Minimal Compact is an Israeli rock band associated with the post-punk and indie rock movement of the
1980s. When punk and new wave blew up in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, the fallout was felt on a global level even though acts from the U.S. and the U.K. snagged most of the attention. Minimal Compact from Tel Aviv, Israel were one of the little-known post-punk acts outside of the usual suspects.
Not so much a rock band as a pan-cultural chamber ensemble with rock instrumentation, the members
of Minimal Compact are (mostly) Israelis who didn’t see much of a future in their homeland, emigrated to France and signed with Belgium’s Crammed Discs. Their music is tasteful and intelligent but avoids selfconscious artsiness, and they’ve worked with some connoisseur favorites: Tuxedomoon’s Peter Principle, Wire’s Colin Newman (who’s married to the group’s Malka Spigel) and John Fryer (who’s worked with the Cocteau Twins) have all produced them.
They served as Newman’s backup band on his Commercial Suicide LP; some of their sleeves were designed by Eno collaborator Russell Mills. Minimal Compact’s records consistently display an ability to switch gears between atmospheric, British-style art-rock, Middle Eastern-flavored folk and
Beatlesque pop, while also retaining the ability to rock out with a danceable beat. Between its foundation in 1980 and its dissolution seven years later, Minimal Compact played an important role in the European rock scene. Malka Spigel (bass, vocals), Samy Birnbach (vocals, lyrics) and Berry Sakharof (guitars, keyboards, vocals) left their native Tel Aviv in 1981 for Amsterdam in search of an escape from the provincial attitudes of their own city. Of the trio, only Berry was a "real" musician.
Malka was "learning to play the bass", while Samy was better known as a DJ (Morpheus) and a music fan who dabbled in poetry. They recorded a 2-song demo at home, and became one of the first artists
signed to the Belgian Crammed label. What prevented Minimal Compact from becoming completely obscure because of their geographic roots was that they relocated to Amsterdam early in their career and therefore found support within the European music community. The band wanted refuge from their native land's provincial attitudes; moving to Amsterdam enabled them to fulfill their dream of international recognition.
During the recording for a speculative 7" in a little studio in the Belgian countryside, it became quickly evident that the trio had hit upon something worthy of development and their first, self-titled, mini
album Minimal Compact was the fruit of this. One by One, the second album, was recorded in London in 1982, and like its predecessor co-produced by Dirk Polak (from Mecano (Dutch band)) and Crammed supremo Marc Hollander. With this release Minimal Compact had become a "real band" with the addition of the native Amsterdammer Max Franken on drums.
Now Minimal could play live, this was to prove a strong element in their career. As Minimal began to
tour more extensively they went from strength to strength as a live band. By 1984's Deadly Weapons, the group was touring extensively, finding affection from equally idiosyncratic musicians like Tuxedomoon and Wire's Colin Newman, who ended up marrying Spigel and produced their 1985 album, Raging Souls. The band also recorded a session for legendary British DJ John Peel.
Raging Souls was released in 1985. Produced by Colin Newman,(From the band "WIRE"), with artwork by Eno/Sylvian collaborator Russell Mills, it has proved their most popular album, with tracks
like "My Will", "When I Go" (which was included in Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire movie soundtrack), "The Traitor", "Autumn Leaves" all of which became live favorites. By this time Minimal had become established in Brussels and were at the hub of the local "International Indie Scene" which featured at various times, Tuxedomoon (both individually and collectively), Bel Canto, Colin Newman, Sonoko, Gilles Martin and Benjamin Lew.
In America, Minimal Compact received exposure on a handful of college radio stations, namely for their more danceable tracks. The group tried coming to the U.S. in 1987 after the release of The Figure One Cuts; however, their visas were denied. Minimal Compact broke up in 1988. Sakharof returned to
Israel, recording on his own and with local underground hero Rami Fortis, who had joined Minimal Compact on guitar in the mid-‘80s. Birnbach became the ambient DJ Morpheus while Spigel continued to collaborate with her husband Newman. In October 2019 the album Creation Is Perfect was released. After the release of this album In November 2019 Minimal Compact held an additional five concerts in Israel. The concerts were all sold out.
