Review: One of the most legendary female producers in history of electronic music brings out her sixth solo album - not to mention her numerous seminal recordings as part of Throbbing Gristle and Chis & Cosey - and the first in three years. 2t2 is an intimate yet electrifying statement, a dualistic journey through rhythmic propulsion and meditative introspection across nine tracks entirely composed, performed and produced solely by Cosey herself. With 2t2, she expolores personal loss and global upheavalm transforming them into a defiant sonic odyssey, weaving raw energy and introspective depth together. The beat-driven tracks pulse with kinetic urgency, echoing her industrial and electronic roots, while the ambient passages invite deep contemplation. Lead single 'Stound' exemplifies this balanceiCosey's overtone chanting evokes resilience and catharsis, grounding the record in both personal and universal strength. 'Threnody' pays tribute to Delia Derbyshire and Andy Christian, weaving echoes of past creative dialogues into Cosey's present explorations. Even in its darker moments, there's a lightness, a refusal to succumb to despair, in evidende and Cosey seemingly embraces sorrow as a path to joy, a reminder that resistance and resilience are acts of creation. With 2t2, Cosey Fanni Tutti once again defies convention, crafting an album that is personal and powerful.
Review: One of the most underappreciated and perhaps most emotionally resonant albums from this legendary keyboard wizard gets a timely reissue. Released in 1992, it was overshadowed by the shifting tides of popular music, but time has finally begun to catch up to its brilliance. Here, Dolby reveals a matured musical identity that is melodically rich, lyrically thoughtful and sonically adventurous. 'Cruel', featuring the exquisite Eddi Reader, is one of Dolby's most stirring ballads. A lush, heartfelt piece that blends synth sophistication with intimate vocals. 'Eastern Bloc (the sequel)' cleverly reimagines 'Europa and the Pirate Twins', even borrowing rhythmic cues from Johnny Otis's 'Willie and the Hand Jive' before veering into its own layered complexity. On 'Silk Pajamas' and 'I Love You Goodbye', Dolby dips into a warm, Southeastern US sound palette, his intricate electronic textures as well as his knack for genre fusion (without ever sounding gimmicky) shining bright. Even when venturing toward mainstream pop ('Close but No Cigar') or darker territory ('Neon Sisters'), Dolby remains unpredictable yet unmistakably himself. The final track, 'Beauty of a Dream', is a moving, cinematic closer that lingers long after. While The Golden Age of Wireless remains iconic, Astronauts & Heretics is Dolby at his most personal and artistically fearless. It's great to see this album get its due.
Review: Depeche Mode's Playing The Angel tour was a major milestone following their 2005 album release of the same name. It was produced by Ben Hillier and topped charts in 18 countries with the hit 'Precious'' the most standout. The nine-month tour across Europe and North America included festival headlining slots like Coachella and O2 Wireless but a real standout moment from it was their performance at KROQ-FM's Almost Acoustic Christmas concert, which was captured in full and now gets pressed up to this fine double album. This superb Christmas show is the sound of the band at their best during one of their many fine eras.
Review: This 2xCD edition goes well beyond nostalgia, offering the definitive take on Soft Cell's most illicit and club-focused chapter. Originally released in 1982 their second album was a bold pivot: less of the noir cabaret that had its roots in their Leeds Poly days, more MDMA-drenched disco detachment. But what felt fleeting at the time now reads like a fully formed vision. The first disc captures the original six-track run, including a furious remake of 'Memorabilia', the twisted funk of 'Sex Dwarf' and their glam-stomp take on 'What' i a track that somehow hit Number Three in the UK while sounding like it belonged in a haunted backroom. The second disc expands the picture with extended cuts like 'Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go' and 'Torch', all of which showcase how Soft Cell flirted with pop but refused to smooth their edges. It's a new reissue, but more importantly, it's a reminder of just how ahead of their time they were i turning sleaze into sophistication and dancefloor detritus into poetry. Digitally remastered and packed with rarities, this is as complete a portrait of Soft Cell's ecstatic peak as you'll find.
