Welcome To Techno City 1983-1985

Description

Pursuing his long and highly respected series for Ace, extending year by year since the germination of his 1966 volume for Ace and Faber Books, Jon Savage offers us another of his spectacular perspectives on popular culture, this time for the years 1983 to 1985.
Born from the ashes of post-punk, many experimental singles emerged in the early part of this period: "Swimming Horses" by Siouxsie, "Lined Up" by Shriekback, "Heat" by Soft Cell, "Gods Will" by Echo & The Bunnymen. Be Gods' and 'Girl Afraid' by the Smiths – a perfect scenario for a kitchen sink. Pete Shelley and Scritti Politti took the electronic route with much effect, while the Special AKA delivered the perfect response to "Hard Times" and had fun with unemployment with the underrated "Bright Lights."
But by the end of 1984, the real action throughout this period was found in electronic, black American, and club music: whether it was the metal beat of "Looking From A Hilltop" by Section 25, the daffy hi-NRG Eurobelter "Living On Video" by Trans-X, the pure electro "Disagging Act" by Shalamar, or the new sounds coming from Sugarhill and Tommy Boy – Grandmaster Flash, Double Dee and Steinski, and the sampled Malcolm X.
This compilation starts in the mainstream and ends in the underground. It was the classic era of the 80s, before all the downsides of the political project of the New Right were revealed – even though all the signs were there – but the sparkling pop masked a nostalgia that concealed the beginnings of social and subcultural collapse. The tribes were at war, wearing clothes from pop's past, a dizzying phenomenon that pillaged the 50s and 60s in a costumed drama of confrontation and dislocation.
As always, Jon reports on the heart of the action and provides both frontline reporting and an academic insight. Play loud and enjoy the journey.