With the availability of affordable drum machines and synthesizers, musicians quickly began experimenting with different sounds – eventually leading to many different genres within electronic music being created during this era.
Kraftwerk’s groundbreaking Moog-heavy Krautrock genre stands as an influential model, having had an effectful influence on modern music genres such as Hip Hop, Techno and Dance.
Synth Pop
Synth pop is a style of music that incorporates synthesizers and melodic vocals. It was popular in the 80s and has influenced other genres of music. It is also referred to as electronic pop and new wave. The genre has evolved and continues to evolve, with modern artists like Ladytron, The Faint, and Fischerspooner incorporating elements of it in their music.
The genre of synthpop was a result of technological advancements in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The advent of digital synthesizers enabled music producers to create complex sounds with the touch of a button. The synthesiser was also relatively affordable, making it accessible to a wide range of people. Unlike analog synths, which were expensive and required skilled technicians to program, digital synthesizers were programmed using a menu-based interface, and their presets allowed for a heavy degree of versatility.
While a few groups such as Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran became stars, most synth-pop acts were one hit wonders. The genre was criticised for its German influences and for the lack of musicianship in some acts, with critics such as Morrissey describing it as “repellent”. However, despite these criticisms, synth-pop helped to establish the use of the synthesizer as a primary instrument in mainstream pop.
Many of the early synthpop acts blended their sound with outside styles such as dance, funk and post-punk to create a unique musical style. The Pet Shop Boys are a good example of this, with their early albums like Architecture & Morality and Serotonin II having strong connections to synth pop.
However, in later years the genre grew more skewed towards commercial pop and a less distinctive sound. This was partly due to the increasing availability of cheaper and more capable synthesizers. The Moog Voyager and the Yamaha DX7 were among the most widely used in this era. The rise of these cheaper synthesizers allowed for a greater degree of flexibility and experimentation in music production, although the lack of user-friendly interfaces led to an increased number of presets that resembled instruments.
The emergence of synth pop in the 80s also coincided with an increased interest in electronic music, which saw the formation of new bands that fused synth pop with other styles such as industrial music and gothic rock. Bands such as Depeche Mode, Ultravox and Human League were pioneers of this new genre.
Electro
Electro is a dance music genre with pulsating beats that is perfect for getting people moving on the floor. Electro’s roots date back to 1970s but has evolved through more contemporary influences like dub, Miami bass and dance-hall. Electro songs from the 80s tend to be catchy melodic upbeat tracks with infectious rhythms; its futuristic feel features pounding rhythms and synthesized percussions for added effect.
This period saw the birth of a new generation of synth pop artists, such as Gary Numan and Depeche Mode, which were heavily influenced by German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and Moroder but focused on pop-oriented verse-chorus structures with catchy hooks instead of rock elements.
Since R&B and funk were increasingly becoming synthesizer and drum machine driven, partly due to their cheaper price points than guitars or traditional drum machines, musicians began using synthesizers and drum machines heavily in R&B and funk music. Furthermore, these instruments enabled musicians to fill dance floors for hours on end while creating relentless rhythms – witness the iconic track ‘Planet Rock’ by Afrika Bambaataa in 1982 which sampled Kraftwerk.
Futurism was an influential theme across various electronic music scenes during the 80s. Detroit Techno artists were especially drawn to this aesthetic; further down, futurism would also permeate Acid House, Hardcore Rave and Jungle later on in the decade.
Yaz, led by Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke, were another prominent synth-pop act during this era, producing such timeless hits as “Only You” and “Don’t Go”. Although their partnership didn’t last long, some memorable hits came from it, such as:
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), another British group that created innovative synth-pop with experimental electronic sounds was another highly successful band at this time. OMD created innovative sounds by mixing synth-pop and experimental electronic sounds together resulting in thought-provoking music that challenged conventional ideas about musical form. Their albums such as Enola Gay”, Electricity”, and Souvenir” became classics of their genre and their music featured harmonically rich sounds with distortion as well as multiple tempos; something not found in house music which typically utilizes more conservative structures for its harmonic structures.
Hip Hop
The 1980s witnessed an explosion of genres with futuristic vibes, none as important as Hip Hop. It originated in New York’s Bronx during 1973 when conditions in urban America were dire; then DJ Kool Herc flipped a switch at an August 1973 dance party by spinning one record simultaneously on two turntables while toggling between them to isolate percussion breaks – sparking off an explosion of young rappers who created rhymes to match its beats.
Run-DMC’s 1983 single “Sucker MCs” set the tone for Hip Hop music worldwide – signalling an exciting, chaotic new era characterized by raw beats and aggressive rhymes that would go on to inspire artists like Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys and Dr. Dre.
But even as Hip Hop emerged, electronic music still seemed futuristic – particularly given what artists like Donna Summer were producing with synthesizer-based productions in the 70s. That sentiment continued into Detroit Techno, Acid House and Hardcore Rave genres in later parts of the decade – genres which still look futuristic today.
Electro music that emerged alongside Hip Hop was heavily influenced by Kraftwerk, with their robotic yet emotionless sound being an unlikely inspiration for an expressive scene that encouraged energetic release and expression. Synths became cheaper and easier to use as well, enabling anyone with an idea to produce beats or melodies using equipment they could buy in their mom’s basement.
At this time, pop songs featuring Hip Hop elements began appearing on the charts; an example would be Blondie’s hit “Rapture,” released in 1981 – this being one of the first major hits by a white artist to contain rap lyrics.
At this time, female MCs began emerging, including 14 year old Roxanne Shante who quickly rose through the ranks as part of this movement. Known for using her songs to take jabs at other rappers through song battles known as the Roxanne Wars, Boogie Down Productions composed a song for KRS-One called “South Bronx” that made no secret about what lifestyle being part of a gang meant.
Acid House
Acid house music was one of the key emerging genres during the 80s. Composed with bass line synthesizer TB-303 as its core, acid house emerged as one of the key subgenres and revolutionized house dance music through experimentation and innovation. Acid house parties and raves fostered a new youth culture open and accepting of all people while its rhythmic beats continue to influence generations of artists today and influence electronic music itself.
While the TB-303 was the main instrument that defined acid house, there were other subgenres of acid house that used various instruments and techniques; such as acid techno, psychedelic house and old school progressive house. Acid house music generally follows a 4/4 time signature that features punchy electronic drum machine beats with syncopated handclaps to add to its funky vibes; acid house is frequently combined with TR-808 bass synth sounds which give this genre its iconic electronic bass synth sound.
One of the best-known examples of an acid track is A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray”, recorded while still in 808 State, but released only post-Summer of Love. This stunningly powerful song simply melts the floor with waves of 303 bassline.
After the success of his hit track ‘Voodoo Ray’, A Guy Called Gerald became one of the UK’s premier producers of acid house. One track in particular that was widely popular and widely imitated across Europe is his Box Energy; an incredible track that would never have left Chicago, yet has since become hugely influential across Europe and beyond. While the track lacks vocals like most acid tracks it does feature additional synths along with drum machine and 303 combo.
This song is an example of an acid tune with more emotional depth, featuring pitched down vocals, satanic laughter, and shattering glass. All these effects lead up to an impressive 303 bassline which sounds as if being crushed by multiple amplifiers – it truly stands out among acid tunes as being well thought-out and thoughtfully put together.