Back catalogue: Coldwave/Synth

Review: Volksmusik's Underground is a captivating release on Unusual Systems, featuring five dance tracks that fuse various darker subgenres into a compelling electro house hybrid. The album explores dark wave, EBM, and electro techno, creating a unique sonic experience. Side-1 opens with 'Underground,' an uptempo track with a darker Italo house feel that captures an 80s futuristic vibe. Following is 'The Force,' a dynamic piece with engaging lyrics that blend a Nu-Romantic vibe reminiscent of Visage. Side-2 begins with 'Glowing In The Dark,' maintaining the album's dark and atmospheric tone. 'Snake Island' shifts towards a darker rock sound, verging on Goth rock, adding variety to the album's texture. Closing the release is 'We Danced,' which infuses an EBM edge, rounding out the collection with its energetic and intense rhythm. Underground stands out for its innovative blend of genres, making it a great release for fans of dark, electro-infused dance music.

Review: Dark Entries is back with Back Up Dos: Mexican Tecno Pop 1982-1989, which is a much-warranted follow-up to 2021's Back Up. This compilation features ten tracks of synth-pop and New Beat with seven previously unreleased on wax. It highlights the evolution of Mexico's DIY music scene as it moves from post-punk and new wave to aggressive EBM and cyberpunk. Reflecting the political turbulence of the era which was marked by rising drug cartels and conservative shifts, these tracks showcase how bands used home recording and drew inspiration from the Human League and Wax Trax Records while also including pop anthems by Casino Shanghai and Los Agentes Secretos, alongside rarities from Ford Proco and Maria Bonita.

Review: A compelling selection of unreleased tracks from influential Italian artists and producers who continue to shape the underground electronic scene. The project features a mix of electro, synth-pop and new wave, each track pushing boundaries and exploring new sonic frontiers. Rimini Metafisica, led by Paolo Gozzetti (known for Sigma Tibet and Italoconnection), presents a fresh exploration of sound, while TenGramsione of the Piatto brothers' aliasesidelivers dark, minimal synth with an essential edge. Diego Montinaro, aka Sandiego, contributes a cybernetic ballad, while Mono Han, another Piatto project, shines with bright, authentic synth-pop, powered by a Linn Drum and Roland Jupiter 8.Other standout contributions include Deep Field, a synth-pop venture from Danilo Carnevale and Castelli's new-wave disco track. Fogli and Ventura's collaboration brings isolationist minimal synth, while Through Twelve offers a post-punk-synth-pop blend with contemporary flair. Body System, a collaboration between Enrico Colombo and Ventura, aims to revive the EBM sound and Italoconnection, with Francesca Gastaldi, presents a "lost" track reinterpreted by TenGrams in a Kraftwerkian style. Spittle Italy continues to bring out some excellent compilations for their followers.