“In your hearts, not the charts” is one of the many slogans found on the releases of the adorable English electronic music label Irdial Discs. At Sounds Central, we view pop as an ever-evolving terrain, shaped by the personalities, ideas and reflections of the artists who inhabit it.
Most artists involved in what critics would call no wave in 1978 shared a nihilistic mindset as they explored areas ranging from abrasive noise to mutant disco in New York City. 44-minute mix featuring tracks by Boris Policeband, Bush Tetras, Jill Kroesen, Konk and others.
In the 1980s, both old and new styles developed in Jamaica. Ragga evolved and electronic production tools found their way into studios, contributing to the establishment of the digital dancehall era. 37 minutes with Bunny Lie Lie, Charlie Chaplin, Don Carlos, Johnny Clarke and others.
Equally at home in the art world and the artists’ pub, Ata Tak‘s proprietors run their label from a nice office in Düsseldorf. In the adjoining music studio, they pursue the idea of a global rebellion through sound – as Der Plan. 32 minutes with Holger Hiller, Minus Delta T, Picky Picnic, Wirtschaftswunder and others.
Yellow Magic Orchestra's concept of combining pop, dance music and Far Eastern folklore quickly became synonymous with technopop in Japan. The band members also contributed to each other's solo recordings and collaborated with other musicians. 49 minutes with Apogee & Perigee, Friends Of Earth, Miharu Koshi, Ryuichi Sakamoto & The Kakutougi Session and others.
It is a common misconception that DIY music productions are necessarily made without a budget. In fact, their most striking feature is that they aim to create unique listening experiences with the resources available. 36 minutes with works by Blancmange, Gregory Whitehead, Minus Delta T, People Like Us and others.
Known for his innovative studio techniques, unique production style and weird tunes, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry combined influences from soul, funk, reggae and dub in the early and mid-1970s. 46-minute mix with 14 tracks from the Perry orbit.
Thanks to a straightforwardness rooted in punk, new things and personalities get invented everywhere and at any time in the West-German music scene of the 1980s. 53 minutes with Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle, Ingrid Wiener & Chor, Martin Kippenberger, Santrra and others.
39 minutes of ideas being expressed with sound: made up trains, works with found sounds, or a collective approach in making music – realised by Amy Taubin, Angus & Hetty MacLise, Tom Recchion, Tuli Kupferberg and others.
