July 12, 2004

The combination of the human voice and electronic music elements has always been my favorite musical genre. Listening to the Scissor Sisters and Frou Frou lately and watching the Pet Shop Boy's video retrospective Pop Art this weekend has me in a mood where I cannot get enough of the blips and bleeps. I made an iTunes playlist all about techno-pop this week. When done wrong the music sounds dated minutes after the first spin. Sometimes the lyrics are horrible, the production lacking, and the artist forgettable. However, when done right, techno-pop captures the desires of youth. It was these days I dreamed of escape and of nightclubs and of places where freakishly beautiful people were themselves. Everyone walked in time with a dance beat and everyone found their place in the in spotlight.

I give you my top 15 list of the greatest techno-pop songs ever recorded.

15. Neneh Cherry-Buffalo Stance. A campy rap delivered by the Mondino-muse perfectly blurred the lines of hip-hop, house, and techno-pop.

14. Bjork-Violently Happy. Her voice sounded synthesized years before Madonna and Cher wanted the same effect. The Sugarcubes front woman embraced house music early on and this gem from her daring and brilliant Debut makes me sad that she went in an opposite musical direction. I think her voice sounds better against a pounding beat, rather then the ambient atmosphere her recent efforts have explored.

13. Olive-You're Not Alone. A restrained vocal and a haunting chorus. A perfect love song.

12. Eurythmics-Sweet Dreams. That synthesizer! That voice. Sounds fresh to this day.

11. Erasure-Breath of Life. Pulled from their underrated album Chorus, this track is my favorite of all Erasure tracks. Looking forward to their new album early next year and Andy Bell's collaboration with Larry Tee.

10. Seal/Adamski-Killer. Dark, pulsating, and lovely. Neither artist came anywhere near to these heights in later years.

9. Massive Attack-Unfinished Sympathy. Shara Nelson's voice layered over building beats. Trip-hop's one and only classic single.

8. Information Society-Running. It has the freestyle elements. It has the cool detached vocals. It makes me dance every time I hear it.

7. Yaz-Situation. Moyet and Clarke's relationship was short-lived, but provided two stellar albums. This is the iconic selection from their short-lived collaboration.

6. Madonna-Ray of Light. Not sure if this record fits the techno-pop category, but it definitely is electronic pop. Too often I think Madonna is looked over in the electronic and dance worlds. I find this disappointing. When she is on, nobody is better and this record, though horrible performed live, is brilliant from beginning to end.

5. Electribe 101-Talking With Myself. Billie's voice with those spy movie sounds make for a trippy ride. Nobody does heartbreak better.

4. New Order-Shellshock. There are obvious choices to pull from New Order's catalog (True Faith, Bizarre Love Triangle), but it is this song that gets me screaming like a sissy. It never seems to stop and it is impossible to not sing along.

3. Pet Shop Boys-So Hard. Begins like an old Donna Summer record and then the synth stabs come in. Pop does not get smarter.

2. The Beloved-Sweet Harmony. Sexy, slow, sweet, and satisfying. More husbands and wives should make music together.

1. Depeche Mode-Enjoy The Silence. This is the one. The album Violator sounds new to this day. A classic record from a classic album from the definitive techno-pop band of all time.