[Column] Minimal Wave / Coldwave ── Re-evaluation and revival of 70s-80s electronic music
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Minimal Wave / Coldwave
Text: mmr｜Theme: Conditions for the establishment of the genre, regional characteristics, artwork, equipment culture, the process of re-evaluation, and even the contemporary scene
A movement that rediscovered European underground electronic music from the 70s and 80s and reevaluated it in the 21st century. ** It is a genre that combines the DIY spirit, analog synths, cassette culture, and post-punk coolness. Representative acts include **Oppenheimer Analysis, Carol, Deux, Asylum Party, and TR/ST.
1. Overview: Difference between Minimal Wave and Coldwave
“Minimal wave” and “cold wave” are often confused, but there are clear differences in origin, region, and musicality.
● Minimal Wave
- Main regions: America/Belgium/Netherlands/UK
- Center period: 1978-1986
- Characteristics: Mainly analog synths, minimal structure, more rustic and experimental than techno pop
- Mainly DIY cassette culture and independent distribution labels
- Systematized by NY label Minimal Wave Records (Veronica Vasicka) in the 2000s
● Coldwave
- Main region: Central Europe centered on France/Belgium
- Center period: 1979-1989
- Characteristics: Post-punk influence, cold voice, dark melody
- Many band formations (bass + drum machine + synth)
- Typical examples include Asylum Party, Trisomie 21, Little Nemo, etc.
It is easy to understand if you understand it as follows:
Minimal Wave = DIY electro + experimental minimal
Coldwave = Post-punk + synth + dark and cold mood
2. Background of the birth of the genre: electronic music revolution from the late 70s to the 80s
● 2-1. Technological innovation: Popularization of analog synths
In the late 1970s, the price of synthesizers fell, making them affordable to ordinary musicians. Representative models:
- Korg MS-10 / MS-20
- ARP Odyssey
- Roland SH-101
- Sequential Circuits Pro-One
- Roland TR-606/TR-808 (drum machine)
It is now possible to create music using a standalone synth + 4-track cassette recorder, instead of using expensive modular equipment.
● 2-2. Influence of punk/post-punk
- The punk idea that “anyone can make music”
- Dark images of Joy Division, The Cure, Siouxsie, etc.
- Combining these with electronic instruments, dark, cold, minimal electronic music was born.
● 2-3. Rise of cassette culture and independent labels
- Popularization of cassette MTR (Tascam Portastudio, etc.)
- Tape trading culture exchanged by mail
- Small labels by region:
- Belgium: Insane Music
- France: New Rose, Lively Art
- UK: Neon Judgment series independent performance environment
This became the basis of Minimal Wave/Coldwave.
3. Regional characteristics
● UK/USA: Center of Minimal Wave
- Oppenheimer Analysis (UK)
- Turquoise Days (UK)
- Eleven Pond (US, New York)
- Martin Dupont (France but also re-evaluated in the context of Minimal Wave)
There are many people who symbolize the DIY trend of electronic music. In particular, Oppenheimer Analysis’s “The Devil’s Dancers” was later reissued by Minimal Wave Records and became a signature song.
● France/Belgium: the center of Coldwave
- Trisomie 21 (FR)
- Asylum Party (FR)
- Little Nemo (FR)
- War Office Propaganda (BE)
There are many combinations of guitar + synth + drum machine, and it has a strong post-punk tone.
● Germany/Netherlands: Minimal synth-oriented electronic experiments
- Absolute Body Control (BE)
- Das Ding (NL)
It has a strong minimalist approach to electronic acoustics, and comes into contact with later EBM.
4. Sound: Analysis of musical characteristics
● 4-1. Minimal structure
- Repeat loop of 2-4 bars
- Changes are subtle such as opening/closing filters and adjusting envelopes.
- Baselines are often generated with a sequencer
● 4-2. Synth sound
- Thick square wave/sawtooth wave
- More monaural and rustic texture than stereo
- Minimum analog delay/reverb
● 4-3. Vocal characteristics
- “Cold” voice with suppressed emotions
- Dry mix with less reverb
- Female vocalist (Cécile of Deux) is also important
● 4-4. Beat
- TR-606, DR-55 dry kick and hat
- Patterns are simple and mechanically repetitive
5. Artwork: The origin of minimal design
Minimal Wave/Coldwave records and cassettes share a common aesthetic.
● 5-1. Geometric design
- Grid, linear, pointillist, symbolic layouts
- Inorganic color palette such as black, white, and metallic colors
● 5-2. How to use photos
- Artist photos are expressionless and have strong contrast
- Many backgrounds are industrial areas/underground/ruins etc.
● 5-3. DIY printing texture
- Risograph, silk screen, copy machine roughness
- Low resolution black and white photos
These have had a major influence on modern “Retro Synthwave” design.
6. Resurrection: Minimal Wave movement since 2000s
Minimal Wave/Coldwave was largely forgotten in the 90s, but was greatly reevaluated in the 2000s.
● 6-1. Minimal Wave Records (NY)
Established in 2005. The host, Veronica Vasicka, works as a DJ while also It attracted worldwide attention as a label that compiled and reissued minimal synth works that it discovered.
Representative compilation:
- The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol.1 (2010, Stones Throw)
- The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol.2 (2012, Stones Throw)
● 6-2. Internet and rediscovery
- With the spread of Discogs, rare sound sources from the cassette era are being shared.
- Old recordings uploaded to YouTube spread among young people
- Blog culture (e.g. Mutant Sounds) introduces rare sound sources
● 6-3. Connecting contemporary artists such as TR/ST / Cold Cave
● TR/ST (2010s~)
- A project by Canadian artist Robert Alfons
- Minimal Wave / Coldwave texture + modern electro
- Features a dark atmosphere and processed voice quality
● Cold Cave
- Strongly influenced by 80s dark wave, inheriting the texture of Minimal Wave
These played a role in introducing a new generation of listeners to the genre.
7. Representative artists and work explanations
● Oppenheimer Analysis (UK)
- Duo of Andy Oppenheimer and Martin Lloyd
- Released cassette New Mexico in 1982
- “The Devil”s Dancers” is best known as a signature song and was reissued on Minimal Wave Records in 2008.
● Deux (FR)
- The center of French minimal synth in the early 1980s
- Male and female duo (Cécile・Gerard)
- His representative work is “Game and Performance”
● Trisomie 21 (FR)
- Representative of cold wave
- Features a melancholic sound of guitar + synth
● Asylum Party (FR)
- Active in the late 1980s
- Picture One (1988) etc. received high praise
● TR/ST (CA)
- modern cold wave
- TRST (2012), Joyland (2014) rated
8. Mermaid illustration: Genre establishment and influence relationship
Population of analog synths"] --> B["DIY cassette culture"] B --> C["Minimal Wave
(US/UK/BE/NL)"] A --> D["Post-Punk
(UK/FR)"] D --> E["Coldwave
(FR/BE)"] C --> F["2000s Re-discovery
Minimal Wave Records"] E --> F F --> G["Modern movement
TR/ST, Cold Cave"]
9. Timeline
10. Conclusion: Why Minimal Wave / Coldwave still resonates today
- Minimalism + primitive charm of analog electronic sounds
- DIY spirit strength
- Loneliness and coldness inherited from post-punk
- Lo-fi aesthetics of cassette culture
These are also common to modern Bedroom Producer culture and Synthwave/Vaporwave. Along with the re-evaluation of analog equipment, Minimal Wave/Coldwave will continue to be explored and updated.
