1: Kraftwerk - Das Model (1978)

We finally reach our number one. They come from Germany and can be considered the origin of modern electronic music. Of course, we are talking about Kraftwerk, and we have the strong believe that this is the best way to finish our blog. With a hymn: Das Model.

In the following link you can find the tracklist and stats of this blog, where you can check the 54 countries we have traveled to: Tracklist and Stats

However, this is not the end. We take this opportunity to announce our next adventure: a brand new blog, written in Spanish language this time, in which we will travel through our particular selection of great electronic soundtrack songs. Welcome to 51 Grandes Temas Electrónicos de Bandas Sonoras.

R.O.C. & Civ

2: La Mode - La evolución de las costumbres (1986)

Yes, we stay in Spain to meet our second position. We should be really proud to have had a band like La Mode, because in many other countries they would be recognized as they deserve, however, in Spain, we never appreciate genious even when we have it under our nose. La Mode, formed by El Zurdo after his previous band Paraíso, published only four albums with some of the best songs that emerged from La Movida. It has been really difficult to choose only one, but this is one of my favorite. As we can see, the lyrics are still up to date.

Civ

3: Cabaret Voltaire - I Want You (1985)

 Our number three goes to... England! And what better choice than Cabaret Voltaire? The famous English band, formed in 1973, experimented with all kind of obscure and bizarre electronic sounds, specially in the industrial, post-punk, minimal, synthpop and new wave genres. A reference in the eighties, the band led by  Richard H. Kirk and vocalist Stephen Mallinder has influenced innumerable groups, releasing more than 15  studio albums till their dissolution in 1994. The chosen I Want You is a song very representative of their style: possessive sounds, obscure voices, hypnotic rhythm and industrial, almost evil, atmosphere. Very appropriate for an horror film.

R.O.C.

4: Luomo ‎- Tessio (2000)

   Our number four comes from Finland, and he is one of the most respected and prolific electronic artist from the Nordic countries. Luomo (also known as Vlasilav Delay, although his real name is Sasu Ripatti) has published tens of albums and singles, playing different styles (ambient, techno, house…) and experimenting with all kind of sounds. The album “Vocalcity” is considered by many specialized critics as one of the most important of the last decade. This song is one of the pieces of that wonderful puzzle. Twelve minutes of pleasure.

Civ

5: Miss Kittin & The Hacker ‎- Party In My Head (Mr Pauli Remix) (2009)

 Our trip being almost finished, time we listened to great electro stuff. In 2009 the French duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker (Caroline Hervé and Michel Amato) released a single called Party In My Head, including a remix version from a Dutch producer, Ingmar Pauli (a.k.a. Mr. Pauli), which was a synthetic bomb, mixing spacey italo sounds with the best electro rhythm, an outstanding and original mixture. Definitely, with this kind of songs there is a party in our head!

R.O.C.

6: Club 8 - Missing You (1998)

Sweden had to be in our top ten, and Club 8 had to be in one of our blog adventures. Formed in 1995 and consisting  of Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, one curious point about this band is that their musical career started when they were signed to a Spanish record label (Siesta). Since then, their thrilling and beautiful pop songs have accompanied us throughout seven excellent albums. This track was their second single and shows their most electronic side.

Civ

7: Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart (1990)

 Groove Is In The Heart was an original song, a hit there in the early nighties. The US band Deee-Lite, formed in New York, offers an interesting mixture of funk, house, disco and dance-pop sounds, with wind instruments, guitar and even rap parts. Lady Miss Kier's voice and the funny video totally makes us travel back in time to the colorful sixties.

R.O.C.

8: Amon Tobin - Chronic Tronic (2002)

This is a cyberpunk week, so it´s a good chance to travel to Brazil (maybe to New Rio de Janeiro?). There we find Amon Tobin, one of the most interesting and surprising electronic musicians I have ever enjoyed. When I first listened to his album “Out from Out Where” in 2002, it really shocked me. All that mixture of sounds and tunes… I could imagine hundreds of futuristic scenes in my mind, it was an incredible experience. It was music from a dark future. And future is now.

Civ

9: Texas - Getaway (2005)

 Texas is a well-known Scottish synhtpop band, everybody has enjoyed more than once their international hits I Don't Want A Lover, Say What You Want, Black Eyed Boy, Summer Son and probably my favourite: Inner Smile. Well, maybe that's not right. Recently I have changed my mine and I prefer a song released as a single in 2005 that should have been paid more attention to. I'm talking about a tender song, a classic and joyful tune full of romance and dressed with Sharleen's elegance (this girl is so cool!). I'm talking about Getaway.

R.O.C.

10: Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. - Bang Bang Bang (2010)

Here begins the final countdown for this blog, and I have chosen one of my favorite songs of recent years for it. Mark Ronson is an English DJ, musician, producer and co-founder of a record label, and moreover, he is the mastermind behind a lot of fantastic tracks clearly influenced by 80`s sounds. This one, featuring the rapper Q-Tip and the singer of MNDR, is a perfect example of his influences and his abilities creating good tunes (and a great videoclip too!).

Civ

11: Hot Casandra - Hold Me Tight (2011)

  Before reaching our eagerly awaited Top 10, which will be surely a storm of electronic sounds, let's travel to Romania to enjoy a relaxing song. Included in an EP entitled "Early Nightmares", Hold Me Tight is a psychedelic piece of music performed by Paul Ballo (a.k.a. Hot Casandra) and his mother, soprano Bianca Ionescu from the Bucharest National Opera, who impregnates the song with the necessary touch of glamour.

R.O.C.

12: Strange Talk - Eskimo Boy (2011)

Strange Talk are a Melbourne-based Australian electropop band with only some singles and one EP published (their first album will be out this year 2013). However, in their few songs they have shown a particular skill for the creation of genuine and catching pop tunes. I´m sure we will hear of them in the near future.

Civ

13: Snowy Red - The Long Run (1984)

 Almost arriving at our last destination, the expected top 10, we visit Belgium once more. In the eighties numerous obscure minimal bands crowded this small country. Groups making different music for different people. Innovating, ahead of their time. Snowy Red is a good example. Marcel Thiel -his real name- died in 2009, but he left at least a masterpiece behind: in 1984 he released an outrageous piece of work, The Long Run, mixing exasperating -but joyful- distortions, disturbing wind instruments, a possessive synth baseline, hot female panting and his perturbing outstanding voice. A pure climax!

R.O.C.

14: Parov Stelar - Catgroove (2009)

Back to Austria. There have been not many jazz or swing sounds in this list, but I really think that a great artist like Parov Stelar deserves a mention. With a long career behind him (8 albums, more than 20 EPs…), this musician from Linz has always experimented with the mixture between classic jazzy sounds and electro-house rhythms. The result of that is a long list of great songs made for dancing. Enjoy!

Civ

15: Cerumentric - Bleeding Into My Dreams (2010)

 This is our second visit to The Philippines. This time we meet one of the most promising electro/synthpop artists there, Cerumentric, two-time nominee for Best Dance/Electro Act in the Asian Voice Independent Music Awards. With a fresh dance-oriented nu-disco style, Bleeding Into My Dreams easily makes us move following the rhythm of the frenetic -almost spacey- synths during the whole 7 minutes long, which in fact seems short to me.

R.O.C.