Reissues
Bill Fay
Enigmatic UK-based singer and pianist Bill Fay's dark and haunting work gained him a strong cult following in the late 60s and early 70s. He released two albums on the Deram label in the early 70s and promptly disappeared into relative obscurity for 30+ years. In the last 10 years or so those albums have finally begun to get the recognition they deserve, and 4 Men With Beards is proud to be able to bring them back into circulation on 180g vinyl. First up is his self-titled 13-track debut from 19…
Alemayehu Eshete
Hard-grooving Ethiopiques killers from the "Ethiopian Elvis". This eponymous collection gathers some of his finest moments from 45's recorded between 1967 and 1974, nine total, mixing R&B, soul, rock'n'roll with that magically mystical blend of modern flair and traditional groove that makes the Ethiopiques series such a treasure trove. You could imagine each of these being classics in their own right way back when, from the soulful organ burn and infectious breaks of 'Kenoru Lebetchahe' w…
The Transcendental Waterfall: Guitar Excursions 1962-1967
Massive 6xLP box set drawing from John Fahey's best, and most influential, period. Included in the set are Blind Joe Death, Death Chants, Breakdowns, And Military Waltzes, The Dance of Death and Other Plantation Favorites, The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party, The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death, and Days Have Gone By, all reissued on 180 gram vinyl with deluxe tip-on jackets. Limited edition of 2,000. John Fahey (February 28, 1939–February 22, 2001) combined American folk, blues, Indian r…
Foetus
An internationally known artist, Franco Battiato has been everything in his long career, from beat singer to avantgarde performer, producer, contemporary music composer.His beginnings lay in the mid 60's, with many singles released with no particular success, the first two under his real name of Francesco. He had left the native Sicily (he was born in Jonia, near Catania in 1945) moving to Milan around 1965.Fetus, housed in a outrageous cover (reproducing a foetus) was definitely a prog al…
Alan Silva & The Celestrial Communication Orchestra
Unboxed editiion. 4 x CD: for some time now, alan silva has commented that the market value of his records should more closely resemble the price of a lithograph or an artist's print than the price an ordinary record. we remind him that his albums are not produced in special gallery editions, but "mass produced" for a niche market. silva has responded with THE TREASURE BOX. eremite agreed to support the effort, giving away four of its catalog numbers, & what little sanity & peace of mind t…
Lauschen
"Kluster (1969) metamorphosed into Cluster (1971) and Cluster became Qluster (2011). In a period spanning over 40 years, Hans-Joachim Roedelius was a driving force behind this unique transformation. Now, as Qluster, he has recorded together with Onnen Bock in the latest incarnation. Three albums already released document the current status of their musical journey to pastures new. Lauschen is not a studio album, but a live recording of a performance for which Roedelius and Bock invited world mus…
The Potato Farm Tapes
We’re proud to present an album by a good friend and very talented Canadian musician named Tona Ohama. Ohama was first featured on The Found Tapes compilation (2007) with “T.V.” and then on The Minimal Wave Tapes: Volume 1 (2010) with “My Time (Demo)” and most recently on The Minimal Wave Tapes: Volume 2 (2012) with “The Drum”, which was also selected and edited by J. Rocc.
The Potato Farm Tapes is an album of his early output, featuring some songs from his first cassette entitled Midnite News …
Dust Under Brightness
Minimal Wave is proud to present a second volume of selections from our French favorites, In Aeternam Vale. Culled from a vast archive of recordings, these tracks were originally self-released on various cassettes by the band’s frontman Laurent Prot between 1985-1988. The sound ranges from early EBM / industrial to gristly coldwave to dark reverby guitar psychedelia. This record illustrates the stylistic range that, through experimentation and fearlessness, Laurent Prot and Pascal Aubert were ca…
In Aeternam Vale
Minimal Wave presents a full length album by cult French band In Aeternam Vale. Having made over 200 recordings, I.A.V. were one of the most prolific bands of the French underground scene. Headed by Laurent Prot, the band released many cassettes all featuring his wonderful collage work. Their sound is extremely original, overflowing with character, and crossing between genres: electro, minimal, noise, and even garage. “With the passing of time, In Aeternam Vale’s work remains astonishingly power…
Golden Dreams
We’re proud to announce a 12” EP by the lovely French synthwave duo known as Deux. Gérard Pelletier and Cati Tete formed Deux shortly after meeting in Lyon in 1981. Their music can be described as minimal synth with stripped down rhythm compositions and suitably cold duets. A perfect blend of archetypal Kraftwerkian pop and French synth, these set of songs comprise their later years (1985) and stylistically sound like classic house combined with the romance of New Wave. This EP features previous…
Urge to kill
Originally published in 1983 by Andrea Cernotto's Aquilifer Sodality legendary label, The New Sadism was actually Pietro Mazzocchin a musician who was very active in the industrial/noise scene. He put out several cassettes under different moniker: Swastika Kommando, The New Sadism, Observation Clinique and also as Lyoto Music togheter with Pierpaolo Zoppo of the legendary Mauthausen Orchestra. Some of his tapes were published by Broken Flag (UK), Recloose Organisation (UK) and Aquilifer Sodality…
They Play To Make Music Fire!
