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Last Active 12-23-19 9:27 pm
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| Unknown Post-Punk #3
Betcha didn't see this one coming... or just forgot it was coming. Took longer than expected, but that's probably because I managed to irreversibly delete my Excel file containing all my thoughts and all the stuff to listen to. If you want to see my meltdown because of it, you can search somewhere in my lists, it might still be there. Anyway, here we have it, another dump of vaguely -ish and -esque, mostly not, more-or-less post-punk. Also, some other stuff in it (goth, deathrock, new wave, darkwave, coldwave, no wave, synth wave, minimal wave, revivalism, industrial post-punk, shoegaze-mixtures and all that comes with). Also, Tyler. so far did absolutely nothing to earn his right to wear a current post-punk maester's badge (other than beating me in that competition I am still salty about). Anyhow, here comes: | | 1 |  | Anonymes
?-3986
ESSENTIAL!
Somewhat a legend among French underground lovers. This is a two-track tape of riveting new wave/rock songs that just reek of the 80s. It just exists and it is a delight, even if a brief one. Origin is unknown, just a few copies, some vague untraceable info on the band members being 3 Frenchmen and an Englishman, as well as a handwritten note on each copy saying "CONTACT CHRIS 01 - 4506119".
both songs rock | | 2 |  | Temple Of Angels
Foiled
Atmospheric and wavy with great female vocals. Might be too mellow and pop-y for some.
Star-Shaped Eyes, Before I Want More | | 3 |  | Ya Ya Choral
Two Lines / White City
Two brief tracks from the 80s by a band, whose full length work is rather difficult to track down, so I had to settle for these two quick exercises in simplicity. Eh.
White City (Dystopia) | | 4 |  | The Mortal
I Am Mortal
ESSENTIAL!
Japan is weird. This is weird. It is also hella dark and brooding, but not without a ray of remote pop-y light. Expect a heavy dose of immersive atmosphere and a deep and unforgettable world of beautiful decadence.
天使, Dead Can Dance, Fantomas, グロテスク, サヨナラワルツ | | 5 |  | Lobby (FR)
Fragrance
Regular old coldwave that also likes to dabble in some more modern explosive pop techniques. Maybe a little washed out at times, but good to listen, if you want just a simple noir-infused pop album.
Fragrance, Chimeras, Somewhere | | 6 |  | Illustration Sonore
Undisciplined Strips Of Emotions
So these folks call themselves 'cosmic disco'. In a way, I can see it. But it sounds more like disco people in the 80s presumed to be cosmic. Y'know, the cheesy minimalistic kind.
Buried in the Hearts, Divinatorium, Vision and Prayer, Die Gefuhlsduselei, Cannibals | | 7 |  | Grauzone
Grauzone
Dense, idiosyncratic electropunk on the verge of straightforward synthpop, but still having those noir, disturbed, paranoid undertones. A rich dark atmosphere, lo-fi electronic production, and suspiciously innocent lyrics. Neue Deutsche Welle at its finest. (I also wrote a review for this, just saying, btw)
Film 2, Eisbär, Hinter den Bergen, Marmelade und Himbeereis, Kälte Kriecht, Kunstgewerbe, Der Weg zu Zweit, In der Nacht, Ich und Du, Moskau, Raum | | 8 |  | The Electric Eels
Die Electric Eels
ESSENTIAL!
Boy oh boy, is this ugly sounding? I think this is no wave, but ony because of the production. Of course, that is the very charm that made this band a little legendary in the underground. This is a rawdy awfulness that keeps on giving its disgusting off-produced punk anti-music.
Agitated, Cyclotron, Sewercide, You're Full of Shit, Tidal Wave, Anxiety, Splitterty Splat, You Crummy Fags | | 9 |  | Contre Soirée
Contre Soirée
French newcomer band that digs deep into that old-school goth-darkwave sound. It's not original in any way, but at least much more energetic than a lot of their contemporaries.
Day of the Eclipse, She is Right, Pick Up the Line | | 10 |  | Facs
Negative Houses
Amid the onslaught of samey and derivative revivalists, Facs decided to bet all their money on long-winded atmospheric meditations with coarse undertones. It certainly feels somewhat familiar, but at the same time it utilises the known clichés of the genre to its advantage by turning its influences into something a tad more hypnotic and dizzying.
Skylarking, Silencing, Primary, Exit Like You, | | 11 |  | Wild West
Scratch Another Day: Selected Recordings 1980-81
A decent enough minimal no wave, if you are into that sort of music, one that heavily utilises electronically-sounding regular instruments and vocals oddities. This might be a goldmine for you then. If not, there is a risk of you looking at the clock a couple of times.
Locking, Coast, Disappear | | 12 |  | Exek
A Casual Assembly
This is weird for the sake of being weird. Or at least is has an atmosphere of confusion. Not that the music is so idiosyncratic that it throws the listener into a state of confusion, but rather that the album itself is a little directionless, not really knowing what it wants to be. It is certainly avant-garde, but purposelessly so. Not much post-punk in sight, but that's beause the band had that on their previous record, which was (imho) horrendous, so this much more delightful listen will do as an entry. Certainly a noteworthy project, if just a slight bit too naive.
