SONG OF THE DAY: Xmal Deutschland - Polarlicht (1987)

Xmal Deutschland were Germany's answer to Siouxsie and the Banshees, and though the comparison is quickly made, this mostly female group stands on its own merits.  "Polarlicht" appears on the bands third album, "Viva", the record that followed their period on 4AD, which resulted after an opening slot for the Cocteau Twins attracted the attention of Ivo Watts-Russell.  Singer Anja Huwe's powerful vocals add substantial force to Xmal Deutschland's sound, supported by jangling, creeping guitars and a pounding rhythm section.  "Inucubus Succubus" is another Xmal classic you're looking for more gothic post-punk in the vein of Siouxsie and the underrated U.K. group Skeletal Family.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Martin Dupont - Just Because (1984)

Martin Dupont is not the name of a person, but rather a French coldwave group who released several crucial albums in the mid to late 80s, the strongest of which is their debut, 1984's "Just Because".  The trio, comprised of Alain Seghir, Brigitte Balland and Beverley Jane Crew, have created an impeccable sound that is exemplary of all things coldwave, from the perfectly layered modular synths to the balanced interplay of gloomy-male and romantic-female voices.  The arrangements and vocals on this album are nothing short of perfect, contributing to an overall sound that is simultaneously cold and alluring.

RARE PUNK SINGLE OF THE WEEK: Mobs - Projection of Astral Body (1985)

Mobs were a Japanese hardcore band in the vein of Gai, Lip Cream, G.I.S.M. and Gauze.  This is relatively straightforward, with sloppy d-beats and typically weird vocals that Japanese bands always manage to pull off without sounding contrived.  Things really get interesting on the B-side (which is actually listed as the "Z-side"), when the creepy goth interlude "Stormy Night" seemingly comes out of nowhere.  Overall, Mobs' aesthetic and themes sets them apart and add a morbid flavor to "Projection of Astral Body", their second 7" EP which was released in 1985.

SONG OF THE DAY: 2562 - Intermission (2011)

One reviewer has this to say about 2562: "This record sounds like you'd described what hip hop is like to an insane person and they'd made an album based on your words."  This might be an apt description for the entire Future Garage genre, a style that incorporates the glitch of dubstep with UK Garage, a sound that was in turn an elaboration on late 80s and early 90s disco-leaning Garage House.  Fast forward to 2011, Dutch producer 2562 (Dave Huismans) releases "Fever", a glitchy-disco and "wonky techno" album that exists in its own realm somewhere between headphone music and odd-but-danceable club music.  "Intermission" is one of the more ambient tracks, a soft but catchy relief from the craziness that surrounds it.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: The Legendary Pink Dots - The Maria Dimension (1991)

The Legendary Pink Dots are a difficult group to pin down, having produced dozens of albums since their inception in the early 80s.  What began as an experimental electronics and minimal wave group, centered around LPD founders Edward Ka-Spel and Phil Knight (aka The Silverman), eventually evolved into ambient psychedelia during the late 80s and early 90s, the period that is considered to be The Dots' most accessible.  "The Maria Dimension" is often heralded as the pinnacle of that era, a transcendent and otherworldly album that combines ambient space-rock with the softer, mystical elements of Coil and Current 93.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Danse Society - Heaven Is Waiting (1983)

The Danse Society are a somewhat forgotten group whose mix of gothic rock, post-punk and darkwave falls right into place between The Cure's "Pornography" era and The Sisters of Mercy's "First & Last & Always".  Despite never making it as big as their contemporaries, The Danse Society had all of the right ingredients for a success; heavy, pulsing bass and percussion sliced through by chorus-laden guitars and arpeggiated synths.  Frontman Steve Rawlings brings a deathrock element to the group with his romanticized themes of spiritual persecution and damnation.  "Heaven Is Waiting" was their biggest single, and also appeared on the great 1983 full-length album of the same name.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Pylon - Gyrate (1980)

Few bands can rival Gang of Four when it comes to infectiously danceable post-punk, so who would have thought that a humble band from Athens, Georgia would rise to the occasion.  What sets Pylon a notch above the rest is without a doubt the powerful vocal presence of singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay, whose oscillation between sultry whispers and high energy shrieks make the nonchalant British groups that they were influenced by feel disappointingly less-urgent.  Pylon rides the line between Gang of Four, Wire and ESG, and their 1980 debut "Gyrate" is an underrated dance-punk classic that deserves recognition along with their follow up, 1983's "Chomp".

