Axodry was the duo of Andreas “Talla 2XLC" Tomalla and Ralf "Ra/Hen" Henrich, who formed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1982. The two met at City Music record store where Talla 2XLC worked, supplying the local DJ scene with dance 12”s. From 1984 to 1991 they released six maxi 12” singles. Both members were leading figures in the European electronic scene during the 80's and 90’s, forming bands like Bigod 20, Tribantura, Micro Chip League, Moskwa TV, Pluuto and Robotiko Rejekto.
In 1988 they released the maxi 12” single “You” on ZYX Records/Combeat. Influenced by Depeche Mode, Gary Numan and John Foxx, the duo crafted high impact Industrial, Synth Pop and Electronic Body Music. Their basic set up for recording at RaHen’s home studio was a Moog Rouge, Roland SH-101, Teisco synthesizer, Linn Drum and Fricke sequencer. Ra/Hen performed dramatic vocals, which tell of a lost love found in dreams. Included here are the Beauty & The Beat Mix and the Beasty Dub Mix from the 1988 single. On the flip is the Razormaid Remix, performed by Art Maharg and Joseph Watt, that originally appeared on the "Welcome To The Technodrome” compilation in 1989. Also included is “Mechanic”, originally released in 1991 as the B-side for their final single “Losing You”.
All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record comes in a sleeve featuring the original black and blue cover art with hand-painted typography by Dr. Draw, The Gruesome Grapholoic. Each copy includes a postcard with with notes. What Else Is There To Say?
A1. You (Beauty & The Beast Mix)
A2. You (Beasty Dub Mix)
B1. You (Razormaid Mix)
B2. Mechanic
Cute Heels is the solo project of Victor Lenis, a contemporary artist living in Barcelona, Spain. He grew up in Bogotá, Columbia during the 1990s, surrounded by the radial punk scene. Over the years, Victor's passion and fascination for synthesizers and drum machines to produce and compose resulted in various digital-only releases as well as his debut album “Spiritual" for Dark Entries in 2014. Cute Heels has been called ''the new blood and spirit for the next step in techno music'' by Electro/Techno pioneer Juan Atkins.
“Third Skin” is a 4-track EP that connects the dots between Detroit techno, early Chicago house and Belgium electronic body music. Inspired by equal parts Liaisons Dangereuses, Drexciya and Black Devil Disco Club. On the A-side are two fresh compositions recorded in 2015. “Third Skin” kicks things in a metallic EBM funk with a pounding bottom end. “Lipstick Information” takes the listener on a dark, psychedelic and twisted journey through thrillingly intense arpeggiations. On the flip we present two remixes. The first is from Steffi, House and Techno DJ and producer born in The Netherlands and residing in Berlin. She picks up the pace for an uplifting, percussion-driven, DAF-eque dystopian stomper. The second remix comes from Michel Amato aka The Hacker, French born DJ and producer and frequent collaborator with Miss Kittin. His early musical influences of bands such as Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and Front 242 shine through on this pumping and sophisticated remix ready for any dance floor.
All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record comes in a custom-made jacket designed by Eloise Leigh featuring a photograph by Corinne Schiavone printed with hi-gloss finish. Each copy includes a postcard with with notes and image for fetish lovers.
A1. Third Skin
A2. Lipstick Information
B1. Third Skin (Steffi Remix)
B2. Third Skin ( The Hacker Remix)
Released 19th August 2016
Executive Slacks began in the hot, humid summer of 1980 Philadelphia by Matt Marello, John Young and Albert Ganss, three bored, broke, anxious art students. Starting out with performance art in subways, they soon took their angst-ridden act to galleries and night clubs. The band found their moniker in a run-down bookstore after seeing an ad for men’s polyester pants. They pieced together sounds that captured the growing paranoia of an age predicted by Orwell and the growing inequalities of the 1980s.
In 2014 we reissued their 4-song debut EP from 1982 and asked the band if they had any demos. They excavated two cassettes that contained their earliest recorded material from 1980 and 1981. "Seams Ruff" is a 13 song compilation from these cassette collections plus a bonus flexi disc featuring a live performance on WXPN from 1980. The tracks were created with the use of heavily modified synthesizers and noisemakers, the broken innards of a grand piano, metal oil drums and a spray painted Harmony Rocket guitar. The Slacks drew their influences from contemporaries like Cabaret Voltaire, SPK and Tuxedomoon, as well as Disco and Dadaism. Dripping in nihilism, the song’s lyrics tackle the existential dread of the late 20th century and three of the songs are taken from “Mann ist Mann” a 1926 play by the German modernist author Bertolt Brecht. Executive Slacks' unique brew of primitive electronics, harsh guitars and aggressive vocals inspired many bands like Ministry, Front 242 and Skinny Puppy.
