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*

Quadrascope- Baby Won't Phone 7''

Last but not least, thanks to a generous donation, we have a killer synthpop/minimal 7'' from Quadrascope, an obscure French band. Not much to be said about this 1983 release, as there's not a lot of information available, so the music will have to speak for itself. While the a-side is a catchy wave number in its own right, the b-side is truly the gem here. Those handclaps slay me every time! I'll let you decide for yourselves:



Quadrascope- Baby Won't Phone 7''
1. Baby Won't Phone
2. Love Times Love

*download it here*

Fatidic Seconde- Le Drakkar (Sidonie) 7''

Been dying to hear this one for quite some time, so a million thanks to bx59cppw for finally tracking it down. Killer French new wave hear, one of the best singles of the era, hailing from 1985. Both tracks are unstoppable, though the b-side has a more romantic edge.

The band released three more singles before disbanding in 1988. You can get the equally captivating Métropolis 7'' over at Dreams and Voices. Without any further ado, here's the info for this one:



Fatidic Seconde- Le Drakkar (Sidonie) 7''
1. Le Drakkar (Sidonie)
2. Le Chemin D'Un Rêve

*download it here*

Still have tons of goodies coming up, so expect a flurry of posts over the next few days!

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*

Bérurier Noir- Concerto Pour Detraqués LP/CD

Here's something a little different for you folks today... Up on the slab is a classic record by French punk band Bérurier Noir, a dirty, politically charged cult band who formed in 1983. Though the band went through several lineup shifts throughout the 1980s, adding and detracting members, the rhythm section remained a cheap, driving drum machine, giving them a more thin and aggressive edge.

The band, who refused to make any sort of profit during their tenure, split in 1989, reforming in 2003 to release a DVD. Since then, the reactivated Bérurier Noir has played several shows in Europe, and released a brand new record in 2006.

This particular release is the band's second album, hailing from 1985. This version was released on CD just a year later, tacking on the Joyeux Merdier 12'' at the end, and kicking off with a previously re-recorded single version of early standout "Nada," the original which appears on their debut record, Macadam Massacre. It would be the fourth version the band had recorded. Here's the breakdown:



Bérurier Noir- Concerto Pour Detraqués LP/CD
1. Nada 84
2. Petit Agité
3. Vivre Libre Ou Mourir
4. Conte Cruel De La Jeunesse
5. Le Renard
6. Les Rebelles
7. Porcherie
8. Commando Pernod
9. Les Éléphants
10. Fils De...
11. Hélène Et Le Sang
12. Il Tua Son Petit Frère
13. La Mère Noël
14. J'Aime Pas La Soupe
15. Vive Le Feu
16. Salut À Toi

*download it here*

Track 1 from Nada 84 7'' (1984)
Tracks 2-12 from Concerto Pour Detraqués LP (1985)
Tracks 13-16 from Joyeux Merdier 12'' (1985)

Death in June/Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Östenbräun CD

This very rare disc was just lent to me by a generous fellow, so I'm inclined to upload it here for any curious parties. The disc in question is a collaborative effort between neofolk legends Death in June and the previously featured French one-man project Les Joyaux De Le Princesse.

This particular disc is a reissue of sorts, collecting some of the finer moments from the similarly titled cassette release from 1989, which featured several original Death in June numbers, remixed and processed by Les Joyaux De La Princesse. There are a few collaborative efforts on the 1995 reissue, aptly named, and the CD deletes the interviews with Death in June's Douglas P.

As with most Les Joyaux...recordings, all editions of this particular record are extremely limited and worth quite a pretty penny, so keep yr eyes peeled for one! Otherwise, where's the details:



Death in June/Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Östenbräun CD
1. Les Cavaliers Du Crépuscule
2. Heilige...
3. The Congress
4. SD XXI
5. Östenbräun (Collaboration I)
6. Nichts
7. Blood By Despair (Collaboration II)
8. Östenmarsch
9. A Röse For SD (After She's Dead)
10. Blood By Despair (Reprise)
11. Triumph Of The Will

*download it here*

Death in June/Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Östenbräun CD

This very rare disc was just lent to me by a generous fellow, so I'm inclined to upload it here for any curious parties. The disc in question is a collaborative effort between neofolk legends Death in June and the previously featured French one-man project Les Joyaux De Le Princesse.

