Let's Try Being In Love (12 Inch extended mix) (10:12)
Let's Try Being In Love (Louis La Roche mix) (4:54)
Review: Savage Garden's Darren Hayes returned from the wilderness in 2022 after a hiatus of almost ten years. During that time, he tried his hand at stand up comedy, kept a social media presence in the form of shared videos featuring him bursting into song, and evidently spent a fair amount of time recharging. After all, you don't make albums with the energy of Homosexual, the comeback piece, if you're running on empty.
Let's Try Being In Love was the first single taken from that, and in many ways the whole package is more about message than music - a guy publicly celebrating his sexuality and marriage after spending a very long time not feeling ready to do so, during a period in which he was a bonafide global pop star. Here said track appears in both 12" extended form and a Louis La Roche mix, both of which are made for chugging dancefloors, filtered tracking synths firing on all cylinders and an overall sense of self.
Review: Italian producer Heinrich Dressel has made a name for himself in a very focused pursuit of 70s and 80s synth wave soundtracks. Relishing in the horror and keeping one hand on the schlocky funk, he's graced the likes of Cyberdance, Strange Life and Mannequin with his Giallo-rooted sound, and now he's returning to Slow Motion with an exquisite EP of brooding, creepy crawlies that kick down low and keep it chilly up top. Paying tribute to iconic synth chips on 'CEM 8220' and exploring sweeter tones on the cascading 'Arpeggio Jawa', this is Dressel at his best.
Review: Let's get a few things clear before we start. This Heinrich Dressel is not the same German archeologist Heinrich Dressel who studied under the great Theodor Mommsen in Berlin during the late-mid 1800s. He is, however, the Rome-born electronic producer who takes a massive lead from the funky, glittering, but subtly chilling horror movie scores of the 1970s and 1980s, crafting highly detailed but lo-fi feeling tracks that are packed with pastiche but never parody.
Promenade is his latest effort, and instantly captures (or creates) the atmosphere this producer is best-known for. At a time when this end of synth wave has experienced a huge resurgence thanks to successive movie soundtracks that took a lead from the aforementioned era, not to mention TV series like Stranger Things, this couldn't be more appropriate, and what makes it so essential is that authenticity in audible - feeling like it belongs, rather than simply riding a bandwagon.
Review: Bordello A Parigi is back with more of their sublime electro jams this time from Heinrich Dressel. The EP kicks off with 'Galatograd', a slow and steady jam with shimmering chords and lazy baselines. 'Eden Olympia' then picks up the pace a little with still skill drums and celestial keys that take you on a jaunt through the cosmos. 'Remoria' brings many layers of lush and futuristic synth work and timeless electro rhythms that are comforting and subtly celebratory and 'Mylos' shuts down this most lovely EP with another classy sound.
Review: Ruben Benabou marks out and identifies another sonic constellation; this is a rapid indie trance-dance four-tracker of galactic ambition and scale. Drawing inspiration from sci-fi soundtracks, and the warmer currents of electro, leaders 'Message To Nowhere' and 'Words In A Void' also recall the gladdened awe of space disco, with twinging leads skirting about the stereo like passing shooting stars. The Hacker's version of the title track plays back like an 8-bit minigame version of the main mission, with its pocket-generated drums, while 'A Thousand Nights' is a prime exercise in retro synthwave, and the perfect closer.
Review: Harlem, the Stockholm-based duo, return with an eight-track exploration of dark, pulsating electronics. Drawing on influences ranging from King Tubby's dub to Robert Hood's minimal techno, they craft a sound that defies easy categorisation. Echoing the no wave dissonance of early ESG and the industrial edge of Cabaret Voltaire, they fuse these disparate elements into a potent sonic cocktail. 'Shut Your Body' opens with a muscular intensity reminiscent of Nitzer Ebb, its driving rhythms and gritty textures setting the stage. 'Fantasy Scan' picks up the pace, a dancefloor-ready jam that recalls Underground Resistance's hypnotic grooves. 'Blow By Blow' channels a nihilistic energy, its sparse arrangement and spoken-word vocals evoking the cold wave sounds of Kas Product. The B-side continues the sonic exploration with 'Dummy Up', a track that evokes the frenetic energy of a cult gathering, its electro and body influences recalling the darker side of the 80s underground. 'Sleuth' takes a more introspective turn, its repetitive grind suggesting a relentless search for the unknown. 'Contact High' brings back the seductive energy, its dancefloor-ready rhythms and infectious melodies reminiscent of early Detroit techno. The album closes with 'Wiggle Walker', a melancholic track that suggests a journey into the unknown. Harlem's music is a thrilling ride through a landscape of sonic extremes, a sonic experience that is both exhilarating and unsettling. Visceral but thought-provoking, this is a potent blend of genres and influences that defies expectations.
