I have no idea why this 12" is so unknown; it's an absolute shame. This is easily one of the most forward-thinking and impeccably programmed releases of 1984 (you might even go so far as to say the early 80s altogether). Is it analogue drum machine breakdown madness electro? Is it Vince Clarke-inspired synthpop? Is it proto IDM? Does it sidestep all of the genres listed above to inhabit a niche totally unto itself? The programming on these tracks is nuts and so is the gear. The credits speak for themselves, telling a story of vintage Roland classics in lockstep MIDI-less synchronization. Instead of going the MIDI route, the whole thing is sequenced with the Roland MC-4, the greatest model in the line of sequencers beloved by figures such as Giorgio Moroder, Richard D. James, Chris Carter, Rago & Farina (on Decadance), and Logic System. In fact, the latter act seems bizarrely to be a point of reference here; especially in the slamming drum machine programming. The release reads as a collision between Logic System in a particularly poppy mood and Hashim, though there's also a strong Italo vibe. But the drums! A 606, 909, and a Simmons Drum Brain? The release ends up pounding hard enough on the A-side to approach Electro classix like "Body Mechanic" or "Ray-Gun-Omics." There's even a bit of tastefully restrained vocoder action during the breakdown. The track avoids the 808, instead supplying some sick monosynth bass via beasts such as the SH-101 AND the SH-2 (because one wouldn't have been enough on this maximalist release). There's some great, highly emotional polysynth leads and pads supplied via the Jups, the Juno, and the JX-3P. During the extended breakdown at the end of the track, some super wet and trippy synths enter the mix along with plinky video-game melodies on the high end. The programming is actually more complex than well-known releases from the mid-90s, not to mention other acts of Poke's day. This especially helps on the B-Side, which may actually be better than the title track. It opens with a very heavy breakbeat that clashes oddly with a plaintive, staccato arpeggio lead synth and very melancholy pads to create an atmosphere of alienated introversion. The singing on this track is particularly effective. Throaty and lonely, the vocals have an aspect of classical balladry which fuses strangely with the cold, angular programming. The fact that the vocals are in Portugese enhances the track immensely; it's a language that can sound far more interesting than either Germanic or other Romance languages when sung. I apologize for an obnoxiously long review of a 12"; I just wanted to convince everyone that they're insane to let these tracks gather dust in obscurity.

Thanks for such in-depth overview - the record is fantastic and very dense, it's really one of the best in electronic 1980s and coming from Portugal adds a special flavour to it. Great of you to highlight it!