Starter Guide: Coldwave

As with my Starter Guide on Post-Punk last month, this article was inspired by an attempt at making a definitive genre-oriented playlist (see the finished product at RYM Ultimate Box Set > Coldwave), which in turn was kicked off by hearing a track in the DJ set that Horrors members Tom and Rhys had put together for VICE, which turned out to be "Person to Person" by The (Hypothetical) Prophets.

Introduction to Coldwave:

Coldwave is a French and Polish-dominated genre, existing primarily from the 1980s through the early 90s), that is a hybrid of post-punk, new wave, and minimal wave. It's fairly safe to say the genre would probably not have existed if it weren't for Joy Division, since their are echoes of elements like Ian Curtis' dark, detached vocals and Stephen Morris' near-tribal, drum-machine-esque style. Ultravox and Dead Can Dance were also important contributors to shaping the sound, in the use of sparsely-distributed electronics in the case of the former (in early coldwave) and borrowing some gloom and New Agey elements from the latter (in late 80s/early 90s coldwave).

Unlike post-punk, which has been heavily documented in literature, compilations, and re-issues, coldwave had gotten no such treatment...until Tigersushi Records rescued it from potential [oblivion] for new listeners to enjoy by releasing So Young But So Cold: Underground French Music 1977-1983 in 2004 (pictured at top left of article). So Young But So Cold remains the most accessible document of coldwave and earlier music that helped shape the sound.

Important artists featured:
Charles de Goal: According to the bio at Last.fm: "Their music could be described as a collection of minimal synth, punk/post-punk, experimental/avant garde pop and new wave - usually polished with a dark edge, leading the band to be placed on the borders of the Nouvelle Vague scene". 1980 release Algorythmes is chock-full of quirky electronic work, "Radio On" and "Synchro" being tracks of choice.

The (Hypothetical) Prophets: Only releasing one album Around the World With the Prophets (1982) in their existance, an epic testament to coldwave and their own original place within and beyond that framework, particularly for the vocal trade-offs of Bernard Szajner and Karel Beer and an unnerving instrumental atmosphere. Two of their songs, "Person to Person" (see music video at the end of this article) and "Wallenburg" appear on So Young But So Cold.

KaS Product: A Franco-American duo formed in 1980 with music filled with crazed electro-vibes and fitting in perhaps just as important to synth-punk as to coldwave. Their song "So Young But So Cold" is where the compilation gets its name. Their 1982 release Try Out is recommended, though (like much other material out of this scene) it is now out of print.

Metal Boys: Another incarnation of Métal Urbain, an original French punk group, with the addition of British vocalist China. 1980 album Tokio Airport offers up a bizarre, avant-garde soundscape that's hard to pin down and difficult to digest all at once, but worth tracks like "Tokio Airport", "Paranoia Carnival", and "The Pleasure".

Ruth: It is worth noting that BIPPP: French Synth Wave 1979-1985 serves as a nice companion piece of related, though more synthy music, with Ruth's (early French coldwave group on the side of new wave) eerie "Roman Photo" managing to appear on both.

In 2005, Infrastition put out Transmission (81-89 The French Coldwave), followed by Transmission Continued (84-96 More French Coldwave) in 2007. Infrastition, also responsible for releasing Mary Goes Round, Little Nemo, and Martin Dupont compilations and new Babel 17 material (check out "It Seems so Easy"), has done a fine job stepping somewhat out of the way of the electronic presentation of So Young and delving into the more Gothic side of the coldwave genre.

Important artists featured:
Asylum Party: The French version of, as their MySpace Music page states, "British bands such as And also the trees, Sad lovers and Giants, The Comsat Angels and The Chameleons they played a very dreamy, refined kind of post-punk". 1989 album Borderline is their best release.

Martin Dupont: Another favourite of my coldwave/minimal wave finds, along with The (Hypothetical Prophets) and sharing in common with that group the element of having both a male and female vocalist. Re-issues of past releases are available at Infrastition (1985 album Sleep is a Luxury is particularly recommended) (have a listen to "I Met the Beast" via Infrastition), and compilation Lost and Late was put out on Minimal Wave in 2008 (hear a sample of "Your Passion" via MW).

Little Nemo: With psychedelic and Cure influences, and perhaps having more in common with Echo & the Bunnymen than their coldwave contemporaries, you'll notice the late 1980s is when coldwave begins to morph and branch out a bit wider. Listen to "Be Seeing You" (from 1987 album Past and Future, via their MySpace Music playlist)

Opera Multi Steel: Incredibly post-punky, and making one wonder if the coldwave label is only applied to them because they are French. They have quite a back-catalogue of material and a multitude of side projects; 1985 release Cathédrale is a stand-out, especially for Catherine Marie's keyboard work in the title track and "Du Son Des Cloches".

Rise and Fall of a Decade: Here's where Dead Can Dance come into the coldwave equation...their self-titled album from 1990 owes a lot to early DCD work and 4AD, though they put their own ethereal spin on it all, and "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" made a perfect closer to the ultimate coldwave playlist!

UPDATE: I'd like to add that free downloads are available of the entire 1988 Anechoic Chamber album Untitled via Last.fm. Given that coldwave, let alone excellent coldwave like this, is generally difficult to find, I suggest you grab it! Highlight tracks: "Hysteria" and "End of a Nice Dream"

Further Exploration:
RYM Ultimate Box Set > Coldwave
FRENCH NEW WAVE, Minimal Wave, and Infrastition
Mutant Sounds and Phoenix Hairpins for out-of-print releases, lots of background information, and front/back cover scans.