Minimal Wave - early 80's

[landrobot]

I started this thread based on a few PMs I received from others from a paste thread. It seems there's some newfound interest in this relatively unheard genre of rare music. It's not really new wave per se, it's a different art form altogether, of which is very appropriate to this forum. Minimal sounds, heavy synth use - mostly analog, and very little to no MIDI being used. Most of the music predates 1985, although there's some made after that (including some currently produced material). Here's a great introduction video to the genre from the goddess herself:

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On to the music!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_Wave

http://www.minimalwave.org/site/index.php

http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/

http://www.kernkrach.de/html/shop.html

One of the best minimal wave songs IMHO:
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Eleven Pond - rawks:
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Off their 7"
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Japanese minimal wave (rare):
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[neandrewthal]

I love these ones that are featured in that interview vid:

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[dougcl]

I love these ones that are featured in that interview vid:

That first one is hot. All this talk somehow led me to this discovery:
http://www.boojiboysbasement.com/audiopages/A001.html

And here is how it works:

http://www.boojiboysbasement.com/rules.html

[newgreyarea]

The recently re-released Deux album is fantastic!

I think there are a few threads about this stuff in the forum right now.

[Rod Serling Fan Club]

My favorite compilation of the genre (and related genres if we are being pedantic) is the french “So Young but So Cold” album. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the genre. There are lots of interesting synth use and textures but usually the songs are very amateur sounding. You do find gems though, it’s definitely a diggers genre. It’s also one of those blurry genres. I think some minimal wave could also be considered dark wave or post punk or even synthpop. The defining factor seems to be that it is synth based music from the early 80’s that you’ve never heard of.

[giorgio]

check out the BIPPP comp for some similar stuff. "pretty day" is one of my favs.

[newgreyarea]

BIPP was my first comp of this stuff. I didn't know that 4 or 5 years later we'd be giving it it's own genre. I just called it all synthpop.

Doesn't the "So Young But So Cold" comp have some Bernard Szajner on it?
I absolute love that guys stuff!

Saw Xeno & Oaklander live last year and it was fun! So much fog for such a tiny room and every awkward white person doing sharp awkward dance moves. Was truly one of the best shows I've seen since moving to LA.

My friend has a band called Tearist. They kinda fit into this genre. A little noisier than most.

I have a hard time differentiating between Minimal Wave, Cold Wave, Dark Wave, and Minimal Synth and even early Industrial for that matter. Seems like the same person would get down on all this!

[newgreyarea]

The whole thing has a very punk attitude. Partly fashion, mostly "I don't care if I can't play, FUCK YOU I'm gonna anyway!!". Just like punk, there is a whole lot of crap that you dig thru to find the really good stuff.

[de_raaf]

my favorites
martin dupont
moderne
mekanik kommando
ceramic hello
snowy red
xex
a blaze colour
visa versa
etc


don't give much about new bands, i feel it strongly time related this kind of stuff and almost impssible to be on the same level than the oriinal bands from the late 70' to like 88 or something
like a lot of stuff in the gerne, but i can't listen to this gerne alone, its to limited, i like the more experimental bands

and probably still the best lp = john foxx first solo lp

[newgreyarea]

don't give much about new bands, i feel it strongly time related this kind of stuff and almost impssible to be on the same level than the oriinal bands from the late 70' to like 88 or something

I disagree to some extent. I think of it as a way of working and creating. Limiting yourself and making the most out of what gear you have. . . and a particular. This stuff never got huge like some of the synthpop bands, so it doesn't come off to me as a "retro" sound.

John Fox is ace!!
-b

[landrobot]

The whole thing has a very punk attitude. Partly fashion, mostly "I don't care if I can't play, FUCK YOU I'm gonna anyway!!". Just like punk, there is a whole lot of crap that you dig thru to find the really good stuff.

Yes, plenty of crap to wade through is right! Luckily a lot of the labels re-releasing material is filtering it out for us. I've amassed quite a collection within the past year, mostly consisting of amazing music. I rather enjoy the 'punk' quality that this music emits to my ears' satisfaction.

Remember the rarer they are, the better they are - HAR HAR HAR! Time now for the minimal wave obscure music pissing contest:

Belgian (they're also at a music festival this December if you're in the EU):
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52 views on Youtube as of this posting. awww yeah:
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Currently made minimal wave music - FTW !! The last minute of the song gets crazy noisy, very cool:
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[Goominim]

Genre names are kind of dumb, but I like the bands listed.

[rico loverde]

great stuff, have agree the genres are getting out of control

[Red Electric Rainbow]

Tears For Fears
Pale Shelter
(Extended Version)

[mono-poly]

Gonna see Das Ding on the ADE the 21st.
Veronica will do a dj set to.

[tesla]

http://www.members.shaw.ca/ecorpse/Trib ... exipop.htm

[newgreyarea]

Yes, plenty of crap to wade through is right! Luckily a lot of the labels re-releasing material is filtering it out for us. I've amassed quite a collection within the past year, mostly consisting of amazing music. I rather enjoy the 'punk' quality that this music emits to my ears' satisfaction.

I've picked up a few from online and Amoeba now that they've started getting more of it. What are your faves so far?

[de_raaf]

some cult stuff is also a bit overrated, was quite let down with the dark day windows lp reissue, i heard it before, but i just think it has a couple of great songs and thats it (he wasn't an album man for sure,) first lp had better atmosphere but as album it wasn't that great...

[de_raaf]

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etc etc

[Red Electric Rainbow]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but Snowy Red rules.

[chando]

Crash Course in Science!!!!

[e-grad]

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[lightpolite]

That last one is doing it rong.
More like:
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or even:
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[ActionMaxVA]

Thank You! I have found myself loving this style.

I was listening to a lot of Tubeway Army and early Human League and on a deep youtube session and I stumbled on these comps.



The simplicity and punk attitude was amazing.
It was a different time, most people though using machines did not count as music.
The DIY not quite as polished sound is really appealing to me.
This thread has so much to offer!
I am constantly reminded how much music is really out there and how little is really heard or lasts over time.

It is like all the crate diggers coming up with old funk records.

Keep finding lost synth music!

[Infrablue]

Enjoying these.