***LUNAPARK is the trio of BURKHARD BALLEIN, KLAUS "SCHLIPS" GEBAUER, and REINHARD "ZOPPEN" BENISCH from Wuppertal, Germany. Formed in 1981 when the boys were dissatisfied with their surrounding musical environment. They packed their instruments and a cassette recorder and set off to create their own brand of Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW "New German Wave”). Their influences included The Beatles, Colloseum, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa as well as Sex Pistols, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Blondie and The Cure. Gefangene Vögel (‘Prisoner Birds’) is their debut album released by Intakt Records, Stuttgart in 1982. Utilizing a simple set up of guitar, bass, drums, drum-computer, Korg MS-10 and Korg MS-20 they recorded 10 tracks that make up the album. Songs bridge the Belgian-type industrial and cold sounds with NDW quirkiness. In the vein of Sad Lovers and Giants, and Schleimer K they blend post-punk and new wave music with electronic influences. All songs are sung in German with monotone vocals and epitomized the urban Zeitgeist of the Cold War. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a replica of the original jacket design, which features a drawing of birds on a grid. There are 4 different color versions of the screen printed jacket: blue, yellow, magenta and turquoise. Each LP includes a copy of the double sided 11x11 insert that was included with the original pressing with lyrics and photos.
LP $17.75
05/24/2016
***BACK IN PRINT!!! The short, mysterious career of the female French duo DEUX FILLES is bookended by tragedy. GEMINI FORQUE ad CLAUDINE COULE met as teenagers at a holiday pilgrimage to Lourdes, during which Coule's mother died of an incurable lung disease and Forque's mother was killed and her father paralyzed in an auto accident. The two teens bonded over their shared grief and worked through their bereavement with music. However, after recording two critically acclaimed albums and playing throughout Europe and North America, Forque and Coule disappeared without a trace in North Africa in 1984 during a trip to visit Algiers. The short and terribly unhappy lives of Forque and Coule are at the root of the small but fervent cult following the mysterious duo have gained since their disappearance, not least because the placid, largely instrumental music on the duo's albums betrays no hint of the sorrow that framed their personal lives. This would be a terribly sad story if a word of it were true. In reality, Deux Filles were SIMON FISHER TURNER, former child star/teen idol and future soundtrack composer, and his mate COLIN LLOYD TUCKER. Turner and Tucker left an early incarnation of The The in 1981 to pursue another musical direction. Turner claims that the idea of Deux Filles came to him in a dream, and he and Tucker strictly maintained the fiction throughout the duo's career. Not only did they pose in drag for the album covers, the duo...
2XLP $22.25
05/24/2016
***PHANTOM FORTH were the brother sister team of PAUL LUKER (guitar, bass, vocals), DEBBIE LUKER (drums, guitar, vocals) and LORRAINE STEELE (keyboards, percussion, vocals). They formed in 1981 in Auckland, New Zealand. Paul began recording his own music after purchasing a 2-track from Oceania Sound. He formed a band with his flatmate and eventually met Lorraine through Debbie. With a shared love of Young Marble Giants and Cabaret Voltaire they started to rehearse at LAB Studio. The EEPP was recorded in 1983 within a few weeks at Progressive Music Studios. Slated for release in February 1984, the mini-album finally appeared in November on Flying Nun Records. It contained seven moody sketches of Auckland. Their sound blends cold wave guitars, drum-machine propelled post-punk with female vocals. The core recording set up was a Casio-Tone VL, Boss DR-55 Dr. Rhythm, Roland TR-606 and an acoustic Yamaha bass. All original vinyl copies contained many clicks and pops and due to paper bits from previous jobs that pressing plant melted down. Included with this reissue are two early demos recorded at LAB in 1982, made prior to Lorraine joining the band, plus a recording from the Flying Nun live compilation ‘The Last Rumba’. All songs have been remastered from the original master tapes for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in sleeve with original artwork collage designed by Paul Lurker. Each LP includes a two-sided 8.5x11 poster with notes and photos.
LP $17.75
05/24/2016
***Dark Entries is proud to present Household Shocks, a 16-track compilation of UK DIY/Synth/New Wave/Post-Punk originally released in 1980. The album showcases 9 bands from the thriving post-punk scene in Scunthorpe and the North of England. Operating on a shoestring budget, co-producers CHRIS LEANING and PAUL SINGLETON (both of ONE GANG LOGIC), released Household Shocks on Stark Products, a label they founded in 1979. At almost 50 minutes of music, the album took four weeks to produce at the Studio Playground in Lincoln. It was supported heavily by the late Radio 1 DJ John Peel. In July 1980 Paul Singleton and Chris Leaning opened a record shop in Lincolnshire, England. It opened under the name “All Tomorrow’s Parties”, but later moved to the city center and was renamed “Parade.” Through their growing local music scene and the separation of economic classes, their shop became the hangout for the local punk movement. It was there that the idea for “Household Shocks”, a compilation of their friend’s bands, was born. THUNDERBOYS offer three punky pop blazers and feature Carmel McCourt who who subsequently achieved chart success with her band Carmel. PRODUCT OF REASON contribute three haunting synthesizer heavy numbers. SINKING SHIPS supply two tracks of off-kilter dubbed out angst ('Weight Loss' is the best Gang of Four song not by the Gang of Four). JUVENILES provide two power pop jams. MYSTERY GIRLS supply one track of quirky post-punk that recalls The Prats. DEFECTORS, a female fronted quartet featuring COUM Transmissions affiliate...
LP $17.75
05/06/2016
***ZYX are the duo of INGE GRAF and WALTER EBERL formed in Vienna, Austria in 1977. Committing themselves to the “aestheticisation of everyday life” in all fields of art, their works with video, photography, graphic design, and music are visually influenced by Pop Art, Constructivism, Futurism, Dadaism and musically rooted in Beat and Electronic Rock of the 60s and 70s. They are considered pioneers of multimedia art worldwide and continue to remain active to this day. Trust No Woman is the debut album from ZYX released in 1981 on the label RCA Music. Recorded from March to August 1981 at Recorded, mixed and mastered at SM&S-studio Vienna. Building on the early work of Gary Numan and the original Human League designed their short, immediate songs around a barrage of analogue synths, rock-solid electro beats and controlled, low-key vocals. It is an exceptional showcase of electro-pop, cold and mechanical robotic rhythms under a claustrophobic atmosphere. Songs are sung in English with a heavy German accent and lyrics resemble obscure, existentialist dialogues. Each song is infused with the spirit of hopeful discovery that accompanied the introduction of affordable home computers and synthesizers at that time. It is a album that advances the sounds set forth by The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Tuxedomoon and Yello. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in replica of the original jacket design, which features a photograph from a video still by...
