LOGIC - Hi Ho Hi Ho 7" (1983)

Female led minimal synth madness from this UK duo is what will end this month of February. Side One’s title track is a cool seductive synth fused number, and the Side Two track, well…there’s a reason why it’s on Side Two….It’s a sappy minimal synth ballad…oh well…the minimal synthers need ballads too….

Next month I will kick off with some great post punk wave gems, so please stay tuned…

Side One
Hi ho hi ho

Side Two
Never break my love

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TAME & TALKING – s/t EP (1985)

Tame & Talking were a three piece Canadian indie new wave group from Toronto. Their music is hook laden and polished with guitars, keyboards and competent vocals…The single “Conditioned Manaid” is a radio ready addictive new wave number that’s got all the hallmarks of something you would have heard on LA’s KROQ or some of those long lost alternative new wave radio stations back in the mid 80’s…Out of print private pressing via Surn Records…and of course, obscure...

Side One
fallen angel (broken wings)
the hole
darkened dream

Side Two
conditioned manaid
fashion fit

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HAI TEX – s/t EP (1985)

Here’s a very mysterious non-descript slab of wax from what looks to be out of the Midwest somewhere... It’s full of fast paced minimal power pop numbers that have slicing guitars and sniping vocal treatments. All six songs are short and concise with 5 out of 6 being under 3 minutes in length…The group consisted of three and put this punch packed 15 minute private pressing out via Four Dots Records… obscure, rare and American…

Side One
private dick
up and down
41 times

Side Two
reaganomics
heart of the beast
modern fear

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FITZ – Audio/Video EP (1983)

If you don’t mind a little dash of saxophone in your chosen synth wave music, then this may be of interest to your ears. If you do mind, I still recommend you take a gander here as it’s catchy new wave and not all the songs have Sax. There’s an overlay of new wave funkiness to this obscure 4 song extended player by New York City musician Fitz. It looks like Fitz had many friends in the biz as there were about 10 other contributors to this EP. In addition to the download, I’ve given you some early videos as well…Enjoy.



Audio/Video music video can be seen HERE

Side A
Audio/video
No Good For You
Side B
Fizzie’s On Fire –
Nightship

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SNAP SHOT – Halfway To Paradise 7” (1983)

Back from an unplanned business trip, so let’s jump back at it with this little new wave 7” from the United Kingdom’s Snap Shot. A melodious mix of female and male vocals with catchy lyrical content…Would like to hear more if it’s out there somewhere….

Side A: halfway to paradise
Side B: fly in my face

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SYNTHETICS – Love And War EP (1987)

On tap is an unknown obscure new wave band hailing from Louisville, Kentucky. The album has five songs and is broken into a LOVE side and a WAR side…The LOVE side has two new wave numbers, with a B-52’s like female led punchy tune called “Fake Blondes” and ends with a short down-tempo number….The WAR side is more melancholic with two alternative influenced songs that maintain an up-tempo stance, colorful guitar segments and good amounts of background keyboards…

LOVE 1. the look 2. fake blondes 3. For you WAR 1. love and war 2. the golden age

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VINYL | ΘBSCURITΫ – Obscure Alternatives I

Okay, the Vinyl Obscurity blog wants in on the fun with the “homemade” various artists compilation trend that cropped up some time ago within the community, so here is the first crack at it. In the enclosed V/A compilation you will find random loose tracks that to the best of my knowledge the artist doesn’t have a proper full length LP or extended play EP release - but just has a single or singles to offer…If there are corrections to be made, please inform…

Some of these titles you may have and know about and some you may not…Let’s hope it’s the latter scenario…There is a wide variety of styles on show throughout fourteen tracks…from new wave synth to power pop to electro to minimal synth to post punk guitar wave… The 2nd edition is already in the works, and it will have a few obscure videos to complement the package…But for now, I hope you will be pleased with this first edition…

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KING ROCKIT – s/t EP (1980)

Here’s a self released synth wave oddity that sports a space travel theme coupled with some quirky synthesizer inspired sound effects. Along with his colorful lyrics, Mr. Rockit seemed to have been a multi talented musician and handled the synthesizers and some guitar action on this fast paced four song extended play effort.

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THE SILVER TEARS - s/t EP (1984)

Here’s a cool alternative new wave obscurity out of Southern California. This group was clearly influenced by bigger and more mainstream contemporaries such as Big Country, The Alarm and The Call. It’s starts with a passionate indie new wave platform and builds from there with ever present socially conscious lyrics, clean guitar arrangements and percussive beats…The lyrical content is malleable enough to not become heavy handed…A worthy listen from this out of print private pressing…and more rare synth wave in the pipeline coming!

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MAMBO-X – Machines Of Eden LP (1987)

Keeping the variety theme in mind and hitting different alternative genres, a switch to a more indie alternative sound is made for this over-looked album from a fivesome known as Mambo-X. The group’s pleasant alternative guitar pop had a flowing execution with a female led vocalist that sounds reminiscent of Natalie Merchant at times. In the mid 80’s there were a lot of bands attempting to emulate the sound of 10,000 Maniacs, and this could be classified as one of them, although it’s not a mainstream commercial effort and has a bit more character as an independent. A video was shot for their lead-off single – “Building Bridges and Bombing Them”….see and hear below….
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