Cold Wave

This one feels as if it's been a long time coming - Soul Jazz collect tracks from the new wave of cold wave: bands and artists influenced by chilly '70s and '80s synth music, from early electronics and new wave to post punk and beyond. Featuring Kriedler, FIT Siegel, Céline Gillain, Krikor Kouchian and more.

Descendants of the original cold wave, such as Lena Willikens, Tolouse Low Trax, Job Sifre and many more tend to the sound’s branches in the modern day with stacks of grubby x scuzzy killers.

With their 1998 comeback disc, The Last Wave of Summer – their first album of new material since 1984's Twentieth Century – Aussie rock legends Cold Chisel proved that they still had "the stuff." A tad shy of the standard of their heyday albums of the '70s and '80s, Summer is still formidable rock & roll. As the band's first release in the CD age and, at just under an hour running time, LWOS was considerably longer than their previous studio albums. Hence the makeup is a little different. There is more down-tempo and lighter fare here, which shifts the feel from the usual short sharp-shock of a Chisel disc to a quite different type of listening experience.

The long-overdue reissue of a classic album. Initially released on an independent Montreal-based label, this album has been out of print for years, although it was one of the largest-selling independent releases in Canada. From beginning to end, this album is brilliant, with wonderful songs played with emotion on synthesizers. Danceable, melodic, futuristic (for its time), and overall, a treat. "Close to Nature," "Saturdays in Silesia," and "Just a Sound In the Night," among others, are amazing songs, played expertly, and now on CD sounding as they were meant to be heard. Actually, there are no weak songs on the CD, and the whole package comes highly recommended.