Showing posts with label Instant Hit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Instant Hit. Show all posts

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Instant Hit: Oto - Anyway

 The French Minimal wave/Post punk outfit Oto who were formed in 1979 released two singles and one EP back in the 80s. "Anyway" was recorded and released in Paris, in 1984 while their EP Purge and Urge followed two years later in 1986 after which the band disbanded. "Anyway" was reissued in 2022 by Replica records with the original B-sides.


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Instant Hit: Android A 21st Century Band - My Love is Like a Shooting Star

Before Android became a ubiquitous mobile operating system, it was associated with humanoid operating machines, often referred to as robots. In 1980, a band named Android A 21st Century Band adopted this concept, embodying avant-garde ideals and a futuristic outlook. They were pioneers in synthesizing the human voice, a technique that would later be recognized as the vocoder. Here is "My Love is Like a Shooting Star," a track from their sole album In Tune with Tomorrow released in 1982.


Saturday, February 24, 2024

Instant Hit: The Popular Sex - This May Save Your Life

The Popular Sex released their only album, Power of Suggestion, during their brief stint in 1984. Reportedly, the album features tracks recorded from the late 70s up to 1981. It was released by a small Atlanta label called Wild Carbon Software. Here in this feature we would like to present the closing and our favorite track of the album, "This May Say Your Live."


Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Instant Hit: Big Ben Tribe - Tarzan Loves The Summer Nights

Four decades ago, the Italian trio Big Ben Tribe, hailing from Trieste, unveiled their third and ultimate single "Tarzan Loves the Summer Nights," featuring the vocals of Clara Moroni. Interestingly, a year later, Baltimora would gain international success for incorporating a Tarzan reference into his work.


Friday, February 2, 2024

Instant Hit: James Cuts - Sexify You

 James Lebon, a London-based hairdresser, graphic designer, and film director, made a foray into the music industry under the alias James Cuts. He recorded a song that served as a promotional piece for his professional work. The track, featuring Alan Rankine from The Associates on guitar/bass, was released by Les Disques Du Crépuscule in 1984.

Monday, September 21, 2020

Instant Hit: The Heart Throbs - Dreamtime

Thirty years ago The Heart Throbs released their debut album Cleopatra in 1990 and one of the outstanding songs from this album was "Dreamtime". There is this interesting fact that the two members of The Heart Throbs, the sisters DeFreitas were actually sisters of the late Pete DeFreitas of Echo & the Bunnymen fame who died in the motorcycle accident in 1989 at the age of 26. Pretty much underrated "Dreamtime" holds in it the best from the two decades and still sounds very contemporary. 


Saturday, August 22, 2020

Instant Hit: Katy Gray - Hold Me Tight

"Hold Me Tight" was released by Katy Gray  in 1985 and there is quite a veil of mystery to the singer's identity and rumours that claim that she was tragically killed by a disco ball in 1987. The lady on the cover artwork is believed to be Monica Stucci. Katy Gray never released another single and this certainly remains as an italo-disco tune of the highest calibre.

 

Monday, July 13, 2020

Instant Hit: Modern English - Gathering Dust

"Gathering Dust" was the third single by Modern English released 40 years ago. It is a pretty much atmospheric track, loud and turning into explosion of sound. Similar to the music their contemporaries like Joy Division and A Certain Ratio did it shows a perfect examples of Post Punk aesthetics.


Sunday, July 5, 2020

Instant Hit: The Gist - Love at the First Sight

"Love at the First Sight" was the second single Stuart Moxam released under the name The Gist. He was previously a member of Young Marble Giants who split soon after the release their only album Young Colossal Youth. The song could also be found on The Gist's debut album Embrace the Herd which was released through Rough Trade records during the same year. The song became a hit in France when it was covered by French pop singer Étienne Daho under the title "Paris, Le Flore".



Thursday, June 18, 2020

Instant Hit: Was (Not Was) - Wheel Me Out

"Wheel Me Out" was the debut single released by Was (Not Was) in 1980. Forty years after this is  still enjoyable and nice offering of  pop funk and electro groove in a Post disco wrap. In 1981 the song appeared in Seize the Beat (Dance Ze Dance) compilation.


