The value of a fruit consists in the pleasure it creates in the one who eats it, just as music acquires value only in the ears of its listener.
How it sounds
Like new wave and post-punk, along with small doses of krautrock.
With dark vocals and quite a cold sound, with synth as the dominant instrument.
Why listen to it
For its rather dark sound, for its avant-garde, and because it is essentially a mourning for the death of the first wave of punk.
Why not
Because it is too introverted, the sound is too “cold” and relatively crystallized so that it can evolve.
And because it has many, too many “synths”.
Where we meet it
Europe, mainly in France, Belgium, West Germany, and Poland
When did it start
The late 1970s. Specifically, the weekly music magazine Sounds, on November 26, 1977, used it for the first time.
Featuring Kraftwerk’s Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider entitled “New musick: The cold wave”.
One week later, journalist Vivien Goldman mentions it again, describing the music of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Who are the pioneers
In France, the term “la vague froide” is used to describe the sound of the band Marquis de Sade whose album “Dantzig Twist” is considered a classic of its kind.
Also, Asylum Party, Twilight Ritual, KaS Product, Charles de Goal, are considered the first bands of the genre.
You have to listen
Norma Loy, Little Nemo, Museum of Devotion, Oppenheimer Analysis, Siekiera, Xeno & Oaklander, Lebanon Hanover
Days of glory
If the reports of music journalists in the genre can be described as glory, late ‘70s early 80s.
And a resurgence of the genre in the early ’00s with releases from New York Wierd Records and French Tigersushi Records.
Red card
Very introverted and aimed at a specific cycle of new waves.
What is it confused with
With new wave and post-punk, many times even with electronica and Dark Wave
How do you describe it to an irrelevant person
Imagine melodies from new wave but even more whining.