Oto- Purge An Urge & Mr Schumaker

Here's a series of releases that haven't been posted yet, to my knowledge, but are certainly worth hearing. Fans of dark synth music should be familiar with this French coldwave/synth band, for their track "Anyway" is a genre staple. The track also appeared on last year's Cold Waves and Minimal Electronics compilation, and the remaining 7'' tracks can be found here or here.

However, here's the band's other two releases- the 1986 Purge An Urge LP and the vocal version of the Mr Schumaker 7'', released in 1984. You can expect the same strange, yet danceable edge on all of these tracks. Here's the rundown:



Oto- Mr Schumaker 7'' (1984)
1. Mr Schumaker (Version Originale)



Oto- Purge An Urge LP (1986)
1. Discowar
2. Tequila
3. Kong
4. Evil Dance
5. Takomo
6. Estupefaction

*download it here*

Various Artists- Systems of Romance vol. 3 & 4

I was going to wait until early next week to post these, but I'm terrible with keeping secrets, so here's an early holiday treat for you all. Linked below are TWO new Systems of Romance loose tracks compilations, lovingly assembled and pieced together from various sources, private collections, and generous donations!

Before we get to the tracklistings, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for a truly solid year here at Systems of Romance, probably the best we've had yet. I really appreciate all the support from artists, fellow bloggers, and readers alike. Here's to many more years and many more posts to come!

Warm fuzzies aside, let's get to the good stuff!



Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 3
1. Movements- Pascal Wathelet
2. The Aesthete- Biokonstruktor
3. Attack Decade- The Toy Shop
4. Erosion- Teepee
5. Demain Peut-Etre- Clair Instant
6. Man in the Railings- Plain Characters
7. Fate/Hate- Nyam Nyam
8. Mass Media- Monty Cantsin
9. Binary- Kazino
10. Ik En Mezelf- Fred A.
11. On- Zana
12. Fussball- Seltsame Zustände
13. Flickan I Mitt Badkar- Finish Him
14. Marche Nuptiale- Anches Doo Too Cool
15. New Harbours- Movement
16. Can't Stop- Avantgarde De Luxe
17. Huge Box- The Bien
18. Paula- Nasa
19. Beautiful Lady- Hidden Pleasure

*download it here*



Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 4
1. The Invitation- Portrait Bizarre
2. Robot Dynastie- Terminus B
3. Let's Call-Up- Forum
4. Marilyn En Jean- Tonic
5. Camera Room- Breathing Age
6. Sons of the Snake- Alan Shearer
7. Last Train- Goûts De Luxe
8. Let Me Out of Here- Fizik
9. Certain Words- Clair Instant
10. You Hurt Me (Original Version)- Shark Vegas
11. Changing- Siam
12. Never Seen- Second Thoughts
13. Soba 23- Denis & Denis
14. Chant D'Yxos- Pascal Wathelet
15. XYZ- Pat Sheedy
16. Some Other Day- Insanity
17. In Loving Memory- Steve Ainsworth
18. The Letter- D'Arc

*download it here*

In case you missed them, you can get vol. 1 here and vol. 2 here! Have a great holiday, everyone!

Various Artists- Unreleased Vol. II

Last, but not least, here's a higher bitrate copy of the Unreleased Vol. II compilation, featuring a slew of classic coldwave cuts, at the time very scarce. You have some excellent work by many of the bands featured here in the past, including Mary Goes Round, Neutral Project, Little Nemo, and Asylum Party. The Wallenberg track is also a favorite.

This Unreleased series contained three volumes, the first of which I haven't heard, and the third which took a more classical/instrumental approach.



Various Artists- Unreleased Volume II
1. Little Nemo- My Eternal Friend (1st Way)
2. Mary Goes Round - The Nightmare
3. Via Valvag - Au Rythme Des Jours
4. The Wait - Moving In
5. Kindergarten - Machines'Co
6. Asylum Party - The Desert
7. Wallenberg - Someone's Changing (Helen Part 1)
8. Neutral Project - Enigmatic Dream
9. Close Cover - The Bomb
10. Les Tétines Noires - Marônium

*download it here*

Paranoja- Proibito 7''

Unfortunately, our Halloween eve's plans have been dashed by a case of the plague, so instead, I've been spending the day uploading a slew of rare releases to include over the next few days. For those reading along on this otherwise glorious Sunday, expect a few treats coming your way.

