Archive for the ‘Real Genius’ Category
Robot Rock du Jour: Futurisk – Player Piano LP (2010)
Hot off the press!!!
Aptly-named revival label Minimal Wave has compiled Futurisk‘s entire catalog and pressed it on collector-quality 180g vinyl, including this alternate take of their signature track, Meteoright. Destined to be a collectible. At $22, you’d be crazy not to pick one (or two) up.
SCHEMATIC: Need more Futurisk videos??? Get your fix HERE!!!
Robot Rock du Jour: Crash Course in Science – Flying Turns (1981)
This EP/12″ gets me all wound up with some serious non-goth electro industrial madness!
Crash Course in Science was formed in 1979 while the three members were attending art school in Philadelphia.Flying Turns is off their 12″ Signals from Pier Thirteen originally published on Press Records in 1981.
SCHEMATICS: More videos and MP3s from the 12″…
Robot Rock du Jour: The Units – High Pressure Days (1979)
High Pressure Days is a filthy, gnarly animal.
Let Uncle Rico’s time machine teleport you back to 1977 San Francisco. Eschewing guitars in favor of synths (good move, fellas), The Units become one of the very first synthpunk bands. They then start tearing it up, self-releasing the original version of this track in 1979 on what is now an absurdly rare 7″ record (sells for about £100). This video features the album version, released in 1980 on the Digital Stimulation LP.
SCHEMATIC: The ENTIRE Digital Stimulation album, band portrait and flyer (via synthpunk)…
Robot Rock du Jour: Zwischenfall – Flucht (1983)
Chew on this dark wave nugget for a while.
SCHEMATIC: Limited edition repress, original female vocal version and more videos…
Robot Rock du Jour: Severed Heads – Lamborghini/Petrol (1982/1985)
I’m HOOKED! Now this is some real Aussie nerdness! Nearly five minutes of minimal synth industrial perfection from legendary Sydney band Severed Heads. Disgustingly rare in its original wax format.
Lamborghini (Live at Metro TV, July 1982)
SCHEMATIC: Recording details, the original studio cut and a later concert version…
Real Genius: Giorgio Moroder – From Here to Eternity (1977)
Moroder is the undisputed progenitor of Italo. The uncanny resemblance to SNL’s Father Guido Sarducci notwithstanding, Moroder is a synth god. More machine than man, Moroder is to Italy as Kraftwerk is to Germany.
Although Moroder made some Taleggio over the years, From Here to Eternity is an early Italo masterpiece. First published as an LP in 1977 on US-based Casablanca Records, near mint copies of this album are still widely available for about $20. Synthspotters love this video…
SCHEMATIC: Some Moroder TV appearances, a Casablanca Records promo video, more details…
Robot Rock du Jour: Cerrone – Supernature (1977)
This decidedly bizarre pre-Spike Jonze/Michel Gondry video features mutants, naked chicks à la Rio, a vintage Rolls-Royce and a kick-ass rainbow-coloured acrylic drum set.
Supernature is a cautionary post-apocalyptic tale of scientific hubris and genetic experimentation gone awry. Although there are numerous tracks from the 70s and 80s that pay homage to space, robots and computers (thank God), few disco/synth tracks really drop earth science. Me like! Me like!
SCHEMATIC: High quality extended vinyl rip MP3, lyrics, cover art…
Keyser Söze Alert: Clay Pedrini – New Dream (1984)
This may be the single greatest manifestation of Italo every pressed. Who the hell is this guy?! Claudio (Clay) Pedrini Came out of nowhere, cooked up this tasty Italo biscuit and then went back into the night kitchen forever. Even when you can find it, be prepared to dish out upwards of $500 for an excellent copy. Fortunately for vinyl nerds hit by the recession, this has been officially repressed by I.D. Limited, complete with reinterpreted cover artwork. You’ll have to pay shipping from Europe, tho.
SCHEMATIC: A short music video clip and cover artwork…
Documentary: BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Alchemists of Sound (2003)
REQUIRED NERDLING EDUCATION!!!
This is a fantastic documentary on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which was responsible for such tunes as the Doctor Who theme song. This electronic music primer traces the development of recorded sound from magnetic tape onward. Reel-to-reel beat matching included! Ultimately enlightening and presented in, I think, its entirety (over six roughly 10-minute parts).
SCHEMATIC: The remaining five parts…
Robot Rock du Jour: Suicide – Ghost Rider (1977)
Synthpunk Elvis? People just didn’t make this kind of music in 1977. Yet here it is. While France and Québéc were making space disco, NY was outputting high concept industrial synthpunk blues. Legends Alan Vega and Martin Rev, tearing it up…
SCHEMATIC: Another live version and a brief documentary excerpt…