Musik Music Musique-1980: Dawn of Synth Pop (3-CD)

by Various Artists

As the dust settled following the punk rock explosion, countless new genres began to solidify and coalesce. Chief among these, in a field of its own, was Synth Pop;a suitably descriptive umbrella for the new electronic pop sound which had emerged over the previous couple of years.

Originally considered a novelty, or perhaps the eccentric sound of the laboratory technician, 1980 saw Synth Pop shake off the stigma and become the most vital, modern and energetic musical movement on the planet. From upbeat disco evolutions to ice cold post-punk expressions, dancefloors, record racks and the music press soon filled with unusual and futuristic new artists, many of whom found homes with major labels, a long way from the independent DIY aesthetic which predominated.

‘Musik Music Musique’ captures a snapshot of this milestone moment in music. Independent novelties and curiosities sit alongside big budget pop perfection. Artists who would go on to sell millions take their first steps into this new landscape whilst others make the briefest contribution before the wave moves on. For every too-cool-for-school Human League there is a so-far-out-it’s-in Yello. For every Kim Wilde a Kevin Harrison. In retrospect, the speed at which these new instruments and production techniques were absorbed by such a variety of artists astounds and confounds.

Not to be confused with so many synth-pop-by-numbers budget releases, ‘Musik Music Musique’ is an essential and insightful compendium of a place and time unique in musical chronology. Within a year, electronic pop was the rule rather than the exception, but for now it was as cutting edge and unfamiliar as anything heard since Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville first unveiled his Phonautograph in 1857.

• CD set exploring the arrival of synth pop and the dawn of a new musical era.
• 58 tracks marking the transition of electronic pop from the outer reaches of eccentricity and novelty to the very heart of a musical mainstream it would quickly dominate.
• A treasure trove of household names;ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, ULTRAVOX, TOYAH, SPANDAU BALLET, KIM WILDE, PHILIP LYNOTT, THE BUGGLES;AND UNDERGROUND FIGUREHEADS;FAD GADGET, SUICIDE, M, JOHN FOXX, D.A.F., DALEK I LOVE YOU, VISAGE, THE RESIDENTS, YELLO;alongside forgotten gems and lesser-known curios.
• Brought to you by the team behind the critical and commercial hits ‘Close to the Noise Floor’ and ‘Electrical Language’!
• Sleevenotes by ‘Electronic Sound’ magazine’s Mat Smith