Various - Generation Blitz

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 18 / 10 / 2021

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So, I was just sat here browsing through the literature for this new album which was released in July 21 called ‘Generation Blitz’. Now, to anyone who loves their early synth / post punk music, they will know the Blitz Club and all who sailed in her. I was running my finger through the tracklisting with a crafty smile on my face when bugger me, who do I spot in fourth on the list? None other than Scenius, a band that we reviewed here at Pennyblackmusic with their album ‘Enough Fears’. Delving a little more into the track and the rest of the album my smile became more of a Joker-ish grin. Billed as “A positive reaction to a difficult world”, ‘Generation Blitz’ is a compilation featuring thirty-four tracks inspired by the superb era of 1979 – 81 electronic post punk and synthpop. Right up my street I thought. This wonderous offering features exclusive songs and remixes alongside classic tracks as the collection brings together many of the most exciting names from the period. For the enthusiast there is everything in here from sophisticated synth pop classics to electronic new wave floorfillers. It has your minimal electronic synth to the rawer edge of post punk which will grab the attention of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, ages and abilities. And those who remember the music first-hand… you know who I mean. And on to the real reason I’m sat here in excitement, the release from Scenius. Think early Depeche Mode with frontline vocals of a higher-register Barney from New Order. Alternatively imagine a typical mid-tempo’d Yazoo mixed with the aforementioned and you are somewhere thereabouts. It’s actually bloody gorgeous. It takes me back to the Final Solution niterie in Nottingham when I was an underaged synth-bopper extraordinaire sneaking into a grown-ups club and swaying to the Human League, Ultravox, ‘Mode and other top choons. This latest single offering from Scenius fits right in amongst the mind-blowing music of that time. Montage Collective kick it all off with a spoken word homage to all the bands of that era and a little further in Blaklight shine (of sorts) with ‘So Gone’ a sort of Classix Nouveux sound before Parralox storm in with their version of Visage classic ‘Fade to Grey’. The Heaven 17-esque ‘Discoteq’ from Blood Everywhere is a real find whilst The Tiny Magnetic Pets drift along with an OMD evoking ‘Drowning in Indigo’, a change of tempo from most of this lively and retrospective offering. Released as a double CD and cassette via Bandcamp and the label website as well as the usual streaming and physical copies, ‘Generation Blitz’ will be accompanied by a 7” square magazine with introductions to the artists, the highly influential radio shows that have nurtured this community over the years and essays on the cultural impact of the original club and the scene it spawned. The whole thing is super brilliant but what makes it the Dog’s Proverbials is the inclusion of that Scenius track ‘Escalation’ – bloody marvellous! Check out the Bandcamp page here: https://bit.ly/2VU22ZE

Track Listing:-

1 The Blitz Kids (Retrofit Remix) - Montage Collective
2 The Crown - Sink Ya Teeth
3 BlakLight - So Gone - BlakLigh
4 Escalation - Scenius
5 Brutalist Architecture in the Sun - Suitomoton - Brutalist Architecture in the Sun
6 Berlin Girl (East Berlin Remix) - Jigsaw Sequence
7 Fade to Grey - Parralox
8 Maybe Someday (Generation Blitz edit) - Platronic
9 TCV21 - Nostalgia Deathstar
10 The Masquerade (NoW's Generation Blitz Remix) - Nature of Wires feat. Stephen Newton
11 Brother Blue (Muzoid Remix) - This Human Condition
12 Cry, Cry, Cry (Bobolino Remix - Radio Edit) - The Frixion feat. Roi
13 Strength in Numbers - LorD and Master
14 Need Stuff - Into the Blood
15 jACQUES bREL iS aLIVE aND wELL (jE sUIS aVANT gARDE) - nON sTOP eROTIC cABARET
16 Middle Aged Rebel - The Livelong June
17 Second Time Around - Inferior Complex
18 Adulation - She's Got Claws
19 Dead 80s - Nostalgia Deathstar
20 Radio Kootwijk (Mark Reeder's Radio Silence Mix) - Birmingham Electric
21 Emerald Dancer (New Romancer Mix) - The Rude Awakening
22 Hurting for Two - Chain Complex feat. WARTERAUM
23 Overmann - Video L'Eclipse
24 Lyudi Kak Krysy - MONOPLAN
25 Roam - Ditsea Yella
26 Hello Stranger - Xibling
27 Diskothek - Blood Everywhere
28 Electric Vienna - Wavewulf
29 Drowning in Indigo - Tiny Magnetic Pets
30 Sentimental Sounds - MORE
31 Tears of a Fool (12" Mix) - Pulse La
32 Saviour (new mix) - Kiffie
33 The Thinker - Maxx Silver
34 Your Parallel Life - truthscan

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