Once again, digging deep into the underbelly of 1980s DIY cassette culture, Contort Yourself present a weird and wild collection of minimal wave, industrial, post punk, experimental electronic and more...

OUT NOW. VINYL AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD RECORDS SHOPS

Juno: https://www.juno.co.uk/products/80s-underground-cassette-culture-volume-2/883082-01/  
 
Volume 1 sold out super quick so be careful...

DIGITAL: https://contortyourself-cy.bandcamp.com/album/80s-underground-cassette-culture-volume-2

IF YOU BUY THE VINYL FROM JUNO OR ANYWHERE ELSE JUST LET US KNOW AND WE'LL SEND YOU A DOWNLOAD CODE FOR THE DIGITAL

"Focusing on razor-edged techno pop, bleepy drum machine minimalism and homemade synth experiments, ['80s UCC Vol.2'] takes a global view of the 80s tape underground...saturated in a vibrant layer of multicoloured DIY ambition. But this compilation is more than a nostalgia-fuelled expansion of the archive. It bends chronologies, suggesting that A didn’t necessarily follow B in the way it’s usually assumed. A snap-shot full of surprise precursors, heroic outliers and yet to be realised possibilities." - The Quietus

"Brilliant" - Tom Ravenscroft (BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC)

"From the lurching misanthropic menace of Years On Earth to the static drum machine robo funk of M Rendell, from the dark proto-House, monochrome industrial work out of Pornosect to the primitive sample-punk of Ob Ovo, these mutants all made music brimming with life and vim under the layer of culture and reality that was the mainstream in the 80s. Think Cabaret Voltairish experimentation, sub-Fad Gadget desperation, burbling radiophonic synth tones smothering grooves, these coldest of waves and most clanging of industrial tones represent a tip or a trough of an iceberg or valley of endless invention from the decade that refuses to die." - Monorail

"Listeners with insight into the subterranean 1980s might gather they have a handle on what 80s Underground Cassette Culture Volume 2 has in store, but a mere spin of the sides reveals the contents to be more expansive than one might expect...and even better, all the cuts have been fully licensed from the artists, making this a stand-up undertaking all-around. " - The Vinyl District

TRACKLISTING:

A1. Die Achse - Under The Church
A2. Nostalgie Eternelle - Peace Of Mind
A3. Years On earth - As You're Told
A4. If, Bwana - Tiny Bladders
A5. Stefan Schrader - Attempt To Rap

B1. Misteek - Bump Beat
B2. M Rendell - CV In
B3. Dix Ferro - Bienvenidos a Neuchatel
B4. Sluik - Open Window
B5. Pornosect - Pressure Level
B6. The Horse He's Sick - Projectile Fascination

C1. M Nomized - Nitsed
C2. John J Lafia - Life Is Short*
C3. Interaccion - Newton
C4. Die Mysteriösen - Spürhund
C5. Homage a Brinkman - Französisch

D1. Solanaceae Tau - Tekno Pop
D2. Ob Ovo & Sha 261 - The CIA, It Dances
D3. Collectionism - We Are All Children Of God
D4. UPM - Anstalt
D5. Wolfgang Wiggers - Slightly Mental

*John J Lafia - Life Is Short is available on the vinyl only

All tracks licensed directly from the original artists.

FORMATS: Double vinyl LP with gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeves and insert
                   Digital release
RELEASE DATE: 17/10/22
DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRES: milo.bragg@juno.co.uk
EMAIL: contortyourselfnow@gmail.com

80s Underground Cassette Culture: Volume 2

80s Underground Cassette Culture: Volume 2 - Double LP - PREVIEW

Here's my the audio recording from my livestream, Aug 3rd at Berlin's, HÖR for the 2nd Next Wave Acid Punx takeover w/ Jennifer Touch & Rogermultiuse