The Home of the Architect, The Commoner, The Physicist's Issue | | 13 |  | Suicide Romeo
Images
ESSENTIAL!
A largely forgotten, but still ever so slightly influential and cult status obtaining record from French 80s post-punk/new wave movement, this album is a great case of upbeat type of post-punk. As upbeat as it gets, in fact. The record uses a lot of typical jerky guitar-work present on many post-punk works, but uses it to create a joyous, summery atmosphere, rather than snarky one. The occasional horns also help.
Suicide Romeo, Grey, Treble Chord, Vision, Pictures, Needles in the Camel's Eye | | 14 |  | Staalfagel
Staalfagel
Somewhat minimal nordic new wave snarkiness.
Himlens exkrementer, Kung misär, Blomman för dagen | | 15 |  | Sextile
A Thousand Hands
This band sends conflicting messages. On one hand, it is a breath of fresh air among the darkwave sameness that we are forced ot gag on these days. On the other hand, it is only a breath of fresh air, because the alternative to it is so stale and one-dimensional, prompting this somewhat above-average album to be perceived as actually great. But it is what it is, great is great. (btw, Into the Unknown and Visions of You are damn great tracks)
A Thousand Hands, Can't Take It, Mind's Eye, Into the Unknown, Visions of You | | 16 |  | 13th Chime
Complete Discography
shoutout to rasi for introducing me to this band
Complete discography compilations can go two ways. Either they end up too long, inconsistent and all-over-the-place or they end up a fantastic encapsulation of the band's music like you wouldn't experience anywhere else. This compilation falls into the latter category. It Is 20 songs each reaching in quality from great to fantastic. If you don't mind length, get on this.
Cursed, Tinker Man, Fire, Radio Man, Two As A Couple, Sarah's Got a Chainsaw, Help Me Street | | 17 |  | ?Fog
7-inch Round Black Thing
ESSENTIAL!
Short and to the point, four songs barely over 2 minutes long each, all swift and all energetic. Pure fun, nothing too complex to comprehend, all accessible.
Move Your Brain, Fatman With a Big Dork, 5 Heads of State | | 18 |  | Bootblacks
Veins
Bootblacks might be the most standard, unremarkable modern goth band (on par with Lebanon Hanover), because they pretty much only play the most barebones meat-and-potatoes coldwave bass-synth-simple drums in all of its possible combinations. The reason they are actually listenable is due to the subtlety of their music. It is never too flashy or obnoxious and the catchy song-writing certainly helps too.
Colorblind, Drift, Erosion, Decoys | | 19 |  | The Prats
Now That's What I Call Prats Music
A recordful of messy DIYs and lo-fi no wavers from a band that emerged as an amateur passion project (most likely to piss off their parents) and didn't live long enough to progress anywhere. Don't try to overanalyse this.
Disco Pope, Nothing, TV Set, General Davis | | 20 |  | Sonic Jesus
Grace
Sonic indeed. Out of their two records, both could be on this list, really, because both are worthy enough pieces of great lo-fi, slightly noisy post-punk, albeit Grace is slightly more mellow and gentle. It reeks of shoegaze and heartbreak that is either supposed to be masked or amplified by the production. Either way, it works well and you will end up enthralled in the atmosphere, as well as the fun as heck tunes.
I'm in Grace, I Hope, Modern Model, Outdoor, Funeral Party, Stars, Fading Lights | | 21 |  | Bobsleigh Baby
Improved
Apparently, this self-appointed genre is called 'psych idiot garage post-punk' and consists of lo-fi garage psych-pop songs with loud bass and cute melodies repeated to death. Pretty usual stuff.
A Thing Like That, Improved, Liar, Get It Back | | 22 |  | Androids of Mu
Blood Robots
A dirty, lo-fi, headache-inducing record. This is all over the place, but in a good way (sort of). Do not expect any melodic or atmospheric beauty, because this is all about that off-putting noisiness.
Who Cares, Fast Car, Lost in Space | | 23 |  | Vzyadoq Moe
O Ápice
Ugly, terribly produced, strangely mixed and sometimes clumsily sung, but all of those imperfections are just the loveliest little things.
Junto ao céu, O incerto, Guerra das sombras | | 24 |  | CCCP Fedeli Alla Linea
1964-1985 Affinità-divergenze fra il compagno Togl
It's very likely that this is the most well known band on this list (well, not on Sputnik, that is), as these Italians are somewhat of a legendary act in the underground punk movement. This album is both instrumentally adventurous and bipolar in its delivery, bringing up some kind of purposeful instability.
Curami, Mi Ami?, Valium Tavor Serenase, Io sto bene, Allarme | | 25 |  | Cccandy
Lonesome Berlin
Pretty much a blueprint for a minimal coldwave album, barely attempting to present any finished songs with any structure, but I suppose that's not the point. It's very repetitive and often grating, but it does have that strange ability to make you feel like it's you who doesn't get it, not the album that is bad.
