Snowy Red – The Beat Is Over [LP] (1989, Antler Records)

 

Snowy Red was the one-man electronic band of the former Chainsaw bassist, Micky Mike. He started his own project under the name Snowy Red in October 80. With his new project, he wanted to prove that it was possible to self-produce a full album, despite meagre means: a few synthesizers, a 12/2 mixing panel, a 2-track reel-to-reel recorder and a few basic effects. This happened to be a successful experience: the record he released in January 1981 was pretty well received by the Belgian and foreign press. The album release was followed by a series of performances that were outside the scope of an ordinary rock gig. Micky sang alone on stage, accompanied by pre-recorded tapes and two dancers from MUDRA (Maurice Béjart's ballet school). To complete the stage set, slides were projected on one side, polaroids on the other, courtesy of photographer Stéphane Sergeant. 

Micky believed the audience came not only to listen but also to watch: he wanted the visuals to enhance their memories of the performance. At the end of the concert, a 'suicide' hung himself on stage. Nothing pretentious, just different. Micky Mike dared to do what other Belgians only fantasized about. Musically speaking, the duo Suicide was Micky Mike's strongest influence at the time. He even dedicated "Baby Tonight" to them. This avowed influence led to him being dubbed "Suicide, Belgian-style" by the audience. 

In October 1981 Snowy Red started work on the second album. The minimal austerity of the first album was still there, but warmer sounds were added by a guitar, a bass, and more confident vocals. The single 'I'm Hurt' announced the release of 'The Right To Die'. Despite its new aesthetics and a brighter spectrum, the new album was as emotionally charged as its predecessor. The album was praised by the entire Belgian press. On stage, the show became more confident as Micky now stood alone, without the dancers who had flanked him during his first performances. The album confirms the success of the experiment: concerts in England, Holland, positive review of Melody Maker and Vinyl. The new show does not have more dancers, slides and Polaroid were replaced by films in almost all performance. Snowy Red performed that year in the Ancienne Belgique (Brussels), supporting TC Matic and then toured in Britain and the Netherlands. 

With the 'Vision' LP and some tracks on the 'The Beat Is Over' LP, Snowy Red was, for a brief moment only, a band. After the Belgian New Beat boom, Snowy Red called it quits and Micky Mike disappeared, only for the band to resurface again in 2004 as a duo (with a guitarist) at the Belgian Independent Music festival. 

 

Label: Antler Records – ANT 116 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Belgium 

Released: 1989 

Style: EBM, New Beat, Synth-pop

 

Tracklist:

A1 The Switch 3:06 

A2 I'm All-Right 4:30 

A3 It's So Good 4:07 

A4 A Picture 5:34 

B1 Love Machine 4:26 

B2 Don't Wanna Crawl 3:25 

B3 Sand Rain 4:36 

B4 I'm Your Driver 3:35 

 

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Monty Cantsin – Ahora Neoismus [LP] (1988, Maldoror Records)

Monty Cantsin is a multiple-use name that anyone can adopt, but has close ties to Neoism. Monty Cantsin was originally conceived as an "open pop star." In a philosophy anticipating that of free software and open source, anyone should perform in his name and thus contribute to and participate in his fame and achievements. In reality the name is most commonly linked nowadays to the activities of artist and musician Istvan Kantor. 

“I Am Monty Cantsin” is the unwritten anthem of the Neoists, it's a song even made to go to the barricades with it on your lips. Also in musical terms, much more accessible than what Monte Cazazza presented. After all, Monty Cantsin is intended to be an “open POP star” -so despite being colored by industrial terroir, the melody is catchy. But for a pop song, there are far too many threads here, lacking an expressive chorus, which is hardly a complaint, after all “I Am Monty Cantsin” captivates with its tangled structure, wealth of ideas and arrangements. The song even lived to see a duly artistic music video.

