Smooth Sailing: Summer Synth- & Sophisti Pop
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“Some of the sound’s hallmarks are jazzy chord changes, air-tight drums, splashy synth melodies, high-sheen production, and a decidedly non-rockist embrace of everything from slow-jam R&B to Brazilian music and ‘50s film scores.”(Jim Allen/Discogs)
One of the tracks is from The Dream Academy. The self-titled debut album from the art-school trio led by lead singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes was produced by him and David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). The band used lush string arrangements and multi-layered vocals to create a unique, sixties style sound. It worked to best effect on their hit Life In A Northern Town with its nostalgic lyrics and references to Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and The Walker Brothers (Make It Easy On Yourself). The song was written as an elegy to British folk singer Nick Drake, who died of an anti-depression overdose in 1974. The single's record sleeve included a dedication to him. Life In A Northern Town reached number 7 on the American Billboard Hot 100 in February 1986. Its memorable chant-like hook was later used in Sunchyme by Dario G.
I like the title Fade To Grey by New Romantics Visage a lot, it is almost philosophical. On the one hand it refers to the fact that we all are getting older and on the other hand it is about falling into everyday boredom at some point in our lives. The track is on the new Demon compilation Rusty Egan Presents…Blitzed! Rusty Egan was a co-founder of Visage and the main dj in famous extravagant club The Blitz in London, where a young Boy George ran the cloakroom and Spandau Ballet played their first gig.
The song by The Passions about recalcitrant German actor Klaus Kinski is from the compilation Heaven Sent - The Rise Of New Pop 1979-1983, out on Cherry Red Records. The architect of new pop was NME journalist and co-founder of record label ZTT, Paul Morley. According to him, ‘New Pop’ was any forward-thinking British music of the early 1980s that was anti-establishment in outlook and not ‘rockist’ (macho men with guitars) or clearly punky. Most of them looked up to innovative artists like David Bowie, Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder. The nail in the coffin became Sigue Sigue Sputnik, a very ambitious, but complete empty synth-project in the mid-eighties.
Tracklist:
Zimmer90 – Summer Rain (2023)
The Painted Word – The Reason Why I’m Alive (1989)
The Blue Nile – Tinseltown In The Rain (1984)
The Dream Academy – Life In A Northern Town (1985)
Andy Pawlak – Secrets (1989)
Aztec Camera – Somewhere In My Heart (1987)
Wang Chung – Dance Hall Days (1983)
Omega Sunrise – Heartbreaker (1985)
Scritti Politti Feat. Roger – Boom! There She Was (1988)
Alan Gorrie – Up (1985)
Twin Image – Love Lesson (1984)
Sade – Hang On To Your Love (1984)
China Crisis – King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up) (1985)
Weekend – Summerdays (1982)
Fantastic Something – If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain) (1983)
Everything But The Girl – When All's Well (1985)
The Passions – I'm In Love With A German Film Star (1981)
Visage – Fade To Grey (1980)
ABC – Think Again (1987)
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