Plain Characters – I Am A [7''] (1977, Rouge)

 

Plain Characters emerged from the first wave of the British post-punk underground, bringing together vocalist Colin Tucker, guitarist Paul Johnstone, bassist John Hyde and drummer Tim Broughton. Formed in the UK during the late 1970s, the band mixed the nervous energy of punk with the sharper edges and melodic ideas that were beginning to shape the new wave movement. Their sound balanced angular guitars, driving rhythms and an understated sense of atmosphere, placing them somewhere between the DIY punk scene and the more experimental direction many independent bands were taking after 1977. Some of the members would later be connected with The Gadgets, another band that explored similar territory in the years that followed. 

"I Am A" was the group's debut single, backed with "Very Peculiar Julia" and issued on Rouge Records. Although the labels carry a 1977 copyright date, the exact commercial release date has long been debated among collectors, with some sources suggesting it may not have reached wider circulation until early 1979. Either way, the record captures that fascinating transition period when British punk was already branching out into something more adventurous, with bands experimenting beyond the raw three-chord template while still keeping the directness and urgency of the original movement.

 
Rouge Records was a short-lived imprint linked to the De Wolfe music publishing company rather than a conventional independent label. Only a handful of singles appeared on Rouge, making its catalogue surprisingly obscure and highly collectible. 'I Am A' is generally regarded as the label's earliest and best-known release, complete with its distinctive fold-out picture sleeve. The unusual connection between a music library publisher and an emerging post-punk band gives the single an interesting place in the history of late-1970s British independent records.

 
Plain Characters continued recording after the Rouge release, setting up their own DIY imprint, Final Solution Records, for the 1979 single 'Man In The Railings' before eventually releasing the album 'Invisible Yearnings' in 1981. Those later recordings expanded on the ideas first heard on 'I Am A', moving further into moody post-punk while retaining the crisp guitar work and melodic songwriting that had already begun to define the band's style on this early single. 

 

Label: Rouge – RMS/PC 1 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1977 

Style: Post-Punk, New Wave, Art Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A I Am A 3:44 

B Very Peculiar Julia 3:26 

 

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Mortimer – Profesión / Travoltini [7''] (1979, Chapa Discos)

By the time Mortimer released the 7" 'Profesión / Travoltini' in 1979, the Barcelona underground was still finding its identity. Just a couple of years earlier, the city's emerging alternative rock scene was built around only a handful of names: La Banda Trapera del Río, Basura, Peligro and Mortimer. It was a difficult period for independent bands, with very few opportunities to record or play regularly. In the end, only La Banda Trapera del Río managed to establish a lasting career, while the rest disappeared almost as quickly as they had appeared, leaving behind only a handful of recordings.

 
Mortimer were a power trio made up of Xavier Dalmau on guitar and vocals, Josep Llobera on bass and Iñaki Ferreter on drums. Although they were frequently grouped with the first wave of Spanish punk, their sound leaned much more toward tough, streetwise rock. There were traces of British pub rock and hard rock running through their songs, resulting in a gritty, direct style that perfectly reflected the rough neighborhoods of late-1970s Barcelona. They weren't punk in the strict musical sense, but in the years immediately following Franco's dictatorship, attitude often mattered more than labels. Their confrontational live shows and rebellious image were enough to make them part of the same movement in the eyes of audiences and the music press. 

 
That perception was reinforced by their record company. Mortimer had originally been signed by Belter, which was eager to capitalize on the growing interest in punk and presented the band as part of that new wave of dangerous, antisocial rock groups. When 'Profesión / Travoltini' appeared on Chapa Discos in 1979, it found a more natural home. Founded by producer Vicente "Mariscal" Romero and distributed through Zafiro, Chapa had become Spain's leading label for hard rock and heavy music, releasing records by artists who sat outside the mainstream but had a strong following among rock fans. 

 
The single captures both sides of Mortimer's personality. "Profesión" delivers raw, no-frills rock driven by crunchy guitars and an energetic rhythm section, while "Travoltini" reveals the band's sense of humor and willingness to poke fun at contemporary trends, all without losing their rough-edged character. The performances feel spontaneous and full of swagger, preserving the same street-level intensity that had made the trio stand out on Barcelona stages a couple of years before. 

 
Although Mortimer split up soon after and never recorded a full-length album, 'Profesión / Travoltini' remains an important document from the earliest days of Barcelona's underground rock explosion. It stands as a reminder of a brief but exciting period when the lines between punk, hard rock and pub rock were still blurred, and when attitude, energy and a healthy disregard for convention counted for far more than fitting neatly into a musical category.

