1980s Vinyl 287 Items

Rush Hour’s RSS series excels in unearthing buried treasure, offering a second chance for artists and releases that have long been overlooked. That’s certainly the case with ‘Witches’, the superb sole single by British 1980s wave trio Zenana.

Originally released on seven-inch by the tiny PRM label in 1986, ‘Witches’ was the product of a sister-brother songwriting team whose music was mostly recorded in the front room of a terraced house in Nanpean, a small industrial village in Cornwall, England’s most south-westerly county. While the single was infectious, impeccably produced and dancefloor-ready, it sold in limited quantities at the time.

Zenana’s story can be traced back to the early 1980s, when singer-songwriter Anita Tedder founded the all-female trio as a vehicle for her musical ambitions. To bring her songs to life, she joined voices with her brother Mike, an early adopter of electronic music who had built a studio – nicknamed MFR, short for ‘Mike’s Front Room’ – in his Cornish home.

Countless Zenana tracks were recorded at ‘mfr’ between 1984 and ’86, with the resultant demo cassette securing the band a management contract, a slew of live bookings, a video shoot and even a television appearance. Buoyed by this underground success, they headed to the remote Sawmills Studio in Cornwall – famously only accessible by boat – to re-record ‘Witches’, a song inspired by local folk tales of witches gathering near Mike’s home.

While this version of ‘Witches’ failed to make an impact at the time, it has become something of a cult classic following its’ rediscovery by crate digger Kiernan Abbott – and subsequent championing by other dusty-fingered DJs including Antal, Skyrager, Trevor Jackson and Luke Una – in early 2023. The buzz inspired Zenana to perform live again for the first time in decades, with the story of their surprise comeback being covered by British media outlets including the BBC and (more surprisingly) the Daily Mail.

Now presented in re-mastered form, ‘Witches’ is a genuinely slept-on gem. Propelled forwards by punchy drum machine beats, a killer synth bassline and fizzing keyboard sounds, the song benefits greatly from strong vocals and an extra-percussive middle eight layered with vocalisations, cosmic spoken word sections and swirling noises.

It comes backed by a brand-new extended ‘spell of love’ courtesy of Bristol duo Bedmo Disco, AKA music journalist Matt Anniss (author of Join The Future: Bleep Techno and the Birth of British Bass Music) and DJ/production partner Gareth Morgan. Anniss is a long-time friend of Mike and Anita Tedder who has fond memories of visiting Mike’s home studio with his family around the time that ‘Witches’ was recorded.

Working from Zenana’s original MFR eight-track recording (tapes of the single version were lost years ago), Anniss and Morgan have turned in the extended ‘dance mix’ the track never had first time around. More atmospheric, clandestine and dancefloor-focused, it offers authentic nods to New York proto-house, mid-80s Shep Pettibone dubs, and the pioneering synth-pop productions and dub mixes of Factory Records regular Martin Rushent.

2017 Re-mastered, reissue, 180g black vinyl in gatefold Cover. Originally released in 1982 by the Turkish Poet, composer and singer of classical and contemporary Turkish Music. He was the most popular artist in his genre for four decades. His distinctive voice style impressed millions of people and many singer following him. This LP is considered as one of the best among his albums.

Yumi Murata’s second album with Mariah.
It’s a beautiful, stateless ambient record with its halting vocals, which reflect the sonic experiments of Shimizu Yasuaki.

Mariah, at a time when she was leaning towards hard rock; she used this song as a starting point to steer her into the new wave.

" Pressed on 7"" black vinyl
Two incredible hits from 1980s Japan!
NOTE: artwork to be announced Two major duets by Yoshinori Monta and Junko Ohashi are released simultaneously on analog 7inch single vinyl! In April 1983, ""Natsu Onna Sonia"" became a big hit under the name ""Yoshinori Monta with Junko Ohashi,"" and the following June 1984, ""Koi wa Magic"" was released simultaneously, this time under the name ""Junko Ohashi with Yoshinori Monta! The couplings include Yoshinori Monta's solo song ""Harbor Light"" and Junko Ohashi's solo song ""A LOVE AFFAIR,"" respectively."

All the Grooves Hit the Low-Frequency Targets: LP Mastered on Mobile Fidelity's World-Renowned Mastering System and Pressed at RTI!

Mastered From THE Original Master Tapes AND Pressed AT RTI ON Mofi Supervinyl FOR Spectacular Sound

Whitney did more than turn Whitney Houston into a pioneering sensation known around the world by her first name. Originally released in June 1987, the singer's blockbuster sophomore record became the first album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart — a position it claimed for a total of 11 weeks en route to selling more than 10 million copies in the U.S. The Diamond platinum effort also contains four No. 1 Hot 100 hits that, when combined with the three chart toppers from her 1985 debut, gave her seven consecutive No. 1 singles — an accomplishment that no other artist has accomplished. Commercially and creatively, Whitney stands on hallowed ground — especially now that the record plays with a sound that puts into perspective just how extraordinary, engaging, and vital Houston's music remains.

