The highly anticipated 'Minimal Wave Tapes' compilation of obscure synthwave essentials has arrived - and boy, it's completely floored us. As the label states, "This is the first official volume (available on CD, LP, and Digitally) of Minimal Wave music from Europe and America recorded in the 1970's and 1980s". Most of the songs were released on limited edition cassettes or vinyl by the artists themselves with distribution limited to underground mail order tape networks, hence their practically unknown status in the much pored over history of post-punk and electronic music. Minimal Wave label owner (and co-founder of world-renowned East Village Radio station), Veronika Vasicka and Stones Throw head honcho Peanut Butter Wolf have done a hugely commendable job with the selection, plucking out some solid uncut gems and remastering them from their original analog source tapes for maximum authenticity, giving new life to a niche of music that we all kind of knew existed, but didn't have a clue where to start looking for. Tracks like Crash Course In Science's 'Flying Turns' sound like they could have been stamped with an early Mute Records catalogue number, the arabesque electro-goth of Oppenheimer Analysis' 'Radiance' sounds like a Throbbing Gristle offcut while the Turquoise Days' 'Blurred' recalls a raw Human League demo session. The deeper we delve, the more fantastic the revelations, giving up exceptional treats like the prototypical Dutch electro of Das Ding's 'Reassurance Ritual' or Ohama's dystopic procrastination 'My Time' while the raw scuzz of Esplendor Geometrico's 'Moscu Esta Helado' progressively blows our tiny minds every time. All that remains to be said is if you love anything from DAF to Dopplereffekt, or from Cold Cave to Chris & Cosey, then this album is essential listening. KILLER!!!A1 Linear Movement - Way Out Of Living A2 Crash Course In Science - Flying Turns A3 Oppenheimer Analysis - Radiance B1 Mark Lane - Who's Really Listening B2 Tara Cross - Tempus Fugit B3 Turquoise Days - Blurred B4 Bene Gesserit - Mickey, Please... C1 Esplendor Geometrico - Moscu Esta Helado C2 Das Ding - Reassurance Ritual C3 Martin Dupont - Just Because C4 Deux (2) - Game & Performance D1 Somnambulist (2) - Things I Was Due To Forget D2 Ohama - My Time D3 Das Kabinette - The Cabinet
