Parade Ground - The Hidden Side [Dark Entries]

Parade Ground returns to Dark Entries with The Hidden Side, a compilation of B-sides and unreleased material. Brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly formed Parade Ground in Brussels in 1981. Their Dada-infused post-punk style fused energetic drum machines and cold synthesizers with minimalist guitar riffs and Jean-Marc’s distinctive, powerful vocals, pioneering the subgenre of emotional body music (EBM). The brothers met Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys of Front 242 in 1982, marking the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration.

In 2011, Dark Entries released The Golden Years, a compilation documenting the band’s A-sides and introducing them to a new generation of EBM enthusiasts. The Hidden Side continues this mission, illuminating lesser-known facets of the band’s work. The included tracks were written between 1982 and 1989, showcasing Parade Ground’s variety of styles, all with a cold, dark, and melancholic tone. Songs like "Riddle in the Stain Glass Window" and the unreleased "Looking Through Keyholes" show the band in menacing coldwave mode, with chorus-laden basslines and analog synth blasts.

The band’s more danceable inclinations shine on other pieces, such as “Off-Balance” or the tremendously funky “Hollywood (The Sexiest Fish),” a floor-filler driven by bass and digital drum machine hits. Also included is "Marble Mind," an unreleased track from the band’s later period recorded by Patrick Codenys at Studio 242.

The Hidden Side includes liner notes with lyrics and a photo of Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly. Additionally, a newly remastered edition of The Golden Years will be released alongside The Hidden Side.