A Man Could Get Lost (Jon Pleased Wimmin remix) (5:52)
Bedsitter (Erasure remix) (6:21)
What! (12" version) (6:03)
So (12" version) (8:47)
Review: The band's companion piece to their debut album, with MDMA-slanted remixes (they were among the first E-dopters) and one new track, was always a strange, thrilling detour that delved deeper into the band's darker side. Reissued now and pressed on pink and blue vinyl, it leans into the playful and hedonistic spirit that fueled the duo's early years. 'Memorabilia' still slams with that proto-industrial funk, drenched in echo and attitude. Their version of 'What?' is gloriously off-kilter, part cabaret, part warehouse rave. Marc Almond's vocals are as dramatic and sly as ever, while Dave Ball keeps the synth lines rubbery and raw. There's a sense of controlled chaos here, where the line between irony and sincerity blurs beautifully. 'Sex Dwarf' is one of the band's most intense moments. A club hit that works today just as good as back in 1982. Even in its more minimal moments, there's a sweaty urgency to these tracks. The whole thing feels like a snapshot of a night that got way out of hand, in the best way possible. While the original album was darker and more introspective, this one lets loose, offering up a lean set of tracks built for movement and attitude. A record that was never afraid to get weird, which suits us down to the ground.
Review: Q Lazzarus was always going to be a good fit for the cult synth and cold wave crew, Dark Entries, and so it proves here with this overdue debut. Diane Luckey was born in 1960 in New Jersey and created her iconic moniker while living in NYC's East Village. Her breakout moment came after meeting director Jonathan Demme during a 1986 snowstorm; he was captivated by her demo playing in her taxi. Their encounter led to the unforgettable inclusion of 'Goodbye Horses' in Silence of the Lambs. Despite its cult status, Luckey and collaborator William Garvey remained largely overlooked but surely that will change now as they offer up five unreleased tracks that have been newly mixed from original master tapes.
Review: We've all been party to solo material by seminal UK shoegaze sorts Ride's guitarist Andy Bell, but what about their bassist? Not so much. Well, that's about to change. Enter the brooding debut solo album from Ride's low-end maestro Steve Queralt. A largely instrumental affair, there's elements of shoegaze and darkly textured soundscapes. Plus there's guest appearances from more 90s legends: Emma Anderson (formerly of Lush and Sing-Sing) and Verity Susman (Electrlane, MEMORIALS) grace the album. Anderson sings on the pummeling lead single 'Lonely Town', which was launched with an aptly monochrome meditative montage of a music video. Given the power of this debut, we suspect this nine-song collection is the first of many solo albums to come, from a musician who has nothing to prove, but plenty to express.
Review: Originally released in April 2017, this is a reissue that reaffirms the album's pivotal role in modern darkwave. Crafted by Sydney-based Marc Dwyer, Chroma pulses with a brooding energy that fuses stark minimalism with unexpected pop leanings. Across its runtime, jagged synths and relentless drum programming frame a series of emotionally charged compositions, each one dissecting states of isolation, longing, and inner turbulence. Far from being just a genre exercise, Chroma pushes the boundaries of synth wave and post-punk, threading glimmers of melody through layers of tension and shadow. Dwyer's delivery is cold and commanding, yet there's an underlying vulnerability in how he constructs each track, always rooted in personal reflection but never static. The production is raw but intentional, giving it an immediacy that still hits with force today. Since its release, Chroma has gained a cult following, inspiring peers in the darker corners of electronic music. With two additional albums and several international tours under his belt, Dwyer has grown into a spectral mainstay of the global goth underground. The long-awaited reissue brings Chroma back into circulation where it belongs. Restored, relevant and just as magnetic as it was eight years ago.
