Coldwave/Synth charts

Review: The US' Music On Vinyl always provides the quality reissues, and best of all, they do it quietly, leaving the diggers and owners of the original copies still relatively chuffed with their treasures. As such, it's the Yellow Magic Orchestra that receives the reissue treatment this time, a Japanese electro-pop outfit formed in 1979, and which includes the great Haruomi Hosono on bass - producer of the timeless and mind-bending "Hosono House". Solid State Survivor was the band's second album, and although it was released before the start of the '80s, it already contains remnants of electronic dance music as we know it today. The glassy opener is called "Technopolis", for example, and the majestic synth twists of "Rydeen" are a pleasure to our ears even today. There are slower, more magical moments such as "Castalia", but the winner for us is probably "Insomnia", a great piece of drunken drum machine drums and wonky melodies. An absolute must, even for the non-Japanese heads.

Review: Music On Vinyl are our new best friends. With a wide range of music being reissued as of late, Yello's 1987 One Second is just spoiling us. Never being fully acclaimed when it was originally released, this is one album which really spans the full circle in terms of artistic ideas sonic experimentations. While being tagged primarily as a pop work, it's really more of a lesson in synth manipulations and nutty beat-making. "The Rhythm Divine" has to be out top track but do check the whole thing, it's magnificent...

Review: New wave/synth pop artist Thomas Dolby is on extrovert mode here on his joyous, funky third studio album. Originally released in 1988, the album didn't fare particularly well commercially, at least compared to his 1982 hit 'She Blinded Me With Science', but the sheer inventiveness on display here makes it an underrated gem. The slap bass-laden single 'Hot Sauce' isn't shy in its use of light double entendre and when you think you have it pinned down musically, a Spaghetti Western interlude appears and there's a salsa outro. Elsewhere, on 'My Brain Is Like A Sieve' reggae and sophisti-pop collide to stunning effect and the tongue-in-cheek hit 'Airhead' shows off his David Bowie-esque pop baritone, whilst showering us in a stylistic stew.

Review: From the first notes of the Talking Heads-esque opening of the title track, which has none other than The Cure's Robert Smith as guest backing vocalist, this album by the great Scottish post-punk legends The Associates has you hooked. It's littered with standout moments, but the wiry bassline which underpins the offbeat guitar on 'Amused As Always' is high up there. It manages to pull off being belligerently repetitive by offsetting any sense of monotony with sheer style. Meanwhile, frontman Billy MacKenzie - who tragically died before his time in 1997 - has a voice to rival that of Robert Smith himself in terms of tone. The Associates may not be as readily cited in the typical indie record collection - but they're probably your favourite band's favourite band. regardless, this album is going to challenge why you've resisted so long in not putting it at the heart of your collection.

Review: Sevdaliza's debut EP The Suspended Kid was first released in 2015. She put it out on her own Twisted Elegance label and at the time said that "The title is how people responded to me in social situations. I realised that those things that deflect me from social situations - not getting along with your coach or your boss or whatever - it made me realise I had to choose a different path."It is a highly creative work of experimental electronic which has since seen her go on to your 35 countries. Now for the fist time ever the album is pressed up to 2000 individually numbered copies of clear vinyl.

Review: Hugely successful German disco duo Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen are Modern Talking, and they made lots of sentimental as well dance floor-ready disco sounds back in the 80s. Much of it is being reissued by the behemoth that is Music On Vinyl and next is a limited edition marble red and blue vinyl version of this three-track 12". There is a campness to this which fans of the likes of Erasure are sure to enjoy - 'Jet Airliner# (Fasten Seat Belt mix) has big 80s drum sounds and glistening synths while the vocals drown in reverb. The instrumental is a little more clean though the drums and arps still make for a big impact and the radio version is also included to close.

Review: First released by EMI and Capitol Records in 1984, critics were in two-minds at the time Thomas Dolby put out his second studio LP. Peaking at No.14 in the UK Albums Chart, and with first single 'Hyperactive!' hitting No.17 in the singles chart, his highest-ranking track, the public reception was certainly warmer. Many music writers were caught between an appreciation for the lyrical poetry and sense of rhythm, but put off by the fact "his passion for texture subsumes what small knack he has for cruder, more linear devices." Skip forward 40 years, to a time when electronic instruments - from synths to AI - have well and truly come to dominate popular music, and the idea that Dolby could ever be considered dull seems unthinkable. What's here is carnival-worthy synth pop the likes of which David Byrne would be proud of. Enough said.