First up, we have a rare (and rather expensive) Italian 7'' from Paranoja, released in 1986. Some nice mid-tempo post-punk grooves contained within. Pleasant and bouncy, with gloomy vocals and atmospheric synths to keep the track grounded. Definitely a treat for those obsessed with the Italian tradition!



Paranoja- Proibito 7''
1. Proibito
2. Remuse

*download it here*

Cathedral of Tears- Cathedral of Tears 12''

Moving right along, here we have a 12'' by Cathedral of Tears, a US-based darkwave band with a danceable edge. This is the band's only record, released in 1984 on Enigma Records, which was generally known for dark, sleazy punk (The Cramps, Dead Milkmen, TSOL etc.).

Though the record does flirt around with a more new wave sound, the project was primarily an outlet for Jack Grisham, of TSOL, which explains the 'odd man out' style of this record. Either way, expect some good darkwave grooves here.

Also, I believe there were several muscians involved with the project, including Mike Patton (Adolescents/Middle Class) on bass. I've stumbled upon some choice words about this 12'' from Jack himself:

"This is one of those mistakes you make that you can't take back. My dad died, I was going through a lot of shit...I stole the tapes. We had a record...we wrote a bunch of new songs, went in the studio & I stole the tapes. Our record company had said, 'There's no song here that will get radio play,' & I was like 'Bullshit, there is.' So I stole the tapes from the record company, took it to the radio station, & they were playing our song (Black Emotion) while I was driving away. (laughs) & it turned out to be the number four requested song on the station that year. With no record out. & then Enigma finally put it out. They finally put it out, but it was too late. I had already done the damage by the time it came out."

Neat, though I must disagree that this record is a mistake! Don't take my word for it, though- here's the info for 12''.



Cathedral of Tears- Cathedral of Tears 12''
1. Trap
2. A Situation Of...
3. Calm Storm
4. Black Emotion
5. Ballet
6. Whisper From The Deadland

*download it here*

Various Artists- Systems of Romance vol. 2

Ok, I lied- had a little extra time today to put the finishing touches on the second Systems of Romance compilation, so here it is as promised! Same as the first, this collection features several loose tracks I've had kicking around and have been enjoying for some time. These tracks generally comprise DJ sets of mine around here in NYC, but are also perfect for everyday enjoyment.

Since the first volume seems to be so popular (thanks for the kind words and comments, guys!), I may have enough tracks to make a third installment, so stay tuned for that in the near future. Without any further ado, here's the breakdown for this compilation:



VA- Systems of Romance Vol. 2
1. At Night- Jus Dorange
2. We Make Love- Puppets of Mankind
3. Een Ding- Toni Valen
4. Man Must Klavier Spiele Konnen- Menrwert
5. Bozsky Klid- OK Band
6. Kianzu- Boda De Rubias
7. Exposure of My Senses- Gravity Pirates
8. No Surprise- VHF
9. Hold On You- Bert Barten
10. Heaven Is In You- Jamie Wild
11. Tree Soldiers- Twelfth Night
12. Hemispheres Divide- Tek Noir
13. Siguelo- Tiempo 555
14. Galaxy- Antimation
15. Ice- Seeing Red*
16. Harmony- Calvin Twilight
17. Teenage Iceage- Suzy Andrews**
18. Entrer Dans L'Amour- The Graphic
19. Do You Read Me- Alastair Riddell
20. Outcast- The Factory***

*download it here!*

*This track, and it's moodier b-side, will soon appear on iTunes. Keep your eyes peeled for a proper digital file!
**The background melody should sound familiar.
***You can get this band's 12'' and 7'' over at Pheonix Hairpins. Different rip here!

