Electronic music recommendations?

BMU

I'm in the strange bipolar category where, after metal-based genres, my favourite music seems to be synthesizer based. My first big musical love was Duran Duran, the next was Slayer. I've been messed up for life.

Anyway... the problem with most synth music is it's too repetitive. I guess the dance root shows. Even alternative industrial or EBM type stuff is often very repetitive. The small number of bands I really like are Apoptygma Berzerk, Imogen Heap and Birthday Massacre. Basically synthpop or synthrock. I've looked up "similar artists" without much success.

So I figure asking guitarists this question might give interesting results: give me your synth-based band recommendations. (After poking fun at my Duran fetish of course, no self-respecting guitar forum could let that one pass. ? ) Preferably stuff from the last decade, the newer the better. I'm not yearning for a nostalgic trip back to the 80's!

NorioDS

Give last.fm a shot and see if their "artists like this" feature helps. Has helped me find some awesome music in the past! Stuff I wouldn't have listened to otherwise ?

AlanRatcliffe

BMU wrote Preferably stuff from the last decade, the newer the better. I'm not yearning for a nostalgic trip back to the 80's!

Ah, you're missing out on all the wonderful suggestions I could have made then... In fact, some of the most innovative synth based artists of the '70s and '80s still haven't been surpassed, IMO. Although very little of the really good stuff could be described as pop.

Of the newer artists, Bjork often impresses me. Far from pop though. Imogen Heap has her moments (usually when she reminds me of Laurie Anderson, who I love), but often a bit too much autotune pop for me.

The Gomez CD In Our Gun is a nice seamless integration between rock and synths/loops (slick production).

Wizard

Alan Ratcliffe wrote ... but often a bit too much autotune pop for me.

And what exactly is "autotune pop" ?

Tauriq

The likes of T-Pain and other "artists" who use software to change their voice when they sing. Jay-Z actually did a whole song denouncing it. ?

There are actually a few bands that do both if I'm not mistaken. Not quite Metal though. Enter Shikari is one I've heard of. Not sure if that's what you're into?

giggsy

Yeah, Enter Shikari and Idiot Pilot are two bands that I have that kind of mix metal/rock guitars with synths. Works in some places.

matta

Check out Owl City & The Postal Service, I think you will enjoy them both...

Cheers

Matt

AlanRatcliffe

Wizard wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote ... but often a bit too much autotune pop for me.
And what exactly is "autotune pop" ?

Every generation has a "must have" effect that dates it in later years Auto-tune is ours.

Antares Auto-tune is a piece of software/hardware created to correct pitch in instruments and voice. It can also be used to create the "Cher effect" (so called from the Cher song Believe). The pitch shift creates a weird effect on the formant of a voice when it shifts more than a few semitones from the source or is set too respond too quickly, eliminating the voice's natural portamento (the sliding between notes), and making the sound almost vocoded.

The trouble is, everyone in pop is using it as an effect and it's been severely overused. It's instantly recognisable.

[deleted]

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Imogen Heap has her moments (usually when she reminds me of Laurie Anderson, who I love), but often a bit too much autotune pop for me.

Details is a fine, fine album. Some great songs on there, regardless.

I second the call for The Postal Service...

BMU

Thanks for the suggestions all. I'll check out all those artists.

Last.fm - I've tried that but will again. The main problem may just be that I'm ridiculously picky!

Re. Imogen Heap - the previous album (Speak for yourself) is a work of genius imo. That's exactly the kind of complex, multi-layered sequencing I'm after. The brand new one (Ellipse) seems very bland in comparison. I'll check out her older stuff with Frou Frou.

Oh and I have to ask - which 80s artists? ?

AlanRatcliffe

BMU wrote Oh and I have to ask - which 80s artists? ?

Oh good - you bit. ?

For synth pop, Thomas Dolby, Eurythmics, Yazoo, Talk Talk, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, Howard Jones, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and Japan spring immediately to mind. Yello, Simple Minds, ABC, Flock Of Seagulls and Art of Noise had their moments.

Others a bit more off the pop track like Tangerine Dream (did a lot of film soundtracks, but closer to Jean Michel Jarre than pop) the completely unique Laurie Anderson (Specifically Mr Heartbreak - also features some fine guitaring by Adrian Belew), Frank Zappa (Jazz from Hell is mind boggling). On the classical side, Walter (later Wendy) Carlos and Isao Tomita.

...hard to believe I was a die-hard rocker through the '80s innit? My stint in cover bands mid to late '80s kind of familiarised me with a lot of it and the good stuff tended to be a welcome relief from all the Men Without Hats, Bananarama and the like...

BTW - Am I the only person in the world who remembers Max Headroom?

Wizard

I loved Eurythmics (sweet dreams); yazoo; tears for fears; gary numan ... am I showing my age yet?

Squonk

I was huge anti 80's person
Just think of climie fisher, Starship "we built this city..."

Some good electronic music from the 80's
Human League(before the "Dare Album") they split away group was quite good Heaven 17 , had a good album called "penthouse and pavement"
John Foxx who was the original main man in Ultravox before Midge Ure made them a bit more "Poppy"
New Order, remember "Blue Monday"
Cabaret Voltaire
The KLF
And dont Forget BRIAN ENO who made some wonderful Ambient Albums

BMU

"Thomas Dolby, Eurythmics, Yazoo, Talk Talk, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, Howard Jones, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and Japan"
I have passing familiarity with all those, being a child of the 80s myself. Maybe I'll them a closer listen. Yazoo I know pretty well, very good.

Oh I remembered another new artist I can recommend: Ladyhawke. The album is 2/3 years old, 80s sound but with modern* production values. Very very good.

* Edited

WantzChas

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Bjork often impresses me.

Her music videos is some of the weirdest ever.

[deleted]

OK, had a chance to think... Some of the best electronic or electronically infused music to come out in the last decade, for me, is: Idiot Pilot, No Wow, Grand National, Husky Rescue, Goldfrapp, Le Tigre, Clor, Fischerspooner and The Faint. Check them out, if you haven't already - well worth investigating.

[deleted]

Oops, meant to say The Kills, not No Wow...

BMU

@ Stratisfear: good stuff thanks, I haven't heard of any of those. I'll check 'em out.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Stratisfear wrote Oops, meant to say The Kills, not No Wow...

The Kills are fantastic... got a little crush on Alison Mosshart for that voice of hers... used to even better effect in The Dead Weather (my album of the year btw).

Garth-S

matta wrote Check out Owl City & The Postal Service, I think you will enjoy them both...

I really think Owl City is great! You have to give it a listen. That guy's lyrics are incredible, and the music has a really "fun" sound.