My Demon, I'm a Punk, She Lied | | 26 |  | Aunt Sally
Aunt Sally
shoutout to butcherboy for reminding me this band exists
If you could sum up the word avantgarde in one album, this'd be it. Released in 1979 and being the first formal project of Japanese underground weirdo legend Phew, this is an exercise in strange, but also in oddly electrifying and pretty at times.
difficult to pick a highlight, for one, I cannot figure out, which song is which | | 27 |  | Bitumen
Discipline Reaction
Not at all your usual, generic gothy darkwave post-punk, because this album is a slightly unhinged, dense synth-focused lo-fi mess, but in a good way, even if just ever so slightly overstays its welcome.
Twice Shy, Pound of Flesh, Hate to Say/A Nice Ride, Cardinalidae | | 28 |  | Oh-OK
The Complete Recordings
Bring out the snark, the catchiness and the sassy instrumentation. This is a female-led artsy punky project from way back when that is somewhat reminiscent of the 80s European wave of female-led art-punk/no wave bands, as was pointed out by many compating this band to the likes of Liliput, Pylon or The Au Pairs.
Lilting, Playtime, Person, Is It?, Such n Such, Guru, Choukoutien, Elaine's Song, Random | | 29 |  | Hetch Hetchy
Swollen
A band closely tied to Oh-OK, usually described as post-punk/dream pop. Well, post-punk is certainly apparent (like on bass or production), but to me it seems as a straightforward early days dream pop band.
Commonplace, Satanette, Mango Wienie, Bow Song | | 30 |  | Musta Paraati
Peilitalossa
Did you know that Finland also had its own prominent scene of darkwave/new wave music? Musta Paraati were quite a name back then (they also returned to a relative obscurity this year) and you can sort of see why. The album is melodically pleasant and atmospherically dense. It can be a little dragging, but it can also be really energetic.
Kädet, Muukalainen, Hyvää Yötä, Ääni Pimeästä | | 31 |  | Terminal Gods
Meridian
At best, a repetition of what already was heard, just in different melodic arrangement and on a different level ambition. At worst, a rip-off of literally every other darkwave record before. Terminal Gods, however, have an intriguing way with atmosphere; the band certainly knows their way around a decently written tune. The album ends up memorable and enjoyable, but far from a breath of fresh air.
The Bird Catcher, Sleep Machine, Headlong and Heartless | | 32 |  | Salome's Dance
Salome's Dance
Maybe a far cry from what goth rock can be, but not without its audience, I am sure.
Cyhret, Machine, August | | 33 |  | The Flowerpot Men
Jo's So Mean
Oh this is some dark-ass club banger three-track EP. I could see this busting and twisting some heads at the underground semi-goth disco scene. What a delightfully dark record.
Jo's So Mean to Josephine, Rapids | | 34 |  | Choice Of Wallpaper
Lunatic
Slightly off-the-wall and rather adorable. It has that youthful boyish charm to it. Just a few pals takin' the piss.
Lunatic | | 35 |  | Life Without Buildings
Any Other City
ESSENTIAL!
There are people doing music for the sake of doing music and then there are people with specific college degrees proving they can do music. Life Without Buildings is comprised of people with art degrees and a neck for artsy-pantsy music. They came together to do just that and they professionally crafted an artsy-pantsy album. THey succeeded. The album is fantastic. Art. Music. Art music. Professionalism. (P.S.: screw you, Doof)
PS Exclusive, Let's Go Out, Juno, Young Offenders, Envoys, New Town | | 36 |  | Molchat Doma
Etazhi
shoutout to hansoloshotfirst for introducing me to this band
It seems like Russia is reliving its 80s goth and darkwave phase. And even though bands like Kino are long gone, their admirers and copycats are only now turning into adults and spawning new music. As such, Molchat Doma is maybe one of the better indulgences of this period, but a redundant one nonetheless. It's another one of those low-toned, low-voiced, synth-based bleep-bloops we've heard thousands of. If you're into that, go straight ahead.
Na dne, Volny, Kommersanty | | 37 |  | Polyrock
Polyrock
From way back when, this is a danceable, jiggly and fun album from those very early post-punk exploits, when the pants were tight and held up by the suspenders, when the haircuts were greased back and men's voices crackling into high-pitches was among the underground folk considered sexy, and when David Byrne was the hero the youth needed.
Romantic Me, This Song, Your Dragging Feet, Bucket Rider, #7 | | 38 |  | Microfilm
Centrefold
This is more of an old-timey in-the-garage-produced pop 7'' than anything else. It's sweet, but not a lot other than that.
Windows | | 39 |  | Product KF
Songs of the Groves
Delving more into the weird side of post-punk with its deep industrial influences that are not rooted in electronica, but rather in the dissonant noisy production and practical side-effects.
Mercy, Opticks, New Tenebrism | | 40 |  | La Fete Triste
7 Hits in Grau
Never thought a covers album would make it on this list, but here we are. Taking and reworking songs from now largely forgotten bands, turning them into slightly industrial minimal coldwave, that's what's going on here. Nothing particularly unusual, but still a fun time.
