There's something that makes Liaisons Dangereuses standout from their contemporaries. The German band is often linked to acts like Throbbing Gristle, The Normal and Nitzer Ebb, but their only album is a bit different from any of those acts' material. Liaisons Dangereuses is sourced from a series of four ten minute cassettes that were compiled and mixed at Conny Plank's studio for wider release in 1981. The group, founded by Beate Bartel (Mania D, Einstürzende Neubauten) and Chrislo Haas (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft) together with vocalist Krishna Goineau, had a lasting effect of EBM (electronic body music). Their sound can be heard in early Chicago house and Detroit techno. "Los Niños del Parque," one of the standouts from the album, can still be heard in DJ sets today. The vocals are barked in a co-ed mix of Spanish, German, French, and jumbled English, giving the music an extra edge of confusion and disorientation. But it's the pulsating rhythms at the heart of tracks like "Avant-Après Mars" and "Peut Être ... Pas" that are the real attraction. The later was sampled by Carl Craig and played out by Ron Hardy. Both bizarre and captivating, Liaisons Dangereuses is one of those records that deserves to be a part of any self respecting dance music fan's collection. Recommended.

• music label: TIS 1981 / Soulsheriff Records 2014

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 02/2015