2X45
Artist: Cabaret Voltaire
Community Score: 4.00

Collecting two separate sessions, one with Chris Watson and one without (the former also with guest drummer Alan Fish of fellow Sheffield experimentalists Hula), 2X45 shows the Cabs now well on their way to the perversely upbeat yet ominous funk of their early-'80s days. A song like "Breathe Deep" may have things like Richard H. Kirk's sax and... Read More

John Foxx
Artist: John Foxx
Community Score: 10.00
White Feathers
Artist: Kajagoogoo

"Too Shy" was one of the flimsiest singles of the new wave era, a cloying and catchy bubblegum tune disguised as synth-pop. Kajagoogoo never quite matched those heights again -- in fact, they rarely even came close. Their debut album White Feathers is filled with similarly lightweight synth-pop like "Magician Man," "Ooh to Be Ah," "Eronomics,"... Read More

The Golden Section - 2001 REISSUE
Artist: John Foxx

Another radically different record to file next to his first two, the third solo album by John Foxx focused on fusing the experimental fringe of synth-pop with a melodic preoccupation that almost put him into crossover territory. Capped by the superb single "Endlessly," The Golden Section again distanced Foxx from the glut of synth bands on the... Read More

Metamatic - 1993 REISSUE
Artist: John Foxx

Foxx's solo debut after leaving Ultravox!, Metamatic achieves the same emotional transcendence as his previous group's early highlight Systems of Romance, despite a new reliance not just on synthesizers but on a musical framework dependent on them. On Metamatic, Foxx cultivates a curious air of disinterest that never seems truly bored, but is... Read More

Perverted by Language
Artist: The Fall
Community Score: 8.00

Punk may have been the initial spark for the Fall, but by 1983 they had made it clear that whatever trend was next was not for them. Brix Smith made her debut with the band on Perverted by Language, helping to introduce the slightly more pop-friendly era of the group with another fine album. She takes lead vocals at various points throughout,... Read More

Thirst
Artist: Clock DVA

Their most experimental affair yet, Thirst pitched the machine effects to overdrive with a set of obtuse noise-makers from all kinds of unlikely sources. Surprisingly, it's still nominally danceable though the emphasis is solidly on the experimental side of affairs. ~ Keith Farley, All Music Guide Read More

Naked Eyes
Artist: Naked Eyes
Community Score: 6.75

Naked Eyes were in peak form for their debut, showing a highly likable, warmer side to the often cold and detached synth-duo form. The songs they're best known for, "Always Something There to Remind Me," "Promises, Promises" and "When the Lights Go Down," are all included here, though the album can also be found in its entirety (save for one... Read More

The Luxury Gap
Artist: Heaven 17
Community Score: 10.00

After creating a marvelous electronic debut, Glenn Gregory, Ian Marsh, and Martyn Ware decided to tamper with their winning formula a bit on Heaven 17's 1983 follow-up to Penthouse and Pavement. The result, which added piano, strings, and Earth, Wind, & Fire's horn section to the band's cool synthesizer pulse, was even better, and The Luxury Gap... Read More

A Flock of Seagulls
Artist: A Flock of Seagulls
Community Score: 7.80

The Liverpool quintet A Flock of Seagulls first gained attention in the dance clubs with "Telecommunication," included on this debut release. The band benefited from heavy play on MTV and quickly became known for their outrageous fashion and lead singer Mike Score's waterfall-like haircut. However, their self-titled debut is an enjoyable romp... Read More

The Best of the Damned - ROADRUNNER
Artist: The Damned
Community Score: 7.25

Rock & roll doesn't get much more recklessly fun than the early recordings of the Damned, one of the bands that (along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and Sham 69) helped to define early British punk rock. While the late-'70s gems Damned Damned Damned, Music for Pleasure, and Machine Gun Etiquette are all well-worth acquiring, The Best of the... Read More

Advantage
Artist: Clock DVA
Community Score: 10.00

The only album released by Clock DVA's second lineup, Advantage is near the band's best. Though there aren't many synthesizers, the focus on jarring tape procedures and noise well into the red lines makes for an intense set of songs, enlivened by Adi Newton's evolved vocal style. The atmosphere is bleak and noir-ish (including a cover of the... Read More