Inkosequent, Weltschmerz, Isolation | | 41 |  | Soma Cake
Girls Bite Harder
A 2018 offering that is indeed reaching to the lowest hanging fruit and the lowest common denominator with its synthetic production, mostly repetitive instrumentation and purposefully emotionless vocals, but it is still quite a perfect listen for anyone interested in modern incarnation of darkwave.
Noenum, Danceuphoria | | 42 |  | Zotz
Amargura
ESSENTIAL!
Mexican deathrock, all decadence, no remorse. Not really hard-hitting, but densly dark (and not in that eyeliner-wearing darkwave synth-y kind).
Inevitable, Amargura, Miedo, Mueren, Resplandor | | 43 |  | Branches
Distance
In the grander scheme of coldwave, this is by far not the most enticing record there is, but it is serviceable.
Branches, From Somewhere, Distance | | 44 |  | Aurat
Sirens
I am convinced that this band got frozen in time since like 1983 and woke up now with intent to make another groundbreaking minimalistic coldwave pop album… poor folks. It's a decent enough throwback, but then again, I might be cutting it some slack, because I just really like it, when a band makes a throwback to something so obscure and forgotten like coldwave synth.
Pehla, Caving In, Siren in Distress, A Distant Memory, Searching and Looking | | 45 |  | Omni
Deluxe
Omni do not seem like a band that chose to be a part of the genre. They seem rather like a bunch that just wants to make music and it just so happens to partially consist of post-punk, among other pile of uplifting lo-fi fun.
Wednesday Wedding, Wire, Earrings, Jungle Jenny, Col Vermouth, Eyes on the Floor, Plane | | 46 |  | ACTORS
It Will Come to You
In the age, when all the biggest names in (semi-)post-punk scene try to go as pop, electronic and radio-accessible and tend to fail miserably, Actors decided to cut off the middleman and present us with pop/electronic direction right out on their debut, but still having more guts in their musicianship than some late Editors or late Interpol, with just enough of that 80s spice to keep it interesting.
L'appel Du Vide, Slaves, Face Meets Glass, Hit to the Head, Bury Me | | 47 |  | Design
Fashion & Seduction / Premonition
ESSENTIAL!
Oddly enough, this is not from the 80s (not really something that'd surprise anyone nowadays, as every other act tries to pay homage to that period), this is from 2006 and is one of the catchiest new wave synth-pop two-trackers out there.
both are great, but Fashion and Seduction is particularly juicy | | 48 |  | Fizik
Let Me Out Of Here
ESSENTIAL!
Just two tracks that are actually more new wave pop-rock tunes, but still incredibly catchy. It's a real shame this band didn't catch on, because both this EP and their previous one, Next to Me, are pretty damn sweet. Some light-hearted simplicity full of melodic niceness.
both songs worth it | | 49 |  | Organized Pleasure
Ah!
ESSENTIAL!
Another one in these fantastic two-track new wave EPs from Belgium. And another one to never make anything else afterwards. What a damn shame. There is a special sense of menace floating all throughout this EP and it manifests in a hauntingly catchy atmosphere.
both tracks worthwhile | | 50 |  | Pression Fun
Out of Your Mind
ESSENTIAL!
Belgian two-track EPs from a band that never released anything after. Yep, that again.
both tracks, gaddammit | | 51 |  | Arteries
Arteries
ESSENTIAL!
There is something creepy about this EP. It is probably due to mix of influences that reach a tiny bit into goth, a tiny bit into darkwave, a tiny bit into noise and even a tiny bit into no wave. It's tiny bits of everything weirdest and most commonly seen as disturbing in the world of post-punk, all wrapped in a blanket of goodness.
Numbered, Mirrorface, Archons in Akron, World in Flames | | 52 |  | This Sect
Shake the Curse
So this is what happens when you apply post-hardcore song-writing to post-punk instrumentation and production. It is just as explosive as an alt-rock post-hardcore record, but not as gratuitous and bloated. It actually holds together tightly and the songs are really catchy for the most part. So there, if you're into that sort of stuff.
It's Not You It's Them, Lines on a Trail, Party Like It's 1939, Calligraphy with a Brick, We Got Love | | 53 |  | Snapped Ankles
Stunning Luxury
Perhaps a little too middle-of-the-road with its kookiness for some, but certainly a solid-ass effort in minimal art-punk. You feel like you're in some cartoony procrascinating Clockwork Orange world.
Tailpipe, Rechargeable, Delivery Van, Dial the Rings on a Tree, Drink and Glide | | 54 |  | Short Days
Short Days
This French band is not particularly post-punk; they fuse together post-hardcore, regular punk and it does come to even slight hints of emo. But each of those things have their fair share of influence, so for the same reason as why I'd put this on a post-hardcore list, it also has a spot of a post-punk one.