LINE - UP
Samy Birnbach - vocals, lyrics
Berry Sakharof - guitars, keyboards, vocals
Max Franken - drums
Rami Fortis - guitars, vocals
Label: Crammed Discs – CRAM CD 1521
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Europe
Released: 1988
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
MINIMAL COMPACT 1981
01. Statik Dancin' 3:47
02. Creation Is Perfect (I Am A Camera) 4:28
03. Ready-Made Diary 4:37
04. To Get Inside 5:18
05. Happy Babouge 3:29
ONE BY ONE 1982
06. Invocation (For Things To Come) 3:17
07. Cold Life 3:55
08. Take Me Away 2:45
09. It Takes A Lifetime 3:01
10. Disguise 4:42
11. Babylonian Tower 3:30
12. Orkha Bamidbar (The Wandering Song) 4:25
13. Head Section 2:20
14. Morpheus Secrets 4:48
15. Ships 1:55
LINE - UP
Bass Clarinet, Saxophone, Organ, Percussion – Marc Hollander
Bass, Backing Vocals – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken (tracks: 6 to 15), Stefan Karo (tracks: 1 to 5)
Drums, Percussion, Clarinet – Pieter Bannenberg (tracks: 1 to 5)
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Berry Sakharof
Percussion, Backing Vocals, Melodica, Accordion – Dick Polak
Synthesizer, Guitar, Flute – Corrie Bolten (tracks: 1 to 5)
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
NOTES
Tracks 1 to 5 are taken from their debut EP 'Minimal Compact' released in 1981.
Tracks 6 to 15 are taken from the album 'One By One' released in 1982.
Flac Size: 295 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - DEADLY WEAPONS 1984 + NEXT ONE IS REAL 1984
Label: Crammed Discs – CRAM CD 3032
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Europe
Released: 1988
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
TRAXS
01. Next One Is Real 3:03
02. Losing Tracks (In Time) 3:46
Guitar [E-bow] – Peter Principle
03. The Well 3:04
Percussion – Marc Hollander
Violin, Viola – Blaine L. Reininger
04. There's Always Now 3:03
Guitar [E-bow] – Peter Principle
05. Nada 4:19
Slide Guitar – Peter Principle
06. Not Knowing 4:08
Synthesizer, Xylophone – Marc Hollander
07. Deadly Weapons 4:24
08. Burnt-Out Hotel 3:22
Violin, Viola, Arranged By [Strings] – Blaine L. Reininger
09. The Howling Hole 3:55
Guitar [Treated] – Peter Principle
Synthesizer, Xylophone – Marc Hollander
NEXT ONE IS REAL 1984
10. Next One Is Real (Radio Remix) 3:46
11. Not Knowing (Remix) 3:57
12. Babylonian Tower (Remix) 3:37
13. Hole Version (Incidental Remix) 3:27
Remix – Gilles Martin, Peter Principle
14. Next One Is Real (Extended Remix) 5:51
15. Introspection 4:54
LINE - UP
Bass, Vocals, Synthesizer – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar, Keyboards, Cello – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Vocals – Rami Fortis
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Written-By – Sakharof, Spigel, Franken, Fortis (tracks: 6, 11), Birnbach (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 10, 12 to 15)
NOTES
Tracks 1 to 9 previously released on the Deadly Weapons LP, recorded at Daylight Studio, Brussels.
Tracks 10 to 14 previously released on the Next One Is Real 12"
Track 15 previously released on the It Takes A Lifetime / Introspection. 7", recorded and mixed in Dordrecht.