LP $17.75
05/06/2016
12" $10.75
05/06/2016
***BRAND IMAGE is a trio formed in Bergamo, Italy in 1983. Created by the same group of musicians as their previous project SOME BIZARRE. The line-up is MARINO SCARABELLI (music, producer), TIBERIO "TYBER" SCARFONE (arrangement, producer) and STEFANO BRIGNOLI (lyrics, vocals) and vocalist MAURO FARINA. Originally, Stefano sang the song but his performance was too close to the brand new Some Bizarre single, so they recruited Mauro for distinction. “Are You Loving” was recorded at Regson Studio in Milan in 1983 and released on Il Discotto the same year. Similar in approach to Some Bizarre, the song’s music was composed by Marino as lyrics were written by Stefano with sitting on the sofa in the studio. The band created their signature sound using a Mini Moog, Prophet 5, Korg Synthesizer, Linn Drum. Mauro’s vocals are warm as he aggressively debates internally going out dancing or staying in and ordering take out. Where “Don’t Be Afraid” was the trio’s first experience at songwriting, ”Are You Loving” became a popular hit and gave the group strength and enthusiasm to continue this musical path. Tiberio was a fan of the Italian pop group ”Pooh” and their song “Non Siamo In Pericolo” had a solo break with an electric guitar and background bells that section inspired the guitar and claps solo in “Are You Loving”. Enrica Danesi makes a return appearance with her signature call-and-response back up vocals during the chorus. On the B-side is the instrumental version with extended breaks, drum claps and...
12" $12.75
04/12/2016
***DARIO DELL'AERE is a New Wave musician, producer and singer from Milan, Italy. At the end of the 1970's Dario performed in a mime show that was influenced by the glam cliches of David Bowie. In 1979, Dario met Victor Life outside a cinema and began a lifelong collaboration of projects: Diamond Dogs, Ice Eyes and Fockewulf 190. Musically, the duo were inspired by the Human League’s “Reproduction” and John Foxx’s “Metamatic” and visually they took cues from New Romantic’s Visage and Ultravox. With the Fockewulf 190 moniker, they created their own dark blend of Italo disco releasing the hit singles “Gitano” and “Body Heat” in 1984. By the end of 1984 the duo took a break and Dario went into the studio and recorded his debut solo single “Eagles In The Night”. One of the most coveted Italo Disco 12”s, it was released in 1985 on Market Records. The song features unique xylophone-like synthesizer notes that Dario’s deep vocals float over. Lyrically, the song is about a spirit that flies above the heights of the world in search of a true love to share with a partner. Clocking in at over 8-minutes of melancholic, the song’s mid-tempo kitsch comes with backing vocals from Dario’s sister, Nora Dell'Aere. On the B-side is the shorter instrumental version with the occasional "oh wacky co-co" refrains from Dario. Both songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in an exact replica of the...
12" $12.75
04/12/2016
***SOME BIZARRE is a trio formed in Bergamo, Italy in 1983. The line-up is MARINO SCARABELLI (music, producer), TIBERIO "TYBER" SCARFONE (arrangement, producer) and STEFANO BRIGNOLI (lyrics, vocals). Tiberio was a DJ at a local discotheque where he met his bandmate Marino. Initially, they wanted to use the name Funny Marvin but decided on Some Bizarre. After recruiting and collaborating Stefano for vocals, who is credited on the record with the initials S.B., they were convinced of his talents. “Don’t Be Afraid” was their first composition, recorded in Milan in 1983 and released on the famed italo record label Il Discotto the same year. The song was composed by Marino as lyrics were written by Stefano sitting on the sofa in the studio. The band created their signature sound using a Mini Moog, Prophet 5, Korg Synthesizer and Linn Drum. Stefano sings about a romantic night dancing with a lover where they forget about reality and are on an adventurous dream. The lyrical melody was based on Bach's most famous organ piece, Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Backup vocalist Enrica Danesi adds a powerful call-and-response in the chorus heightening the dramatic feel to the song. The B-side features an exact instrumental version of the original. Both songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a newly designed jacket by Eloise Leigh inspired by the song’s themes of liquid love, heartbreak and moonlight against a Rococo column. Each copy...
12" $12.75
04/12/2016
***GHIBLI is the solo project of musician, producer and vocalist ALBERTO GARBELLI from Milan, Italy. At the age of 23 he opened up a comic book and saw the word ‘Ghibli’ which is the name of the North African desert wind and also—a Maserati car model. Inspired by Klaus Nomi and Nina Hagen, he began to sing in an operatic fashion. During this time Alberto would frequent local discotheques. Watching the unique mix of performers and dancers, Alberto lost his inhibitions and found the freedom to become an artist. “I’m Looking For You” is the debut single from Ghibli released on Durium Records in 1985. The song features Roland synthesizers, a Linn Drum machine and Yamaha DX-7 chimes/bells punctuating throughout. Lyrically, the song focuses on the continual search for the perfect lover. The song appears to have what many think to be backup female vocals when in reality it is Alberto singing in falsetto. On the B-side is a shorter instrumental version stripped down to the ominous chant—making for a darker, driving track. Ghibli is mixed by his friend, producer and musician TONY CARRASCO who was also one of the DJs at Studio 54 in New York. Carrasco, initially, was the one who took Alberto into the studio to record some music. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Housed in an exact replica of the original jacket that features a portrait of Alberto in a suit and bowtie. Each copy includes...
12" $12.75
04/12/2016
***The Tightrope Touch Sad Lovers & Giants are a post-punk band from Watford, England who formed in 1980. The original lineup included vocalist Garçe (Simon) Allard, guitarist Tristan Garel-Funk, bassist Cliff Silver, drummer Nigel Pollard and keyboardist/saxophonist David Wood. They released their first 3-song 7” EP “Clé” followed by the "Colourless Dream" single both in 1981 and “Lost In A Moment” 7” single in 1982. They released two studio albums, “Epic Garden Music” (1982) and “Feeding the Flame” (1983) before disbanding and reforming in 1987. “Lost In A Sea Full Of Sighs” is a collection of 9 songs recorded between 1981 and 1982. Compiling all seven song from their first three 7” singles plus one demo and one song recorded for a John Peel Session in 1981. Lead singer and songwriter Garce Allard was influenced by the works of Satre, Orwell, Huxley, Dali and Kafka and especially T.S. Elliot’s ‘The Wasteland’. The sense of alienation from reality in the stream of conscious-like prose, perfectly echoed his own experience. Many of the lyrics on this collection are vaguely autobiographical and tend towards melodrama and personal relationships. The music is moody, dense, cerebral, bass-driven, awash with synthesizer swirls and sax interjections like The Chameleons, Modern English and The Cure. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket features a drawing of an espalier used for "horizontal training”,a technique to control the directional growth of plants designed by Eloise Leigh. Each copy...