SONG OF THE DAY: Fennesz & David Sylvian - Transit (2004)

Fennesz in an Austrian ambient artist whose glitchy, fragmented sound can be somewhat defined as "electroacoustic improvisation (EAI)", a style of ambient and drone music that employs unconventional instruments such as treated guitars, turntables, and multi-channel mixers as a means to create this sparse, textured music.  "Venice" is an album that progresses through a few surprisingly melodic movements of abstract, physical ambient music until we arrive at "Transit", the culminating track that features Japan vocalist David Sylvian, whose crooning and sophisticated vocal style feels right at home amidst the noisy, swelling bursts of static.  This unlikely formula has also proven to be successful by Scott Walker, another distinguished male voice whose days of art-pop gave way to experiments in industrial and drone in recent years.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics (1990)

Sun City Girls formed in 1979, but really hit their stride in the late 80s, producing almost 30 albums of their "snake charmer rock" over a 10-year period.  The apex of this prolific era is without a doubt their 1990 album "Torch of the Mystics", a incredible amalgamation of Middle-Eastern and ethnic music, acid-garage, freak folk, and psychedelic mantras.  Brothers Rick and Alan Bishop are the founders of Sun City Girls, and their world-music influence can be attributed to the painstakingly thorough research done by Alan for his label Sublime Frequencies, who unearth and release obscure music from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.  "Torch of the Mystics" sounds like a trip to a desert oasis where Comus and Exuma are the house band and Terrence McKenna is behind the bar.

SONG OF THE DAY: Psychic TV - Love War Riot (1989)

"Love War Riot" was released in 1989 as a 12" single, with a version of the oft covered "Eve of Destruction" on the B-side.  Genesis P-Orridge formed Psychic TV following the breakup of Throbbing Gristle, the group essentially responsible for industrial music.  The Psychic TV sound has changed countless times over the years, moving from post-industrial to acid-house to pop-psych, often held together only by the magickal trail ov breadcrumbs left as a cohesive thread by Genesis P-Orridge.  "Love War Riot" is Psychic-TV doing their best Happy Mondays impression, a mix of clubby post-punk and acid-house that sounds as snarky and ready for the Haçienda dance floor as anything Shaun Ryder, Bez and company had to offer at that time.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors - Turning Into Small (1998)

This overlooked shoegaze group from New Jersey, who produced only two studio albums and a few singles, offer a fresh yet familiar sound that blends shoegaze with space-rock and neo-psychedelia.  The hushed vocals recall My Bloody Valentine's whispery approach, though it's admittedly impossible for any shoegaze group to avoid being scored against that rubric.  As a unit, All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors sound closer to L.A. shoegazers Medicine, with moments of organ-driven neo-psychedlia in the vein of Stereolab.  "Turning Into Small" is the second album released by ANL&LF, a consistent and engaging record that should secure them among the annals of shoegaze history.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Bats - North By North (1987)

The Bats were formed out of the ashes of New Zealand lo-fi jangle pop legends The Clean by bassist Robert Scott, who switched to lead vocals and guitar for his newest project.  I've posted about the "Dunedin Sound" before (Tall Dwarfs, Bailter Space) and the Bats are yet another incredible band from the Flying Nun roster.  Why doesn't all indie rock sound like this?  The guitars are angular, the bass is driving and carries most of the melody, and the vocals lie somewhere between The Urinals, Morrissey and The Pixies.  These songs exist in an infectious realm of meek catchiness that really make this band special.  "North By North" appeared on The Bats debut, "Daddy's Highway", a landmark album for the Dunedin indie scene.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Earth House Hold - When Love Lived (2012)

Brock Van Wey is best known for bvdub, the droning ambient and minimal-dub project that earned him a lot of recognition as a prolific artist in the ambient scene.  Sadness is a defining quality of the bvdub catalog, with albums like "The Art of Dying Alone" and "Daydreams of Exile" providing some bleak and touching portraits of hopelessness and meaninglessness in a way that doesn't rely on noise or "dark ambient" techniques to get the point across.  Earth House Hold is Brock Van Wey's deep house project, and it still feels close to the bvdub sound and overall vibe.  These tracks are blissful, echoey ambient house that feel slightly more uplifting than his other work and demonstrate the versatility of Van Way's masterful production and sampling methods.

SONG OF THE DAY: Helios Creed - Monster Lust (1989)

Helios Creed is known for his distinctive guitar sound, which he created while "listening to Black Sabbath on LSD on headphones when he was a teenager".  The acid-punk outsider was a prominent member of the prolific San Francisco band Chrome, a group who infused their brand of alien-post-punk with industrial, psychedelic rock, and Krautrock influences.  "Superior Catholic Finger" was released in 1989 as Helios Creed's second solo album, and saw the mad genius following up on the stripped down acid-punk style of his brilliant debut, "X-Rated Fairy Tales".  "Monster Lust" kicks off this album of true outsider music that is indebted heavily to the Residents and visionary weirdo Geza X.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Robert Görl - Night Full of Tension (1984)

Robert Görl was a member of German electro-industrial-punk group Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, whose mix of minimal synths and aggressive beats laid the foundation for the EBM genre.  Görl broke out on his own in 1984 for an album that exhibits a softer synth-pop take on the D.A.F. sound, though the wobbly synth tones and drum sequences still bare his trademark.  Annie Lennox lends her voice for a few tracks, providing a nice compliment to Görl's Bowie-croon.  As a whole, "Night Full of Tension" is a more mature and fleshed-out continuation of the Neue Deutsche Welle sound that blended the best elements of Kraftwerk and Throbbing Gristle.

