The more I think about it, the more I realize just how much of a phenomenon the 80’s were. Somehow, the decade that was powered entirely buy electronic instruments (Juno’s, 808’s, 909’s… Roland sure was having a good time) managed to complete it’s entire life cycle and come to an end about two years before the spread of the personal computer. I can’t even begin to fathom how much more beauty, creativity, and not to mention length, could have been squeezed out of the short-lived decade had Pro-Tools and it’s band of sidekick DAW’s been invented just a few years earlier. To put things concisely, musicians got ripped off. The producers of the 90’s were forced, for the most part, to revert back to using the cliched, distorted, overdriven guitar as the backbone to their music, lest they be condemned to the confines of their parents’ basement for all eternity. Well here’s the deal, I think we’ve finally, collectively admitted that none of us were ever ready to give up our Moogorfoogers.

I know I’ve made several comments about the return of the 80’s before, but I suppose that just goes to show the extent to which our music is changing. I was absolutely shocked yesterday morning (but that not to say I wasn’t pleasantly surprised) to find that the local heavy, top-forty rap station had, between then and the last time I’d turned on the radio (which was not all that long ago), converted to a 100% pure eighties frequency. Ironically, after listening to a few of the eighty’s biggest hits, I realized that most of them are strikingly similar to the synth heavy, four on the floor, electro-clash tracks that are so familiar to us. Clearly, we’ve only seen the beginning…

Buffet Libre

While some, like the Bloody Beetroots with their recent production, “Yeah Boy.” seem to be keeping themselves current by simply adding a bit of an 80’s touch to their style, others have proven themselves to be more than enthusiastic. The massive Spanish crew known as Buffet Libre, for example, has recently released two mix-tapes (The first of which is available below) as part of their Rewind project. The tapes run through well over two hours of solid 80’s favorites chosen largely by the Disco community’s better known bloggers (Red Threat, ElectroRash, Disco Dust etc.).

Verbena Compilation Part I

The Bloody Beetroots – Yeah Boy

On top of that, Rewind is also finishing up an explosive compilation of 80’s remixes, with a bit of a more up to date touch. The project is set to feature more than a few well known names, including Los Angeles’s Royal Rumble, Sweden’s Mr. Miyagi, and of course, the infamous Toxic Avenger. Keep an ear out early this month for the full release. Until then, here’s a leaked track or two to hold you over.

Men Without Hats – Where Do the Boys Go? (Mr. Miyagi Maximation Version)

NRK – Couldn’t Get Ahead (The Fall Cover)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 11:33 am and is filed under Disco Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.