Once upon a time when every German workers’ dreams came true in the German Democratic Republic, where citizens were so perfectly defended by the inner security service that every seventh one was an informer. It was so democratic that the media was totally controlled by the communist state, and any private publishing was illegal. In Karl Marx-Stadt (aka Chemnitz) there was a really underground new wave electronic experimental label klangFarBe run by Frank Bretschneider from 1985 till 1989. It published only 8 cassette releases.

A double compilation LP with AG Geige, Kriminal Tanzkapelle, Frank Bretschneider and Stein Im Brett

will be released soon by Mannequin Records (Germany)

You can download a Karl Marx-Stadt underground V/A tape from the 80s

and there is a film about AG Geige.

Bretschneider today run Raster-Noton. It is meant to be a platform – a network covering the overlapping border areas of pop, art, and science. It has been emerged from the fusion of Rastermusic, founded by Olaf Bender (AG Geige) and Bretschneider (also was in AG Geige) in 1996, and the sublabel Noton, which was run by Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto). It realizes music projects, publications and installation works. The common idea behind all releases is an experimental approach – an amalgamation of sound, art, and design, which is not only apparent in the music, but also visible from the artwork and cover design. In music the label’s aesthetic focus is on rhythmic, minimal electronic music alternating between playful pop and introspection.

DD OWEN is Drew Owen from punk band Sick Thoughts (Goner, Slovenly, Goodbye Boozy Records) armed with keyboard, guitar and pedals. A Wizzard Sleeve and a Gary Wrong cover on his brand new single

on Windian Records‘ subscription series (US)

Also a new Sick Thoughts single on Goner Records (US)

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There was an electro-industrial band Musumeci in Torino in the 80s with some side-projects and a cassette label, Der Zeltweg.
A selection of the 1982-1984 side projects Errata-S-Corrige, Gasdehyde and Herpes-Z

on Mannequin Records (Germany)

Minneapolis 1982. Information Society was founded in a college dorm room. During the years it became a musical collective and the part of the mainstream (with numerous top hits, for example). InSoc disbanded in 1997, but has reunited in 2006. Their first EP was released in 1983. Only 100 copies were printed. Reissue with an unreleased bonus track, which is their first recorded track ever.
New Wave Disco like Gary Numan or New Order.

Mannequin Records (Germany)

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Thou. Grunge based sludge from the mud of Louisana. This EP was recorded at same time than previous album Heathen. The 5th track „I hate myself, and I want to die” is a Nirvana cover.

Sacrifice EP on Robotic Empire (US)

6th of June in 1944 was the D-Day. Its aim was Berlin. Some decades later almost same allies dropped bombs on Belgrade.

Sixth June is a Berlin based („Here, you’d think about where to go out,”) Serbian („in Serbia you have to think about making a place to go out to first. Art is one of the last things there, still. Nobody thinks it’s important.”) duo of Laszlo Antal and Lidija Andonov. 80s style cold minimal synth pop

Pleasure EP by Mannequin Records

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La Secte du Futur is a French garage rock band with the members of Catholic Spray, JC Satán, Black Bug and more.

Greetings From Youth LP by XVIII Recdords

The Far-Out Fangtooth based on the common range of interest of his members: B-Movies, avant-garde, dark psychedelia, gothic erotica, Cramps, and early Creation Records release.  (The influential British independent label released the first records of Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis…) Their first album was Sonic Youth-like, the second is Christian Death-like with a little taste of Jesus & M.C.

Borrowed Time LP by Siltbreeze

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Musumeci was a raw light industrial minimal-synth duo in Torino in the middle of the 80s. They produced two demo tapes: Schwarz Morgen in 1985, and Zusammen in 1986. The 2 in 1 now by Mannequin Records