1. Amarcord - Spleen
2. Be Dellow (Violet Poison) - I Loved You
3. Pasqua Pancrazi - Bernie
4. Black Light Smoke - Work feat. Léah Lazonick (Happy707 Remix)
5. Theus Mago & Curses - Testaroja
6. PHUNKADELICA - By The Power Of Grayskull
7. New Hook - Manipulation (Curses remix)
8. Jarle Bråthen & Miss Plug Inn - Boys Of The Night (Omer Remix)
9. Mundo D - Hypnosis
10. Real Life - Send Me An Angel (Unconscious Rework)
11. Sesto Senso - Bass Girl
12. MCL - Satellite (Curses Edit)
13. Romain FX - Agree To Disagree
14. Roe Deers - Egypt Edit
15. BODYONBODY - Curses EDIT
16. Curses - Vertere Utility Drums
17. Alvee - Perdido (Curses Remix)
18. Laurence Matte - 105 (Curses Remix)

photo: Carol Bonarde

August

Curses @ HÖR ~ 𝑁🝗𝑋✞ 𝓦𝖆𝖛𝖊 🄰🄲🄸🄳 ₱Ʉ₦Ӿ ~ 3.8.2022

Curses releases 4 secret weapon edits that have been making many the rounds in DJ sets.
Dropping on Halloween via Bandcamp! Pre-order is live
https://cursesforever.bandcamp.com/album/lust-fury-edits-2-m-ik-2

VOODOO DANCE (CURSES EDIT) - M1 - Digital - Mastered At The Wall - 1644

MMMB (CURSES EDIT)- M1 - Digital - Mastered At The Wall - 1644

Over an hour of new beat & e.b.m. by Combobreaker Toronto resident DJ & producer Pravik. Recorded at Bambi's Friday March 24th, 2023. 

https://soundcloud.com/praviky2k
https://www.instagram.com/pravik__/
https://pravik.bandcamp.com/

MK-ULTRA 14 - PRAVIK

La Carpio is a record collector, DJ and active member of the Hamburg underground queer scene. Raised in Costa Rica, they are active in the Hamburg night life for almost ten years, throwing parties and performing as a resident of various event series such as Ogay and Queerpool. As a co-founder of the party series "Nuit Blanche" they provide a space to queer artists and DJs to present deviant music outside from the mainstream. 

La Carpio also runs the monthly radio show "Contra Olas" in the local radio FSK, dedicated to current and past electronic rarities and subcultural music genres. Their eclectic only-vinyl sets extend over numerous genres ranging from melancholic Synth and Cold Wave to EBM, New Beat, Dark Cosmic Disco, Proto-Techno and Electropunk which got compromised into 22 tracks for our exclusive guest mix no. 96!

Follow: @paolo-mes-n

Artwork: @silent-shouts

You can find the tracklist on our Instagram page: /blankwave.wav

Blank Wave Guest Mix 096: La Carpio

The Cover of "Rydeen", one of the earliest techno(synth)-pop music created by YMO (EP was released in 1980, while previously performed several times in Japan and abroad during 1978-79).

I played all instruments here, covered by ears (No Remix)  + arranged them with some improvised phrases (not made with software program except few onomatopoeic effects) as YMO played real instruments on the stage simultaneously using primitive computers despite that they've been sometimes thought to be one of the originators of "computer-programmed music".

My arrangement came out as a mixture of several versions done by them(studio-rec/live-performance);  I added 3 guitar tracks incl. solos and extended the bridge for additional phrases of other parts the original music didn’t have. 

While, for their earliest performances in the USA and in Europe (Aug-Oct. 1979), YMO employed Kazumi Watanabe (jazz-fusion guitarist) as a supporting member. For the arrangement of guitars, I was referring basically to one of them; Live at "Theatre Le Palace" in Paris, 18th Oct. 1979 - "Trans Atlantic Tour" and to some others.

I should confess at the same time that I don't like jazz-fusion guitar so much (it doesn’t mean that I always dislike jazzy things). Well, it was already unordinary for me to cover the retro techno-pops and this is another reason to say so.

It has become then the challenge testing if my guitar works for this kind of music - I completely replaced his rhythm guitars with my versions and arranged its solos as well differently to have more rock vibe(I got some ideas for this from the cover version performed by Takayuki Hijikata in 2014).

