One 3 Four melts with an emotionless disregard married with a synthesizer absorption that captured much of the New Wave spirit.
I sometimes feel that Anna Logue is an overlooked label. It has that special quality needed by Synth Wave labels. An eye for the obscure and an ear for quality. The German label’s boss, Marc Schaffer, has managed to uncover lost names whilst discovering new names in the world of synthesizer music during the imprint’s lifetime. The latest from Anna Logue comes from that category of forgotten artists. Isinglass were a Canadian outfit, one that did not release but did produce. Anna Logue is returning to 1982 to revive some tracks that never saw the cold light of a Montreal day.
One 3 Four gets going with the title piece. A staccato, minimal synthesizer sound is the aural character. Vocals are emotionally drained, bordering on spoken word. The overall effect is one of moody eyed introspection. “Right Wrong” screams out of the stocks. Vocals loop with strings punishing with post-punk energy. The lyrics leave the rails, shifting on their cyclical chorus as beats accelerate. “Burning Pictures” blends strings with analogue lines and snapping beats. The track is an angry and angst ridden work of failed romance, the feeling summed up in “I’m burning your pictures.” The EP closes with “Much More Than This.” A fantastically mechanical beat is coupled with lush synthlines. Vocals are distanced as guitars add some extra ballast. The finale is a piece that enjoys that uncanny ability to engage whilst estranging at the same time.
Isinglass are emblematic of the wealth of quality that exists in the obscure synth gold mine. It seems to be a well of riches that just keeps on giving, but you have to know how to tap it. Anna Logue obviously do. One 3 Four melts with an emotionless disregard married with a synthesizer absorption that captured much of the New Wave spirit. A listlessness with fervor. Four tracks salvaged from the golden age of Synth Wave.
One 3 Four is available on Anna Logue.
