AN IMAGINARY COMPILATION ALBUM : #414: CABARET VOLTAIRE

A guest posting by Martin Elliot (Our Swedish Correspondent)

Industrial Evolution – through the 80’s with the Cabaret Voltaire

So I stole the title for this ICA from the Mike Fish book, a book I’d highly recommend by the way not only for its coverage of the Cabs and the Sheffield alternative scene, but also a trip through the years of turmoil in the wake of Thatcher’s rule.

Not too long ago in another corner of the blogging sphere on the internet I wrote a short piece on a band under-appreciated in my circle of friends.

The band was Cabaret Voltaire and in the comment section the nice ruler of this specific corner mentioned that there is no ICA done for the Cabs. So here we are, looking primarily at the releases from the period 1980 to 1985 – the period when they not only made sense to me but also produced the music that really does it for me. Earlier, too strange; later too techno.

For those of you who may have read my piece over at NBR I apologize for some repetition.

My love for the Cabs started with the John Robie remixes of Yashar on a Factory 12 inch single, a perfect mix of industrial, experimental, and dance oriented electronic music. My friends hated it, I adored it (still do!). Shortly after The Crackdown album was released which continued that path of mixing industrial, slightly dadaist, music with funky beats and dance floor potential. I could easily have done an ICA taking tracks only from The Crackdown and the follow-up, Micro-Phonies, but I’ve tried to include a few more.

As I write this, it’s five days since I saw them play live, for the first and last time (yes, I went alone) and I’m still high on that show. A great mix of a few early tracks, quite a few from The Crackdown and Micro-Phonies, plus wonderful versions of Yashar and Nag, Nag, Nag. I once played the latter at home to a then girlfriend who did not appreciate it (“Stop that effing noise, now!”)

If you still get the chance to see any of the remaining shows during the farewell tour I highly recommend it.

First out the John Robie New York remix II of Yashar, and ending with the only later track; the house-laden 12 inch remix of Keep On from 1990 – this is one take on the Industrial Evolution through the 80’s with Cabaret Voltaire.

A1. Yashar (New York remix II)
A2. Just Fascination
A3. The Dream Ticket (12″ version)
A4. Digital Rasta
A5. Nag, Nag, Nag

B1. Why Kill Time (When You Can Kill Yourself)
B2. Breathe Deep
B3. Blue Heat
B4. Crackdown
B5. Keep On (Clubbing)

Cheers,

 

Martin