One said that YMO employed the guitarist for their early tour for following reason; The computer PA system (Roland MC-8 circuit etc)at that moment worked too slowly to load the music data and would not catch up with the cue of next song. So they tried to compensate those potential blanks with guitar ad-lib.  Nevertheless, I could imagine that YMO disliked his guitar (said that it was a bit too banal jazz-fusion stuff at the rehearsal and first did not fit to their concept of "techno" music though Watanabe had been up till already highly rated for his technique). For this reason (or maybe not), in the first live album "Public Pressure"(1980), his guitar phrases were completely blipped out and substituted by shabby additional synth phrases played by Sakamoto afterwards (LOL).  Besides, they'd employed new guitarist Kenji Ohmura instead since their 2nd tour(well, other said that it was just a matter of the regulation of contract). However, in the remastered version of live album "Faker Holic"(1991), we can still hear Watanabe’s guitar. I don’t know what the actual case behind was, but while making the cover, I felt interesting to think what happened to this context.  

Sorry for long explanation. 
I hope you enjoy and would appreciate your honest opinion.

[Rydeen] 
Original music was written by Y.Takahashi and performed by Haruomi Hosono: Keyboards(Bass Synth Sections & Gallop sound)/ Yukihiro Takahashi: Acoustic Drums & Synth Drums/ Ryuichi Sakamoto: Keyboards(Lead Synth & Additional Synths). Supporting Musicians (in "Trans Atrantic Tour"); Kazumi Watanabe: Guitar/ Akiko Yano: Keyboards(Backing & Second Lead Synths) / Hideki Matsutake: Computer Programming(Sequencer & Automatic Playing System).
---
Cover; arranged, played, recorded and mixed by me
[Home recording] Rhythm Guitars(×2),Lead Guitar, Elec(Synth)-Drums(only additional Tom-toms), Keyboards-1(Bass Synth)
[Studio recordings] Acoustic Drums, Bass Guitar (for dubbing on Bass Synth), Keyboards-2,3,4(Lead, Backing & Additional Synths)
[Desktop Programming] Sequencer of “Arpeggiater" & of Additional Computer Sound(Gallop, Beacon& Shooting sounds w/ Sampled sounds of actual Guitars & Drums), White-noise & Pink-noise Generator (for Elec-Drums &Bass Synth), Mixing.

Rydeen (YMO) - Analog Cover (Extended Version / Rock Arrangement)

Contort Yourself is extremely proud to present a double LP of original 80s underground cassette music.

The 1980s. Neo-liberal excess. Crumbling communism. Military juntas ruling with an iron fist. And of course, freaked out music. Contort Yourself are turning back the clock and returning to an unholy fount of inspiration with "80s Underground Cassette Culture Volume 1." A buffet of beaten up and brutalised tracks are on offer from unknown outfits and respected experimenters. Across two LPs expect to find noise reductions, post punk bitterness, no wave grunts, distortion soaked strings and vocals lost in a hail of pain. A road map into the weird and wild world of DIY back alley artists who, armed with only a tape and an idea, gave the established music norms a sharp fist to the throat.

TRACKLISTING:

A1. East End Butchers - Assassins
A2. Magthea - Magthea & Insanity (Extract)
A3. Missing Persons - Rotten To The Core
A4. Doxa Sinistra - The Other Stranger
A5. PCR - Myths Of Seduction & Betrayal (Extract)

B1. Urbain Autopsy & K... - Tribal Moment
B2. Human Flesh - Ancient Smiles
B3. Nocturnal Emissions - Fat Slimey Parasites
B4. Merzbow - D.D.T.
B5. DDV - If You're Looking For Trouble

C1. ALU - Fies Sein
C2. Menko - The First Kiss
C3. Die Klopferbande - Cadillac Im Ghetto
C4. Jacinthebox - Wipe The Church
C5. Cripure S.A. - Little Meat
C6. Software - Human Situation

D1. Felix Menkar - Buscando El Espacio Interior
D2. Blackhouse - Numerology
D3. Ende Shneafliet - Twistin' On The Tombstones
D4. Muziekkamer - Being Home Tonight
D5. Dead Tech - Catalavox