 

 

Label: Chapa Discos – H-33023 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: Spain 

Released: 1979 

Style: Punk Rock, Prog Rock, New Wave, Rockabilly 

 

Tracklist: 

A Profesión 3:55 

B Travoltini 3:22 

 

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Jakko – Silesia [LP] (1982, Chiswick Records)

'Silesia' was meant to introduce the wider world to guitarist, singer and songwriter Jakko M. Jakszyk, then recording simply as Jakko. Born Michael Lee Curran in London and adopted as a child by a Polish family, Jakszyk had already built a reputation on the British underground scene through his work with the cult band 64 Spoons and collaborations with keyboard player Dave Stewart. At the time he was still searching for his own musical identity, and 'Silesia' captures that moment perfectly, blending art rock, sophisticated pop, new wave and progressive influences into a record that never quite fits neatly into a single category.

 
The album was recorded after Jakko signed with Chiswick Records, one of the UK's most respected independent labels. Founded in 1975, Chiswick had earned its reputation by releasing records from pub rock, punk and new wave artists including Motörhead, The Damned and The 101'ers, while also giving opportunities to musicians who didn't fit the mainstream mould. By the early 1980s the label was broadening its catalogue, and Jakko's polished, adventurous songwriting was a natural addition, even if it stood apart from the harder-edged acts Chiswick was best known for. 

The songs on 'Silesia' are full of memorable melodies wrapped in inventive arrangements. Tracks such as "Grab What You Can", "Straining Our Eyes" and the title track combine crisp guitar work with keyboards, layered vocals and a distinctly British sense of melancholy. The sessions also featured contributions from musicians including Dave Stewart, David Jackson of Van der Graaf Generator and vocalist Amanda Parsons, adding another layer of depth and character to the recordings without taking the spotlight away from Jakko's songwriting. 

Although three singles were released to promote the album in 1982, 'Silesia' never enjoyed the exposure it deserved. Chiswick's financial difficulties limited its distribution, and the LP ended up being issued only in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands rather than receiving a full UK release. As a result, it quickly became one of those elusive records that collectors were always on the lookout for. Unlike many overlooked albums from the period, 'Silesia' has never been officially reissued on either CD or vinyl, making original pressings from those three European countries especially desirable. 

Today, 'Silesia' stands as an important early chapter in Jakko's long career. Long before joining King Crimson and becoming known to progressive rock audiences around the world, he had already demonstrated an impressive gift for combining intelligent songwriting with adventurous musicianship. The album remains one of the hidden treasures of the early 1980s British scene, revealing an artist whose talents were evident from the very beginning. 

 

Label: Chiswick Records – 0067.082 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Germany 

Released: 1982 

Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave, Synth-pop, Jazz-Funk, Progressive Rock

 

Tracklist:  

A1 I'll Stand On My Own 2:52 

A2 Grab What You Can (Biez Co Mozesz) 5:13 

A3 Something In The Mirror 3:16 

A4 If It Should Be Today 4:04 

A5 Straining Our Eyes 5:06 

B1 One More Time 3:09 

B2 This Is Me 4:17 

B3 Mills And Boone 3:03 

B4 Tell Me Where To Run To 3:45 

B5 Silesia 1:19 

B6 Ingmar Bergman On The Windowsill 4:02 

 

Other versions: 

'Silesia' (LP, Album) Chiswick Records [CWKL 3021] (Italy, 1982)

'Silesia' (LP, Album) Chiswick Records [TOSS-3630] (Netherlands, 1982)

 

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Exotic Birds – Exotic Birds [12''] (1984, Saturn Records)

 

Released in 1984 on Saturn Records, 'Exotic Birds' captured a fascinating moment in the evolution of American synthpop, arriving from a scene that wasn't usually associated with drum machines and shimmering keyboards. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Exotic Birds had been formed just a couple of years earlier by percussion students Andy Kubiszewski, Tom Freer and Tim Adams while studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Their classical training gave them a strong sense of arrangement and rhythm, but they channelled those skills into sleek, dance-oriented new wave inspired by the British synth explosion of the early eighties. Rather than simply imitating their overseas influences, they developed a polished style that blended catchy pop melodies with a distinctly Midwestern energy.

 
The 12-inch mini-album 'Exotic Birds' remains the group's defining early statement. Issued under Saturn Records, it featured seven tracks, including "I'll Never Say Goodbye," "Waiting For You (Na Na)," "Fade Away," "Take Your Chances," and the standout "No Communication," which became one of the band's signature songs. Tim Adams contributed the track "Demon Dance," while most of the material showcased Andy Kubiszewski's growing confidence as a songwriter. The record highlighted the group's ability to move comfortably between melancholic synth ballads and club-friendly electronic pop, reflecting the broad appeal of the genre during that period.