Suicide City, Dead Inside, Pay the Price, Anguish, Going Nowhere | | 55 |  | Criminal Code
No Device
Much more on the slightly hardcore-ish side of things (more so than their later work, but at least more interesting). The inclinations towards post-punk are all still there, which makes it eligible for this list, but it is mainly a regular punk record.
No Device, Defective Parts, Exit/Entry, Flagstone, Mocking Shadows, Sacred Hands, Surveillance | | 56 |  | Slow Motion
Viaticum
Just in case you were looking for something that sounds like Andrew Lloyd Weber understudy synth-led gothic musical.
Droomed, Perfect Codes, Quintessence, Hiatus, Fatal Symptom | | 57 |  | Fotocrime
Principle of Pain
shoutout to hansoloshotfirst for introducing me to this band
Post-punk only as far as bands like Modern English, The Dream Syndicate or Depeche Mode go. Certainly taking influence from the genre, but mostly remaining new wave pop-rock cheesiness.
The Rose and the Thorn, Autonoir, Gods in the Dark, Confusing World | | 58 |  | Hemliga Bosse
Aldrig Mera Ensam
In its time, this was probably considered the most banal and typical pop-rock, but nowadays it is pretty much an art punk gem, albeit only two-tracks long. The band didn't stay alive for a long time, but hearing Swedish post-punk from the 70s is great even in this short a format.
New Image Every Day | | 59 |  | The Cool Greenhouse
London
Minimalistic lo-fi quirky snark-spewing sarcasm-filled project from UK that has so far released three 7"s (in its minimal fashion). I guarantee that you will either find the oddity of it charming OR you will be annoyed to death with the bleeping electronics.
The End of the World | | 60 |  | Sleeper and Snake
Junction and High
A 2019 release, but one that feels like it came straight from the minimal no wave scene of the 80s. Similar influences, similar almost 8-bit production, similar quirkiness.
Sugar and Gold, Junction and High 1, Wisdom Vermin, Flagged | | 61 |  | Kaelan Mikla
Not Eftir Not
More of a darker electropop album than anything else, but the darkwave and gothic elements are all there. For fans of cold synth-led brooding music.
Nornalagið, Hvernig kemst ég upp?, Næturblóm, Nótt eftir nótt | | 62 |  | Jardim do Silêncio
Carmim
Brazil nowadays is not exactly a cesspool of post-punk experimentation (even though it did give us Gattopardo). Nevertheless, they still do have a fair share of their own intriguing projects. Carmim may not be particularly post-punk-y, but as a synth-led darkwave project it succeeds at what it tries to convey: a mildly downtrodden, but atmospheric experience.
Carmim, O Sétimo Dia | | 63 |  | Dark Screens
Hit The Road
Shoutout to SandwichBubble for introducing me to this band
Very focused on sweet guitar-playing, even if that is somewhat drowned in the lo-fi shoegazy production that sometimes turns the songs non-distinct. However, this album's biggest fall is in its mild flatness in song-writing. It is still decent, but don't expect miracles.
Motor City Sounds, Ghostface, Life of Violence | | 64 |  | Household (NY)
Items
A proof that you don't need a lot to make a great record. This is just a trio of the same instruments, same tuning, same production, all very minimal and lowercase, all throughout the record.
Go Away, Phases, Our Song, Desperate Times | | 65 |  | The Ire
Demo
There is something to the melodies and the vocals here that is a little off-kilter, but just ridiculously charming. Can't quite pinpoint just what that is, but man is it a delight to listen to.
Derelict, The Sleep, Katabasis | | 66 |  | Ritual Howls
Turkish Leather
It is a dangerous path Ritual Howls are walking on, because had they been keener on risking things a little, they could have churned up a record unlike any other darkwave record, ut at the same time they are this close to becoming another unremarkable, inessential, faceless, boring darkwave band. They're neither as of right now, they're just solid, but they could become either.
The Taste of You, Final Service, Turkish Leather | | 67 |  | Turquoise Days
Alternative Strategies
In just 9 tracks you can get a taste of the cheesiest, low-budget and low-skills new wave tendencies of the 80s.
Blurred - Demo, Alternative Strategies | | 68 |  | Neon Lights
A Slice of Life
Fair warning: you might be turned off by the frontman's voice. Not that he is a bad singer, just that his voice itself is a little off and you can hear it after a while. As for the album, it is a seviceable goth music with occasionally some great atmospheric moments and fairly memorable song-writing. Do not shy away, if you are looking for something more or less exciting and enjoyable.
Take Me, The Sun Shines on Our Behalf, Twirling the Twilight, A Part in the Play/A Slice of Life (I), Idle | | 69 |  | Neva
Fausse conscience
French darkwave from the late 80s. Doesn't break new grounds, but is a decent listen nonetheless.
Louchald, Couloir FC4 0, Vision, Erreur de Suicide | | 70 |  | Doric
A Distorted Reality
A largely middle-of-the-road synth-darkwave project from Greece, but it does have pleasant vocals and some of the electronic wobblings and bleep-bloops are in the end decent.
