Last year’s release of debut track River’s Edge saw Last Days of 1984 (name appended with various pyramids and errant capital letters if your a stickler for these things) rise rapidly through the ranks of Dublin’s indie scene. We’ll admit to an initial skepticism of this pair of tropical synth troubadours, wariness of an almost too-perfect alignment of influences. However, a series of impressive live shows belied a real depth to their songwriting, and a polish too often missing from the city’s lo-fi orientated output. With their new record, the excellent Wake Up To The Waves available to order from Osaka right now, we asked Brian Rice and Darren Moloney to lash together a mix of the record’s influences. The result is a gorgeous mix of dub, afrobeat, Motown, techno and house that makes a perfect soundtrack to those snatches of April sunlight starting to melt the springtime clouds. They’ve also kindly attached notes on their choices – go forth.
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Group Inerane – Awal September
One of my favourite songs of last year and iI discovered it right before we went into the studio to record Wake Up To The Waves. Really beautiful chorus of euphoric vocals
John Maus – Believer
This one of my favourite tracks from last year. Total melodramatic pop – love it.
Dur Dur – Ethiopian Girl (London Beat cover)
An awesome cover of London Beat’s ‘Thinking About You’.
Sister Nancy – Transport Connection
One of my favourite songs of all time
Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam
One of the first house songs to break into the mainstream back in 1990 and probably my first introduction to dance music.
Blanck Mass – Chernobyl
Blanck Mass is the solo project of Benjamin John Power from Fuck Buttons – one of our favourite bands.
This album was the soundtrack to my mornings while on tour. Really beautiful and powerful music.
The Last Sound – Only The Lonely Know The Glow Is Failing
Sounds like a lost single by Love & Rockets. One of the most striking singles i’ve heard in years. Looking forward to hearing the album
The Units – High Pressure Days
The Units are, in my opinion, one of the great lost bands. Hugely influential synthpunk from late 1970s San Francisco.
Max Romeo – War Ina Babylon
Discovered this song through a brilliant mix from my friend and awesome DJ, Fitz. Soundtrack to a lot of my evenings after finishing up recording.
We saw Lee Scratch Perry walk past us as we discussed this actual record on the weekend that was the anniversary of the bands first practice.
A good omen.
Paul Ngozi – In The Ghetto
Really like this record.. came out on Shadoks early this year. It’s from Zambia in 1976
Wendy Rene – After Laughter
I have been pretty obsessed with this song for the past few months – it gets me every time I hear it.
Underworld – Rowla
Awesome nighties dance with huge crescendos.
Talking Heads – This Must Be The Place (Stop Making Sense version)
I chose the Stop Making Sense version of this song as it’s my favourite version. This song is a soundtrack to a particular point in time that’s tied into this record
Last Days of 1984 launch first LP Wake Up To The Waves at the Workman’s Club on the 4th May, with support from Logikparty.
Illustration: Sophia Stengler
