``

Earthbound Ghost Need, LP

Time splice (46mb)

SOUNDS OF OUR CLIMATE

MUD HUTTERS - The declaration, 7``, UK-1979

GODS GIFT - these days, 7``,1979 / discipline, 7``,1982, UK

FUTURISK - army now, 7``, US-1980

DEO TOY - love me or leave me /thanks a lot , 7``, US-1983



...some more magnificent 7``of D.I.Y./minimal wave/electro-punk...

PATRIK FITZGERALD "Grubby Stories" (UK,1979)

Drifting through love and anger, believing nothing, adoring this LP

GRUBBY STORIES

created by KOROVIOV

THE CHUD " Mirage" (GER, 1989)

MIRAGE is the second LP of THE CHUD. Equally good if not even better than its predecessor "SILHOUETTES OF SOUND" (also posted at our blog). It includes garage anthems like 'November Rain'... but all the nine tracks are really magnificent. Reissued with 5 bonus tracks which you won`t find at this post.

THE CHUD - Mirage

THE VISITORS "The Visitors" (AUS,1983)

Με τον DENIZ TEK στο τιμόνι και όντας, εν μέρει, η συνέχεια των RADIO BIRDMAN όχι για "επισκέπτες", αλλά για τους καθεαυτόν "οικοδεσπότες" του αυστραλιανού 80`s γκαραζόχωρου θα πρέπει να μιλάει κανεις. Εξαιρετικό lp!!

THE VISITORS (60mb)

DENIZ TEK - guitar
MARK SISTO - vocals
RON KEELEY - drums
PIP HOYLE - piano, organ, b.voc
STEVE HARRIS - bass
ANGIE PEPPER - b.vocals

THE WORK " I hate America" (UK,1981)

I hate America, 7``, 1981

Post-Canterburian/R.I.O. echoes into the 80`s landscape by TIM HODGKINSON`s (Henry Cow) avant rock outfit with BILL GILLONIS (guitar, bass, vocals), MICK HOBBS (bass, drums, instruments, vocals), RICK WILSON (drums, bass, vocals). Band`s first release was the 7``single "I hate America" which was followed by the LP "SLOW CRIMES" in 1982 (reissued 1992, 2006). CATHERINE JAUNIAUX did vocals on some tracks. The WORK split up but reformed in 1989 and released two more albums: "Rubber Cages" (1989), "See" (1992).

Slow Crimes, LP, 1982

THE GARDEN PATH " 5 Reasons " (AUS, 1985)

GARDEN PATH was an indie psych rock band from Adelaide, Australia. Their debut LP, "5 Reasons" climbed in mid-eighties the aussie indie charts.They giged with DIED PRETTY, EXPLODING WHITE MICE a.o. A second & a third LP followed with much less success and GARDEN PATH disbanded. Singer and guitarist Vic Conrad formed later the outfit Vic Conrad & the First Third which released an album on Bevis Frond`s WORONZOW label.

5 REASONS

THE DECORATORS "Twilight View " (1980) + "Rebel Songs" (1983) , (UK)

Twilight View, 7``, 1980



Rebel Songs, 1983

DECORATORS classic first single, "TWILIGHT VIEWS", released from the legendary Buzzcock`s label NEW HORMONES. Band`s sound hadn`t a lot to do with DIY style of New Hormones and THE DECORATORS soon signed with other labels. Quite influenced by THE ONLY ONES , THE DECORATORS could have a longer and more successful indie career but finally disbanded in 1984 leaving behind the album "TABLETS" and the final mini LP "REBEL SONGS" both in Red Flame label.

Listen to "Twilight View" single and "Rebel Songs" mini LP,
HERE (35mb)

SANDRA BELL: Relentless Visions

Sandra Bell`s poetic, sensitive and angry female approach to life and reality refreshed and finally expanded the 90`s post folk art beyond separations among experimentation, noise and lyricism. Highly recommended to explorers of NZ undeground, fans of A. Galbraith, Jefferies bros, Xpressway label, etc.
After a long discographic absence SANDRA BELL released this year her fourth LP, extracts of which you find at my space.

