Various Artists ‎– "Mad In Belgium 4" (Mad Tapes & Records) 1986

You noticed didn't you?.....I ain't got Volume 3!
So you will have to make do with volume four of the free 'Mad In Belgium' magazine cassette.
A smorgasbord of various post-punk phlegm,or Flem(ish)syle on offer here for your education and, if you're that way inclined...entertainment.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Bedtime For Bonzo - Shut Up 4:09
A2 –Kloot Per W - Pain 3:41
A3 –Bene Gesserit - Syanoq 2:50
A4 –à;Grumh... - S-B 4:14
A5 –Dole - The Fall 4:29
A6 –Passion Of A Primitif - (Hot Pool Of) Womanhate 3:27
B1 –Nicky Ricci - Holidays In Hell 4:04
B2 –Ressurection - Night Of The Hunter 3:33
B3 –The Boy Wonders - Bells Of Fortune 6:09
B4 –4 Bahs - Swimming Pool 4:13
B5 –Executive Slacks - Our Lady (Live) 3:32
B6 –Het Gezin Van Paemel - Mad-Rap 1:44

Mutually assured DOWNLOAD HERE!

Bene Gesserit ‎– "Postcards From Arrakis" (Ding Dong Records And Tapes ‎– DDC 006)

We can't leave this long trip in Belgium without any Alain Neffe projects.....there are plenty other works that involve himself earlier in this blogs tenure....click here and see?
This C-30 is suitably Neffe-style eccentric Avant-electronica, packaged with two postcards and a couple of colouring pens. Its usually TV pension schemes that include a 'free' pen just for inquiring isn't it? If all releases included a pen, i'd certainly buy more of them, and this one had TWO, hold me back!!!.

Tracklisting:

A1 N.O.T.H.I.N.G
A2 Dedicated To Friends
A3 Words
A4 She Sells Sea Shells On The Sea Show
B1 Moki-Toki Oka-Owa
B2 Do What You Have To Do
B3 Gloria
B4 Be Happy

DOWNLOAD this digital postacard from belgium in 1983 HERE!

Various ‎Artists – "Topless Game" (K.P. Records ‎– KP 600) 1980

The cover should get the punters in anyway....phwoooor!
An early compilation of rather uninspired Belgian New Wave pop,all with terrible throat straining vocalists comitting the cardinal sin of trying to sing 'proper'.
Some fairly cringeworthy nonsense on this one, from a time before the Belgian Underground had found its mojo.
The opening track and the last four of side B hint at the future direction for Belgian youth,with some proto-cold wave and minimal synth numbers,but the filling in this sandwich has hints of cluelessness rather than toplessness.

Tracklisting:

A1 –Bitoks À La Russe - Tu Dois Partir
A2 –The Ashes - Desire You
A3 –Flowers By Throe - Give Us
A4 –Duty Free - The Warrior
A5 –Subject - Italian Summer
B1 –Darkness - When I Saw You
B2 –Nosy Parker - The Earth
B3 –Anonym - Bad Dreams
B4 –Cristal Swallow - Dying Alive
B5 –Bene Gesserit - From Brussels With Love For Our Japanese Friends
B6 –Design - Premoniton

DOWNLOAD your top 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!

Various Artists ‎– "The Underground Wave 7"s" (Walhalla Records ‎– WR010) 2015

Nobody's perfect are they?....well,so i've been told.Walhalla's near perfect track record in minimal wave compilations hits an iceberg.
It seems as soon as any Belgian underground Wave acts moved from cassette tape to vinyl they were infected with a dreadful need to be popular,which seems to equate with a need to be dreadful.
Even the normally faultless Bene Gesserit stoop to employing some white mans Rap,like Debbie Harry did in 'Rapture. Enunciated in English with a strong flemish accent;funny,but hardly an impressive tactic.
I can just hear the semi-serious jokes in the studio about how they're gonna be number one in Belgium. From where I come from, 'Having a Number One' means taking a Piss......a 'Number Two' is having a Shit.So with that in mind, and listening to most of these tunes, they should adjust their ambitions to having a number two in Belgium,especially as most of the tracks on this compilation seem to be solid number two material.Like Depeche Mode without the tunes or fashion sense.
These singles maybe be slightly Naff, but they do exude a certain charm that negates the lurch towards things commercial somewhat.
So it ain't all bad i guess? 

