The Oroonies – Exalt The Horn [Cass] (1986, Better Days Distribution)

 

'Exalt The Horn' by The Oroonies is one of those obscure mid-80s cassette releases that feels more like a rumor than a widely documented record. Put out in 1986 through the small, DIY-focused Better Days Distribution label, it exists in that hazy space where post-punk experimentation and home recording culture overlap. Better Days Distribution operated more like a conduit than a traditional label, helping circulate music within a network of like-minded artists and tape traders. Releases were often produced in very small quantities, dubbed by hand, and shared through mail or personal connections. It’s likely that 'Exalt The Horn' only ever reached a relatively small audience in its original run 

There’s very little concrete information circulating about the project, which only adds to its intrigue -but there is a bit more to grasp when it comes to The Oroonies themselves. They were a British, largely instrumental outfit operating somewhere between psychedelic space-rock and folk fusion, forming in the early 1980s and remaining active for roughly a decade. Their sound leans heavily into disorientating psychedelia, often blurring the line between structured composition and freeform exploration. They also have some interesting connections: a couple of members were involved with Ozric Tentacles, which helps place them within that broader UK underground psychedelic scene. There was even a sideline acoustic project under the name Cheapsuit Oroonies, suggesting a more stripped-down counterpart to their more cosmic excursions. After years of relative silence, the band resurfaced in 2012 with three original members -Joie Hinton, Tanya Horn, and Boris Orooni- going on to release several CDs and eventually returning to live performances around 2017. That later activity adds an unexpected second chapter to what initially felt like a fleeting cassette-era project. 

 

What is evident from 'Exalt The Horn' itself is its raw, unpolished nature. This wasn’t built in a professional studio environment- it carries the imprint of limited equipment, a lot of creative freedom, and no real concern for mainstream appeal. The sound leans into that distinctly lo-fi cassette aesthetic: minimal drum machine rhythms, warped or drifting synth textures, and occasional guitar elements that feel more atmospheric than structured. Vocals come across as distant and abstract, sometimes closer to spoken word or ritualistic phrasing than conventional singing. Tape hiss and uneven levels aren’t distractions -they’re part of the character.
 

A listener once summed it up pretty bluntly: “Usable tribal space music.” That description isn’t far off. 'Exalt The Horn' opens with what feels like a collage of didgeridoo-like drones, whale-like calls, and drifting cosmic textures -hard to pin down exactly what the sources are, but undeniably evocative. It’s immersive and unusual, though largely rooted in soundscaping rather than structured composition. Things shift slightly with “Oinkoi,” where a more defined pulse emerges through tribal-style drumming and hypnotic bell tones that hint at Eastern influences. It builds a mysterious atmosphere, though it can come across as a bit familiar in its approach. The title track stretches into a longer tribal space-rock jam -engaging at first, but its length can make it harder to stay fully absorbed, especially as it leans more on repetition than development. From there, the tape continues in a similar vein: a series of loosely structured jams exploring psychedelic, otherworldly textures. There’s a clear avoidance of traditional rock forms -no bluesy solos or relaxed grooves- leaning instead toward something closer to industrial-tinged ritual ambient. The pieces are relatively short, but taken together they can feel somewhat continuous, like variations on the same sonic idea. 

That said, the appeal lies precisely in that persistence. It’s less about individual standout moments and more about sustaining a mood -strange, echoing, and slightly hypnotic. 'Exalt The Horn' stands as a quiet, peculiar artifact from a time when making something this odd didn’t need justification -and when a band like The Oroonies could drift between obscurity and rediscovery without ever fully settling into either. 