LP $19.00
03/22/2016
***Konstruktivists are a UK Industrial group formed by Glenn Michael Wallis in 1982 out of the ashes of Heute. In the late '70s/early '80s Wallis was heavily involved with Throbbing Gristle and the Industrial Records crew. Influenced by Krautrock bands like Can, NEU!, Cluster/Harmonia as well as Tuxedomoon, Yello, Chrome, SPK, and early Clock DVA, Glenn began to record his own material. After several cassette releases through Flowmotion under his own name, Konstruktivists’ first LP A Dissembly was released in 1982. To record A Dissembly, Glenn went into IPS Studio in Shepherds Bush, London. Glenn played synthesziers, percussion and vocals, with help from Dave Rouse (guitar), Adrian Grover (piano, tape loops) and Dave Kenny (engineer, treatments, tapes). The equipment used for this album includes a Korg MS-20, Casio MT-40, Roland TR-606 and TB-303, Korg Space Echo 555 and an Eventide Harmonizer previously used by Throbbing Gristle. In the studio was an old broken piano which was recorded with two microphones onto an 18 foot tape loop. Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle modified Glenn’s TR-606 with separate outputs for snare and bass drums to help create the slap back snare sound heard through the album. Konstruktivists create their own brand of Industrial using tape loops and lurching rhythms arched by droning melodies. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is housed in an exact replica of the original jacket, featuring a black and white photograph of a church by Dave Byatt...
fpo $18.50
03/22/2016
***BACK IN PRINT!!! Frak are Björn Isgren, Johan Sturesson and Jan Svensson, a trio of synthesizer lovers from Sweden. The band was formed when Svensson and Isgren’s older sisters were best friends and they introduced their little brothers to each other. Inspired by Severed Heads, DAF, Human League, Devo, Skinny Puppy, the boys began collecting analog equipment and started Studio Styrka. While the band were still in their early teens they released the first FRAK cassette album in 1987 on their own record label Börft. Almost 30 years later, FRAK continue to release their bizarre brand of Scandinavian techno with their debut release on Dark Entries. “Sudden Haircut” was recorded in 2015, a ten-minute brooding, heavy hitting acid attack full of 808 drum claps aimed at the dance floor. The three remaining songs come from a studio tape the band found in their archives named 'FRAK "After The Silence" 2001-2010' “Synthgök” and “Synthfrilla” were recorded in 2010 and originally released on the ‘Börft’ EP by Sex Tag Mania in 2012. Utilizing a 808, 303, 101 and MS-10, both are supreme cuts of electro leaning acid techno that perfectly fit the sweatiest moments of any club land experience. The deliciously rugged final track “First Glimt I Ögat” is a vintage unreleased Frak song from 2001 recorded one month before the track “Second Coming” (later released as B1 on ‘Börft’ EP). All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Designer Eloise Leigh has created a...
12" $13.75
03/01/2016
***The Frozen Autumn is an Italian darkwave band, formed in May 1993 in Turin, Italy. Originally the solo project of singer, keyboardist and synth programmer Diego Merletto, guitarist Claudio Brosio joined on during early studio sessions and live performances. Together they recorded and released two albums, “Pale Awakening” in 1995 and “Fragments of Memories” in 1997. In 1998, Claudio left the band and Diego recruited Arianna (aka Froxeanne) who sings, programs and composes. After 18 months of work, The Frozen Autumn's third album, “Emotional Screening Device”, was released in April 2002. “Time Is Just A Memory” is a 6-track overview of songs from The Frozen Autumn’s first three albums. Characterized by a blend of melancholic vocals, atmospheric gothic-wave and 1980s-style electropop, the duo call their style "frozen wave”. The Frozen Autumn have stated that labelmates Clan of Xymox have been their main source of inspiration over the years. Other influences include Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, The Sisters of Mercy, Xmal Deutschland, David Sylvian and Depeche Mode. These six tracks stand out for their rich melodies, from the guitar-laden early tracks “Dusk Is Like A Dagger”, “Wait For Nothing”, “There's No Time To Recall”, and “This Time,” to the electronic sheen on later songs “Is Everything Real?” and “Silence Is Talking”. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The release is housed in a custom-made jacket by Peer Lebrecht, from German electro/synthpop band The Dust Of Basement, incorporating a photograph...
LP $15.00
02/02/2016
***BACK IN STOCK!!! Wolfsheim are a synthpop duo from Hamburg, Germany consistsing of Markus Reinhardt (music) and Peter Heppner (lyrics and vocals). The band was founded in 1987 by Markus Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi and was named after Meyer Wolfsheim, a fictional character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel ‘The Great Gatsby’. Ricciardi soon left the band and was replaced by Peter Heppner, a childhood friend of Reinhardt's. Together they produced their first demo tape, “Ken Manage”, in 1988. After making a second demo tape, “Any But Pretty”, in 1989, Wolfsheim applied at various labels until they caught the attention of independent record label Strange Ways Records. They are best known for their debut breakthrough single, "The Sparrows and the Nightingales”, the first single to be released on Strange Ways in 1991. The band's musical style takes cues from the 1980s New Romantics, new wave, synthpop, and darkwave. The track's sombre synths were produced by Carlos Peron of Yello. Reinhardt says the lyric was inspired by ‘The Great Gatsby’, "in the 'onomatopoeic tension' between predator and security." Over six minutes, the narrator describes being lost, unsure of where his life is heading, using highly metaphorical language. On the flip is a brand new remix by German producer Ancient Methods, a pseudonym of Michael ‘Trias’ Wollenhaupt, who provides a driving, EBM-leaning, amphetamine-laced club ready cut. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Designer Eloise Leigh has updated the record's...
12" $12.75
02/02/2016
***Immersed in the early days of the 90s midwest rave scene, Bill Converse began DJing at a young age in Lansing, Michigan. Luminaries such as Claude Young, Traxx, and Twonz were key early influences. Since moving to Texas in 1998, he has experimented with analog techniques in varied studio bunkers. Early techno, noise, ambient, tape, and paranormal processing are all part of his uncanny sound palette. “Meditations/Industry” is Converse’s debut vinyl release, collecting material from a cassette release on Obsolete Future. The tracks were recorded to tape with no overdubs in 2012-2013. As the title implies, the album places meditation inside tactile sonic processes. Bill is informed by his surroundings, influenced by scenes of desolation in nature, the sea, the desert, and places of industry, like power stations, old factories, and warehouses. The songs on this full length reveal a sublime influence from Detroit techno, early Chicago house, and Acid. The album was recorded and mixed by Bill at his home studio in Austin and mastered by Dave Alex. All songs were EQed for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. A custom-made jacket designed by our in-house designer Eloise Leigh incorporates the abstract cobalt glaciers, reminiscent of blueprints, over a dark gray background. Each copy includes a postcard with notes and a photograph of a mountain range that looks like ocean waves.
