Minimal Wave Tapes, The Volume Two [coll] – [Minimal Wave]

incognito   2/26/2013   12-inch, A Library

The second volume of the Minimal Wave Tapes, compiled by Veronica Vasicka and Peanut Butter Wolf, released through the Stones Throw label. This is a fantastic collection of hard to find tracks from 1980s minimal electronic artists and producers, including In Trance 95, Hard Corps and others. Some of the tracks certainly sound dated, but so many have drawn from these sounds that they’re almost iconic. “What Happened to You” by Subject combines electric guitar power chords and drum machines that so many would later emulate and define the darkwave and minimal sounds of the 80s, while tracks from Hard Corps and Phillipe Laurent sounds like electro inspired cuts that could just as easily be in a goth danceclub, dropped between Bauhaus’ “Ziggy Stardust” and a Siouxsie song as on a soundtrack of an 80s scifi movie. There are some absolutely outstanding tracks here including Ohama’s anthem “The Drum” and In Aeternam Vale’s “Annie,” which is so beautifully proto-Ladytron that I had to listen to it six times in a row. Any one who appreciates the genealogy and history of electronica and dance music will love this album.