Founded 40 years ago in 1972, The Pyramids released three albums before splitting up in 1977: Lalibela (1973), King of Kings (1974), and the seminal Birth/Speed/Merging LP (1976). Three albums that made them one of the most mysterious and legendary of all the spiritual cosmic jazz collectives of the early '70s, like the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Sun Ra. "We were way ahead of our time, so we decided to let time catch up." -- Idris Ackamoor. After a highly energetic reunion of the group in 200…
Army Jacket
For the unaware, Seth Price is an conceptual visual artist who lives and works in New York, considered by most to be one of the most interesting and thought-provoking artists to currently be at work. His sculpture, video and painting has been exhibited internationally at venues including the Tate London and the Museum of Modern Art, while gracing the cover of Art Forum last year, as well as countless other publications. Price has been working in sound and music for number of years; though most r…
Plastic Love
Sympathy Nervous is the project of Japanese artist Yosihumi Niinuma. Influenced by both classical and Krautrock, he began recording in 1979, and released several records on the highly coveted Vanity label. He continued to record and self-release much of his work throughout the 80s and 90s. His sound is intelligent and probably the most unique minimal synth to come out of Japan. Exploring dystopian themes, his music is well balanced and beautifully recorded.The Plastic Love album features songs Y…
The Art Dance
Minimal Wave proudly presents a full length LP by Ruins, an Italian electro-wave duo. Ruins formed in Mestre in 1978 with the intention of experimenting with electronic devices and mixed media. They mainly created music out of self-expression without any intention of joining the mainstream. Interested in multimedia, they had a strong visual aesthetic apparent via their album art, videos and projections. The classic hit ‘Fire’ is one of our favorites to date, so powerful with its great energy and…
Oppenheimer Analysis
The first release from Minimal Wave, Oppenheimer Analysis, is back by popular demand. The EP is a second pressing limited edition (500 copies) on 180 gram vinyl of selected tracks from the Oppenheimer Analysis cassette entitled “New Mexico” released in 1982, as well as two others that were previously unreleased. Andy Oppenheimer (nuclear weapons consultant) and Martin Lloyd (previously involved in the Survival Label, also known for his project “Analysis”) formed Oppenheimer Analysis in the early…
Singing in Unison
Singing in Unison is the latest in a series of recordings from acclaimed sound artist, composer, and performer Yoshi Wada. Recorded live over two nights in 1978, on March 14th and 15th at New York City's legendary performance space The Kitchen, Singing in Unison is a dramatic yet meditative work: modal improvisations for three male voices, singing, with great gravitas, in purposeful unison. These previously-unreleased recordings, featuring vocalists Richard Hayman, Imani Smith, and Wada himse…
Hathor
This is probably Wakhevitch's most esoteric and occult-influenced work. Some sort of dark ritual for synthesizer and orchestra inspired by Kabbalistic writings where Igor's trademark bottom heavy electronics pulse, wizz and sweep to a backdrop of heavy tribal drumming. Elsewhere, menacing and majestic spoken word passages open us the doors to the netherworld, leading you into an esoteric sound ritual that sounds spooky, virulent, powerful, droning, entrancing and mystical at the same time. Agai…
Docteur Faust
Housed in a fantastic and menacing sci-fi cover courtesy of Druillet and bearing the famous dedication: "A mes grands amis Robert Wyatt et Mick Rattledge", Igor Wakhevitch's second album was a step beyond it's predecessor into a music alchemy that defies categorisation and the one that started to define his trademark sonic collage of styles and moods. Like the previous record, this was the music for a Norbert Schmucki ballet "Ergonia", premiered at Festival D'Avignon 1971, and featured top frenc…
Inventionen VII: 30 jahre inventionen 1982 - 2012
* Five hours of electroacoustical compositions, recorded during the first thirty years of the Berlin festival “Inventionen”. Box set with two audio CDs and a multichannel (surroundsound) DVD * Mindblowing two re-releases of Edition RZ LPs that are now available in this double CD box with additional tracks, as well as a mainly acousmatic DVD that features electronic tracks by a variety of electroacoustic composers. The present DVD contains mainly acousmatic music. This is when a pure "tape piece"…