An introductory compilation to Sandra Bell

tracks:

01.manai (Dreams of Falling)
02.floating aground (Dreams of Falling)
03.the country girls (Dreams of Falling)
04.seas of the moon (Shrew`d, flying nun compilation)
05.with the rain (chord, 2x7``, 1993)
06.underground (Net)
07.caitlan (Net)
08.walking (Net)
09.7 day descent (City of Sorrows)
10.below normal zero (City of Sorrows)
11.eternal fire (City of Sorrows)
12.come to me (City of Sorrows)

compiled by LFDJ

LPs:
"Dreams of Falling", Xpressway, 1992
"Net", IMD, 1994
"City of Sorrows", VHF, 1999
"White Nights", Powertool, 2008

First three LPs available from her site:
http://www.sandrabell.net

Chord, 2x7``, 1993


from "Net" artwork

SUB ROSA: " The Myths"

created & provided by RAINIER

Active since mid-eighties, belgian label SUB ROSA, offers one of the most expanded and advanced views on the art of 20th and 21st century. Though they specialize in experimental, world, electronic, avant garde music, in their huge and extremely interesting catalogue you can find also the most unexpected releases: aural documents (from artists, writers and important 20th century personalities), early electronics, recordings from authentic ethnic sources, indepen dent modern composition ("unclassical"), and so many other surprises...

The introductory SUB ROSA collection escorts this post is based mostly on material compiled from SUB ROSA`s "MYTHS" series and provided by our good friend RAINIER.

Discover more for SUB ROSA at:
http://www.subrosa.net

THE MYTHS compilation (170mb) link updated April 2013

LOUIS PHILIPPE " Yuri Gagarin " (UK/FRA, 1989)

the exquisite el sensibility in orbit...

get it here

EDWARD KA SPEL : the sharpness of the thin blue lines

Selected tracks from solo works by LEGENDARY PINK DOTS mainman EDWARD KA SPEL (birthname Edward Francis Sharp).

tracklist

01.atomic roses (Laugh china doll , 1984)
02.lady sunshine (Laugh china doll, 1984)
03.the char char (Eyes china doll, 1985)
04.the infinity waltz (Chyekk china doll, 1986)
05.Lisa`s christening (Chyekk china doll, 1986)
06.nuts in May (AaΔzhyd china doll, 1987)
07.the Qa`Spell (AaΔzhyd china doll, 1987)
08.and the lord said "rise" (For your ears only, compilation)
09.our lady in Madras (Khataclimici china doll, 1988)
10.the bakersman (Tanith & the lion tree, 1991)
11.memoires of Dr. Bliss (the scriptures of illumina, 1995)
12.scarlet cross (The blue room, 1998)
13.seeing red (Red letters, 2000)

The Prophet Qa`Spell with LEGENDARY PINK DOTS

Θέατρο Δάσους, Θεσσαλονίκη, Σεπτέμβρης 1987

(Live in Salonika, Greece, Sept 1987)

Link 1 (81mb) - Link 2 

LES DISQUES DU CREPUSCULE: Scenes From Twilightning

Founded by Michel Duval and Annik Honore in 1980 and connected with legendary Factory records, this Brussels based label played an important role on the blooming of eclecticism and diversity of the post punk era. They started releasing Factory material (as Factory Benelux), but soon they created their own catalogue of fine artists...and became a "bridge" between UK and continental europe, between new wave-pop and experimental/jazz/classical.In spite of the mid-eighties demise of indie sound, Les Disques du Crepuscule remained an interesting label, active until 2005.

The tracks of this compilation are selected from the early (and best) period of the label. Many thanks to Rainier who provided kindly some of the material.

tracklist

01.GAVIN BRYARS - white`s S.S.
02.THICK PIGEON - subway
03.JEZ & VINI - sleep will come
04.THE DURUTTI COLUMN - weakness and fever
05.DREAM MAKERS - helen`s song
06.STEVEN BROWN - waltz
07.ANTENA - camino del sol
08.PAUL HAIG - running away
09.THE FRENCH IMPRESSIONISTS - pick up the rhythm
10.MIKADO - par hazard
11.DEVINE & STATTON - bizare love triangle
12.NAMES - life by the sea
13.WINSTON TONG - like the others
14.TUXEDOMOON - ninotchka
15.MICHAEL NYMAN - a walk though H
16.BLAINE REININGER - mystery & confusion
17.SWAMP CHILDREN - flesh
18.ISOLATION WARD - lamina christus
19.REPETITION - a still reflex
20.RHINE RIVER III - an end remains
21.323 - affectionate silence
22.IKE YARD - night after night
23.PETER GORDON - the fruit of the original sin
24.BILL NELSON - dada guitar
25.HAROLD BUDD - children on the hill
26. RICHARD JOBSON - autumn

compiled by LFDJ

Listen here (129mb)

"...paysages de la route de la vie plutot que de la surface de la Terre..."
HENRI MICHAUX

SHINY GNOMES "Some funny nightmares" (GER, 1988)

After first LP, "Wild Spells", which we posted some months ago, here it is the second LP of SHINY GNOMES. Mainman Stefan Lienemann is also known from other projects: FIT & LIMO (psych-folk), DISCOLOR (space-drone-psych), PURE LUEGE (the pre-SHINY phase), GOD BOX a.o. Alike the first LP, "Some Funny Nightmares" is a very good neo-psychedelic, garagy album. "Lazing at desert inn" & "Dr Moustache", two of the more known Shiny Gnomes tracks are included here.