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, Mobile Fidelity's 180g 33rpm SuperVinyl LP of Whitney invites listeners to experience the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee's pivotal album in audiophile quality for the very first time. Free of the dynamic limitations and tonal flatness prevalent on prior vinyl and CD pressings, it lets the music breathe and reveals the copious detail, nuance, and texture within the immaculately produced songs. MoFi's SuperVinyl profile offers further advantages in the forms of a nearly inaudible noise floor, dead-quiet surfaces, and superb groove definition.

In addition to featuring extreme clarity and immediacy, this numbered-edition reissue does wonders for the attribute that inspired more than 20 million people around the globe to add Whitney to their record collections: that inimitable voice. Houston's trademark mezzo-soprano — an acrobatic instrument equally capable of taking off on fantastic flights and unwinding for hushed meditations — benefits from the fantastic airiness and transparency afforded by this meticulously restored edition. Whitney has never sounded or looked better. The crossover landmark deserves nothing less.

Issued just two years after Houston's breakthrough debut, Whitney immediately signalled the genre-defying singer's intent to continue to push ahead and expand her palette. Shot by photographer Richard Avedon, the album cover depicts an iconic image of Houston — captured with a gleaming smile, bright eyes, teased-out afro, toned arms, and a right hand that appears to wave a friendly hello — whose active, athletic profile stands in contrast to the extremely formal sit-down shot of her that graces her '85 record. The change is telling: Whitney overflows with unfettered joy, rhythmic vibes, and deep-seated emotions that forever endeared her to the hearts and minds of countless listeners — and which set the standard for the wave after wave of divas that followed in her footsteps.

It's no coincidence that the first track on Whitney is the declarative "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)." Like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Madonna's "Material Girl," the feel-good smash is one of the quintessential '80s gems — a lithe, melodic, celebratory release of pent-up energy and loneliness that glides across club floors, shouts to the rooftops, and shrugs off any concerns about vulnerability or embarrassment. Houston's swooping voice moves in sync with the sleek beats and dipping-and-diving synths. She practically takes her fellow musicians by their hand and leads them in a blissful dance that nobody would dare sidestep. Focusing on Houston's singing — a task made challenging only because of the impossible-to-ignore hooks and grooves — showcases the virtuosic facets of not only her register but her control, discipline, smoothness, and warmth.

That she replicates those feats for the entirety of the nearly 53-minute-long album makes Whitney that much more special. Houston reaches back and channels her childhood gospel training on the R&B-flared "So Emotional"; effortlessly slips into Quiet Storm mode on the duet with her mother, gospel great Cissy Houston, on "I Know Him So Well"; flirts with smooth jazz and collaborates with tenor saxophonist Kenny G on the lush "Just the Lonely Talking Again"; conjures dreamscapes and shadow-boxes with supple funk on a romantic cover of the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You"; and, for the majestic power ballad "Didn't We Almost Have It All," displays the sky-scraping reach of her vocals amid a grand arrangement made even bigger by Houston's sweeping performance and triumphant finish.

Houston's once-in-a-generation talents weren't lost on the adoring public, radio deejays, or industry experts. In addition to harbouring four No. 1 hits and receiving nominations for four Grammy Awards, Whitney generated another Top 10 success in the guise of the Afro-Cuban-leaning "Love Will Save the Day." The album also netted Houston four American Music Awards; two Billboard Music Awards; back-to-back People's Choice Awards; a Soul Train Award; and various other accolades. It all makes the crux of the Washington Post's July '87 review of the album appear prophetic: "Her voice sounds stronger still and the songs are varied but so consistent she could garner 10 Top 10s out of a field of 11." That claim still holds true. A brilliant fusion of pop, R&B, smooth jazz, and soul, Whitney is a showstopper – and one of the key reasons Houston is the most-awarded female artist of all time.

London Records releases remastered and expanded editions of Voice Of The Beehive’s classic debut 1988 album, ‘Let It Bee’ on November 25th. Formats include a remastered gatefold vinyl edition in transparent honey yellow, and an expanded double CD edition featuring previously unreleased tracks, live versions and demos. All formats feature new liner notes by the band’s very own Tracey Belland. In the mid 80s, armed with a only a suitcase of songs, Californian sisters Tracey Bryn and Melissa Brooke Belland escaped the American music industry in search of the vibrant British indie scene, finding recently split Madness band member Daniel ‘Woody’ Woodgate, who together with guitarist Mike Jones and bassist Martin Brett would form ‘the Beehive Boys’. The powerful live chops of the Beehive Boys, combined with the harmonies, energy and stage presence of Tracey and Melissa, made Voice of the Beehive indie darlings and one of the hottest live acts on the London scene. Signing with London Records, they recorded ‘Let It Bee’, its sunny exterior of sparkling indie guitars, energetic rhythms matched with lyrics and melodies that revealed both hope and an occasionally cutting cynicism. On its release ‘Let It Bee’ was a UK Top 15 album, its singles ‘I Say Nothing’, ‘I Walk The Earth’ & ‘Don’t Call Me Baby’ all chart hits and radio favourites. Re-issued for the first time since its initial release. The expanded double CD version features ‘Cartoon City’, a band favourite recently uncovered and remastered from the London Records archives.