It's a pity that the whole album doesn't hold up to this level, because we would have a true, forgotten gem of the eighties avant-garde, capable of attracting new generations to neoism today. And so we only have an uncut diamond -which is not to say that there is nothing interesting on 'Ahora Neoismus' anymore. Immediately catching the ear are the pop culture-targeted “Every 6 Minutes” or the sample-enhanced “Love and Joy,” and even the dramatic “Headquarters,” which is perhaps the most critical of the set about the life of postmodern man. The lyrics can even be associated with the anti-consumerist ideas of “Fight Club” like “fuck off with your sofa units and strine green stripe patterns, I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect.” [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Maldoror Records – MC-2 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US & Canada 

Released: 1988 

Style: EBM, Synth-pop, Minimal Synth

 

Tracklist:

A1 I Am Monty Cantsin 

A2 I Believe In Neoism 

A3 Every 6 Minutes 

A4 My Blood Keeps Flowing 

A5 In The Swamp Of Neoism 

B1 Mass Media 

B2 Love And Joy 

B3 Headquarters 

B4 Long Live Neoism 

B5 Gloria Victoribus 

 

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Acces 22 – War!! [12''] (1990, Megabeat Records)

 

Access 22 was a Spanish Techno project from Valencia formed by DJ and sound technician Fran Lenaers, DJ and producer Vicente "Gani" Manero, and musician Julio Nexus (Julio Pastor), that recorded under other aliases such as Ground Zone, Interfront, Invisible 2, Megabeat, Nexus, Robotics, Spook, The Impossibles, The Lords Of The New Beat, The Ora:cle, The Sun Corporation and Tyrell Corporation.

 

 

Label: Megabeat Records – MEGABEAT DURO 1 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM, 45 RPM, Mini-Album 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1990 

Style: EBM, Industrial, Electro, Techno, Makina

 

Tracklist:

A1 War!! 4:45 

B1 Ducted 5:10 

B2 Trust Me 4:04 

B3 Sex Floor 4:31 

B4 1-Ex 3:33 

B5 Up 2 U 2:06 

 

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Lassigue Bendthaus – The Engineers Love [Cass] (1988, NG Medien)

 

One of Uwe Schmidt's many pseudonyms, Lassigue Bendthaus is the prolific and experimental artist's electro-industrial project. Parade Amoureuse released the first "proper" Lassigue Bendthaus release, 'Matter' (later released in America by Metropolis). Next, Schmidt moved his Lassigue Bendthaus project to the Contempo label, resulting in the release of 'Cloned' (1992), an album exploiting the concept of sampling. 'Cloned: Binary' accompanied the album, this collection being a disassembled version of 'Cloned' consisting of a ridiculous number of samples that Schmidt wanted his listeners to rework. The next Lassigue Bendthaus releases, 'Render' and 'Render Audible', came in 1994 on the KK label. By this time, Schmidt's Atom Heart project had become exceptionally successful, demanding much of his attention and effort. The final album, 'Pop Artificielle', is in the glitch/techno music style of Schmidt's Atom™ project and is an album of pop and soul covers. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]

 

 

Label: NG Medien – N∙G 004 

Format: Cassette, Album, Limited Edition 

Country: Germany 

Released: 1988 

Style: EBM, Minimal Synth, Industrial

 

Tracklist:

A1 Gear 3:43 

A2 Train Hits Body 4:22 

A3 Pier (Product 1) 3:40 

A4 Bridge, Engine, Love 3:49 

A5 Sanglant 5:23 

A6 Vacuum (Product 2) 1:30 

B1 The Application 0:44 

B2 Nazigue 6:15 

B3 Hammerblow 5:00 

B4 Patronize 5:43 

B5 Inured 4:26 

 

Notes:

Produced in 1987/88 on 4-track. 

The German cassette-only release for 'The Engineers Love' is limited to 200+ copies, and comes with a hand-made j-card picture sleeve, an 8-pages hand-made booklet size 10,5x15cm and 2 cardboard banderoles. 

