V/A - Vertigo - Synth Punk Blasts 1978-1984 [2020]

When I took notice of this record I bought it immediately, on the one hand because the song selection is great, the time of release, the bands (more than 50% unknown) and I love international stuff, and then limited, so damn... why waiting?? Info: Vertigo is a compilation of SynthPunk, mainly from little known bands. This first volume will be available (vinyl only, limited to 300 copies) on December 15th, features American, German, British & Swedish bands. The term SynthPunk has been popularized in recent years, or rather vulgarized, becoming a genre that mostly describes electronic or new wave bands. This compilation highlights anger and nihilism punk with the violent rhythm of a fingering that assails a keyboard. Here, no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music. This could be the sequel to the Killed By Synth compilation which is also led by raw razor shape synthesizers.

A brilliant review: "Well, first things first: compared to the unrelated but similarly-themed Killed by Synth comp. that preceded it, this new comp at least succeeds in only including bands that actually used keyboards, so no BIG BOYS, OIL TASTERS, or BOB this time around. In true KBD tradition, the focus here is on the the flipped-out and the fucked-up in the words of the compiler(s), “no synth pop, no new wave, no experimental music” and despite (presumably) being named after the SCREAMERS song, Vertigo skips over the usual synth-punk suspects in favor of some deeper and less obvious cuts. Highlights include the Bloodstains-via-Red Snerts snot of “Sophistication” by PLASTIC IDOLS (Houston’s answer to DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS), organ-smeared mutant new wave with wild femme vocals from Santa Cruz’s SCHEMATIX on “Nothing Special,” the dark, frenetic end-times robo-pulse of “Happy Funeral” by Sweden’s KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS, the jarring juxtaposition of sparse minimal wave and intense, unhinged vocals in German from DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT’s “Es Ist Kalt”… also, totally bold move with the inclusion of “Food Fight” by the VILLAGE PEOPLE (yes, really) in the post-disco early ’80s, they revamped their image to pass as New Romantics and recorded this one-off, utterly dumb but kind of amazing slice of PLASTIC BERTRAND esque punksploitation with the former “construction worker” channeling his inner Tomata Du Plenty, now officially enshrined as the first dollar bin KBD bonzer. Not a predictable comp by any means, and that’s very much to its credit. (Erika Elizabeth, MRR #454 • March 2021)

This blast works fine and rubs really against my nervous head. Have a relaxed time with this hot fucking stuff and a pleasant time travel!

1.Laundramat Loverboy - ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

2.Making Time - THE STEVES

3.Trust In Technology - ADAPTORS

4.Businessman's Bounce - CRAIG BEVAN & THE TOURISTS

5.Love Me Tonight - THE MD'S

6.Bo Party - THE NAROS

7.Sophistication - PLASTIC IDOLS

8.Idle Worship - G SPOT

9.Food Fight - VILLAGE PEOPLE

10.Nothing Special - SCHEMATIX

11.Computer Love - LORD MANUEL & LA PESTE

12.Happy Funeral - KITCHEN & THE PLASTIC SPOONS

13.Here's What You Find In Any Prison - HIT PARADE

14.Es Ist Kalt - DER KÜNFTIGE MUSIKANT

15.Invisible Man - ANTI-MATTER

16.Stamp Out Mutants - TREATMENT

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