Various Artists ‎– "Color Supplement" (Color Disc ‎– colors 4) 1988

Its 1988, we're all E'd up, shaking maraccas, and white man-dancing like idiots;but there were small oasis's of sanity to be found.One of those places of solace was Color Tapes, and probably the most well known Color Disc/Tapes compilation is dis (sic).
It's got the usual array of Gary Ramon,Lives Of Angels collaborations, and the usual mix-up of Neo-Psych and minimal synth tracks. There are few tracks that i haven't already featured elsewhere on the Blog, but it makes a fine introdustion to one of the founding father labels of British Independent music culture.

Tracklisting:
A1 –Modern Art - Golden Legend
A2 –Modern Art - Forbidden Universe
A3 –Modern Art - Cutting Water
A4 –Mystery Plane - Snakebite
A5 –Mystery Plane - Burning Desire
A6 –Mystery Plane - Crazy Bombs
B1 –Lives Of Angels - Look Out Kid
B2 –Lives Of Angels - Red Suit
B3 –Lives Of Angels - After Dark (Intended Version)
B4 –WeR7 - Bread
B5 –WeR7 - Caped Crusader
B6 –WeR7 - Now Wash Your Hands

DOWNLOAD in full glossy color HERE!

WeR7 ‎– "Rock'n'Roll is the Most" (Music For Midgets ) 1983

Basically WeR7 was a classic UK DIY project based around Gary Ramon and Antony Clough of Modern Art(etc).

It has all the hallmarks of original DIY, such as fuzzy sound quality, no songs, cheap drum box,experimentalism to replace ability,tapes of dialogue,no ambition....you name it it's here.

They were later to go minimal synth on us.....sucessfully I may add.

What it says on the tape insert:
Jo Change was recorded on 4-track and previously released on the compilation bearing the same name. Don't Surrender was featured on the cassette Dance To This which has been deleted.
...
Recorded by Conventional Tapes, 1 Atkinson Court, 2 Kings Close, London E10. Available from Music For Midgets, 40 Thompson Road, Langley Green, West Midlands.

Members of WeR7 can be found on tapes by The Ordinary, The Casual Labourers, The Door And The window, The Modern art, New 7th Music and Mystery Plane.

Tracklisting:

A1 She's My Baby
A2 A Tribute To Jo Change
A3 Last George
A4 "...Snakes Sang"
A5 Let Freedom Reign
A6 A Place Of My Own
B1 Radio Dromedary
B2 Promised Land
B3 Haunted House
B4 "Obviously Nigger Music"
B5 Jo Change (2)
B7 Yesterday
B8 Lard

DOWNLOAD rock'n'roll at its leastest HERE!

Modern Art ‎– "Stereoland" (Color Disc ‎– Colors 3) 1987

Modern Art was basically Gary Ramon only on this platter from 1987.
A return to the Neo-Psychedelia of earlier cassette releases,reather than the cold wave synth pop that made up the majority of Modern Arts output up to 1985, when Midi and digital synths squeezed the humanity out of wave music. The only way to go was backwards to move forwards,and Ramon promptly formed The Sun Dial, to crank the Psychedelia up a notch or two.
This one is rammed,if ten tracks qualifies as such, with jangly indie-tinged psych pop with hints of Cleaners From Venus,but missing the expert melodiousness of said group.....only just however.
Scheesh!
I apologise,as my write-ups are becoming extremely boring of late.Kinda losing my mojo.Not sure I even like music anymore!? Which is basically dead anyway is it not? Whats the point of this tedious drooling nostalgia for a past thats long gone, in a world where music is disposable background toilet roll for charity adverts,and Joy Division are heard playing at the rear of a current affairs programme on TV....which is dead also.
Sorry again.....i think my world view has been stained by waking up at 4:30 am in a room full of smoke and my bed was on fire!...not joking. I had left my electric blanket on full and it had started smouldering,complete with glowing embers,scorching my lickle tootsies and my sheets and duvet!.....it still smells of acrid fumes in here! Another near death experience that should give me a renewed vigour for existence, but alas....not.Its just made me MORE pissed off....if thats possible?
Third apology....I am english after all.....well,in fact keep that quiet too.After watching several hours of UK TV with British Politicians arguing with each other about leaving a fucking free trade organisation.Not one mention was made of the effect this Brexit shite will have on the ordinary person....which may surprise you,but I include myself in the category of 'Ordinary'; and the difficulties that would arise for me and my family from the absurd Empire Nostalgia and pure bigotory that has arisen from the blocked toilets of the great unwasheds collective minds.
Fouth Apology....sorry if this narrative has affected your own happiness levels,but I had to liven up this post somehow.....anyway I enjoyed writing it.Call it therapy.