Truth or Dare, Monitors, Mod of the Old, Forever Gone | | 71 |  | Unextraordinary Gentlemen
Stars Pulled Down
So… I don't know how to characterise this album. It's certainly somewhat theatrical and conceptually ambitions. It is characterised as post-punk (among other things) and it does every now and again pull up some post-punk/darkwave influence, but by-en-large it is probably rather a multi-genre conceptual album than anything else. This band, if I understand correctly, is one of those steampunk inspired acts that creates albums with aesthetic of the 19th century on drugs. So, yeah, think of it what you want. It's on this list merely as a technicality.
The Drop, Kiss the Earth, Lemon Lime Girls, Long Time Gone | | 72 |  | Red Zebra
Bastogne
Certainly not an exercise in newness, Red Zebra entertain many of the same themes and sounds as their contemporaries at the time. However, the rich atmosphere and the near dystopian vibes surely make this worth your while.
Bastogne, The Art of Conversation, Man Comes From Ape | | 73 |  | Chain Cult
Demo
A demo much more fleshed out and complete than many contemporary full-length albums. This is a brilliantly dense and rich atmospheric work. With some truly magnetic performances and brassy production, this short six-tracker is as sinister and still fun as it can get.
Epty Hearts, Black Hole, Chain Cult, Lost Signal | | 74 |  | Four Came Home And Passion Of Ice
Split
A split between two bands who didn't really do anything else. On Four Came Home's side you can expect some gloomy goth, but with unexpectedly juicy riffy, while Passion of Ice deliver a driving catchy post-punk-infused pop-rock.
Diamonds in the Sky, Callous | | 75 |  | Girls Names
Stains on Silence
Yeah, this might be excruciating for anyone unprepared, but that's the beauty of it too. Minimal wave, synthwave, (electronic) no wave and all sorts of other waves from the old-school electronic post-punk-isms seem to be on a revival lately. By the way, their discography prior to this album is nothing like this. They used to be much more of a regular post-punk band, if you're into that.
Haus Proud, The Process, The Impaled Mystique, Stains of Silence, Karoline | | 76 |  | Chandra
Transportation
I call a lot of things and people charming, so that word's meaning might have been somewhat dminished (sorry about that), but believe you me that this girl has some serious charm and adorable girlish grace. Maybe it's in the fact that she dedicated an entire song to a girl with blonde hair that keeps stealing every boy's gaze or the fact that she sounds like a high schooler who just went through her first breakup, there's just something funny about her.
Opposite, Kate | | 77 |  | Radio Berlin (CAN)
The Selection Drone
(almost essential)
Radio Berlin are at their most mature and their most instrumentally adventurous on this album. Things can get wild here, they are experimental, irregularly written and at times almost post-rock-ish. The vocals are still the lowpoint, but I suppose they have their charm and some might even love them. Nevertheless, this is a bloody damn solid record of instrumentally enthralling work.
Change Your Mind, Glass Horizon, Eyes Like Lenses, Kill the Moment, Twelve Fingers | | 78 |  | Radio Berlin (US)
Dance The Youth E.P.
A fairly standard minimal pop album from the early 80s that probably won't necessarily surprise in any way, but is a worthwhile listen for the better sense of the period it is from. It also gets hilariously political.
Gare du Nord, Political Pop | | 79 |  | Marbled Eye
Leisure
Born in the age of (post-)punk similarity and lack of innovation, Marbled Eye are doing their best to at least be confident enough in their music to make it upbeat and likeable. Kudos on that.
Laughing Sound, Leisure, Isle, Curtain, Idle Hour, Vanity | | 80 |  | Visitors (UK)
Poet's End
ESSENTIAL!
Another one of those bands that existed for a short bit and released a few records that largely went unnoticed, now comes back (sort of) with a best-of comiplation that slaps and kicks and milks and beats like it should.
Compatibility, Electric Heat, One Line, Moth, Pattern, Empty Rooms, Distance, Poet's End | | 81 |  | Gesture
No Past, It Started All Over Again
There is a certain laziness about this record. There is also a certain dread. It feels more like one of those avant-garde experimental anti-punk albums than a post-punk or noise album.
Stature Imprint, In a Clearing, Hissing, Pale Sky | | 82 |  | Luna Twist
Collected
ESSENTIAL!
I found it to be an incredibly easy way of discovering old bands, to just listen to some 'best of' compilation. More so than trying to scatter together all their now forgotten discography. So I apologise, Luna Twist, but I only listened to this edition of your good stuff and skipped out on your full-lengths. But at least is this a fantastic almost-20 tracks long collection of tuneful, melodic and catchy new wave tracks with great bass and atmosphere of snark.
African Time, Look Out, Decent Life, Oh Oh Oh, Questions, So Danceable, Tom and Jerry, Statues | | 83 |  | Lord Alba
They Call Me
INESSENTIAL!
Listen, my mission here is not to recommend you only the good music, but any music in this genre (and its derivatives). Yes, that means some things I personally did not like. But I want you to make up your own minds. Now, this is an amateur album from an amateur band that (as it appears) no longer exists. It's a band that is misguided in its quirkiness. They try to present their music as flamboyant, but don't have the personality to pull it off. It comes off as a little awkward mostly. So I suppose that you should listen and hear for yourselves. And heck, maybe you'll find it charming.
