Bippp French Synth Wave
An awesome collection of obscure French synth-based cold-wave acts titled Bippp: French Synth-Wave 1979-85 has recently been released by Born Bad Records, a label out of Paris. Fans of Kraftwerk*, Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”, Stereo Total, or anything being put out by the Italians Do It Better label, will love this stuff.
“Covering the Parisian take on the post rock’n'roll resurgence as it became eclipsed by the more marketable New Wave sound, the compilation features songs that range from bordering on ambient soundscapes that echo futuristic symmetry to slightly erratic pop songs that tick in an eerie, repetitious tone.”
Marie Möör - Pretty Day
The collection also includes 36 page booklet, with bands bio’s and unissued photos, so you can get to know a bit more about the history of this cool scene. Apparently, the scene even had it’s own theorist; a punk-era music journalist named Yves Adrien, whose 1980 book-length essay, NovöVision, painted a portrait of an emotionally frozen dystopia enlivened by psychotropic worship and a fascination with robotic asexuality. It’s almost 30 years later, and he’s not too far off.
Here’s a video for “Felicita”, by Duex. This song isn’t included on Bippp, but it does embody the genre’s minimalistic approach to electro pop.
*Kraftwerk coming to the Myth this April 19. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at noon.
Thursday, March 20th 2008 at 10:15 pm
Awesome. I love this stuff. If you’d like, I can get the list of v/a collections listed below over to you. They’re pretty similar .. Span pretty much everything from rudimentary minimal electronics stuff to early synth-punk to shitty (good shitty) late 80’s tunes that sound like it might come off some marginal new wave band’s final, failing “effort”. It’s great if you can fill in the gaps in production faults, sometimes crummy all-over songwriting and pick out the little gems.
I think I would be stoked to find maybe the 3rd person Ive met in my life that might actually be interested in listening to them.. haha.
(I have a crapload of these)
http://www.discogs.com/search?type=all&q=new+wave+complex&btn=Search
(and these)
http://www.discogs.com/release/811157
http://www.discogs.com/release/1102225
http://www.discogs.com/release/1102289
http://www.discogs.com/release/1103123
All about em: http://members.shaw.ca/ecorpse/Tribute%20to%20&%20Return%20of%20Flexipop.htm