... LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early chapter in the long legacy of Human League and Heaven 17 – a group of musicians who'd partly go on to form the latter, recently departed from the former – yet still working strongly in the dark, electronic style of the earliest releases from the Sheffield scene! There's plenty of moody analogue sounds going on here – and as a cassette only release back in the day, the whole thing is a key slice of that cold wave underground of the early 80s, even though its members reached later fame – definitely working in territory that's more avant and electronic at times, but with more rhythmic instrumentals as well! Titles include "Music To Kill Your Parents By", "Decline Of The West", "Honeymoon In New York", "A Baby Called Billy", "Wipe The Board Clean", "Uptown Apocalypse", and "The Optimum Chant". CD

... CD

... CD

Very noisy work from the Soviet scene of the 70s – modern music experiments on the ANS synthesizer, which was one of the darker forces in electronic music at the time! The set really showcases the new wave of avant inspiration that was brewing up after so many years of Soviet-promoted more mainstream modes – and at times, there's a denseness and power to the pieces that almost make you feel as if there were some secret underground corner of the scene, just waiting for a moment like this to unfurl a very rich musical message! The set features two tracks by famous film composer Eduard Artemiev – "Mosaic" and "Twelve Looks At The World Of Sound" – and other cuts include "Stream" by Alfred Schnittke, "Birds Singing" by Edison Denisov, "Sacrament" by Ole Buloshkin, and "Vivent Non Vivente" by Sofia Gubaidulina. CD

A rare early chapter in the long legacy of Human League and Heaven 17 – a group of musicians who'd partly go on to form the latter, recently departed from the former – yet still working strongly in the dark, electronic style of the earliest releases from the Sheffield scene! There's plenty of moody analogue sounds going on here – and as a cassette only release back in the day, the whole thing is a key slice of that cold wave underground of the early 80s, even though its members reached later fame – definitely working in territory that's more avant and electronic at times, but with more rhythmic instrumentals as well! Titles include "Music To Kill Your Parents By", "Decline Of The West", "Honeymoon In New York", "A Baby Called Billy", "Wipe The Board Clean", "Uptown Apocalypse", and "The Optimum Chant". LP, Vinyl record album

Really great work from Psychic TV – much more obscure than most of their albums from the time, and a set that shows the dreamier moments of the group's earlier work moving into much more abstract territory – but without some of the forced aggro qualities of other records from the time! The material was recorded live, but then manipulated for the record – as Genesis P-Orridge handles "noise bass" and violin, with lead guitar from Alex Fergusson – plus contributions from assorted Icelandic musicians who join them for the performance. Porridge definitely sings at points, but in a way that's often muted, and more part of the overall sound – on titles that include "In The Nursery", "Those Who Do Not", "Attraction Romantique", "Thee Full Pack", "What's A Place Like You", "Skinhead", and "Unclean". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous look at the early years of the legendary Joe McPhee – a set that's based around his classic Nation Time album, and which features other live material from the same time – including a Hat Hut album, and two CDs' worth of previously unissued work! The core album is legendary – a gritty set that features a mighty funky drummer, and some of the most soulful work that Joe ever recorded. Joe plays tenor and trumpet in sweet lineup that features bubbling organ, vamping rhythms, and some sweet modal elements mixed together in percussion, guitar, and Fender Rhodes. Titles include the hard wailing "Nation Time" – plus "Shakey Jake", an excellent 13 minute funk number – and the moodier "Scorpio's Dance". Next is the searing Black Magic Man album – an early release on the Hat Hut label, but recorded during the same December 1970 performance as Nation Time – almost showing the bolder, freer sound of the group – but still coming across with some surprising soulful elements too. The original album is expanded by the addition of the unreleased "Song For Lauren" alternate takes – and the core record includes "Black Magic Man", "Hymn Of The Dragon Kings", and "Song For Lauren". The next two CDs feature material recorded in 1969 and 1970 – at Vassar and in Poughkeepsie – with Joe and group working through some similar spiritual and soul jazz territory as on the Vassar CD issue from the same label. The music is heavy on elements you'd hear from the Nation Time album – Hammond, guitar, and even some electric bass and vibes – used in styles that run from soul jazz, to modal, to more experimental – all on very long tracks that have McPhee really stretching out on tenor and trumpet! Titles include "Cold Sweat", "Breakaway Theme", "Untitled", "Nation Time", "Sunshower", "Spring Street", and "Contemplation". All 4CDs come in very cool LP sleeves, in a slipcover box, a 60 page booklet of notes, photos, and information on the music! CD

An overlooked gem from that moment when the acoustic underground of the 70s was sometimes getting lost amidst the new age deluge of the 80s – even though all of the best musicians still their best talents intact! Mike Marshall is one of those musicians – working here on mandolin and guitars alongside violinist Darrol Anger – in a warmly wonderful partnership that forges new roads ahead in instrumental music – pushing past some of the coldness of the post-jazz inventions of the ECM generation, and maybe finding a more American space in the process. Both of the leaders play a bit of keyboards – but hardly much at all – and the group does feature electric bass from Michael Manring – but these non-acoustic elements are really just used as shading around the edges, and still leave plenty of focus on the string performances that really make the record great. Titles include "Dolphins", "Dardanelles", "Bach Bouree", "Beloved Infidel", "Saurian's Farewell", and "Spring Gesture". CD

One of our favorite projects from the early years of Chris & Cosey – music done for a video release, but still very much like their own studio records of the time – yet with less vocals, and more sonic elements in the mix – so that the whole thing feels like a rare nugget from the farther reaches of the cold wave years! As with Cabaret Voltaire and some of their other contemporaries, music for videos and films always really seemed to open up different sides of the electronic artists of the period – elements that sometimes brought in a richer sense of feeling, but also a greater sense of freedom too – as they were shifting their sounds for the images, not the confines of a vocal tune. That's definitely the case here – served up on tunes that include "Wellspring Of Life", "The Final Calling", "Dancing Ghosts", "Meeting Mr Evans", "Temple Bar", and "Invisible Spectrum". LP, Vinyl record album

A lovely little record, and one that's got a vibe that's very different than you might guess from the creepy image on the cover! Pidgeon are a post-folk group who mix the wonderful vocals of Cheri Gage with some nicely dreamy, sometimes psychedelic arrangements – all of which give the whole thing a wonderfully swirling, soaring sort of vibe! In addition to Gage, who also plays autoharp, the set features early work from Jobraith – who'd later go on to fame in a very different mode, but who harmonizes wonderfully here next to Cheri on many numbers. Titles include "Of The Time When I Was Young", "Springtime Girl", "The Dancer", "House On A Hill Among Trees", "The Wind Blows Cold", and "Dark Bird". CD

A lovely little record, and one that's got a vibe that's very different than you might guess from the creepy image on the cover! Pidgeon are a post-folk group who mix the wonderful vocals of Cheri Gage with some nicely dreamy, sometimes psychedelic arrangements – all of which give the whole thing a wonderfully swirling, soaring sort of vibe! In addition to Gage, who also plays autoharp, the set features early work from Jobraith – who'd later go on to fame in a very different mode, but who harmonizes wonderfully here next to Cheri on many numbers. Titles include "Of The Time When I Was Young", "Springtime Girl", "The Dancer", "House On A Hill Among Trees", "The Wind Blows Cold", and "Dark Bird". LP, Vinyl record album