What it is, what to hear first, and what sits next to it.
Minimal wave is a genre of electronic music mainly developed during the years 1979-85, especially in France, Belgium and Germany. The genre name was coined in retrospect, making reference to the most electronic and minimal forms of new wave, post-punk, coldwave and synthpop. In its most purely electronic and synth-driven form, it is called minimal synth. The sound of minimal wave is sparse, amateurish, stripped down and lo-fi, using analog synthesizers, drum machines and pre-MIDI electronics. .