Carmody

Carmody were an Italian minimal wave group who formed in Torino in 1981. Typical of underground synthesizer-driven acts from that era, the group’s music combined sparse, cold electronic rhythms with vocals expressing feelings of longing and isolation. Originally a duo consisting of Alberto Ramella and Andrea Lesmo (both former members of Teknospray), they expanded to a trio with the addition of guitarist Max Casacci. The band only recorded three demo tapes between 1981 and 1985 before disbanding; Lesmo later joined Celtic rock group LabGraal in the ’90s, while Casacci formed electronic rock group Subsonica and established a label and recording studio called Casasonica. In 2009, German label Anna Logue Records released A Better Spider, a CD compilation of the group’s material, and their first proper release. Numerous Carmody tracks subsequently appeared on ’80s new wave/minimal synth compilations, and Mannequin released Sleep on Mirrors: The 1981-1985 Tapes, the group’s first vinyl release, in 2015. ~ Paul Simpson