There’s something special about this latest dive into the audio archives, a personal quality to the tracks and the rediscovery of them. Welcome to the lesser known, and lesser heard, side of American synth wave.
[Purchase] It’s not a rule or anything, but a lot of labels like to start their innings with a compilation. Such collections are a succinct way to get across an imprint’s angle. It’s taken Dark Entries two years and twelve releases to release a compilation, but it looks to be worth the wait. BART or Bay Area Retrograde (Vol. 1) maps the synth pop and new wave movement of the San Francisco area. Dark Entries have probably dug deeper than before for this one, with an array of obscurities being brought together on one piece of wax for the first time. But, has the West Coast of the early 80’s got much to offer?
This underground history lesson is introduced with the gall and youth of Nominal State. “Middle Class” is a wonderful despondent piece of new wave, guitars blurring with synths in a dejected anthem. The even tones of Batang Frisco follow, a calm and sombre post punk track. There are some excellent band names across this eleven tracker, none more so than Necropolis of Love who offer up an unrequited lament. Post punk tones overtake the synth with Wasp Women and “Kill Me.” The tempo of the compilation rises and falls, hi-octane vocals to subdued wave. Alongside this diversity of tone is the style. From floppy haired Human League romantics, the bitter cold of Guerre Froide wannabes and back room rock outcasts, BART delivers the range. Voice Farm add the modernist “Voyeur” to the mix. The track is vintage US synth wave, deep vocals and clever analogue work. The only group I recognised on here from first eyeing the tracklisting was Danny Boy and the Serious Party Gods. Their “Castro Boy,” a gay NRG take on Frank Zappa’s “Valley Girl” was picked up some years back on Viewlexx’s sublabel Panama Racing. The track was an instant underground disco hit, tongue in cheek disco impact and seriously catchy. Quiet Room leaves the disco floor for the introversion of “Yantzee River” with its insular vocals and sheathed synths. Nearly all the pieces have a gritty homemade quality to them, cobbled together on eight-track recorders in make shift studios and disused spaces. This DIY style echoes other quality synth wave compilations, such as Mannequin’s Danza Meccanica or Walhalla’s Underground Belgian Wave LPs. To lead out this SF motley crew are Units and their quirky Devo style, a brew of analogue whirls and candy coloured smiles.
Since Dark Entries opened its doors it has scoured the globe for synth and wave obscurities, from lost pockets of the US, across Europe and even the former Soviet Union. For Bay Area Retrograde Dark Entries has stayed at home. There’s something special about this latest dive into the audio archives, a personal quality to the tracks and the rediscovery of them. Welcome to the lesser known, and lesser heard, side of American synth wave. Dark Entries’ going from strength to strength.
Bay Area Retrograde (Vol. 1) is out now on Dark Entries. [Purchase]
Various – Bay Area Retrograde (BART) Volume 1 by darkentriesrecords
