Modern Post Punk Primer
Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 4:35 am
I've a had a few PM's asking me if I'd fancy doing a guide to 'modern' Post Punk stuff along the lines of my old guide to the in period stuff. Luckily for the two people who might be interested I was forced to be party to a tedious 2 hour conference call and this gave me the time to do this. I guess the terminology is a bit of a red herring but time has somehow formed Post Punk into a genre of sorts. I decided it would be easiest to just pick out 20 albums (whcih due to me not being able to count actually number 22) which means a lot of acts that only have 12's or 7's are omitted and this rules out Factory Floor, PINS and a many others (no matter how much I like them) but I felt it would be cleaner to have some lines to work within. I also think that albums by the likes of Vessel and Silent Servant could comfortably slide between these lines but I've left them out mainly because this is a guitar forum. I have not included the current market leader because I personally thought their album was dull.
I've linked to each album and selected a track, pretty much everything is available as a digital file but a lot of the vinyl is long gone and only available in very small numbers. Pretty much every record here got a bad review on Pitchfork
In no order on particular.
Mushy - Breathless. Song example-I don't Care
Beautiful, maudlin album of dreamlike post punk. Her singing reminds of a sweetened Anja Huwe.
Eraas - Eraas. Example track -Briar Path.
A very exciting album, euphoric, dark and dense in turn. In many ways makes me think of 'O'rangs black clad younger brother.
Flaamingos - Flaamingos Example track - All I Wanna Do Is Live
Hang their hats on more obvious post punk tropes but they draw a line between Joy Division low end and the Smiths winsome croon that's quite affecting. Amusing that I'd been listening for a while and I was pretty surprised they were American because they put on an English accent.
Tropic of Cancer - The End Of All Things Example track Be Brave
Up to now they have been an EP band and they have released a stream of fantastic 12's. Their album is due out next month but the one above is an EP compilation. Over the years the make up of the band has changed Juan Mendez went of to work on his Silent Servant alias and was replaced by Taylor Burch from DVA Damas.
RETRIEVER - The Rattle And The Hiss Example track - Horizon
I love their singers Mackem accent and their sweet blend of post JAMC grind and elegant Banshee swirl. I'm a bit disappointed in their newer material, they should fire the drummer and go back to a machine.
Tunnels - Blackout Example Track - Without Light
That this album has tracks called Solid Space and Deux is all you need to know. Spotting the musical references is all good clean fun for the family.
Phosphor - Youth And Immortality Example track - Dark of Summer
Phosphor look VERY young but they are also very good. A sumptuous blend of minimal wave and downy dreampop.
Black Marble - A Different Arrangement. Example track - A Great Design
Thanks to OSG member Cestlamort for pointing me to this beautifully poised dark minimalwave album
Puce Moment - Puce Moment Example track - (drive)
Very much in tune with the more 'true' industrial side of Post Punk walking aline between Chris and Cosey and AC Marias.
Sons & Daughters - Mirror Mirror Example track - Rose Red
Might seem odd recommending this if you only know their early material but this records is a superb evocation of post punk and it's produced by one guy I know that really knows the music.
Ashrae Fax - Static Crash! Example track - Ectome
Kinda drifting out the 'early' period here because this is more like a minimal wave band playing the Cocteau Twins but it's a good and interesting release. Or re-release because this record is a repunt of a forgotten CDr from ten years ago.
Two Lone Swordsmen - From the Double Gone Chapel Example track - Damp
A bit older than most of the selections but it was an important marker in the rehabilitation of this sort of sound. Ten years ago people generally sneered at Play Dead style basslines. Weatherall like Twitch who produced the Sons & Daughters record is one of the few folk who I think have a good understanding of post punk and how it fits in with what came before and after.
DVA Damas - Nightshade Example track - Nightshade
Dark, twangy and yet playful...evoking a panda eyed Sparkle Moore with her 'billy hiccuping style.
Blank Dogs - Land And Fixed Example track - Another Language
often sounding like some lost Cure demos from the mid 80's but not in a bad way.
White Hex - Heat Example track - Holiday
white light Jaguar clang, wends it's way between evoking HTRK and Tropic of Cancer while absolutely having bags of it's own thing.
Led Er Est - Dust on Common Example track - Scissors
I think what made this stand out on release was it's sense of playfulness and a certain dancevision... I think that their EP's are their best material but this is a great album too.
Prostitutes - Crushed Interior Example track - Dial tone Degradation
this is a great example of the sort of stuff that blurred the lines between post punk and emerging electronic music. Stuff like Shoc Corridor had the dark heart of much Post Punk but it was on it's own path. I'm also amused by the track posed passing resemblance to Floorshow/Phantom by the Sisters of Mercy.
The Present Moment - Loyal to a Fault Example track - The Distance Between Us
It was hard to choose between their albums but I went with Loyal to a Fault over The High Road because THR is much more like dark electropop.
Colder - Heat Example track - To the Music
a little bit older than some of the selections but an important album in my opinion, bridging the gap between dance music and dark music cultures.
Newclear Waves - Newclear Waves Example track -The Black Hand
Has that authentic Italian cassette only feel, with it's buzzing synth basslines and Dictaphone vocals.