ALL TRACKS LICENSED DIRECTLY FROM THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS

Mastered at Optimum Mastering

FORMAT: Double vinyl LP with gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeves and 2 inserts

VINYL: http://www.juno.co.uk/products/80s-underground-cassette-culture-volume-1/656123-01/

DIGITAL:  https://contortyourself-cy.bandcamp.com/album/80s-underground-cassette-culture-volume-1-2xlp

RELEASE DATE: 18/09/17

www.contortyourself.co.uk
www.facebook.com/contortyourselfnow

80s Underground Cassette Culture Volume 1

80s Underground Cassette Culture Volume 1 - Double LP - PREVIEW

Third track from the forthcoming album 'Hormone Lemonade', released 23 March 2018 on Duophonic:
smarturl.it/hormonelemonade

Malfunction (Edit)

As avid fans we are happy and proud to welcome mr. Mike Parker in our podcast series. There aren't many sounddesigners with a more recognizable soundsignature then the Buffalo producer. Or more hypnotic and estranging for that matter. His new album 'Lustrations' just hit stores worldwide and showcases better then anything else what Mike is capable of when he gets his groove going. He asked us if he could step outside the techno realms for this mix, something we off course encouraged. The result is nothing short of remarkable and gives an insight in his inspirations and influences. Enjoy!

Here's what he had to say to us:

1.What is your relationship with Balans?

I am honored to play an event for Balans on July 12th.


2.What do you do to try and stay in balance? Any tips & secrets you would like to share with us night folks?

I wish I had a universal answer, but for me there is the balance of creating music and making drawings. Sometimes they inform one another and sometimes they provide a release from each other. Also, I find that its good idea to avoid television.

3.About the podcast, can you tell us the story behind the mix?

The mix is the third chapter in a series of podcasts I have completed recently. The first for Smoke Machine Taipei, the second for EDLX, and now BALANS. Each mix emphasizes sound design and analogue sound creation. There is music from the past, representing my musical influences and music from today. There are some rhythmic tracks, but not neccessarily techno, rather "proto-techno".

4.What gear did you use to make the Balans podcast?

Two Technics turntables and one CD player.

5.What do you have in store for us (gigs/releases) the coming months?

Right now, there are some remixes coming from various labels and of course, my new Prologue album "Lustrations" is now available. Also, I invite people to check out a new label called Mariana Wax, which has just re-released an older track of mine called "Below Zero". This once rare tune has been re-mastered for vinyl and it sounded great when I played it on the Berghain system. More gigs in Europe and Japan are planned for this summer. When I return to the US in September, I will begin work on an EP for Semantica.

BALANS031 - Mike Parker

Thank you for your visiting, listening and supporting.

I'm a spare-time musician, usually working as an architect (running own atelier) on an average day.

I play: Guitar & Drums (respectively since 11 years old & 9 years old, since late 70's, quite intermittently, though; skipping some years not playing them while dedicated myself completely to architectural study and practice incl. working in  Europe),
and a little of Keys & Bass guitar (both of the later were started 10 years ago or so)

Roots: Classic Rock, R&B and Funk Rock, 70's Progressive Rock, 70's-early 80's HR/HM, also interested in many kinds of music and sound-art.

Hiroshi Kohno （河野 裕）

Home of BLANK WAVE and DISCOCAINE series

by Shia LaBiff: DJ, producer, event manager, curator based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Shia LaBiff at your service:
29.08. Obscure Obsession, Berlin
19.09. Discocaine, Wiesbaden
22.09. Frankfurter Neue Küche, Frankfurt
26.09. Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
27.09. Discocaine at off location (8500qm), Dietzenbach
01.10. Fontana Klub, Frankfurt
03.10. tba., Berlin
04.10. Proberaum Oberhafen, Hamburg
10.10. Blank Wave w/ @mystery_friend, Wiesbaden
11.10. Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
17.10. Glowing In The Dark Fest #2 w/ Dina Summer, Günier Künier, Skelesys & Psycho-Jones, Wiesbaden
08.11. Die Anstalt (live), Sinnthese (live) + Blank Wave afterparty at Dreikönigskeller, Frankfurt
13.12. Blank Wave w/ DAF & Robert Görl + Frankfurt premiere of Electronic Body Movie w/ Q&A by director Pietro Anton