Tracklisting:

A1 Golden Legend 3:03
A2 The Great Exit 2:42
A3 Dynamite City 3:30
A4 Blue Stone 3:21
A5 Nowhere Parade 4:28
B1 The Crashing Sea 3:47
B2 Red Tornado 4:01
B3 Patterned Silence 3:52
B4 Martha In Stereo 1:59
B5 Peruvia 1:52

DOWNLOAD from stereo interleved mp3 land HERE!

Modern Art ‎– "Sonic Dimensions 1982-1985" (Vinyl-on-demand ‎– VOD112) 2013

Here's one of those DIY for rich men compilation/career overviews on Vinyl On Demand. This time on Color Tapes stalwarts Modern Art, who were basically Gary Ramon plus mates.
Mostly released on cassette, Modern Arts sound balanced between a neo-psych indie jangle and minimal synth driven cold wave.
A rather high quality but prolific output for such an ignored group.Rightfully given a chance to be heard in hi-fi quality.
\if you prefer the smoggy cassette versions of a few of these songs a couple of early tapes can be found earlier in this blogs tenure.

Tracklisting:

Previously-Released Tape Recordings 1982-1985
A1 (Trying To Find) The Hidden World 4:02
A2 Hello/Goodbye 6:45
A3 Landscape From A Dream 4:01
A4 Sad Delusion 3:46
A5 Confrontation 3:45
A6 Oriental Towers 4:56
B1 Dreaming Again 4:00
B2 Still Life 3:28
B3 Fatal Crash Immersed The Start 8:13
B4 Search For A Soul 7:53
B5 Beach On The Horizon 4:02
Publisher Demos 1985
C1 Forbidden Universe 4:45
C2 Hello/Goodbye 5:34
C3 Confrontation 5:04
C4 Red Tornado 5:46
C5 Breakdown 6:32
D1 (Trying To Find) The Hidden World 3:56
D2 Dreams To Live 3:38
D3 Age Of Lights 6:18
D4 Sight And Sound 6:44
D5 Early Warning 6:16
Previously-Released Tape Recordings 1983-1986
E1 Stars (Dreaming Again) (Instrumental Version) 3:58
E2 Clear Light 5:29
E3 Driftwood (Publisher Demo) 5:16
E4 Dimensions Of Noise Soundtrack (Part 4) 5:22
E5 Barriers 4:53
E6 Beach On The Horizon (Publisher Demo) 3:03
F1 Forbidden Universe 3:41
F2 Harmony In Red 3:04
F3 Figure Of Eight 3:22
F4 Black Into White 2:56
F5 Vertikal Parallel 3:30
F6 Passing Days 2:45
F7 Vision 3:15
F8 Dimension (Edit) 1:51
F9 Calico Shadows 3:23

DOWNLOAD  a sonic dimension HERE!

