Cold wave is a loosely defined music genre that emerged in Europe in the late 1970s, characterized by its detached lyrical tone, use of early electronic music instruments and a minimalist approach and style. It emerged from punk rock bands who, influenced by early electronic groups such as Kraftwerk, made use of affordable portable synthesizers such as the Korg MS-20. The term can also refer to music otherwise described as "dark wave", "goth", "deathrock", "minimal wave" or "minimal synth". Characteristics "Cold wave" is a loose descriptor, derived from "new wave", that was originally reserved for a collection of punk and electronic styles from the 1970s. The scope of the genre has evolved continuously throughout its history. Writing in his 2018 book Popmusik in Zeiten der Digitalisierung, Robert Selfert notes that the term is "controversial" among dedicated fans who debate its definition and epoch in relation to numerous alternative terms. The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music (2014) offers that the term is an early synonym for what was later termed "dark wave", "goth", and "deathrock". According to Treblezine contributor Jeff Terich, in later years, "cold wave" was subsumed under the retrospective labels "minimal wave" or "minimal synth". According to Tom Watson of Crack magazine, "the collective sound [of cold wave] was controlled yet ‘colder’ than that of their snotty predecessors – punk, with a depressive groove." Watson also identified "less guitar work, more analogue experimentation, militant rhythm sections and, above all else, a vehemently do-it-yourself attitude" as a part of cold wave's shared ideology. The Guardians Louis Pattison has stated that during the 1980s French cold wave bands such as Les Provisoires and Asylum Party "started playing gloomy post-punk in their native tongue, inspired by the icy guitars and studio-produced drum sounds pioneered by Factory Records producer Martin Hannett." History Origins (1970s and 1980s) The term "cold wave" appeared in the 26 November 1977 issue of UK weekly music paper Sounds. The caption of its cover picture, showing Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider was "New musick: The cold wave". That year, Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express. The term was repeated the following week in Sounds by journalist Vivien Goldman, in an article about Siouxsie and the Banshees. In 1977, Siouxsie and the Banshees described their music as "cold, machine-like and passionate at the same time", and Sounds magazine prophecised about the band: "[they] sound like a 21st century industrial plant [...]