V.A.-THE UP ANOTHER OCTAVE TRANSMISSION, LP, 1981, USA

This legendary minimal synth/new wave compilation's auspicious reputation turns out to largely be well deserved. Created to showcase a cross-section of Orange County, California new wave talent, there's plenty here for discerning ears to get legitimately hot and bothered about, not least the streak of brilliance that runs for most of the first side (dubbed the "tekno rok" side, so you can guess...) that takes in Farenheit's killer 6+ minute instrumental album opener that's a pure act of La Dusseldorf worship, Craig Sibley's tense textbook minimal synth, an insanely infectious slice of heliated chick vocal-driven new wave from a pre-Terri Nunn Berlin and an alternate version of Null and Void's "I Can See What's Happening" from their monster EP that I posted some time ago. Elsewhere, Berlin's John Crawford and Craig Sibley team up as Videos for some generically Devo-ish herky jerk and The Beat-E-O's stick out like a sexy sore thumb amidst the passel of also rans that occupy the more traditionally rockist "nu rok" B side (well...I never said this comp was 100% solid) with their off kilter early Tin Huey-style post punk anxiety attack.

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