"SEND ME AN ANGEL '89" REAL LIFE (1989)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

During high school, I went through a cassette single phase. With no turntable to be found in my house, I resorted to cassettes before finally turning to CDs. Full LP cassettes, cassette singles and mix tapes lined my book shelf. I played some of them over and over again to the point where I can memorize every word, synth flourish and bass line even after not hearing the music for decades. A case in point: Real Life’s “Send Me An Angel ‘89” single.

This remake falls into that late 80’s synth pop resurgence that I wrote about earlier on Mental Jukebox. A movement with so many great songs and moments, but a short movement at that – squashed by the grunge era. To be clear, “Send Me An Angel ‘89” does have a brief guitar solo on it, but it’s the trademark synth riff – together with the angelic chants – that gives the song its new wave sensibility. Make me want to play it on my Casiotone.

“It gets in your eyes. It's making you cry. Don't know what to do. Don't know what to do.”

"SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS" THE POSTAL SERVICE (2003)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

The Postal Service got its name from the way in which they collaborated from different parts of the country, sending each other tapes with early music sketches and ideas. It might not be the best way to collaborate, but it worked wonders here. Led by Death Cab’s Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service only gathered together for one album. But Give Up was a strong showing – and the undisputed anthem is the single, “Such Great Heights”.

With both Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service, Gibbard’s songs have often felt calculated, pensive, yet strangely liberating at the same time. “Such Great Heights” feels like a ticking bomb that could go off at any moment. The smatterings of synth notes and electronic percussion feed into this, but Gibbard’s unusually earnest vocals only create more urgency on the track. “Such Great Heights” takes us to the pinnacle and back.

“And I have to speculate That God Himself did make Us into corresponding shapes Like puzzle pieces from the clay.”

"FENCES" PHOENIX (2009)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

Back in 2009, a second wave of synth pop bands was rising. The bands that were leading the charge were Phoenix and MGMT. Their songs made you dance. They made you feel young again. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix gave me a renewed interest in electronic music once again, like their French countrymen Daft Punk. Their synth lines hovered, floated and soared. They didn’t overpower you. This is sugary pop, not a rock and roll album full of bangers.

You don’t over explain songs like “Fences”. You just have fun with them. But I will say this. Phoenix, with these delicious pop songs, found their own brand of rhythmic hooks, lifting spirits with their pregnant pauses, tempo shifts and clever musical layering. “Fences” changed up the instrumentation in a way that made you feel like you were being ushered from one dance floor to another. This is a track that you can let loose to without rocking out.

“Once remembered now forgotten.”

"BEING BORING" PET SHOP BOYS (1990)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

When done right, the art of engineering paradoxical elements in a song can lead to something incredible. We’ve seen it occur from the post-punk days of Joy Division when Ian Curtis’ baritone vocals crawled underneath Peter Hook’s unusually high bass lines. Or several years later when The Smiths paired Marr’s jangly guitar riffs with Morrissey’s morbid commentary of misery. It happened again in 1990 with Pet Shop Boys’ fan favorite, “Being Boring”.

“Being Boring” is one of my favorite songs from the Pet Shop Boys catalog because of its paradoxical elements, fusing a majestic synthscape with Tenant’s mundane memoir of growing up. The track saw less commercial success than some of their bigger singles in the US, but it was laden with some of Lowe’s most pristine synth riffs and Tenant’s finest lyrics. The song is about a friend of Tenant’s who died of AIDS. It’s about the reflection and change in perspective we may have in hindsight. I consider Please, Actually, Introspective and Behaviour to be one of the finest synth pop album runs in history – and “Being Boring” is arguably their best song.

“We dressed up and fought, then thought: "Make amends". And we were never holding back or worried that time would come to an end.”

"SOUVENIR" OMD (1981)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

OMD will forever be known as a John Hughes-era music staple. They penned one of the most famous 80s movie soundtrack songs, “If You Leave”, and topped it off with plenty more standout tracks like “Dreaming”, “Forever (Live and Die)” and “Secret”. But I think all that Brat Pack-fueled success almost did a disservice to the band. It overshadowed what they accomplished artistically in their first three albums, including Architecture & Morality, a vastly underrated album which contains a fantastic single called “Souvenir”.