Review: Blkmarket Underground Music Party Edits is a sub-label to the influential Blkmarket, an esteemed label and event series in New York. Contrary to what that catalogue number might indicate, this is actaully their second release and has Facets at the controls. First up is 'Computers' with its raw and snappy analogue drum sounds and late-night synth details. 'Time Of War' is another full-fat blend of analogue drum thump and driving synth motifs, 'Talk To Me' has crashing cold-wave synths and deadpan vocals and 'Paranoia' has loopy vocals and moody atmospheres for freaky dancing. 'Lies' and 'Dub To Destruct' shut down this varied and retro-tinged EP with jerking rhythms that will do plenty of damage.
Review: The 50th anniversary edition of Kraftwerk's Autobahn finally completes its decennial German interstate journey and lands in our drool-covered laps. With founding Kraftwerk member Ralf Hutter revisiting the record's original 16-track master tapes with engineer Fritz Hilpert, the group not only made a brand new Dolby Atmos mix for the CD edition, but have also reissued the original record in the never-seen-before picture disc form you see here. A cosmic pop overland journey, the vinyl remaster also lends the record an extra-dimensionality we didn't know possible; recumbent across it, and brought out to swelling prominence, are its tweezed, filter-cutoff sine chords, evoking the continual movement of rustic landscapes streaming past our eyes. Though at first received only to mixed acclaim, Kraftwerk's fourth LP was rightly hailed in hindsight for its simple automotive theme and change in sound, away from the Robots' emergent kosmische and into self-reflexive electropop. All this emboldened Kraftwerk as a band that could somehow cruise in the fast lane, accelerating with ease through the shifting stylistic sands of the mid 1970s.
Review: Greatest Fits is a deep dive into the superb sounds of German avant-garde new wave pioneer Gina X on the cult Dark Entries label. This double LP compilation spans the whole of the bold, boundary-blurring career of Gina X Performance, which came together first in 1978 when singer Gina Kikoine and producer Zeus B set out to create "the absolute union of music, poetry and travesty". With selections take from four of thieves albums, you'll find their signature blend of icy electro, camp theatrics and subversive pop throughout, and it all ranges from the pulsing 'Nice Mover' to the decadent 'No G.D.M.' Greatest Fits is both a musical time capsule and a vital reminder of how far ahead Gina X always was while also serving as a celebration of queer culture and synth-driven hedonism.
Review: This release, which was recorded for Bremen Radio in 1971, features four extended tracks showcasing German pioneers Kraftwerk in a very different light from their later work. The short-lived lineup of Schneider, Rother and Dinger fused electric guitar with their then-signature electronic sounds and it gives rise to unusual, exciting and innovative music. Half of the tracks here, as hardcore fans will recognise, are drawn from their debut album, Kraftwerk 1, and the recording quality is excellent. This release also includes full recording details along with extensive sleeve notes that help offer a fascinating glimpse into Kraftwerk's early, experimental sound before their more iconic and pioneering electronic phase.
Review: French composer Jean-Michel Jarre, world renowned for pioneering electronic music on a grand scale, emerges here in his formative years, already pushing at the edges of sound. Created in 1972 while working at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales, this early studio project captures a young innovator experimenting with an EMS VCS3 and a Farfisa organ. Tracks like 'Music Box Concerto' and 'Synthetic Jungle' weave eerie melodies into mechanical rhythms, while 'Rain Forest Rap Session' and 'Exasperated Frog' embrace playful abstraction. Jarre himself called it a "pirate record," assembled in his student room and smuggled from GRM's studios after hours. A raw, unfiltered glimpse into his early creative instincts, it foreshadows the expansive, cinematic style that would later define his career.
Review: Futurespective is a carefully remastered compilation showcasing the finest work of Les Animaux Sauvages, the legendary Bulgarian band known for their blazing blend of post-punk, new wave and dark wave. For the first time, these classic tracks are available on vinyl, which is literally music to the ears of fans of Eastern European underground sounds. The band is a trio of artistic kindred spirits who united in 2014 with Ivo Stoyadinov Charlie on guitar, synths and programming alongside Sibylla Seraphim, who brings her haunting vocals and synth work to the mix. Together, they craft a moody, atmospheric sound that is distantly lo-fi, with prowling and sleazy guitars that Andrew Weatherall would love, chugging dark disco groves and tripped-out machine soul and wiry electronics.