Sunday, April 1, 2018

Instant Hit: Mekons - Ghosts of American Astronauts

Mekons released "Ghosts of American Astronauts" in 1988 and it was taken from their sixth album So Good it Hurts and the only song released by them in that year. It was backed by "Robin Hood" and issued on Cooking Vinyl in the UK.


Friday, February 2, 2018

Instant Hit: The Legendary Pink Dots- Under Glass

“Under Glass” was released by The Legendary Pink Dots as single in 1988 on Play it again Sam Records and featured two other tracks. This song used to mix neo-psychedelia, elements of goth with vivid and dark Synth-pop. During the same year they also released their album Any Day Now. In 2001, when this album was reissued, beside the standard track listing, it featured all three tracks previously only released on single format.



Monday, January 8, 2018

Instant Hit: Pink Military- Did You See Her?

"Did You See Her" was the second single for Pink Military, released 38 years ago in 1980. The songs was also included on their debut album Do Animals Believe in God. There were two different version of the songs, the Album and Single version. Although this songs has huge potential, being in the same league with the some of the biggest hits from Siouxie and The Banshees and Echo & The Bunnymen at that time, it only remained a hidden gem. The group split soon after and Jayne Casey went on to form Pink Industry.


Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Instant Hit: Barbi and the Kens- I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

Barbi and the Kens was one of the several project of Bobby Orlando projects released in the early 80's. Under this moniker he released only one mini LP in 1980 which featured 4 track including the title track "Just a Gigolo" which even managed to enter the Billboard Club Play charts. Later throughout the 80's he even manage to become one of the most prolific Hi-Nrg produces which besides of producing his own acts, resulted in a collaboration with Divine and Pet Shop Boys. Even today he is still releasing albums. Here for you, the bouncy "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" 


Friday, October 27, 2017

Instant Hit: Private Blue- She's Love

Private Blue was a short-lived German act that released only one single during their brief existence, titled "She's Love." This 12" single featured two versions of the titular song along with "Help Me Tonight." Genre-wise, it falls into the category of Synth Pop with a strong influence of Italo Disco, a style that was popular in Germany at the time. The single was released on the 80's label Westside Music, which also featured music by artists like Moskwa TV and Celebrate the Nun. While it may be considered an obscurity today, there's hope that it will find its place on music compilations that appreciate similar genres.
 

Friday, September 1, 2017

Instant Hit: Shoc Corridor- Travelling by Hand

“Travelling by Hand” was the final track on Shoc Corridor’s debut album Experiments in Incest which was released in 1983. In masterful way the album blends synth wave electronica with psychedelic oriental sounds and industrial acid. “Travelling by Hand” indeed catches and resumes album’s sound in one unique formula. Experiment in Incest was reissued in 2015 for the first time by Dark Entries.


Monday, August 7, 2017

Instant Hit: Neuland- Gehirnamputiert

"Gehirnamputiert" was the only release for the German NDW band Neuland. The song was released in 1982 and was featured on their only album Neuland. The album was released via Ariola and to this date it was not reissued.


Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Instant Hit: A.T.R.O.X.- Overture to the Tales

"Overture to the Tales" was the opening track from the second album by the Italian minimal wave act A.T.R.O.X. Like this tune, the album included eleven other tracks, in which the band explored synthetic electronic sound with a superb experimental vein. The album from which the singles was taken was titled Water Tales and was originally released in 1984 and reissued in 2015. 


Monday, May 8, 2017

Instant Hit: Rive Gauche- Friends Are Friends

Rive Gauche was a short lived minimal-synth duo from Belgium who only released one single during their brief existence in the mid-80’s. Both songs on the recorded featured the singer Carol who also released “Breakdown” in 1981 and who later made appearance on the cover of this song by Snowy Red. “Friends are Friends”/alt."Friends and Friends" was also featured on A Tribute to Some Bizarre Vol.12 compilation which was released unofficially.


Sunday, February 26, 2017

Instant Hit: Clockwork Orange- Sensation Boys

Clockwork Orange was a short-lived Norwegian synth-pop group that emerged in the 1980s, releasing only a single during their brief existence. Titled "Sensation Boys," it debuted on Temptation Records in 1985. Despite its likely underground status at the time and its dark tone, it had the potential to resonate with both underground and mainstream audiences. Today, it remains emblematic of its genre's standards. In 2015, the song was reissued as a single under the title "The Last Sensation," featuring a 1984 demo alongside a new remix version of the track.


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