Tag: synth

Λένα Πλάτωνος – Γκάλοπ, 1985


Greek musician Lena Platonos (Λένα Πλάτωνος) has an impressive discography ranging from dark electronic rabbitholes to post punky pop to the straight-up bizarro theatrical. She’s an electronic music pioneer (and an aesthetic genius, having designed the cover above), so it’s really exciting that Dark Entries has recently reissued her second solo record, Gallop (Γκάλοπ), which she wrote, performed, and produced. Gallop is an exercise in dark minimalism, consisting mostly of analog synths, a Roland TR-808 drum machine, and her voice, speaking and singing her own surreal poetry. It’s Greek to me, but I’m told that “lyrics deal with heartbreak, dreams, desires, and astutely predict the way that computers and technology would infiltrate our society in the years to come.” (A word to the ASMR-wise: listening to her softly-spoken voice in headphones might trigger some particularly tingly feelings.) Alternating between spiky techno beats and long stretches of unpunctuated dreamy synth sprawl, Gallop is a haunting and very progressive record. Enjoy!

Wally Badarou – Echoes, 1984

Wally Badarou is a legend. Paris-born and Benin-raised, he was part of the Compass Point Studios in-house recording team in the Bahamas; was a session musician for Grace Jones, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Herbie Hancock, Level 42, Black Uhuru, Gwen Guthrie, Robin Scott, Talking Heads, Tom-Tom Club, Robert Palmer, and Manu Dibango; and produced for Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, and Marianne Faithfull, among many, many others. Echoes is an entirely instrumental, almost comically smooth piece of electronic funk wizardry. You’ve probably heard the single “Chief Inspector” in a million DJ sets, but the whole album is mixtape ready. Take it to the beach, y’all.

The Beatniks – Exitentialism, 1981

Guest post by Mark Dwinell (Forma / M Dwinell)

The Beatniks, featuring Yukihiro Takahashi of YMO fame, released this record in 1981, the same year as Takahashi’s very excellent Neuromantic. The production here is more sparse, with that perfect combination of live instrumentation and synthesized sound that fans of YMO and Sakamoto expect. Standout track is the baroque “Now and Then…”. Dramatic piano, lush strings, filtered synth, and a voice announcing “Now and then I feel I’m sinking in a stagnant pool…” So deep! The best find of my trip to Beijing.

Guest Mix – Places I’d Rather Be

We’re psyched to share this gorgeous mix by John Also Bennett (Forma / Seabat). You can download it here. Enjoy!

Tracklist:
1. Craig Leon – The Customs of the Age Disturbed
2. Hiroki Okano with Techno Mongoloid – Leela #2 (Excerpt)
3. Steve Roach — ???? (Excerpt)
4. Haruomi Hosono – Air Condition
5. Jean-Marie Brice – Africa (Excerpt)
6. Constance Demby – Through the Stargate (Excerpt)
7. Michael Shrieve & Klaus Schulze – Communique “Approach Spiral”
8. Jon Hassell – Dream Theory
9. Software – Space Design
10. Michael Shrieve & Steve Roach – Edge Runner
11. Constance Demby – Sacred Space Music
12. Steve Roach – Western Spaces
13. Michael Brook – Hawaii
14. Jon Hassell – Vernal Equinox
15. Robert Rich – Resonance
16. Jon Gibson – Untitled
17. Nowtime Prophecies – Peace Out

Saâda Bonaire – Saâda Bonaire, 1983

Saâda Bonaire was a shelved EMI project comprised of songwriter-vocalists Stefanie Lange and Claudia Hossfeld, producer Dennis Bovell (Fela Kuti, Orange Juice, The Slits, whatever), jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano, and a slew of backing musicians “culled from the local immigration center.” Dub-funk-disco-ish on top of a Turkish-African instrumental conglomerate. Dark and dancy perfection circa 1983-ish. Captured Tracks recently put out an excellent compilation with a whole lot of never-released material, which we’re not posting for download because you should just buy it. A favorite track below.

Brenda Ray – Walatta, 2005

A personal favorite. Brenda Ray rolled around with a handful of musical projects in the UK post punk scene, where she explored African rhythms, dub, hip hop, and electro grooves. After hitting it off with the legendary Roy Cousins in the early 90’s, she helped him remaster and reissue titles from his label, Tamoki Wambesi. Legend has it that it was Cousins’ idea that she make an album using original tapes of Tamoki Wambesi roots reggae tracks. I think this was mostly recorded in the late 90s, released in limited numbers via Tamoki Wambesi, and reissued by Japan’s EM Records (I’m still working our way through their catalog, because holy cow it is good).