Review: Modern Talking is the German pair consisting of Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen who were rather prolific back in the 80s and beyond. There has been a revived interest in their music of late and for that reason much of it is being reissued, including this new, limited edition and nice heavyweight 12" edition of 'Give Me Peace On Earth.' It's a three track disco odyssey that starts with the sentimental and syrupy sweet vocals of the title track, which is doused in loved up 80s chords. 'Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere' is just as devastatingly heart broken with its slow, crashing drums and yearning vocals then bonus cut 'Sweet Little Sheila' picks up the pace for a lively dance floor disco workout.

Review: Modern Talking was one of the most successful German disco-pop acts of all time. It's an alias for writers, composers, producers and vocalists Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen and they put out a busy run of music back in the 80s that is reconnecting today with modern audiences. As such much of it is being made available again thanks to the Music On Vinyl label, and on various different coloured slabs of wax, no less. 'Lonely Tears In Chinatown' has all the playful pomp and campness of a Eurovision song winner with its big synth stabs and cold drum machine grooves. 'Give Me Peace On Earth' is an over-the-top ballad that drowns you in more 80s nostalgia.

Review: 'Don't Worry' is a classic song by Modern Talking, the German duo of Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders which was released in 1987 as part of their fifth album, 'Romantic Warriors'. The song features the signature sound of the acclaimed duo, with catchy synth melodies, disco beats and harmonised vocals. The song is a classic example of the Euro disco genre that the West Berlin duo popularised in the 80s and has certainly stood the test of time.

Review: Marking the 25th anniversary of The Magnificent Tree, Belgian trio Hooverphonic release a special limited edition of their third album, available on translucent blue vinyl. This edition comes strictly limited to 1,000 numbered copies, each with a commemorative insert; its four core singles 'Mad About You', 'Vinegar & Salt', 'Out of Sight' and 'Jackie Cane' became career milestones for the ethereal band, clinging to the Flemish Ultratop 50 for 107 weeks as they continued to hone and plane their established blue noir, post-trip-hop sonic vernacular. Also marking their 30th anniversary as a band, The Magnificent Tree is probably the best touchstone to describe their coming of age, ripping up the the comparatively innocent sonic formula of Blue Wonder Power Milk.

Review: Vangelis best-of compilations have been a fixture of the popular music landscape since at least the late 80s, owing to the fact that this sagaciously bearded bard fulfils something of the visual archetype of the multi-talented film compositional genius. But you'll likely find that most of them exist on cassette, and'll be languishing sadly in bargain bins, given decades of wear. That all changes with Music On Vinyl's new reissue of the first ever vinyl comp to essentialise Vangelis' skyscraping career, 1993's Best Of: which reaches the highest firmament point of the late composer's repertoire. From compositional climaxes like 'Alpha' and 'To The Unknown Man' to prog-adjacent collabs such as 'Long Ago, So Clear' (featuring Jon Anderson from the band Yes), the album impresses all the best themes and motifs in the annals of latter-20th Century directorial greatness, including Blade Runner, Alexander, Chariots Of Fire, Antarctica, and The Bounty.

Review: Blaqk Audio aka AFI members Davey Havok and Jade Puget dropped their second album Bright Black Heaven back in 2012. It now gets reissued via Music On Vinyl and has been cut on 45rpm for extra low-end punchy and louder volume. It comes on individually hand-numbered clear vinyl and is housed in a gatefold sleeve so is a special collector's piece indeed. Upon release, the album topped the US charts in the Billboard Dance and Electronic categories and has a moody synth vibe, darl pop sounds and plenty of 80s flourishes all bottled up with some gothic overtones.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


From the first notes of the Talking Heads-esque opening of the title track, which has none other than The Cure's Robert Smith as guest backing vocalist, this album by the great Scottish post-punk legends The Associates has you hooked. It's littered with standout moments, but the wiry bassline which underpins the offbeat guitar on 'Amused As Always' is high up there. It manages to pull off being belligerently repetitive by offsetting any sense of monotony with sheer style. Meanwhile, frontman Billy MacKenzie - who tragically died before his time in 1997 - has a voice to rival that of Robert Smith himself in terms of tone. The Associates may not be as readily cited in the typical indie record collection - but they're probably your favourite band's favourite band. regardless, this album is going to challenge why you've resisted so long in not putting it at the heart of your collection.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


It might cost a bit more to manufacture but 180g vinyl is much more satisfying to hold. There's something in your brain that tells you weight correlates to quality and it's best to trust it. This decadent cut of silver vinyl is for the reissue of synth-pop legend Thomas Dolby's joyous masterpiece of a debut album (originally released in 1982). From the moment the first notes strike on the technopop opener 'Flying North', it's assured and makes you want to strap in for the long haul and when you do you're rewarded with eclectic leftfield hits, such as 'She Blinded Me With Science', which is so groovy and trippy it make you feel like you're strutting your stuff in the crowd on Top of the Pops in the 80s. It's an album that's up there with anything from the likes of Soft Cell, OMD or Gary Numan.