 
Saturn Records played an important role in documenting regional talent during the era, giving independent artists a chance to release professionally produced material outside the major-label system. For a band like Exotic Birds, this kind of support was essential. Although they never achieved mainstream commercial success, they built a loyal following in Ohio and beyond, opening concerts for acts such as Culture Club and Eurythmics and becoming one of Cleveland's most visible new wave exports. Their growing reputation showed that innovative electronic music wasn't confined to New York, Los Angeles or London.

 
Looking back, the album also gained additional historical interest because of what happened next. Following Tim Adams' departure, Exotic Birds went through several line-up changes, eventually welcoming a young Trent Reznor into the group during the mid-eighties. Although Reznor joined after this release and wasn't involved in its recording, his later success with Nine Inch Nails drew renewed attention to the band's earlier catalogue. Still, Exotic Birds deserves recognition on its own merits. It stands as an engaging snapshot of American synthpop before industrial music reshaped the Cleveland scene, documenting three conservatory-trained musicians enthusiastically embracing sequencers, synthesizers and the possibilities of electronic pop at a time when the genre was still finding its identity in the United States. 

 

Label: Saturn Records – SR-MLP 1300, Saturn Records – SR-MLP 1300-698 

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

Country: US 

Released: 1984 

Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, New Romantic

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Never Say Goodbye 3:52 

A2 Waiting For You (I Say Na Na) 5:40 

A3 No Communication 3:38 

B1 Fade Away 5:40 

B2 Take Your Chances 5:03 

B3 Demon Dance 5:30 

B4 No Communication (TV Version) 3:53 

 

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Doof – Exist [10"] (1982, Namedrop Records)

The 10" 'Exist' by Doof landed in 1981–82 as one of those wonderfully baffling records that seemed to exist completely outside the normal music industry. Built around the partnership of Paul Platypus and Philip Johnson, the record came out on the tiny Namedrop Records imprint and immediately carved out a place in the strange corner where post-punk, cassette culture, dadaist humour and bedroom experimentation all collided. The music drifts between half-formed pop ideas, tape manipulation, spoken passages and lo-fi fragments that sound as though they were captured in a living room with whatever equipment happened to be available. That roughness is part of its appeal, giving Exist the feeling of a private document accidentally released to the public. 

 
Doof emerged from the fertile UK DIY underground of the early 1980s, a scene where homemade cassettes, self-published fanzines and tiny independent labels mattered far more than commercial success. Philip Johnson had already been active in cassette culture and experimental circles, while Paul Platypus was involved with several interconnected projects that floated around the anarcho-punk and DIY network. Together they created something that felt less like a conventional band and more like an ongoing art project, full of surreal ideas and deliberately skewed approaches to songwriting. Their work has often been described as dreamlike and disorienting, with tracks unfolding according to their own strange logic rather than any obvious structure. 

 
Namedrop Records was just as unconventional as the music it released. Run by Johnson and Platypus, the label became home to a small circle of like-minded artists including Doof, Philip Johnson's solo recordings, Cold War and later Twelve Cubic Feet. The catalogue was tiny, but it captured a particular moment in British underground culture when people were pressing records in small quantities simply because they felt compelled to document what they were doing. The label's releases shared a handmade quality and a willingness to ignore the boundaries separating punk, experimental music and outsider pop.

 
What makes 'Exist' so fascinating decades later is how completely it reflects that environment. It doesn't sound polished, fashionable or calculated. Instead, it captures a period when independent music could still be genuinely unpredictable, when a pair of friends could assemble a collection of odd sounds, package it with a booklet and put it out into the world with no concern for commercial expectations. Records like this became cult favourites precisely because they felt so personal and uncompromising. For collectors of early DIY post-punk and cassette-culture oddities, 'Exist' remains one of the more intriguing artifacts to emerge from that scene.

