CIRCUIT 7 VIDEO BOYS ALBUM MINIMAL WAVE RELEASE: NOVEMBER 25, 2009 REVIEW: MARCH 15, 2010

I really admire labels like Minimal Wave. They work hard to dig up forgotten and hard-to-find gems from the past and re-release them on crisp, warm vinyl. There seems to be an endless vault with old minimal and synthpop just waiting to find new life and the release tempo has increased over the years.

This time we get "Video Boys" from the British band Circuit 7; they released two singles in 1984, some tracks on a compilation the following year and then they disappeared. All of the tracks are on this release, together with two previously unreleased songs. The sound is quite experimental; you can tell that they haven't found their own voice yet. But in a way that's what I really like, because it's playful and you'll never know what will wait around the next corner. But it just becomes a bit too varied, and the focus is lost. The title track is the hit here, no question about it. It has a haunting synthesizer, a driven beat and I keep playing it over and over.

With better production, and a personal sound Circuit 7 could have gone far back in the days, as the UK version of Rational Youth perhaps? The music is impressive but lack focus. However, if you like cold synthpop and need a "new" band, check this out. And a plus for the green vinyl of course.

TOBIAS ELIASSON