RARE PUNK SINGLE OF THE WEEK: Rich Kids On LSD - It's a Beautiful Feeling! (1984)

Originally released as a 7" by Mystic Records in 1984, "It's a Beautiful Feeling!" is a short but satisfying EP of lo-fi hardcore skate-punk from Rich Kids On LSD in the vein of DRI, Adolescents, and early Poison Idea.  The songs move fast between blazing d-beats, raw surfy guitar leads, and mid-paced Void-esque bridges that add character to the ripping moments.  These tracks are laced with great lyrics about about drugs, paranoia, and harsh returns to weird realities.  "Don't stop this trip, 'cause I don't wanna grip."  You said it, brother.

SONG OF THE DAY: The House of Love - Shine On (1990)

It's a mystery to me why The House of Love never caught on in the states as much as Oasis or the Stone Roses, despite having a more consistent catalog with darker, catchier songs than any of the neo-psychedlia / brit pop bands of the late 80s and early 90s.  The House of Love began their career on Creation, a fitting label for their early Jesus & Mary Chain-esque singles like "Christine".  One of those early singles, "Shine On", was re-recorded for their second full-length and self-titled album from 1990, and was also released again as a single with an accompanying music video.  This phase of The House of Love saw the group grow into a melancholy jangle-pop sound that exists in the same realm of bands like The Church, and like The Church, I can't understand why people in America don't obsess over these overlooked bands.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Burger / Ink - Las Vegas 2010 (2010)

Jörg Burger and Wolfgang Voigt (aka Mike Ink) are both stapes of the German ambient scene, particularly the scene focused around Kompakt Records, which Voigt is co-founder of, and their Pop Ambient series of compilations.  Burger / Ink is a collaborative project from Burger and Voigt that released only one full-length album in 1998, "Las Vegas".  This is some of the most gorgeous, hypnotic minimal techno around, with tinges of ambient dub and trance.  Sonically, the beats and loops are reminiscent of a pulsating take on Richard D. James's palette for "Selected Ambient Works".  12 Years after its release, Kompakt released a remastered version of the album as "Las Vegas 2010", and the mix really brings out the luster of these magical tracks.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Embarassment - Patio Set (1980)

"Patio Set" is the B-side to the first single from The Embarrassment, a self described "Blister Pop" band from Wichita, Kansas whose sloppy style somehow lends itself to some surprisingly catchy moments.  Aesthetically, the band certainly drew inspiration from the nerd look of The Feelies, and musically The Embarrassment sound like a mix of The Bats, Mission of Burma, and The Urinals.  This track, and the A-side "Sex Drive", are out of tune post-punk infused indie rock with hooks that sneak up on you despite the murky production.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Bruce Haack - The Electric Lucifer (1970)

Bruce Haack was a pioneer of electronic music who not only influenced 70s synthesizer artists but also invented a number of instruments, including "Mr. C" - an automated robot synthesizer, and the "Peopleodian" - an analog synthesizer that used peoples bodies as keys and triggers.  Haack began his career making children's music, and appeared on Mr. Rogers in the 60s to teach kids about electronic music.  "The Electric Lucifer" was released in 1970 and saw Bruce Haack take a psychedelic turn into the abyss.  This still sounds like children's music in some sense, if children sang about LSD and mysticism.  Despite some campy moments, "The Electric Lucifer" has a heavy proto-Kraftwerk vibe, and Haack's vocals even bring to mind the monotone iciness of Ian Curtis on tracks like "Program Me".  Brilliant and lyrically relevant as ever.

SONG OF THE DAY: Vladimir Cosma - Promenade Sentimentale, pt. 2 (1981)

Vladimir Cosma is a Romanian composer who mostly worked on French films, most notably the 1981 thriller "Diva" directed by Jean-Jeaques Beineix.  The soundtrack moves between stunning segments of opera performed by Wilhelmania Wiggins Fernandez, passages of dark synthesizers and electronic drums used for suspenseful moments á la John Carpenter, and gorgeous variations on the haunting piano theme, "Promenade Sentimentale".  The delicate piece brings to mind the piano music of Gurdjieff and Thomas De Hartmann as well as the ambient compositions of Harold Budd.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Blitz - Second Empire Justice (1983)

Blitz were a legendary Oi/UK82 band whose 1982 album "Voice of a Generation" is heralded as a pinnacle of the genre, so it's not surprising that the release of "Second Empire Justice", an album that saw Blitz trade in their Oi anthems for gloomy post-punk, incited a negative reaction.  The band were labeled "sellouts" by fans, who were only able to see the progression as an attempt to jump on the Factory Records bandwagon.  Though the sudden shift to new wave may have been polarizing, and despite overt influences and possibly direct plagiarism of Echo & the Bunnymen and Joy Division, "Second Empire Justice" is ultimately Blitz's best material.