This particular disc is a reissue of sorts, collecting some of the finer moments from the similarly titled cassette release from 1989, which featured several original Death in June numbers, remixed and processed by Les Joyaux De La Princesse. There are a few collaborative efforts on the 1995 reissue, aptly named, and the CD deletes the interviews with Death in June's Douglas P.

As with most Les Joyaux...recordings, all editions of this particular record are extremely limited and worth quite a pretty penny, so keep yr eyes peeled for one! Otherwise, where's the details:



Death in June/Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Östenbräun CD
1. Les Cavaliers Du Crépuscule
2. Heilige...
3. The Congress
4. SD XXI
5. Östenbräun (Collaboration I)
6. Nichts
7. Blood By Despair (Collaboration II)
8. Östenmarsch
9. A Röse For SD (After She's Dead)
10. Blood By Despair (Reprise)
11. Triumph Of The Will

*download it here*

Vox Dei- De Profundis LP

A request post for the day, ladies and gentlemen. This one's for Curious Guy over at Phoenix Hairpins, a fantastic post-punk blog that many readers should already be familiar with, but should scour if not.

Anyway, I've stumbled upon Vox Dei's De Profundis LP, the band's lone LP, released in 1982. A fantastic slab of gritty, French coldwave, a little more experimental than some of their counterparts. There's also an Argentinian band that shares the same name, mostly active in the 1970s, but this band is vastly different, though little information is available about this particular one. Given those circumstances, let's get down to the nitty gritty:



Vox Dei- De Profundis LP
1. Escadrille 43
2. Connu De Personne
3. Le Démon
4. Lord's Mélancolie
5. Vortex Androgyne
6. Requiem
7. Q.H.S.
8. Terroriste
9. Tokyo Boy

*download it here*

Fun Fact: "Terroriste" also appears on the fantastic BIPP: French Synth-Wave 1979/85 collection, which is worth finding for any fan of the genre.

Vox Dei- De Profundis LP

A request post for the day, ladies and gentlemen. This one's for Curious Guy over at Phoenix Hairpins, a fantastic post-punk blog that many readers should already be familiar with, but should scour if not.

Anyway, I've stumbled upon Vox Dei's De Profundis LP, the band's lone LP, released in 1982. A fantastic slab of gritty, French coldwave, a little more experimental than some of their counterparts. There's also an Argentinian band that shares the same name, mostly active in the 1970s, but this band is vastly different, though little information is available about this particular one. Given those circumstances, let's get down to the nitty gritty:



Vox Dei- De Profundis LP
1. Escadrille 43
2. Connu De Personne
3. Le Démon
4. Lord's Mélancolie
5. Vortex Androgyne
6. Requiem
7. Q.H.S.
8. Terroriste
9. Tokyo Boy

*download it here*

Fun Fact: "Terroriste" also appears on the fantastic BIPP: French Synth-Wave 1979/85 collection, which is worth finding for any fan of the genre.

Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Aux Petits Enfants De France cassette

Les Joyaux De La Princesse are a most recent obsession of mine, and I am pleased to offer up a record that's been buzzing in my ears for a week straight. In short, Les Joyaux De La Princesse is a one man project from the heart of France. Les Joyaux De La Princesse has dabbled in several styles over the course of countless collaborations, generally circling around the industrial/noise/dark ambient realm.

The project began as far back as 1986, but the first recorded work, the cassette uploaded below, appeared in 1989. Since then, Les Joyaux De La Princesse has released countless limited edition records, each acting as a brief audio document of French history dating back as far as the 1930s. Les Joyaux De La Princesse has also collaborated with several key players in the scene, including the likes of Death in June, Muslimgauze, and Blood Axis. As of 2008, the man behind Les Joyaux De La Princesse records additional material as La Voix Des Nôtres.

