Sleeve Notes: Feeling the Cold Wave

Discovering amazing new music is always a pleasure, but discovering what sounds like new music from three decades ago is a bonus thrill. The record I've been listening to most over the last few months is Cold Waves and Minimal Electronics Vol 1, out this week on Angular Records. It's a collection of early-80s post-punk acts from across Europe (and beyond) who were among the first to make music with the synths affordable at that time. I couldn't believe these artists had been ignored by pop history for so long: not only were they in full command of big, dancefloor-bashing choruses (check out Eleven Pond's Watching Trees ) but you can hear their influence in the music of – to name just a few – Ladytron, the Faint, Fischerspooner and Cold Cave. I spoke to Angular's Joe Daniel for our Music Weekly podcast about how he stumbled on this icy, synth-pop treasure trove. I also had a moving chat with Lidia the Rose from Amsterdam-based band Nine Circles. She thought they had been forgotten until last year, when her son Googled her. Now, years after she stopped making music (the band broke up after failing to find fame, so she adopted seven children instead!), Lidia is writing new songs and has returned to performing. Not with her old partner Peter, though. As she says, "His wife won't let him!" Five things we learned this week Iron Maiden make for better, retina-scorching, rock'n'roll theatre than JLS prancing around with Mr Blobby Nick Kent and Julie Burchill are secretly the same person The indiest event of all time is back! (PS – Did you know a Bowlie was a bowl-cut popular with fey Glaswegians? You do now) Musicians should always play their hits. No they shouldn't. Yes they should. OK, we give up! It's OK to cry at gigs. No it's not. Yes it is. OK, we give up. Again. Exclusive download: Plan B's Darkest Place I've got a real soft spot for the new Plan B album, in which the gritty East End rapper reinvents himself as a blue-eyed soul boy. Not everyone agrees with me, and we've been arguing over Ben Drew's merits on the music desk all week. Maybe you can settle the fight for us before Rosie Swash throws a cup of green tea over me – just download the track for free and let us know what you think. Paul Morley gets jazzy Someone send this link to Howard Moon! The Observer music critic continues his adventures in futuristic pop journalism with a journey to the heart of modern jazz. Featuring Polar Bear, John Surman and Jerry Dammers, not to mention some fancy interwebby stuff. Breaking news: The Guardian music Twitter has announced this morning that it is actively seeking more followers