SONG OF THE DAY: Dream 2 Science - My Love Turns To Liquid (1990)

Proper hypnotic deep-house from New York producer Ben "Cozmo D" Cenac, who was also a member of early 80s electro/hip hop group Newcleus.  "My Love Turns To Liquid" was released as a 12" single and also appeared on the self-titled Dream 2 Science album, a compilation that gathered the very few but nevertheless brilliant tracks Cenac had to offer for this project.  The track is reminiscent of the landmark sound of deep-house legend Mr. Fingers (Larry Heard); deep and funky basslines punctuated by dry Roland beats and lush vocal samples.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Test Dept. - The Unacceptable Face of Freedom (1986)

This is true industrial music.  From the crushing machine sounds to the fascistic aesthetic, Test Dept. were a revolutionary group in every way.  The "martial" industrial vibe is one that has often been misunderstood or taken out of context, but it must be made clear that Test Dept., like Crass and many others, harnessed a fascistic image as a subversive tactic, a way to undermine their oppressors by adopting an equally violent and militaristic image.  "Be warned! The nature of your oppression is the aesthetic of our anger."  Like Crass, Test Dept. were essentially anarchists who wanted to explore the effects of fascism and the police state to its logical end, and did so by putting themselves in the position of power.  The nature of this music cannot be underestimated.

SONG OF THE DAY: cLOUDDEAD - Apt. A (1) (2000)

"Apt. A" was released as a 10" EP by cLOUDDEAD, the main collaborative project for experimental hip hop collective Anticon.  The group is mainly comprised of rappers Doseone and Why?, as well as producer and Anticon mastermind Odd Nosdam.  cLOUDDEAD collected their first few EPs for a self-titled compilation that was released in 2001, showcasing the group's bizarre style of hip hop that incorporates ambient music, noise, field recordings, and weirdo verses that are anything but traditional from this group of oddball emcees.  "Apt. A (1)" is a track that kicks off both the 10" EP and the self-titled compilation, and might be the best example of the freakishly-chill-yet-unsettling sound of cLOUDDEAD. 

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Guyer's Connection - Portrait (1983)

Guyer's Connection were a duo from Switzerland that might have gone unnoticed had it not been for a recent reissue from Brooklyn label Minimal Wave.  Tibor Csébits and Phillippe Alioth were only teenagers when they created "Portrait", a cult classic of the Swiss minimal-wave and synth-pop genre.  The sound is cold and the lo-fi synths bring to mind the classic tones of Oppenheimer Analysis; Guyer's Connection were without a doubt an influence on modern cold-wavers Xeno & Oaklander.  Csébits provides a moody vocal presence that gives a slight post-punk flavor to the minimal but mesmerizing synth landscape.

SONG OF THE DAY: Scritti Politti - Hypnotize (1984)

"Hypnotize" was released as a single and also appeared on the "Cupid & Psyche 85" album, an era that saw Scritti Politti mixing their brand of sophisti-pop with synth-pop.  The amazing thing about "Hypnotize" is that it sounds like a modern day vaporwave track, something that was crafted from a few dozen samples of 80s yacht-rock and post-disco records.  The production here is glitchy and over the top, with pre-pubescent vocals, midi slap bass, and punchy synths.  Scritti Politti somehow managed to create something that was both ahead of its time and also a future-past time capsule.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Loop - A Gilded Eternity (1990)

Loop have often been criticized for brazenly wearing their influences on their sleeve.  Spacemen 3, Velvet Underground, Stooges, Jesus & Mary Chain, and Swans come to mind, and most obviously Godflesh, whom Loop frontman Robert Hampson was a member of for a few years and also collaborated with for the Loopflesh/Fleshloop split.  While Godflesh infused their Branca-chords with industrial and metal, Loop harkens back to a 60s psychedelic vibe, using dissonance in a spacey, alt-rock fashion rather than Broadrick's crushing and pounding approach.  Despite the derivative nature of their first two albums, Loop carved out a space of their own for 1990's "A Gilded Eternity", an album that shows Hampson finally perfecting his sound.  It's not as ethereal as shoegaze, it's not as dynamic as "The Great Annihilator", but it's also not as stripped down as Nirvana.  Somewhere in between all of these things, you'll find Loop.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Force Dimension - Dust (1989)

The Force Dimension recorded two versions of their debut self-titled album, now known as the "Blue" and "Red" versions.  The former was produced by Luc Van Acker and Jean-Pierre Everaerts, and was a less intense synth-pop leaning sound that was an attempt to jump on board the success of groups like Pet Shop Boys.  A lukewarm response to the album inspired The Force Dimension to bring in Dirk Ivens for a redo, and what resulted was the "Red" version, a heavy, punchier set of songs that were more in line with the EBM/New Beat sound that was exploding in Belgium and the Netherlands at that time.  "Dust" was released as an extended version single, and stands as the definitive cut of a genre-defining track that fuses industrial, minimal techno, and new wave.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: The The - Soul Mining (1983)

"Soul Mining" was the first full-length album released by Matt Johnson as The The, following a few singles under that name and "Burning Blue Soul", which was credited to Matt Johnson rather than The The due to to legal reasons.  "Burning Blue Soul", a murky industrial/post-punk album, was released on 4AD and produced by Wire's B.C. Gilbert and Graham Lewis, and was finally reissued in 1993 with different artwork under the moniker of The The.  Johnson moved away from his grating lo-fi industrial towards a polished art-pop sound for "Soul Mining", a transitional record that marks his most brilliant work to date.  The best new wave had its roots in post-punk and industrial, and Matt Johnson is proof that the integrity of his lyrical concepts and musicianship need not be compromised by strong hooks and glossy production.