Some of the best songs are the ones that envelope us into the ether. They transport us. Anywhere, but where our physical bodies may be. While few people would classify OMD as a post punk band, what they were doing on “Souvenir” was very post-punk in their mentality. The instrumentation was much more nuanced and layered in various synth sounds. And the song conjured up multiple emotional states, including euphoria, indifference and sadness, all in under four minutes. Structurally, it was anything but obvious, substituting a vocal chorus with the signature synth hook.

“My obsession. It's my creation. You'll understand. It's not important now.”

"TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS" PHILIP OAKEY & GIORGIO MORODER (1984)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

Like a Human League song on sonic steroids. Growing up I always thought it was The Human League, and I didn’t know who Giorgio Moroder was until Daft Punk paid homage to him on their Random Access Memories album. And what a shame it is that Giovanni Giorgio Moroder doesn’t receive more acclaim. This man unleashed the power of the synthesizer. He was the one with the vision that saw it as the future of music. There would be no euro disco, synth pop and a key swath of new wave without him. “Together In Electric Dreams” is just as much his song as it’s Philip Oakey’s, if not more.

Oakey’s baritone vocals shine like crystals on the track. Simultaneously weighty and lofty, they give the song its upbeat demeanor together with that feel good melody. But the magic of the song is Moroder. He not only crafts gorgeous synth hooks, he uses it to create guitar-like riffs multiple times throughout the song. Moroder unleashed the synthesizer in ways we weren’t accustomed to hearing it. “Together In Electric Dreams” is much more than just a catchy synth pop song. It’s a foreshadowing of the dual vocal attacks of Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield, the synth chord progressions of early Erasure, and the disco vibes of Daft Punk.

“Because the friendship that you gave has taught me to be brave.”

"1963" NEW ORDER (1987)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

More than the average band, New Order recorded dozens of tracks that never made their way onto their studio releases. “1963” was one of them. This was a song that seemed vastly undervalued by the band at first. But luckily it didn’t stay off the radar for long, despite being the b-side to the bold and brash “True Faith” single. I remember first discovering the song on Long Island’s WDRE (WLIR), which had a healthy habit of playing deep cuts and forgotten tracks. Nearly a decade later, “1963” eventually became a single in its own right. My question for the band is, what took so long?

“1963” was a rare treat for New Order fans like me. A lot of the band’s synth-driven work was either slow-tempo or up-tempo. But this track is as pure mid-tempo as it gets. The highlight for me are the lyrics. This just might be the most well-written song from Sumner. He created a peculiar fictional narrative around J.F.K., Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald. It’s brilliant storytelling. Then, musically, Sumner’s shimmery riffs give way to Gillian Gilbert’s synth grooves that toggle between dreamy and doom.

“I saw hatred in his eyes. But he never meant to hurt me.”

"KIDS" MGMT (2007)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

While synth pop’s hey day is indisputably the eighties, the genre has enjoyed multiple resurgences, including the mid-2000s when bands found new ways to create melodic pop hooks using synthesizers. Some bands rocked a little harder like LCD Soundsystem. Others went more experimental like Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective. Still, others kept the focus on infectious pop melodies, like Phoenix and MGMT. In 2007, there was no song more emblematic of this era than “Kids”.

It seemed like “Kids” was everywhere, becoming an anthem at parties and clubs with its signature synth hook. I still remember the power of that song, especially when it was delivered on giant club speakers. The single came in with an air of carefree optimism at the start of the recession. It was like an escape. Listening back to it now, I’m reminded of the power of music – its ability to change the dynamic and the mood of the room in an instant.

“Take only what you need from it.”