 

 

Label: Namedrop Records – NR1 

Format: Vinyl, 10", 33 ⅓ RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: Feb 1982 

Style: New Wave, Punk, Experimental, Noise, Post-Punk, Sound Collage, Industrial 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 (Treat Me Like) The Man I Am 3:45 

A2 Brighton, Pt. 1 2:45 

A3 Nine Years Old 6:30 

B1 Brighton, Pt. 2 2:27 

B2 On It In It 5:30 

B3 (Treat Me Like) The Man I Am 5:02 

 

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Another Pretty Face – All The Boys Love Carrie [7''] (1979, New Pleasures)

 

Released in May 1979 on the tiny independent New Pleasures label, 'All The Boys Love Carrie' was the debut 7-inch by Another Pretty Face, an Edinburgh group led by Mike Scott a few years before he formed The Waterboys. At that point the group was still deeply rooted in the late-70s punk and new wave explosion, mixing sharp guitars, nervous energy and a huge sense of romantic urgency. The original pressing of the single was only around 1,000 copies, issued with a fold-out sleeve, which immediately gave it cult status among collectors and Scottish punk obsessives. 

 
The A-side, written by Scott, is one of those records that sounds both scrappy and completely alive, carrying echoes of power pop, punk and street-level rock’n’roll all at once. The B-side, “That’s Not Enough”, credited to Scott and guitarist John Caldwell, pushed further into the rough-edged new wave sound the group was developing at the time. John Peel picked up on the single quickly and gave it several spins on his BBC show during 1979, helping the band gain attention outside Scotland. 

 
Nobody saw it at the time, but Mike Scott had always proclaimed his love of Springsteen’s music and now, with the benefit of a quarter of a century’s hindsight, the first Another Pretty Face single is clearly a punked-up Bruce song. Mike Scott was to get more polished in The Waterboys, but at the expense of the kind of passion that spills out of "All the Boys Love Carrie". 

 
Another Pretty Face only lasted from 1979 to 1981, though they left behind a handful of terrific singles before briefly evolving into Funhouse. Looking back now, “All The Boys Love Carrie” feels like an early glimpse of Scott’s songwriting instincts before the grander sound and poetic ambition of The Waterboys took over. 

 

 

Label: New Pleasures – Z1 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Green Sleeve 

Country: UK 

Released: May 1979 

Style: New Wave, Power Pop, Jangle Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A All The Boys Love Carrie 

B That's Not Enough 

 

Notes:  

Two editions: First pressing of 1000 copies with green poster sleeve. Second pressing of 5000 with red sleeve. 

 

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Yazoo / Sudeten Creche / Colour Me Pop – Europe In The Year Zero [12''] (1982, S/Phonograph)

 

There’s something very early-80s UK about 'Europe In The Year Zero'; a snapshot of a moment when synth-pop hadn’t fully hardened into chart formula yet and still felt like a loose network of experiments, small labels and odd collaborations. This record came out in 1982 on the tiny S/Phonograph imprint. It’s a five-track compilation 12" with two cuts by Colour Me Pop, two by Sudeten Crèche, and a crucial early track by Yazoo. Only around 8,000 copies were pressed, which already tells you the scale: this wasn’t aimed at mainstream radio, it was more like a document of a scene in motion. 

What really gives the release its weight is the Yazoo connection. They were barely getting started at the time -Vince Clarke had just left Depeche Mode and teamed up with Alison Moyet in early 1982. Their track “Goodbye 70’s” appears here in a unique version, and this EP is often considered their first official appearance on vinyl, predating the full impact of 'Upstairs at Eric’s'. So you’ve got this odd situation where a soon-to-be massive act is sitting alongside much more obscure names.

 
One of those obscure names is Sudeten Creche, who basically orbit the whole project. They formed around 1980 as a kind of conceptual, semi–art-school experiment driven by Yvette Döll and Paul Carlin. Their tracks “Are Kisses Out of Fashion?” and “Dance” land right in that minimal wave zone: cold, sparse, slightly detached. That EP is actually their debut, and it also doubles as a launchpad for Yazoo, which says a lot about how blurred the lines were between projects at the time.

 
Then there’s Colour Me Pop, a short-lived act that had previously gone under the name Watch With Mother. Their tracks (“When Sex Was Fun” and “Bikini Trauma”) bring a more playful, slightly tongue-in-cheek new wave energy, but still sit comfortably in that DIY synth scene. They never reached the visibility of Yazoo, and even compared to Sudeten Crèche they feel more like a side branch than a core node, which makes their presence here even more tied to the label’s curatorial vibe. 

S/Phonograph itself is part of that story. It wasn’t a major player; more like a small, almost one-off vehicle connected to Illuminating Music and distributed through indie channels. The EP even had a loose political angle, with references to anti-nuclear sentiment (“No Nukes” appears in the notes), which fits with the early-80s UK underground where music, art and activism often overlapped. 

Put it all together and the record feels less like a traditional release and more like a junction point. You’ve got the future chart success of Yazoo just beginning to surface, the minimal synth underground represented by Sudeten Crèche, and a fringe pop act like Colour Me Pop filling out the edges. It captures that narrow window where synth-pop hadn’t yet split into mainstream and underground lanes, and everything was still happening in the same small ecosystem.

