Primarily composed of instrumentals "Retrograde" is a 16 track collection of neo-new wave electronica that leans more towards being what the Icelandic artist Josef Karl Gunnarson can pull off than what his machines are capable of. It is this very manual over ride that gives the music that honest quality that those of us who lived through the first new wave found so beautiful in the music. His compositions are simple and melodic affairs with the occasional abstract and clever technical incorrectness. They remind me of a cross between early Human League sketches and those low tech mutant underground tapes that were so rampant in the 80’s. Even when he does sing it has a robotic quality in the delivery. If you are lost in gothic darkness the mood may not be right for you but if you have eclectic tastes ranging from The Residents to OMD you will find this very interesting. Often going off on boomerang tangents that take you away from the established arrangements "Retrograde" brings you back to reflect on the reflections you were reflecting on.

It is not very often that one release can define an entire era of its genre. With that said the forty-four tracks of this two CD digi-pak do exactly that. They not only define the early roots of the many musics of Dirk Ivens and his prolific shadow Eric Van Wonterghem, but they define the minimal electronic pop glory days of the early 80’s. A musically creative time marked by the new romantic movement in London and of course the Belgian electronic music scene. Certainly as interesting as anything that came out of Britain at that time, this music remained under the radar because the tracks were somewhat difficult to obtain. Often appearing on various artists’ vinyl LPs and sold out limited edition singles, they were scarce. That rareness has no doubt contributed to their monetary value through the years, but it really is their intrinsic value that makes this collection so special. Long over due, someone needed to document the beginnings of what many of us consider to be one of the great electronic music stories of our time.
The music consists of simple yet effective analogue electronic arrangements combined with the anthemic vocals of Dirk Ivens. Hypnotically reaching out in what often seems to have the duality of naïve English flash card phrases and the sophistication of a direct and worldly savvy artist, Iven’s vocals will you to trust him as authoritative. Songs like "Do You Feel Me Inside" or "Melting Away" are so strong they create an emotional response that is as powerful now as it was in the early 80’s. Seeds of what would later become the industrial music stylings of The Klinik and later Dive sprout up here and there, but never really over take the sparse landscape that is Absolute Body Control. Marked by the minimal if not anti-tech approach, the aptly named "Lost/Found" is an often a dark and sonic experience that reeks of authenticity unlike the corporate versions of this genre at that time. A dream collection of minimal electronic synth-pop for whoever can get their hands on a copy "Lost/Found" will not be forgotten.

As the years go by the importance of an electronic musician like Antonios Stratis comes into perspective. Although the role of Stratis in the 80’s was obscure in commercial terms, the ambassadorial significance of his self owned label Temporary Music was vital in introducing Northern American artists to what has now grown into a flourishing German electro scene and vice versa. "Herzlos" is a 23 track self produced, manufactured, and distributed collection of the best of Stratis. The music here ranges from raw or "anti-tech techno" to an amalgamation of robotic synthpop and traditional progressive German electronic music from the Tangerine Dream school. Imagine a marriage of international or world music sensibility to analogue German electro. Yes, it is as cool as it sounds. Collectors of obscure electro will surely have to have a copy of this. But it is the new listener that is unfamiliar with this work that will simultaneously fall into something exciting and of historical weight. Which ever the case, the music of Stratis stands the test of time and "Herzlos" is the document that proves it.

Meta Wave Music has released a historically significant collection of rare recordings by the band ADN Ckrystall. Their music is minimal electronic in nature but is really a sort signature for French obscuro new wave. All of the band’s rare recordings have been included in this limited edition (100 pieces) 32-song 2x CDR in a DVD box set. For minimal electronic fanatics the inclusion of the ultra rare "Jazz Mad" LP as well as the "In-Edit" 7" single will send heart palpitations through their collectors anxiety ridden chests. These are some of the most sought after and hard to find audiophile lust items there are. My favorites here are "Le Combat (Robin Hood)"and "Happy? Really?" which could be designated as the bands influential style signatures. If you need a comparisons, try the Strangler’s JJ Burnel’s project Polyphonic Size which was a more polished and produced version of this bands work or even some early things Kraftwerk. ADN Ckrystall’s music ranges from minimal experimental to robotic synthpop and then back again. Highly Recommended.

One of the characteristics of an important musician is that no matter how much work they deliver you can’t wait to hear something new from them. In that respect Dirk Ivens a.k.a. Dive and or Sonar delivers on a timely manner. He is compiling an amazing if not unearthly discography of industrial experimentalism that not only covers the Dive and Sonar releases but also finds its roots in the early Klinik releases where he made his start as the front man for that iconic trio. If you are a loyalist where Ivens is concerned you will be thrilled to know that this CD is most like his early effort "Concrete Jungle." However, dismissing this as an attempt at recapturing something nostalgic from the early days would not really be unfair but truthful as "Behind the Sun" like all Dive releases are works of art that stand on their own. This music relies on repetitious hypnotic trance-like rhythms that are colored by an array of white noise vocals and effects. The production Eric Van Wonterghem is essential in capturing the "dirty" sound nuances that are the signature of Iven’s work. Less commercial or lets say less club friendly than "True Lies," "Behind the Sun" lives in a more cerebral zone of industrial music making and has a more sophisticated quality. For Ivens industrial music is not about just the amplification of raw power but about the finesse of making such elements say something meaningful. Highly Recommended.