past:
23.08. Aperitivo Al Settimo Cielo at TaunusTurm, Frankfurt
15.08. Blank Wave w/ @radondo, Mainz
02.08. Mutant Radio, Tbilisi
02.08. Leftbank, Tbilisi
25.07. Discocaine at KellerKrachKeller, Wiesbaden
18.07. Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
04.07. La Galerie du POPUP!, Paris
17.06. Netil Radio, London
07.06. (nighttime) Bar Americano, Frankfurt
07.06. (daytime) Drag Me To.. at Bar Shuka, Frankfurt
30.05. Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
03.05. Discocaine at KellerKrachKeller, Wiesbaden
21.03. 2nd BLANK WAVE Anniversary w/ @localsuicide & @levanandiashvili at Dorett, Mainz
15.03. Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
22.02. Dedaena, Tbilisi
21.02. Mutant Radio, Tbilisi
10.01. IPTAMENOS DISCOS Label Night w/ @localsuicide at Renate, Berlin
14.12. Ewiges Dunkel at Heaven, Wiesbaden
13.12. Discocaine w/ @colapso_dj & @mouskyyyyyy (Paris) at Schick, Mainz
11.12.24 OKAYBABY, Frankfurt
29.11.24 Intergalactic FM Podcast
29.11.24 Blank Wave w/ @gunceaci at Dorett, Mainz
20.11.24 Städel Museum private event
15.11.24 Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
08.11.24 at Stanley (private event)
03.11.24 Something Spaecial Podcast
12.10.24 The Nightmarket at 25h Hotel The Trip w/ @skelesys
11.10.24 Villa Toscana, Heidelberg
07.10.24 From Hell To Disco Podcast, Barcelona
04.10.24 Discocaine at Shuka Bar, Frankfurt
27.09.24 Villa Toscana, Heidelberg
26.09.24 Stanley, Frankfurt
23.09.24 OKAYBABY, Frankfurt
21.09.24 Mute Mode at Schick, Mainz
13.09.24 w/ @nunzioborinodj at Castigamatti, Palermo
24.08.24 Apéro Nuttorno w/ @zaratustra_music at Jardin21, Paris
01.08.24 Blank Wave x Sunset Sessions w/ @radondo & @maxbuchalik
11.07.24 Blank Wave x Sunset Sessions w/ @facets-music
13.06.24 Sunset Sessions x Blank Wave w/ @katesteinnyc
01.06.24 Blank Wave w/ @auraltrace at Dream Baby Dream, Berlin
25.05.24 Blank Wave w/ @sharlese at 25h Hotel
09.05.24 Sunset Sessions x Blank Wave at 25h Hotel Rooftop
20.04.24 Orgasmoplasma w/ @psycho-jones at Sisyfass, Berlin
11.04.24 Blank Wave Takeover at Freitag Store 
23.03.24 Blank Wave x Crave Tapes w/ @charlieva_ux + @desolatediscotheque + @unhealed-vx at Silbergold
19.03.24 Crave Tapes Podcast
15.03.24 Orgasmoplasma w/ @psycho-jones at Shuka Bar
01.03.24 Discocaine @ Shuka Bar
27.01.24 Blank Wave - 1 Year Anniversary w/ @skelesys at Silbergold
15.12.23 Orgasmoplasma w/ @psycho-jones at Geisha Room
25.11.23 Blank Wave w/ @andi80s at Silbergold
28.10.23 The Nightmarket w/ @dinasummer + @beartrax-1 + @auraltrace + @charlieva_ux + @sklibra at 25h Hotel The Trip
17.10.23 ZEITmagazin Party
30.09.23 25h Hotel Rooftop Closing (all night long)
23.09.23 Blank Wave w/ @rotciv at Silbergold
09.09.23 w/ @zaatar_music at 1001
31.08.23 Sunset Sessions w/ @auraltrace at 25h Hotel The Trip 
24.08.23 Sunset Sessions w/ @charlieva_ux at 25h Hotel The Trip 
22.07.23 Blank Wave w/ @karlalynch at Silbergold
30.06.23 Distraction w/ @palmstrax, @radioslave, @annahjalmarsson, @sedactivesedaction, @inkasso & more @ Parkside Studios, Offenbach
16.06.23 Blank Wave x @synthicidenyc w/ @andi80s at ono2
03.06.23 Blank Wave w/ @perel-music & @shubostar at 25h Hotel The Trip
27.05.23 Blank Wave w/ @lauerofficial at Silbergold
01.04.23 b2b w/ @joelewandowski + @denaftb & @lauerofficial at 25h
31.03.23 w/ @alyssa_gia_music + @dawitcieo
25.03.23 Blank Wave w/ @gunceaci
25.02.23 Discocaine at Pizza Rimini
14.01.23 Blank Wave w/ @auraltrace
18.11.22 w/ @skelesys at Silbergold
30.09.22 w/ @rexthedog1980 at Sala Upload, Barcelona
29.09.22 Switch Pocket Club, Barcelona
20.08.22 all night long at Amp
12.08.22 w/ @moderna at Silbergold
25.06.22 w/ Thomas Hammann at IMA Rooftop
28.05.22 w/ @martin-noise at IMA Rooftop
14.05.22 w/ Chinaski at Silbergold
20.11.21 w/ @ndbaumecker at The Bell
07.03.20 w/ @ludwig-roehrscheid + @michael_satter + @lezards at Tokonoma

