The Freeze: In Colour

Not the hardcore band from Cape Cod.  The Freeze come from the darker side of the Edinburgh post-punk scene.  They formed in 1976 and released this debut 3 song EP, "In Colour" in 1979.  This is dark shit.  At a first glance The Freeze operates in the same intellectual art-punk arena of the late 70's that bands like Wire dominated.  But there is something more that The Freeze have to offer here, and it really develops lyrically.  The first revelation should come about a few minutes into "Psychodalek Nightmares".  What is this?  It sounds like Syd Barrett stepped in somewhere between "Pink Flag" and "Chairs Missing" to record this psychedelic punk weirdness.  A few listens will reveal the lyrical content of this EP to be uncomfortably close to home.  REALLY GOOD.

Here

Various Artists: Somewhere Outside

In 1983 the Irmgardz label released this compilation of dark, cold minimal synth and post-punk from Denmark.  Standout track is definitely "Island" by Naeste Uges TV, which sounds like a bending, detuned New Order remix of a Pale Saints song with too-cool Joe Strummer-ish vocals to keep it rough.  For real.  Honestly every contribution on here is great, think of it as Denmark's "No New York" equivalent.

Here