Review: The Birthday Massacre, hailing from Canada, command a bracing gothic blend of 80s electronica and aggressive guitar work. Formed in 2000 as Imagica, the band is led by vocalist Chibi and guitarists Rainbow and Michael Falcore. They debuted in London, Ontario, before moving to Toronto and rebranding, with the 2002 self-released Nothing and Nowhere inducting us into their horror-comedic sonic aesthetic, drawing on macabre cabaret and Grande-Guignol rock. Though little light but fan speculation has been shed on their new album Pathways, this purple detour has sparked rumours of a fresh direction and stylistic tangent for the band, coming helmed up by the pre-released streamer single 'Sleep Tonight', lighting up oneiric stadia worldwide with their mega-metal shreds and huge electronica arrangements.
Accessible Limits - "Dave Smith Va Estar Aqui" (6:32)
Accessible Limits - "Sant Roc Es Analogic" (6:42)
Review: French Mahres sublabel Chandelle welcome two crazed newcomers to their darksynth techno fore, Stigma and Accessible Limits, both of whom are new to the game and yet make a precisely torturous, grotesque techno smash here. Thumbscrews tighten and stretching racks widen, as exquisite vanitas cover art tots up the second release in a series, which sees a differently coloured inner label depict an obscene objet d'enfer. Stigma insists we 'Take This Gun' on the A-side, hatching a devilish plan to city-map and computerise the underworld, while Accessible Limits somehow manages to chill the everlasting flames found thereunder with 'Dave Smith Va Estar Aqui' and 'Sant Roc Es Analogic', two tube-tastic flareups with a moodier feel compared to the A.
Review: Depeche Mode's standout album Violator (1989) produced the landmark song 'Personal Jesus', and with its catchy bluesy riff and innovative but rare use of guitar by the otherwise great synthpop act, the song would upend and expand at the edges of an already well-varied sound. With lyrics inspired by 'Elvis And Me' by Priscilla Presley, exploring themes of devotion and stardom, while the record's controversial promotions saw the band take out personal ads, as well as advertise a phone number through which fans could hear the song. Now Matt Early (aka. Funky Wogan and Hardbag), DJ, producer and remixer extraordinaire of Far Horizon and Sub London fame, lays down an ingenious edit backed by the original number on the flip. Limited numbers on this furtive output, so keep your shopping cart fingers poised...
Review: Oblique Records offers a four-track vinyl-only selection of stripped, club-ready house cuts shaped by UKG inflections and percussive detail. Velvet Velour's 'Make It Hot' leads with a swung rhythm, vocal stabs, and a warm bassline that keeps the energy tight without crowding the mix. Eli Atala's 'Fat Albert' runs deeper, with clipped low-end and a sharper rhythmic frame. The Velvet Velour remix of the same track adds glide and bounce, pushing the groove forward while softening some of the original's edges. On the B-side, MTTY's 'Wally' closes the set with swung drums and sparse atmospherics - minimal in structure but tuned for pace. Each track is functional without sounding generic, keeping arrangement changes minimal and geared for blend. A direct, neatly cut pack of tools with just enough variation to stretch across a warm-up or mid-set.
