If you're not up on your genres, Minimal Wave is primitive synth music, predominantly recorded in the early 1980s, and it basically sounds like the soundtrack to an educational film you might have watched in high school.  Seriously, I felt like I should have been watching a video about photosynthesis when I listened to some of these, and I mean that in a good way.  These songs were compiled by Stones Throw grand-honcho Peanut Butter Wolf and Veronica Vasicka, who founded Minimal Wave Records, so you know it doesn't get much more legit than that (they even took the time to give you a history of each artist here in the liner notes!).  All together it's 14 tracks on 2 LPs, in a snazzy looking gatefold sleeve.  Not just a great introduction to the genre, but an excellent way to hear the seeds for synth pop, new wave and italo disco being planted.  Recommended. 

• music label: Stones Throw 2010

reviewed by Hires 01/2010