Dark Entries Records has been doing the Lord’s work by re-issuing impossibly rare recordings by late 70s and early 80s UK experimental/post-punk/electronic artists like the great Eric Random, Solid Space, Thomas Leer, and now the debut single by the late Scottish musician, Robert Rental. Paralysis was originally a self-released two song 7” in 1978 and Dark Entries has expanded it with three unreleased tracks and made it into a 12”. This has long been one of my favorite DIY UK singles with its mix of 70’s Krautrock and experimental all filtered through the DIY punk perspective. Recorded on 4- track at home, Robert used an EDP Wasp synthesizer, a distorted Stylophone, drum machine, Electro-Harmonix Dr Q envelope filter, and his soft vocals to create beautiful industrial pop music that still sounds modern some 40 years later. Rental later teamed up the Normal [aka Daniel Miller] for a tour opening for Stiff Little Fingers and apparently went over as well as you would expect, recorded some demos, released a 7” on Mute, and the classic The Bridge lp with Thomas Leer on Industrial Records, before vanishing from music. Hopefully he will find a new audience with this nicely done reissue - and if you are listening Dark Entries, a reissue of the Mental Detentions tape would be most welcome. 

robertrental.bandcamp.com