Palais Des Bauzards - "It's Disgusting" (remix) (4:31)
A Thunder Orchestra - "Shall I Do It?" (4:04)
M Bryo - "Let's Go To War" (4:18)
The Arch - "Ice In Your Eyes" (3:13)
Genetic Factor - "The Lizard King, Empty Highway" (4:55)
Elektronische Maschine - "Tanz 86" (4:07)
No Honey From These - "Dreams" (4:29)
Paschen's Law - "Magniying Transmitter" (6:17)
BeNe GeSSeRiT - "Les Aliens" (6:05)
Review: Walhalla Records reissues Underground Wave Volume 4 from its exciting series that helps collect and release minimal synth gems from the 1980. Belgian acts dominate this expertly curated edition, including M Bryo, Schicksal, Ratbau and Bene Gesserit, each contributing tracks that pulse with analogue nostalgia and DIY grit. Schicksal opens the record with 'Power Hate Destruction', an exclusive track that sets a dark and brooding tone. M Bryo's entry is particularly arresting with Mark Burghgraeve's knack for eerie atmospheres. The Arch delivers 'Ice In Your Eyes',, a swirling track said to be their live concert closer in 1988, oozing with gothic tension. Side-B has 'Genetic Factor', a haunting 1982 cut by Richard Zeilstra that evokes early Klinik. Elektronische Maschine adds a refreshing 90s synth pop twist, while 'No Honey From These' stuns with a raw, Suicide-like energy. Paschen's Law channels YMO and Logic with intricate programming, before Bene Gesserit closes things with the mesmerising 'Les Aliens, a track that fuses eerie piano with an Attrition-style evolution. This compilation is a passionate preservation of underground history, led by Walhalla's curator Lieven De Ridder's deep archival instincts and unmatched dedication.
Review: The US' Music On Vinyl always provides the quality reissues, and best of all, they do it quietly, leaving the diggers and owners of the original copies still relatively chuffed with their treasures. As such, it's the Yellow Magic Orchestra that receives the reissue treatment this time, a Japanese electro-pop outfit formed in 1979, and which includes the great Haruomi Hosono on bass - producer of the timeless and mind-bending "Hosono House". Solid State Survivor was the band's second album, and although it was released before the start of the '80s, it already contains remnants of electronic dance music as we know it today. The glassy opener is called "Technopolis", for example, and the majestic synth twists of "Rydeen" are a pleasure to our ears even today. There are slower, more magical moments such as "Castalia", but the winner for us is probably "Insomnia", a great piece of drunken drum machine drums and wonky melodies. An absolute must, even for the non-Japanese heads.
Every Time We Live Together We Die A Bit More (3:36)
Out Of Sight (3:48)
Pink Fluffy Dinosaurs (3:50)
L'Odeur Animale (3:47)
Review: Marking the 25th anniversary of The Magnificent Tree, Belgian trio Hooverphonic release a special limited edition of their third album, available on translucent blue vinyl. This edition comes strictly limited to 1,000 numbered copies, each with a commemorative insert; its four core singles 'Mad About You', 'Vinegar & Salt', 'Out of Sight' and 'Jackie Cane' became career milestones for the ethereal band, clinging to the Flemish Ultratop 50 for 107 weeks as they continued to hone and plane their established blue noir, post-trip-hop sonic vernacular. Also marking their 30th anniversary as a band, The Magnificent Tree is probably the best touchstone to describe their coming of age, ripping up the the comparatively innocent sonic formula of Blue Wonder Power Milk.
Review: The Love Invention is the debut solo album by Alison Goldfrapp, the singer of the longtime electronic duo Goldfrapp. Striking out on her own here, it contains 11 tracks in her usual cross-section of house, dance-pop, and nu-disco, but this time around they were co-produced with the likes of Richard X and James Greenwood (aka Ghost Culture) instead. A rallying cry for freedom and cleaving out a space for one's own, the album also deals with subjects such as falsity and authenticity, and takes a lot after the former Goldfrapp project Head First.
Review: Finally, the debut Bochum Welt album Module 2 has been reissued after an initial run on Rephlex. Bochum Welt (Gianluigi Di Costanzo) has just recently celebrated 30 years of releasing music. His brand of IDM, electro and techno has been often copied but never equaled. His futuristic music seems to always be forward thinking and ultimately, timeless sounding. This edition is on matching green vinyl and includes all the classic material of the first release. Fans of AFX, Squarepusher and Cylob are sure to be aware of Bochum Welt. But for those who aren't....