LP $17.75
01/12/2016
***BACK IN STOCK!!! Crash Course In Science are a post punk band that formed in 1979 in Philadelphia. The band members, Dale Feliciello, Mallory Yago and Michael Zodorozny, met while attending art school, where they began to experiment with crude electronics and off-beat lyrics. CCIS avoided conventional instrumentation by using toy instruments and kitchen appliances to augment the distorted guitar, drums and synthesized beats. Their first single, “Cakes in the Home” was released in 1979 followed by a 4-song 12″ EP “Signals From Pier Thirteen” in 1981. “Jump Over Barrels” was recorded at the Third Story Studio in Philadelphia in 1981, one year after “Signals From Pier Thirteen”. The song remained unmixed and unreleased at that time for a proposed album titled “Near Marineland”. Lyrically the song tackles overcoming obstacles, self imposed or otherwise, with vocal interplay between Michael and Mallory. On the A Side is the original mix and a demo mix from 1981. Then on the flip is a brand new remix by prolific Ann Arbor producer Charles Manier, a pseudonym of Tadd Mullinix, who toughens up the track. Also included is an unreleased demo version of the song from 1980, accentuating the raw and skeletal nature of the track. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. It is in a custom-made jacket by our in-house designer Eloise Leigh that incorporates waveform-esque squiggles jumping over abstract barrel symbols, plus a postcard with lyrics and...
12" $12.75
01/12/2016
Severed Heads are one of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the Australian post-punk independent music scene. They began in Sydney in 1979, incorporating elements of ‘industrial’ noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style. After many line-up changes featuring Garry Bradbury and psychedelic guitarist Simon Knuckey, Severed Heads was the vehicle for composer Tom Ellard. In 1985 their record label asked them to release a retrospective, so they dragged out bits that we had lying around from 1979 up til 1983. The compilation was titled “Clifford Darling Please Don’t Live In The Past”, spread out into a montage over four sides of vinyl. Bradbury and Ellard would fuss each bit and sling it on their new digital recorder, and since they still have the digital recorder, this reissue is made directly from the bits assembled twenty years ago. This compilation includes live recordings, raw demos, unreleased studio recordings and solo pieces from each member of the band during from the first five years. Their early music was characterized by the use of tape loops, noisy arrangements of synthesizers and other dissonant sound sources in the general category of industrial music. After several releases in that vein, Severed Heads began incorporating various popular music tropes, such as a consistent 4/4 rhythm, strong melodic lines, resolving chord arrangements and the occasional vocal. This move was underscored by the incorporation of mimetic devices,...
2XLP $22.25
12/15/2015
***BACK IN STOCK!!! Received an 8.1 rating from Pitchfork. Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records have teamed up again to release another volume of gay porn soundtracks by San Francisco-based musician and producer, Patrick Cowley. Perhaps one of the most revolutionary and influential people in the canon of disco music, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music, "The San Francisco Sound." Born in Buffalo, NY on October 19, 1950, Patrick moved to San Francisco at the age of 21. He studied at the City College of San Francisco where he founded the Electronic Music Lab. During this time, Patrick, along with his classmates Maurice Tani and Art Adcock, would create radio jingles and electronic pieces using the school's equipment: first a Putney, then an E-MU System, and finally a Serge synthesizer. He would make experimental soundtracks by blending various types of music and adapting them to the synthesizer. By the mid-70's, Patrick's synthesizer skills landed him a job composing and producing songs for disco superstar Sylvester, including hits like “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”, “Dance Disco Heat” and "Stars." This helped Patrick obtain more work as a remixer and producer. His 18-minute long remix ofDonna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and his production work with edgy New Wave band Indoor Life were both of particular note. By 1981, Patrick had released a string of dance 12" singles, like “Menergy” and “Megatron Man”. He also had founded Megatone Records and released his debut album, "Menergy"....
CD $12.75
11/20/2015
2XLP $27.00
05/05/2017
Dark Entries digs deeper in to the archives of Severed Heads, one of the longest surviving bands to emerge from the Australian post-punk independent music scene. They began in Sydney in 1979, incorporating elements of ‘industrial’ noise-generation, tape cutting & looping and electronic sound synthesis. As the project developed song-structures and vocals were employed in a more-or-less recognizable mutant electro pop style. In 1986 the band released the 12” single “Petrol” on Nettwerk Records. We’ve decided to shed light on the evolution of “Petrol” with this EP showcasing four earlier incarnations of what became an instant synth pop classic. “Petrol”, originally titled “Lamborghini”, was written by Garry Bradbury and Tom Ellard in 1981. The first version of the song featured vocals by Finoa Graham and music by Tom Ellard. “Lamborghini” was featured on a compilation of Experimental Australian bands titled “Entrave Et Étouffement, From Australia...” released by L'Invitation Au Suicide in April 1982. DJs in Chicago discovered the import compilation and “Lamborghini” became a proto-House secret weapon, traded on mix tapes. In July 1982, the band was invited to record several songs on Metro TV in Sydney to demonstrate the video synthesizer, a new piece of equipment played by Stephen Jones. The video synthesizer was installed into Metro's control room above the main studio to process the performance in real time on two cameras while recording to video. Tom Ellard and Garry Bradbury were using analog synths and tape recorders along with the screaming guitar work of Simon...
12" $13.75
11/06/2015
***BACK IN STOCK!!! Boytronic is a synthpop group from Hamburg, Germany founded by by Holger Wobker and Peter Sawatzki in 1982. The duo began composing music as the soundtrack to sex shows on Hamburg’s famous “Mile of Sin”. Soon after, Holger started working in a local record shop where he played early Boytronic demos during his shifts. A representative from Mercury Records came to the shop, heard the songs and gave the band a contract. They would go to release many singles and two albums “The Working Model” in 1983 and “The Continental” in 1985. By 1986 the record company claimed rights to the band name and put together a completely different lineup fronted by Hayo Lewerentz. This new incarnation continued to record under the Boytronic name until the mid-90's. Influenced by Kraftwerk, The Human League, Visage and Depeche Mode, the band crafted their own brand of synthpop. Their first single “You” was released by Mercury Records in 1983 and became a Top 10 club hit in many European charts. Inspired by New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle”, the song in an openly gay love song, where the singer expresses his loneliness waiting the return of his adoration for another man. “Trigger Track” was released in 1984 as a B-side of the second Boytronic single “Diamonds and Loving Arms”. It was originally planned as an A-side, but was declined by the record company. “Bryllyant” was originally released as a B-side to the 86 remix of “You”...
