Vinyl Party: Synth Pop

Synth pop appeared in late-1970s Britain from the idea of making the synthesiser the lead instrument rather than an add-on to guitars and drums. The first to experiment in this direction were Kraftwerk, the German band that was already making minimalist electronic music in the mid-70s.

In the 1980s the genre took off commercially: Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Eurythmics and Pet Shop Boys released records that are still in people’s collections. The music became denser and more rhythmic and absorbed the dance scene, while keeping its trademark cool, cerebral distance.

Bring records from your home collection, put them on the turntable and, if you like, tell us what they mean to you. Come without records too: to listen, talk and have a glass of wine.