The Driods - The Force

Another strange French synthpop band from 1977

not much is known about them, except that they should sue Daft Punk. Or perhaps they ARE Daft Punk, as rumoured...

The Garland Cult - Generartions of Love

A video from The Garland Cult ---a special single of Boy George's 'Jesus Loves You' siingle, "Generations of Love (Return of GO'D Mix)


The song will be available for FREE DOWNLOAD at:

http://www.boygeorgeuk.com

Glory Be! Spandau is back :-)

And to remind you of those glorious days of shoulder pads and make up (and that was just the guys!)

righeira - no tengo dinero

A visitor submitted winner today from William Bosch


A Live version


This should not be confused (at least I don't think so) with the Los Umbrellos song. They are Swedish Evidently




Righeira had another hit - Vamos A La Playa - which I always thought was Mecano.


And last- a few years later the band had gone all Hollywood. Sigh, the innocence of 1982 was rpelaced by the day glo of 1986

Return of the Ninja Droids - Desert Planet

uh, yeah :-)!




bonus video -
From Empire State Human's blog
"Finally, with the completion of the "Melancholic Afro" remix competition at Laptop Rockers, there is a bootleg video up on You Tube of one of the remixes ... check it out"

Filthy Dukes- This Rythym

Mix New Order, Bloc Party and some good old fashioned NYC club music and you get the Filthy Dukes.

Great stuff




It comes from the labum Nonesense in the Dark, not out in the US ... yet.
So I guesss folks in the US will have to track it down and steal it.

Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc, Guy Boratto Mix

Take a listen before EMI pulls it folks



and another - Kurd Maverick mix



And yet another



and another



and yet another


And yes, another

Rename - The Hack

Here is a story - A Different Drum decided to release this song only on 7", bu t within a few days of release it was , ahem, hacked, and posted as an mp3f file. Cool song, regardless. You can also watch the video and place an order for the autographed 7-inch vinyl here (ONLY $4) here :

http://www.adifferentdrum.com/artist.php?n=ADDWAX2

Koto - Jabdah

Italian wackiness or sheer genius? You decide. Koto was a big synth guy in the 1980s, this is a cash in on Star Wars (he is meant to be in Jedi robes, not Karate!)
From Wikipedia:
"Koto is an Italian synth pop group that originally consisted of Anfrando Maiola and Stefano Cundari. Their most popular songs were "Visitors", "Dragon's Legend", "Chinese Revenge" and "Jabdah", released in 1983-1988. Koto is often associated with a genre of music called Spacesynth, a music style streamed from Space Disco. Unfortunately, it has been reported that Stefano Cundari died some time between 1991 and 1992 from a brain tumor."

Bonus video for humpday- Phil Oakey and the Pet Shop Boys

Get over 2 hours of synthpop for under $6

Electrosquad - Envy

Here's a classic video, well made. The band broke up but now one member has released material as Space March.



Buy CDs for Spacemarch at A Different Drum

iTunes
-Spacemarch

-Electrosquad




Amazon has Espionage

Primary Sources- Hot Butter "Popcorn"

Let's go wayyyy back to the first synthpop song most people heard and clearly one of the first electronic top 40 hits, back in 1972!


Here is an updated version from Marsheaux


Of course nothing is ever simple, in doing research I found that Hot Butter was not the first "band" to record the song. Here is what Wikipedia has to say
"Composer Gershon Kingsley (of Perrey and Kingsley) first recorded it for his 1969 album Music to Moog By. In 1971 the song was re-recorded by Kingsley's band First Moog Quartet. Stan Free, member of the First Moog Quartet, rerecorded the instrumental with his band Hot Butter in 1972. "

A Different Drum has the CD with Marsheaux's version.


Also there seems to be a verison by Crazy Frog, here is one band's interpretation....


And the "original" crazy frog


ok, that's enough....

Amazon has the Moog soundtrack, worht picking up and not just for the Hot Butter version of Popcorn

Little Boots - New In Town (Fred Falke Mix)

Littel Boots has been getting mad press in the UK, she even recorded a song with Phil Oakey of the Human League!
I found this remix and really like her style, a sort of more modern sounding ladyhawke imho.



iTunes has an EP up (but not with this song on it:
The EP sounds much more synthy btw.

Name Change?

Hi
I am thinking of changing the name of this blog so that I can post things like news and MP3s of synthpop not just videos.

Any ideas?

weekend : Simian Mobile Disco / Grace Jones

I normally don;t like to post "still videos" but you tube has alots of them that are for good music, so this weekend a change a little.

First up is SMD- 10000Horses Can;t Be Wrong - I imagine this is what the BEF or eraly Human League would have sounded like in 1979 if they had the equipment they have today. Totally cool electronics here



And then some Grace Jones. If youhave to ask how Grace Jones is synthpop exactly, then go back and check out her cover of "Warm Leatherette" (or see it below)

This remix ofa track from her new album Hurricane is just awesome. Can't wait for the US release. Right folks?

object width="425" height="344">


and here's a primer for those who are familiar with Grace Jones:
The synthpop


The Hit

Empire State Human "Audio Gothic"

In celebration of the imminent release of their new album, here is a video to an edit (the album version has a very cool intro) of the title track to the new Empire State Human album "Audio Gothic". It is out April 14th 2009



Hey! And also just announced (what a remarkable coincidence) - you can pre order the album and get a cool t shirt too:
(here is a paste up of the design >>>>>>)

This package deal is limited to 50 copies and will be shipped before April 14th.
Please tell us if you want large or X large shirts.