 

Label: Better Days Distribution – none 

Format: Cassette, Album 

Country: UK 

Released: 1986 

Style: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Ambient, Space Rock, Ritual Ambient 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Exalt The Horn 5:54 

A2 Oinkoi 7:34 

A3 The Raising And The Subsequent Plunging Of The Lance Of The Fisher King (From The Film "The Royal Martyr") 7:04 

A4 October 23rd 6:59 

A5 Nursery Thyme 9:28 

B1 Emporer Norton's Revenge 11:56 

B2 Eclipse Celipse 5:06 

B3 Guinea Fowl (Queen Eats Rat) 2:50 

B4 I Fondled The U Bend With A Rubber Glove 3:19 

B5 Inbetweenit 0:35 

B6 Shadwok 3:19 

B7 Dance Of The Deekshitars 5:06 

B8 Derraneanig 3:45 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

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 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Mortification To The Flesh – Live - Studio [Cass] (1987, Sound Of Pig)

If you’re digging through the late-80s cassette underground, this is one of those weird, half-forgotten gems that perfectly captures how DIY things really were back then. 

First off, the tape came out on Sound of Pig, which already tells you a lot about what you’re getting into. This wasn’t a traditional record label -it was part of the global cassette culture network, putting out hundreds of releases during the mid-to-late ’80s, mostly in the experimental, industrial, and noise realms. These tapes weren’t sitting in record shops; they were traded through the mail, passed between fans, and discovered through fanzines. 

Mortification To The Flesh itself was essentially the first proper release from the project (often linked to the German act Bogart), and it’s exactly what the title promises: a hybrid of live and studio recordings. Part of the material was recorded in a studio setting, while the rest was captured live at the V2 Organisation in the Netherlands, giving the tape this split personality. One moment things feel relatively controlled, and the next it sounds like everything could fall apart at any second -in a good way.

 
Listening to it now, the vibe is unmistakably late-80s underground. It sits somewhere between industrial, experimental sound collage, and early noise, but it’s less about fitting into a genre and more about atmosphere. The recordings are lo-fi, the structures are loose, and there’s a strong sense that what you’re hearing wasn’t meant to be perfected. It’s raw, sometimes chaotic, and very much rooted in the moment it was recorded. 

That “live-studio” mix makes it even more interesting, because you can actually hear the contrast between the two environments. The studio parts feel slightly more contained, while the live recordings bring in unpredictability and a bit of tension, like the performance could veer off track at any point. That push and pull is a big part of what gives the tape its character. 

Context-wise, this release sits right in the middle of the cassette trading era, when underground artists were building international connections without the internet. Labels like Sound of Pig acted as hubs, distributing small-run tapes to a global network of listeners who were actively searching for the strange and the obscure. A release like this wasn’t just music -it was a signal that you were tapped into that world. 

Interestingly, this wasn’t a one-off. The project followed it up with 'Le Trésor Maudit' in 1988, which feels like a more developed continuation, making this cassette come across as a kind of raw starting point rather than a fully formed statement. 

 

 

Label: Sound Of Pig – SOP 85 

Format: Cassette, C60 

Country: US 

Released: 1987 

Style: Industrial 

 

Tracklist: 

Studio 

A1 Intro 1:34 

A2 Faust 6:03 

A3 Poursuite 3:53 

A4 Alles Lüge 6:41 

A5 Irdische Ergötzlichkeiten 6:05 

A6 Wege-Schrei 6:08 

Live 

B1 V2, s'Hertogenbosch 11:11 

B2 Arratta, Moers 13:49 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

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) 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

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 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Jackknife – All My Blues For Sale [7''] (1994, Sympathy For The Record Industry)

 

The 'All My Blues For Sale' single by Jackknife is a small but interesting artifact from the early-1990s American garage-punk underground. It came out in 1994 as a 7-inch vinyl release on Sympathy for the Record Industry, a label that played a huge role in documenting the raw, scrappy side of alternative rock during that era. 

 
Like many releases on Sympathy for the Record Industry, the single sticks to a simple formula: two songs, pressed on a small run of vinyl, with a rough-around-the-edges sound that feels closer to a rehearsal room than a polished studio. One side features the band’s take on "I Hear You Knockin'", a classic rhythm-and-blues song that has been covered countless times over the decades. Jackknife’s version strips away any sense of polish and leans into distorted guitars and a pounding garage-rock groove. Flip the record over and you get the title track, “All My Blues For Sale,” which captures the band’s signature style: short, punchy, and driven by gritty guitars and shouted vocals. 