12" $13.75
11/03/2015
***Shoc Corridor was the London post-punk quartet of Paul O'Carroll (Voice, Synth), Andy Garnham (Synth, Bass, Drum), Chris Davis (Guitar, Bass, E-Bow) and Nogi Prass (Synth) named after the Sam Fuller film from 1963. Chris met Nogi shortly after moving to London in 1979, started playing music together, fell madly in love and decided to form a band. They recruited Andy, who had previously played in a band with Steve Luscombe of Blancmange, and lyricist and vocalist Paul. A home studio was set up at Andy’s flat in Notting Hill, where the band recorded and rehearsed. More interested in studio experimentation than live performance, the band only played a handful of gigs. Their influences were wide reaching: Kraftwerk, Neu, Cabaret Voltaire, Eno, PIL, and Joy Division. Their equipment list included a Korg MS-20, Wasp, Pro-One, Roland TR-808, WEM Copicat, guitars, bass, e-bow and an assortment of effects pedals. The crucial fifth member of the band was, of course, a TEAC reel-to-reel 4-track recorder. After recording a four song demo they were offered a deal by Shout Records. The debut 12” single, ‘A Blind Sign’, was released in autumn 1982 and the band booked a studio to record an album’s worth of songs that winter. But Nogi received notification from the home office that she would have to leave the UK when her visa expired at the end of the year. Chris was faced with a dilemma - follow Nogi to Israel or continue with the band. Nogi and Chis...
LP $13.75
11/03/2015
***Liquid G. (Liquid Garbage) is the one-man project of EBM stalwart Peter van Bogaert from Melsele, Belgium. In 1987, he began to record music and self-release limited cassettes on his own label Liquid Produkts. Between 1987 and 1990, Peter composed over nine albums, in addition to a split release with Vomito Negro. Liquid G. made their first vinyl appearance on the ‘Expo 87’ 7” compilation, courtesy of Dirk Ivens' Body Records. “Liquidation” is the first ever vinyl compilation of Liquid G.’s cassette recordings, taking you on a journey through the underground of the Belgian Electro Industrial scene. Each song was written, produced, recorded and performed by solely by Peter between 1987-1989. Liquid G. captures the DIY synth-punk ethos of Cabaret Voltaire, The Screamers, and Nervous Gender. Six of the eleven songs on the album are instrumentals, and full of disturbing drum machines, stratified synthesizers, and deep, distorted bass-lines. The core of Liquid G.’s home studio included the Korg Poly-800, Roland TR-505, Roland MT-32, and Boss flanger and delays. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is a custom made black and white collage by Gwenaël Rattke, capturing the bleak attitude of the music. Each album includes a double-sided insert featuring the original artwork of the cassettes and lyrics.
LP $17.75
10/06/2015
***BACK IN PRINT!!! MISS KITTIN & THE HACKER are the Electro duo of CAROLINE HERVE and MICHEL AMATO from Grenoble, France. The pair met during the early '90s at a rave and soon after bought turntables and began DJing. In 1996, they began writing music heavily influenced by '80s synth and post-punk bands like Fad Gadget, DAF, Liaisons Dangeuresues, and Yazoo, as well as Italo Disco. Bored by the techno scene at the time, they set out out to lighten the serious tone and bring a campy sexiness to the dour musical landscape. Upon hearing their demos DJ Hell signed them to his Munich-based International DJ Gigolo label and released their first 2 EPs in 1998 and 1999. Their debut album First Album was released in 2001. Lost Tracks Vol. 1 contains 4 previously unreleased demos recorded between 1997 and 1999. The duo fused '80s European New Wave/Italo Disco with '90s Detroit Electro acts like Le Car and Dopplereffekt. By utilizing verse-chorus structures, they playfully shook up the loop based hard techno and electro that was popular at the time. Their studio set up at the time was a Korg MS-20, Roland SH-101, TR-606, TR-808, Siel DK80, and Boss DR-660 drum machine. The songs are direct, spontaneous, seemingly improvised in places. Miss Kittin sings about falling in love with an alien, sexy nightlife in Berlin, and explicit S&M leather play, all in her cheekily derisive French accent All songs have been transferred from the original DAT...
12" $13.75
07/28/2015
***Dark Entries is proud to release the sophomore EP from BEZIER entitled Telomeres. Bézier is the moniker of local SF musician ROBERT YANG, who also is part of the illustrious HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM crew. Telomeres is the follow up to Bézier’s debut EP Ensconced, released in 2013. The title relates to themes of time, science, analytics and procedures. Bézier integrates the refrains of Spanish new wave and Italo disco with the attitude and aggression of underground styles like synth-punk and industrial. These six tracks were written, produced and mixed by Bézier at his home studio in San Francisco between 2014 and 2015, and feature the debut of his own vocals. All songs have been mixed by Mark Pistel (of Meat Beat Manifesto fame) at Room 5, San Francisco and EQed for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The vinyl comes housed in a jacket featuring an illustration by in-house designer Eloise Leigh riffing on early 80s computer graphics. The matted sleeve is meant to resemble the side panels of early computing instruments like Macintoshes or the Commodore 64. Each LP includes a postcard with a photograph of actual telomeres captured by a microscope camera by the Blackburn Lab at UCSF. “Telomeres” are life’s building blocks, changing the lengths of chromosomes to determine lifespan. This music is an investigation of a future in which time elongates as well as contracts.
12" $15.00
07/21/2015
***WISH KEY was an Italo Disco group formed by the husband/wife duo of MANILIO CANGELLI and LORELLA GHILARDI in Milan.Their first single “Orient Express” was released in 1983 by Discomagic Records. The song was arranged, composed and recorded by Manlio, with the lyrics by Lorella. It was supposed to be the new single for BLUE RUSSELL, but on the insistence of Severo Lombardoni of Discomagic Records, the group was persuaded to use a male vocalist. A demo of the song was given to DJ MASSMIMO BERTI, who contributed lead vocals, while the backing vocals were done by Blue Russell. The subsequent promotion of the song demanded finding an alternate female vocalist because Blue Russell was already committed to the promotion of her own single, “I Wanna Fly Away.” SILVIA MERELLI, Berti’s wife, was brought in for TV appearances and future recordings. In 1985 Massimo Berti began recording another single for the Wish Key project. “Last Summer” was recorded with help from Italo producer SANDY DIAN.
