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14 tracks: Minimal Wave

Exploring the Minimal Wave catalogue is like entering a secret crypt of 1980s electronic underground treasures. Under the co-ordination of Veronica Vasicka, the label has tirelessly reissued a stream of obscure synth-pop and vintage cold wave classics from both sides of the Atlantic, exposing a DIY network of analog synth and drum machine enthusiasts operating below the surface of pop perception. By sourcing original tapes from clandestine networks like the Canadian fanzine CLEM (Canadian List Of Electronic Music) and faithfully transferring them onto vinyl and CD, the label has provided exposure for a well hidden number of post-punk characters who quietly made brilliantly informed, darkly personal and experimental pop music at its best. Thanks to the recent 'Minimal Wave Tapes' compilation put together by Vasicka and the Stones Throw label, Minimal Wave has reached its cultural tipping point and has really cemented its reputation as one of the coolest and most sought-after imprints operating out of NYC. If Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk or Chris & Cosey excite you then there's a real danger that you'll fall in love with Somnambulist's gothic jacker 'Facing The Moon' or the tainted innocence of Sudeten Creche's 'Are Kisses Out Of Fashion?', while you may find yourself dancing like a moody teenager in darkened bedroom to the prototypical Dutch electro of Das Ding's 'Reassurance Ritual' or singing along to Linear Movement's sublimely melancholy 'To Another Soul'. If you like these 14 tracks, we urge you to check out the rest of the label. You won't be disappointed.