As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.
In the U.S., A Flock Of Seagulls were more or less relegated to one-hit wonder status. They were mainly talked about for the Jetson wavve-inspired haircut. But thankfully MTV and alt rock stations in the States let another track through the cracks for us music fans. The track “Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)” has earned synth pop anthem status – more so than “I Ran”. Here’s why.
While “I Ran”’s best moments are dominated by the electric guitar, there’s no arguing that “Wishing” is all about the synth notes. The guitar plays a complementary role, placing accents that supplement the synth barrage evident throughout the track. “Wishing” also has that iconic synth arpeggio riff, one of the most unforgettable keyboard hooks of the decade – along with that enthralling Joy Division-inspired percussion. It’s hard to think of a more clearer expression of 80’s synth pop.
“If I had a photograph of you, It's something to remind me I wouldn't spend my life just wishing.”