Tracklisting:

A1 –Tipical Me - Claustrofobian 3:04
A2 –Solid State - Recalling You 3:36
A3 –Van Lukas - The Riot 3:02
A4 –Karman - Poker 3:33
A5 –Silent Corner - Number One 3:18
A6 –Bene Gesserit - Kidnapping 3:36
A7 –Kloot Per W - L'Europe 4:01
B1 –Tipical Me - Pope No Hope 3:58
B2 –Rive Gauche - Friends Are Friends 2:56
B3 –Vitor Hublot - J'ai Perdu Mon Oiseau 4:05
B4 –Kaa Antilope - The Break Of Day 3:01
B5 –Ton Lebbink - Voetbalknieën 4:03
B6 –Marina Swingers - I'm A Swinger 3:26
B7 –701 Triangles - Esther 2:47

DOWNLOAD some belgian seven inchers from the underpants HERE!

Various Artists ‎– "Underground Wave Volume 4" (Walhalla Records ‎– WR008) 2014

Another juicy edition of 80's Underground Minimal Wave from the Benelux area;with emphasis on Belgium, and similar Flemish types.
Like the other volumes in this series, this is reassuringly GREAT!

Tracklisting:

A1 –Schicksal - Power Hate Destruction
A2 –Ratbau - Ordinateur
A3 –Palais Des Bauzards - It’s Disgusting (Remix)
A4 –A Thunder Orchestra - Shall I Do It?
A5 –M. Bryo - Let’s Go To War
A6 –The Arch - Ice In Your Eyes
B1 –Genetic Factor - The Lizard King, Empty Highway
B2 –Elektronische Maschine - Tanz 86
B3 –No Honey From These - Dreams
B4 –Paschen’s Law - Magnifying Transmitter
B5 –Bene Gesserit - Les Aliens

DOWNLOAD some naughty belgian underwave HERE!

Various ‎– "Three Minute Symphony" (X Tract ‎– XX002) 1984

Classic compilation that skirts in and around the edge of the Industrial scene of 1984,the underground equivalent of 'Pillows and Prayers' but for weirdo's instead of foppish fringe wearing students.
Being a Sounds reader since the halcyon days of Punk Rock, Sounds contributor and compiler of this album, Dave Henderson, was writing increasingly about the burgeoning underground of there new music of 1984. Nowhere else could you read about such acts as Konstuktivists or Nurse with Wound; and of course, in these pre-internet days,obtaining these records was a stiff task, especially if you lived outside of London. This made these disc's and tapes even more desirable, and the moment one actually obtained one became an almost religious exercise. Slipping the artefact out of its sleeve and playing the messages contained within, which invariably would lead to friends, parents, and neighbours believing that you were either mad or insane, or a potential threat to their community as a whole.
Anything that is a threat to normality is naturally attractive to anyone with their eyes firmly open to this sham we call Civilisation; so that fact put these artists on the front line of consciousness change.
The works within this double album's grooves, span a virtual Who's Who of the underground in 1984, even the granddaddy of Industrial , Conrad Schnitzler himself, who contributes the title track, appears.
It also has probably my favourite German group, Die Tödliche Doris, amongst many other international favourites.
UK Diy is represented well, with Philip Johnson, Colin Potter (with an actual picture on the cover of the man himself!) and David Jackman, can't go wrong there?
The only groan factor was the inclusion of The Legendary Pink Dots, who, as many of you may know, are not one of my favourite groups; but!.....even their track is pretty good,despite that Edward K bloke failing to resist contributing some of his god awful warblings half way through it!
Apart from that sole criticism, this is pretty perfect! (mmm(thinks), doesn't that mean its NOT perfect?......but isn't perfection in itself, imperfection? Without imperfection we wouldn't recognise perfection, therefore by definition, perfection is imperfection is perfection.9999999 recurring?).