Movement- Perfect Day 7''

I know I promised the Systems of Romance vol. 2 compilation, and that will definitely be coming later in the week, possibly as soon as tomorrow, so stay tuned for that! For now, I'd like to kick off my favorite month with a 7'' I've been meaning to post for some time. Contained within we have the debut single by French coldwave act Movement, released in 1983.

Generally a three piece band (with rotating members until their split in 1987), Movement released two full length LPs, a cassette, and two 7'' records before their demise. You can get their first untitled record on Contorsion (Baroque Bordello, Bonaparte's, Opera Multi Steel) over at Dreams and Voices. You can expect more of the same synth-driven guitar wave tracks as the full length, a familiar treat for fans of that Coldwave sound! Here's the info:



Movement- Perfect Day 7''
1. Perfect Day
2. Disfiguration

*download it here!*

Various Artists- Systems of Romance Vol. 1

I've just finished whipping up few discs of obscure rarities for my DJ books, and partially inspired by Crispy Nuggets and his unstoppable series of loose tracks, I've decided to share these two with you. I'll post one of these now and follow with the second sometime next week.

Here's the tracklisting for this particular batch:



VA- Systems of Romance Vol. 1
1. Dream- Bino
2. You're Always Guilty- Vellum Stairs
3. Ein Traum- Dammerattacke
4. Seg Og Hor Jenten Fra- Knut Skodvin
5. Paradox- Thierry Meyer
6. First Impressions- VHF
7. Tanz Ins Gluck- Die Neue Weltmacht
8. Bronson- Eirin Peryglus
9. All That Place- Excentrique Noiz
10. Secret Affair- Industrie
11. The Cops Are Coming- Karnage
12. Interferon- Phillipe Laurent
13. Mole At The Circus- Slim Bridge & the Wildflowers
14. The Time of Your Life- This Perfect Day
15. Trading in Guilt- Vital Signs
16. Ond Mae’r Dawns Yn Mynd Ymlaen- Y Gwas Gwyr
17. Tell Me When Your Heart Beats- New Scientists

*download it here!*



Quick disclaimer: These are all exclusive/donated rips in piecemeal form, though on second glance, there's a little touch of overlap here. The entire Vital Signs and New Scientists records have been uploaded by none other than Crispy himself (different rips), while you can find out more about Eirin Peryglus by clicking here, and here respectively. Otherwise, hope there's enough new faces to keep you kids occupied. Stay tuned for Vol. 2 to follow next week!

Vibø- One To Many 12''

Here's something I've seen kicking around a few wantlists, and rightfully so. Killer minimal synth meets dark post-punk guitarwave tracks here from this Belgian band. This is their only release, though I'm sure most have heard of this band via the Tribute to Some Bizarre series. They remind me quite a bit of bands like Siglo XX and the previously uploaded Bildenzone LP.

Not much more to be said about this one, so if anyone else has any information to share, please do! P.S.- the grammatical error in the title seems to be intentional.



Vibø- One To Many 12''
1. Clinical Death
2. The Game
3. Clinical Death (Proloog)
4. Machine
5. World Is Ours
6. Grandma

*download it here*

Troubled Gardens- Eden Revisited 12''

Just found a sealed (!) copy of this killer 12'' for super cheap, so figured I'd share it for you all. I can't seem to find a ton of information about Troubled Gardens, but expect some bass-heavy and driving post-punk/coldwave sort of vibe here, hailing from the United States. Three of the songs here are vocal ragers, while the other three are more dub-inspired jams.

This 12'' was released in 1985 by Fountain of Youth records, home to bands like The Crippled Pilgrims, Government Issue, and The Velvet Monkeys. This is one of their final releases. Here's the information:



Troubled Gardens- Eden Revisited 12''
1. Voice Carryovers
2. Incredible Changing Dub
3. Silent City
4. Domination Dub
5. Hour Of The Sun
6. Spy Dub

*download it here*

REUPLOADED- track 1 should no longer be corrupt!