Unlike anything else. Responsible for vocals, melodica, keyboards, koto, pixiephone, chimes, claves, bells, cymbal, cowbell, ashtray (?), clavinet, xylophone, cabasa, triangle, idiophone, tambourine, vibraslap, scraper, whistle, recording, and mixing, Ray draped her breathy, 60’s-chanteuse vocals all over her reworkings of some of the best dub and reggae tracks ever made, resulting in what Forced Exposure called “very disturbing slices of psycho-dub/doo-wop/jazz-fusion/exotica music.” Grooving all over Turkey, West Africa, and of course, Jamaica. Alternately shimmery, bossa-nova-flecked, and funky, with appearances by Prince Far I and Knowledge. The sonic equivalent of pink plastic palm trees. A salve for a brutally cold February day. Enjoy!

Testpattern – Après-Midi, 1982

Another gem from the Yen Records treasure trove (Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi production, blah blah blah). Cheeky, unhurried, fairly minimal synth pop, with a dusting of tittering bleeps, bloops, and sleigh bells for dimension. Mostly dry and Disneyland plump, but of course nothing Hosono is quite what it seems. Après-Midi is far from simplistic–there are plenty of well-executed jabs at western pop music (and culture), and then there’s the surprise “Catchball,” which is a deep, dark grinding proto-techno drum groove. Enjoy!

Mix: Winter (Outdoors)

I made this mix with the hope that you’ll listen to it outside in headphones. If you like it, you can download an mp3 of it here.

Tracklist:
1. 0:00 David Sylvian – Preparations for a Journey
2: 3:10 Stellar OM Source – Alpine Architecture
3. 5:30 Meredith Monk – Strand (Gathering)
4. 7:20 Bernard Xolotl – Perseverance (Excerpt)
5. 13:10 Actress – Untitled (Excerpt)
6. 14:50 Emerald Web – Flight of the Raven
7. 16:40 Muslimgauze – Sapere Aude
8. 20:00 Deutsche Wertarbeit – Auf Engelsflügen
9. 25:10 Woo – Hopi
10. 28:00 Dip in the Pool – Rabo del Sol
11. 32:40 Kraftwerk – Ananas Symphonie
12. 35:00 Don Slepian – Sea of Bliss (Excerpt)
13. 37:00 Drahcir Ztiworoh – Elephant Dance (Excerpt)
14. 41:40 The Hilliard Ensemble – Veni Creator Spiritus (Comp. Pérotin)
15. 48:40 Fripp & Eno – Wind on Water
16. 54:10 Li Garattoni – Here is Silence
17. 55:50 Roedelius – Wenn der Südwind Weht
18. 59:40 Barbara Buccholz – Öd

Selda Bagcan – Selda, 1976

Selda Bağcan got real big in the 70s as one of Turkey’s most well-known politically-minded musicians, and from what I understand, became somewhat of a household name. Her sound was a progressive wash of psychedelic guitar funk and angular synth heat, applied liberally to Turkish folk songs as scorching backdrops for her emotive, razor-sharp vocals and political critiques. Unsurprisingly, she was thrown in jail three times and was stripped of her passport, but was eventually freed and went on to tour extensively. She resurfaced again in 2006, when Finders Keepers reissued her self-titled LP with some previously unreleased tracks.

That’s when I first heard this record–my sister gave it to me, and it just about blew my 16-year-old brain open, since I didn’t have much of a grasp on the roots of psychedelic music, or what Turkey was. This record is a classic for many, so I hope this serves as a friendly reminder that it’s still bubbling hot (with the exception of string-infused weeper ballad “Dam Üstüne Çulserer,” flecked with fountain sounds and spiny percussives, which is more of a slow-burner). Note: I’m posting the original album, without the rerelease tracks and with the songs in a different order. It sounds better than ever, almost 40 years later. Enjoy!

Cerrone – Supernature (Cerrone III), 1977

Nothing challenging or high-brow here, just 34 minutes of string-streaked, four-on-the-floor delirious disco perfection. Opens with the epic ten minute classic “Supernature,” and while the album slows down for a few breaths (“In The Smoke” is straight-up new age with a muted heartbeat drum pulse), there isn’t a weak spot to be found. Make sure to take a good, long, hard look at that album art. Happy dancing, and happy new year!