In Trance 95: The Old New Wave

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In Trance. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

In Trance.

Courtesy of the artist

A recently reconstituted Greek duo active from the late '80s to the mid-'90s, In Trance 95 specializes in a self-explanatorily named electronic subgenre called "minimal wave." Now that bare-bones synth-pop has drifted closer to the mainstream — as reflected by the Stones Throw label's well-received Minimal Wave Tapes compilations — the duo ended its nearly 15-year hiatus in 2010.

The dark, murky beats that Alex Machairas and Nik Veliotis explore in "Presidente," as heard on the second of those compilations, somehow sound both dated and futuristic. With discontented vocal samples and drum machines creating a sinister backdrop, the song closes with a stately march that practically glides across headphones as it ends. Though a bare-bones music video was produced in 1988, the song sat on the shelves until recently, but it remains as primitive and relevant as ever.