Electronic Sound: 1981 Issue + ‘Avant 81’ green vinyl three-track seven-inch EP

One of the main music talking points of 1981 was the growing number of synthpop bands breaking into the UK mainstream charts, many of them climbing into the Top 10. But at the same time, there was a surge in new independent talent, with the post-punk underground splintering into endless sub-genres – coldwave, alt-funk, punk-funk, industrial, electro-dub, goth, jangly pop, agit-pop, avant-jazz, mutant disco and more – and artists putting out their records via established indies and previously unknown labels. It was an amazing time for electronic, experimental and just plain awesome music – whatever tribe you belonged to – and we're telling the story of the year through 101 milestone releases. It's an epic blast.

After last month's popular 'Blitz 80' EP, we are bundling the new issue of Electronic Sound with 'Avant 81', another top-notch three-track seven-inch. Pressed on mint green vinyl, it features a wealth of post-punk weirdness from 1981, beginning with The Fall's thunderous and caustic 'Lie Dream Of A Casino Soul', which has Mark E Smith ranting about synths, Munich and John Foxx. Next up are avant-jazz giants Blurt and their totally wired and wild 'This Is My Royal Wedding Souvenir', which probably didn't win Charles and Diana's seal of approval. To close, we have Jah Wobble's 'Nocturnal', a spine-tingling electro-dub track from the PiL bass legend, who recorded this shortly after he'd parted company with John Lydon.