"SOMETHING ABOUT YOU" LEVEL 42 (1985)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

1985 was an absolute banner year for music. Hounds of Love. Brothers in Arms. The Head on the Door. Songs From the Big Chair. Hunting High and Low. No Jacket Required. Psychocandy. Rain Dogs. Meat is Murder. And the list goes on. For a junior high school kid like me, it was a dream. It’s safe to say that my early love for music was significantly shaped by the albums and songs of 1985. Level 42 also made some noise during the same year. They did it with the ubiquitous single, “Something About You”.

Look, I know there’s a pretty sweet guitar solo at the end of the song, but “Something About You” is all about the synthesizers. It’s a synth pop song with some juicy keyboard bits and that badass bass line. The synthesizer hooks us in early, and then uses minimal flourishes to keep things going. But the song is all about the vocals and melody. Maybe this is the greatest compliment I can give this eighties anthem: It’s a song you want to sing along to over and over again.

“Is it so wrong to be human after all?”

"I BEG YOUR PARDON" KON KAN (1989)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

The late 80s were an unusual moment in music history. New alt rock forms were birthed, including the beginnings of some of the most influential rock bands: Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Pixies, just to name a few. The latter is often credited with igniting the grunge era. A little, unknown band called Radiohead also got its start during this time. But what made the late 80’s even more unusual was this really late resurgence of synth pop making its way onto the airwaves — through outfits like When in Rome, Anything Box and Kon Kan. “I Beg Your Pardon” is one of the beautiful by-products of this era.

Let’s be honest. This song was immediately addictive, but by the thousandth listen we were all just about ready to give it up. It starts with a phone ring, as if signaling it’s coming to us with an important message. But the message wasn’t important. “I Beg Your Pardon” was simply a fun, almost meaningless little fling. The beats and synth hooks sounded like a blend between Pet Shop Boys and Anything Box. But then it took samples and weaved them in effortlessly into the melody. At times it was hard to tell what was the sample and what was original. Decades later, “I Beg Your Pardon” hasn’t aged nearly quite as well as some of its synth pop peers, but it remains a prime example of pure, fun nostalgic pop.

“I know now's the time that I went to find something new. You know it's your crime that I'm out to find someone, too.”

"WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY)" INFORMATION SOCIETY (1988)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

I wrote earlier about the synth pop resurgence at the tail end of the 80’s. When In Rome. Anything Box. Kon Kan. Information Society. Each of these bands managed to squeeze in one major synth pop hit. And the latter hit it big with “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” on just about every chart – modern rock, dance, and even the Top 100. I was in high school when this song came out. And I can attest, it was everywhere.

“What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” was the soundtrack of keg parties and pep rallies. It was universally loved by pretty much everyone. And despite being played to death on radio, it had a resilience about it. I didn’t dread it popping up on the radio again as I should have after the thousandth listen. The drum machine. The sputtering synth. The irresistible vocals. Thinking about those verses and chorus right now. I might need to add it to my karaoke repertoire.

“Here I am in silence it's a game I have to play. You and I in silence with nothing else to say.”

"LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU WELL" HOWARD JONES (1985)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

I got a lot of mileage out of my Dream Into Action cassette. The album set off a wave of synth pop hits that were a bit more contemplative than the average musical fare and still managed to reach the mainstream, including “No One Is To Blame”, “Life In One Day” and “Things Can Only Get Better”. It was Howard Jones in peak form, which coincided perfectly with the height of the 80’s synth pop era. The lesser known single, “Like To Get To Know You Well”, didn’t fare well in the States, but it was my favorite track of the bunch. On the surface, the song title sounds like it’s setting us up for a romance-fueled confession. But it’s so much more than that.

The single version of the song was released during the 1984 Olympic Games. On the sleeve of this release, HoJo wrote that the song was dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympics. The song is actually about unity. About stripping away barriers and becoming one. Nearly 40 years later, this 80’s gem has even more meaning in the current climate where people don’t have much interest in really getting to know each other. Making stereotypical assumptions of one another or keeping a safe distance from one another seem to be the order of the day. Well, this little new wave song begs to differ.

“Leave the things that separate. Build on a trust that we must stand on.”

