Certain old friends have been revisited with unheard offerings of angst and synth. Alongside these past artists come new names, forgotten and unknown artists and groups doling up sorrow and blurred emotions. A quality continuation of an excellent series.
Walhalla Records has been characterized by its compilations. Together with albums from the likes of Somnambulist and Kloot Per W, Walhalla found a firm following with their Underground Wave series. The first two focused on Belgium with the latest linking up with The Netherlands. The Antwerp imprint is opening 2014 with Underground Wave Vol. 4, a new collection of lost wave, unreleased synth and material previously only found on tape.
Shicksal, Rudi Hubrechts, is a veteran of Walhalla. He returns with the weighty and unreleased “Power Hate Destruction.” A relentless arpeggio is met with snapping beats and cruel distortion in a blazing eyed piece of Synth. Ratbau were also part of the Antwerp imprint’s first vinyl outing, arriving on Vol 4 with distant and anger rinsed music. Mechanical rage comes in the form of Palais de Bauzards. Coming from the Belgian traditions of Neon Judgement and Front242 this three man outfit offers harsh and terse machined emotion. A Thunder Orchestra, Dirk Desaever, follows with some eclipsed proto techno. Most will know Desaever for his work with Danton’s Voice but for “Shall I Do It?” samples are central as beats pound and melodies haunt. Just a handful of tracks in and Vol 4 is already battling for pole position against its three older siblings. M. Byro continues the onslaught with a heavy hardware hardened punk before garage band noise claims the A-Side with The Arch.
I first came across Genetic Factor, Richard Zeilstra, on the Radionome compilation. Zeilstra had two radio shows on the Netherlands radio station VPRO, an important platform for Wave sounds in central Europe. For the B-Side Genetic Factor gives a creeped out sample sewn piece of intensity, a track which is countered by the lively Electro Pop of Elektronische Maschine. The mood dips back into somberness with the minimal movements of No Honey From These before Pashen’s Law serve the soulful sci-fi soundscape of “Magnifying Transmitter.” BeNe GeSSeRiT closes the album with the weirded out piano coarseness of “Les Aliens.”
It’s been a while since the last compilation, but Vol 4 has been worth the wait. Certain old friends have been revisited with unheard offerings of angst and synth. Alongside these past artists come new names, forgotten and unknown artists and groups doling up sorrow and blurred emotions. A quality continuation of an excellent series.
Underground Wave Vol. 4 is available on Walhalla.