Bildenzone- Autodafé LP

Taking a drastic turn for the second post today, with a little French post-punk LP from 1988. Expect some dark, thrashy tracks on this LP, mixed with the occasional dance groove for good measure. Lots of doom and gloom and guitar driven greatness to be found, so fans of Ziyo, Siekiera, and the darker side of La Vague Froide (coldwave) should feel right at home with this one.

Otherwise, there's not a lot of info about this record floating around, as it's the band's only LP. If anyone can shed some more light on the band, feel free. With that in mind, have at it!



Bildenzone- Autodafé LP
1. A Pig
2. Livre De Poèsie
3. Île De Pâques
4. Autodafé
5. Rhinocéros
6. Nineties Fright

*download it here*

Oberkampf- Linda 7''

Just played this track at Wierd last night and got a few responses, so tossing it up as a favor to those interested attendees. Classic French coldwave contained within, released in 1983. It's one of the band's earliest releases, preceding a handful of LPs before their inevitable split in 1985.

According to a few sources, the band was generally known for their anti-nationalist politics, oftentimes burning the French flag during live performances. As of 2000, the band has reformed, and released an LP in 2003. I believe they're still together to date, but not sure, as their official website (http://www.oberkampf.net/) won't load for me... With that in mind, here's the information for this killer 7''.



Oberkampf- Linda 7''
1. Linda
2. Irréelle

*download it here*

Modern Dance- ...It's Just All To Dance To 12''

Here's one of my favorite guitar-based 12 inches. You may have seen this one posted over at the always amazing bx59cppw blog, but here's a clearer rip for any interested parties.

I believe these folks were German, and released their lone 12'' on a local subsidary of Rough Trade, which should certainly be testament to its quality. Some great angsty guitar/post-punk tracks here, catchy as well. The record dropped in 1985. Here's the details:



Modern Dance- ...It's Just All To Dance To 12''
1. A Day's Wait
2. For U.
3. Between The Moments
4. Near To You
5. This Is Me
6. The Victim

*download it here*

Soviet Sex- End of INRI LP

Last week, I left you kids with a trio of synth-based dance records. Now, to switch over to the guitar driven side of things for a few posts. Up on the slab for today we have the 1984 debut of Soviet Sex, a post-punk band based in Switzerland. There are also two other bands with this name- a band from the US and a band from the Netherlands (featured here), but according to a few pieces of info kicking around and the band members listed on the sleeve of this record (Beat Rohrer, Vico, Alwin Luschin, and Jost Baggenstos), I believe this is a completely separate entry.

According to the Swiss Punk Archive, the band's roots lie in a band called Crazy, a more punk-driven outfit. Naturally, the sounds here are still fast and energetic, but there's a bit more gloom and tension in these songs. Definitely recommended for fans of Ziyo and Siekiera. Here's the info:



Soviet Sex- End of INRI LP
1. Sünde
2. Walpurgis Night
3. Immer Noch Das Leben
4. Trauer
5. Bare Bodies
6. Zwischen Wann Und Wirklichkeit
7. Rettet Uns!
8. Weisser Tod
9. Geschirr Zerbricht

*download it here*

The band would follow this LP up with the Blind Dogs 12'' in 1985, just before disappearing. Would love to hear that one, if anyone has a copy kicking around!

Abecedarians- Smiling Monarchs 12''

Apologies for the overwhelming amount of posts today- feeling a bit productive, I suppose. Here's the 1985 debut 12'' by Los Angeles' Abecedarians, one of the only American releases on Factory. Of course, the band would sign to Caroline to release the bulk of their material, most of which they were unhappy with. You can nab the band's posthumous early recordings collection here on these back pages, where you can read a bit more about the band as well. Without any further ado, here's the info for this 12'':



Abecedarians- Smiling Monarchs 12''
1. Smiling Monarchs
2. Benway's Carnival

*download it here*

Heavenly Bodies- Rains On Me 12''

Just picked up a couple of copies of this killer dance/synth classic. Big beats, ethereal vocals, and a swirling chorus comprise this track, which appears in both remixed and edited form alongside an exclusive instrumental b-side.