All songs were remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The front cover was designed by John Young and features an xeroxed black and white photo of the group taken by Daniel Perry. Each copy includes an 11x11 double sided hand-drawn insert by Matt Marello with lyrics, photos and a collage from the band’s archives.
1. I Don't Know What To Do
2. Radiation Baby
3. Boring
4. Semi-Boring
5. 30 Years (Original)
6. Inside_Out
7. Filet Mignon
8. Join The Army, Johnny
9. Who Am I_
10. I Bang My Head (Againts The Wall)
11. They Read
12. I'm Coming (Bedroom Version)
13. I'm Coming (Live on WXPN 1980)
Series-A was the duo of Sam Anderson aka DJ Maestro and Dave Webb aka Kid Fresh. Sam and Dave both grew up listening to the sounds of the Electrifying Mojo on WJLB in Detroit. They met in 1983 at a DJ gig that they were both hired to play. In 1986, they collaborated on the Nu-Sound II Crew project. After developing a friendship with Juan Atkins, they became hip to the emerging new club sounds that were to become electro and techno.Their subsequent project, Series-A, was named after different car model numbers, but also hints at the evolution of humankind into a new species.
In 1987, Series-A recorded the single “Evolution ⁵ Technology” at Spectrum Sounds Studio in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Their set up was a vocoder, E-mu Emulator III, Roland 909 drum machine, and an Otari 24-Track recorder. They landed a record deal with Satellite Records in Burbank, California, which had been founded by Pete Moore of The Miracles. After pressing 50 promotional copies, the label ran into financial problems, and the record never reached a full release. Taking cues Kraftwerk, Grand Master DST, Grandmaster Flash & Jam Master Jay, Series-A created dark electro beats in an era when sampling appeared to be the future of music. Lyrically the song addresses our species' entry into the technological age. For this EP reissue, the 7” Mix and Dub Mix are included on the A-side. On the flip is a new remix by prolific Ann Arbor producer JTC, an alias of Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye, SK-1, & Charles Manier). JTC speeds up and expands the song to seven minutes. Drawing on influences from Ron Hardy to Jeff Mills, he drives around suburban techno landscapes while simultaneously launching the listener into deep space.
All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is specially designed by Eloise Leigh and features a cyborg fossil motif with RGB color band and gradients. Each copy includes a post card with with notes.
A1. 7” Vocal
A2. Dub - Mix
B1. JTC Remix
Space Art was the French electronic duo of Dominique Perrier (keyboards, vocoder) and Roger Rizzitelli (drums, percussion). Between 1977 and 1981, they released three albums of comsic synth pop, in which they laid much groundwork for French electronic music to follow. After their third album in 1981, they toured around the world with Jean Michel Jarre in support for his “Concerts in China” album.
Space Art's third single “Nous Savons Tout” was released in 1978 on IF Records. Their sound was similar to Jarre's early analog albums, but with the addition of real drums. Dominique plays an ARP Odyssey, Clavinet, Eminent, and Minimoog, maximizing their warm textures. Roger plays the drums in an intricate fashion, influenced subtly by jazz fusion. “Nous Savons Tout” features an early prototype of the Vocoder, which the band used to create the chorus. On the flip is the slower "Melodie Moderne", an electronic take on classical rock songs of the 1970s. Both tracks were recorded at Studio Ferber Paris in June 1978. Like Richard Pinhas/Heldon and Yellow Magic Orchestra, Space Art created their own brand of dark space disco, paving the way for bands like Air and Mellow.
All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record comes in a sleeve featuring the original cover art of a firefighter in a knight-like pose, painted by Gilles Lacombe. Each LP includes a postcard with liner notes by surviving member Dominique Perrier. The sounds here evoke a Parisian noir thriller set in a discotheque circa '78 - steamy and dark, equal parts erotic and existentialist.
A1. Nous Savons Tout
A2. Mélodie Moderne