Various ‎Artists – "Purple Twilight" (Color Disc ‎– Colors 2) 1985

Despite 'Color' being a glaring spelling error, (The american spelling!), there are very few errors on any of their compilations.
Purple Twilight being one of them.Although the title would suggest that it may have been one of those Bam Caruso Brit-psych/Freakbeat compilations, if one didn't know better.
There are some Neo-Psych tracks within however, but scattered among the Minimal Synth, proto-Indie tchoons, and Cold wave classics.The Duke Of Disrespect also makes another, but welcome, appearance with the samplerdeclic non-hit hit, "You Tell Lies".
Experimental improv combo,'New 7th Music', featuring Paul Keldays brother ,Phil, also makes a very rare outing on vinyl.
A smogasbord of excellence.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Mystery Plane - Red Slime Creepers
A2 –Eye See - Evenings
A3 –Space Brothers - Sixteenth Avenue Atmosphere
A4 –The Duke Of Disrespect - You Tell Lies (Banging Away)
A5 –The Teamtones - Build A House And Marry, Tom
A6 –WeR7 - Revolve Her
A7 –Timothy London And The Soho Sisters - Hold Me Down
B1 –Modern Art - Death Wish
B2 –New 7th Music - Hibakusha
B3 –Omming For Works - Change Of Intention/The Punished Animal
B4 –Face In The Crowd - How Much Do You Know?
B5 –Andy Boot Quartet - Is That Close Enough?
B6 –The Ordinary - Wessex Tales

DOWNLOAD into the purple daylight HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "An Hour Of Color Vol. 3" (Color Disc ‎– Color 13) 1986

The incredibly high standard of stuff from Color Tapes continues with volume 3 of the 'An Hour Of Color' series of compilations.I've said it all before, you know what you're gonna get, so get on with it.....its good.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Space Brothers - Lost Civilisation
A2 –Modern Art - Monument Of Heaven
A3 –Lives Of Angels - Lives Of Angels
A4 –WeR7 - The Hearts Outstanding
A5 –Kata Kolbert - Poor Poor Thing
A6 –Cleaners From Venus - Ilya Kuryakin Looked At Me
A7 –Moisten Before Use - Where To Now
A8 –Bill Pritchard - Fact Or Fiction
B1 –Space Brothers - Purple Twilight
B2 –Modern Art - She Cannot Yet Be Seen
B3 –Lives Of Angels - Green On Black
B4 –Kata Kolbert - Marriage Of Inconvenience
B5 –Shadow Of Light - Play Your Joker
B6 –Cleaners From Venus - Follow The Plough
B7 –3D5 - Special Fx
B8 –Face In The Crowd - Somewhere, Sometimes
B9 –Mystery Plane - Madame Sin

DOWNLOAD the color from c86 HERE!

Various ‎Artists – "An Hour Of Color Vol. 2" (Color Disc ‎– Color 10) 1985

Another one of the many compilations released on cassette by Color Tapes in the eighties, this one is from 1985....not a vintage year elsewhere, but on the Color label, it was as if the 'New Romantics' had never happened.
We are treated to two melodic classix from the cruelly ignored 'Cleaners From Venus', worth the admission money all by themselves.This is countered by the truly awful 'That It', with some over-clever lounge jazz for the discerning pseudo intellectual.
The rest is populated by the usual Color crew, normally involving Gary Ramon somewhere in the mix of Minimal Synth, Cold Wave, and Proto-Indie ditties...really rather marvellous.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Cleaners From Venus - Soul Monday
A2 –Lives Of Angels - Red Suit
A3 –Take-It - Fallen Out
A4 –Modern Art - Confrontation
A5 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Pulse
A6 –WeR7 - I Was Not A Jew
A7 –Space Brothers - Lodore
B1 –Cleaners From Venus - Julie Profumo
B2 –Take-It - I'd Like To Talk To You
B3 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Fear
B4 –Mystery Plane - Dungeon Blues
B5 –Timothy London - Mission Impossible
B6 –The Teamtones - She Says No
B7 –Lives Of Angels - Threatened
B8 –Andy Boot Quartet - Perfectly Perfunctory
B9 –WeR7 - I Pray To A Moving God

DOWNLOAD a full 52 minutes of color HERE!