Members of Heavenly Bodies were involved in several more established acts throughout the 1980s, including Dead Can Dance, Jesus and Mary Chain, and SPK. Cocteau Twins comparisons are also valid, considering Robin Guthrie recorded both versions of the title track. This 12'' appeared on C'Est La Mort in 1988, just after the band issued a full length debut. You can nab the full length record here at Totally Wired. Otherwise, here's the info for this 12''.



Heavenly Bodies- Rains On Me 12''
1. Rains On Me (Extended Mix)
2. Rains On Me (Short Mix)
3. Pure & Simple

*download it here*

Voices- Memories' Fade 12''

Here's a 4 track EP from Italian post-punk band Voices, released in 1985. As far as I can tell, this is their only release, but bands such as Neon, Pankow, and DIaframma also appeared on Contempo Records. Contempo also served as distribution for 4AD bands such as Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance.

As for this EP, the first track is as dark as they come, while the others range from driving post-punk to sombre piano dirges. Definitely for fans of the dark Italian sound. Here's the information:



Voices- Memories' Fade 12''
1. Marble
2. Eucharistic Death
3. L'Idee Du Bien
4. Hands On My Soul

*download it here*

Mary Goes Round- Sunset LP/CD

A few years ago, I featured French psychedelic-tinged coldwave band Mary Goes Round's second LP, the killer 70 Suns In the Sky. A few folks asked for their debut LP, but it must have slipped my mind for all these years, so this post will hopefully rectify this obvious oversight. As an added bonus, I've included the CD issue of Sunset, complete with five bonus tracks that follow the original 12'' LP.

Interested parties can read up a bit more about the band here, if you missed the original post. Otherwise, here's the info for this otherwise essential debut from one of the coldwave movement's best bands:



Mary Goes Round- Sunset LP/CD
1. Mary Sleeps Alone
2. Dark Times
3. The Night
4. The Promised Land
5. The Great Desire
6. Sunset
7. Teardrops Again
8. The Nightmare
9. Mary In The Sky
10. On The Sea
11. The Shelter
12. Another Sunset

*download it here*

EDIT- First track of original zip was corruped. This has been remedied!

Buzz- Kennedy / Marinetti / Sexe 12''

Here's a triple threat of 12'' recordings by Buzz, an underrated, synth driven act from the heart of France. The band released their first cassette in 1985, soon signing with Danceteria records (A Wedding Anniversary/In the Nursery, etc.) The band released four 12'' records over the course of the 1980s, splitting soon after. However, the band has since reactivated, re-releasing several older cuts and issuing new material during the latter half of this past decade.

I've included three of the band's 12'' records on Danceteria, leaving behind the 25th anniversary edition of "Kennedy," the band's best known track. For those who want a more complete snapshot of Buzz's '80s material, be sure to pick up their extremely limited CD compilation, entitled Buzz 1984 - 89. Not only does the compilation include superior quality versions of these recordings, it also tacks a few killer live tracks at the end. You can nab a copy here and listen the band's new sounds via their myspace page. Without any further ado, here's the details for these releases:



Buzz- Kennedy 12'' (1986)
1. Kennedy
2. Picaso



Buzz- Marinetti 12'' (1987)
1. Marinetti
2. Lo Sai
3. Marinetti (Extended Mix)

*My rip of this 12'' has the more sparse intro to "Lo Sai" separated from the main track, most likely done for DJ purposes.



Buzz- Sexe 12''
1. Sexe
2. Berlin
3. 12 Inch Allah
4. Sexe (Fire Mix)

*download all four releases here*

Echo Prism- Jade Flower 7''

Here's a one off coldwave single dating back to 1985. Little is known about Echo Prism, but judging from the artwork, it's safe to assume the band was a three piece, and self-released this without help from a label. You can expect some child-like synths, minimal drum machines, and some driving post-punk guitars from both sides of this 7''. Simple and primitive, but always effective. Enjoy!



Echo Prism- Jade Flower 7''
1. Jade Flower
2. Mere Albion

*download it here*