Jackknife themselves were part of the loose network of garage revival bands that popped up in the United States during the late ’80s and early ’90s. The group revolved around guitarist and vocalist Sandra Rizzardi -often credited as “Super Sandra”- along with guitarist and vocalist Rich McKinley, plus additional players including Darin Lin Wood and drummer Chris Merlick around the time this single was recorded. They weren’t a major touring act and didn’t put out big studio albums; instead, their legacy mostly lives through a string of small-run singles and compilations that circulated among garage-rock fans. 

 

Label: Sympathy For The Record Industry – 299 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: US 

Released: 1994 

Style: Garage Rock, Blues Rock 

 

Tracklist: 

A All My Blues For Sale 

B I Heard You Knock 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

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 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Hook 'N' Pull Gang – Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline [7''] (1987, Bitch Hog Records)

 

The Hook ’N’ Pull Gang were a short-lived indie/garage rock band from Edinburgh, Scotland who briefly surfaced in the mid-1980s UK underground scene. Like a lot of small bands from that era, they left behind only a tiny recorded footprint, but the little that exists has become a curiosity for collectors of obscure British indie singles. The group mixed raw garage-rock guitars with a surprisingly soulful vocal approach, giving their sound a slightly unusual edge compared to the jangly indie bands that were dominating the UK at the time.

 
The band reportedly grew out of a friendship between drummer and vocalist Eileen MacMullan and bassist Alan McDade, who started writing songs together before bringing guitarist Rita Blazyca into the lineup. Early press coverage described their music as loud and gritty, with a “wall of sound” guitar attack and vocals that leaned more toward soul than punk. Their songs also carried a streak of dark humour and slightly macabre imagery, something that was reflected in the band’s name. According to contemporary interviews, “Hook ’N’ Pull” was a reference to the notorious body-snatchers Burke and Hare, whose crimes in 19th-century Edinburgh became part of local folklore. 

 
Their only widely known release is the 7-inch single 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline', which came out in 1987 on their own tiny DIY label, Bitch Hog. The record feels very much like a product of the independent cassette-and-demo culture of the time: rough around the edges, loud, and unapologetically raw. The A-side, "Pour It Down Yer Throat", is a snarling, swaggering track driven by thick guitars and a vocal performance that sits somewhere between garage rock attitude and deep soul phrasing. On the flip side, "Gasoline" leans into the band’s heavier side, with a darker, slightly more aggressive feel.

 
Around the time the single appeared, the band were starting to get a bit of attention from the UK music press and were playing occasional showcase gigs in London. Some reviewers picked up on the unusual mix of styles, describing the band as pairing big, thrashing guitar backing with vocals that sounded almost like they belonged in a soul band. Despite the early buzz, the momentum never really turned into a full breakthrough, and the group faded from view not long afterwards. 

 
Today the single survives mostly as a small oddity from the late-80s indie underground. Because it was self-released in small numbers, copies don’t turn up very often, though when they do the price usually isn’t extreme. For collectors of obscure UK garage or DIY indie records, 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline' remains one of those fascinating little artifacts from a scene where dozens of bands briefly flared into existence, pressed a record or two, and disappeared again.

 

 

Label: Bitch Hog Records – BITCH 1 

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single 

Country: UK 

Released: 1987 

Style: Goth Rock, Punk, Indie Rock, Girl Group 

 

Tracklist: 

A Pour It Down Yer Throat 2:16 

B Gasoline 2:36

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Generation Waste – Another Alternative? [Cass] (1987, Not On Label)

'Another Alternative?' is a super obscure cassette released around 1987 by Generation Waste, a punk band out of Chicago. Like a lot of underground releases from that time, it was most likely self-produced and circulated through tape trading and fanzines rather than any formal label. One of the few traces it left behind is a review in Maximum Rocknroll, which praised it as a “damn hot first tape,” highlighting its mix of fast, aggressive punk energy with a surprising sense of melody and thoughtful lyrics. 

Listening to it (or even just going off descriptions), the sound seems to sit somewhere between hardcore punk and thrash, but not in a totally chaotic way. There’s a drive and intensity, sure, but also structure and hooks that make it stand out from more raw, one-dimensional demos of the era. That balance between speed and melody hints at where punk would go in the following years, especially with the rise of more melodic hardcore styles. 