RARE PUNK SINGLE OF THE WEEK: The Cravats - You're Driving Me / I Am the Dreg (1981)

The Cravats were a criminally underrated art-punk group who were involved with Small Wonder, a label who put out early releases from Crass, The Zeros, Angelic Upstarts, Bauhaus and The Cure among others.   Crass Records also released the Cravats' 1982 single "Rub Me Out", which is another great record and further proof that the Crass Records lineup was quite diverse.  "You're Driving Me / I Am the Dreg" is a bizarre and creeping mixture of post-punk, anarcho-punk, and ska that isn't so much "ahead of its time" as "in a time of its own".   Their 1980 full-length release "In Toytown" is also great and shows even more versatility from this unique and consistent band.

SONG OF THE DAY: Abecedarians - Smiling Monarchs (1985)

Factory Records released "Smiling Monarchs" in 1985 as a debut 12" single from Los Angeles post-punk group Abecedarians, one of the few groups from the states that Factory endorsed at that time.  This track has a big beat laced with treated guitars and sequenced keyboards, not unlike New Order's sound at that time (in fact, the A-side was produced and mixed by Bernard Sumner, and as a result Abecedarians secured an opening spot on New Order's 1985 Low-Life tour).  Abecedarians moved on from Factory after this release and never quite matched this level of creativity, though 1987's "Eureka" is still worth a listen.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Clock DVA - Buried Dreams (1989)

UK industrial group Clock DVA took a 6 year hiatus after releasing the landmark album "Advantage" in 1983, allowing time for founder Adi Newton to reconfigure his lineup for the next phase, a transformation that saw the band fully evolve into an EBM sound.  The back-to-back albums "Buried Dreams" (1989) and "Man-Amplified" (1991) are masterpieces of the EBM/electro-industrial genre, complimenting each other enough to function as one masterwork.  "Buried Dreams" is just barely the superior of the two, with a smooth, sinister take on a sound that would later go on to be called "cyberpunk" as it was interpreted by Front Line Assembly and others.  Music for hackers.

SONG OF THE DAY: Psi Com - Ho Ka Hey (1985)

Plenty of 90s alt-rockers got their start playing in legitimate underground punk and goth rock groups before breaking into the mainstream and cashing in (Ian Astbury, for example, began with Southern Death Cult / Death Cult before hitting it big with The Cult).  One lesser known group is Psi Com, the Bauhaus-worshipping band fronted by Perry Farrell, who would later go on to form Jane's Addiction and Porno For Pyros.  Psi Com had only a few EPs before disbanding so that Farrell could move on to bigger (but not necessarily better) things.  "Ho Ka Hey" is the opening cut from their self-titled 1985 release, a riffy post-punk/goth track that demonstrates early on the star power and vocal presence of Perry Farrell.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Bowery Electric - Beat (1996)

The story goes that in the absence of a drummer, Bowery Electric harvested sampled hip hop beats to create their unique blend of post-rock, slowcore, and trip-hop.  The result is an album that moves seamlessly from ambient passages to downtempo grooves, culminating in moments of spacey, plodding shoegaze.  Bowery Electric's 1995 self-titled debut was a more straightforward but nevertheless excellent dreampop/shoegaze record, but it was 1996's "Beat" that saw the duo maximize their sound by augmenting their hazy atmospheres with trip-hop beats.

SONG OF THE DAY: inc. - Angel (2013)

"Angel" is a track from Los Angeles alternative R&B group inc. (now known as "inc. no world"), a pair of brothers who have collaborated with FKA Twigs and released albums and singles on 4AD and Young Turk records.  Unlike most groups that exist in the post-Burial word, inc.'s take on alt-R&B is less reliant on production and more so in delivering stripped down songs that are dark despite their simple guitars and minimal synth arrangements.  This is not as glossy or decked out as something on Tri Angle Records, but rather sounds more like a very depressed Prince demo.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: HÖH & Current 93 - Island (1991)

"Island" is a collaboration between David Tibet (Current 93) and Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (HÖH) which was recorded over a 5 year period in Iceland, and features appearances from numerous Icelandic musicians and vocalists, including Björk on the album's opening track.  Many consider this album to be Tibet's "4AD" album, meaning that it is a departure both from Tibet's early industrial days and his later neofolk era; rather, this sounds like Tibet's take on Dead Can Dance, and the result is haunting, shimmering and otherworldly.  Current 93 has always maintained a certain vibe of magick, myth and mysticism, but at times the sparse neo-folk feels detached from the profound lyrics.  HÖH fills in the gaps on "Island" and provides an ambient atmosphere worthy of Tibet's thematic vision.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Left Banke - Lazy Day (1966)