Various ‎Artists – "Cold Waves Of Color Volume 5" (Color Disc ‎– COLOR LP 08) 2018

The standard of these Color Tapes compilations are unsurpassed in the murky world of reissued pop from the past.
Amid all the excellent Synthwave, there even lurks a forgotten Good Missionaries tune, which has undergone the aural modernising process of remastering....not that it makes much difference to the very Lo-Fi missionaries sound.
Plenty here to satisfy electro-junkies, as well as a splash of proto-indie from Lives of Angels to remind us of Color's other strengths.
I'd struggle to pick out which was the best volume from this series.....at the moment i'd go for Volume 4,tomorrow may have a different answer.
Faultless.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Void - Isotope
A2 –Echophase - Silent Sky
A3 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Berserk
A4 –Silicon Valley - Transit 6
A5 –The Lord - Production Line
A6 –The Good Missionairies - Bending A Border (Dub Version)
B1 –Berserk In A Hayfield - August Haze
B2 –Echophase - Continental Shift
B3 –Lives Of Angels - Golden Age
B4 –Modern Art - Colliding World
B5 –Lives Of Angels - Pavillion

DOWNLOAD a fifth of color HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "Cold Waves Of Color Volume 3(1979-85)" (Color Disc ‎– COLOR CD 03)

A third volume of lost or forgotten classics of the minimal electronic genre from the Color Disc archives.
Starts off with the sample fest classic of "You Tell Lies" by the mysterious Duke of Disrespect...or in other words Gary Ramon who'd just bought an Ensoniq Mirage.Then it gets even better from there.

Tracklisting:

1 –Duke Of Disrespect - You Tell Lies (Banging Away) 3:10
2 –Silicon Valley - X-Cell 4:00
3 –The Lord - Universe 3:30
4 –Disintegrators - Oscillations 4:00
5 –Lives Of Angels - Green On Black 3:09
6 –Silicon Valley - Holborn Station 3 am 3rd January 1982 1:50
7 –Stereo Machines & Kinesis - Excerpt From Cassette No.7 2:24
8 –Disintegrators - Filter Reactor 3:39
9 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Club Paris 3:29
10 –Echophase - Destination 4:29
11 –Mystery Plane - When The Money Runs Out 3:31
12 –Lives Of Angels - Red Suit 5:20
13 –Modern Art - Opaque 4:28
14 –Stereo Machines & Kinesis - Excerpt From Cassette No.6 2:54
15 –Disintegrators - Disintegrate (Edit) 7:09

DOWNLOAD your cold wave of color HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "Cold Waves Of Color (1981-85)" (Color Disc ‎– COLOR LP 01) 2014

A recent series of compilations of UK electronic cold wave and minimal synth from the legendary Color tapes label. Featuring many previously neo-psych bands, mostly including DIY legend Gary Ramon as a member. All of these tracks were previously only available on cassette, either/or previously unreleased. They could have been recorded yesterday such is the quality and future leaning inventiveness of all of these tracks.

Tracklisting:

1 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Tease
2 –Modern Art - Alternative Universe (Edit)
3 –Lives Of Angels - Lives Of Angels
4 –The Lord - Winds Of Space
5 –Berserk In A Hayfield - Code
6 –WeR7 - Don't Surrender
7 –Mystery Plane - Pigsty Cafe
8 –Stereo Machines And Kinesis - Excerpt From Cassette Number 10
9 –WeR7 - Volt Air
10 –The Lord - Space Is The Bass
11 –Disintegrators - Beyond Reason Beyond Time
12 –Lives Of Angels - Threatened
13 –Modern Art - Age Of Lights (Instrumental Version)

DOWNLOAD in full color HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "Tu Quoque, Fili Mi" (Cauchy Productions) 1987

A rather strange Julius Caeser's assasination concept compilation from the home of the Cabbage comp's, Cauchy Productions of Belgium.
This one has a distinct Industrial flavour. 
Hassan I. Sabbah would approve of the concept, so I suggest there is a wider target for this cassettes' themes of betrayal, and political ruthlessness.
When Caesar recognized his adopted son Brutus as being one of his murderers, his famous last words were "Tu Quoque, Fili Mi" (You Too, My Son). Adapted for modern day language by 'No Unauthorised' with their track "Toi Aussi, Mon Fils De Pute"....in other words, 'You too my son of a whore?'....bloody potty mouths spoil everything don't they?