12" $12.75
07/07/2015
***Dark Entries Editions is proud to announce the next reissue in their series of hard to find Italo Disco club hits. BLUE RUSSELL was the husband/wife duo of MANILIO CANGELLI and LORELLA GHILARDI from Milan. Cangelli was a session musician and composer for many Italian singers, making music for commercial TV and working long days in the studio. He had a strong passion for the analog synthesizers of the time and discovered the latest drum machines. After appreciating a healthy dose of Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer, he set out to make dance music similar to the Disco sounds of the late 1970s. The duo would go on to write and produce many Italo classics for artists such as B. Rose, Wish Key, Clay Pedrini, Jerry Moon, Scotch and more. “I Wanna Fly Away” was recorded in Milan in the Spring of 1984 and released later that year on Disco Magic Records. The band created their signature sound using an Oberheim OB-X, Elka Synthex and Roland JX-3P as well as a cache of drum machines like the Oberheim DMX, Roland TR-808 and E-mu Drumulator. Cangelli uses double octaves, a technique where one hand plays the high notes of the chords on one synthesizer and at the same time another hand plays the bass notes of the same chords in a shorter time. This skillful alternation creates the unique arpeggios signature to Cangelli’s stylized sound. Lorella’s vocals are haunting and powerful. She oozes charisma as she sings about the loss of...
12" $12.75
06/30/2015
***Dark Entries Editions is proud to announce the next reissue in their series of rare Italo Disco club hits. CLAY PEDRINI is a musician and singer from Milan. He released his only single, “New Dream,” in 1984 on Sensation Records. Despite his limited output, Pedrini proved himself to be a shining star of the Italo scene. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by a severe case of whiplash, but his fusion of analog keyboards and electronic trickery has stood the test of time. Clay had the idea for “New Dream” during a summer vacation. When he returned home and met up with his friend and fellow musician MANILIO CANGELLI, things began to develop. Influenced by Giorgio Moroder and Kraftwerk, together they wrote and recorded “New Dream” at B3 Studio in Milan in 1983. Arpeggios soar amidst cutting edge electronic percussion, but Clay’s strong vocals take the lead on this tale of lost love and summer’s end. The E-mu Drumulator, a sample-based drum-machine similar to the famous Linn Drum, was featured prominently. Additional electronic drums and keyboards were played by MASSIMO COSTA, and backing vocals were done by FULVIO MONIERI. The infectious chorus was sung by LORELLA GHILARDI, the vocalist for Blue Russell, B. Rose, and Ella Morris. On the B-side there is an instrumental version with a mid-song breakdown and dubbed out chorus. Both songs are remastered for vinyl by GEORGE HORN at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a jacket with original photo of Clay playing...
12" $12.75
06/30/2015
***Dark Entries returns to the New Jersey basement studio to unearth another compilation cassette recordings by SMERSH titled Super Heavy Solid Waste. Smersh was the duo of MIKE MANGINO and CHRIS SHEPARD, who began making music together in the late '70s. They were uninterested in traditional notions of songwriting or live performance. Everything they needed was in Piscataway NJ: a basement full of analog gear, a Roland TR-606 (the same “Roland” who was listed as a member of Big Black), a SH-09 (Cabaret Voltaire’s favorite synth), and a TB-303 (the sound of acid house). Most Monday nights, they would write a new song from scratch. A couple hours later, the song was recorded, never to be performed again. By 1981, this dedication to spontaneous creativity had already produced countless recordings, and the duo began releasing cassettes as Smersh via their own Atlas King label. A definitive Smersh discography may not even be possible, but one lists more than 30 Atlas King cassettes. As these tapes traded their way across continents, Smersh developed a devoted following in places far beyond Piscataway, leading to releases on dozens of other labels from around the globe. Smersh’s sound is a lush hybrid of techno, industrial, dance, and experimental. Sometimes easy, sometime not. Most songs revolve around driving EBM style beats, intricate industrial noise manipulation and synth melodies. The Smersh sound has so many faces it doesn’t fall into any one category. For Super Heavy Solid Waste, we have selected 8 songs, focusing on the...
LP $17.75
06/16/2015
***BACK IN PRINT!!! Dark Entries is honored to release a 4-track EP by Swiss musician CARLOS PERON, founding member of YELLO. Carlos was born in 1952 in Zurich and began collecting music at a young age. Inspired after attending a concert of Karlheinz Stockhausen in the 1960s, he began to compose Musique Concrete pieces using a 4-track reel to reel and found sounds. In 1979 Perón founded the trio Yello with musician Boris Blank and vocalist Dieter Meier. Yello released their first album in 1980 and the following year Carlos released his first solo album Impersonator. In 1983 Carlos left Yello in order to pursue a solo career and released the soundtrack to Die Schwarze Spinne and 1984 his second solo album Nothing Is True; Everything Is Permitted. In 1988, Belgian label LD Records released a 4-song EP of instrumental tracks from 1984 that predated, influenced and became staples in the New Beat scene. Dirty Songs is a collection of songs from Carlos Perón recorded between 1980 and 1986. “Nothing Is True; Everything Is Permitted (Instrumental)” recorded in 1984, is a slow burner with dark, gloomy atmospherics, presented here in an extended version with a bonus intro. “Breaking In (Instrumental),” from 1984, is a crossover of electronic body music and pitched down Chicago acid house featuring overplayed snares by hand though an Ovomaltine Box. Originally featured on the soundtrack for Die Schwarze Spinne, the song is about breaking into a large pharmaceutical company to steal drugs. On...
12" $13.75
06/09/2015
***NO MORE are a band from Kiel, Germany, founded in the summer of 1979. Their music is rooted in early Post Punk / No Wave. No More began as a quartet with ANDY A. SCHWARZ (vocals, guitar, bass), TINA SANUDAKURA (synthesizers), CHRISTIAN DARC (drums, vocals) and THOMAS WELZ (bass, vocals). They self-released their debut 7″ four song EP Too Late in 1980. After the departure of Thomas Welz at the end of 1980, No More worked as a trio until the end of 1983. As a trio the band explored musical minimalism and experimented with sequencers, drum synthesizers and rhythm boxes. There were no studios involved in the recording process. All recordings were made in bunkers, laundry rooms, cellars and rehearsal rooms. In 1981 the band released their second single “Suicide Commando.” The song spread internationally over the following years and became the band’s biggest success. In 1982 No More released the mini-album A Rose Is A Rose on 10”, described by NME as “made by a trio of young Germans who appear to have fallen out of Lou Reed ́s ‘Berlin’ album”. Songs on this mini-LP convey the desolate and bleak attitude of German youth in the early 1980s. This reissue compiles all 8 tracks from the mini-LP, both tracks from the “Suicide Commando” 7” plus 3 demos from 1982. As a bonus each LP includes the original “Too Late” 7” EP remastered and housed in an exact copy of the original jacket. All songs have been remastered for...