 

 

Label: S/Phonograph – SPH1 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, Compilation 

Country: UK 

Released: Aug 1982 

Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Minimal, Minimal Synth, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Colour Me Pop – When Sex Was Fun 

A2 Colour Me Pop – Bikini Trauma 

AA1 Yazoo – Goodbye 70's 

AA2 Sudeten Creche – Are Kisses Out Of Fashion? 

AA3 Sudeten Creche – Dance! 

 

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Some Detergents... – Moderne Problem [7''] (1982, Clean Records)

Somewhere in the tangle of early-’80s British underground music sits Some Detergents, a band that never quite broke out of the shadows but still managed to bottle a very specific moment in post-punk evolution. They’re one of those groups that feel more like a rumor than a mainstream act -circulating through word of mouth, indie record shops, and the kind of late-night radio slots where the strangest tracks tended to thrive. 

 
Their 1982 single 'Moderne Problem' came out on Clean Records, a label that specialized in giving space to artists operating far from the commercial center. The song itself sits right on that fault line between punk’s leftover urgency and the cooler, more stylized edge of new wave. It’s got that tight, twitchy rhythm section, scratchy guitars, and vocals that feel intentionally detached -like they’re observing the chaos rather than getting swept up in it. 

 
There’s a roughness to 'Moderne Problem' that feels completely deliberate. The production is stripped back, almost skeletal, letting every awkward pause and jagged transition show through. Instead of polishing things out, the band leans into that unease, creating something that feels restless and slightly off-balance in a way that’s very true to the era. 

 
What really sticks is how much this single reflects the wider DIY culture of the time. Bands like Some Detergents weren’t aiming for mass appeal -they were documenting a mood, pressing it onto vinyl in small batches, and sending it out into the world to find whoever was tuned into that frequency. That’s probably why 'Moderne Problem' still resonates today: it doesn’t just sound like the early ’80s underground -it is the early ’80s underground, preserved in miniature. 

 

 

Label: Clean Records – WIPE 1 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1982 

Style: New Wave, Minimal Wave, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Colours 

B1 Moderne Problem 

B2 Wake Up 

 

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Repetition – The Still Reflex / Fade Out [7''] (1981, Les Disques Du Crépuscule)

 

Repetition were one of those fleeting but fascinating acts to come out of London’s early post-punk scene. Formed around 1979, they didn’t last long, but they left behind just enough material to earn a cult following. Their sound sits somewhere between cold, minimal synth textures and sharp, angular guitar work, all held together by Sarah Osborne’s detached, almost ghostly vocals. Even though they were a UK band, they often get lumped in with the European “cold wave” scene, largely because of their connection to the Brussels-based label Les Disques du Crépuscule, which had a very distinct, art-driven aesthetic. 

Their debut single, 'The Still Reflex / Fade Out', dropped in early 1981 and perfectly captures that moment when post-punk was drifting into more atmospheric and experimental territory. Recorded at Spaceward Studios and produced by Rob Gretton -best known for his work with Joy Division- the record has that stripped-down, slightly austere feel you’d expect. The A-side, “The Still Reflex,” is tense and hypnotic, built around a repetitive groove that never quite resolves, while “Fade Out” leans more into mood, letting the space between notes do as much work as the instruments themselves. 

What makes this single especially interesting is how well it fits into the early identity of Crépuscule. The label, which launched in 1980, quickly became known for putting out records that felt more like art objects than standard releases, and Repetition were right there in that first wave. You can hear the same sensibility that runs through other Crépuscule artists -minimalism, a certain emotional distance, and a focus on texture over traditional song structure. 

Repetition didn’t stick around for long -they were gone by the early ’80s- but like a lot of bands from that era, their impact isn’t measured in longevity. Instead, it’s in moments like this single, which still feels like a snapshot of a very specific mood and time: post-punk turning inward, getting colder, and quietly setting the stage for everything from darkwave to later indie minimalism.

 

 

Label: Les Disques Du Crépuscule – TWI 012, Les Disques Du Crépuscule – twi 012 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: Belgium 

Released: Jan 1981 

Style: New Wave, Post-Punk, Coldwave 

 

Tracklist: 

A A Still Reflex 4:01 

B Fade Out 4:36 

 

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The Questions – Some Other Guy [7''] (1978, Zoom Records)

 

The Questions were a group of teenagers from Edinburgh who had only just formed in 1977. Like a lot of young acts at the time, they were riding the wave that punk had created, but they weren’t strictly punk. Their sound leaned more toward sharp, energetic pop with a strong nod to 1960s R&B and mod culture. Even the title “Some Other Guy” feels like a deliberate throwback, echoing the kind of raw rhythm-and-blues covers that British bands cut their teeth on in the early ’60s. 

 
The single was released on Zoom Records, a small but important Scottish indie label based in Edinburgh. Zoom was one of those short-lived labels that perfectly captured a moment. Founded in 1977, it quickly became a platform for emerging local talent during a time when the traditional music industry was being shaken up by DIY energy and independent releases. Labels like Zoom gave bands a way to get on vinyl quickly, without waiting for major label approval, and that immediacy is part of what makes records like this feel so alive. 

 
“Some Other Guy” was actually the debut single from The Questions, backed with “Rock ’n’ Roll Ain’t Dead”, and it’s very much a snapshot of a band finding its identity. There’s a youthful urgency to it, but also a clear sense that they were looking beyond punk’s rawness toward something more melodic and rooted in older influences. That mix would later connect them with the mod revival scene and bring them into the orbit of figures like Paul Weller. 

 
In the bigger picture, the single sits at an interesting crossroads. It’s part of that late-’70s shift where punk’s initial shock was evolving into new wave, power pop, and mod revival. It also reflects the importance of regional scenes -especially in places like Scotland- where independent labels and young bands were building their own ecosystems outside of London.

 

 

Label: Zoom Records – ZUM 6 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: Aug 1978 

Style: New Wave, Mod, Power Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A Some Other Guy 3:15 

B Rock 'N' Roll Ain't Dead 2:45 

 

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Nachdenkliche Wehrpflichtige – Politik Für Junge Leute [7''] (1980, Zickzack)

 

In the more offbeat corners of German post-punk, 'Politik Für Junge Leute' by Nachdenkliche Wehrpflichtige stands out as a small but striking release with a lot of atmosphere packed into it. The name Nachdenkliche Wehrpflichtige -“thoughtful conscripts”- already hints at the project’s perspective. The context is late Cold War West Germany, where compulsory military service and rising political tension shaped everyday life for young people. That background seeps into the record, giving it a quietly uneasy tone rather than anything overtly dramatic.

 
It came out on Zickzack, a label closely tied to experimental acts and the more unconventional edge of Neue Deutsche Welle. Zickzack releases often carried a raw, unpolished character, and this single fits right in with that ethos.

 
The sound is sparse and tense: clipped guitar figures, rigid rhythms, and vocals delivered in a detached, almost observational way. There’s little interest in melody for its own sake -everything feels functional, like it exists to underline a point rather than to entertain. The production leans toward a DIY aesthetic, adding to the sense of immediacy. 

 
The tracks circle around the idea of politics being simplified and repackaged for a younger audience. There’s an undercurrent of irony in how it presents that dynamic, suggesting a disconnect between institutional messaging and lived experience. Instead of overt protest, the tone lands somewhere closer to skepticism and quiet resistance. 

 

It occupies an interesting middle ground: not as abstract as some experimental contemporaries, but also far removed from the more accessible side of Neue Deutsche Welle. The result feels less like a conventional song and more like a snapshot of a particular mindset -watchful, critical, and shaped by its moment. 

 

 

Label: Zickzack – ZZ 8 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Stereo 

Country: Germany 

Released: Aug 1980 

Style: Jazz-Rock, Avantgarde, New Wave, Art Punk, Neue Deutsche Welle

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Hundert Mann 2:10 

A2 Er Steht Im Tor (Wenn Es Sein Muss) 0:40 

A3 Das Traumendspiel: Freunde Müsst Ihr Sein / Hrubesch 0:52 

B4 Schwierigkeiten / Gerittene Manifeste 1:51 

B5 Arbeitereinheitsfrontlied 1:48 

 

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Lavvi Ebbel – Kiss Me Kate [LP] (1983, Les Disques Du Crépuscule, Ariola)

 

If you’ve stumbled across Lavvi Ebel and their album 'Kiss Me Kate', you’re probably already sensing there’s something a little different going on here. This isn’t your typical polished pop release -it leans more into a dreamy, intimate space where emotions feel unfiltered and slightly offbeat in the best way. 

 
At its core, 'Kiss Me Kate' is all about vulnerability. The album drifts between soft indie pop and lo-fi textures, with hazy synths, stripped-down guitar moments, and vocals that feel almost like whispered confessions. Lavvi Ebel’s voice carries a kind of quiet magnetism -never overpowering, but always present enough to pull you in. It’s the kind of album that feels made for late-night listening, when everything’s a bit quieter and more reflective.

