Upbeat Synthpop
May 31, 2009 6:47 PM Subscribe
I'm interested in finding more upbeat-sounding synthpop or alt/pop singles with electronic elements for my music library.
Good examples of what I've been liking include "Rocket" by Polysics, "Step Step Step" and "Exploding Impacting" by Belaire, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" by The Flaming Lips, and "Microwave" by The Soft Lightes. I also like a few B52 songs, and generally the entire discographies of Beck and REM, in case you wanted an idea of what kind of music I like as a whole. This specific slice of music is a kind I've just realized I really enjoy, but I have not too much of it in my library.
This is all about the melody of the song. Darker lyrics are perfectly fine, and I actually kind of like the dichotomy, so that's a bonus. 80's songs are perfectly fine, as I am a college student and they will (shamefully) probably be new to me.
Thanks for your help, and feel free to ask me to clarify my points. I've never studied music, so I have trouble describing it as nicely as I would like.
Good examples of what I've been liking include "Rocket" by Polysics, "Step Step Step" and "Exploding Impacting" by Belaire, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" by The Flaming Lips, and "Microwave" by The Soft Lightes. I also like a few B52 songs, and generally the entire discographies of Beck and REM, in case you wanted an idea of what kind of music I like as a whole. This specific slice of music is a kind I've just realized I really enjoy, but I have not too much of it in my library.
This is all about the melody of the song. Darker lyrics are perfectly fine, and I actually kind of like the dichotomy, so that's a bonus. 80's songs are perfectly fine, as I am a college student and they will (shamefully) probably be new to me.
Thanks for your help, and feel free to ask me to clarify my points. I've never studied music, so I have trouble describing it as nicely as I would like.
New Order
The Postal Service
Kraftwerk
Capsule
Matt and Kim
Muscles
Depeche Mode
posted by phrontist at 7:06 PM on May 31, 2009
The Postal Service
Kraftwerk
Capsule
Matt and Kim
Muscles
Depeche Mode
posted by phrontist at 7:06 PM on May 31, 2009
The entire Erasure and Petshop Boys back catalog.
posted by cosmicbandito at 7:11 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by cosmicbandito at 7:11 PM on May 31, 2009
Baxendale
Erasure
Dead or Alive
The Human League
Pet shop boys
posted by martinrebas at 7:18 PM on May 31, 2009
Erasure
Dead or Alive
The Human League
Pet shop boys
posted by martinrebas at 7:18 PM on May 31, 2009
A Flock Of Seagulls
... plus I found a (synthpop type) song which sounds like from back in the 80's but was recorded last year: Neon Neon - I Told Her On Alderaan.
posted by Webbster at 7:20 PM on May 31, 2009
... plus I found a (synthpop type) song which sounds like from back in the 80's but was recorded last year: Neon Neon - I Told Her On Alderaan.
posted by Webbster at 7:20 PM on May 31, 2009
Freezepop.
posted by infinityjinx at 7:20 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by infinityjinx at 7:20 PM on May 31, 2009
A Different Drum is a record label with a fairly large catalog. Some stuff is kind of cheesy or over the top, but I rather enjoy other bands.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:29 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by filthy light thief at 7:29 PM on May 31, 2009
Seconding The Postal Service.
Cut Copy?
And, in the spirit of being only a little helpful, Wikipedia's list of synthpop artists.
posted by papayaninja at 8:06 PM on May 31, 2009
Cut Copy?
And, in the spirit of being only a little helpful, Wikipedia's list of synthpop artists.
posted by papayaninja at 8:06 PM on May 31, 2009
Magnetic Fields...e.g. (that's a very cool fan vid btw... found footage(?) of cuba)
posted by Flashman at 8:14 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by Flashman at 8:14 PM on May 31, 2009
Yaz--Upstairs at Eric's.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:26 PM on May 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Ironmouth at 8:26 PM on May 31, 2009 [1 favorite]
A little off the beaten track, but Mathématiques Modernes were fun back in the day.
posted by gimonca at 8:35 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by gimonca at 8:35 PM on May 31, 2009
If you subscribe to iTunes, check out groovera.com.
Upstairs at Eric's is also what you are looking for.
As for dichotomy, you may want to try Portishead.
posted by Cookbooks and Chaos at 8:40 PM on May 31, 2009
Upstairs at Eric's is also what you are looking for.
