The cool bands of the post-punk Liverpool scene are well documented. The Bunnymen had all the classic guitar rock credentials, the love of Television and the Velvets and in Mac a lead singer brimming with lippy attitude. The Teardrop Explodes were the classic 'out there' psychedelic band with an 'ever so English' fruitcake lead singer in Julian Cope. OMD and Dalek I were never cool, OMD looked like junior bank clerks performing for the works 'do'. However this music made on the most basic electronic gear is both strange and beautiful. The fact that these songs sound like Kraftwerk equipped by the Early Learning Centre is part of its charm.
I find this early synth music really appealing. It is truly DIY, it doesn't conform to the structural rules of most guitar based music and it sounds like the people who made it are really excited about the possibilities of their archaic synths and drum machines. It is minimal, naive but truly different. When I heard first heard music like this I thought...wow, this is the future.
Dalek I - Destiny (Dalek I Love You)
Unfortunately as technology has advanced the ability to smooth out every musical wrinkle has made machine based music increasingly bland...though I am willing to be corrected in future posts! Another conundrum, why does a city as hard nosed and assertive as Liverpool often produce some of the most pretty and fey music? Dalek I's albums are long deleted (I think) but OMD's first album is an essential purchase and if you want to sound like them buy a Korg Micro-preset synthesizer and get a tank-top.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Vintage Synth Explorer
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