Various – B9: Belgian Cold Wave 1979-1983 (Reissue)

LTM Recordings collects a beautiful selection of cuts from Belgium’s cold wave scene from 1979-1983. Originally released in 1981 through Sandwich Records, the compilation adds a further 10 tracks from the likes of Front 242, The Names, and Berntholer to the original line-up, which includes tracks from Digital Dance, Polyphonic Size, Pseudo Code and more. Pseudo Code’s ‘Around Midnight’ is a brilliantly bleak slice of nocturnal dread, where a Belgian relation of Mark E Smith intones cryptic spoken word over a trudging pulse and minimal synths. Satin Walls’ ‘Dans Les Profondeurs’ impresses through similar introversion, with obsessive rudimentary guitar adding to a mix which sounds like a raw prototype for many modern imitators.

TRACKLIST

1. Cabs Ambush
2. Untitled 1
3. Tumeurs
4. Program
5. Human Zoo
6. Kyoto
7. Dans Les Profondeurs
8. Untitled 2
9. Around Midnight
10. So Sah Gelleck Tissah
11. Spectators Of Life
12. Individuality
13. Life In Reverse
14. Factory Walk
15. Vocal Expression
16. Lamina Christus
17. Principles (Instrumental)
18. Allez Allez
19. Emotions
20. The Real Thing

Release Date: 2013 (Reissue). Originally released in May 1981 on Sandwich Records.