- Synthetic Romance
In anticipation of the Those Attractive Magnets “ElectroMagnetic Pulse” LP on Dark Entries I’ve digitized and uploaded the ultra-rare Synthetic Romance compilation from 1982!
From the back of the album:
“Synthetic Romance – for people wanting a collection of modern and futuristic music. The groups are varied, from all parts of the country and all walks of life, with one thing in common – the synthesizer – perhaps the most sophisticated instrument of our century.
This album is intended to promote the best new groups performing their own material. It also demonstrates the imagination and foresight of these yet little known musicians.”
That description sums up the music on this LP, everything from an upbeat instrumental to some of the catchiest synthesized dance music I’ve ever heard!
The sad part about this compilation also comes from the LP jacket blurb:
“All tracks have been produced by Darryl Johnston for EBONY RECORDS – an independent record company with its own 24 track recording studio – whose aim is to promote new groups.”
This meant that the bands were forced to re-record their original songs in a totally new studio with different instruments/arrangements and most of the songs suffered from this forced imposition. In addition all the bands had to pay for this new 24 track recording session! For example, “Fade Into Silence” by Those Attractive Magnets is strikingly different from the original version that will appear on the “ElectroMagnetic Pulse” LP. Also stripped down is “Together” by D.H.S.S., another band that featured Rikk Quay from Those Attractive Magnets, who will be released on Dark Entries next year.
Please enjoy this long lost compilation and discover what the Futurist movement was all about northern England circa 1982!
*UPDATE*
Thanks to Øystein from Hommage Records for sending me the Roman Holiday track without any skips!!Various Artists – Synthetic Romance (Ebony Records) 1982
A1 Jonny Dee – Stargazer
A2 The Truth – System Thinking
A3 Those Attractive Magnets – Fade Into Silence
A4 Stranger Station – Welcome To The Night
A5 Roman Holiday – Waste Of Time
A6 Liar – Oriental Lady
B1 Low Profile – On The Run
B2 Factor 10 – Ever Since You Went Away
B3 Biofeedback – As Pure As The Cloth
B4 Motifs – Camera
B5 D.H.S.S. – Together
- New Moon = New Items!
A new month brings new treats in the SHOP.
5 NEW records from the La Forme Lente and Brouillard Définitif labels!
plus 4 NEW hand silk screened shirts in super LIMITED QUANTITIES!
and… a radio show on Pirate Cat featuring Dark Entries + Warm Leatherette DJs!
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Nihar (Warm Leatherette) :
Private Entertainment “The Dream”
Pyrolator – “Bacano, Brothercito!”
Executive Slacks – “The Bus”
Bene Gesserit “Broken Toy”
Front 242 – “Controversy Between”
Les Visiteurs Du Soir “Je T’ecris D’un Pays”
Bal Pare – “La Vie”
Xeno and Oaklander – “4th Wall”
The Wirschaftswunder – “Erste Hilfe”
New Shiny Things – “Crayola Psychosis”
Robert Gorl – “Darling Don’t Leave Me”
Moderne “L’Homme d’Affairs”
Josh (Dark Entries) :
Dark Day – Nudes in the Forest
Shortwave Mystery – Separate Divisions
Eleven Pond – Watching Trees
Borghesia – On
E-Man – De Du Da Da Di
Leaetherstrip – Don’t Leave Me
Starter – Part of You
Second Decay – Enclose My Heart
Eleven Pond – Portugal
Zwischenfall – Tausend Jahre
Death Domain – Ethidium Bromide
- Dark Entries on Minimal Wave Radio!
If you were wondering what Dark Entries has in store for 2010 then listen to me djing on the radio show Minimal Wave on EastVillageRadio.com below.
This show was recorded live on January 3, 2010 and features some released and unreleased Dark Entries bands as well as songs that are stuck on my turntable…
You can stream it : HERE
or download it HERE
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PLAYLIST FOR MINIMAL WAVE 1-3-10
Second Decay – Laboratorium I
Second Decay – A Kind of Dream
Shortwave Mystery – Without Cause
Clan of Xymox – Stranger (demo)
Robin Crutchfield – The Hollow Oak My Humble Home
Patrick Cowley & Jorge Socarras – Robot Children
Second Decay – Chronomatic
Dark Day – Arp’s Carpet
Muzak – Fraccion Radical
Velodrome – Glassfabrik
Death Domain – Ethidium Bromide
Emotional Violence – Feeling The Cold
Eleven Pond – Portugal
Leaetherstrip – Dreaming (demo)
Second Decay – The Emerge
Flowers of Evil – First Blood
Xymox – Going Round
Pink and Black – Sometimes I Wish
Eleven Pond – Watching Trees
Calling Hearts – Cosmology
Son of Sam – Nature Makes a Mistake
Borghesia – Graffiti No 1
Those Attractive Magnets – Nightlife
Shortwave Mystery – Separate Divisions
Session – Enemy
Second Decay – Burning Car
Death Domain – Programmed Cell DeathAlso, please come out for the Death Domain record release party this Wednesday January 6, 2010 at WIERD
WIERD and Dark Entries Records Presents:
Death Domain Record Release Party!!!
Featuring a Live Performance by Death Domain at midnite!
With guest DJ Josh Cheon of Dark Entries Records!
+ NEW DEATH DOMAIN 7″s for SALE!!WIERD
Home Sweet Home
131 Chrystie St
New York, NY
- NEW RELEASES on DARK ENTRIES!
I am proud to announce two new additions to the Dark Entries family!
NEW RELEASES!!!!!
DE-002 Death Domain – Ethidium Bromide 7″
Death Domain aka Adam Stroupe is a science nerd from Baltimore and, like me, wears it as a badge of honor. His sound is undoubtedly one of the most bewildering, disorienting yet magnetic and infectious slices of downright bleak takes on synth-based dance music. A one man all-live-analogue electronic ice machine (who is also behind the likes of ‘SIDS‘ – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). His sound is as cryptically raw as it gets – summoning the seminal Industrial/EBM sounds of the likes of early Cabaret Voltaire, Skinny Puppy, and The Normal. Limited to 400 silk screened, hand numbered copies with 4 different covers that feature a different glow-in-the-dark letter of each base pair of DNA: A,C,T,or G.
DE-003 Second Decay – Le Décadence Électronique LP
Dark Entries presents, for the first time ever on vinyl, the debut full length album by German electronic darkwave pioneers, Second Decay. Formed by Christian Purwien and Andreas Sippel in 1987, Second Decay hit the underground dark dance scene with their 12″ Killing Desire and then worked on their debut album from 1988 to 1992. La Décadence Électronique is an album full of addictive analogue electronics that combine synthetic sounds and constant rhythms with memorable vocals. Each song has been carefully remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley and is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies and includes an insert with lyrics and photos.
If you are interested in a wholesale quantity (5+ of one title), send me an email requesting exact quantity and shipping location.
RECORD RELEASE PARTIES!!!
December 9th – Tenebrae @ The Knockout, SF
December 20th – Honey @ Paradise Lounge, SF
January 6th – Wierd @ Home Sweet Home, NYCPlease come out and dance! The records will be available for purchase as well!
Thank you for your continued support of underground electronic music in its many forms!
In 2010 Dark Entries will bring you releases from Those Attractive Magnets, Leaetherstrip, Further Reductions, and MORE!!
- Insound.com chose ELEVEN POND as Band of the Week!
November 17 Stuff We Like
Eleven Pond – Bas Relief
NEW BAND OF THE WEEK! Insound staffers seek out new music constantly. Between the hundreds of music submissions we get per week and the new bands and labels we’re always reaching out to, we stumble upon some really great stuff. Each week, we will be picking one lesser-known band that we particularly love. This week, John goes all “best new reissue” on us with coldwave synthpoppers Eleven Pond.
So first of all, this isn’t really a new release, but a re-issue that came out this year (on Dark Entries Records). And the way this record came about, according to the blogosphinternet, is a great story / new music model example. Self-released in 1986 in upstate NY, in an edition of five hundred copies on vinyl; more recently a blog (A Viable Commercial) ripped the vinyl and a lot of people loved it; original band member also found the tracks online and was psyched more people were hearing the music; blogger’s friend decides to start a record label and re-masters the record (on vinyl again, natch) with beautiful (new) silkscreened art. Everybody wins (and the band even makes money)! It’s basically the same process that got Dave Bixby’s Ode to Quetzalcoatl into my eager little hands, and that’s probably been my favorite reissue of the year (besides Townes, obviously). So what does it sound like? Well, those of you newly (or old-ly) into that dark gothic coldwave sound should be pretty excited. Sweet bass lines, dramatic new romantic vocals, and GREAT synths – very dancy overall. And most importantly when it comes to re-issues, incredibly solid songwriting that certainly deserves to be heard again. Definitely for fans of New Order, The Cure, Depeche Mode, poppier Cold Cave stuff, and probably more precisely a bunch of other obscure likeminded bands that I know nothing about, ha. I’ll throw in a plug for Soror Dolorosa too (more goth), which we don’t carry yet but is SO. GOOD. And hopefully more people out there will take the initiative like Dark Entries did and keep digging up those forgotten gems!
- By John Koch
- New Spanish Synthpop 7″s in Distro!
Dark Entries is proud to distribute two rare minimal synthpop re-issues on Turia Records from Spain! I only have a few copies of each so act fast! ORDER NOW
FANZINE were a pioneering Spanish Electropop (“Tecnopop”) group from Valencia, Spain. They recorded several amazing and catchy tracks during 1980-1983, based around the Korg KR-55 and MS-20. Members also played in Spanish synthpop/wave bands: Glamour, Tomates Eléctricos, Última Emoción and Comité Cisne.
The full line up was
José Godofredo (Chorus, Korg, Casiotone, Drum Machine)
Luis Pisu (Yamaha, Electronic Bass, Effects)
Muguel Angel Galán (Synth Bass, Guitars, Korg MS-20)
Francisco. J. Galán (Guitar)
Vicente Comes (Vocals)
Francis F. Guerrero (Polyphonic Synth)
Jose Paya (Drums)
All tracks on this 7″ were originally recorded in 1983 and fully remastered in 2008 by Synthpop Records Spain. Limited to 520 hand numbered copies with black and white insert with photos and liner notes!Tracklisting:
A Llegas Tarde 4:00
B1 Noches De Fiesta 4:20
B2 Deja De Lamentarte 3:51Video of the track Llegas Tarde:
LOS TOMATES ELECTRICOS were something of a legend in Valencia, a very spontaneous group that only lasted a couple of months with three rare performances. Lead by the Galan brothers, Miguel Angel and Francisco and influenced by Glam, the New York Dolls as well as equal doses of Brian Eno and Kraftwerk. They were one of the pioneering Synthpop bands from which follow-up projects Ultima Emoción, Glamour, Comité Cisne and Fanzine evolved. All four tracks on this 7”EP were recorded in 1981, and use a Korg KR-55 and MS-20 as their basis and will appeal to everyone into Spanish synthpop similar to early Aviador Dro, Fanzine, Ultima Emoción and Metal Y Ca. After the Fanzine 7”, this is the second release on Synth Pop Spain Records, next up is an Ultima Emocion LP!!
7”EPs are new, come in transparent red vinyl and are limited to 320 copies only!
Tracklisting:
A1 Teléfono Rojo
A2 Climax
B1 Caminos Intermitentes
B2 La Orgía De Los SelenitasSound samples here:
http://www.myspace.com/tomateselectricos
- HALLOWEEN CAMP MIX
for brian and jess in SEATTLE!
http://darkentriesrecords.com/hallow.mp3
HALLOWEEN CAMP MIX 10-29-09
krzysztof komeda – the coven
ministry – everyday is halloween
yvonne cage – doin’it in a haunted house
rockwell – somebody’s watching me
comateens – ghosts
klaus nomi – ding dong
cerrone – supernature
the immortals – the ultimate warlord
easy going – fear
black devil disco club – timing, forget the timing
the vamps – disco blood
patrick d. martin – luci’ letric
the cure – one hundred years
virgin prunes – pagan love song
until december – bela lugosi’s dead
- Dark Entries Distro! New Items!!
Dark Entries is proud to distribute two rare electro/synth re-issues on Anna Logue Records from Germany! I only have a few copies of each so act fast! ORDER NOW
CAR CRASH SET were one of the very few electropop acts coming out of New Zealand and have released several vinyls nationally between 1983 and 1986. Basically, the CAR CRASH SET consisted of synthesists/composers David Bulog and Nigel Russell and guitarist/producer Trevor Reekie, and was formed in late 1981. They created such outstanding electropop songs with a Roland TR-606/808 and such lovely sequencing, – e.g. “Fall from Grace” is definitely a song that Anna will take with her into her grave – that it is indeed a shame that they didn’t receive more attention. Anyway, their 1983 12” ‘Two Songs’ (including “Outsider” and “Fall from Grace”) and the V/A ‘We’ll do our best’ LP (including CAR CRASH SET’s “Toys”) are at least highly collectible items amongst electropop connoisseurs and many people will be happy to see these tracks being available again as well as four previously unavailable demos from both their earliest and later days. David and Nigel are said to be recording again together with only the original Roland gear (“nothing else will do” as David says): TR-606, Jupiter-4, MC-4, System 100m modular and System 104 sequencer as well as Nigel’s Korg MS20.
Tracklisting:
a1 Hit and run 3:20
a2 Outsider (12“ Version) 5:58
a3 Toys 4:42
a4 Heart of Stone (Demo) 6:58
b1 Another Day (Demo) 5:55
b2 Heart of Stone 5:08
b3 Dreams 2:42
b4 Fall from Grace 7:52Record features:
- 12”LP, 160 gramms, 33 1/3 rpm, black vinyl
- high quality pressing made in the Netherlands
- limited pressing of 400 copies
- 4 previously unreleased tracks
- full colour sleeve
- hand numbered lyrics sheet
- polyethylene inner sleeves for vinyl protection
- transparent record sleeves for sleeve protectionSound samples here:
http://www.myspace.com/jointhecarcrashset
THE HANDS OF CAIN were Dimitris Chorianopoulos (vocals, bass), Spyros ‘S. Adam’ Floros (drums), Costas Papakitsos (synthesisers) and Dimitris Stamatiou (guitar) from Athens, Greece. In 1983 the HANDS OF CAIN evolved from of one of the first groups of the Greek punk scene of the early 80’s called Ausschwitss when their music was gaining a darker shade and their lyrics were changing to English. Unlike their former group, the HANDS OF CAIN had very little public exposure, but built their reputation amongst the lively Athenian dark wave/post punk scene of the time with a few live gigs in clubs like ‘Skylab’ and ‘Pegasus’. They finally split up in November 1985, and although none of their recordings was ever released their fame lived on. An end was put to this local hidden secret when Dimitris ‘Profitis’ Petrou sent Anna two tracks in Autumn 2007, “Two Steps to the End” and “The Dagger in Me”. Anna was blown away by those tracks and couldn’t believe they have remained unreleased. Of course, this had to be changed. The quality of HOC’s song writing is amazing, these are just strong compositions, and without any doubt, this album will perfectly line up with the best ever goth/dark wave albums being so close to Christian Death’s first recordings as well as the best songs by Bauhaus. Their tracks are pure mid 80’s despair and melancholy, typical of the goth/dark wave scene of the time, although such terms as goth or dark-wave had not yet been invented by journalists back then. The material was (more or less) preserved on dusty 8mm reels and worn-out cassette tapes – it is thanks to Dave Hewson, who digitally transferred and restored these tracks, we owe you much gratitude, Dave – that these essential songs do not remain in total obscurity. Prepare yourself for a milestone not only in Greek music history, but also in goth/dark wave history!
LP features:
- 12”LP, DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) cut, 160 gramms, 33 1/3 rpm, black vinyl
- 7”EP, DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) cut, 33 1/3 rpm, white vinyl
- high quality pressing made in the Netherlands
- limited pressing of 500 copies
- 10 previously unreleased tracks including three live tracks from 1985
- printed disco inner sleeve
- transparent record sleeves for sleeve protection
- all copies include hand numbered and signed b/w photoa1 In a Dark Cell 5:21
a2 Deadlips 3:11
a3 Pristine Passion 5:18
a4 Two Steps to the End 4:54
a5 The Dagger in me 5:09
b1 The Only Sound 4:41
b2 Deep Inside 5:26
b3 The Tears of Vanity 5:25
b4 Monodrama 3:49
b5 Royalty in Exile 3:33
c1 In a Dark Cell (Hit-The-Fly Mix) 5:19
c2 Deadlips (Filthy Mix) 3:10
d1 Pristine Passion (Full Vocals Version) 5:17Sound samples here:
href=”http://www.myspace.com/thehandsofcain”>http://www.myspace.com/thehandsofcain
- Dark Entries Distro! Alexandros – Data LP
Dark Entries will be distributing this magnificent analogue synth re-issue on Eirkti Records from Greece that was originally released in 1985! I only have a few copies so act fast! ORDER NOW
Originally released from Alexandros’ own label ‘80s Ways’ in 1985, ‘Data’ includes 8 tracks which are overall reminiscent of that era’s analogue sound. Straightforward minimal electronic and synthetic wave tunes such as ‘Hold Me Tight’, ‘Difficult Birth’, ‘Everybody wants some Love’ and other offer a pure taste of musical originality the 80s dance-floors were filled with. Data was the LP following Alexandros’ promising 7” single ‘No Place To Run’ released in 1983, which is also included here.
As years went by, the LP became more and more difficult to find till nowadays when it is considered very rare. It is time to circulate this work once more and fill an important gap in a lot of people’s collections.
This will be a limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies dressed in a pure black & white sleeve plus a cardstock insertTracklisting
1. Stress
2. Hold Me Tight
3. Tonight
4. Tired
5. Here Comes The Time
6. Everybody Wants Some Love
7. No Place To Run
8. Difficult Birthsound samples here: http://www.myspace.com/eirkti
- Eleven Pond “Portugal” video
wow. an unearthed Eleven Pond music video from 1986!!
Found by band member Jeff Gallea in his storage garage!!
and here are some photos from the record release parties in SF, LA and NY!
photo by angiB
Photo by Nikki Sneakers
