Review: Depeche Mode's Playing The Angel tour was a major milestone following their 2005 album release of the same name. It was produced by Ben Hillier and topped charts in 18 countries with the hit 'Precious'' the most standout. The nine-month tour across Europe and North America included festival headlining slots like Coachella and O2 Wireless but a real standout moment from it was their performance at KROQ-FM's Almost Acoustic Christmas concert, which was captured in full and now gets pressed up to this fine double album. This superb Christmas show is the sound of the band at their best during one of their many fine eras.
Review: Greatest Fits is a deep dive into the superb sounds of German avant-garde new wave pioneer Gina X on the cult Dark Entries label. This double LP compilation spans the whole of the bold, boundary-blurring career of Gina X Performance, which came together first in 1978 when singer Gina Kikoine and producer Zeus B set out to create "the absolute union of music, poetry and travesty". With selections take from four of thieves albums, you'll find their signature blend of icy electro, camp theatrics and subversive pop throughout, and it all ranges from the pulsing 'Nice Mover' to the decadent 'No G.D.M.' Greatest Fits is both a musical time capsule and a vital reminder of how far ahead Gina X always was while also serving as a celebration of queer culture and synth-driven hedonism.
Review: 2002's Hooverphonic Presents Jackie Cane always felt like the odd jewel in the Belgian outfit's catalogue i part concept album, part theatrical detour, wrapped in lush strings and Bond-theme bravado. The 2025 reissue brings it back into focus, and it's certainly worth revisiting. There's drama i torch songs, twisted pop, and trip-hop filtered through a cinematic lens i but also a tangible sense of melancholy beneath. Tracks like 'Sometimes' and 'Human Interest' still land with weight, while the nocturnal psychedelia of 'Jackie's Delirium' and 'Shampoo' adds hallucinogenic depth to the collection. It's all very stylised, but that's part of the charm. You can hear the ambition, the restlessness. Not quite cool, not quite kitsch, but somehow it works.
Review: The latest release from Berlin-based producer Julian Reifegerste builds on the success of his previous work, channelling a vivid spectrum of 80s electronic styles into a sleek, club-ready format. Drawing from EBM, Italo, acid, electro and dark wave, the 12-track double vinyl is packed with machine funk and neon moodsibright synth lines and rubbery basslines offset by tougher, industrial textures. 'City Sights' and 'Chasing Shadows' lean into cinematic propulsion, while 'Black Gold' and 'I Am A Creator' carry heavier, dystopian overtones. Much of the material was produced on vintage hardware, lending the record an authentic retro-futurist edge. This is bold, immersive dance music with a conceptual streak, and a clear progression in sound from the artist's earlier output.
Review: Electronic soul innovator Liv.e followed up her acclaimed Girl In The Half Pearl with PAST FUTUR.e last year, and it's now dropping on vinyl. The surprise seven-track project was made in just 24 hours and announced via a post on X. It's a lo-fi synthwave collection that betrays her genre-defying instincts and trades neo-soul smoothness for raw, hallucinatory energy. She bellows like a dancehall toaster and delivers fragmented narration over fuzzy, pulsing synths that echo Gang Gang Dance's experimental spirit. Is it an EP, album, or mixtape? It doesn't matter-PAST FUTUR.e is an unfiltered transmission from one of r&b's most inventive voices, and it's wildly unpredictable.
What's That Got To Do (With Loving You) (Remixes) (4:16)
Time To Get Up (2:54)
TV In My Eye (3:50)
La Voix Humaine (2:45)
Is There Life After Breakfast? (3:40)
You Bet (1:57)
What's That Got To Do (With Loving You) (instrumental mixes) (4:02)
Time To Get Up (3:00)
TV In My Eye (3:50)
Home Alone (1:36)
Reckless Dialogue (2:21)
La Voix Humaine (2:41)
Is There Life After Breakfast? (3:41)
You Bet (1:56)
Forever (4:20)
If You Want It (0:59)
Review: Hyperspace Communications drop a fresh remix package of cult US new wave trio Los Microwaves' debut LP, What's That Got To Do (With Loving You). Remixed by Kit Watson from the original 24-track analogue tapes, the release features two discs. Disc One is a 45 RPM dancefloor-ready EP with six reimagined cuts from Life After Breakfast, including 'deadpan vocals and punchy cold wave grooves Time To Get Up' and 'TV in My Eye.' Disc Two runs at 33 RPM and adds four instrumental versions tailored for film/TV sync and live remixing. It's a great addition for collectors or an introduction for anyone new to these California synth and techno-punk disrupters.
