acid house

Found an interesting very short video (from MTV) on the history of Acid House.

Tourist - Your Girl

[link] This was linked to the previous video. Really interesting use of autotune and various other effects. Very smoothly textural. The background synth is soothing. I definitely am interested in exploring their other stuff after hearing this.  Sort of a modern equivalent to Scritti Politti in how they stretch a dance pop sound of the times to a synthetic sound that seems very forward looking.

Metronomy - The Bay

[link] This was linked to the Horrors video in youtube but is quite different.  Synth dance pop.  The first thing I thought of was Pet Shop Boys but there are a lot of other influences in terms of the vocals and lyrical arrangement in here as well, all of similar ilk. You can hear twinges of the Buggles, John Astley, Soft Cell, and the Human League in here as well.

The Horrors - Sea Within a Sea

[link] Abstract, atmospheric alt rock.  The imagery in this video reminds me a bit of some early Simple Minds album covers.  Sort of celebrates the ruin and emptiness of international style architecture and its aesthetic trappings. The sound harks back to early 80s postpunk. The break has some great experimental guitar noises that really expand the impact of the song, after which some Kraftwerk influence comes in.

M83 - Teen Angst

[link] Pulsing and synthy. Not much of a rhythm track except for a creshendoing snare that fades behind the synthwash and vocal air. Definitely a statement about the synth sounds (if I were more of an aficionado I'd know which model and voice it was).

Pale Saints - Sight of You

[link] In my view one of the founders of SG and the 4AD sound that is synonymous with the main thread of late 80s early 90s SG (the first generation of SG). Still a pretty strong postpunk styling.  The vocal has not yet gone completely behind (or wisping above) the guitar noise wall.

Hurrah! - If Love Could Kill

[link] A blast from my mid 80s days listening to WBER in Rochester.  Very sweet alternative pop.