Me and My Canoe | | 84 |  | The Normal
T.V.O.D. / Warm Leatherette
This two-track minimalwave EP is sickening. It goes on seemingly forever and it is oh so dizzying. The bleeps and bloops are on repeat and you feel like you feel like you're listening to some kind of computer orgy.
T.V.O.D. | | 85 |  | Lust Era
Soul Remains Silent
A vocally lackluster exercise in washing out, but somehow an overall calming and pleasing experience. It is odd to hear such clash of opposites actually work. The melodies, while nowhere particularly memorable, are in combination with the shoegaze production absolutely soothing. Then again, the vocals are shite, but that's just something you'll have to get through. (Note: this is sort of a singles, best of compilation, not an actual album)
Sick for You, Baila Conmigo, Shoots and Ladders, Largas Horas, Open Arms, Perdido, Vitrina de Labios | | 86 |  | Death Comes Crawling
Looking For Semblance
Nah, just pop album that is a little darker.
The Changing Winds of Fortune, Looking Skywards, Usurper or Saviour, Something Buried Deep in Me, I Would Spread My Wings So Wide | | 87 |  | Nonn
XVII
By the numbers darkwave. Listen if you want to, it's not awful.
Clear, When, Hide, Reach | | 88 |  | NMDA
NMDA
A Sputnik project. For that reason I suppose I can glance over its mildly repetitive nature and unoriginal content. Also, some of the tunes here are rather pleasant to listen to.
Игра, Исток | | 89 |  | Diavol Strain
Todo el Caos habita aquí
What dungeon synth is to black metal, industrial minimalism is to post-punk. This album in no way reinvents the wheel (a common theme among many entries on this list), but will I be damned if it doesn't utilise its oddity well.
Furia, En las Tinieblas Inmóviles, Éter, Neptuno, Wroclaw, Todo el Caos habita aquí | | 90 |  | The Jetsonnes / International Exiles
Newspaper/Miniskirts In Moscow
That old-school early-80s aussie pop simplicity with sharp guitars and cute youthful execution.
Newspaper | | 91 |  | Fatigue (PA-USA)
Fatigue
This comes from the End Result Productions, which specialises in pretty much only this type of music: a very subtle, samey lo-fi electronic goth. Expect a lot of melancholic synths and two-tone drums.
For Reverie, Instrumental, Cold/Control, Genet | | 92 |  | Child of Night
What Remains
Man, there sure is a lot of samey darkwave on this list. Among all of it, this is probably one of the better entries, though still largely derivative. It impresses maybe only with its atmosphere, but by-en-large is recommended only to pure darkwave fans.
An Open Window, Divided, Sirens | | 93 |  | The S-Haters
Come
My god, this album is half terribly mixed and half awfully sung. But I guess that's the best you can do for a DIY 1984 unintentionally-noisy punk record.
30 Seconds from Hell, Soul Cages | | 94 |  | Dancing Plague
Pure Desperation
A goth-inspired EDM. If you are deathly allergic to EDM, then scroll further. But if you are okay with it or are capable of little tolerance, then this record offers a little more than that. It's much more minimalistic than one'd expect and it is certainly leaning heavily on its goth and darkwave inspirations. If you like some subtlety, but electronic, go for this.
Pure Desperation, Decades Go By, Forget | | 95 |  | Underpass
Red Reflection
Admittedly, this mostly comes off as more of a low-toned indie rock than post-punk, but still worth a mention. If you like your music a little more mellow and a little more quiet, Underpass have certainly got you covered.
Red Reflection, Ashes, Shadows | | 96 |  | XTR Human
Atavism
Perhaps the only thing that truly sets this album apart from others (and even that is not exactly original) is its occasionally slightly noisy production. Not that it will blast you with all the Melvins force, but it is grainy and distressed. Other than that, if you want some diabolically-themed electro-goth, be my guest.
Axiom, Golden Dawn, Atavism, Spiegelmenschen, Lost Symmetry | | 97 |  | Deception Bay
Deception Bay
Yeah, don't expect a genre-twisting cult classic or a hidden gem. At best it is a run-of-the-mill goth album, at worst a drawn-out bore.
For the Season | | 98 |  | Airships in the Fog
When I Say I
HELP! Can't find these following 4 records anywhere to listen. Can anyone help? | | 99 |  | Kleenex
Die Kleenex Spielen
HELP! Need to find this particular release. This is the band that later became Liliput and this is apparently their first ever full-length recording. | | 100 |  | People in Control
When It's War
HELP! Only found the title track, that's it. | | 101 |  | Kebab
Life It's A Joke / We Live In A System
HELP! Only found a few pages about it and a few songs, but not the whole thing.
UPDATE: shoutout to SandwichBubble for finsing this
Minimalistic early-80s Belgian girl-led project that is rather similar to its contemporaries (other Belgian girl bands) like Liliput, Au Pairs or Hi-I (though that one's Dutch... close enough). They're all snarky, they're all tight and they're all seemingly passive aggressive.
