I think this tune is going to be on a lot of peoples’ Song Of The Year lists. It’s taken from their new album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, which I’m sure will be a synth-pop laden corker.

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I’ve been listening to this song religiously for a while now, and was very excited to finally see the new video by Crystal Castles, featuring Robert Smith from the Cure. Directed by Video Marsh, this song is a cover of an old Platinum Blonde track from the 80s.

Talk Talk are one of my favourite bands from the 80s. They were extremely successful with hits such as It’s My Life, Such a Shame and Life’s What You Make It. My two favourite albums, however, are their final two records.

The commercial impact of Spirit of Eden (1988) and Laughing Stock (1992) was comparatively moderate, but their latter, more experimental, style brought forth some of the most timeless pieces of music. The track I Believe In You is from Spirit of Eden and was one of Talk Talk’s last music videos. It was released without the band’s consent, followed by a lawsuit that eventually led to the band’s departure from EMI. It’s beautiful all the same. Like the rest of the album.

You gotta love the 80s. How can you beat the music? New romantic, new wave, new everything. It was quite an era, and we have a giveaway to prove it. The 12”80s Electro:Pop 3CD set showcases 80s music all its extended mix glory. To enter, just leave the name of your favorite 80s band and the city you live in below this post.

Featuring a mix of the classic and the underground, this set gets back to the original concept of 12”80s – a mix of seminal 80s Electro:Pop 12″s from legends such as New Order, Human League, Simple Minds, Talk Talk, Grandmaster Flash, Soft Cell, Japan, Afrika Bambaataa, The Cure, Heaven 17, Yazoo and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, manyof who have inspired today’s new wave of chart electropop from La Roux and Little Boots to Florence & the Machine and Goldfrapp.

The 33 track set features the 12” mix of Freestyle “Don’t Stop the Rock” – the rare, classic old school electro track from the eyebrow raising Cadbury’s TV ad, the Frankie Goes to Hollywood New York mix of “Relax” as featured in Virgin Atlantic’s 80s-inspired TV ad and Was (not Was) “Wheel Me Out” which sampled by Eric Prydz and Steve Angello for their 2005 hit “Woz Not Woz”.

Tracklist
CD1
1. Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax (New York Mix) 7.25
2. Simple Minds – I Travel (Extended Version) 6.16
3. Human League –Hard Times/Love Action (I Believe in Love) 10.09
4. Japan – Life in Tokyo (Long Version) 7.07
5. Talk Talk – Such a Shame 6.55
6. Yazoo – Nobody’s Diary 6.10
7. Tin Tin – Kiss Me (US Remix) 7.35
8. Landscape – Einstein a Go Go 5.30
9. Tears for Fears – Change (Extended Version) 5.57
10. Heaven 17 – Play to Win (B.E.F. Disco Mix) 7.25
11. A Flock of Seagulls – Wishing (I Had A Photograph of You) (Long Version) 9.13

CD2
1. New Order – Confusion 8.17
2. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (Feat Melle Mel & Duke Bootee) – The Message 7.11
3. Freestyle – Don’t Stop the Rock 5.28
4. Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force – Planet Rock (Vocal) 6.26
5. Hashim – Al-Naayfiysh (The Soul) 6.15
6. Mantronix – Bassline (Stretched) 6.05
7. LL Cool J – You’ll Rock (Remix) 4.32
8. Sugarhill Gang – Apache 6.15
9. Break Machine – Street Dance (Vocal) 6.31
10. Gwen Guthrie – Seventh Heaven (US Remix by Larry Levan) 7.23
11. Yarbrough & Peoples – Don’t Stop the Music 7.53

CD3
1. Soft Cell – Torch (Extended Version) 8.29
2. The Cure – Why Can’t I Be You (Extended Mix) 8.10
3. Visage – Pleasure Boys (Dance Mix) 6.57
4. Art of Noise – Close to the Edit (Close Up) 7.28
5. Associates – Club Country (12” Remix) 6.45
6. Propaganda – Duel (Bittersweet) 7.40
7. Trio – Da Da Da (I Don’t Love You You Don’t Love Me Aha Aha Aha 6.38
8. Sharpe & Numan – Change Your Mind (Extended Version) 8.32
9. Pete Shelley – Homosapien (Dance Version) 4.32
10. Laid Back – White Horse (US Edit) 5.50
11. Was (Not Was) – Wheel Me Out (Long Version) 7.33

What is it about 1980s videos? I mean, seriously, it’s like every director from that period swallowed a big bowl of feelgood cheese [with extra Gruyere on top] and got deeper and deeper into that saccharine sweet, naive world of day-glo kitsch. But, damn, I kinda wish the film clips of today were even half as creative. On a side note, my next haircut will be like Nik Kershaw’s, circa 1984? Oh boy! That mop needs a zip code all of its own.

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I was listening to WFMU the other day when I heard a quirky electro song with German lyrics. It was pretty catchy, and I think German is funny. A little Internet digging revealed that the song was Fred from Jupiter, a single from 1981 by Die Doraus und Die Marinas. Check out this great video for the track.

It sounds like a cliche to say it, but they just don’t write em’ like they used to: the soulful melodies, the crisp acoustics ringing out across murky lyrical lines. The Alan Parsons Project was an experiment in creating perfect, somewhat sinister, pop. With Eye in the Sky they succeeded, then added in an extra layer of prog-rock for good measure.