A limited edition single-sided EP of the same name was also released in 1982 by Recommended Records and given free to advance subscribers of the double album.

Writing in a review at AllMusic, William Tilland noted that because of Recommended Records' non-commercial stance and the diverse styles of music on this sampler, listening to it "can be challenging" to the uninitiated.

[1] He said its highlights include the pieces by Belgian neo-classical gothic groups Art Zoyd and Univers Zero, and called the Aksak Maboul / Honeymoon Killers track, "a fine example of European chamber rock".

Tilland named Heiner Goebbels' "Berlin – Kudamm 12 April 1981", which concerns a street riot, "the single most unusual" track in the collection.

[1] Tilland did, however, question including single tracks by lo-fi artists R. Stevie Moore and Hector Zazou as he felt it did not give them the exposure they deserved.