The B-side to The Left Banke's 1966 single "Pretty Ballerina" is a fuzzed out garage track from a band who typically stuck to the baroque pop style.  The group from New York had moderate success with their hit "Walk Away Renee", a song that is now exemplary of the baroque psychedelic style, which incorporates classical and orchestral elements with psychedelic pop.  "Lazy Day" remains one of the darkest and heaviest tracks produced by The Left Banke.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: James Blackshaw - The Glass Bead Game (2009)

The 12-string guitar work of James Blackshaw was captivating enough to bring Swans frontman Michael Gira to tears, resulting in the release of "The Glass Bead Game" on Gira's label, Young God Records.  Blackshaw, a young devotee of John Fahey and Current 93 collaborator, has developed a sound that merges lush psychedelic folk arrangements with American primitivism and ambient drone, employing a breathtaking "continuous" style of finger picking that brings to mind the piano style developed by Ukrainian composer Lubomyr Melnyk.  Acoustic guitar music rarely sounds so opulent.

SONG OF THE DAY: A.R. Kane - A Love From Outer Space (1989)

"A Love From Outer Space" is a bouncy track from the group that was originally described as "the black Jesus & Mary Chain" during their lo-fi shoegaze days.  A.R. Kane were a band whose sound was constantly changing, and their second album, "I", saw the duo evolve into a pop-soul outfit with tinges of dub and dream pop.  This track was also released as a single in 1992 along with a few remix versions that made "A Love From Outer Space" a club-worthy hit.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Susumu Yokota - Sakura (1999)

There is something about "Sakura" that sets it apart from other ambient albums; the arrangements are not typical or repetitive, the progression from soft, swelling chords into electronic beats is natural yet alien, and there is a quality of serenity and mindfulness that feels distinctly Japanese.  Susumu Yokota produced an enormous body of work that ranges from traditional Japanese music to neo-classical to deep house, and "Sakura" is varied enough to serve as a great introduction to his vision. 

SONG OF THE DAY: Moby - Heaven (1993)

Yes, that's right, Moby did in fact have some excellent material early in his career before achieving mainstream success and losing some credibility from the underground.  "Ambient" was released in 1993 during Moby's acid house and techno phase to juxtapose his upbeat club tracks (downtempo served the purpose of "comedown" music at that time, offering a soundtrack for the wee hours of the morning after a long night out).  "Heaven" is simply a masterpiece of ambient techno and deep house.  This track sounds as gorgeous and pulsing as anything put out by Kompakt Records, and actually predates that scene by 5 years.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Hard Corps - Rarities (2013)

Brooklyn label Minimal Wave released this collection of rarities from Hard Corps, a synthpop/minimal wave group from the UK with a sparse catalog consisting of only a few singles and compilation albums, most of which are rare and long overdue for exposure.  The sound here brings to mind Propaganda or possibly Book of Love's heavier moments; the beats are dry and heavy, the synths are minimalistic, and the female vocals add a softness to a sound that can often come off as overly dominant and even fascistic with a detached male voice.

SONG OF THE DAY: Holly Herndon - Chorus (2014)

Holly Herndon released "Chorus" as a 12" single on RVNG Intl before getting signed to 4AD for the release of "Platform", an album that showcases her unique brand of glitch pop and IDM.  Essentially, this track achieves the task that PC Music set out to accomplish; fragmented future music that pulls as much from Oneohtrix Point Never as it does from J-pop.  Herndon excels as much in her arrangements and production as in her ability to bury the hooks just deep enough within the mucky-muck.  Music for the post-internet world.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Woob - Woob 1194 (1994)

This is majestic, rainforest-ambient dub from UK producer Paul Frankland's Woob project, juxtaposed with downtempo beats and field recordings.  "Woob 1194" is a slow moving but ultimately rewarding album that establishes its atmosphere before moving on to the climaxes.  The first track is a 32-minute buildup of animal sounds and ambience that finally breaks into an intense world music beat, complete with some nice chanting vocal samples.  The entire album as a whole provides something like a narrative in its immersive progression.

RARE PUNK SINGLE OF THE WEEK: The Freeze - In Colour (1979)

Gordon Sharp is known as a contributor to the fluctuating lineup of This Mortal Coil and mainly for his work with Cindytalk, but his roots can be traced back to Scottish post-punk group The Freeze, not to be confused with the hardcore band from the states.  The Freeze released two EPs, the first of which, "In Colour", should be considered a classic of dark punk.  The music on the first two tracks is gloomy and driving, but its the third track, "Psychodalek Nightmares", that demonstrates the intense vibe and lyrical content that the band was going for.  In many ways this EP falls somewhere between Syd Barrett and Wire.

SONG OF THE DAY: This Mortal Coil - Not Me (1984)

This Mortal Coil often interpret songs in a unique way, typically approaching their cover versions in a stripped down, melancholic fashion.  "Not Me" is a song that appeared on the debut studio album "A-Z" from Wire frontman Colin Newman, and though its not a drastic change, This Mortal Coil's version on "It'll End In Tears" somehow manages to trump the original.  The strong instrumentation performed by Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde is complimented by an emotional vocal performance from Modern English frontman Robbie Grey, resulting in what may be the definitive version of this great post-punk tune. 

