Geil - I'm 7" (Taiyo, 1986)

Strangely (for me at least) quite enjoyable goth-rock with androgynous vocals (courtesy of "Alice") that remind me of a drunk woman named Stephanie that used to come in my shop and tell me about all her Sex Pistols posters. This, coupled with the fact that Stay sounds like what I've always thought pretend-English would sound like, makes for a fun listen. Oh, and what kind of title is I'm??

Download.

sh - 深き森から 7" (Zero, 1983)

Very strange and haunting 7" from the quite reliable Zero label. This may be the first appearance of Kumiko Suyama, whose songs on international compilations such as SNX and Assemblée Générale 5 have piqued the interests of a few blog-dwellers. Save for the piano on side b, this 7" is somewhat far removed from her other work, which, while not 'upbeat' per se, is typically more folksy and pastoral. The dark, icy atmosphere and Phew-like incantations may be explained by liner notes: "Inspired by John Duncan".

Download.

Quasimode - 真昼 [Jeux De Vertige] LP (Di-Stance, 1986)

Brilliant avant-chamber stumble and stomp from this mysterious group. A fascinating album that seems to combine the cosmic whisper of Takami's Tenshi-Kou and the decadent europhilia of Kumiko Suyama and Sonoko, resulting in a creepy and markedly Duppi-like brew. Fitting, considering that the two were compilation-mates on Yuzuru Agi's notoriously unobtainable Ego 02 / Critical Species - Individual Music Osaka 1985 cassette.

Download.

Sodom - Material Flower 12" (Trans, 1986)

By request, here is Sodom's Material Flower single.
I can't say I'm a particularly big fan of this group after TV Murder, but Art of Lab (Night Version) has some really great vocals.

Download.

Panasist - Hoshizora No Panasist / Dummy Robot 7" (Epic, 1980)

Indefatigable electro-doink-pop with heavy Famicom vibes. Very high in my personal canon.

Download.

Room - Promotion Disk 7" flexi (Room, 1984)

Side A
[untitled]

Wonderfully odd and extremely obscure lil' 1-sided flexi gem. Sorta dark new-wave with female vocals, rhythm box and a very weird chorus that reminds me of Lizzi Bougatsos from Gang Gang Dance. Check it out and tell me if I'm crazy or not.
I'd love more information about this group. Did they release anything else?

Download.

Chance Operation - Demo. Seat 7" flexi (self-released, 1980)

Side A
カスパ-.ハウザ-.ナウ

Side B
Receivin'

The very first Chance Operation record! Very simplistic and repetitive, even more stripped down than their later 12"s. Would possibly pair nicely with the P.T.A's New Songs 7".

Download.

He Was - s/t 7" flexi (Kageroh, 1983)

By request, here's the sole known release from this mysterious tribal drone outfit. Released on Kageroh records (Viola Renea, Portray Heads, etc).

Download.

Taiji - Endress World. Coincidence. Evanesce. 7" flexi (胎内レーベル, 1985)

Side A
Endress World
Coincidence
Evanesce

Killer one-sided flexi with three brief industrial-noise pieces. Released on the same label as Himegozen, and somewhat similar to some Sympathy Nervous stuff or the Gurdjieff 7" I posted a while back. Really nice... I hope to get some of their cassettes eventually.

Download.

Noise - 天皇 LP (ALM, 1980)

Side A

死 (Der Tod)
水 (Wasser)

Side B
地球は青い (Die Erde Ist Blau)
天皇 (Tenno)
羊 (Schaf)

Legandary first recording of Tori and Reiko Kudo of Maher Shalal Hash Baz fame. The off-kilter methodology and stumbling attitude is still present, but here it's drenched in an abrasive and tape-hissy miasma. Somewhere between Suicide and Nico?

Download.