The Black Mill Tapes Vol.3

Library music meets early synth retro with Pye Corner Audio‘s The Black Mill Tapes series, compiling what they claim are a collection of obscure cassette and 1/4″ reel tape recordings from an unknown artist recorded sometime in the 80’s. Compiled by The Head Technician (true identity apparently withheld), the third installment offers up twelve tracks of early transcendent electronica faintly reminiscent of late 70’s Kraftwerk.

We’re talking heavy Moog sounds with fairly primitive rythms, but it really works and oddly enough brought back a lot of memories from the golden days of video horror, as the songs really reminds me of soundtracks from Carpenter and even the Italo splatterfests by Lucio Fulci. Free downloads are available, so check ’em out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://pyecorneraudio.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://pyecorneraudio.wordpress.com/

The Dualies

Aw, I’m smitten! San Fransisco trio The Dualies blend 80’s New Wave with 8-bit electronics, delivering super-cute modern electropop they call “dancy bitwave” that’s both catchy and charming in the process. Full of nice hooks with a low-key delivery their latest EP Handclaps & Zaps -released in the summer of 2011 – offers up three great-sounding tracks with semi-spoken female vocals.

I gotta admit, at first the combination struck me as a bit odd when I read the tags, but it only took a couple of seconds into the first song for me to get into the band’s sound. Two EP’s and one X-Mas single has been released so far, and all being available for free you should check these guys out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://thedualies.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.facebook.com/thedualies

Zeit Modelle

Finn-born Kirill Junolainen (now a Russian native) is a busy man to say the least and got an downright jawdropping discography (check it out here if you don’t wanna take my word for it), focusing mainly on classic electropop. According to himself he’s produced over one thousand songs released under various aliases, but his most recent project Zeit Modelle has so far released five albums and one EP on his own label Datarocket Records. Since November 2011.

The album Network Virus Killer offers up nine classic retro electropop sounds with that slight drone feel made famous by more experimental synth outfits of the 80’s. A great piece of nostalgia – sound and style is just perfect – with a nice dancefloor feel and the occasional unexpected surprise. Fans of Kraftwerk should definitely check this out!

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://datarocket.bandcamp.com/
Website: N/A