Review: You still won't find a more perfect electro album than Kraftwerk's Computer World, and it was the album that pretty much invented the style. That much is clear from this fresh 2020 reissue, which presents the iconic 1981 set on translucent yellow vinyl, accompanied by a slick booklet of fitting Kraftwerkian imagery. While 'Computer World', 'Pocket Calculator' and 'Computer Love' are near perfect electro-pop songs, it's the sheer heaviness and funkiness of the B-boy friendly beats on 'Home Computer', 'It's More Fun To Compute' and, most famously, 'Numbers' that make it such an essential. Put simply, Computer World still sounds like the future.
Review: To our ears, 1975's Radioactivity is Kraftwerk's most ghostly and otherworldly album. It was famously their first set made entirely with electronic instruments - some home-made - and now sounds like a bridge between the more krautrock-style hypnotism of the earlier Autobahn and the slicker, more tuneful albums that followed it. In other words, it's as weird, alien and otherworldly as it is ground-breaking and pop-leaning. This 2020 reissue is well worth picking up, not least because it comes pressed on translucent yellow vinyl and comes accompanied by a glossy, 16-page booklet full of iconic Kraftwerk images.
Review: Autobhan, the 1974 album that began Kraftwerk's ascent to legendary status, is still capable of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The headline attraction remains the absorbing, mesmerising, 22-minute title track, a musical whizz down an imaginary three-lane highway that's as evocative and atmospheric as they come. That said, the album's lesser-celebrated, more experimental flip-side tracks (and in particular the jaunty 'Kometenmelodie 2'), are also inspired. Here it gets the 2020 reissue treatment via a tasty blue vinyl pressing that comes packaged with a 12-page booklet of historic photos and typically utilitarian imagery.
Review: There isn't a more hit-packed Kraftwerk album than The Man Machine. First released in 1978 and here reissued on red vinyl accompanied by a fresh booklet of vintage images, the album boasts some of the German band's best loved songs, including 'The Robots', cheery sing-along 'The Model', the staggeringly good 'Neon Lights', and the bubbly title track. It shows how good the album is that such gems as 'Metropolis' and the picturesque 'Spacelab' - cuts that most other bands would kill to be able to write - tend to be ignored or overlooked. If you love electronic music, you need a copy of The Man Machine in your collection.
Review: While not one of Kraftwerk's most celebrated albums, Techno-Pop (known on its original 1986 release as Electric Cafe) has actually stood the test of time rather well - as this re-mastered, re-packaged clear vinyl reissue proves. The A-side suite of 'Boom-Boom-Tchak', 'Techno-Pop' and 'Musique Non-Stop' provides the perfect mix of clanking, metallic electro percussion, addictive melodies and sassy synth-pop sounds. 'House Phone' - an alternative version of 'The Telephone Call' - is also amongst the German band's heaviest, most club-ready cuts, thanks in no small part to Francois Kevorkian's superb mixing. As with the band's other 2020 reissues, this edition also comes packaged with a glossy booklet containing rare and iconic images of the group.
Witness The Change/I Don't Know What Love Is (dub) (8:22)
Review: A reissue of material that Pete Shelley originally released in 1981, not long after the Buzzcocks' first split. It may be his second solo album, but with his first album - Sky Yen - being an arty experimental record, it's this album that spawned his first ever solo single. Giving a glimpse into the ridiculous censorship at the time, the single, 'Homosapien', was banned by the BBC, who interpreted a line in the track to be a sexually explicit reference to gay sex. Sonically, the album marks a humungous shift from the punk sound that Shelley gatecrashed the mainstream with in the Buzzcocks in the mid-70s. This is a highly electro-pop record and had producer Martin Rushent, who was also working with The Human League on the epoch-defining Dare album at the time, help shape the forward-thinking sound it became.