LP+7" $20.50
05/26/2015
***MAX GULD was a post-punk musician from Glostrup, Denmark one of the western suburbs of Copenhagen. In 1983 he formed a band called DEN FORSPILDTE ELITE with a friend from high school taking inspiration from experimental art punks The Residents. From the beginning of 1984 to the beginning of 1985, he recorded a solo album in his 30 square meter apartment. The result was a 40 minute cassette titled For Enden Af Corridoren released in 1985 on Hub Records that was limited to 100 copies. Six of the eleven songs on the album are instrumentals. For Enden Af Corridoren was written, produced, recorded and performed by Max without the involvement of any others. Influenced by the avant-garde electronic sounds of Brian Eno and Kraftwerk, Max created eerie synthesizer driven songs with intricate guitar work and mechanical vocals. All songs were recorded using a borrowed Moog Prodigy, Roland Organ/Strings, Korg KPR-77 rhythm machine, Gibson Les Paul De Luxe and a Rickenbacker bass. A spring reverb from a TV was also used and an old reel to reel for effects like echo. No sequencer, equalizer or noise reduction was used. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by GEORGE HORN at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is a replica of the original cassette artwork resized for a 12” LP and laid out by ELOISE LEIGH. Each album includes an double-sided insert with photos, lyrics and liner notes by Max Guld.
LP $17.75
05/12/2015
***JOE CROW is a post-punk musician from Birmingham, England. He was a member of legendary Brum band THE PREFECTS, and hung on long enough after the name-change to appear on a couple of early NIGHTINGALES singles. In 1981 Joe began his solo career and recorded a 2-song demo “Compulsion” and “Absent Friends.” Joe sent copies of the finished recordings to Cherry Red, who thanks to Lawrence of Felt, ended up releasing the single in 1982. An edited version of the single would later appear on the compilation Pillows & Prayers that collected songs which originated as 45s or EPs. Martin Gore of Depeche Mode subsequently covered “Compulsion” on his Counterfeit EP in 1989 forever solidifying its status in the cannon of UK melancholic synth pop . “Compulsion” and “Absent Friends” were originally intended as a double A-side. Composed, performed and recorded by Joe on an 8-track reel-to-reel at Sinewave Studio, Moseley Village in February 1981. Joe plays everything: guitar, bass, Boss Dr. Rhythm, Bee Gees Rhythm Machine, Wasp synthesizer, bongos stuffed with towels and an old tin tray for a snare drum. Everything was borrowed. “Compulsion” is an imaginary suicide note, a meditation on loss and grief. Its dark twin “Absent Friends” is an anti-song: no verses, choruses or middle-eight, some willfully odd chord progressions and plaintive yet melodic keyboard motif. Both songs are a spectral hybrid of alternating childlike and cynical vocals over lo-tech basement electronics with profound lyrics. This expanded 12” reissue adds 3 unreleased bonus...
12" $13.75
05/05/2015
***THOMAS LEER is an innovative electronic musician who was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland. He began singing for a local band at age 13, and was writing his own music by 18. By 1977, he had moved to London, where he fronted PRESSURE, a Clash-esque punk group with fellow experimental Scottish musician ROBERT RENTAL. After hearing Kraftwerk, Leer became interested in synthesizers—not long after, he was exploring the experimental techniques of Eno, Zappa, Beefheart, Faust, and Can. In 1978, Thomas released his first single, “Private Plane”/“International,” on his own Oblique Records. Both songs were recorded in his small Finsbury Park flat over three days, using a TEAC A3440 4-track recorder and an ALICE mixing board. The only effects used were a Watkins Copicat tape echo unit, Electo Harmonix DrQ filter, an old Roland drum machine, and a Stylophone. So as to not wake his sleeping girlfriend, Leer's vocals were nearly whispered, which lends them a textural, psychedelic quality. NME named “Private Plane” Single of the Week, and the hand-stamped first edition of 650 promptly sold out. For this expanded reissue, we’ve added two bonus tracks. “Kings of Sham,” from the 1981 Cherry Red Records sampler Business As Usual, is perfect motorik trance, echoing Conny Plank's 1970's productions. “Saving Grace” is the extended instrumental version of Leer’s second single “All About You” from 1982, a slow-burning cosmic work-out chock-full of anthemic synth riffs. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The...
12" $13.75
05/05/2015
***MORAL was the trio of MARCO ANDREIS (guitars, bass), HANNE WINTERBERG (vocals) and INGOLF BROWN (synthesizers, rhythm box, sequencer) from Aarhus, Denmark. They released their debut mini-album Dance of the Dolls on cassette shortly after forming in 1981. Whispering Sons followed on cassette in 1982. The group played very few concerts, but they did support both Monochrome Set and Nico. In May 1983, they contributed three songs to the Irmgardz Records sampler Somewhere Outside, a compilation featuring groups from outside of Copenhagen. During the summer of 1983, Moral recorded and produced their debut LP, And Life Is…, at Ingolf Brown’s home studio. It was the first release on Ingolf’s label ARP Gramophone in August 1984. Influenced by early 4AD Records, Joy Division, Brian Eno and Wire, the band crafted their own brand of Nordic melancholic post-punk. The album develops the band’s signature sound of glacial synthesizers with crepuscular guitar and serpentine melodies. The main synthesizers used are the primitive Roland TR-606 Drumatix (the percussion side-kick to the TB-303), plus the BOSS DR-55 Dr. Rhythm drum machine. Hanne’s hauntingly beautiful vocals evoke the gentle feather-light voice of Alison Statton from Young Marble Giants as well as the Teutonic chill of Nico. Lyrics about cold nights and blossoming relationships paint a detailed picture of youthful life in Scandinavia. Also included are three bonus tracks that originally appeared on the Somewhere Outside compilation. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is an exact...
LP $17.75
04/07/2015
***PORTION CONTROL is a British electronic and industrial band from South London. The trio of JOHN WHYBREW, IAN SHARP and DEAN PIAVANI started out experimenting with electronics in 1980. Linking up with In Phaze Records, they released a number of cassettes and records before signing with Illuminated Records in 1983. There followed a series of classic 12" singles: Raise the Pulse, Rough Justice and Go-Talk, which have become underground dancefloor hits. The band classifies their music style as “Hard Rhythmic Electronics” and were a major influence on Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly and Depeche Mode. Going back a few years, the band released their first official vinyl album I Staggered Mentally on In Phaze Records in 1982. This album laid the template for the harder edged rhythmic industrial sound of the ‘80s and ‘90s. I Staggered Mentally is as raw as electronic music gets. Dean Piavani’s anguished vocals are the lone human element amidst electric drones, metallic beats and alien analog flickers. Lead synths and effects were created with the Roland SH-09 and RS-09. The rhythm section was provided by the Roland TR-606 and then brand new TB-303 Bassline. Pulsing rhythmic tones were generated using the sample and hold feature of the Moog Rogue. This album documents the band's transition from Cabaret Voltaire-inspired experimentalists into proto-EBM and electro-industrial pioneers. It remains a shockingly brutal and viscerally exciting statement. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is an exact...
