In anticipation of the 24 Hour Party People premiere on FRIDAY >edited: that's 8/9 in the US, not 9/8...<, I've been brushing up on and dusting off all the old Factory stuff. [Thanks again to Josh for the heads-up.] An under-appreciated gem of a band is Scotland's The Wake. Formed in 1981, The Wake struck a serene balance between Joy Division's raw articulation and New Order's sometimes antiseptic minimalism. Truly great musicians and song writers in their own right, The Wake featured a young Bobby Gillespie [Primal Scream] on bass for the pivotal mini-LP Harmony.

And thanks to BitBoy for sharing PLEIX with us... that's sick and wonderful stuff :)