Peter Roos - Klimax -1983- (LP, Private Pressing), Sweden

This is a very obscure self-made minimal synth wave record from one Peter Roos from Sweden. He published this record of which the cover is hand-made out of cardboard in very small quantities. Some information written by Peter Roos I found on Discogs:

Hi, the thing is that I ordered 500 vinyls. only around 150 copies came out to market. Every single sleeve is handmade..most by me, but also my girlfriend and another friend at the time. Think we managed around 200. So I still have some left. In the late 90´s I threw away many(just the record)´cause no interest at all in many years and needed some space. Lately there has been some interest and have also given away to charity. Kind regards. Peter Roos. 

This record has a very distinct "home-made" solo-project feeling to it. Some of the songs are quite experimental whilst others are a bit poppy. It does have something contemporary to it as well. Most songs have vocals in Swedish. It reminds me a bit of the Venezuelan private wave record by Vinicio Adames that I posted some time ago. I think that the drumcomputer used on Klimax has to be a Soundmaster SR-88, one of the greatest and most primitive drum machines from the early eighties (also used by The Actor for example).

Peter Roos made one other self-released album in 1984. His primitive electronic music can be placed within the Swedish DIY scene of the eighties next to Njurmännen, 18:e Oktober, Porno Pop Moon Family, Konduktör Records bands etc. It's just not as dark as many of those acts. Nevertheless a great album!

Get it HERE

Vinterhjärta - Same -1987- (Cassette, Multimood), Sweden

Vinterhjärta, meaning Winter Heart, was an obscure impressionist prog outfit from Sweden that consisted of Peter Bryngelsson, Dan Jonsson and Lars Liljegren. Although summer is still here, maybe we can engage in these winter soundscapes in a less frustrated way than when winter is actually in full effect later on (at least here in Europe). I guess the Swedes aren't bad in translating these particular environmental circumstances into musical moods. I'm sure the outfit was actually inspired by the season of winter.

Vinterhjärta plays moodish pieces in which progressive rock elements, ambient sounds and gentle piano play is intertwined. The A-side is a 38 minute long track in which synthesizers and guitar create a dreamy world reminiscent of the more mellow releases of the French Pôle label in the seventies or of cosmic Heldon guitarist Alain Renaud. It is maybe improvised in a bit too conventional cheesy manner, but it still takes you into a certain world, because it doesn't change drastically or builds up towards more energetic heights or anything. It's an impressionist prog piece that's gets specially interesting when the synthesizers are more apparent.

The B-side has eight different shorter pieces, usually created with piano and synths shaping different moods and atmospheres. The pieces are gentle, spooky and dreamy at same time. It reminds me a bit the Dutch soundtrack made by Louis Andriessen named Golven (connected to the Dutch Noordzee) or Scandinavian ECM releases if they contained a bit more of the darkness from the eighties with electric guitar disturbance. All in all it's a beautiful and peaceful album from Sweden's eighties and fits in the current interest in more ambient musical works from the eighties.

Get it HERE



The blog had a bit of a hiatus lately because I was out of town and I was pretty busy. Sometimes there will be periods in which it's harder to keep up the consistency. Nevertheless some of the best posts are still to come. I've got quite some insane material for the near future!

Brunst - Rebellen -1986- (Tape, Konduktör Rekords, KR 17), Sweden

So let’s start the blog off with a tape I really love. This follow up of the incredible minimal synth tape Rrröster by Brunst (you knowwhere to find it) continues where the former left off, only adds a couple of more experimentations and industrial hints. This 1986 tape from one of the guys of Njurmännen (Magnus) starts with Auwa II, the little brother (or sister) of the monster minimal synth track Auwa on the first cassette, still one of my all time favorite songs. Pure analog synth power! These tapes deserve a proper reissue, maybe on the label which has already released the old Njurmännen cassettes (which are awesome!)  If they reissued those then they should rerelease these closely related minimal synth pearls from sweden too. Moreover since the whole minimal synth wave hype started.
Anyway the best song here is “For Jogga Only”. A totally crazy, demented and distorted minimal synth version of Billy Idol’s white wedding. I’m sure Jogga liked it a lot.

This release was on Konduktör records, also from sweden, which is definitely worth checking out. Has some awesome acts on there like Cloister Crime, Fågeldöd, M. Forshage and others that you can find elsewhere. Brunst just released a new tape on Hosianna Records in the end of 2012, don’t know what it sounds like, but I’m curious. You can buy it here. Also Rebellen is still available through Börft records here, the label of the legendary FRAK guys. Buy it and support the artists!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Enjoy!

The sound is not in the best shape as one of the stereo sides of the tape itself had a lot of white noise and I’m still figuring out how to rip music the best way. Any simple suggestions are very welcome. If someone wants to bother to reduce the noise I can supply the WAV. Files. Also I need help in knowing what would be the best website to upload stuff to, because I don’t trust anyone in life anymore since the megaupload drama. No, just kidding, I don’t trust upload websites that much anymore and they are getting more and more commercialized.