British Columbia’s Moev is a kind of ground zero for electronic music in Canada. While Montrealers Rational Youth were first off the mark with their all-synth album, Cold War Night Life, on the Left Coast they were working to catch up. The first Moev album, Zimmerkampf, came out in 1982, and this catchy, synth-driven ditty was the lead track. The band then spawned Nettwerk Records, home to Skinny Puppy and others.
Track of the Day
By all rights, this should be saved up to be a Rare Video of the Week, but it’s such a glorious, classic track that it needs to go up now. If the cross-over between sections is confusing, then just put on a double-breasted shirt, gel your hair and close your eyes to savour this 80s jewel.
William Orbit’s creative touches are all over this track from acclaimed Irish singer, Sarah McGuinness, which is taken from the soundtrack to a documentary on the British comedian, Eddie Izzard. It’s a mixing master-class by Orbit, whose bag of tricks is unmatchable.
Between Two Frequencies wasn’t originally a Ceramic Hello release; rather, it was a 12″ single credited to Brett Wickens and Jah Wobble. This version, from the Vinyl-on-Demand reissue of Ceramic Hello’s limited vinyl output, lacks Wobble’s insanely funky bass-line, but adds atmosphere. What happened, Jah?
Chakk were from Sheffield, like The Human League and Cabaret Voltaire, but started out merging funk with the post-industrial sounds coming from their city. Their path to the dancefloor wasn’t as winding as that of the Cabs, and a major label advance paid for the FON studios, from which house music regularly emerged. Before that happened, they issued this chain-smoking, sequencer-stuttering slab of cool. A lost classic.
http://youtu.be/pjK9L3_5feI
In the mood for something a little DAF, with a dash of Guy Called Gerald, touched by the spirit of Richard H. Kirk? You know, nothing too heavy, but something to get you to the dancefloor and keep you interested for 4:42? Acute Onset is the duo of Hanna Kihlander and Johan Söderling from Sweden. Hanna’s name you know, because she worked on the best documentary on electronic music to date for Swedish TV. Johan’s you learn, because he is a graphic designer and sound artist with clear talent. Together, they make really interesting music, like this track, which you put on repeat.
Hot Streets was the B-side to Rational Youth’s single, In Your Eyes. Released on a major label in Canada, it retained the YMO and Kraftwerkian influences that had informed the Cold War Night Life album, while also signalling an interest in science fiction. Classic 80s synthpop.
Eric Random created this track with the production assistance of Cabaret Voltaire back in 1984, using the studio built by the Cabs on the back of their Virgin Records advance. It features a simple, pulsing sequencer line that anticipates acid house and EBM. A rare and sadly overlooked classic.