College - "A Real Hero" (feat Electric Youth) (4:27)
Riziero Ortolani - "Oh My Love" (feat Katyna Ranieri) (2:49)
The Chromatics - "Tick Of The Clock" (4:45)
Cliff Martinez - "Rubber Head" (2:58)
Cliff Martinez - "I Drive" (2:00)
Cliff Martinez - "He Had A Good Time" (1:29)
Cliff Martinez - "They Broke His Pelvis" (1:52)
Cliff Martinez - "Kick Your Teeth" (2:30)
Cliff Martinez - "Where's The Deluxe Version?" (5:12)
Cliff Martinez - "See You In Four" (2:28)
Cliff Martinez - "After The Chase" (5:23)
Cliff Martinez - "Hammer" (4:37)
Cliff Martinez - "Wrong Floor" (1:26)
Cliff Martinez - "Skull Crushing" (6:02)
Cliff Martinez - "My Name On A Car" (2:14)
Cliff Martinez - "On The Beach" (6:42)
Cliff Martinez - "Bride Of Deluxe" (3:37)
Review: OK. Let's face some facts. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Drive is up there with one of the best scores ever put together. And that goes for the compositions of Cliff Martinez as much as the guest bands and artists drafted for the other songs. Where else are you going to hear Riziro Ortolani and Katy Ranieri's operatic overture, 'Oh My Love', and The Chromatics' low sung, mood-building electro tracker 'Tick of the Clock', side by side? The answer is, of course, nowhere. And that's just skimming the surface. Deeper inspection take us to some stunning pieces of ambient and drone. 'I Drive' is a remarkable example of gong bath on record, 'Skull Crushing' is overwhelmingly heavy thanks to its use of distant sound and up front quiet. It feels like you're in a pressurised chamber. We could go on, but that wouldn't save any room to mention the trophy piece - College and Electric Youth's spectacularly emotive synth stunner, 'A Real Hero'.
Review: To mark their tenth anniversary, Discom presents Return to the Future 1984-1994, a special edition long player celebrating the influential Belgrade synth-pop duo Max & Intro. The compilation features 12 remastered tracks sourced directly from the original master tapes and the collection highlights the group's distinctive blend of melodic synth lines and pop sensibilities that very much shaped the Yugoslav electronic scene. Rare extras include a 1985 interview, full lyrics sheet and previously unseen photographs by Goran Basari?, plus artwork from Max's Poster. This is a wonderful trip back to the future with cold, angular drum rhythms and deadpan vocals.
B-STOCK:Scratch on sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition
The Punishment of Luxury (3:27)
Isotype (6:08)
Robot Man (3:00)
What Have We Done (3:44)
Precision & Decay (1:54)
As We Open, So We Close (2:53)
Art Eats Art (3:22)
Kiss Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Bang (2:46)
One More Time (3:06)
La Mitrailleuse (2:04)
Ghost Star (6:06)
The View From Here (2:45)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Scratch on sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and their 2017 future classic The Punishment of Luxury, is an album that brilliantly merges biting social commentary with the band's signature synth-driven sound. Now available on blue vinyl, this release not only delivers sonically but also visually, with its vibrant cover art reflecting the album's thematic depth. From the opening title track, OMD sets the tone with an unapologetic critique of consumer culture, driven by Andy McCluskey's impassioned vocals and sharp lyrics. The band's ability to craft music that feels timeless yet relevant is on full display, blending modern production with the nostalgic essence of their '80s work. Tracks like 'What Have We Done' capture the disillusionment of the current era while offering a plea for a better future. Despite the absence of original drummer Malcolm Holmes, the album remains powerful, with Stuart Kershaw stepping in seamlessly and the deluxe edition's packaging, with its striking design and included lyrics booklet, further enhances the experience.