LP $17.75
03/10/2015
***VAN KAYE + IGNIT is the Dutch duo of ED VAN KASTEREN (Van Kaye) and INATINE BEKKEN (Ignit), who joined forces in the city of Arnhem during early 1980. While at university, Van Kaye was the singer of THE MoNoMeN, a local new wave band. By the end of 1979 he had become more interested in the use of electronics and rhythmic industrial patterns. In April 1980 he released a demo cassette with 30 minutes of his own work titled A Slight Delay. While experimenting with synthesizers and developing extreme sounds, he met Ignit, who had previously worked in the fields of art and performance. Together they recorded their first 4 songs with guest musician WILLIEM WISSELINK (WIZZKOPF) in the summer of 1981, and released the Picassos on the Wall 7“ later that year on their own Ding Dong label. Van Kaye + Ignit then began work on their debut 60 minute cassette album, A Slight Delay. Like the 7”, all songs were recorded and mixed by Van Kaye at his home studio on a TEAC A-3440 four-track recorder. Self-released in 1981, the album pairs conceptual sophistication with disarming naïveté in a way that has been difficult to replicate since the formative years of 'bedroom' electronic music. Both members handle vocals (or non-vocals), and songs feature everything from new wave riffs to slowly shifting oscillator buzzes and eerie electronics over mechanical rhythms. This reissue includes the entire 11-track original c-60 cassette “A Slight Delay”, as well as all 4...
2XLP $22.25
03/10/2015
***Die Form is a French post-industrial and electronic band formed in 1977. The name 'Die Form' means '(the) form/shape' in German, like the Bauhaus diary and is a play on the English homonym 'deformed' and on the French homonym 'difforme' (deformed). Die Form is the primary project of electronic musician and multimedia artist Philippe Fichot. He began by recording a number of experimental cassette releases in the late 1970s and formed the Bain Total label to release these early cassettes and various side projects including Krylon Hertz, Mental Code, Camera Obscura, Eva-Johanna Reichstag, Hurt and Fine Automatic. In 1982 Die Form released their debut vinyl album, “Die Puppe” in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. These are the first esoteric electronic experiments, often improvised, from what would become the sound of the project. Underlying themes of eroticism, death and other 'taboo' subjects are apparent in both the music and the album artwork, which Philippe also produces. The album was recorded with entirely analog equipment (Roland MC4 Micro-Composer, TR-808 Rhythm Composer, ARP 2600, Kawai 60F, Revox B77). Songs range from hypnotic, minimalistic proto-IDM to pure, daring experimental sound manipulation. Unable to fit into any genre, “Die Puppe” is in a class of music all its own. All songs have been remastered from the original master tapes for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is an exact replica of the original 1982 edition designed by Philippe Fichot, with a photograph of a porcelain...
LP $17.75
01/20/2015
***BACK IN STOCK!!! Dark Entries Editions is venturing into new waters with a remix EP of Psychic TV’s classic Acid House song “Alien Be-In”. Psychic TV was formed by Genesis P-Orridge and Peter Christopherson after the breakup of Throbbing Gristle in 1981. After various line up changes, the band shifted direction to dance oriented songs influenced by the Acid House scene in America. By 1988 experimental electronic musician Fred Giannelli, of Turning Shrines, joined the band and over the next 2 years started to record songs for “Toward The Infinite Beat”. The album was a mix of deep, multilayered tracks full of bright and hypnotic dance numbers, providing the soundtrack to the rave culture that sprung up in the UK in the 90s. “Alien Be-In” was written in early 1989 on an E-mu Emax Sampler and an Alesis MMT-8 sequencer. Vocal samples were taken from a tape Germs drummer Don Bolles sent to Genesis. A didgeridoo rides throughout the song, heavily modulated by a Gristleizer creating a hypnotic effect. Near the end of the song the breakbeat slides out of time yet the band chose to leave this in because it sounded strange and fit the concept of the track. Genesis played a spaced out Echo Violin and the band used 360 degree panning rotation devices. For this reissue Fred Giannelli takes a stab at remixing the mono mix of the original sequence sourced from the Emax floppy discs. On the flip are two brand new mixes, the...
12" $13.75
01/20/2015
***Dark Entries is excited to reissue a split EP of rare and out of print Detroit Electro jams from Nu Sound II Crew and Magnus II. Both were projects of mastermind Sam Anderson aka DJ Maestro. Growing up on the westside of Detroit, Maestro joined the Marine Corps in 1979 and was turned on to electronic music. One of his fellow Marines was a DJ from Brooklyn who schooled Maestro on how to mix records, blending dance songs seamlessly. While stationed on base in California, he set up a DJ crew called Nu Sounds and perfected his technical skills. He returned to Detroit in 1984 and auditioned for the Electrifying Mojo on WJLB. It was there that he met the Godfather of Techno, Juan Atkins, who introduced him to emerging new sounds of dance & party music. Juan showed him how to make and record music using a Roland 808 and 909, Linn Drum and a Boss DR-55 drum machine. In 1986 Maestro created a new alias for himself, Nu Sound II Crew, by adding a roman numeral II to his former DJ crew name. That year he self-released his first 12" single "The Speed Of Light" on Sound Wave Records. Only 500 copies were made and distributed by Juan Atkins' Metroplex Records. Influenced by Kraftwerk and Cybotron, Nu Sound II Crew created fresh, fast, dark electro beats with tough drum machines and lyrics about traveling through outer space. A second single was released that same year, "1001...
12" $13.75
01/20/2015
***Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem have teamed up to release Catholic, the lost opus of disco pioneer PATRICK COWLEY and INDOOR LIFE vocalist JORGE SOCARRAS. Perhaps one of the most revolutionary and influential people in the canon of disco music, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music, “The San Francisco Sound.” Born in Buffalo, NY on October 19, 1950, Patrick moved to San Francisco at the age of 21. He studied at the City College of San Francisco and met Jorge Socarras in 1973 through mutual friends. The duo’s first collaboration was a ten-minute trance-inducing epic that Cowley composed for a performance piece by Socarras in 1975. Patrick, who played drums, guitar and keyboards, provided the perfect match for Jorge’s vocal talents. Between 1975 and 1977 they recorded an album’s worth of material before Socarras moved to London and Cowley started playing synthesizers for SYLVESTER. Upon Jorge’s return to San Francisco in 1979, the duo would re-record some of the Catholic songs with Patrick’s newly acquired equipment. Meanwhile, Socarras met the musicians with whom he would form Indoor Life, and in 1980 Patrick co-produced their first album. The Catholic album was offered to San Francisco’s Megatone Records who passed on it. Fast forward to 2007 when Honey Soundsystem was contacted by John Hedges, former co-owner of Megatone Records. Hedges’ was moving to Palm Springs and invited the crew over to his basement to collect over 2,000 records from his collection. Among the archives were three moldy boxes of...
2XLP $27.00
11/11/2014