New Musik - From A to B (Straight Lines) 1980 torrent

New Musik's debut album, From A to B, is one of the best and most influential electronic LPs of the 80s. Its keyboards may sound dated, but there's a freshness to these charming, unpretentious songs that hasn't been spoiled by technological advances in computerized instrumentation. Many new wave revivalists have attempted to capture the nerdy vocals and quirky synthesized bleeps of From A to B and failed. This record is a product of its time, recorded when keyboards were viewed as eventually replacing guitar and bass as rock & roll tools. While many synth pop groups became mired in existential woe to show that they had emotions underneath the layers of Casio hiccups, New Musik is having a blast on From A to B. "With robot precision/We're gonna be doin' just fine," sings Tony Mansfield (guitars, keyboards, vocals) with geek sincerity on the exhilarating "Straight Lines." Like Kraftwerk, New Musik uses keyboards to create moods and not just to make feet move. However, From A to B is more accessible than any Kraftwerk album. The tracks on the LP are structured like traditional pop songs with choruses catchy enough for the Beatles, a band whom New Musik would cover later on 1982's Warp. There are no love ditties, but tracks like the soaring "On Islands" generate warmth and the group often utilizes acoustic strumming to prevent everything from seeming too mechanical. "Science" is nerdy sci-fi dance music years before Thomas Dolby. The CD reissue adds three bonus tracks "Missing Persons," "She's a Magazine," and Sad Films" that make the album even more appealing. Somehow, the archaic synthesizers aren't embarrassing; instead, the years have preserved their coolness.


Tracks

01 Straight Lines
02 Sanctuary
03 A Map Of You
04 Science
05 On Islands
06 This World Of Water
07 Living By Numbers
08 Dead Fish (Don't Swim Home)
09 Adventures
10 The Safe Side
11 Missing Ppersons
12 She´s A Magazine
13 Sad Films