Flac Size: 349 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - RAGING SOULS 1985
Label: Crammed Discs – CRAM 042 CD
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1986
Country: Belgium
Released: 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
TRAXS
01.The Traitor 4:27
Words By [Words] – S. Birnbach
02.My Will 3:43
Words By [Words] – M. Spigel, S. Birnbach
03.This World 3:59
Words By [Words] – S. Birnbach
04.When I Go 3:14
Words By [Words] – M. Spigel
05.Autumn Leaves 4:26
Words By [Words] – S. Birnbach
06.Raging Souls 5:17
Words By [Words] – M. Spigel
07.Returning Wheel 4:30
Words By [Words] – S. Birnbach
08.Sananat 4:05
Words By [Words] – R. Fortis, S. Birnbach
09.Shouts & Kisses 5:45
LINE - UP
Drums – Max Franken
Glockenspiel, Melodica, Brass – Luc Van Lieshout
Guitar, Keyboards – Colin Newman
Guitar, Keyboards, Cello – Berry Sakharof
Percussion – Marc Hollander
Vocals – Samy Birnbach
Vocals, Bass, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Vocals, Guitar – Rami Fortis
Written-By, Composed By – B. Sakharof, M. Spigel, M. Franken, R. Fortis, S. Birnbach
NOTES
Producer – Colin Newman
Flac Size: 234 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - THE FIGURE ONE CUTS 1987
Label: Crammed Discs – CRAM CD 055
Format: CD, Album
Country: Belgium
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave
TRAXS
01. Nil-Nil 4:52
02. Everything Is Wonder 4:54
03. Inner Station 4:13
04. Fading Light 3:31
05. This Scent Of Love 4:15
06. Piece Of Green 5:16
07. Is It So? 4:22
08. New Clear Twist 4:47
09. Childhood's End 5:01
10. Night Light 2:15
11. Immigrant Song (Written-By – Page, Plant) 3:26
12. I Imagine 4:08
Flac Size: 292 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - LIVE 1988
Label: Crammed Discs – CRAM CD 061
Format: CD, Album
Country: Belgium
Released: 1988
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
TRAXS
01. Ouverture 3:32
02. The Well 3:18
03. Autumn Leaves 4:01
04. Deadly Weapons 4:20
05. Next One Is Real 3:07
06. Piece Of Green 5:56
07. Nil Nil 4:32
08. Statik Dancin' 4:31
09. The Traitor 3:48
10. Disguise 4:10
11. The Howling Hole 4:39
12. When I Go 2:28
13. Losing Tracks (In Time) 3:07
14. Invocation (For Things To Come) 3:04
LINE - UP
Bass, Voice, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Voice, Noises [Noise] – Rami Fortis
Voice – Samy Birnbach
NOTES
Written-By – Sakharof, Spigel, Franken (tracks: 1 to 7, 9 to 14),
Fortis (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12), Birnbach
Recorded during their farewell tour at Ubu Club, Rennes, France in June 1988.
Flac Size: 318 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - CREATION IS PERFECT 2019
Label: Not On Label (Minimal Compact Self-released) – MC01
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK
Released: Oct 25, 2019
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Post-Punk
TRAXS
01. Statik Dancin' 3:59
02. Take Me Away 2:35
03. Nada 4:28
04. Raging Souls 4:47
05. Not Knowing 3:27
06. My Will 3:12
07. The Well 3:35
08. Holy Roller 5:33
LINE - UP
Bass, Voice, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Voice, Noises [Noise] – Rami Fortis
Voice – Samy Birnbach
Written-By – Sakharof, Polak (tracks: 02), Spigel, Franken (tracks: 02 to 08), Fortis (tracks: 03 to 08), Birnbach
WITH
Cello – Noa Ayali
Guitar, Keyboards – Colin Newman
NOTES
Tracks 01 to 07 are new 2019 versions of old tracks; track 08 is a new song.
Producer [Produced By], Mixed By – Colin Newman
Flac Size: 204 MB
MINIMAL COMPACT - LIVE AT HEICHAL HATARBUT TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL DECEMBER 16th 2003
Label: Crammed Discs
Format: CD
Country: Europe
Released: 2004
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New wave, Dark Wave
01. Invocation
02. The Well
03. Dedicated
04. Autumn Leaves
05. Deadly Weapons
06. Losing Tracks (In Time)
07. New Clear twist
08. My Will
09. This Scent Of Love
10. Statik Dancing
11. Inner Station
12. It Takes A Lifetime
13. Nada
14. The Traitor
15. Piece Of Green
CD 2.
01. Babylon Tower
02. Next One Is Real
03. Everything Is Wonder
04. The Howling Hole
05. When I Go
06. Immigrant Song
07 Static Dancing
LINE - UP
Bass, Voice, Keyboards – Malka Spigel
Drums – Max Franken
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards – Berry Sakharof
Guitar, Voice, Noises [Noise] – Rami Fortis
Voice – Samy Birnbach
GUEST MUSICIANS
Guitars - Colin Newman
Trumpet - Luc Van Lieshout
I had the two studio albums. I probably sold it with many others towards the end of the 80s. I can't remember the music anymore. I'll will listen again. Thanks anyway.
ReplyDeleteShame on me for selling the first two lp. Now i longer followed the later ones. So are already
ReplyDeleteon the shopping cart. Will order on early February. Another very good Israeli band ROCK FOUR, i have 4 cds.