HTRK - Work (Work, Work) Example track Body Double
had a wee debate about including this. Sure it has some Post Punk tropes but it's a modernist record IMO. Both (later) HTRK and Jonnines husbands band Standish/Carlyon make me think of Pink Industry with their rattling drum machine handclaps and hissing cymbals.
Standish/Carlyon - Deleted Scenes Example track - Critics Multiply
Hanging this on the Post Punk peg really depends if you think of Japan as post punk...I do.
Flits between modern bass pop, Japan like moves, blue eyed soul and the percussive movements of Pink Industry
D
I've linked to each album and selected a track, pretty much everything is available as a digital file but a lot of the vinyl is long gone and only available in very small numbers. Pretty much every record here got a bad review on Pitchfork
In no order on particular.
Mushy - Breathless. Song example-I don't Care
Beautiful, maudlin album of dreamlike post punk. Her singing reminds of a sweetened Anja Huwe.
Eraas - Eraas. Example track -Briar Path.
A very exciting album, euphoric, dark and dense in turn. In many ways makes me think of 'O'rangs black clad younger brother.
Flaamingos - Flaamingos Example track - All I Wanna Do Is Live
Hang their hats on more obvious post punk tropes but they draw a line between Joy Division low end and the Smiths winsome croon that's quite affecting. Amusing that I'd been listening for a while and I was pretty surprised they were American because they put on an English accent.
Tropic of Cancer - The End Of All Things Example track Be Brave
Up to now they have been an EP band and they have released a stream of fantastic 12's. Their album is due out next month but the one above is an EP compilation. Over the years the make up of the band has changed Juan Mendez went of to work on his Silent Servant alias and was replaced by Taylor Burch from DVA Damas.
RETRIEVER - The Rattle And The Hiss Example track - Horizon
I love their singers Mackem accent and their sweet blend of post JAMC grind and elegant Banshee swirl. I'm a bit disappointed in their newer material, they should fire the drummer and go back to a machine.
Tunnels - Blackout Example Track - Without Light
That this album has tracks called Solid Space and Deux is all you need to know. Spotting the musical references is all good clean fun for the family.
Phosphor - Youth And Immortality Example track - Dark of Summer
Phosphor look VERY young but they are also very good. A sumptuous blend of minimal wave and downy dreampop.
Black Marble - A Different Arrangement. Example track - A Great Design
Thanks to OSG member Cestlamort for pointing me to this beautifully poised dark minimalwave album
Puce Moment - Puce Moment Example track - (drive)
Very much in tune with the more 'true' industrial side of Post Punk walking aline between Chris and Cosey and AC Marias.
Sons & Daughters - Mirror Mirror Example track - Rose Red
Might seem odd recommending this if you only know their early material but this records is a superb evocation of post punk and it's produced by one guy I know that really knows the music.
Ashrae Fax - Static Crash! Example track - Ectome
Kinda drifting out the 'early' period here because this is more like a minimal wave band playing the Cocteau Twins but it's a good and interesting release. Or re-release because this record is a repunt of a forgotten CDr from ten years ago.
Two Lone Swordsmen - From the Double Gone Chapel Example track - Damp
A bit older than most of the selections but it was an important marker in the rehabilitation of this sort of sound. Ten years ago people generally sneered at Play Dead style basslines. Weatherall like Twitch who produced the Sons & Daughters record is one of the few folk who I think have a good understanding of post punk and how it fits in with what came before and after.
DVA Damas - Nightshade Example track - Nightshade
Dark, twangy and yet playful...evoking a panda eyed Sparkle Moore with her 'billy hiccuping style.
Blank Dogs - Land And Fixed Example track - Another Language
often sounding like some lost Cure demos from the mid 80's but not in a bad way.
White Hex - Heat Example track - Holiday
white light Jaguar clang, wends it's way between evoking HTRK and Tropic of Cancer while absolutely having bags of it's own thing.
Led Er Est - Dust on Common Example track - Scissors
I think what made this stand out on release was it's sense of playfulness and a certain dancevision... I think that their EP's are their best material but this is a great album too.
Prostitutes - Crushed Interior Example track - Dial tone Degradation
this is a great example of the sort of stuff that blurred the lines between post punk and emerging electronic music. Stuff like Shoc Corridor had the dark heart of much Post Punk but it was on it's own path. I'm also amused by the track posed passing resemblance to Floorshow/Phantom by the Sisters of Mercy.
The Present Moment - Loyal to a Fault Example track - The Distance Between Us
It was hard to choose between their albums but I went with Loyal to a Fault over The High Road because THR is much more like dark electropop.
Colder - Heat Example track - To the Music
a little bit older than some of the selections but an important album in my opinion, bridging the gap between dance music and dark music cultures.
Newclear Waves - Newclear Waves Example track -The Black Hand
Has that authentic Italian cassette only feel, with it's buzzing synth basslines and Dictaphone vocals.
HTRK - Work (Work, Work) Example track Body Double
had a wee debate about including this. Sure it has some Post Punk tropes but it's a modernist record IMO. Both (later) HTRK and Jonnines husbands band Standish/Carlyon make me think of Pink Industry with their rattling drum machine handclaps and hissing cymbals.
Standish/Carlyon - Deleted Scenes Example track - Critics Multiply
Hanging this on the Post Punk peg really depends if you think of Japan as post punk...I do.
Flits between modern bass pop, Japan like moves, blue eyed soul and the percussive movements of Pink Industry
D