New Musik where an English project who existed between the late ’70s and early ’80s. They blended together synthpop and new wave elements, for a tuneful, at points quirky sound. Here from Lemon Recordings, one of the Cherry Red family of labels, is a new four-CD boxset, bringing together the band's three albums, and an odds ‘n’ ends disc.

The CDs are presented in a grey flipside box, with each disc coming in its own card sleeve. We get also get a twenty-two-page inlay booklet- this comes with a new fourteen-page article about the band/ their output. A good selection of bands pictures, cover artwork, etc- with the booklet opening with a rather fitting quote regarding the band’s sound “To get that medium between weirdness and commerciality: if you achieve that, it’s new music. It’s all about balance”.

New Musik where a south London group, who in 1977 grew out of a casual collection of school friends who initially played under the banner End of the World. The original line-up featured Tony Mansfield- lead vocalist, keyboards & guitar, Tony Straker-  guitar &  keyboard, Tony Hibbert- bass, and Phil Towner- drummer.  Their first single “Straight Lines” appeared in 1979 on GTO Records, with their first album From A To B following in 1980- by this point, Straker left to be replaced by Clive Gates on keyboards.

So, on disc number one we have the band's debut album From A To B, which like its first single appeared on GTO Records.  The album features ten tracks in all, and it’s fairly self-assured first album- bringing together formal guitar pop, with synth & new wave elements. Things start off with the single “Straight Lines”- which brings together an urgently pulsing guitar & bass backdrop, with a weaving-to-rising keyboard melody, and Tony Mansfield’s forceful new wave vocals. As we move through the first side of the record we come to strumming clean guitar, upfront electro beat snap, and almost bright oriental keyboard melody of “Science”. Moving onto the second side we have electro hand clap beats, wavering synth lines, and at points layered harmony vocals of “Living By Numbers”. With the album playing out with “The Safe Side” which features warm key flows, snapping beats, strumming guitars, and creative/ subtle pitch shifting moments.

Next up on the second disc, we have 1981’s Anywhere, which is once again on GTO Records. It features twelve more tracks, and the synth/ electronic elements are more deeply woven into the band's sounds, as well as a few more quirky touches. We open with “They All Run After The Craving Knife” which begins with almost Resident’s like stretching synths & blip plopping drums- but fairly soon switches to a more conventional blend of strummed clean guitars, snapping electro beats, urgent keyboard lines, and vocoder backing vocals to Mr Mansfield lead vocals.  We have brooding-to-jaunting synth keys, hissing percussion, and rising singsong chorus of “This Is Your Life” which once again has some neat vocoder embellishments.  In the album's second half we move from wavering ‘n’ Icey synth keys, snaking drum machine run, and more formal synthpop vocals of “Peace”.  Onto the more urgent snap beats, slight bass groove, and stretched-reverbed vocal affected vocals of “Back To Room One”.

Disc number three takes in the band's third & final album Warp, which saw the band signing to the major label Epic.  It took in another twelve tracks and highlighted a slightly more genre-varied/ adventurous sound- though of course a  big part of the album was marketed towards chart success. We move from urgent funk bass, bright key flows & chanted vocals “Here Come The People”.  There’s the hand clap ‘n’ snapping pop beats meet tuneful strumming of “All You Is Need” with its neatly drifting vocoder touches. On the album's second half we go from the synth bass groove, darting key twinkle, and snap beat detail of “Hunting”. Though to the more quirky ‘n’ funky instrument track “Green and Red”  where upfront electro beat march meets bending ‘n’ bowing synth tones, and towards end skittering electro steel drums.  On the whole, it’s not a bad bow-out record from the project, and it is a pity they didn’t carry on after this.

Finally, we have the fifteen-track CD B-Sides / Edits / Extended Versions, which pretty much does what it says on the tin. The disc starts off with shorter single edits of album tracks, then ten B sides, finishing off with two extended remix versions of album tracks. And there are a few gems with the B sides, we have the roaming 80’s bass meets rising keys & guitars of “She’s A Magazine”. The tight clip-clopping beats, meaty synth bass stabs, and darting guitar tones of “Twelfth House”.  Or the wavering synth haze to dramatic stabbing keys meets hissing beats instrumental of “The Office”.

Before this collection, I wasn't aware name New Musik, so clearly they had been somewhat lost/forgotten due to the more high profile/ known names within the 80’s synth-pop/ new wave genres. They certainly knew how to both write good, and often memorable fare. As well as being able to add in interest but subtle experimental/ quirky touches to their sound. So in conclusion, if you enjoy where synth-pop & New wave meet- this boxset will be something you’ll be wanting to put in your collection.