Records indicate that the debut uploaded below hails from an extremely limited cassette recording. A limited edition of 49, I reckon this 1989 record would fetch a pretty penny if uncovered in its original form. It was re-released on CD in 1993. Without any further ado, the detials:



Les Joyaux De La Princess- Aux Petits Enfants De France Cassette
1. Exode
2. Témoignage
3. Jours Sombre
4. Automne 1941
5. Le Tambours Des Orphelins
6. L'Hommage À L. Fouquet (Le Drapeu)
7. Le Petit Garçon
8. Dernier Editorial (Lesage)

*download it here*

For more information, including scattered discography, images, interviews, and other goodies, please direct your attention to the following sites:

Myspace
Chronoglide dot come

Les Joyaux De La Princesse- Aux Petits Enfants De France cassette

Les Joyaux De La Princesse are a most recent obsession of mine, and I am pleased to offer up a record that's been buzzing in my ears for a week straight. In short, Les Joyaux De La Princesse is a one man project from the heart of France. Les Joyaux De La Princesse has dabbled in several styles over the course of countless collaborations, generally circling around the industrial/noise/dark ambient realm.

The project began as far back as 1986, but the first recorded work, the cassette uploaded below, appeared in 1989. Since then, Les Joyaux De La Princesse has released countless limited edition records, each acting as a brief audio document of French history dating back as far as the 1930s. Les Joyaux De La Princesse has also collaborated with several key players in the scene, including the likes of Death in June, Muslimgauze, and Blood Axis. As of 2008, the man behind Les Joyaux De La Princesse records additional material as La Voix Des Nôtres.

Records indicate that the debut uploaded below hails from an extremely limited cassette recording. A limited edition of 49, I reckon this 1989 record would fetch a pretty penny if uncovered in its original form. It was re-released on CD in 1993. Without any further ado, the detials:



Les Joyaux De La Princess- Aux Petits Enfants De France Cassette
1. Exode
2. Témoignage
3. Jours Sombre
4. Automne 1941
5. Le Tambours Des Orphelins
6. L'Hommage À L. Fouquet (Le Drapeu)
7. Le Petit Garçon
8. Dernier Editorial (Lesage)

*download it here*

For more information, including scattered discography, images, interviews, and other goodies, please direct your attention to the following sites:

Myspace
Chronoglide dot come

Neutral Project- Comme Un Oiseau De Proie cassette

Sorry about the lack of reuploads folks, haven't had much time to attend to the back logs of the blog. Anyone looking for January-June/July, hang tight just a little longer.

In the meanwhile, I've uploaded a treat today, a coldwave record for the first actual cold wave in New York. Formed in France in the mid 1980s, Neutral Project released a handful of cassette and CD releases until the mid nineties. The band began as a two piece, and expanded to a three-piece outfit in 1991. Also around this time, members of Neutral Project banded together with members of the like-minded Endraum to form A Foamy Project In Neutral Days, who released a handful of songs in 1991.

Otherwise, Neutral Project released their final effort in 1994. Vocalist Yvon Million passed away in 2001. Soon after, members Kristian Dernoncourt and Dominique Oudiou formed No Tears, who are active to this day.

Below lies a link for Neutral Project's first first cassette release, Comme Un Oiseau De Proie..., which was produced in part by Olivier Champeau of Little Nemo. Here's the relevant info:

Neutral Project- Comme Un Oiseau De Proie... cassette
1. Soleil De Nuit (2ème Eclipse)
2. J'Appelle...
3. A Vision In Your Eyes
4. Enigmatic Dream
5. La Mer Des Sarcasmes
6. Reviens!
7. Future
8. Nuit D'Automne
9. Révolte De L'Amour
10. Et Le Rêve Devint Légende

*download it here*

Neutral Project- Comme Un Oiseau De Proie cassette

Sorry about the lack of reuploads folks, haven't had much time to attend to the back logs of the blog. Anyone looking for January-June/July, hang tight just a little longer.