As for dichotomy, you may want to try Portishead.
posted by Cookbooks and Chaos at 8:40 PM on May 31, 2009
More artists not yet mentioned: Pete Shelley's post-Buzzcocks output is worth looking into. And OMD did more than just "If You Leave".
posted by gimonca at 8:54 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by gimonca at 8:54 PM on May 31, 2009
2nding Junior Senior
Tom Tom Club
maybe later era Talking Heads
Dan Deacon
Big Digits (hip-hoppy and less poppy)
Bonde Do Role
The Go! Team
Four Tet
Annie
posted by ishotjr at 9:05 PM on May 31, 2009
Tom Tom Club
maybe later era Talking Heads
Dan Deacon
Big Digits (hip-hoppy and less poppy)
Bonde Do Role
The Go! Team
Four Tet
Annie
posted by ishotjr at 9:05 PM on May 31, 2009
Ok, some more:
Crystal Castles
YACHT
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Super Furry Animals (only Guerilla really)
Chromeo
posted by ishotjr at 9:09 PM on May 31, 2009
Crystal Castles
YACHT
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Super Furry Animals (only Guerilla really)
Chromeo
posted by ishotjr at 9:09 PM on May 31, 2009
Broadcast
Crystal Castles(!!!)
Ladytron
LCD Soundsystem
also, nthing Capsule, Cut Copy, Goldfrapp, the Go! Team, Royksopp, Stereolab, and most of the rest of what's already been said... god i love synthpop :) thanks for the new suggestions too!
posted by lizbunny at 9:28 PM on May 31, 2009
Crystal Castles(!!!)
Ladytron
LCD Soundsystem
also, nthing Capsule, Cut Copy, Goldfrapp, the Go! Team, Royksopp, Stereolab, and most of the rest of what's already been said... god i love synthpop :) thanks for the new suggestions too!
posted by lizbunny at 9:28 PM on May 31, 2009
Most of these guys are a little less conventionally poppy than some of the groups mentioned above, but I'd consider them all to have strong pop elements as well as electronic (or pseudo-electronic) sounds:
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Boards of Canada
Adult.
Fischerspooner
I Am Spoonbender
Holy Fuck
Out Hud
!!!
posted by ubersturm at 9:29 PM on May 31, 2009
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Boards of Canada
Adult.
Fischerspooner
I Am Spoonbender
Holy Fuck
Out Hud
!!!
posted by ubersturm at 9:29 PM on May 31, 2009
Pop synth music with darker lyrics basically describes of Montreal's Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer? If you want a sample, there's The Past Is A Grotesque Animal (yt) or maybe A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger (yt) for something more upbeat (and shorter).
posted by theiconoclast31 at 11:03 PM on May 31, 2009
posted by theiconoclast31 at 11:03 PM on May 31, 2009
Good suggestions so far.
This music blog is absolutely amazing, and will over time yield a gold mine of what you're interested in, as well as a lot of other great stuff. Most selections have a "try" link that will allow you to download the full album using rapidshare or a similar service.
posted by Derive the Hamiltonian of... at 2:55 AM on June 1, 2009
This music blog is absolutely amazing, and will over time yield a gold mine of what you're interested in, as well as a lot of other great stuff. Most selections have a "try" link that will allow you to download the full album using rapidshare or a similar service.
posted by Derive the Hamiltonian of... at 2:55 AM on June 1, 2009
Best answer: You might like Ladyhawke. Great upbeat synth.
posted by theraflu at 4:19 AM on June 1, 2009
posted by theraflu at 4:19 AM on June 1, 2009
There are a few singles up on Myspace (and if you do some Google searching you can find some downloadable MP3s) for this summer's forthcoming album from Discovery, which is a collaboration between members of Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot and seems to fit your description perfectly.
posted by ckolderup at 7:13 AM on June 1, 2009
posted by ckolderup at 7:13 AM on June 1, 2009
try Shout Out Out Out Out. i didn't think i would like them but i saw them live, and now i'm addicted!
posted by gursky at 7:34 AM on June 1, 2009
posted by gursky at 7:34 AM on June 1, 2009
nthing Capsule.
And: Supercar
shameless plug: supercar provide most of the soundtrack for the movie Ping Pong which is about the best sports/friends movie out there, in my opinion
posted by emmling at 8:04 AM on June 1, 2009
And: Supercar
shameless plug: supercar provide most of the soundtrack for the movie Ping Pong which is about the best sports/friends movie out there, in my opinion
posted by emmling at 8:04 AM on June 1, 2009
nthing Freezepop. They are an indie synthpop band with a mostly upbeat sound. Except for their latest album, Future Future Future Perfect.
posted by majikstreet at 11:45 AM on June 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by majikstreet at 11:45 AM on June 1, 2009 [1 favorite]
FM Belfast, upbeat synthpop straight out of Iceland.
posted by sillygwailo at 10:32 AM on June 2, 2009
posted by sillygwailo at 10:32 AM on June 2, 2009
80s:
Orange Juice
Gary Newman
Heaven 17
Yello
Sound like the 80s:
Studio
posted by hydrophonic at 12:17 AM on June 3, 2009
Orange Juice
Gary Newman
Heaven 17
Yello
Sound like the 80s:
Studio
posted by hydrophonic at 12:17 AM on June 3, 2009
Styrofoam has always been a favorite.
posted by andrewcilento at 11:34 PM on June 4, 2009
posted by andrewcilento at 11:34 PM on June 4, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Kirklander at 6:55 PM on May 31, 2009