Anti-L, Sully, Hypocrites, System | |
Papa Universe
05.27.19 | R.I.P. butcherboy
or 101 albums Cyclotron 1'd | JustJoe.
05.27.19 | i miss butchie. | JustJoe.
05.27.19 | happy you revived this. | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | cheers | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | all done
and according to my Excel file, I've only got 1552 entries left to publish | SandwichBubble
05.27.19 | I mean I have Die Kleenex Spielen if you really want it, but it's just live versions of songs that can be found on the compilation. | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | ...oh... | SandwichBubble
05.27.19 | Sorry to stomp on your dreams like that.
Also, I found Kebab on soulseek (which you should really look into papa), I'll send you a link in a second. | SandwichBubble
05.27.19 | Kebab: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PGsXpt6aFX9tLxfBHMv6kgDcd3OnGMLT
Guess since I have it saved to my pc now anyway, I'll check. Thanks! | Trundle
05.27.19 | keep em coming! | 50iL
05.27.19 | 4 is a 5 bb | naughtcturnal
05.27.19 | That Criminal Code album is the first vinyl record I ever bought. Shit rules | BallsToTheWall
05.27.19 | Sweet list man. Must explore. | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | Cheers, all. | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | so I tried using that Soulseek thing, but it was a little too complicated for me, so I stopped. doubt I'll try again | bgillesp
05.27.19 | It’s back! | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | yes, it bloody damn is | bgillesp
05.27.19 | Congrats old man | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | it ain't over. | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | and thanks for the feature, kind overlords | Sowing
05.27.19 | I don't listen to much post-punk but I respect the effort that went into this list. Any in particular that you'd recommend for an indie-folker such as myself? | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | is indie rock ok? | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | if yes, then: 13, 21, 29, 37, 45-52, 63, 65, 80, 95 | bgillesp
05.27.19 | Sowing would like 73 I bet | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | it might be a little harsher for him | climactic
05.27.19 | youre a legend | Minushuman24
05.27.19 | oh hell yes thank you | Minushuman24
05.27.19 | also Snapped Ankles, Ritual Howls, and Chain Cult absolutely rule | Jots
05.27.19 | I'd follow Detriti records (on bandcamp and such) if throwback post-punk is your jam. (a couple of these look to be part of that collective..)
my problem with a lot of recent dark-wavey post-punk is how dated is sounds tbh which is fine but in that case i might as well say "why bother" and just stick with the greats
a few of these (aside from what I've heard) look like my ish tho | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | oh definitely, I like Detriti.
here are more labels worth checking out: Mannequin Records, Sierpien Records, Erste Theke Tontraeger, Trouble in Mind Records, Squall Recordings, Detriti Records, Funeral Party, Peter Out Records, La Vida Es Un Mus Records, End Result Productions, Swiss Dark Nights | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | darkwave and goth seem to be what the kids are into nowadays, but it isn't a big enough cultural force to actually evolve into anything, so you can only expect people who are already into it to keep listening until it eventually dies out.
I bother, because there's always a hope that it's something different.
Here's hoping that the successes of Preoccupations, Protomartyr, Screaming Females, Idles, Parquet Courts, Iceage and the like will bring more people to experiment and to seek originality, seeing as most of these bands deal in classic post-punk only partially. | Gestapo
05.27.19 | This is a list | Papa Universe
05.27.19 | I am glad I have the Oberführer's approval. | Cygnatti
05.28.19 | yeah I'll try some of these since most don't look new
modern post-punk is such drivel | neekafat
05.28.19 | good feature (: | Jots
05.28.19 | “I bother, because there's always a hope that it's something different”
well yeah. I just don’t have the time to sift lately ;( | Papa Universe
05.28.19 | you poor soul. i raise this invisible tea cup to you | Jots
05.28.19 | I’m not feeling too downcast about not having time to wade through hundreds of terrible bands
I’ll just piggyback off of your lists for the time being | Papa Universe
05.28.19 | here at your service then, bub. do as you wish, listen as you can | JustJoe.
05.28.19 | read your syllabus because you will be quizzed on your findings | Papa Universe
05.28.19 | last bump before leaving | impoppy
05.28.19 | Commenting to check later | SlothcoreSam
10.09.20 | Going to check a few more of these and have a drink in Papa's memory tonight. | Ryus
10.09.20 | "or 101 albums Cyclotron 1'd"
lmao
| sixdegrees
10.09.20 | what happened to butcherboy anyhow | Cygnatti
10.09.20 | Cyclotron is innocent!
I should go thru this list tho | sixdegrees
10.09.20 | cyclotron did nothing wrong | Cygnatti
10.09.20 | I admire his dedication to listening to music he knows he will not enjoy | sixdegrees
10.09.20 | he's reached the state of enlightenment that can only be found through the Positive Rating System™ | Minushuman24
10.09.20 | so much good shit here, he was a godsend | bgillesp
10.09.20 | 73 is a real gem |
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