People always ask me: “Which influential do-it-yourself Italian label and mail art collective from the ‘80s is your absolute favorite?” And I always have to tell them: “Why, it couldn’t be any other than Trax!” But it’s always been a difficult label for newcomers to get into, because there are so few comprehensive and meticulous compendiums that reorganize the label’s best work into a concise, accessible, and aesthetically appropriate package meant for widespread consumption.
But somehow, finally, like a bolt of lightning sent down by the god of thunder himself, the perfect compilation of Trax content is actually set to make landfall on our destitute shores next month! It’s called Trax Test (Excerpts From The Modular Network 1981–1987), and it’s out September 8 through Ecstatic Recordings. Uninitiated plebeians REJOICE!
But, you may be asking yourself, Why now? Well, the real question, my friend, is “D.I.Y. not?!” The compilation was put together by Trax’s own Vittore Baroni and Ecstatic’s Alessio Natalizia, and it will feature a whopping 25 long-sought-after rarities from the likes of Merzbow, Caroline K, Colin Potter, The Cop Killers, and a host of forgotten artists you can finally namedrop to friends and Tinder dates for ***bonus cool points***!
If that all sounds too good to be true (you skeptical baby!), then do the truly D.I.Y. thing and use your shiny credit card to pre-order the mammoth set on digital and vinyl formats (extra ***cool points*** for colored vinyl and FLAC!) here. Otherwise, you’ll just have to content yourself with reading through the list of every song you’re missing out on below. But don’t come crying to me when you don’t know any of those hip Italian synthpop songs everyone’s talking about around the watercooler.
Trax Test (Excerpts From The Modular Network 1981–1987) traxlisting:
01. 00I…Cancer - “Telematic”
02. M.A.Phillips - “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”
03. Nausea - “No Conversation”
04. Amok / Mecanique Vegetale - “Untitled”
05. Daniele Ciullini / Amok - “The Secret Door”
06. E-Coli - “Borax”
07. The Cop Killers - “Cop Killers Theme” / “Calma Atmosfera”
08. Peter Mayer / Rod Summers / Robin Crozier / Capitalist Pig / Biagio D’Egidio - “Notterossa” / “Rednight”
09. Piermario Ciani / Vittore Baroni / Nocturnal Emissions / De Rezke - “Live Blister Bump”
10. Piermario Ciani / Ado Scaini / Enrico Piva / Giancarlo Martina - “I Love Cancer”
11. B Sides - “Tribuna Ludu”
12. Colin Potter - “Solidarity At Wujek Colliery”
13. Piermario Ciani - “Co.Mix 1”
14. Naif Orchestra - “Fratelli d’Italia”
15. Merzbow (Vacation Of Merzbow Lowest Music & Arts) - “Kimigayo”
16. Monty Cantsin - “Catastronics”
17. Die Form - “Sex By Force”
18. Utopia Production - “Chainsaw Massacre”
19. Spirocheta Pergoli - “Merendine”
20. Bi Nostalgia - “Biosolution For Today”
21. Ptose - “The Jellyfish’s Mood”
22. Vittore Baroni - “(Living With) Prosthesis”
23. DDAA - “Ghosts of the Paper Trumpets”
24. Zone Verte - “Le Fantome De L’Elephant”
25. I Nipoti del Faraone - “Prendi l’osso e corri”