VARIOUS ARTISTS

The Tacuara-label releases a new sampler called 'Not So Cold , A Warm Wave Compilation'. This relatively new label is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and specialized in electronic music, especially synthpop, noise, EBM and techno.

This sampler contains twelve unreleased tracks of cold wave, minimal synth and post-industrial bands. It kicks off with Hante, better known as Hélène de Thoury: the girl of the Paris based band Minuit Machine. She brings us with 'Falling in Grace' a nice minimal song and great electronic melodies, although Hélène’s French accent is maybe a small minor point.

Yus Yus brings us back to the 80’s, this duo brings some nice tunes from Serbia. The track Proleter is also their new single. The next one is maybe the best known band on this cassette sampler: Twice A man (the Swedish electronic band that already formed in 1981, here present with a nice dark wave/ synthpop track).

The band Alvar takes us back to a more industrial sound, let's say something between The Klinik and Front 242. My personal favorite on the A-side is Schonwald: the Italian duo offers its brilliant track Gemini with a minimalistic mood and echo sounds that carry you away into another world.

On the B-side of this sampler we also find some interesting tunes. This side is compiled by Cesar Aguirre from the Cintas Triangulares label. There is of course Volkova, the project of Cesar Canali who is the leading force behind this Tacuara Label and this sampler. With the song Come and See they bring a melancholic minimal style track, with some scary rhythm changes. More early sounds are offered by Mad Masks and Dark Places Kult, they both take you back to the early years of analogue synths and minimal tunes. To end there is my personal favorite on the B-side: Die Lust feat. Neue K, with the fantastic Viaje Literario: the most rhythmic and danceable track on this sampler, it gave me a nice minimal synth party feeling.

This sampler is great for every minimal music lover as there are lots of different bands, some even unknown. No matter if most tunes come from the past, this cassette is a selection of some great minimal synth wave music.

Artist : Hante / Yus Yus / Volkova / Alvar / Jenny Eve and Dan (Twice a Man) / Schonwald / Pozhar / Die Lust! / Adam Berces / Dark Places Kult / Tiers / Mad Masks /

Peter HESELMANS
07/12/2014