 

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Smersh – A Murder Of Crows [Cass] (1984, Atlas King)

Beat studio guru Mike Mangino (Pink Noise, The Poptards) and Chris Shepard (The Poptards) formed Smersh as an experimental big-beat techno/industrial project and began releasing cassettes in 1981. Smersh recorded improvised cuts every Monday night, released countless cassettes on their own label, Atlas King, and were featured on more compilations than you can track down. They never played live, never played the same track more than once. 'A Murder of Crows' was released on their Atlas King label in 1984. It was released after 'Hothouse Bodies in a Cool Culture', and features the tracks "Judy Mach 7" and "Hunter Killer", which were featured on a split 7" single with Penny Cillin in 1985. "Hunter Killer" is also noted for its appearance in the video game "Fucker Gamer Scum Get Stabbed" and also on the Smersh compilation LP 'The Beat From 20,000 Fathoms'. An album something between Chrome and Suicide, very hard to find only released on cassette. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Atlas King – SC009 

Format: Cassette 

Country: US 

Released: 1984 

Style: Industrial, Minimal Synth, EBM, Synth Punk

 

Tracklist:

1 A Heated Display 

2 Blue Shorts 

3 Judy Mach 7 

4 Homer And The Fire 

5 Sergeant Carter 

6 Something To Learn From 

7 Coitus Bovinicus 

8 Black On Pink 

9 Taboo 

10 Hunter Killer 

11 What The Peeper Saw 

12 Atom Age Vampire 

13 Untitled End 

 

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Kiem – The Moneyman [12''] (1986, Torso)

 

Kiem formed in 1983 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and disbanded in 1987; initially formed as Pleasant Time Trio to the occasion of raising the curtain for a performance of jazz artist George Adams And The Don Pullen Quartet. "K.I.E.M." is an abbreviation of "Klank Improvisatie Elektronische Muziek" (Sound Improvisation Electronic Music). Their immediate success led to performances on jazz, rock and experimental stages and festivals (Tegentonen, North Sea Jazz, Pandora's Music Box) and modest dance-hits in the Netherlands. Most remarkable about Kiem is Cees Meurs' metal drum-kit consisting of oil-drums, garbage bin, anvil, anchor-chains and other remains from the wrecked tow-boat "Corrie". This drum-kit –played like normal drums– accompanied by a squeaking saxophone (Ger Van Voorden), a synthetic keyboard and proclaiming vocals (Huub Kentie) result in a sound that might be type-casted as industrial, but also has jazz and experimental characteristics. Ger Van Voorden left the band in 1986 to play with poet / drummer Jules Deelder. He was replaced by Jos Valster. Growing into a more popular sound, bigger success followed in Southern Europe with "The Moneyman", in 1987.

 

 

Label: Torso – TORSO 12026 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM 

Country: Netherlands 

Released: 1986 

Style: Synth-pop, Experimental, EBM

Tracklist: 

A The Moneyman 2 6:16 

B The Moneyman 3 (Instrumental) 6:37
 

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Vomito Negro ‎– Dare [CD] (1988, KK Records)

The first full CD of Vomito Negro. Very unique style of EBM electro-industrial. Vomito Negro managed to create very cold music with Middle Eastern melody and a minimalist musical approach. The music has dark and mysterious beauty, the atmosphere is mesmerizing. The vocal style is an example that shows the band's vocal ability. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC] 

Label: KK Records ‎– KK 013 

Format: CD, Compilation 

Country: Belgium 

Released: 1988 

Style: EBM, Industrial 

Tracklist:

1 Yellow Fever 4:24 

2 Radio Silence 6:30 

3 Ease The Pain 6:30 

4 Jhaza 2:49 

5 Where's Palmer 5:28 

6 Land Of Confusion 4:30 

7 Stay Alive 3:29 

8 Burn My Heart 3:19 

9 Monday 6:16 

10 Dare 3:39 

11 The New Force 4:00 

12 Fire Burns 4:00 

13 Children Of Today 4:00 

Notes:

Tracks 1 to 4 taken from Vomito Negro 12". 

Tracks 5 to 8 taken from Stay Alive 12". 

Tracks 9 to 13 taken from Dare Mini LP. 

