Experimental

This slow, hazy and warm yet still beat-driven number by classic Australian, experimental electronic group Severed Heads — from their 1985 album City Slab Horror — always conjures up a feeling when I hear it.

Coming back onto my musical radar recently after a long gap, this epic, classical music influenced track of punk-influenced electronics is a standout for this UK group who released a run of albums on Mute Records.

One of my favourite track collaborations between David Sylvian of Japan and Ryuichi Sakamoto, who is actually Japanese — a track that fills in the winter vibes very nicely.

A late 90s, cult, synth-inflected post-hardcore classic — one I’ve written about here and there before — the closing title track of this American band’s one and only LP gets taken up with a unique angle here.

Having had interactions with members of this band over the years — whether it’s being in the same tour van or in friendship — here’s look at an interesting track from an incredibly underrated post-industrial album Ugashia by the this group formed in London UK out another group, Noi Kabát.

This track from the band’s 1981 self-titled début (of which there’s two versions) offers a strong fusion of post-punk, Aussie pub rock, DIY percussion underpinned by rhythmic structuring more aligned with electronic dance music.

From the first album of three that he released on Mercury Records between 1981-1983, this track by iconoclastic, new wave guitarist Bill Nelson is a late-blooming yet crucial discovery for me.

A key track for me by this cult and obscure Scottish multi-disciplinary artist Pinkie Maclure from her 1985 album Unman, a release of fascinating experimental post-punk, drone and industrial tracks.

This track from the band’s newest 2024 album Wilting— featuring members of Arab On Radar, Doomsday Student, etc — offers a soundtrack to danceable psychosis, built on the back of their history of musical output.

First impressions on a psychedelia-heavy tropical/prog/vaporwave track by this apparently Texas-based electronic musician that came on randomly that I know little about!

From the band’s groundbreaking 1982 self-titled release, “NCR” merges post-punk attitude with rhythmic electronics in a tense, sombre yet serene tone and has been a favourite for a long time.

“The Facts” by this German music collective combines stark EBM-style electronics and ethnic sounds, released in their self-titled album in 2013, around 30 years after it was originally recorded.

The 1999 album Blank-Wave Arcade by synth punk group The Faint contains two tracks that cleverly share the same riff. Some déja vu action indeed!

The Vanishing‘s “Lovesick” from their second and final album Still Lifes Are Failing is a somewhat obscure yet prevailing dancefloor classic from San Francisco’s dark synth-punk scene of the early 2000s.

The holiday season is here and for various reasons I sort of singled out Mick Karn‘s 1982 album Titles as one to soundtrack the festive period.

A magical, icy instrumental number called “Dark River” from Coil‘s third album, Love’s Secret Domain, that has had some lasting power for me.

A space-y yet ominous electro synth number from the only LP of American/German collaboration Jyl, released in 1984 and re-released in 2020.

The challenging major label debut album Pony Express Record by Washington DC’s Shudder To Think and to me one of the most beautiful oddball signings of the 90s alternative boom.

With the atmosphere of winter kicking in, a re-listen of the work of American composer and sound artist Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe seemed in order.

Currently listening to many things that aren’t electronic music, here I give a little overview on U.S. Maple and their track “Obey Your Concert”.

In discovering a number of soundtrack pieces for giallo films, this uneasy short piece by Italian composer Riz Ortolani came to my attention.