“War” is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Steve Lillywhite, and was released February 1983 on Island Records. The album has come to be regarded as U2's first overtly political album, in part because of songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", as well as the title, which stems from the band's perception of the world at the time; Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."
“War” was a commercial success for the band, knocking Michael Jackson's Thriller from the top of the charts to become the band's first number-one album in the UK.

remastered re-issue on heavyweight vinyl incl. liner notes & unseen photos!

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records.

Limited to 7500 copies.

40th anniversary edition of "A Celebration§ - U2´s 7th Single, originally released in March 1982 between the albums October and War. This limited edition reissue is a 4-track EP, containing two previously unreleased recordings: a studio out-take of the title track, lus a performance of b-side and live favouite "Trash, Trampoline And the Party Girl", recorded in Oct 2015 in Cologne during the iNNOCENCE + eXERIENCE tour. 4 track 12" EP / cut at 45 rpm / 180g black vinyl, housed in plain polylined inner / single sleeve outer - with graphic-based front cover in a similar style to the original single cover artwork, using gold print and additional spot UV high-gloss varnish. Back cover features images of each of the band taken from the original music video.

Originally released in 1982 this pure electro-jam was a surgical trait d’union between the italo-disco phenomenon and the American boogie. The frantic vocal version is paired with the instrumental on the b-side. Scientific Saturday night fever with vocoder and the likes !

* Ultra rare U.S Powerpop album from 1982 reissued for the first time ever * A U.S. powerpop killer & D.I.Y-nugget – Original album is rare and highly in demand * Deluxe reissue housed in gatefold sleeve * Expanded with bonus tracks * Printed inner sleeve filled with rare photos * Extensive liner notes by Kieron Tyler (Mojo) * Carefully restored and remastered sound * Colored vinyl (yellow)

The Trend is high explosive, hyperactive teenage powerpop. The Trend hailed from Kennett, Missouri and was formed back in 1979. Aged fifteen to sixteen at the time, and armed with guitars, striped t-shirts, skinny ties, tambourines and colorful drainpipe trousers. The Trend (Is In) was a full on powerpop and bubblegum-explosion.

One self-released (and nowadays mega-rare) album in 1982 and a just-as-hard-to-find 7-inch single from the previous year was all that The Trend unleashed on record during their short lifespan. Since then, appearances on compilations like Yellow Pills and Numero’s Buttons have made sure The Trend is in high demand amongst powerpop aficionados all over the world.

Trend’s debut 45 “She’s Hi-Fi” b/w “Lucky Day” is blistering class AAA powerpop that will most likely make anyone with the slightest interest in the genre strip off all clothes and do the helicopter. “The Girl At The Holiday In” shows that The Trend had moved on since the single. So much so that “The Girl I Used To Know” could have been recorded by one of the then contemporary Paisley Underground bands from Los Angeles. “Real Cheap Thrill” is raging Merseybeat-pop-mayhem bordering to killed by death-punk. “Two Plus Two” is suffused with the spirit of late 1960s Paul McCartney. Above all, The Trend is about direct, driving upbeat pop. “Go For Broke” could have clicked as a single, while “Southsiders (Waiting To Go Northside)” caught The Trend’s outlook in a nutshell: “power pop, bubblegum, punk rock, here we come.”

Housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve that comes with a printed inner sleeve richly illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photos. In the extensive liner notes The Trend’s main man and song writer John McMullan tells the full story to Kieron Tyler (Mojo Magazine).

The Trend is finally in!

Part of The Optic Sevens 4.0 Reissue Series. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide. Pressed on White Vinyl Includes postcard and poster. Edward Ball was a member of cult band The Television Personalities alongside his school friend Dan Treacy before leaving to concentrate on The Times. ‘I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape’ (inspired by cult TV series The Prisoner) Is probably the best known track from them, originally released on the Artpop! label in 1982. The second single from The Times reissued here with an extra track from the 12” (released a year later in 1983). We have also decided to use the same sleeve that was used for the original 12”.

limited edition picture disc!

