Best New Wave Synth Song

[Quite Life]

Just to make XXX happy I would like to inquire what is the best synth sounding new wave song.


I would add the 50/50 mix of bass and synth
Japan--Halloween

[Bitter Almonds]

I's happy.

Freur's "Doot Doot" is exemplary of everything that is good with synth-driven music. Add to that, NewOrder's extended version of "The Perfect Kiss", which is a 50/50 ratio of synths to cowbell[:D]

[EERO]

John' Foxx's "Underpass" still sends a chill up my spine 25 years on.

What a terrific demented melody.

[hutter]

There are more showy and obscure tunes than this one, but "Are Friend's Electric?" connects to me like no other synth song does. If that makes me "uncool" for picking such a well known song, F*** it, I love it anyways. That's my 2 cents. Now back to the pillage, plunder and rape.

[xthirtyonex]

My fave has got to be Depeche Mode - Master And Servant...SLAVERY WHIP MIX specifically. I spent many a night back in the 80's dancing my ass off to this song! Great memories!

[WolverineSyr]

I love Doot Doot & Are Friends Electric. There's nothing wrong in picking something popular - I'm going to go with Cars from Gary Numan. I love the alienated sound, the electric shock-like beats, those arching synths, the sustained notes - it's everything I think a synth song should be.

Others that aren't new wave, but I love - Freez - IOU & Donna Summer - Now I Need You.

[hutter]

Agree on Donna Summer, wolvie. "I need love" has one of the simplest, yet most hypnotic synth lines around. Shame how "disco" music gets slammed so much, and the worst examples of it used as ammunition (Disco Duck, anyone?). New Wave has a similiar stigma, but for most of us here, we're deep enough (or shallow enough. Whichever works) to not give two shits about what non-NW folks think.

Shit, I'm rambling again...

[Mechi]

New Order's The Perfect Kiss.

Tonight I should have stayed at home, playing with my pleasure zone (?????, OK!!!)

Mercedes

[WolverineSyr]

Thanks Hutter - there is some great synth based dance stuff from the late 70's. I think the later new wave synth groups owe a great debt to those performers.

Some good stuff to check out - thats not too cheesey - Anything by Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer's Once Upon a Time Album has some really sparse/cold synth tracks, Martin Circus, Sylvester, and Munich Machine. Quite a bit of the german stuff relied heavilly on keyboards. Amanda Lear had some good songs - although too often she falls on the side of "cheese."

My newest cool discovery - Black Devil - real dark visionary stuff, maybe 10 or 20 years ahead of themselves with thier use of samples, looped vocals and that cold, cold machine sound - kindof a cross between Giorgio Moroder & Gary Numan.

[Sean]

Sounds Like A Melody - Alphaville

[hutter]

Wolvie: I totally agree with you on Giorgio Moroder. I can't recommend his work enough, and he made Donna Summer the huge success that she was. Sylvester had some great stuff too.

/mutual_admiration_mode_OFF/

[hutter]

Ditto, ElectricLash. Do you get the impression that I love all things synth? [:D]

[avcool4u]

I'm getting that your looking for the best songs to integrate synth with the typical formula - Guitar/Bass/Drums

Quite a few come to mind:
Hello Again - The Cars
99 Red Balloons - Nena
Hold Back The Rain - Duran Duran (and a lot of their songs)
Cars - Gary Numan, also have an appreciation for Are Friends Electric
Everythings Gone Green - New Order

There are so many more. No need to pick a favorite.


-Tobes
Check out my new wave cover band in Western New York:
www.roar84.com

[Sean]

Great list ElectricLash.

[knightoboingo]

I'm partial to "Big Mess" off the Oh, No! It's Devo! album.