inner nerd » Love

Robot Rock du Jour: Futurisk – Player Piano LP (2010)

beaker — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:20:36 +0000

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!!!

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Real Genius: Giorgio Moroder – From Here to Eternity (1977)

beaker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:18:40 +0000

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…

Moroder’s discography is longer than the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among other massive hits, Moroder was behind Donna Summer’s 1977 smash, I Feel Love.

He also did the theme song for the crazy-ass movie Midnight Express in 1978. Below is a classic German TV show (check out those mics!) introducing Moroder and his oscar-winning track, The Chase, which is 13 minutes of mind-warping synthesizer amazingness. In this all-too-brief clip, Moroder goes from laying it down in German to working a Minimoog in an ultra-rare LIVE performance.

Here is the original 8-minute 45RPM version of the track. I can’t seem to find the 12″ version, so will upload mine.

Here is the Casablanca Records promo where Moroder demonstrates his vocoder skills.

Moroder produced everyone and everything in the 1980s. Beyond rescoring the 1920s Fritz Lang film Metropolis, he was responsible for Top Gun (along with German protégé Harold Faltermeyer), Blondie’s Call Me, Irene Cara’s What a Feelin’ LP which included Romance ’83 (and Flashdance), The Neverending Story and so forth.

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Party Time: Saturday Robot Party @ The Idle Hour (Baltimore, MD)

beaker — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:52:53 +0000

VIGR is in the house. 4+ hour rare vinyl set. Need I say more? Hope to see you there! I’ll try to keep track of the setlist…

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Robot Rock du Jour: La Bionda – I Wanna Be Your Lover (1980)

beaker — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:26:14 +0000

Back in 1980, these Italian brothers gave Daft Punk a blueprint for combining vocoder-laden electronic music, cosmic story lines and robot animé. Be kind, please rewind.

SCHEMATIC: Candid photos, original cover art and record scans…

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Robot Rock du Jour: Vocoder – Amor de Robot (1985)

beaker — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:51:40 +0000

Manchego munching synth-pop group Vocoder emerged from the silicon matrix in the mid-80s to release some quintessential nerd tracks, then disappeared forever back into the ether.

SCHEMATIC: Additional release info, high quality cover art and record scans…

Amor de Robot was the b-side of single Mindanao, released as both a 7″ and 12″ on Neon Danza, a short-lived sublabel of indie label DRO (Discos Radioactivos Organizado). DRO, which you may recognize, was launched in 1982 by Aviador Dro, an awesome minimal wave synth band from Madrid.

A

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Robot Rock du Jour: Futurisk – Player Piano EP (1982)

beaker — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:30:41 +0000

This obscure Miami-based band recorded some of the finest minimal synth-punk tracks ever made on two ridiculously rare 7″ pressings. Check this “live” cut of Meteoright, the audio for which is available on 180g vinyl at Minimal Wave for $22.

Meteoright Live

Schematic

SCHEMATIC: 24bit/96kHz vinyl rips, record scans, cover art and vintage flyer artwork…

Futurisk Flyer Illustration c. 1982

I recently scored an original 7″ pressing of Player Piano from 1982 on Clark Humphrey Records.

To fuel your AV room rock out, all the songs from Player Piano are presented below in their correct order. These videos are also now available on our youtube playlist. Listen to how different the studio and live versions of Meteoright are!

A1) Poison Ivy

A2

A2) Meteoright

A3

A3) Push Me, Pull You (Part 2)

B1

B1) Lonely Streets

B2

B2) Split Second Decision

SPA

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Robot Rock du Jour: White Noise (Delia Derbyshire) – Love Without Sound (1969)

beaker — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:19:39 +0000

This song was composed and performed by Delia Derbyshire, THE goddess of electro. Although it might sound like Gorillaz to contemporary listeners, you’ll find a texture in this music that you just don’t hear today. The sexual undertones are distinctly 1960s and add an wickedly psychedelic component to the song. For more info on Derbyshire, check the post related to the Dr. Who theme song.

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Keyser Söze Alert: Zed – Plastic Love (1983)

beaker — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:31:55 +0000

I want this record SO badly that I am reluctant to even make other people aware of it. The third release on the legendary italo label Fuzz Dance.

SCHEMATIC: Bootleg reissue…

Plastic Love is now available on Safety Copy 07, a limited edition (333 copies) clear vinyl german bootleg. This same pressing also features Kirlian Camera’s Communicate.

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Robot Rock du Jour: Jo Lemaire + Flouze – Je Suis Venir Te Dire Que Je M’En Vais (1981)

beaker — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:25:32 +0000

Be still my robotic heart! Jo Lemaire’s 1981 cover of the Serge Gainsbourg classic is a sultry, breathy slow burn laid over some tight drum beats and layered, melancholy synths. “I came to tell you I am going…”

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