Tracklisting:
A1 –Hypnobeat - Sectio Caesarea
A2 –Bene Gesserit - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
A3 –Weird Scenes - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
A4 –Maniacs - Ook Gij (Live)
A5 –Costes Cassette - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
A6 –Modern Art - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
A7 –X-Ray Pop - A Coups De Glabostotok
A8 –The Twins - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B1 –No Unauthorized - Toi Aussi, Mon Fils De Pute
B2 –Smersh - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B3 –Urbain Autopsy - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B4 –Det Wiehl - Rome
B5 –The Haters - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B6 –De Fabriek - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B7 –Rambo's Fist - Tu Quoque, Fili Mi
B8 –Solomonoff & Von Hoffmannstahl - As Soon As He's Dead

DOWNLOAD caesers downfall in 320k HERE!

The Mystery Plane ‎– "Punishment Block" (color tapes - color 3) 1983

Another group with Gary Ramon (Gary Gipps) in it, augmented by the complete Lives of Angels line-up, and someone called Doctor Zero(?) on vocals. Again, not as psychedelic as you would expect,and more in line with the alternative charts of 1983.No great innovations here,but still an interesting listen for anyone sick of their Echo and the Bunnymen/Teardrop Explodes records(ie everyone)..Beat box bedroom Psych,for the discerning early eighties teen. Though truly made in the DIY spirit, Ramon will not find his real mojo until The Sun Dial's first album;then lose it,incidentally, for the second Sun Dial album,which was absolutely dire Ecstasy inspired/uninspired,baggy beat crap!But the Mystery Plane ain't bad, as it was made before 'E' fucked pop music up forever.  

Track Listing:

A1 Burning Desire
A2 Find Some Body
A3 Nosedive
A4 Food For Him
A5 Death Sentence
A6 Pigsty Café
B1 When The £ Runs Out
B2 My Obsession
B3 This Is Your Life
B4 New Bride
B5 Punishment Block
B6 Hello Dummy

DOWNLOAD or be punished HERE!

The Modern Art ‎– "Underwater Kites" (Color Tapes - Color 2) 1983

The bloke who made one of thee greatest Psychedelic Rock albums of all time,namely "The Other Way Out" by The Sun Dial, Gary Ramon, was first in a Psych tinged post punk group called The Modern Art. Drum machines underpin the tunes, so they struggle to swing like true Psychedelia, and resemble more in the way of yer standard proto -indie post post punk most commonly found in 1983.Think Echo and the Bunnymen,and the Teardrop explodes, rather than Interstellar Overdrive.  

Track Listing:
A1 Death Wish
A2 Theme For A Programme
A3 Fiction & Literature
A4 46 Botanical Species
A5 Hello/Goodbye A6 Vision
B1 Monochrome
B2 The Back Door Is Open
B3 Landscape From A Dream
B4 (Trying To Find) The Hidden World
B5 Tropic Of Cancer
B6 Underwater Kites

DOWNLOAD these wet kites HERE!

Modern Art – "Oriental Towers" (Color Tapes - Color 4) 1983

Yep, its that bloke from the SunDial again with another early eighties cold wave style cassette only release on the stylish Color Tapes label. A curious melange that sounds like The Cure plays Depeche Mode plays a New Order clone band demo. It could have been made yesterday, by one of those modern bands of foppish young men, whose parents' record collection contained stuff  like The Wake and Modern English; from a time when drummers were as rare as a tune with a melody. Definately as good as Depeche Mode, but not as good as The Cure, is where Modern Art stand on the "Cold Wave " ladder of quality. Luckily Gary Ramon would ditch this shameless attempt at wanting to be popular, and embrace the psychedelic freak out, as we all should. That said, this cassette is a jolly jaunt through some early eighties indie nostalgia, full of hand played synth lines, classic drum box sounds,poppy sequences, and introverted vocals.Reminds me most of....er.....1983.....fucking hell!  

Track Listing:
A1 Oriental Towers
A2 Through The Looking Glass
A3 Sand In Your Eyes
A4 Passing Days A5 Weekend
A6 Waiting
A7 Rainfall
A8 Beautiful Truth
B1 Dreaming Again
B2 Sad Delusion
B3 Little Ballerina
B4 Stars
B5 Calico Shadows
B6 Untitled  

DOWNLOAD on the oriental express HERE!