Review: Here comes a special Japanese edition of Harvey Sutherland's superb Boy album. Since debuting in 2013, Mike Katz has released a lot of music under this alias, always flitting between interconnected styles (electronic disco, deep house, jazz-funk, nu-boogie, revivalist New Jersey garage and Italo-disco) without ever laying down an album of all-new music. Boy, then, is a significant milestone in the Melbourne producer's career and offers an exploration of what he calls "neurotic funk" - a boundary-blurring fusion of jammed-out analogue electronics and live instrumentation that draws on a multitude of musical styles without neatly sitting in any one pigeonhole.
Review: Haunted Plasma's debut album, I, is an entrancing trip through a psychedelic blend of Krautrock, techno, and electronica. Comprising members from Oranssi Pazuzu, K-X-P, and Aavikko, the album features guest vocalists and explores genre-defying soundscapes. Each of its five tracks offers unique moods from the moody electro-rock of 'Reverse Engineer' to the ethereal ambience of 'Echoes.' The album's dreamlike quality is both discomfiting and pleasantly hypnotic, drawing listeners into a surreal soundscape. Standout tracks like 'Machines Like Us' deliver spiraling synths, while 'Haunted Plasma' concludes the album with an epic, undulating instrumental journey. With its subtle evolution and immersive atmosphere, I leaves a lasting impression, promising a compelling future for this avant-garde trio. Looking for something unique and different? Look no further.
Review: It's been a busy time for Hawksmoor, with the critically acclaimed Telepathic Heights album arriving last year and a re-release of the stunning Saturnalia landing on Library of the Occult earlier in 2024. Now we have a brand new studio collection waiting to be explored, and it's every bit the record fans will have been hoping for given the track record here. Owing plenty to seminal German electronic acts such as Cluster, Neu!, Michael Rother, Can, and Hans-Joachim Roedelius, there's also plenty here rooted in more melodic synth schools of music alongside the ambient work of Brian Eno and more. The result is something that sounds at once modern and old, timeless yet out of time. A work of extraordinary talent and just a little bit of genius, we'd say it has been worth the wait but the remarkable thing here is just how prolific Hawksmoor seem to be.
Review: South London's potent indie auteur Heartworms unveils her highly anticipated debut album here on Speedy Wunderground. It has been produced by longtime collaborator Dan Carey and fuses the driving, motorik energy of Depeche Mode with PJ Harvey's sharp lyrical prowess, and is finished off with the offbeat rhythms of dance-punk favourites LCD Soundsystem. The result is a dark, intense sonic assault that is unmistakably Heartworms in the way it blends gothic post-punk with unashamed emotion and relentless momentum. It once again proves why Heartworms is one of the most exciting new voices in alternative music.
Review: A pivotal moment in the band's career. The album opens with 'Crushed by the Wheels of Industry,' a mix of industrial sounds and soulful vocals that sets the tone for the record's unique blend of artistry and social commentary. Tracks like 'Let Me Go' and 'Temptation' showcase the band's ability to craft catchy, poignant songs that transcend time, while 'Come Live with Me' stands out as a highlight, with memorable lyrics and infectious melodies. The album's closing track, 'The Best Kept Secret,' provides a fitting conclusion, echoing themes from earlier tracks and leaving a lasting impression. Overall, The Luxury Gap is a strong album for fans of 80s synth-pop. The reissue, with its half-speed mastering process, offers optimal fidelity and a chance to rediscover this classic album.
(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang (12" version)
I'm Your Money (12" version)
Play To Win (12" version)
Penthouse & Pavement (12" version)
Review: Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement deluxe double CD album commemorates the iconic debut of Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh after leaving Sheffield's Human League. Joined by Glenn Gregory, they formed Heaven 17, drawing their name from a list of bands favoured by the anti-hero of Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Their debut single, '(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang,' stirred controversy and earned a BBC Radio 1 ban in March 1981. Released in September 1981, the Penthouse and Pavement album quickly achieved gold status and featured hits like 'Play to Win,' 'Penthouse and Pavement', and 'The Height Of The Fighting.' Disc One contains the original album, while Disc Two offers six non-album A and B sides, five original demos, and four 12" versions. Packaged in a new 7" deluxe gatefold with an eight-page booklet, this set includes album lyrics and credits, making it a very eye appealing package.
Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry (CD1: the luxury gap)
Who'll Stop The Rain
Let Me Go
Key To The World
Temptation
Come Live With Me
Lady Ice & Mr Hex
We Live So Fast
The Best Kept Secret
Let Me Go (US 7" version - CD2: A- & B-sides)
Let’s All Make A Bomb (New version)
Song With No Name (New version)
Let Me Go (instrumental)
Temptation (demo)
Let Me Go (12" version)
Temptation (12" version)
Who'll Stop The Rain (12" version)
Come Live With Me (12" version)
We Live So Fast (12" version)
Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry (Parts I & II)
Let Me Go (Endless version)
Review: Although not as lauded as its predecessor, the brilliant Anti-Thatcher masterpiece Penthouse and Pavement, The Luxury Gap remains Heaven 17's most commercially successful album. As this expanded reissue proves, it is also the Sheffield trio's most impeccably constructed and produced work - a successful attempt to fuse their love of soul, synth-pop and Black American dance music culture. It boasts a string of fan favourites - 'Crushed By The Wheels of Industry', 'Temptation', the TB-303 sporting 'Let Me Go', with its' proto-acid squelches and the Moroder-esque 'We Live So Fast' - with this edition also sporting a second disc of extended versions, re-recordings and dancefloor-focused 12" interpretations.
Review: WRWTFWW Records is back with a third collaboration with Japanese electronic, ambient and synth-pop group Interior. This time they reissue a forgotten 1989 solo gem by band member Daisuke Hinata that very much deserves more spotlight. Tarzanland captures the essence of late-'80s California with sun-soaked kanky? ongaku, minimalistic proto-chillwave and breezy synth melodies all washing over you in delightful fashion. Its lush soundscapes evoke the likes of Steve Winwood and Steely Dan as it is infused with nostalgia and serene electronic sounds. They make for a blissful journey through simple pleasures, where ocean waves and warm breezes empty your mind of all but the nicest of thoughts.
B-STOCK: Slight tear and creasing to corner of outer sleeve, also the record has light surface marks/smudges, but otherwise in excellent working condition
Once Upon A Time (In Hell) (1:25)
The Age Of The Saucers (3:40)
Abomination From Planet X (4:56)
A Moment Of Bliss (1:36)
Saturday Night Screamer (4:00)
Fallen Heaven (4:20)
Silent Fortress (feat Volkor X) (4:58)
Fear In The Eye Of The Tyrant (4:14)
Skylords (4:08)
The Heist Of Area 51 (3:22)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight tear and creasing to corner of outer sleeve, also the record has light surface marks/smudges, but otherwise in excellent working condition***
Review: Day-Glo Chaos Gets Physical, the third album by Hologram Teen (Morgane Lhote), is a tight, kaleidoscopic blend of 80s synthpop and quirky electro. Lhote draws from her obsession with arcade games and cinematic synths, building a vivid world where bright electronic textures collide with playful rhythms. It's no surprise she cites influences like Jacno's analogue electro and John Carpenter's dystopian scores - you can hear their pulse throughout the record, most notably in tracks like 'Midnite Rogue', which nods to Lhote's love of retro gaming with a rhythm as driving as an Outrun arcade session. The album thrives on its sharp production and colorful arrangements, creating a sense of motion and energy that's both nostalgic and forward-thinking. The inclusion of everything from Sega Master System-inspired sounds to a custom synth designed in Ableton (cheekily named after prog-rock legend Rick Wakeman) showcases Lhote's playful approach to electronic music, while still maintaining a sense of sophistication. Tracks like 'Teen Beats Highway' and 'Valley Nights (Burnin')' tap into that irresistible groove, perfectly balancing punchy, rhythmic hooks with atmospheric melodies. This isn't just a retro throwback; Day-Glo Chaos updates and modernises the nostalgia, offering a nuanced reimagining of synth music's neon-glow past. It's meticulously layered yet fun, upbeat without being overbearing. Whether you're drawn in by the danceable beats or the sonic tributes to old-school gaming and 80s cinema, this album brims with personality and an unmistakable charm.
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