"QUIET LIFE" JAPAN (1979)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

Japan is one of those bands that I missed early on – mainly because I was just 6 years old when Quiet Life was released and the influential band wasn’t big in the U.S. Interestingly, it was one of the bands they helped shape – Duran Duran – that became huge in the States. Having discovered the genius of Japan much, much later in life I can’t help but feel like Duran Duran ripped them off in so many respects. To prove it, I’ll submit the title track “Quiet Life” as Exhibit A.

I hear Duran Duran all over this. Or perhaps I should say, I hear “Quiet Life” all over Duran Duran’s debut album. The funk-inspired bass lines. Shimmery synth lines. Sax interludes. Helicopter effects. Even the vocals sound like Simon Le Bon. “Quiet Life” is proof that commercial success isn’t indicative of the innovation behind the music. Just like The Chameleons who paved the way for Interpol, Japan – and Roxy Music to a lesser extent – made Duran Duran who they are.

“Beware, here comes the quiet life again.”

"SEASONS (WAITING ON YOU)" FUTURE ISLANDS (2014)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

How many bands sing and play with all their soul? How many bands put everything they have into the music because it’s all they got and it’s all they live for? Probably not many. Future Islands is one of them. They’re proof that synthesizers still have soul. Proof that you don’t have to act like or look like a rock band to make some noise in this industry. And if you absolutely love what you do, you can make people love it, too. “Seasons” is strangely contagious and utterly ambitious. Hands down, one of the best songs from the last 10 years – and it all starts with the lyrics.

Future Islands’ performance of “Seasons” on the David Letterman show was probably one of the best musical performances on a late night talk show in history. You could feel the passion for the music. And if there’s no passion then really what’s the point? The synth notes glide in and out like they’re pressing buttons on our soul. Meanwhile, I can’t say enough about Samuel Herring’s vocals on this one. There’s just nothing else like it.

“Seasons change, and I tried hard just to soften you. The seasons change, but I've grown tired of tryin' to change for you.”

"WISHING (IF I HAD A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOU)" A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS (1983)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

In the U.S., A Flock Of Seagulls were more or less relegated to one-hit wonder status. They were mainly talked about for the Jetson wavve-inspired haircut. But thankfully MTV and alt rock stations in the States let another track through the cracks for us music fans. The track “Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)” has earned synth pop anthem status – more so than “I Ran”. Here’s why.

While “I Ran”’s best moments are dominated by the electric guitar, there’s no arguing that “Wishing” is all about the synth notes. The guitar plays a complementary role, placing accents that supplement the synth barrage evident throughout the track. “Wishing” also has that iconic synth arpeggio riff, one of the most unforgettable keyboard hooks of the decade – along with that enthralling Joy Division-inspired percussion. It’s hard to think of a more clearer expression of 80’s synth pop.

“If I had a photograph of you, It's something to remind me I wouldn't spend my life just wishing.”

"THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL" EURYTHMICS (1985)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

One of the most talented and versatile voices of our time is Annie Lennox. Throughout her time with the Eurythmics, her vocals spanned all kinds of genres, including rock, new wave, motown and soul. VH-1 once went so far as to name her "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive”. A natural contralto, Lennox pushed up to the upper octaves with this falsetto that seemed to come down from heaven. She made good singers seem mediocre, most evident in vocal range-stretching tracks like “There Must Be An Angel”.

Be Yourself Tonight, as a full body of work, was quite different from the earlier Eurythmics synth-heavy aesthetic. It had much more rock, much more soul, even some Motown. I liked those songs, but “There Must Be An Angel” is still my favorite track off the album because of Dave Stewart’s production mastery and synth hooks. A second movement to the song begins about halfway through the track with this soul-infused approach that culminates in a mind blowing harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder.

“This must be a strange deception. By celestial intervention. Leaving me the recollection. Of your Heavenly connection.”

"YOU SURROUND ME" ERASURE (1989)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

It would be sacrilegious to celebrate the genre of synth pop without uttering these two syllables: Vince Clarke. A pioneer. A journeyman. A musical genius who’s more than content to stay in the background. Any genre would be thrilled to have someone like this. He got Depeche Mode off the ground – and to this day “Just Can’t Get Enough” is a setlist staple more than 40 years after it was released. He went all in with a fast, dance-oriented brand of synth pop, pairing up with Alison Moyet. But my favorite era of Vince Clarke’s career is the first decade of Erasure with Andy Bell.

