Autumn ‘Synthesize’.
Belgian New Wave / Minimal Wave / Cold Wave / Electronic 80s Pop / Post-Disco or whatever you want to call it, is something we’ve got hooked to ever since we’ve properly discovered it. With the help of Stan (Veals & Geeks record shop / Brussels), Geert (Doctor Vinyl record shop / Brussels), the Minimal Wave compilation / label and the wonderful world of Discogs we’ve extended our collection with music from Snowy Red, Linear Movement, Pas De Deux, Arbeid Adelt and alike.
Autumn was a group we hadn’t heard of yet (mind, we’re only taking our first steps into this universe) but thanks to the ever interesting Minimal Wave label that hiatus exists no more. They’ve reissued a selection of the group’s material on the ‘Synthesize’ LP. Tracks that were previously only available on obscure CDRs or cassettes (the early 80s version of that first medium).
The group was a project by Peter Bonne and Geert Coppens. The die-hard fans of the genre will recognise these names as they pop up on other Minimal Wave releases (Das Cabinett, Linear Movement). The first one was also in A Split Second, the group who’s song ‘Flesh’ (downpitched from 45rpm to 33rpm), legend has it, started the New Beat movement.
Anyway, Autumn sounds far more interesting to me. The music of two young Belgian teenagers experimenting with analogue synthesizers still sounds amazingly fresh and fits into our sets easily. It’s delightfully complex yet easily accessible and infectious on the dance floor. It reminds me strongly of what the young producers we’re trying to support with RELEASE do. Not so much sound-wise as in philosophy but in both cases it’s making use of affordable technology to make strong independent music. With a firm Belgian twist.
A little excursion through Youtube learns me Minimal Wave certainly should go through Autumn’s material again for a second release, by the way.
If you like the taste of this sort of music the lovely boys at Rush Hour have good news for you. Together with Koenie from Wally’s Groove World they’ve compiled a Belgian New Wave and Pop compilation which will be out soon. Check this taster mix by Antal to get all excited about it.
You’ll hear more about all this from us soon.
‘The Third Autumn’ on Youtube
‘Night In June’ on Youtube
‘Possession L’ on Youtube (not on this LP but an absolute killer track)