All releases: https://x-img.bandcamp.com

Audio / visual de-programming since 2015. Founded by @sarinvx

x-imgrecords@proton.me

Berlin-based Musician/DJ riding the next wave acid halo into the sun-shattered dusk.

On albums, Dame Bonnet joins on Bass as well as the Curses (live) tours and concerts.

The new album ‘Another Heaven’ just released with legendary Synth-wave label, Italians Do It Better, co-produced by Johnny Jewel. Curses has also done vocals for Artists such as Âme ('Shadow of Love'), on legendary Berlin-label Innervisions, keeping true to his punk and new wave approach on electronic music. Previous albums released on Dischi and fashion house, Saint Laurent. Curses has brought his unique sound to iconic venues such at DC-10 and festivals like Nuits Sonores and Grauzone, as well his residency at Berlin’s infamous Pornceptual party. Hosting a Monthly radio show, Together Alone, on Rinse FM France, Curses has also released various EP's and singles with labels such as, Oráculo, Bordello a Parigi, Running Back, and Wrong Era.
Curses is responsible for curating the acclaimed vinyl compilation series and party, Next Wave Acid Punx, showcasing a passion for New Beat, Early E.B.M, Post-punk and obscure Italo, which continues to gain a passionate cult following worldwide, including multiple support from BBC Radio 6.

Curses continues to bring a romantic and punk energy to the club, threading the ethereal nostalgia of the 80s and 90s into the future of now.
*
Banner crop taken from Another Heaven album cover artwork by PATTY CARROLL.

Berlin & beyond 🌐 ⚑
𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒀𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑷𝑰𝑨𝑵 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎, 
𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝔴𝔢𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔳𝔢𓆙
Est.2016 by Curses𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇
††††

Aging DJ with an opinion.

I take care of my own bookings and I like small clubs, small parties, diverse line ups and travelling by train. DM for more info.

Record label based in Glasgow releasing contemporary techno & industrial along with original lost tracks from the 80s/90s electronic underground...

New CY side label...BIOS WRECK! @bios-wreck

Vinyl distribution: distribution@juno.co.uk

BUY FULL DIGITAL DISCOGRAPHY AND AND GET 50% OFF AT THE CY BANDCAMP (https://contortyourself-cy.bandcamp.com/)

Popular tracks tagged #proto-techno