 
Lyrically, there’s a strong focus on relationships -romantic, messy, nostalgic, and sometimes unresolved. Rather than telling clear-cut stories, the songs feel like snapshots or fragments of memory. One track might revolve around longing and missed chances, while another leans into the sweetness of fleeting connection. There’s an underlying theme of trying to hold onto moments that are already slipping away, which gives the whole record a bittersweet tone.

 
What really makes 'Kiss Me Kate' stand out is its atmosphere. It doesn’t rush. Songs often unfold slowly, letting moods settle in before shifting. There’s a softness to the production that makes everything feel slightly blurred, like looking at old photos or recalling something you’re not sure actually happened the way you remember it. 

 

 

Label: Les Disques Du Crépuscule – TWI 172, Ariola – 205 488 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Netherlands 

Released: 1983 

Style: Synth-pop, Experimental, New Wave, Post-Punk

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Ouspenski 4:00 

A2 Kiss Me Kate 4:20 

A3 Coffee Koffie 3:18 

A4 Suffering 4:14 

B1 !Telepatia! 5:10 

B2 Full Moon 5:00 

B3 Running 3:10 

B4 Home Is Where The Heart Is 4:13 

 

Other Versions:  

'Kiss Me Kate' (LP, Album) Les Disques Du Crépuscule [TWI 172] (Belgium 1983) 

 

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Kinetic Ideals – Angular Sky / Fade Away [7''] (1982, Mannequin Records)

 

'Angular Sky / Fade Away' is a two-track release that leans heavily into Kinetic Ideal's signature blend of shimmering synths, moody atmospheres, and emotionally distant vocals -the kind of sound that sits somewhere between nostalgia and late-night introspection. 

“Angular Sky” opens things up with a crisp, driving rhythm and icy melodies that immediately pull you into that classic minimal wave headspace. It’s sleek but not cold, with just enough warmth in the production to keep it from feeling sterile. There’s a hypnotic quality to it, like watching city lights blur past a car window at night. The vocals drift rather than dominate, adding to the track’s detached, almost cinematic feel. 

On the flip side, “Fade Away” slows things down and sinks deeper into a more melancholic mood. It trades momentum for atmosphere, wrapping you in lush pads and a sense of quiet longing. The track feels more inward-looking, like the comedown after the rush of the first song. It’s subtle, but that’s exactly where it hits hardest -nothing is overdone, and the restraint works in its favor.  

 

Label: Mannequin Records – MANEP2 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM 

Country: Canada 

Released: 1982 

Style: New Wave, Punk, Post-Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Angular Sky 6:44 

AA Fade Away 7:34 

 

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Il Y A Volkswagens – Kill Myself [7''] (1981, Mechanical Reproductions)

 

The obscure 7" single 'Kill Myself” by Il Y A Volkswagens is one of those rare artifacts from the early-1980s British underground that continues to intrigue collectors of post-punk and minimal synth. Though the project left behind only a small recorded legacy, its connection to influential producers and the broader experimental scene of the era has given the record a lasting cult reputation. 

Released in 1981 on the small independent label Mechanical Reproductions, 'Kill Myself' features the title track on the A-side and “American Dream” on the B-side. Its stark, lo-fi production and repetitive structure reflect the raw aesthetic that defined many DIY post-punk releases of the period. Despite its limited distribution, the single became a minor underground curiosity and has since been rediscovered by collectors and DJs interested in early minimal synth and experimental post-punk.  

"Kill Myself" is built around a minimalist arrangement: rigid drum machine patterns, skeletal synth lines, and detached vocals that emphasize the bleak humor of the lyrics. The song’s repeated phrase -“I’m gonna kill myself / And watch it on television”- captures the dark irony and media-obsessed paranoia typical of the early-1980s post-punk mindset. The track’s hypnotic repetition and rough recording style give it a confrontational quality that feels closer to performance art than to conventional pop songwriting. 

Behind the project were Eric Radcliffe and John Fryer, two figures who would later become respected producers and engineers within the British alternative music scene. Radcliffe would go on to run the influential Blackwing Studios in London, while Fryer became widely known for his production work and for being one of the core members of This Mortal Coil. Their collaboration under the name Il Y A Volkswagens appears to have been a short-lived studio project rather than a conventional touring band.

The project is often associated with the wider Leicester post-punk scene, which produced a number of experimental groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Members of that scene later formed or participated in other bands, including The Apollinaires, illustrating the fluid, interconnected nature of the UK’s underground music communities at the time.