Tracklist:

A1 – Kill Ugly Pop Let's Get Real Gone 3:45
A2 – Ptose Waiting For My Soul 3:30
A3 – Trax Trax Co Mix 1 3:12
A4 – Die Todliche Doris Maria 2:45
A5 – Van Kaye And Ignit A Slice Of The Action 3:30
A6 – Bene Gesserit White Men 3:10
B1 – Colin Potter The State 2:57
B2 – Human Flesh L'Ultima Storia 3:20
B3 – DDAA Your Mother With A Cake 3:10
B4 – Point Of Collapse When Worlds Collide 3:10
B5 – David Jackman Wolf (Part 2) 3:05
B6 – Sema Untitled 3:20
C1 – Hunting Lodge Tribal Warning Shot 2:58
C2 – Roll Kommando Die Romantik Ist Tot 3:00
C3 – Stratis I Fotia 2:58
C4 – Merzbow Xa-Bungle 3:10
C5 – Philip Johnson Always Behind You 1:58
C6 – Conrad Schnitzler Three Minute Symphony No 1 3:00
D1 – Nagamatzu Bird, Spider, Fly 3:05
D2 – Hurt Money Matters 3:20
D3 – Nurse With Wound Antacid Cocamotive 93 3:50
D4 – Legendary Pink Dots No Bell, No Prize 3:52
D5 – Asmus Tietchens Dahinter Industriegelande 3:10
D6 – Smegma The Breathing Method 3:00


DOWNLOAD these 24 Three Minute Symphonies HERE!

Bene Gesserit - "Live in Belgium and Holland" ( Insane Music INS21/ Calypso Now ) 1983

Daddies of Beligian minimal wave, Bene Gesserit, show us how it should be done in a live environment, with their best tape. Full of raw analogue electronics, and plenty blood-curdling female screaming, especially at the end of side A. This is how you do it basically, a lesson in technology abuse from Alain Neffe and partner(s), and should be played to a teenager near you.
This is the version released on Calypso Now from Switzerland; there at least five other versions, including one on Alain Neffe's own Insane Music label.
Tracks A2, A3, A4, A6, A7, B3 and B4 recorded live at the Riches-Claires, Brussels, 9/4/1983 at
Tracks A1, B1, B2 and B5 recorded live at the Plan K, Brussels, 30/4/1983 at 3.00 am.
Tracks A5, A8 and B6 recorded live at Paard van Troye, Den Haag, 12/2/1983 at 01.00 am.

Track Listing:

A1		From The Plan K. With Laughs
A2		Same Old Story
A3		Tonight
A4		Alles Ist...
A5		Erg Habbania
A6		Le Rapt
A7		Rock Yoko
A8		Crazy Monkees
B1		Insanités
B2		Neon Lights!!
B3		Death Is Not A Betrayal
B4		Moki-Toki Oka-Owa
B5		Little Lady
B6		From Dune, With Laughs

DOWNLOAD this live lesson in electronic ear candy HERE!

Bene Gesserit - " Best Of " - ( Insane Music ) 1981

Bene Gesserits debut release on Alain Neffes Insane Music label,featuring...well...Alain Neffe!.
A twisted form of experimental synth pop is what we have here. The highlight for me being the first track on side B ("Kidnapping"), which sort of invents euro-rap,and its at least a year before Grandmaster Flash hit the european airwaves.
As much as I detest all Rap from the last 25 years, in its early incarnations it did have a DIY charm that was quite infectious. I`ve always loved the White Rap of Mark E. Smith and John Cooper Clarke; and I like the white Rap moments of Bene Gesserit!
Apparently the black kids in the ghetto were witnessed breakdancing to Gary Numan tracks in 1980, they should have been doing the same to Bene Gesserit. If only one of the 50 plus copies of this made it to the Bronx in 1981, the kids could be dancing to a different, more bizarre, tune.(although Gary Numan rules,lets not forget that!)

Track Listing:

A1 Epitaph For A One-Way Love
A2 Hymne Au Ver
A3 Gloria
A4 Fly To Hell
B1 Kidnapping
B2 Erg Habbania
B3 Gppm
B4 Orchestral Story
B5 Live In China

DOWNLOAD some proto belgian electro rap HERE!