Review: Preston's Polypores looks asperse at the universe with Cosmically A Shambles. Known for his immersive modular synth compositions, Buckley now submits a bold step into rhythmically harder-driving territory, blending hypnotic polyrhythms and fuzz-dinked drum machines, all while retaining the hands-on, improvisational ethos that cornerstones his work; eschewing samples and presets in favour of tactile synth play. Preceded by his debut 7" lathe cut single 'Whorl', Cosmically A Shambles marks a thrilling evolution in the Polypores sound, still cosmic, but with a heavier pulse.
Review: We've all been party to solo material by seminal UK shoegaze sorts Ride's guitarist Andy Bell, but what about their bassist? Not so much. Well, that's about to change. Enter the brooding debut solo album from Ride's low-end maestro Steve Queralt. A largely instrumental affair, there's elements of shoegaze and darkly textured soundscapes. Plus there's guest appearances from more 90s legends: Emma Anderson (formerly of Lush and Sing-Sing) and Verity Susman (Electrlane, MEMORIALS) grace the album. Anderson sings on the pummeling lead single 'Lonely Town', which was launched with an aptly monochrome meditative montage of a music video. Given the power of this debut, we suspect this nine-song collection is the first of many solo albums to come, from a musician who has nothing to prove, but plenty to express.
Telephone Operator/I Just Wanna Touch/If You Ask Me (I Won't Say No)/(Millions Of People (No One Like You) (dub) (13:11)
Review: Given the sharp left-turn that Shelley took with his solo career after leaving The Buzzcocks, it's sort of irrelevant if you're a fan of his seminal punk band or not. This second solo album - now reissued - is an entirely different kettle of fish. Whilst the 80s is famed for a lot of innocuous releases, due to the industry flush with cash, this stellar electro pop album - originally released in 1983 - stands the test of time: it's more experimental and artful than the run-of-the-mill chart-botherers of the time. This is a record that conveys Shelley's ability to write timeless, direct, hard-hitting singles ('Telephone Operator') and veer into more sprawling and adventurous arrangements ('What Was Heaven?') with the fluency of a true auteur. Producer Martin Rushent is due his flowers here, too, as it was his and Shelley's evolved embrace of innovative studio techniques during these sessions that set the bar for The Human League and other classic acts around the scene at the time.
Witness The Change/I Don't Know What Love Is (dub) (8:22)
Review: A reissue of material that Pete Shelley originally released in 1981, not long after the Buzzcocks' first split. It may be his second solo album, but with his first album - Sky Yen - being an arty experimental record, it's this album that spawned his first ever solo single. Giving a glimpse into the ridiculous censorship at the time, the single, 'Homosapien', was banned by the BBC, who interpreted a line in the track to be a sexually explicit reference to gay sex. Sonically, the album marks a humungous shift from the punk sound that Shelley gatecrashed the mainstream with in the Buzzcocks in the mid-70s. This is a highly electro-pop record and had producer Martin Rushent, who was also working with The Human League on the epoch-defining Dare album at the time, help shape the forward-thinking sound it became.
Review: Silver Tears is the new project from Berlin-based artists Luca Venezia of Curses fame, and Damian Shilman of Skelesys. After debuting in 2023 with a standout track on Next Wave Acid Punx Deux, the duo returns with their self-titled full-length album and it features eight tracks of refined, beat-driven coldwave that are all layered to perfection. Deep bass, shimmering guitars, mechanical drums, and haunting baritone vocals. Blending dancefloor energy with introspective moods, it draws influence from 90s shoegaze and grunge. Their sound pays homage to the goth subculture while proving its continued relevance through a compelling mix of elegance, darkness and emotional intensity.