 

Label: Mechanical Reproductions – MR 001, Mechanical Reproductions – 001 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: UK 

Released: 1981 

Style: New Wave, Post-Punk, Art Punk, Noise Rock, Indie Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A Kill Myself 3:16 

B American Dream 3:00 

 

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Various – Catalogue Issue [LP] (1984, IRA)

 

'Catalogue Issue' is a 1984 Italian various-artists compilation that holds a special place in the history of Italy’s alternative music scene. Released on vinyl by the independent label I.R.A. Records, it wasn’t just another compilation -it was actually the very first release by the label, making it something of a manifesto pressed to wax.

 
I.R.A. Records (often expanded as Immortal Rock Alliance or Immortal Record Alliance) was founded in 1984 by Alberto Pirelli along with Anne Marie Parrocel. The label had a clear mission from the start: to promote a new wave of Italian underground bands who sang in Italian at a time when many alternative acts felt pressured to perform in English. 'Catalogue Issue' perfectly captures that spirit. It was designed not only as a sampler of the label’s roster, but as a bold statement about the future of Italian independent music.

 
The LP features eight tracks split between four bands that would go on to become key names in the scene: Diaframma, Moda, Litfiba, and Underground Life. Diaframma appears with “Siberia” and “Delorenzo,” Moda contributes “Nubi d’Oriente” and “La Voce,” Litfiba shows up with “Onda Araba” and “Versante Est,” and Underground Life rounds things out with “India” and “Glasarchitektur.” All tracks were recorded at the Global Art System Studio in Florence, a place closely tied to the early development of this movement.

 
The release also had a strong visual identity. The cover artwork, designed by Fabio Galavotti of Moda Graphic Studio, played on the idea of a debut or launch -fitting for what was essentially the birth announcement of I.R.A. Records. The label even pushed the slogan “La nuova musica italiana cantata in italiano” (“the new Italian music sung in Italian”), underlining its cultural stance.

 
Never officially reissued, 'Catalogue Issue' remains a vinyl-only release, and original copies are now quite collectible. Some promotional versions were distributed as “Campione gratuito” (free sample) copies, which adds another layer of interest for collectors. Today, the record is seen as a landmark of the Italian new wave and post-punk era, capturing early material from bands like Litfiba and Diaframma before they became major names in Italy’s alternative rock history. 

 

Label: IRA – IR-LP2001 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation 

Country: Italy 

Released: 1984 

Style: New Wave 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Litfiba – Onda Araba 

A2 Litfiba – Versante Est 

A3 Moda – Nubi D'Oriente 

A4 Moda – La Voce 

B1 Diaframma – Siberia 

B2 Diaframma – Delorenzo 

B3 Underground Life – India 

B4 Underground Life – Glasarchitektur 

 

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Zones – Sign Of The Times [7''] (1978, Arista)

'Sign of the Times' is a 1978 single by the Scottish band Zones, a group that emerged from the late-1970s punk and new-wave scene. Zones were formed from the remains of PVC2, a band that once featured Midge Ure before he moved on to Rich Kids and later Ultravox. By the time this single was released, Zones were developing a sound that mixed punk urgency with melodic power pop and early new-wave influences.

 
The single came out in 1978 on Arista Records in the UK as a 7-inch vinyl release, with "Sign of the Times" on the A-side and "Away from It All" on the B-side. It followed their earlier single 'Stuck with You', which had gained them attention on BBC Radio 1 thanks to support from John Peel. That exposure helped the band secure their deal with Arista and brought them a bit more visibility within the UK underground scene. 

Although 'Sign of the Times' didn’t chart or achieve mainstream success, it’s often seen as a solid example of the band’s transition from raw punk toward a tighter, more polished new-wave style. Around this period, Zones recorded sessions for John Peel and built a modest reputation as a strong live act, even if wider commercial success remained elusive. 

Zones would go on to release their only album, 'Under Influence', in 1979, along with a few more singles, before splitting up later that year. Today, 'Sign of the Times' is remembered mainly by collectors and fans of late-1970s punk and new wave as a small but interesting snapshot of that era’s restless, fast-moving music scene. 

 

Label: Arista – Arist 205, Arista – ARIST 205 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1978 

Style: New Wave, Power Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A Sign Of The Times 3:12 

B Away From It All 2:28 

 

Other Versions: 

'Sign Of The Times' (7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo) Arista, EMI Electrola [1C 006-61 598] (Germany, 1978)

'Sign Of The Times' (7", Single, 45 RPM) Arista [5C 006-61598] (Netherlands, 1978)

 

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