In the meanwhile, I've uploaded a treat today, a coldwave record for the first actual cold wave in New York. Formed in France in the mid 1980s, Neutral Project released a handful of cassette and CD releases until the mid nineties. The band began as a two piece, and expanded to a three-piece outfit in 1991. Also around this time, members of Neutral Project banded together with members of the like-minded Endraum to form A Foamy Project In Neutral Days, who released a handful of songs in 1991.

Otherwise, Neutral Project released their final effort in 1994. Vocalist Yvon Million passed away in 2001. Soon after, members Kristian Dernoncourt and Dominique Oudiou formed No Tears, who are active to this day.

Below lies a link for Neutral Project's first first cassette release, Comme Un Oiseau De Proie..., which was produced in part by Olivier Champeau of Little Nemo. Here's the relevant info:

Neutral Project- Comme Un Oiseau De Proie... cassette
1. Soleil De Nuit (2ème Eclipse)
2. J'Appelle...
3. A Vision In Your Eyes
4. Enigmatic Dream
5. La Mer Des Sarcasmes
6. Reviens!
7. Future
8. Nuit D'Automne
9. Révolte De L'Amour
10. Et Le Rêve Devint Légende

*download it here*

Comix- Comix LP

First of two posts today, been meaning to upload this one for some time. Not much information to be found about French coldwave/synthpop act Comix, and this seems to be their one and only full release.

Records show Comix formed as a duo in 1979, consisting of members André Demay and Natan Hercberg. They released two singles and one full length record before their split, and have since been compiled on the stellar BIPPP: French Synth-Wave 1979/85 compilation.

Here's the info for the 1981 release:



Comix- Comix LP
1. Walkman Video
2. L'amour C'est Magique
3. Le Jeu de la Vérité
4. Touche Pas Mon Sexe
5. L'été de Mes 14 Ans
6. Top Model
7. Toi et le Petit Prince
8. L'amour C'est Gratuit
9. Pomme D'api

*download it here*

Résistance- 100 Lives LP

Fulfulling a request to finish out the week...Today's post features French coldwave greats Résistance and their second LP, 1989's 100 Lives. I'm unable to dig up further information about the band (let alone a proper picture), so should anyone have any to contribute, feel free to leave it in the comments box and I shall amend with due credit and thanks.

On that note, here's the information and link. Enjoy!:



Résistance- 100 Lives LP
1. Across The Ocean
2. By Your Side
3. The Upper Room
4. 100 Lives
5. Instant
6. The Missing
7. End Of The Day
8. Personal Treason
9. Stand Aside
10. D.Dancers
11. Downfall
12. Glimmer

*download it here*

Many thanks to Glenn of Blacklist for ripping this one straight from the source a ways back. However, a bit of research shows that a CD pressing of this record exists, with three extra tracks tacked on for good measure...If anyone has those for the uploading, feel free to chime in. Otherwise, despite the dearth of info, a video for 'Across the Ocean' is linked below...Oh youtube, how you surprise me from time to time:

Babel 17- Shades LP

Today's post features hard-edged French coldwave act Babel 17, who officially formed in 1989. Members of the band had been playing together under various names since 1983, scrapping, rewriting, and experimenting with songs and ideas before settling upon their official name and sound. The first incarnation's drummer would go on to join Little Nemo, who helped the newly formed Babel 17 land a record contract with the prestigious Lively Art label.

The band released two albums and a series of singles before splitting in 1993, just as their peers were folding and Lively Art closed its doors. The band was rumored to have a third album all ready for release before Lively Art folded. However, though the band has the tracklisting and a few songs up on their official page, I've been unable to track it down in any medium. Instead, I've uploaded the band's seminal sophomore record, 1991's Shades for your listening pleasure, complete with CD only bonus tracks. I believe this release was originally upgraded from an EP, though both shared the same name. The details:



Babel 17- Shades LP
1. Shades of a Dream
2. XVI - XVII - XVIII
3. La Curee
4. Bittersweetness
5. Nohm-Bo
6. Madness Strides Along
7. Lo-Hi
8. A Prayer
9. Bittermixness
10. In Distress

*download link removed----> album re-released on Infrastition in 2009! see below for links for purchase*

Here's a clip of the band performing a track from their previous record live in 1990:



Last but not least, here's some further information on Babel 17, including a link to purchase their first record, 1990's Celeano Fragments through Infrastition.com:

Babel 17 official page
Infrastition.com

Mary Goes Round- 70 Suns in the Sky LP

Fulfilling a request for today with the first full length from late 80s coldwave band Mary Goes Round, released in 1989 on Lively Art Records. Mary Goes Round existed under various monikers as far back as 1986, supporting Sonic Youth on select tour dates. The band, consisting primarily ofJérôme Avril and Cécile Balladino (with various other members coming and going throughout their career), released a handful of albums and a few singles before calling it quits in 1991. These days, Jérôme is involved with a new project, entitled Brachko.

Details:


Mary Goes Round- 70 Suns in the Sky
1. Mary's Garden
2. On my Way Back Home
3. Useless Day
4. Clouds and Clouds
5. Who Believes in Better Days ?
6. Eagle
7. Any Mary I See
8. The Nile Song (Pink Floyd cover)
9. Nightfall
10. Kiss me Love
11. Pink Shadow
12. She Said
13. Doubts

*download it here*

I've also stumbled upon the video for 'Mary's Garden,' a very colorful and psychedelic affair. Watch below!



Mary Goes Round dot com, for anyone interested in more images, a full discography, and selected tidbits of information...

7'' grab bag

A bit of an experiment to kick off the week, as I've uploaded four 7'' records in one zip file. A few of these artists have next to nothing in their discography, so don't necessarily justify they're own unique post or have much information available, but these are excellent releases all the same. A brief blurb about each:



Après Demain- Arpakuutio 7''
1. Arpakuutio
2. Dans La Nuit

French post-punk band, release from 1983. The band sounds like a female-fronted (Dirk Wears White Sox era) Adam & the Ants or a similar sounding Au Pairs, singing entirely in their native tongue. Funky, jerky, and abrasive.



Carol & Snowy Red- Breakdown 7''
1. Breakdown
2. So Low

Early Snowy Red release from 1981, collaborating with a mysterious singer named Carol. Smooth sounding minimal wave from Belgium. Though Snowy Red was a one-man project that split in 1989, it seems as if the band reunited in 2004 as a duo for a few select shows in their home country.



Das Kabinette- The Cabinet 7''
1. The Cabinet
2. Fudge It

Synthpop of the classic variety- a three piece band from the UK whose only release was this Cabinet of Dr. Caligari inspired 7'' in 1983, a classic slice of energetic wave music. The flip is a remix of the respective A-side.



Martin Dupont- Your Passion 7''
1. Your Passion
2. Lost And Late

First release by French electronic/coldwave act Martin Dupont, from 1982. The three piece band would release three full lengths and one rare cassette before disbanding towards the end of the eighties. The A-side is an atmospheric female/male fronted jam, whilst the flip is an energetic, bass driven electro-punk song, documenting the band's split personality.


*download all four releases here*

L'Enfance Éternelle- Le Jour Des Fous LP

Some more coldwave of the French variety for you folks today...The band is L'Enfance Éternelle, formed in 1983. The band rose to prominence in their home country, appearing on television and touring with similar bands Opera De Nuit and Babel 17, but hardly broke further than France, a plague that most of coldwave (and minimal) bands fell to. The band would release two short LPs during their tenure, and demoed material for their third record before splitting in 1990. Members formed their own bands, including the likes of Garlic Frog Diet, and Bob's Your Uncle.

I've uploaded their first record, 1986's Le Jour Des Fous, which was recorded live in concert, crowd noise and all.

Details:


L'Enfance Éternelle- Le Jour Des Fous LP
1. Violet Winter
2. Gaminas
3. The Smile Of An Clown
4. Behind The Beauty
5. Consumed Passion
6. Shine Of Passion

*download it here*

If anyone's French is in working order, here's links for both the band's homepage and myspace profile. Also, the band has released their entire discography on a two-disc collection on Infrastition records (notorious for their re-releases of classic coldwave records), so if you've got the money and means, pick it up!

homepage
myspace fan profile
Infrastition dot com