Musik Music Musique 1980 The Dawn Of Synth Pop

Description

As the dust settles after the explosion of punk rock, countless new genres began to solidify and merge. The main one, in a category of its own, was Synth Pop – an appropriate descriptive umbrella for the new electronic pop sound that had emerged over the previous two years. Originally considered a novelty, or perhaps the eccentric sound of a lab technician, 1980 saw Synth Pop shed its stigma and become the most vital, modern, and energetic musical movement on the planet. From optimistic disco evolutions to icy post-punk expressions, dance floors, record racks, and music press quickly filled with unusual and futuristic new artists, many of whom found homes with major labels, far from the independent DIY aesthetic that had predominated. 'Musik Music Musique' captures a snapshot of this pivotal moment in music. Independent novelties and curiosities sit alongside big-budget pop perfection. Artists who would eventually sell millions take their first steps in this new landscape while others make the briefest contributions before the wave passes. For every human league too cool for school, there’s a Yello so far away. For every Kim Wilde, there’s a Kevin Harrison. In retrospect, the speed at which these new instruments and production techniques were absorbed by such a variety of artists is astonishing and perplexing. Not to be confused with so many budget synth-pop releases by the numbers, 'Musik Music Musique' is an essential and insightful collection of a unique place and time in the musical timeline. In less than a year, electronic pop was the rule rather than the exception, but for now, it was as avant-garde and unknown as anything heard since Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville first unveiled his Phonautograph in 1857.