Squadra Blanco – Night of the Illuminati

Mysterious dark disco gem!!! Try to find this one on vinyl….for less than 84 euros. This strange record from The Hauge (Holland) surfaced around 2006 and has been building a bigger and bigger following since the recent craving for all things “-Wave“. Squadra Blanco is another moniker of Danny Wolfers who also produces music under the name Legowelt whose sound is described as a “hybrid form of slam jack electronix combined with deep chicago trax, obscure & romantic ghetto technofunk, EuroHorror Soundtracks, Italo disco and such”. From the opening track on this record…..you’re hooked.

Link: SQUADRA BLANCO – NIGHT OF THE ILLUMINATI

Tracklist
1. Night Of The Illuminati
2. Squadra Intrepido
3. The Dream That Doesnt Stop
4. Theme From The Forgotten Cable Car
5. The Night Must Fall
6. Berg Hotel
7. Purification The City Shall Burn Tonight
8. We Are The Illuminati

Milano New Wave 1980-83

Lesson to all you vinyl junkies: If you see a record you want at the record store….BUY IT!!!

Don’t ever think “Hmmm, I’ll just hide it and come back for it later”…because chances that shiny record will be a goner. I found I copy of this sweet Milano Wave compilation on vinyl (only 300 made on vinyl) at Amoeba the other day and I figured I’d hide that baby in the Classical section behind good ol’ Franz Liszt until I had more cash on me. Two Days later, Milano New Wave LP no more. Lesson Learned. All of the songs from the CD compilation didn’t even make it to the LP, but nevertheless the LP has a lot of the highlights. Anyhow this CD comp version has 20 tracks of early New Wave obscurities. It is a glimpse into the 80′s Milan’s new wave scene, yet all of the “-wave” type genres are actually in attendence here…Minimal-Dark-Cold-New Wave. And since we know you were infatuated with that Des Jeunes Gens Mödernes post we put up way back when…we know you’ll savor this gold.

Link: MILANO NEW WAVE 1980-83

Tracklist
1. Other Side – The Taste of the Fables
2. Other Side – Central
3. Other Side – Praise
4. Other Side – December, Fragment
5. Other Side – Contrition
6. State Of Art – Downtown
7. State Of Art – Dantzig Station
8. State Of Art – Venice
9. State Of Art – At Night
10. State Of Art – Show Me
11. La Maison – Igloo
12. La Maison – Critical Situation
13. La Maison – Mercedes
14. La Maison – Jet Two
15. La Maison – Narciso
16. Jeunesse D’Ivoire – A Gift of Tears
17. Jeunesse D’Ivoire – Silent Imagery
18. Jeunesse D’Ivoire – Scenery
19. Jeunesse D’Ivoire – Praise
20. Jeunesse D’Ivoire – Moon

The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol. 1

So this album has just made my Sunday, classic find. Come get your analog synth and old school drum machine fix. This is another collection that displays how minimal/dark wave music has contributed to modern Electronic music. Damn thing is irresistible. It’s set to release on Jan 26 via Stones Throw/Minimal Wave Tapes labels….get it while it’s hott

Link: The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol. 1 LINK WAS REMOVED

Here some more words by Stones Throw:
Minimal Wave: both a genre of underground DIY electronic music from North America and Europe in the late 1970s and 80s, and the name of the label devoted to unearthing these recordings. The Minimal Wave Tapes is the first official anthology (on CD, LP and digital) of Minimal Wave music from this label. Most of the songs were originally released on limited edition cassettes or vinyl by the artists themselves, and only a handful of people knew about them. They’ve been remastered from their analog source tapes and compiled here by Minimal Wave’s Veronica Vasicka and Stones Throw’s Peanut Butter Wolf.

Tracklist
1. “Way Out Of Living” Linear Movement
2. “Flying Turns” Crash Course In Science
3. “Radiance” Oppenheimer Analysis
4. “Who’s Really Listening” Mark Lane
5. “Tempusfugit” Tara Cross
6. “Blurred” Turquoise Days
7. “Mickey, Please…” Bene Gesserit
8. “Moscú Está Helado” Esplendor Geometrico
9. “Reassurance Ritual” Das Ding
10. “Just Because” Martin Dupont
11. “Game & Performance” Deux
12. “Things I Was Due To Forget” Somnambulist
13. “My Time” Ohama
14. “The Cabinet” Das Kabinette

Buy the LP HERE.

Peep the awkwardly funny video for the Ohama track below

And here’s a fan-made video for the Esplendor Geometrico track