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Blind Idiot God - Blind Idiot God (1987)

SST was putting out some really cool stuff in the late 80s, lots of which has been overlooked, possibly most of all the self-titled debut from noise rock trio Blind Idiot God.  This is an album that is way ahead of its time in terms of concept and instrumentation.  The guitars are dissonant and chorus laden; I wouldn't be surprised if the chord structures and tonality influenced Voivod's "Nothingface" era.  At times these instrumental tracks sound like a more progressive, funk-infused version of Sonic Youth (see: "Dark & Bright"), and at other times Blind Idiot God sound like modern black thrash in the vein of Aura Noir or Virus (see: "Subterranean Flight").  As if that weren't enough, the album ends with three dub reggae tracks that seemingly come out of nowhere.

SONG OF THE DAY: Suburban Knight - Shape Shifter (2003)

James Pennington has been a foundation of the Detroit techno scene since the mid 80s, contributing crucial singles to both the Transmat and Underground Resistance labels and collaborating with Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May and others involved with the Submerge family.  Pennington released his debut full-length album, "My Sol Dark Direction", as Suburban Knight in 2003 on Peacefrog Records, and this might be his best work to date.  "Shape Shifter" starts the album off with a classic Metroplex sound: great samples and dark dry beats make for a track that is as bleak and pulsing as the city that spawned this vast and at times dauntingly labyrinthine genre.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Asylum Party - Borderline (1989)

Asylum Party are less synth-reliant than the majority of their French coldwave contemporaries, and perhaps what makes "Borderline" all the more impressive is the fact that it is essentially a guitar driven album.  This is possibly one of the warmest sounding coldwave albums out there, and it benefits tremendously from the production, which takes this record almost into dream-pop territory.  Unlike Martin Dupont or Trisomie 21, Asylum Party excelled not in their ability to sound automated, but rather in their wall-of-sound approach to gothic post-punk.

SONG OF THE DAY: Flanger - Spin (2015)

Flanger is the collaborative project of German producers Uwe Schmidt and Bernd Friedmann, both of whom have several aliases including Atom™and Nonplace Urban Field, respectively.  The duo formed in 1997 and have released a string of electronic albums in the Nu Jazz/IDM genre, and 2015 saw the release of "Lollopy Dripper", a journey into Flanger's world of glitchy techno, downtempo and future jazz.  "Spin" is one of the more accessible tracks that provides a glimpse into the sound that Flanger has evolved into since their inception in the late 90s.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Broadcast - The Noise Made By People (2000)

Stereolab immediately comes to mind when listening to Broadcast.  Both groups had a knack for incorporating French and Brazilian 60s pop, Krautrock, and library music.  Both groups answered the questions, "What if Astrud Gilberto was backed by Can and Delia Derbyshire?"... "What if Ennio Morricone and Faust had Gal Costa sit in for a few tracks?"  Broadcast stands apart in their ability to sound more gentle, relying less on the Motorik beat often employed by Stereolab in exchange for more of a dream pop sound.  "The Noise Made By People" was their debut full length album released by Warp Records in 2000, and offers an atmospheric portrait of pop music that is charming, delicate and ethereal.

SONG OF THE DAY: Plug - The Perfect Drug (Remix)

Trent Reznor released a remix EP for his 1997 single, "The Perfect Drug", which featured some stellar interpretations of his already drum'n'bass-leaning track.  Highlights include rehashings by Spacetime Continuum and The Orb, but the standout version comes from Plug, which is one of several monikers for British producer Luke Vibert.  Vibert takes "The Perfect Drug" into its fully realized D&B potential, highlighting the drum breaks and mostly staying away from the chorus of the original version.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Eric Random - Subliminal 1980-1982 (2005)

LTM Recordings released this compilation in 2005, documenting the unsettling work of Eric Random, which includes all of his singles as well as the incredible "Earthbound Ghost Need" album from 1982.  Random's take on industrial-dub is best summed up by that album's title; this sounds like desperate, spectral, alien-reggae from someone's relaxed nightmare.  What a freakish and corroded presence this album has.  Part Ike Yard, part 23 Skidoo, part Public Image Ltd's "Metal Box/Second Edition" era, yet entirely Eric Random.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Church - As You Will (1985)

Never has a band blended 60s psychedelia and post-punk so seamlessly.  The Church managed to take the best elements of The Byrds and incorporate driving beats and angular riffs in the vein of The Chameleons.  Yet unlike many of their contemporaries (including The Chameleons), The Church are unparalleled in their consistency, producing album after album of quality material.  They began as a more stripped down post-punk/neo-psychedelic act (Of Skins & Hearts, The Blurred Crusade), but before really hitting it big in the states with "Under The Milky Way", the group released "Heyday", a nearly perfect album that encapsulates everything that is wonderful and magical about The Church.  This track, "As You Will", which only appeared on the CD and cassette version of the album, highlights all of the elements that make The Church so great: Steve Kilby's gentle yet powerful and understated vocals entwined with the brilliant guitar work of Marty Willson-Piper.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: David Van Tieghem - These Things Happen (1984)

"These Things Happen" is a unique album from a percussionist who has worked with Arthur Russell, Laurie Anderson, Steve Reich, David Byrne, Brian Eno and many more.  In some ways this bizarre masterpiece has the vibe of an instrumental Talking Heads record, at least percussively, but the use of sampling and constantly shifting themes elevates the album to an undefinable yet nevertheless thoroughly enjoyable status.  Lots of saxophone, world music beats, electronics, and production that at this point would be called hypnagogic make this a dense albeit very fun album from David Van Tieghem.