Some Funny Nightmares (88mb)

MASTER SLAVE RELATIONSHIP "Being led around by the tongue" (US, 1990)

Debbie Jaffe and her christian choir of "male whispers" perform sunshine, spring-flavoured, heart-warming music, high-lighted in songs: "Navy Blue Urinal Dervish", "The Desire to Castrate Father", "Pornographic Women", "Tongue me".

Link

provided & created by Koroviov

PETER JEFFERIES & JONO LONIE "At swim 2 birds" (NZ, 1987)

As requested, here it is the album Peter Jefferies (percussions, piano, tapes etc.) and Jono Lonie (guitar, violin, percussions etc) made in 1987. Noise ambience, minimalism, pianoscapes, experimental moods, open forms... a homemade instrumental sound related with so many fields, seeking for free combinations among several elements and defending both antithesis and co-existence.

AT SWIM 2 BIRDS

KARL BISCUIT "Regrets Eternels", EP, (FRA, 1984)

Entry of the "ballet" man to the 80`s cold electro art pessimism assisted by Mark Hollander (sax), Winston Tong (guest vocals) and Blaine Reininger (violin).

Regrets eternels (27mb)

KARL BISCUIT "Fatal Reverie" (FRA, 1986)

Magnificent romantic new wave synth pop art by cult french composer Karl Biscuit, whose electronic songs, bathed in dark, cold central european atmospheres help us imagine David Sylvian performing the music of Tuxedomoon (or the opposite).
Karl Biscuit came to electronic underground scene from the world of modern ballet and after few mid-eighties releases in Crammed Disc (SECRET LOVE EP, REGRETS ETERNEL EP, FATAL REVERIE LP, AKTUALISMUS LP) he returned to it.

Fatal Reverie (41mb)

PHILLIP BOA & THE VOODOO CLUB "Philister" (1985) / "Aristocracie" (1986) , Germany

Alternative alchemies of noise, eclectisism, strong pop instinct and significant male/female/voodoo vocals. A mixture of fresh, daring ideas, imagination and innocence that found its peak in BOA`s first two LPs: "Philister" (1985) and "Aristocracie" (1986).
See also previous LFDJ post about BOA`s compilation "Thirty years of blank expression".

Philister (81mb)

Aristocracie (40mb)

COURAGE OF LASSIE "The temptation to exist " (1986) / "Sing or Die" (1989)

Rare Amok records vinyl edition front cover

Sing or Die, 1989 (60mb)

The Temptation to Exist, 1986, (73mb), 320kb

Refreshing the acoustic romantism of Pearls Before Swine, and Leonard Cohen... and setting on music poems of W.B. Yeats and the likes... these Canadian masters of quiet, art-folk melodrama get a position among the sound of rain, the evergreen whispers of fallen leaves and the autumn natural noises.
From the haunted "hopes & fears" to the droning backgrounded auras of "air du temps"... from ingeniously covered "Bang Bang (my baby shot me down)" to holocaustic"Sing or Die" declarations... both albums have plenty of songs equally able to build their chilling echo inside you, for ever.

TRAKWERX RECORDS

Home of the resurrected 17 PYGMIES, which reappeared in 2006 after 16 years absence, TRAKWERX is a contemporary californian indie label, run by veteran "pygmy" Jackson Del Rey (a.k.a. Phillip Drucker) and newcomer "pygmy" Meg Maryatt. Apart from 17 PYGMIES and DEL REY`S works, TRAKWERX has already released other interesting albums by new artists like english duo CULT WITH NO NAME, SMOLDERING ASHES...
Jackson Del Rey writes also music for silent era films (Nosferatu, Battleship Potemkin) under moniker DEL REY & THE SUN KINGS. Their 2005 album "I am the light" was the debut release of the label.

After LOUISE BIALIK departure 17 PYGMIES reformed as THE 17th PYGMY and their latest line up is:

Jackson Del Rey (keyboards, guitar, vocal),

Jeff Brenneman (ex WHITE GLOVE TEST, guitar),
Meg Maryatt (guitar, vocals, accordion, keyboards),
Bob Mora (bass),
Dirk Doucette (ex WHITE GLOVE TEST, drums)


THE 17TH PYGMY- ballade of tristram`s last harping, 2008
selected tracks: 1. paint me / 2. last train


SMOLDERING ASHES - Nervous constellations, 2008
selected tracks:1. kite / 2. a comedy of arrows

Listen these 4 selected tracks HERE (16mb)


More about TRAKWERX at:

http://trakwerx.blogspot.com

www.trakwerx.com