“You Surround Me” is a prime example of the duo’s ability to slow things down, while still illiciing a strong, unforgettable angular sound. The song is built around Clarke’s synth arrangements, an epic melody, and Bell’s baritone vocals. “You Surround Me” is enveloping. A refreshing departure on an album packed with faster tempo tracks like “Drama!” and “Star” and the mid-tempo anthem “Blue Savannah”. But thematically tied closely together with the shimmery synth sounds of Wild!

“If love wasn't here would we reinvent it?”

"GETTING AWAY WITH IT" ELECTRONIC (1991)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

I recently gained new perspective on the forming of supergroup Electronic from Peter Hook’s New Order memoir, Substance. It’s clear that New Order’s sound was becoming more and more synth-driven. What I didn’t realize was how significant the musical and personal tensions were between Barney and Hooky. Through this new lens, Electronic seems almost like a rebound fling. Barney escaping to pursue more of what he wants with the synths – and Johnny Marr fresh off the heels of The Smiths breakup. There is beauty in the chaos though, right? “Getting Away With It” is a perfect example.

Johnny Marr is playing guitars on this one, but the majority of the album’s focus is on the synthesizers. Electronic is the name of the band, after all. “Getting Away With It” was like a breath of fresh air on my beloved radio station WDRE. I listened to it incessantly, Barney’s vocals were as good as they’ve ever been. The melody fit his everyday tone perfectly. Neil Tenant’s distinct backing vocals were like the icing on the cake. And let’s not forget the synth riffs, one of Barney’s more underrated skills as a band member – whether he’s the frontman or co-leading.

“However I look, it's clear to see That I love you more than you love me.”

"EVERYTHING COUNTS" DEPECHE MODE (1983)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

It wasn’t until 1986’s Black Celebration that Depeche Mode truly cemented their dark, ominous brand of synth pop. It’s the era that I gravitate toward the most – and it’s the start of the band’s imperial phase. The rest of the catalog preceding it was a little spotty in my opinion. But that doesn’t take away the fact that there were some real gems in the early days, including the standout single from Construction Time Again: “Everything Counts”. Aside from “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “Everything Counts” is really the only song that still remains on the band’s setlists. That’s a full 40 years after it was released as a single.

As one of the standouts on the album, “Everything Counts” showcased the iconic persona of Depeche Mode: hook-laden, danceable, infectious, and, often at times, dark. Written by Martin Gore, the song went on the offensive, calling out corporate greed with a somewhat satircal approach. The bass synth part is utterly sinister, lurking with precision from beginning to end. Wilder’s synth hook – sometimes played on a xylophone – sounds like a music toy possessed by an evil spirit, which is flanked by quirky instruments that go beyond DM’s typical keyboard decks, including a melodica. Then there’s Gahan. With his signature bass vocals, Gahan is the narrator and antithesis of Gordon Gekko.

“The grabbing hands, grab all they can.”

"THE GREAT COMMANDMENT" CAMOUFLAGE (1988)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

Synth pop, if you’re just going by its name, sounds like a genre that lacks edge. On the surface, it might be easy to dismiss it as a genre not worth paying much attention to. But fans know why it’s not just a great genre, it can be mindblowing when done right. Well, Camouflage got it right with their late eighties alt rock station darling and dance floor anthem, “The Great Commandment”.

“The Great Commandment” has that infectious, driving hook that makes it dance floor-ready. But it also has that dark, edgy side to it. It starts with the intro synth hook before launching into the second synth hook – the song’s trademark riff. They don’t sound like Depeche Mode. But they do borrow from the formula that has worked so well for DM – with its ominous synth arrangements. And lead singer Marcus Meyn even sounds eerily similar to David Gahan.

“The great commandment shows the contempt Between the world and their embarrassing pavement.”