These artists used synthesis to create a binary poetry, employed a circuitboard canvas to paint their discontent and analogue machines to voice their feelings. RadioNome was, and is, a sound of the future, a sound of revolt and a sound of passionate expression.
“In those pre-Internet days we presented music that was not available even at freaky or obscure record shops… Supply and demand were unfamiliar structural common society principles in the culture.” Some words from Stephen Emmer to describe the VPRO radio station phenomenon of 80s Holland. The station, or elements of it, focused on bringing to the airwaves new sounds from upcoming artists; especially RadioNome, a program for pushing musical boundaries. From RadioNome came a compilation of the same name, released ’82. Now, some thirty one years later, this Minimal Synth milestone has been resurrected on vinyl by Blowpipe.
The soaring synthesizer sounds of Stephen Emmer arrive in a flurry of splendour before Van Kaye & Ignit drive “Heat” into the speakers. The track is a burgeoning Synth Rock and featured last year on Wallhalla Records third installment of Underground Belgian Wave, the duo offering up two more quality pieces of guitar drenched electronics. There is a sorrow running across the entire compilation, perhaps summed up in Nine Circles’ “Twinkling Stars”, this being the compilation their classic track first appeared on. Smalts, whose albums were released some years back on Blowpipe, are next. Two instrumental works of fledging Industrial analogue pop, clanking with primal beats soaked in synthesis. All acts across the record were small outfits, enthusiasts of, and experimentalists in, new musical technologies that were becoming available. Cargo Cultus serve up two pieces, with the guttural Joy Division echoes of “Stick At No Scruples” containing an undeniable angst and power. For me, the best is saved for last. Shrill chords and bitter distortion introduce samples. “I live in the whorehouse district of Los Angeles…” The dark subject matter in reflected in the oily pool of soul sculpted by Genetic Factor. “Action Spot” is a bleak and beatless close, a final work of social dissolution for a fantastically grey finale.
RadioNome sounds as amazing today as when it was first pressed. With the Madonna of Neo-Liberalism being laid to rest, the social and political discord created by Thatcherism coursed through Europe in the 1980s. Electronic musicians engaged in the global shifts of some thirty years ago. These artists used synthesis to create a binary poetry, employed a circuit-board canvas to paint their discontent and analogue machines to voice their feelings. RadioNome was, and is, a sound of the future, a sound of revolt and a sound of passionate expression.
RadioNome is available on Blowpipe. [Release page]