Review: Dystopia seems to reign supreme in electronic music today. Saatseinde, Dutch EBM-ers-cum-synth-punks, embrace the idea of hurtling into some form of end days with their mini-album, Artificial Intelligence. Bursting out of the hard drive and into your ears, darkness runs through the foundations of these eight tracks, as do the kind of rhythms that insist on movement. Touches of Italo remind us of just how much club potential is here, while the overall atmosphere seems to cry out in the night, yearning and calling for an escape from the heated and feverish sense of claustrophobia that seems to be almost-omnipresent here. It's powerful stuff to say the least, and makes no apologies about its core emotions - agony, ecstasy, passion, love, desperation and loneliness. As the lyrics to Suicide Tuesday repeat: "Oh let me out. Oh let me out".
Review: One of the most legendary female producers in history of electronic music brings out her sixth solo album - not to mention her numerous seminal recordings as part of Throbbing Gristle and Chis & Cosey - and the first in three years. 2t2 is an intimate yet electrifying statement, a dualistic journey through rhythmic propulsion and meditative introspection across nine tracks entirely composed, performed and produced solely by Cosey herself. With 2t2, she expolores personal loss and global upheavalm transforming them into a defiant sonic odyssey, weaving raw energy and introspective depth together. The beat-driven tracks pulse with kinetic urgency, echoing her industrial and electronic roots, while the ambient passages invite deep contemplation. Lead single 'Stound' exemplifies this balanceiCosey's overtone chanting evokes resilience and catharsis, grounding the record in both personal and universal strength. 'Threnody' pays tribute to Delia Derbyshire and Andy Christian, weaving echoes of past creative dialogues into Cosey's present explorations. Even in its darker moments, there's a lightness, a refusal to succumb to despair, in evidende and Cosey seemingly embraces sorrow as a path to joy, a reminder that resistance and resilience are acts of creation. With 2t2, Cosey Fanni Tutti once again defies convention, crafting an album that is personal and powerful.
Palais Des Bauzards - "It's Disgusting" (remix) (4:31)
A Thunder Orchestra - "Shall I Do It?" (4:04)
M Bryo - "Let's Go To War" (4:18)
The Arch - "Ice In Your Eyes" (3:13)
Genetic Factor - "The Lizard King, Empty Highway" (4:55)
Elektronische Maschine - "Tanz 86" (4:07)
No Honey From These - "Dreams" (4:29)
Paschen's Law - "Magniying Transmitter" (6:17)
BeNe GeSSeRiT - "Les Aliens" (6:05)
Review: Walhalla Records reissues Underground Wave Volume 4 from its exciting series that helps collect and release minimal synth gems from the 1980. Belgian acts dominate this expertly curated edition, including M Bryo, Schicksal, Ratbau and Bene Gesserit, each contributing tracks that pulse with analogue nostalgia and DIY grit. Schicksal opens the record with 'Power Hate Destruction', an exclusive track that sets a dark and brooding tone. M Bryo's entry is particularly arresting with Mark Burghgraeve's knack for eerie atmospheres. The Arch delivers 'Ice In Your Eyes',, a swirling track said to be their live concert closer in 1988, oozing with gothic tension. Side-B has 'Genetic Factor', a haunting 1982 cut by Richard Zeilstra that evokes early Klinik. Elektronische Maschine adds a refreshing 90s synth pop twist, while 'No Honey From These' stuns with a raw, Suicide-like energy. Paschen's Law channels YMO and Logic with intricate programming, before Bene Gesserit closes things with the mesmerising 'Les Aliens, a track that fuses eerie piano with an Attrition-style evolution. This compilation is a passionate preservation of underground history, led by Walhalla's curator Lieven De Ridder's deep archival instincts and unmatched dedication.
Review: Originally released in 1982, Upstairs At Eric's marked the arrival of a duo as timeless as they were era defining, capable of capturing the very essence of an emerging, tech-driven music scene while also writing tracks that still sound incredible today. Many of which have been repurposed, sampled and remixed to the ends of the Earth and we're still not bored. Produced by the two band members, Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke, alongside Daniel Miller, boss of Mute Records, the legendary British label that first carried this, we shouldn't need to namedrop tracks here - Upstairs At Eric's is, frankly, the landmark synth-pop record. Just in case, though, think 'Don't Go', 'Goodbye 70s', and 'Only You'. And that's before we get into the lesser radio-played gems.
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