Electrical Language ~ Independent British Synth Pop: 78-84

4CD / 80 track set exploring the independent side of the UK's post-punk synth-pop boom..From household names and scene legends to underground outsiders and bedroom experimenters..Hardback book format includes over 12,000 words of sleevenotes (including artist-written pieces), introductory essay by Dave Henderson and period imagery..Key tracks and hidden gems from Mute Records, Rough Trade, 4AD, Survival Records, Cherry Red and a host of essential independent players. .Produced by the team behind the critically acclaimed 'Close To The Noise Floor' series and a number of other essential box sets.The year - 1978. The mood - revolution. The latest addition to the musician's sound palette - the synthesiser. And so a new sound was born, and one which would free pop music from its guitar dominated tradition into something with a bright new future which would write itself. Almost overnight, via a handful of key single releases, the big bang of punk produced something the kids called 'synth-pop'. The clue was very much in the name.A broad church from the outset, this synth-pop movement wasted no time in embracing players from all corners of the musical dressing up box. From guitar groups drafting in a keyboard playing friend and the progressive rockers using their expensive banks of electronics in new ways to the modernists and the Thatcherists, full of unabashed aspiration, and the punks - arguably the purest punks of them all - who discarded the guitar and the drum kit overnight in their pursuit of something fresh that their generation could truly call their own. All were welcome, and all contributed to the many different directions synth-pop would mutate in over the coming five or six years. 'Electrical Language' captures this time and place in microscopic detail. The uptempo would-be hits with suburban nightclub aspirations, the science and technology enthralled proto-techno workouts and the otherworldy experiments are all here, sitting comfortably amongst each other in some cases, jostling for position as the bestvtrack of the genre/era.

Disc: 1
1 Windpower - Thomas Dolby - Thomas Dolby
2 Science Fiction - Alan Burnham - Alan Burnham
3 Warm Leatherette - The Normal - The Normal
4 Stay With Me Tonight - Alex Fergusson - Alex Fergusson
5 Tarantula - Colourbox - Colourbox
6 Fantasy - 100% Manmade Fibre - 100% Manmade Fibre
7 Bandwagon Tango - Testcard F - Testcard F
8 Electrical Language - Be-Bop Deluxe - Be-Bop Deluxe
9 The World - Dalek I - Dalek I
10 Honour Among Thieves - Chain Of Command - Chain of Command
11 Red Frame/White Light - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
12 Red Castles - The Legendary Pink Dots - Legendary Pink Dots
13 Lifes Illusion - Ice The Falling Rain - Ice the Falling Rain
14 The Human Factor - - Music For Pleasure - Music for Pleasure
15 She's An Image - Poeme Electronique - Poeme Electronique
16 Iâ™m Thinking Of You Now - Box Of Toys - Box of Toys
17 The Planet Doesn't Mind - New Musik - New Musik
18 Hope Deep Inside - Schleimer K - Schleimer K
19 The Distance From KÃâ“ln - Native Europe - Native Europe
20 Technical Miracle - Voice Of Authority - Voice of Authority
Disc: 2
1 Circus Of Death - The Human League - The Human League
2 Xoyo - The Passage - The Passage
3 Crowds - A Popular History Of Signs - A Popular History of Signs
4 October (Love Song) - Chris And Cosey - Chris And Cosey
5 Feel So Young - Laugh Clown Laugh - Laugh Clown Laugh
6 Croatia - Basking Sharks - Basking Sharks
7 Mr Nobody - Thomas Leer - Thomas Leer
8 Ricky's Hand - Fad Gadget - Fad Gadget
9 Hypnotic Rhythm - Local Boy Makes Good - Local Boy Makes Good
10 Drowning In Berlin - The Mobiles - The Mobiles
11 Even Now - Edward Ka-Spel - Edward Ka-Spel
12 Lying Next To You - Passion Polka - Passion Polka
13 Rabies - Naked Lunch - Naked Lunch
14 Do It - The Limit - The Limit
15 Work Song - Robert Calvert - Robert Calvert
16 Baby Won't Phone - Quadrascope - Quadrascope
17 It Happened Then - Electronic Ensemble - Electronic Ensemble
18 In The Morning - Jeanette - Jeanette
19 Nightlife - Those Attractive Magnets - Those Attractive Magnets
20 My Coo Ca Choo - Beasts In Cages - Beasts in Cages
Disc: 3
1 Your Love Is Like A Slug - The Bodhi-Beat Poets - The Bodhi-Beat Poets
2 Veil Like Calm - Eyeless In Gaza - Eyeless in Gaza
3 Destitution - Camera Obscura - Camera Obscura
4 Good Times - Drinking Electricity - Drinking Electricity
5 Happy Families - Zoo Boutique - Zoo Boutique
6 Feels Like Winter Again - Fiat Lux - Fiat Lux
7 Falling Downstairs - Colin Potter - Colin Potter
8 Our Little Girl - David Harrow - David Harrow
9 It Never Rains In Outer Space - Futurhythm - Futurhythm
10 Zennor - Goat - Goat
11 Videomatic - Final Program - Final Program
12 Taddy Up - Pink Industry - Pink Industry
13 You Don't Look The Same - Play - Play
14 Children Of The Revolution - The Fast Set - The Fast Set
15 Trace Of Red - Two - Two
16 Lying Here - Shox - Shox
17 Daytime Assassins - The Builders - The Builders
18 Beating Heart (12" Version) - Section 25 - Section 25
19 Absent Friends - Joe Crow - Joe Crow
20 Jamaica Day - Faction - Faction
Disc: 4
1 Generator (Laserbeam) - Tim Blake - Tim Blake
2 Touch - Lori And The Chameleons - Lori and The Champions
3 The Secret Affair - Jupiter Red - Jupiter Red
4 I'm Your Man - Blue Zoo - Blue Zoo
5 Even Roses Have Thorns - Jesus Couldn't Drum - Jesus Couldn't Drum
6 Paint It Black - Techno Pop - Techno Pop
7 Chase The Dragon - Kevin Harrison - Kevin Harrison
8 Other Passengers - Thirteen At Midnight - Thirteen At Midnight
9 Your Voice - Freeze Frame - Freeze Frame
10 Stay With You - Time In Motion - Time In Motion
11 Live Wires Kill - The Toy Shop - The Toy Shop
12 Surface Tension - Analysis - Analysis
13 Time - Paul Haig - Paul Haig
14 Contemplation - Solid Space - Solid Space
15 Committed To Vinyl - Martin O'cuthbert - Martin O'Cuthbert
16 Look Don't Touch - Science - Science
17 The Wishing Tree (Megatree Mix) - Charlieâ™s Brother - Charlie's Brother
18 Working Model - The Quarks - The Quarks
19 There's Someone Following Me - Eddie & Sunshine - Eddie & Sunshine
20 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Hybrid Kids - Hybrid Kids