SONG OF THE DAY: Brats - Sense My Boy (1980)

Before forming the legendary and influential heavy metal group Mercyful Fate in 1981, guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner were part of Brats, a powerful band from Denmark who actually did feature King Diamond on vocals for a moment (though he doesn't appear on these recordings).  The sound of their only album, "1980", is an incredible blend of punk, garage, proto-metal and general snottiness that manages to bring to mind both the Ramones and the NWOBHM.  Heavy riffs, angsty vocals, and nasty metal leads make this a truly unique album that is relatively unknown compared to the success of Mercyful Fate.  "Sense My Boy" is a standout mid-paced track that makes you wonder if maybe Weezer weren't listening a bit too closely.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Puce Moment - Puce Moment (2013)

This is a great dark-ambient pop record that brings to mind Tropic of Cancer and the more recent work of HTRK.  Puce Moment is a duo from France who have crafted a spellbinding mixture of electronic shoegaze, dark drone, and minimal-wave on their first and only self-titled release.  The production is powerful but spacious, allowing plenty of room for singer Pénélope Michel, who oozes cool in the delivery of her lascivious vocals.  This album manages to be haunting and sexy while never feeling heavy handed.  Looking forward to more to come from Puce Moment.

SONG OF THE DAY: Ultravox - Mr. X (1980)

The second phase of Ultravox following the departure of John Foxx has generated a lot of contention, especially around the time of the crossover.  The band evolved from their post-punk roots into a synth-pop outfit under Midge Ure's leadership, and produced one of their best records to date, the moody 1980 polarizer "Vienna".  There are plenty of new-wave hits to be found here, and "Vienna" is beefed up by a few more ambitious takes such as "Mr. X", a Kraftwerk inspired, brooding track, which provides a nice artfulness to an album that was panned by many as a "sellout" effort.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Dean Blunt - Black Metal (2014)

This is one of the most indescribably weird albums of the past few years.  Dean Blunt has somehow managed to create something truly new here, something that so many have been striving towards, but few have succeeded at in executing to this degree.  Outsider hip hop?  This album took what cLOUDDEAD and the rest of the Anticon collective pioneered with their blend of ambient samples and aberrant emcees to the next level.  Vaporwave?  Despite the hypnagogic production of "Black Metal", the haphazard vocal presence manages to make this sound even more surreal and detached.  Future Goth?  The first half of this album sounds something like a tired person half-singing over a shoegaze record.  The second half is congruous with something off of Hyperdub or Tri Angle Records in its ghetto-gothic-British-streets-at-night vibe.  This is a grow-er, not a show-er.

RARE PUNK SINGLE OF THE WEEK: Nubs - Job / Little Billy's Burning (1980)

The A-side of this single, "Job", which appeared on "Killed by Death #5", is arguably the greatest punk song of all time.  The perfect verses give way to an explosive, ripping solo that just couldn't be any tougher.

"Hey folks! I just took a piss / I just slit my wrist / I feel like a bitch / I can't get no kicks"

"Hey cop! I just shot some crank / I just got out of the tank / I just robbed a bank / I feel pretty rank"

Need I say more?

SONG OF THE DAY: October Country - My Girl Friend is a Witch (1968)

"My Girl Friend is a Witch" is a standout track from a short-lived Nuggets group who were an offshoot of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band.  October Country only recorded one album, and released three singles (all of which were album tracks, excluding the B-side "Baby What I Mean" from the "October Country" single).  This is a quintessential psychedelic gem that features heavy riffs, a few quirky parts, and some amusing lyrics: "What a fate / A worshipper of magic for a day / But tonight I become a warlock just for spite".  Brilliant.

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Factrix - Scheintot (1981)

Factrix were an overlooked industrial group from San Francisco who deserve to be viewed in the same light as Coil, SPK, and the early works of J.G. Thirlwell.  In fact, Factrix predates many of these groups, so it would suffice to place them among the ranks of Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire as innovators of the genre.  "Scheintot" was released in 1981 by Adolescent Records, following the formation of Factrix upon the breakup of SF post-punk group Minimal Man.  Stylistically, this album is a haunting landscape of spectral sounds and cold, mechanical percussion, occasionally giving way to more structured moments that border on post-punk.  The album art is top-notch here; the imagery brings to mind Mario Bava or Kenneth Anger in its saturated macabre eroticism.