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Demolition Group ‎– Mizerika [LP] (1988, Hiara Records)

Demolition Group comes from Slovenia. Soon after their coming out they were signed by the Italian label Hiara Records (Modena), for whom they released two records, which were promoted in most European countries. Demolition Group's music is an energetic fusion of electronic and acoustic drums, rock and funk oriented guitars, neurotic saxophone and specific vocals. The second song in 'Mizerika', "Gaba D'Na" really slaps. And the two "Beautiful Side" songs both reach massive heights of frantic energy and screechy free-jazzy improvisations over repeating bass ostinato, which is also certainly the case. Thankfully practically every song on this record fits that description. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC] 

Label: Hiara Records ‎– HR 53702, Hiara Records ‎– 50 HR 53702 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Italy 

Released: 1988 

Style: EBM, Electro, Post-Punk, Minimal Synth, Coldwave, No Wave 

Tracklist:

A1 Love Street 4:23 

A2 Gaba D'Na 4:08 

A3 Right Is All Right 4:46 

A4 You Better Stay Alive 5:12 

B1 Go West (Shake Some More) 4:43 

B2 Bad Gag 2:40 

B3 Beautiful Side I 3:50 

B4 Beautiful Side II 2:00 

B5 I Wana Play I Wana Say 4:45 

Notes:

Recorded and mixed at Tivoli Studio, Liublijana, 1987, in november and december 1987

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Executive Slacks ‎– You Can't Hum When You're Dead [LP] (1984, Fundamental)

The Executive Slacks' 'You Can't Hum When You're Dead' was another obscure jewel from the early 80's. "The Bus" sounded like a fragmented funk-rock version of the industrial noise of the Swans, but mostly payed tribute to the anarchic kraut-punk of early D.A.F.. The same applied to the dysfunctional chaos of "30 Years" and the orgiastic electronic-punk of "Cinema", while the cyber psychedelia of "So Mote It Be" was revolutionary enough to label it a precursor of trip-hop. The real attraction in these tracks is the ever evolving amoebic background, as in the abstract tribal mayhem "Sexual Witchcraft", again, revolutionary enough to label it as a predecessor to Black Dice's mutant electro-punk. Unfortunately side-two followed a more traditional industrial-punk formula, but it was still pretty wild rock 'n' roll, with the deformed vocals in particular giving it a violent and demonic feel. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC] 

Label: Fundamental ‎– SAVE 3 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: UK, Netherlands

Released: 1984 

Style: EBM, Darkwave, New Wave, Post-Punk, Synth Punk, Industrial

Tracklist:

A1 The Bus 3:01 

A2 30 Years 3:28 

A3 Cinema 2:54 

A4 So Mote It Be 4:31 

A5 Sexual Witchcraft 3:59 

B1 Our Lady 3:30 

B2 Man Of Christ 3:42 

B3 I'm Coming 7:23 

B4 Our Lady (Yoof Dub) 3:23 

Notes:

A1 to A4 recorded Aug/Sept. 1982 Fresh Tracks. 

A5 provided by Executive Slacks, recorded on a Fostex Multi-Track in Dec. 1982. 

B1 to B4 recorded Jan/Feb 1984 at Secret Sound Studio N.Y. 

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In Aeternam Vale ‎– Dub [Cass] (1988, Organic)

The 'Dub' tape (1988) turns In Aeternam Vale´s minimalism into a sonorous nightmare. It is at least the case in the first songs of the tape. There only remain shouts, a warlike rhythm´n box and no longer any sign of melody. Prot starts to use the sampling, opening his music to new horizons closer to industrial music than to techno-pop. The second part of the tape is more sophisticated, we no longer feel the punk-rock spectrum, and explores slow rhythms sometimes similar to the New Beat of the time, but still very cold, not reassuring but playful. [SOURCE: MINIMAL WAVE RECORDS] 

Label: Organic ‎– OTD025 

Format: Cassette 

Country: France 

Released: 1988 

Genre: Electronic 

Style: EBM, Electro 

Tracklist:

A1 Velvet Cold 

A2 White Dad 

A3 Masse 

A4 Wasted Youth 

A5 White Dog (dubbed) 

A6 The Missionary Man 

B1 Dust Under Brightness 

B2 Frederic D'Ostenbourg 

B3 Mat 

B4 Rattlesnake 

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Kiem ‎– Keam [LP] (1985, Plexus)

Kiem formed in 1983 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and disbanded in 1987; initially formed as Pleasant Time Trio to the occasion of raising the curtain for a performance of jazz artist George Adams And The Don Pullen Quartet. "K.I.E.M." is an abbreviation of "Klank Improvisatie Elektronische Muziek" (Sound Improvisation Electronic Music). Their immediate success led to performances on jazz, rock and experimental stages and festivals (Tegentonen, North Sea Jazz, Pandora's Music Box) and modest dance-hits in the Netherlands. Most remarkable about Kiem is Cees Meurs' metal drum-kit consisting of oil-drums, garbage bin, anvil, anchor-chains and other remains from the wrecked tow-boat "Corrie". This drum-kit –played like normal drums– accompanied by a squeaking saxophone (Ger Van Voorden), a synthetic keyboard and proclaiming vocals (Huub Kentie) result in a sound that might be type-casted as industrial, but also has jazz and experimental characteristics. Ger Van Voorden left the band in 1986 to play with poet / drummer Jules Deelder. He was replaced by Jos Valster. Growing into a more popular sound, bigger success followed in Southern Europe with "The Moneyman", in 1987. [SOURCE: DISCOGS] 

Label: Plexus ‎– KMH 7091085 

Format: Vinyl, LP 

Country: Netherlands 

Released: 1985 

Style: Industrial, Synth-pop, EBM

Tracklist:

A1 Moneyman 6:13 

A2 The Real It 5:38 

A3 Bahami 1:34 

A4 Short Memories 5:15 

B1 Clear It Up 4:26 

B2 Pili Pili (Sauce) 5:57 

B3 Just A Song 4:38 

B4 Oej Joej 3:25 

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23 Skidoo Vs. The Assassins With Soul - 23 Skidoo Vs. The Assassins With Soul [12"] (1986, Illuminated Records)

Early compatriots of Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle on Britain's experimental / industrial scene, 23 Skidoo pursued an improvisational fusion of ethnic drumming and post-punk dance on their few recordings of the early '80s. Named after a slang phrase from the 1920s that had originally appeared in the work of Aleister Crowley, the group formed in London around brothers (and martial-arts experts) Alex and Johnny Turnbull and Fritz Catlin (aka Fritz Haamann). Influenced by Fela Kuti and the emerging New York hip-hop scene, 23 Skidoo released their first single "Ethics" in 1980. For their second, the band recorded at Cabaret Voltaire's Western Works with Genesis P-Orridge of Throbbing Gristle helping out on production. 

In 1982, 23 Skidoo released the mini-LP "Seven Songs" and the "Tearing Up the Plans" EP for the Fetish label (also home to recordings by Throbbing Gristle and Clock DVA). After replacing their nominal rhythm section with bassist Sketch (who shared the trio's aesthetic), the band continued with 1983's "The Culling Is Coming" and 1984's "Urban Gamelan". Their varied influences and occasionally sublime sound confused many critics and listeners, who expected all industrial groups to be as loud and chaotic as the emerging Test Dept. or Einsturzende Neubaten. Even after disbanding in 1984 however, 23 Skidoo continued recording together sporadically during the rest of the decade, and the quartet -the Turnbulls plus Catlin and Sketch- formed their own Ronin label in 1989. Though no material from the band appeared in the '90s, they did several remixes and recorded for advertisers including Nike, Wrangler, and Smirnoff. Finally, in 2000, 23 Skidoo released a new, self-titled album for Virgin. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Style: Experimental, Electro, Dance-Punk, Alternative Dance, EBM

Year: 1986 

Country: UK

Label: Illuminated Records

Tracklist:

1. T.O.Y. 

2. Assassin

3. Ooze

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