As for Generation Waste themselves, they’re pretty much a mystery. There’s barely any documented history, which usually means they were a small, local band that didn’t stick around long or didn’t put out many recordings. That wasn’t unusual at all in the 80s punk scene -tons of bands would form, record a demo or two, play some local shows, and disappear. Still, those short-lived projects were a huge part of what made the scene feel alive and constantly evolving. 

In the end, 'Another Alternative?' isn’t just interesting because of the music -it’s a snapshot of a whole DIY culture. Back then, you didn’t need a label or big distribution. You just needed a tape, some copies, and a way to get it into people’s hands. Even if Generation Waste never became a well-known name, this cassette captures that raw, self-made spirit that defined underground punk in the 80s.

 

 

Label: Not On Label (Generation Waste Self-Released) – none 

Format: Cassette 

Country: US 

Released: 1987 

Style: Hardcore Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Hate 

A2 Figure It Out 

A3 Here Today Gone Tomorrow 

A4 Painless suicide 

A5 Unity 

B1 Shades Of Grey 

B2 Broken Glass 

B3 Another Alternative? 

B4 Blue Collar Victim 

B5 We're Gonna Fight 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

feedtime / King Snake Roost – Buffalo Bob / More Than Love [7''] (1988, Aberrant Records)

 

The split single 'Buffalo Bob / More Than Love' from 1988 is one of those great little artifacts from the Australian underground, the kind of record that perfectly captures how tight and collaborative that scene really was. It pairs up feedtime and King Snake Roost, two bands who shared stages, influences, and a general love for loud, stripped-down, no-frills rock.

 
What makes the record especially cool is the concept behind it. Instead of just contributing their own tracks, each band covers the other. feedtime takes on “Buffalo Bob,” originally by King Snake Roost, while King Snake Roost returns the favor with their version of “More Than Love,” a feedtime song. It’s less of a split in the usual sense and more like a conversation between the two bands, each one filtering the other’s material through their own sound. 

The feedtime version of “Buffalo Bob” leans hard into their signature style -slow, pounding, repetitive, and almost hypnotic. There’s a kind of blunt-force groove to it, like a blues riff that’s been dragged through mud and distortion until it becomes something raw and primitive. On the flip side, King Snake Roost’s take on “More Than Love” is rougher and more chaotic, pushing the song into noisier territory, with a sharper, more aggressive edge that hints at the direction noise rock and early grunge would take in the following years. 

Both bands were central figures in the late 80s Australian underground. feedtime had been around since the late 70s and built their reputation on a minimalist, blues-infused take on punk that felt completely out of step with trends at the time. Their music was repetitive in a deliberate way, almost trance-like, and later on it would be recognized as a major influence on the grunge and noise scenes that exploded in the US.

 
King Snake Roost, coming out of Adelaide in the mid-80s, were a bit more abrasive and chaotic. Their sound had more in common with the harsher end of American noise rock, but they still shared that same DIY spirit and obsession with raw texture. They even made their way over to the US and worked with Butch Vig before he became a household name, which gives you an idea of how connected these scenes were becoming. 

There’s also a live element to their relationship that adds another layer to this record. The bands played together often, and it wasn’t unusual for members to jump on stage with each other. At times, King Snake Roost’s Peter Hill would even perform “Buffalo Bob” live with feedtime, blurring the lines between the two groups even further. 

In the end, this split isn’t just a couple of songs pressed onto vinyl -it’s a snapshot of a moment where a small, noisy scene was cross-pollinating in real time. You can hear the shared DNA, but also the subtle differences in approach, and that’s what makes it such a satisfying listen, especially if you’re into the roots of noise rock and grunge.

 

 

Label: Aberrant Records – MORETHAN1BOB 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM 

Country: Australia 

Released: Feb 19, 1988 

Style: Garage Rock, Grunge, Punk, Pigfuck 

 

Tracklist: 

A feedtime – Buffalo Bob 

B King Snake Roost – More Than Love 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE