Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Despite the title sounding like an archive collection, 1994 is actually the debut album from OKRAA. It has an emphasis on live performance and makes for a gorgeously immersive and even evolving listen from the aways excellent A Strangely Isolated Place label. All four pieces are over with minutes but they are worthy of their playing time for the way so much unfolds in such engaging fashion. Synths are cold and innocent on 'Ola De Luz' while 'Heartless' is more textural, dark, heavy in its mood. The title track is another heavy and introspective one while 'Plasma' has a more optimistic feel that lifts the spirts.

Review: Minimal Wave return to the band that started their impressive endeavours with a fourth pressing of the Oppenheimer Analysis EP which is presented in loving memory of founding member Martin Lloyd who sadly passed away earlier this year. A welcome chance to bask in the duo's politically charged wave sounds for anyone that missed out on the previous three pressings here, with two absolute classics from the Oppenheimer Analysis cassette "New Mexico" present in the shape of "The Devil's Dancer" and Silent Servant favourite "Cold War". In addition there are two unreleased cuts culled from the archives of Andy Oppenheimer and Martin Lloyd that further demonstrate what an important band Oppenheimer Analysis were!

Review: Minimal Wave has put together a special 18th-anniversary reissue of its first release, namely Oppenheimer Analysis's self-titled EP. It now comes on limited and hand-numbered 180-gram vinyl with a poster and makes just as much of an indelible mark as it did almost two decades ago. It has been rather elusive since then and features the original remastered version of 'The Devil's Dancers', some tracks from the pair's 1982 cassette 'New Mexico' and two previously unreleased tracks that are all presented as a tribute to the late Martin Lloyd, one half of Oppenheimer Analysis, who passed away back in 2013.

Review: In March 2024, Oriental Magnetic Yellow, the legendary techno unit formed by Namco game music composers, celebrated their 30th anniversary by re-releasing six albums. As part of this celebration, their popular track 'RYZEEN' is now available for the first time on 7-inch doughnut vinyl. The release includes the original version and a special B-side recording used as BGM for 'Super Locomotive' on Sega's 2022 reissued Mega Drive Mini 2 console. With members Hiroto Sasaki, Nobuyoshi Sano, Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara, Oriental Magnetic Yellow pays homage to Yellow Magic Orchestra with a humorous twist. 'RYZEEN' evokes the fun, nostalgic, early video game music and a cover sound of YMO of course. this release is a delightful blend of retro charm and playful innovation, perfect for techno and game music fan alike.

Review: Breakcore don DJ Balli and tropical electro purveyor Sindaco team up on the aptly titled Mutant Goth Italo. True to its name, the Italian duo deliver a batch of oddball, high-energy Euro dance filtered through a nocturnal lens, with affecting vocals from Ossydiana. The twisted pop sensibilities of opener 'Pizzeria Brigada Rossa' set the tone i a feverish pace, shimmering synths, and a searing vocal top-line. The gorgeously sleazy 'Febbre' is a standout, driving yet restrained, while 'Ricatto' impresses with its sinister synths, crisp drums and undulating bass. Closer 'Fedeli Alle Linee' lets it all hang out, pairing singalong melodies with snappy rhythms and snarling bass arps.

Review: The Flemish Region of Belgium was not so famous for its punk, post punk and Coldwave music in the 1980s yet a trove of bands like AA, The Cultural Decay and Kebab came up in Flanders with self-released small runs of their own music. Another one of these undiscovered bands was O Veux. In the early 80s four unemployed guys from Hasselt, Belgium sought out raw, progressive music in order to escape the boredom of their daily lives. Heavily influenced by the local music scene (a breeding ground for left-of-center groups), the guys decided to form their own band. Features O Veux's complete studio recordings from 1982-1986 with additional unreleased tracks and is limited to an edition of 300 copies.

Review: "To follow this rainbow of silky sounds is to reach a point of no return," the release info for the latest from French electronic musician Offline reads. "[A place] where the last person on Earth you'll be able to communicate with will be a 1970s synthesiser." If that's not a statement of intent, we don't know what is. Arriving on the Delodio France label - an imprint you should get to know if you don't already - Timeless Echoes lives up to its name. Glistening and shimmering like a satellite reflecting the sun's rays back out to the eternal darkness of space, tracks veer between the authenticity of 'Idle Dreams' and 'Sunset Reset', two slow burning retro sci-fi steppers, to the closing breaks-y-tech-y hued '24/7', 'Ignite's electro stylings, and 'All Gone' with its beat-free electronic overture.

Review: "Hello. My name is Ohama, and I live on a potato farm in Western Canada" went the memorably deadpan opening to "The Drum", Ohama's contribution to Minimal Wave Tapes Vol 2 earlier this year, and it's also the opening track on this full length exploration of the Canadian producer's work from Minimal Wave. What's most striking about The Potato Farm Tapes however is the sense of paranoia and detachment that Ohama clearly felt recording these tracks from his studio basement beneath his parents' potato farm in Rainier, Alberta, during the latter stages of The Cold War. Intriguingly, Ohama's lyrics are heavily focused on technophobia and the subversive power of television and mass media which stands in stark contrast to the techno centric nature - with keyboards, drum machines, vocoders and analogue reel tape all utilised to create complex productions that blended found sounds with audio lifted from TV. Some of Ohama's earliest recordings from his first cassette only release Midnite News form the basis of The Potato Farm Tapes along with rare tracks that previously appeared on compilations. Furthermore, the label have printed a must read interview between Ohama and Brandon Hocura on the inner sleeve that offers some brilliant insight into this collection.

Review: This retrofuturistic masterpiece by Czech musicians Otakar Olsanik and Jan Martis is a stellar example of arpeggiated 80s drama music, a legitimate precursor to the kind of soundtrack rehashes you might hear on a TV show like Stranger Things today. Originally released in 1986, this sprawling work of musical variation is themed after the advent of nuclear power and its controversies from the late 1960s onwards. Packed with the kind of militant, arpeggiated confidence that someone at the helm of a nuclear plant might effulgently display, the album is an exercise in looping 'accidental cosmic disco' minimalism. The A-side is beatless, while the B indulges in proto-EBM drums and twinkling eighties funk.

Review: By the time they got to their fifth album, Liverpool synth pioneers OMD were deep into their glossy, technicolor phase and this reissue of Junk Culture brings all the sharp edges and weird charms back into focus. It's a record that manages to be sleek and experimental at once, balancing pop hooks with a slightly offbeat sense of rhythm and sound. 'Tesla Girls' is manic in the best way, bursting with punchy synth stabs and that hyperactive vocal delivery. 'Locomotion' smooths things out with a more laid-back groove, still very much dancefloor-ready but built on bounce rather than rush. Then there's 'Talking Loud and Clear,' which leans softer, airy and romantic without slipping into cliche. The deeper cuts keep things interesting with 'Love & Violence' and 'White Trash' which feel darker and more cryptic, like glimpses behind the polished exterior. Even when it flirts with radio-friendliness, the record never really plays it safe. This album links the early electronic experimentalism to the polished and slick synth pop that would take OMD to a household name with the following album. Sometimes an overlooked album in their catalog but always respected for the work within. It's a snapshot of a band pulling synthpop in new directions, not afraid to get playful or strange.

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


English Electric masterfully bridges OMD's storied past and a visionary future. This second album since their 2006 reformation features nods to Kraftwerk - acknowledged as their original inspiration, having played in their native Liverpool's Empire venue in 1975 - Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach and their own classic hits. Tracks like 'Metroland' pay homage to Kraftwerk's 'Europe Endless' while introducing post-industrial beats, reflecting the band's evolution. The album's thematic undertone, inspired by the defunct UK firm English Electric, underscores a nostalgic futurism. 'Kissing the Machine,' a rework with Kraftwerk's Karl Bartos, and 'Helen of Troy,' reminiscent of 'Joan of Arc,' highlight their timeless charm. Songs like 'Our System' blend aggressive EBM influences without merely replicating past sounds. The album's opening, 'Please Remain Seated,' poignantly announces, 'The future that you anticipated has been cancelled,' which has the band poking fun at critics putting their timeless sound in a 80s box. OMD's English Electric stands strong, with tracks like 'Atomic Ranch' and 'The Future Will Be Silent' showing their comfort in their unique retro-futuristic sound. Reissued on vinyl with stunning artwork, this album not only recalls their legacy but also cements their groove in modern times.

Review: English Electric masterfully bridges OMD's storied past and a visionary future. This second album since their 2006 reformation features nods to Kraftwerk - acknowledged as their original inspiration, having played in their native Liverpool's Empire venue in 1975 - Philip Glass's Einstein on the Beach and their own classic hits. Tracks like 'Metroland' pay homage to Kraftwerk's 'Europe Endless' while introducing post-industrial beats, reflecting the band's evolution. The album's thematic undertone, inspired by the defunct UK firm English Electric, underscores a nostalgic futurism. 'Kissing the Machine,' a rework with Kraftwerk's Karl Bartos, and 'Helen of Troy,' reminiscent of 'Joan of Arc,' highlight their timeless charm. Songs like 'Our System' blend aggressive EBM influences without merely replicating past sounds. The album's opening, 'Please Remain Seated,' poignantly announces, 'The future that you anticipated has been cancelled,' which has the band poking fun at critics putting their timeless sound in a 80s box. OMD's English Electric stands strong, with tracks like 'Atomic Ranch' and 'The Future Will Be Silent' showing their comfort in their unique retro-futuristic sound. Reissued on vinyl with stunning artwork, this album not only recalls their legacy but also cements their groove in modern times.

Review: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - or OMD - made a magnificent comeback with History of Modern back in 2010, an album released at the peak of a synthpop revival, and this reissue is timely in that it arrives on the crest of another wave of synth-heavy sounds in current music. Known for their lush, romantic 80s electronic music, the Liverpool outfit were at the forefront of the genre, gaining fame with hits in both the UK and the US, and this album is definitely reminiscent of other 80s releases like Junk Culture. Tracks such as 'New Babies; New Toys' and 'The Future, the Past, and Forever After' innovate and are dominated by big beats and catchy choruses. The album shines at OMD's strengths. The second part of the title track, in particular, recaptures their signature slow-dance grandeur. Overall, fans of the band at any point in their career should find something to enjoy here.

Review: 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: .Named after the iconic stairs in the Bauhaus building, Dessau, Germany, designed by Walter Gropius, OMD's 45th anniversary record is worthy of that name: an inimitable piece of design. Musically, Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys have given us many landmarks over their near-half century making tunes (not something you get to write every day) and this is certainly up there. It's also very OMD to opt for a completely fresh addition to the burgeoning catalogue, rather than a series of reissues, to mark the event. That said, Bauhaus is new by definition but perhaps not really design. One of the most immediately captivating things about the record is the fact so much of what's here feels like it's OMD through the ages. Film noir-ish 'Veruschka', politicised numbers like 'Kleptocracy' and dramatic high energy pop aplenty ('Don't Go'), these have always been totems of the duo, and all are back again.

Review: Daniel Lopatin is not a new name to clued-in electronic fans at all, the American MIDI magician has been operating under the alias Oneohtrix Point Never for almost a decade and a half at this point. From working the keys for The Weeknd, going back and forth with artistic adoration to Caroline Polachek and having the late Ryuichi Sakamoto's official stamp of approval, OPN is just as impressive in the shadows as he is in the light. Again is the follow-up record to fan favourite Magic and his main focus after serving as executive producer for The Weeknd's 80s synth-wave smash 'Dawn FM'. A pared-back rollout has given way to just one single, album closer 'A Barely Lit Path'. Pretty-as-can-be strings bend the knee to blasts of digitised noise, the two dancing back and forth with one another across the rollercoaster six-minute runtime. Grandiose operatics and revered choir vocals glide over a swelling string section, pinned together with a throbbing electronic rhythm patch before collapsing into emptiness. It is majestic, emotional and nothing less than to be expected from OPN.

Review: Given his recent stint producing The Weeknd, you might have been expecting a drastic turn towards the mainstream on this LP, but Again is as complex and challenging a listen as ever, spanning everything from Mingus-in-space double bass reflection to walls of blazing, My Bloody Valentine-style guitar textures. It's the kind of album that'll take a few listens to really get your head around, but it's more than worth it, a proper trip.

Review: Citirax's next outing takes the form of a debut album from Los Angeles-based duo OP-ART. This pair, like so much great music of recent times, is born out of the creative isolation of lockdown and features Andrew Clinco, who you may know for his work with Drab Majesty. The alias they have adopted is an acronym of "Oblique Pleasures Amidst Rough Times" which they say reflected the challenges of their formation. Musically the duo is inspired by the 1960s visual art movement so embraces layered, psychedelic soundscapes with a minimalist approach and takes cues from New Wave artists like John Foxx and early OMD. OP-ART in particular focuses on analogue synthesis and gear like the Arp Odyssey and Moog Rogue while exploring time, romance, and existential themes with real emotional depth.

Review: For fans of minimal wave and DIY electronic pop, Oppenheimer Analysis's self-released 1982 debut cassette, New Mexico - little more than an extended demo cassette - has become something of a collector's item. While it has been reissued digitally since, it never received a vinyl release. In tribute to Martin Lloyd (the other half of the duo, alongside Andy Oppenheimer), who passed away recently, Minimal Wave has decided to make New Mexico available on wax for the first time. While the sound quality is appropriately dusty (it was badly recorded in the first place, of course), the music remains magical - bubbling, evocative, left-of-centre leftfield pop created with home-made synthesizers, modular hardware and little else. It's no wonder many consider it a classic album (even if was never officially released first time round).

Review: Optimo's JD Twitch and Jonny Wilkes, undoubtedly the UK's most fearless and on-point 'anything goes' DJs, have spent a quarter of a decade building trust with their audience. You can never tell what they might play when you turn up at one of their events, but you know it will be inspired, high-quality, and most likely make you want to dance. With their two-part 25th anniversary compilation (this is part two), they've taken a similar approach, keeping the track-list under wraps until release day while promising a mix of oddball warm-up favourites and floor-focused tracks they love and have played at various points since the start of the century. Given their track record, we can expect forgotten gems, left-of-centre anti-anthems, and unusual party-starting delights.

Review: Unusually, Optimo's JD Twitch and Jonny Wilkes have taken the unusual step of not announcing the tracklist for their two-part 25th anniversary compilation ahead of release. Ordering, then, requires a leap of faith, but given the sheer breadth, diversity and quality of the music they've been playing over the last quarter of a decade, there's no doubt we're in safe hands. It's not a 'best of Optimo anthems' collection, or merely a bunch of peak-time favourites; instead, we're promised a mixture of unusual warm-up favourites and confirmed dancefloor workouts in a wide range of style that have long been favourites of the two Glasgow-based DJs - many of which will, inevitably, be slept-on, forgotten or under-appreciated gems.

Review: Named after dazzle camouflage, an approach to painting naval vessels in ways that would make it difficult for them to be targeted with the naked eye (used extensively in World War I, less so in World War II), OMD's fourth studio album also arrived on Telegraph, an imprint that never existed and was instead a fictitious platform backed by Virgin Records. There's no mistaking the fact this is Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, though, with the tracks here defining the band perfectly.
By that, we mean grand, epic overtures, a strange - at the time, groundbreaking - hybrid of electronic synth stuff with classical, Neo-operatics and rock & roll. It's evocative, immediately captivating and very difficult to make many assumptions about, with techniques such as sampling, looping and layering employed to incredible effect, without overshadowing the song craft itself. Which, it's safe to say, is approaching their artistic peak at this point.

Review: Since their reformation and commitment to put out new material in 2006, the fans of the band and critics alike, have been thrilled with the new output from the band. The Punishment Of Luxury is the third album of new material of the millennium. The album is full of catchy material, memorable moments and synth pop perfection like they are known for. Highlights include the singles 'Isotype', 'What Have We Done', 'One More Time' and the album title song. Originally released in 2017, this limited numbered 180 gram comes on blue vinyl complete with insert. The Punishment Of Luxury is a fantastic example of a 80s band sticking to what they do best and still bringing out worthwhile material. One of their best albums!

Review: Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing. We don't need to cite examples why. In contrast, retrospect is important and retro sounds are, today, often capable of making us think about how we saw the future in the past. In some cases, that means staring down the barrel of the big question: did we heed any warnings, or has all the artwork and movies and music that sought to raise flags over the disappearance of humanity and individuality at the hands of 'progress' been for nought? Summoning the spirit of Depeche Mode, Eurythmics and more, Orphia present a stunning synth album which is at once catchy and poppy, even dance floor ready, but saturated in a kind of melancholy and juxtaposition of electronic and human. Robotic rhythms topped with organic emotions, there's a feeling of spiralling headfirst into lightning paced chaos and disorientation as the collection plays out. And that's about as apt as things get right now.

Review: Dispatches From Solitude is their latest album from Ortrotasce on the mighty Dark Entries. For over a decade, the man behind this project, Nic Hamersly, has been making brooding yet propulsive darkwave anthems that draw on the similarities and differences between industrial and synth-pop, all while connecting past and present sounds. He recorded this album during the Covid and post-Covid era and it captures some of the prevailing moods of those times across eight expertly crafted synth-pop tracks that delve into grief, romance, and the weird and wonderful nature of our modern world.