Though the ever-amazing Unexplained Sounds Group have an impeccable record when it comes to releases, this one has the feel of a diamond hidden in the mouth of a long-lost corpse.  It’s a gem that should have seen the light of day ages ago, and USG have made things right by publishing this long-forgotten release by The Tapes.  From the USG Bandcamp site:

“”A Touch of Despair” dates back to 1986. It was recorded live on a standard 2-track cassette recorder, using a 4-channel Fostex mixer, the infamous echo unit, a Korg MS-20, and toy instruments like a plastic trumpet. It is undoubtedly the darkest and most industrial work in The Tapes’ production. The cover features a photo of what the musician saw from his bedroom window (where he recorded): the rooftops of industrial factories, with a distant steel mill emitting smoke. Immersed in the music and industrial culture of the time (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, W.S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, W. Gibson, B. Sterling, P.K. Dick), “A Touch of Despair” represents one of the brightest examples of the Italian “tape culture” of the 1980s, as well as a significant testament to creating music that defies the passage of time by experimenting with extremely limited technical means and relying on passion, motivation, and creativity. Reissued on CD in collaboration between the Unexplained Sounds Group and Luce Sia, with mastering by Raffaele Pezzella, the cd features three additional unreleased tracks from the same period when the tracks of “A Touch of Despair” were composed, providing valuable material for enthusiasts of the genre.”