The Minimal Wave Tapes: Volume One

1. Linear Movement - Way Out of Living
2. Crash Course in Science - Flying Turns
3. Oppenheimer Analysis - Radiance
4. Mark Lane - Who's Really Listening
5. Tara Cross - Tempus Fugit
6. Turquoise Days - Blurred
7. Bene Gesserit - Mickey, Please...
8. Esplendor Geométrico - Moscú Está Helado
9. Das Ding - Reassurance Ritual
10. Martin Dupont - Just Because
11. Deux - Game & Performance
12. Somnabulist - Things I Was Due To Forget
13. Ohama - My Time
14. Das Kabinette - The Cabinet

Once upon a time there was a time that most people would like to forget. Those that still remember it know it as the eighties. In those times a lot of bad music was made. This post is not about that music.

Minimal wave is an umbrella term for a type of synth-based electronic music prevalent in Europe and the United States in the seventies and eighties and the name of a record label dedicated to unearthing the music made in that style. They have rereleased a number of minimal wave gems throughout the years and this year they've come out with a compilation of great minimal wave tunes.

The compilation is generally solid and gives a very broad picture of this almost entirely forgotten style of great electronic music. There is a great variety of songs here and most of them are killer. If one would have to find a complaint it would be the inclusion of Deux' "Game & Performance" which is simply overplayed and has already featured on every compilation it's even remotely related to. Still, given the great quality of this compilation I can hardly wait for Volume Two.

The final verdict:
What? The Minimal Wave Tapes: Volume One
Who? A bunch of great artists, doing their minimal electronic thing.
How? The only way they know: awesomely. Five stars out of five as a compilation.

Also, for those of you who use Spotify, here's a link. The Minimal Wave Tapes: Volume One