VA: Not Waving But Drowning LP (1983, Little Sister Enterprises)

This was once posted on Mutant Sounds back in 2007 at a low bitrate rip... so here it is again in higher quality with more info...

This is the follow up to the highly sought-after "Sing As We Go" compilation put out by Little Sister Enterprises, and includes 2 of the same bands from that compilation (China Moon and Vaguely Divine). This one is every bit as great if not better, containing several excellent and obscure minimal synth, post-punk, goth, and new wave tracks... There are a lot of strange, diy UK compilations LPs from this time period that contain one or two excellent songs, but few with the overall consistency of this one.

Marine Boy has a great dark synth dance floor hit. The Wait sounds like bands such as Skeletal Family with synths, you can grab their debut 7" at Phoenix Hairpin's blog here that is good too, or check out their web page. Mad Dogs & Englishmen play dark wave in the vein of I Scream Brothers. Blood Fetish are dark post-punk / goth. This band later morphed into Bzu-zu, who had another wonderful track off the obscure "Pulsebeat" LP compilation the following year. You can hear / download some additional recordings from both bands at http://www.reverbnation.com/bzuzu. Playground Association have a melancholy minimal track comparable to some material by Modern Art or Lives of Angels. Silent Swim are diy minimal synth / new wave with male/female duo vocals. Unknown Colours have a rocky, live-recorded indie / post-punk track. I guess most of us know Vex for their killer anarcho-goth 12" "Sanctuary"... though this earlier track demonstrates they were capable of great cold post-punk tunes as well. The Persistant Gods are indie wave with a little bit of synth, you can grab on their 7" at Vinyl Obscurity if interested. China Moon is David Bowie gone minimal. Aquila has a cool goth track with a female singer, also known from the "From Bromley With Love" compilation. Peacock Dance and The Untouchables are skip-able. Ego & Co. does moody, dark, diy new wave. Vaguely Divine ends it with some guitar-heavy post-punk recorded live.

Preview samples here:



VA: Not Waving But Drowning LP (1983, Little Sister Enterprises)

01. Marine Boy - Haunted
02. The Wait - Tomorrow
03. Mad Dogs & Englishmen - Trumpton
04. Blood Fetish - Blood Mistress
05. Playground Association - The Edge
06. Silent Swim - Blind Disease
07. Unknown Colours - Beirut (Live)
08. Vex - Pressure
09. The Persistant Gods - Curtain House
10. China Moon - Walk On Walk By
11. Aquila - No Point
12. Peacock Dance - I'll Say Goodbye
13. The Untouchables - Woman In The City
14. Ego & Co. - Closing In On Chaos
15. Vaguely Divine - Emotions (Live)

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