Minimal Compact ‎– Deadly Weapons / Next One Is Real (1988)

Style: New Wave,
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Crammed Discs

Tracking List:
01.   Next One Is Real
02.   Losing Tracks (In Time)
03.   The Well
04.   There's Always Now
05.   Nada
06.   Not Knowing
07.   Deadly Weapons
08.   Burnt-Out Hotel
09.   The Howling Hole
10.   Next One Is Real (Radio Remix)
11.   Not Knowing (Remix)
12.   Babylonian Tower (Remix)
13.   Hole Version (Accidental Remix)
14.   Next One Is Real (Extended Remix)
15.   Introspection

Credits:
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Bass, Vocals, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar, Keyboards, Cello – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Vocals – Rami Fortis
Producer – Gilles Martin, Peter Principle
Remix – Disc O'Dell

Minimal Compact ‎– The Figure One Cuts (1987)

Style: New Wave, Darkwave
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Crammed Discs

Tracklist:
A1.   Nil-Nil
A2.   Everything Is Wonder
A3.   Inner Station
A4.   Fading Light
A5.   This Scent Of Love
B1.   Piece Of Green
B2.   Is It So?
B3.   New Clear Twist
B4.   Childhood's End
B5.   Night Light

Credits:
Drums – Max Franken
Drums – Marc Hollander
Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Berry Sakharof
Keyboards, Programmed By – John Fryer
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Luc Van Lieshout
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Vocals, Bass, Percussion – Malka Spigel
Vocals, Guitar – Rami Fortis
Producer – John Fryer

Minimal Compact ‎– Raging Souls (1985)

Style: New Wave
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Crammed Discs, Polygram

Tracklist:
A1.   The Traitor
A2.   My Will
A3.   This World
A4.   When I Go
A5.   Autumn Leaves
B1.   Raging Souls
B2.   Returning Wheel
B3.   Sananat
B4.   Shouts & Kisses

Credits:
Brass, Melodica, Glockenspiel – Luc Van Lieshout
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar, Keyboards, Cello – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Keyboards, Producer – Colin Newman
Percussion – Marc Hollander
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Vocals, Bass, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Vocals, Guitar – Rami Fortis

Minimal Compact ‎– One By One (1982)

Style: New Wave, Art Rock, Avantgarde
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Crammed Discs

Tracklist:
A1.   Invocation
A2.   Cold Life
A3.   Take Me Away
A4.   It Takes A Lifetime
A5.   Disguise
B1.   Babylonian Tower
B2.   Orkha Bamidbar
B3.   Head Section
B4.   Morpheus Secrets
B5.   Ships

Credits:
Vocals, Words By – Samy Birnbach
Bass – Malka Yoyo Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar – Berry Sakharof
Mixed By – John Walker
Recorded By – Fred Tollenaar, Marc François, Steve Forward
Written-By – Sakharof, Spigel, Franken, Birnbach
Co-producer – Dick Polak, Marc Hollander

Minimal Compact ‎– Minimal Compact (1981)

Style: New Wave
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Cramemed Discs

Tracklist:
1.   Statik Dancin'
2.   Creation Is Perfect (I Am A Camera)
3.   Ready-Made Diary
4.   To Get Inside
5.   Happy Babouge

Credits:
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Backing Vocals – Bea Schrey
Synthesizer – Corrie Bolten
Bass Clarinet, Saxophone, Organ – Marc Hollander
Bass, Backing Vocals – Malka Spigel
Drums, Percussion – Pieter Bannenberg
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Berry Sakharof
Lyrics By – Samy Birnbach
Music By – MC
Recorded By – Eric Faes

Rodrigo Amarante ‎– Cavalo (2013)

Style: Indie Rock
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Easy Sound, Polysom, Rough Trade, Mais Um Discos

Tracklist:
01.   Nada Em Vão
02.   Hourglass
03.   Mon Nom
04.   Irene
05.   Maná
06.   Fall Asleep
07.   The Ribbon
08.   O Cometa
09.   Cavalo
10.   I'm Ready
11.   Tardei

For fans of artists like Jorge Ben and João Gilberto, there’s just something about a nylon-string guitar and the Portuguese language that’s hard to resist. Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Rodrigo Amarante brings some of both with his debut solo record, but manages to mix in indie flavor and more. 

Amarante may not be a household name, but he’s collaborated with Devendra Banhart for years and has received accolades with his bands Little Joy (with Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti) and Los Hermanos. He holds down most all the singing and instruments throughout Cavalo, but both Banhart and Moretti make appearances here (as does Kristin Wiig, interestingly, who contributes vocals on three tracks). 

From crooning the gorgeous and unhurried opener “Nada Em Vão,” Amarante wastes no time jumping into the catchy, Strokes-flavored “Hourglass.” A few tracks later, “Irene” is simply a man and his guitar playing a delicate ballad that conjures an instant daydream of sitting in a Rio café in the late ’60s after a lazy beach day. That’s until you get to the ’70s-kissed funky samba of “Manau,” which would probably get just about any dance party started. Cavalo is a diverse and entertaining listen indeed.

