The late 1970s and early 1980s yielded a fresh crop in the world of developing sounds — the rise of synth music and its eerie yet captivating impression felt new and futuristic to listeners. Over 40 years have passed since this experimental era hit the ground running, and diving deep into its roots can feel overwhelming.
Do not fret; KCPR has you covered with a guide to essential new-wave artists who shaped this genre. Below are detailed descriptions of musicians and their backgrounds that will lead you to slip down the synth music rabbit hole.
Kraftwerk
Discussion of synth music is incomplete without mention of Kraftwerk, the German pioneers who helped bring electronic new wave music to the mainstream.
It was Kraftwerk’s use of synthesizers in their fourth studio album, “Autobahn,” that began heavily influencing artists of the time. The LP features a 22-minute electronic odyssey of a track that captures the sounds and feel of the German highway.
Their later release “Trans-Europe Express” in 1977 furthered their electronic sound, leaving experimentation with synthesizers behind for a finely polished album, the self-titled track indicating this shift.
The band continued its eerie electronic sound in the 1978 album, “The Man-Machine,” where Kraftwerk embraced their post-human persona by looking and performing like robots. The release of the group’s highly acclaimed album “Computer World” marked a significant milestone in the members’ careers. As Apple Music noted, their “quest to become one with their machines was pretty much complete.”
Being a band of few lyrics, Kraftwerk’s discography is more than a collection of words and sounds. It feels like an experience; their music acts as a portal for anyone to enter the world of new wave and synth-pop.
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is the product of a punk rocker stumbling upon a synthesizer. In the late 1970s, Numan of the Tubeway Army discovered a synthesizer in the studio upon recording their first punk album. This unexpected discovery prompted Numan to add sudden changes to their self-titled album, introducing synth to the group according to Moog Music.
A year following the release of “Tubeway Army” and Numan’s chance encounter, he released the iconic solo album “The Pleasure Principle,” where synth sounds were not just add-ins, but taking the spotlight.
The first track, “Airlane,” sets the stage with its absence of lyrics, showcasing the LP’s general sound and Numan’s synthesizer skills. The album sounds like something out of our realm, especially for its release year of 1979.
The lyrics dive heavily into the relationship between humans and technology, with a simple story of a robot’s longing for feelings bringing forward a conversation about what happens to artificial intelligence after all living things have passed. The songs throughout the album are delivered with beats that are haunting — yet joyful — that match Numan’s lyrics.
The groovy classic song “Cars” put Numan on the map, while tracks like “Metal,” “Complex” and “Films” exhibit his step beyond a one-hit wonder status.
Joy Division/New Order
In Joy Division’s second and final studio album, “Closer,” the post-punk band included synth in songs such as the head-banging track “Isolation” as well as the dark wave song “Decades.” Also featuring the synthesizer is their chart-climbing single, “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” which has remained a staple in the new wave world.
The tragic passing of Joy Division’s frontman Ian Curtis halted the emergence of the band, as the remaining members reformed under the name New Order.
Transitioning from Joy Division to the image of New Order, the band displayed their sound with the release “Blue Monday,” which is considered a quintessential synth track by fans. Coming from a post-punk band, New Order completely switches it up with a rhythmic techno single perfectly orchestrated for a weekend club night. It is also worth noting that the eerie gospel voices heard in the track is a sample from Kraftwerk’s song “Uranium.”
Released just a couple of months later, New Order’s 1983 LP, “Power Corruption and Lies,” mixes upbeat tracks like “Age of Consent” and “The Village” with introspective pieces including “Your Silent Face,” which touches on Curtis’ death. The expressive sounds and lyricism of “Leave Me Alone” bring the album to a close, and beyond that, the track acts as a ballad of endings.
New Order is known for their different versions of songs and singles, namely “Thieves Like Us” and “True Faith,” which can be found together on the two-disc album “Substance.” Also featured on this compilation album is the “Bizarre Love Triangle – Extended Dance Mix,” which is another classic ‘80s nightclub anthem.
Depeche Mode
The unique lyrics and sound of the Essex band’s 1981 debut album “Speak & Spell” are different from what fans would later hear in subsequent releases.
One of the founding Depeche Mode band members, Vince Clarke, wrote most of the songs as upbeat pop hits like “New Life” and “Just Can’t Get Enough.”
Clarke announced his departure from the band just a month after the debut album was released, as the direction the band was taking was not to his liking. Martin Gore would step up as the songwriter for the group, with fans catching glimpses of his writing in “Speak & Spell,” particularly the edgy track “Tora! Tora! Tora!”
This change led to the band’s signature sound that fused a clash of synth and gothic rock. Throughout the ‘80s, the band would release an album almost every year and proceed to get darker in tone as time went by.
In 1986, Depeche Mode released their heavy industrial rock album “Black Celebration,” featuring gloomy love songs such as “A Question of Lust” and “Shake the Disease.” A year later, they released “Music for the Masses” which would trace back to their roots of pop. Still, there are hints of their grim sound heard in stand-out tracks like the euphoric “Never Let Me Down Again” and the catchy “Strangelove.”
Depeche Mode’s dark journey accumulated to what fans might say is their best album, the 1990 release “Violator,” which features their most acclaimed song with the danceable synth-rock track, “Enjoy the Silence.” This record is the band’s benchmark album, with hits like the haunting rock song “Personal Jesus” as well as the funky synth-pop track “Policy of Truth” and a beautiful album cover from Anton Corbijn as the cherry on top.
Violator’s success sparked the band’s cult following, which even a day after its release, brought an overwhelming fan turnout to a meet and greet in Los Angeles. The 17,000-person crowd alone was a clear testament to synth-pop’s popularity and longevity.