Telephone Operator/I Just Wanna Touch/If You Ask Me (I Won't Say No)/(Millions Of People (No One Like You) (dub) (13:11)
Review: Given the sharp left-turn that Shelley took with his solo career after leaving The Buzzcocks, it's sort of irrelevant if you're a fan of his seminal punk band or not. This second solo album - now reissued - is an entirely different kettle of fish. Whilst the 80s is famed for a lot of innocuous releases, due to the industry flush with cash, this stellar electro pop album - originally released in 1983 - stands the test of time: it's more experimental and artful than the run-of-the-mill chart-botherers of the time. This is a record that conveys Shelley's ability to write timeless, direct, hard-hitting singles ('Telephone Operator') and veer into more sprawling and adventurous arrangements ('What Was Heaven?') with the fluency of a true auteur. Producer Martin Rushent is due his flowers here, too, as it was his and Shelley's evolved embrace of innovative studio techniques during these sessions that set the bar for The Human League and other classic acts around the scene at the time.
Review: The influential German band Xmal Deutschland are overhead rafters in the great mead hall of goth. Their propulsive successes throughout the 1980s meant the genre likely couldn't've done without them. A large band come music collective, made up of at least eight members at any given time, Xmal's formation in Hamburg and would presell audiences on a stalwart performance rep, thanks to an early tour and gig residency in support of dream pop preeminents Cocteau Twins. Rallied to fame by their goth classics 'Incubus Succubus' and 'Qual', this 2xCD review conjoins two of the earliest and most pivotal albums on which both of said singles were housed - Fetisch and Tocsin - along with tracks from other key releases, such as Incubus Succubus II. Helping blacken an otherwise dreamy time, these LPs highlight the gloomier soils of a superficially bright 1980s soundfield, which otherwise roseated by shoegaze. Photography by Kevin Cummins, Paul Slattery, Sheila Rock and more all capture the spirit.
Review: This 2024 edition of Lament by Ultravox is a comprehensive, end-all-others 7CD + DVD deluxe edition expander including a (you won't believe) 72 tracks, with a newly remastered version of the album alongside a fresh 1980s-style extended remix. The seventh studio album by British new wave pioneers, Lament marked the final appearance of original drummer Warren Cann until the band's reunion in 2012 with Brilliant. But despite the name and the grievous context, the album was hardly lachrymose in sound, and it achieved much commercial success, owing to a prosperous prior experience with producers Conny Plank and George Martin, who drove its lush Chrysalis synthpop sound. Aforementioned remixes include contributions from Moby, Steve Wilson, Blank & Jones, and Midge Ure, while a newly mixed full concert recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in 1984 comes stapled in at the end. Mastered and cut by Phil Kinrade and Barry Grint at Air Mastering, London.
Review: Paul Hardcastle's self-titled 1985 debut receives a special reissue for Record Store Day 2025 in celebration of its 40th anniversary. Remastered at AIR Mastering for the occasion, this synth-pop milestone showcases Hardcastle's innovative fusion of electro, jazz-funk and socially conscious themes. It is of course anchored by the chart-topping anti-war anthem '19' but also features standout tracks like 'Just For Money,' 'Rainforest' and 'Don't Waste My Time' featuring Carol Kenyon. The album comes from a key moment in '80s electronic music this reissue reaffirms Hardcastle's enduring influence on it.
Le Meilleur Est A Venir (feat Laurent Garnier) (6:21)
Agents Of Light (feat Sven Vath) (4:00)
False Gods (3:47)
The Downside (feat Rromance) (7:00)
Gregor Tresher & Josh Wink - "Distant Observer" (5:15)
Gregor Tresher & Petar Dundov - "Ursa Minor" (4:56)
Homesick (feat Anja Schneider) (5:00)
Gregor Tresher & Black Asteroid - "Acid Black" (4:39)
Review: Frankfurt's Gregor Tresher returns with his first album in eight years. The 16-track LP offers up his famously dynamic techno sound and rich synth designs with element of dance floor clout underpinning each tune. From his beginnings in Frankfurt's 90s techno scene to collaborations with icons like Depeche Mode, Moby and Extrawelt, Tresher's career has been marked by critically acclaimed releases and False Gods is one of his most ambitious projects yet. It's an accomplished and introspective journey through modern electronic music enriched by collaborations with some notable friends.
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