CD & T Shirt is $22 for US/Canada/Mexico
$33 overseas airmail.

Order before April 1 and we'll include the new album by Figaro (a side project from ESH lead singer Aidan Casserly).

North American order use this button (paypal takes credit cards as well)

US Orders for AUdio Gothic pkg

Overseas Airmail use this button:

Airmail Orders for AUdio Gothic pkg

West End Girls "Little Black Dress"

OK, last week I featured these gals and wondered about their PSB penned song, and walla, here it is!



Sounds nice, thanks to Daft Monk for finding this....

Depeche Mode

OK, for some reason I can not get into the new Depeche Mode song and really do not like the video. So, today we go old skool for a great clip of the band performing on The Old Grey Whistle Test, MArtin singing one of my all time favorite songs, ever "Somebody."
Why doesn't anyone do this on American Idol already?

B! Machine

One of synthpop's best kept secrets is B! Machine.
If you have a chance to explore one of their albums, please do. B!Machine is the kind of band who really does better as an album, the albums unfold in a way rather then come at you as a series of singles. Beautiful stuff...



A Different Drum has a B!Machine page that will serve all your needs.

"Mad Man's Game" - Synthetik FM featuring Kiss the Star

Well, I had not planned on spotlighting another Ninthwave band, but Bobby from Synthetik sent me this really cool video,so...

175

NASA "Back to Square One"

Full disclosure here - I run Ninthwave Records, and this is from an album that Ninthwave put out, so there. I still love this video and the song...

:-)



5908

Amazon -

West End Girls "Domino Dancing"

ok, yesterday was a snow day here, so no update.
Today comes from Bobby Clark's suggestion, a band that has been a fave of mine for a few years now. Very hard to get their music, but you can probably guess why I like them so much, since they are a "tribute" to the best band ever. There was a rumour that their new album would contain an original penned by Tennent/ Lowe...



West end Girls on Amazon

and in the US we are reduced to this sole song on iTunes

Weekend of Feb 28/March 1 - Space Invaders!!!!!!!!

Röyksopp

Pretty cool little song and really neat video


Happy Up Here from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

Rupesh Cartel "Oh No Oh No!"

Love the song, not sure about the video, lol!!!



find them on iTunes - btw- the Pulse 64 remix is AWESOME!
at A Different Drum

and...on Amazon Rupesh Cartel Releases

Anything Box - "Small"

Another reader suggestion, thanks! Love this video, cute, well done and from a classic synthpop album!



Get the song on the album Elektrodelica
itunes

Amazon:Elektrodelica

Mind blower here....

post-rock // cinematic ambient

Please click play. Then click full screen. Big headphones are recommended, as well. “Anything You Synthesize” comes with a heavyweight cerebral punch, but it’s delivered a on silken aural ether. The American Dollar, a Queens, NY duo, construct experimental ambient sonic explorations with a healthy rock influence. This video, created by the Onesize design studio, turns a cinematic song into an enveloping sensory experience(thx, zimsical)

OK, simply one of the best videos I have seen in a looooong time. You will have to watch it at least twice to really get it. Enlarge to full screen to get best effect.
Thanks to Aurgasm for the lead.

Pet Shop Boys "Love Etc."

A really very good video from the boys here. Not sure that I LOVE the song, but it seems ok. Have not heard the new album, but it is supposed to be good...



UPDATE
Sample the album for yourself!

Saint Etienne - "Method Of Modern Love"

"Only Love Can Break Your Heart"... ahhh, that first sweet single (with a different singer I guess) hooked me for good to St. Etienne. They have a brand new song out.



as a bonus here is "Only Love Can Break your Heart"


Their best album (imho) "Good Humour" on iTunes

they have a new "Best of" called London Conversations out right now in the UK.
Links to amazon.co.uk for the CD (a double CD for only 9 pounds!!!!!- click here

Soviet - Commute

One of the best debut albums ever, no really, was Soviet's "We aRe Eyes, We Are Buidlers." Every song onthat album is a classic, not just synthpop, but of pop music in general.
Here's video to remind you...


itunes link (check out the previously unreleased "Spies on the House of Love" album there too)

Weekend Feb 21-22 Pick - Matt & Kim

Find of the week - Matt & Kim - Twoo Brooklynites who make casio-pop. Too much fun. and their videos are AWESOME> This is from 2006 but hey, better late thna never,

First up - the an awesome remix of "Yeah Yeah"


then the original version of "Yeah Yeah"


Then "Daylight" another great video.


The guy's kinda spaz but better than a shoe gazer!!

iTunes

and

Friday Feb 20 Foxglove Hunt "A Concealed Weapon"

The debut album from Foxglove Hunt is one of the best releases from 2008. The duo is ROnnie from Joy Electric and Robert from Fine China. Here is a promo video the band made:



And as a bonus here is a live version of the song - crummy audio but you can see the band has a good live show!


get the Cd here:


Download it from iTunes

Cosmicity "Sedgewick"

Taken from:
the "Definitive" collection from Cosmicity - greatest hits plus a DVD with this video on it. get it here.


Also today we'll put this one to rest, lol!