New Wave was inherently eccentric. The artists didn't look or sound like traditional rock stars, which was precisely the point.

Elias slid the box out. It was heavy. He used his keyring to slice the tape. Inside, nestled between sheets of ancient newspaper, was a stack of plain black sleeves. No artwork. No labels. Just a single strip of white Dymo tape on the spine of each one.

The tracklist features songs that capture the raw, experimental, and playful spirit of proto-new wave:

Elias sat back, closing his eyes, letting the sound wash over him. He waited for the verse.