Rich Osweiler / Premier Guitar

3rd Bass ‎– The Cactus Cee/D (The Cactus Album) (1989)

Genre/Style: Conscious, Hip-Hop
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Def Jam Recordings, CBS, Columbia

Tracklist:
01.   Stymie's Theme
02.   Sons Of 3rd Bass
03.   Russell Rush
04.   The Gas Face
05.   Monte Hall
06.   Oval Office
07.   Hoods
08.   Soul In The Hole
09.   Triple Stage Darkness
10.   M.C. Disagree
11.   Wordz Of Wizdom
12.   Product Of The Environment
13.   Desert Boots
14.   The Cactus
15.   Jim Backus
16.   Flippin' Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball
17.   Brooklyn-Queens
18.   Steppin' To The A.M.
19.   Episode #3
20.   Who's The Third
21.   Wordz Of Wisom (II)
22.   Brooklyn-Queens (UK Power Mix)

Besides the upper-middle-class frat-punks-in-rap-clothing shtick of the Beastie Boys and emissary/producer Rick Rubin, who both gained a legitimate, earned respect in the rap community, there were very few white kids in rap's first decade who spoke the poetry of the street with compassion and veneration for the form. That is, until The Cactus Album. Matching MC Serch's bombastic, goofy good nature and Prime Minister Pete Nice's gritty, English-trained wordsmithery (sounding like a young Don in training), 3rd Bass' debut album is revelatory in its way. For one, it is full of great songs, alternately upbeat rollers ("Sons of 3rd Bass"), casual-but-sincere disses ("The Gas Face"), razor-sharp street didacticism ("Triple Stage Darkness," "Wordz of Wizdom"), and sweaty city anthems ("Brooklyn Queens," "Steppin' to the A.M.," odes to day and night, respectively), with A-plus production by heavyweights Prince Paul and Bomb Squad, as well as the surprising, overshadowing work of Sam Sever. The duo may not have come from the streets, but their hearts were there, and it shows. The album embodies New York life. Not every single idea plays out successfully -- Serch's Tom Waits impression on "Flippin' Off the Wall..." is on the wrong side of the taste line, and "Desert Boots" is a puzzling Western-themed insertion -- but they are at least interesting stretches that add to the dense, layered texture of the album. The Cactus Album was also important because it proved to the hip-hop heads that white kids could play along without appropriating or bastardizing the culture. It may not have completely integrated rap, but it was a precursor to a culture that became more inclusive and widespread after its arrival.

Stanton Swihart / AllMusic

CFM Band ‎– CFM Band (1992)

Style: House, Acid Jazz, Deep House
Format: CD, Vinyl
Label: Rey-D Records, Soulid Gold

Tracklist:
01.   Intro
02.   Make It Funky CFM
03.   Hold Me Tight (CFM Mix)
04.   Jazz It Up
05.   Acid Soul
06.   Let's Do The Tapdancing
07.   Make Your Move "Swing"
08.   My Baby
09.   Welcome Back Brother James
10.   I Don't Want To Be Your Friend
11.   Check This Out
12.   CFM Groove
13.   Hold Me Tight (Pal Joey Remix)

Credits:
Backing Vocals – Reynald, Richie Weeks, Rosa Russ
Bass – Philip "Paris" Ford
Guitar – John Putman, Ron Gibbs
Horns – Kevin DiSimone
Keyboards – Kevin DiSimone, Warren Rosenstein
Saxophone – Charlie Sanders
Tap Dance – Ariel Powers
Vocals – Rosa Russ
Vocals– Keith Rose, Richie Weeks
Vocoder, Talkbox – Reynald, Warren Rosenstein
Arranged By – Reynald "Crazy Frenchman" Deschamps
Written-By – Reynald "Crazy Frenchman" Deschamps, Richie Weeks

Cocteau Twins ‎– Blue Bell Knoll (1988)

Style: Downtempo, Ethereal
Format: CD, Vinyl, Cass.
Label: 4AD

Tracklist:
01.   Blue Bell Knoll
02.   Athol-Brose
03.   Carolyn's Fingers
04.   For Phoebe Still A Baby
05.   The Itchy Glowbo Blow
06.   Cico Buff
07.   Suckling The Mender
08.   Spooning Good Singing Gum
09.   A Kissed Out Red Floatboat
10.   Ella Megalast Burls Forever

Credits:
Remastered By – Robin Guthrie
Photography By – Juergen Teller
Sleeve – Jeremy Tilston, Paul West
Written-By, Producer – Cocteau Twins

Anar Band ‎– Anar Band (1977)

Style: Experimental
Format: Vinyl
Label:  Alvorada

Tracklist:
A1.   Aquaman / Plasticman / Batman / Superman
B1.   Fantasma / Sandokan / Mandrake / Tarzan

Credits:
Composed By – Jorge Lima Barreto
Electric Guitar – Rui Reininho
Percussion – Jorge Lima Barreto, Rui Reininho
Piano – Jorge Lima Barreto
Synthesizer – Jorge Lima Barreto

Notes:
Dedicated to Abel Mendes and Rui Neves.