Minimal Synth Megaposts

Hello there. Over the winter I amassed a large number of minimal synth releases, with help from stellar blogs like Systems of Romance and Kentucky Fried Wave. So before it turns into full-on summer and I start to listen solely to Western MA guitar-based bands, I am going to post my coldwave/minimal synth favorites here, starting with Linea Aspera's self-titled debut album.

LA is, in my opinion, the best new coldwave band out there. Sadly, listening to this album does not (but almost could) count towards that required college science seminar.

 LA ST 2012

Siglo XX - Answer

Stunning coldwave/post-punk record. The Belgian follow-up to Joy Division's "Closer." 

Siglo XX - Answer (1983)

Ancient Methods: Methods 1-5

First Method

Second Method

Third Method 

Fourth Method

Fifth Method

Antonin Artaud - Pour en Finir avec le Jugement de Dieu

There seems to be a dearth of spoken-word downloads on the interwebs lately, so hear you go. Because the voice actors in this recording are so evocative, it's pleasing to listen to regardless of whether you understand or agree with Artaud, (he's a bit nutters).

"After the Second World War ended, French radio opened up in a big way to some of the most challenging artists, suppressed in the Nazi-controlled Vichy regime. [Antonin] Artaud was slated, and between November 22 and 29, 1947, recorded his valedictory work, the radiophonic play Pour en finir avec le jugement de dieu (To Have Done or To Make an End of the Judgment of God) for the ORTF. Artaud proclaimed it "at last, a first rendering of the theater of cruelty," but never heard his work broadcast over the air as the program was banned and not broadcast until the late '70s; the perpetually impoverished Artaud died, sitting at the foot of his bed with a shoe in his hand, on March 4, 1948." - via AllMusic

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Haus Arafna - New York Rhapsody

Delightfully polished industrial/darkwave: New York Rhapsody is sometimes reminiscent of Raime, but a bit smoother--full of crisp popping, dripping synth tones, and murmured vocals. The record was originally made to serve as a soundtrack for a fashion show, so it's bit more rhythmic than Haus Arafna's other releases.

A contemporary minimal synth release that is neither comically macabre or overtly "dancey."

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Tuxedomoon - Desire

Post-punk does psychedelic. Desire is one of the strangest records I've ever heard: as it seems to embrace both minimal synth and prog-rock templates equally.  With a wide range of stylistic experimentation, this record somehow remains coherent and compelling for all ten tracks.

Tuxedomoon takes cues from White Light/Heat (in particular, "Sister Ray" and "Lady Godiva's Operation"), Taj Mahal Travellers, The Comsat Angels, and Swans. There are a few weak points in the album, namely the last few, dwindling minutes of "East" (of which the first half is excellent), and a touch of overexposure to Winston Tong's dirge-like vocals. However, the absolutely killer basslines and totally refreshing use of a saxophone is more than enough to make this record memorable, and utterly sophisticated.

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Songs Of The Humpback Whale - Dr. Roger Payne, 1970

A lot of good blogs have made mention of this record, but most of the links for it are dead. It's a total gem.

"The rare recordings are from a 'Bel Canto' era of whale singing. Even though Humpbacks change their songs every year, none from recent years has been so beautiful as these they sang in the 1960's."
... can you argue with that?

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Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations - The Conet Project

This isn't much in the way of music, more a way to spend a few hours (or a whole day) sifting through through the wealth of shortwave numbers recordings and the mythology surrounding them. I think the most incredible thing about these recordings is the fact that numbers stations are still owned and operated by different government agencies, notably Cherry Ripe (active until December 2009) and the Lincolnshire Poacher (active until July 2008). Shortwave transmissions continue to be a widely used form of covert communication given that one-pad systems are notoriously difficult to decipher and therefore there is no danger in broadcasting them publicly (assuming the key is completely randomized).

I uploaded Disc 1 and Disc 2, and maybe I will upload more, but metadata was a nightmare and there's more than enough material here for hours upon hours of conspiracy-theorizing.

While preparing to post this, I came across a Pitchfork article from 2012 announcing the anticipated reissue of these recordings. Evidently I'm not alone in my obsession with Cold War ephemera/espionage theories. Also, here's a good NPR segment on the topic, along with the Irdial website containing more information that you could ever want to absorb.

Disc One 

Disc Two

"But worse things were about to be found in the bedroom: on the jeweller’s wife’s ottoman, in a casual pose, sprawled a third party- namely, a black cat of uncanny size, with a glass of vodka in one paw and a fork, on which he had managed to spear a pickled mushroom, in the other." 

1. Intro: Pärson Sound 
2. Nr 1: Ziyo 
3. Lift Off: Nagamatzu 
4. Girl In A Fishtank: Kreng 
5. Ranta: Vladislav Delay
6. Solo d'un marin: Christian Zanési
7. Voice No Bodies: T++ 
8. The Last Foundry: Raime 
9. For Lack Of A Better Word: My Dad Is Dead 
10. Shadow From Tartarus: Actress
11. Led By Leather: Liable 
12. Musical Sculpture: Marcel Duchamp

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In Aeternam Vale - "Dust Under Brightness"

I've been spending a lot of time lately exploring the Minimal Wave catalog. I've listened to this LP nearly ten times and I still don't feel like I have a handle on what it is. Dust Under Brightness is a bit of a hybrid: standard-fare French coldwave with clear tribal and industrial influences--particularly early German new wave. (Some of the songs also sound eerily similar to The Knife, a welcome comparison in my opinion).

Dust Under Brightness