ZYX, Lunapark and Household Shocks OUT NOW

OUT NOW: THE NEXT 3 DARK ENTRIES POST PUNK REISSUES
All 3 albums were originally released between 1980-1982

SIDE A
Get Away Wisdom
Hey You
Little Boy’s Desires
Away To Freedom
When Darkness Comes

SIDE B
Trust No Woman
Sister Green Eye
Mawkish
Bad Manners
What Do You Live For

ZYX are the duo of Inge Graf and Walter Eberl formed in Vienna, Austria in 1977. Committing themselves to the “aestheticisation of everyday life” in all fields of art, their works with video, photography, graphic design, and music are visually influenced by Pop Art, Constructivism, Futurism, Dadaism and musically rooted in Beat and Electronic Rock of the 60s and 70s. They are considered pioneers of multimedia art worldwide and continue to remain active to this day.

‘Trust No Woman’ is the debut album from ZYX released in 1981 on the label RCA Music. Recorded from March to August 1981 at Recorded, mixed and mastered at SM&S-studio Vienna. Building on the early work of Gary Numan and the original Human League designed their short, immediate songs around a barrage of analogue synths, rock-solid electro beats and controlled, low-key vocals. It is an exceptional showcase of electro-pop, cold and mechanical robotic rhythms under a claustrophobic atmosphere. Songs are sung in English with a heavy German accent and lyrics resemble obscure, existentialist dialogues. Each song is infused with the spirit of hopeful discovery that accompanied the introduction of affordable home computers and synthesizers at that time. It is a album that advances the sounds set forth by The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Tuxedomoon and Yello.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in replica of the original jacket design, which features a photograph from a video still by ZYX. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11×11 full color insert that was included with the original pressing featuring photos and lyrics plus a postcard. ZYX may not be as revered or, indeed, as important as Kraftwerk; yet their work shares the technological melancholy that suffuses through the music of the men from Düsseldorf.
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SIDE A
So Verliebt
Komm Her
Gefangene Vögel
Dieser Tag
Worte

SIDE B
Lederhosen
Eine Frage – Keine Antwort
John Lennon
Renn, Wenn Du Kannst
Der Tunnel

Lunapark is the trio of Burkhard Ballein, Klaus “Schlips” Gebauer, Reinhard “Zoppen” Benisch from Wuppertal, Germany. Formed in 1981 when the boys were dissatisfied with their surrounding musical environment. They packed their instruments and a cassette recorder and set off to create their own brand of Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW “New German Wave”). Their influences included The Beatles, Colloseum, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa as well as Sex Pistols, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Blondie and The Cure.

“Gefangene Vögel’ (‘Prisoner Birds’) is their debut album released by Intakt Records, Stuttgart in 1982. Utilizing a simple set up of guitar, bass, drums, drum-computer, Korg MS-10 and Korg MS-20 they recorded 10 tracks that make up the album. Songs bridge the Belgian-type industrial and cold sounds with NDW quirkiness. In the vein of Sad Lovers and Giants, and Schleimer K they blend post-punk and new wave music with electronic influences. All songs are sung in German with monotone vocals and epitomized the urban Zeitgeist of the Cold War.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a replica of the original jacket design, which features a drawing of birds on a grid. There are 4 different color versions of the screen printed jacket: blue, yellow, magenta and turquoise. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11×11 insert that was included with the original pressing with lyrics and photos.

listen to eleven pond on soundcloud
LISTEN TO SOUNDCLIPS

SIDE A
Product Of Reason – Active Repetition
Thunderboys – Fashion
One Gang Logic – Playtime
Sinking Ships – Weight Loss
Juveniles – Another Kind Of Guy
Mystery Girls – Killing Time
Product Of Reason – Five
Defectors – You Only Laughed

SIDE B
Juveniles – Scratched Blue Vinyl
Sinking Ships – 3rd World
Fault 151 – Radiation Man
Urbantech – 9-5 Figment
Product Of Reason – Your Song
Thunderboys – Rich Bitch
Thunderboys – F.B.I.
One Gang Logic – The Stand

Dark Entries is proud to present “Household Shocks”, a 16-track compilation of UK DIY/Synth/New Wave/Post-Punk originally released in 1980. The album showcases 9 bands from the thriving post-punk scene in Scunthorpe and the North of England. Operating on a shoestring budget, co-producers Chris Leaning and Paul Singleton (both of One Gang Logic), released “Household Shocks” on Stark Products, a label they founded in 1979. At almost 50 minutes of music, the album took four weeks to produce at the Studio Playground in Lincoln. It was supported heavily by the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel.

In July 1980 Paul Singleton and Chris Leaning opened a record shop in Lincolnshire, England. It opened under the name “All Tomorrow’s Parties”, but later moved to the city center and was renamed “Parade.” Through their growing local music scene and the separation of economic classes, their shop became the hangout for the local punk movement. It was there that the idea for “Household Shocks”, a compilation of their friend’s bands, was born. THUNDERBOYS offer three punky pop blazers and feature Carmel McCourt who who subsequently achieved chart success with her band Carmel. PRODUCT OF REASON contribute three haunting synthesizer heavy numbers. SINKING SHIPS supply two tracks of off-kilter dubbed out angst (‘Weight Loss’ is the best Gang of Four song not by the Gang of Four). JUVENILES provide two power pop jams. MYSTERY GIRLS supply one track of quirky post-punk that recalls The Prats. DEFECTORS, a female fronted quartet featuring COUM Transmissions affiliate Tony Menzies, grant us one superb track of somber gothic new wave. FAULT 151 serve a slice of wistful Flying Nun-esque indie pop featuring a 14-year old bassist. URBANTECH, a short-lived synth-punk outfit, deliver one delirious track. ONE GANG LOGIC contribute two metallic synthesizer drenched pieces and close the album with a somber atmosphere.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in replica of Chris Leaning’s original jacket design, which features a black and white photograph of a doll shocked by a vacuum cleaner. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11×11 insert that was included with the original pressing. “It was such an exciting time for everyone involved, creating and producing music was still quite new to many of us let alone running a record label and pressing vinyl” – Chris Leaning, 2015.