The undisputed leaders of the early gothic scene, and a seminal band that contributed to the rise of British post-punk, The Cure recorded their debut album Three Imaginary Boys at London's Morgan Studios and released it in May 1979. After touring for almost all of 1977, the band changed their name to The Cure and rearranged their line-up with the sacking of Porl Thompson, giving birth to an unusual power trio. This line-up lasted only for their first album, making it unique in its essentially minimal sound. The year was now 1978, and the three (imaginary?) boys soon signed to Chris Parry's Fiction Label.

140 gram reissue!

Limited to 9000 copies.

First time on Picture Disc for The Cure’s 4th studio album from 1982. The artwork and the new cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road have been supervised and approved by Robert Smith. Features the single ‘The Hanging Garden’ and fan favourite ‘The Figurehead’.The original design by Ben Kelly and The Cure has been prepared for a picture disc release by Robert’s long-standing collaborator, Andy Vella.

180 gram gatefold cover double vinyl reissue incl. 8 bonus tracks!

Remastered Re-Release des 1984er Albums des belgischen Synth-Pop-Trios, auf dem Telex ihren State-of-Art-Sound weiter etablierten.

Remastered Re-Release des 1988er Albums des belgischen Synth-Pop-Trios, mit dem dadaistischen "Rap" von "Peanuts", durch den Telex fast bei Motown gelandet wären.

Talk Talk's musical journey took them from early 80s synth-pop to early 90s post-rock resulting in a diverse and stimulating legacy. This 1982 release showcases the synth-pop/new wave side to the band. After supporting Duran Duran on their 1981 tour, they released the single Mirror Man, as well as their two UK Top 40 hits Today and Talk Talk – all of which are included amongst other great songs on the album.

Their debut album, The Party's Over was released in 1982 and produced by Colin Thurston, who was a former engineer for David Bowie but was better known for producing Duran Duran's first two albums.
A product of its time, the album is classic synth-pop teamed with lyrical depth that went on to be synonymous with lead singer, Mark Hollis.

180 gram vinyl

Official reissue for the 40th anniversary of Pre4y Face. Contains the presgious rmxs of Italoconnecon and Mi Ami and two unreleased versions in addion to the original. Limited version 350 copies.

Reissue of this italo disco rarity from 1983. Comes with Flemming Dalum remixes!

Recorded in 1989, Neapolis saw the band going back to their early electronic sound, this is the first time that it has been available on vinyl and comes with full approval from the band.

Shoc Corridor was the London post-punk quartet of Paul O’Carroll (Voice, Synth), Andy Garnham (Synth, Drum), Chris Davis (Guitar, Bass, E-Bow) and Nogi Prass (Synth) named after the Sam Fuller film from 1963. Chris met Nogi shortly after moving to London in 1979 – they started playing music together, fell madly in love, and decided to form a band. They recruited Andy, who had previously played in a band with Stephen Luscombe of Blancmange, and lyricist and vocalist Paul. Their influences were wide reaching: Kraftwerk, Neu, Cabaret Voltaire, Brian Eno, PIL, and Joy Division.

The group recorded a 4-song demo during 1981 in a tiny flat Chris shared with Nogi in Notting Hill. As their collection of instruments grew they set up studio a few blocks away in Andy’s flat at 20 All Saints Road. There they re-recorded “Sargasso Sea” along with “On Reflexion” on a TEAC reel-to-reel 4-track machine. In the summer of ’82, the band was booked into Decibel Studios in Stoke Newington for two and a half days with Mark Easton of Shout Records, where they reworked the two songs. The group usually worked through studio experimentation rather than constructing their songs in a conventional way. Their equipment list included a Korg MS-20, Wasp, Pro-One, Roland TR-808, WEM Copicat, guitars, bass, e-bow and an assortment of effects pedals. “On Reflexion” began as a Blancmange backing track, since Stephen Luscombe would sometimes use Andy’s 4-track, Korg MS-20 and drum machine. Chris has memories of Paul disappearing from time to time to the neighboring graveyard for inspiration, where they had to procure him from to lay down vocals. Their debut 3-song 12” single, “A Blind Sign”, was released in October 1982 on Shout Records. For this re-issue we’ve included the original skeletal “Sargasso Sea” 4-track demo from 1981. Evocative and dreamy, the music escorts you on a tour of icy landscapes, with Paul’s rich vocals guiding the way.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each EP comes in an exact replica of the original jacket, designed by Chris Davis with artwork by Paul and Jerry Neal. Each copy includes an 8×11” 2-sided insert with liner notes, lyrics and photos designed by Eloise Leigh.

2019 Remastered, reissue, 180g black vinyl in gatefold cover. Turkish female pop-disco divine, Sezen Aksu comes with a masterpiece at this time. “Sen Aglama” was originally released in 1984 which has the most selling Record (lp) in the second wave of vinyl period in Turkey, more than 50.000 vinyls has been sold up to now from its first release date. Sezen Aksu generally sings ballads by her misty and velvet voice which surround.