Analysis Of My Genre

Analysis of my genre; Electro-Pop

As we have finally concluded to use Calvin Harris - flashback as our song choice. I have chosen to do an analysis of the genre, as I know little of it. To find conventions and to hopefully better know my artist...

Synthpop (also known as electropop and technopop) is a genre of popular music which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. A synthesizer is an electronic instrument that produces sounds of electrical signals at different frequencies which creates that lazer, zapping sound. During the 1980's, the introduction of dance beats to electropop diverted from the 'eerie' sounds and introduced warm and catchy to music making it 'less menacing.' Unlike most genres electropop was not influenced in its early staged by the dominating United States, but the European and particularly Eastern European influences.

The genre has stretched from the late 70's/early 80's to date and the genre has undergone different phases. In this being said I have chosen to analyse the different characteristics and inputs that have been used in the music videos to get where we are today;

Yellow Magic Orchestra (1978)

The Yellow Magic Orchestra, are regarded as the early pioneers of the genres synthpop, ambient house, electronica, j-pop, techno, hip hop and game music which quite frankly is very evident in the song computer games where we hear beeps and other sounds that we can reference to early game soundtracks. With the song being called Computer Games we see very obvious transitions which strengthens Carol Vernallis's theories from early. We can also see the now low grade computer effects illustrating a game of space invaders in the music video which smartly even without lyrics makes this an amplification music video as there is some reference to the song in the visuals allowing its viewer to understand what is happening and get a feel for it.  An interesting feat to this is that the artists are wearing sunglasses and have neon lights in the background; something that is very frequent to electropop artists in this day and age, highlighting that it is a key convention of the genre.

Spandau Ballet (1983)

Spandau Ballet were a British band which formed in the late 70's. Initially inspired by the New Romantic fashion (which is a revival of Glam Rock of the early 70's, an "anti fashion style of punk." Where sexes dress in androgynous clothing) and the uprise of MTV. We see Spandau Ballet perform their chart topping Gold (1983) as listed above. We can note the convention of sunglasses making another appearance in the desert scenes of the music video which the YMO also wore. We can note that this music video is also an amplification striking a pattern in electropop music videos (not a necessity but what seems to be a convention). The music video is about gold and we get a "cowboy" feel as  we are on the desert with the basetracks of the band in suits, stretching the doors of the attire for the music video. This has something to do with the New Romantic fashion and the rise of MTV, appealing to a broader audience, in particular the United States. This song allows us to hear that electropop has also taken the inspiration of other genres instruments, mellowing down the zapping and beeping sounds which were mentioned in the opening paragraphs.

Pet Shop Boys (1987)

The Pet Shop Boys are an English Electronic Dance music duo, who formed in 1981starting out of the name 'Westend' as a dedication for their love of London's Westend. There is a clear pattern (excluding the Japanese) that most electropop groups of their time were predominantly from England. The Pet Shop Boys did a synthpop cover ( Always On My Mind 1987) for an ITV television special commemorating Elvis Presley's death and became so popular that they recorded it and released it as a song. We can see on the music video of this song that suits make an appearance once again accompanied by the sunglasses. There is also a clear indication in the music video that this song was made during the New Romantic fashion as one of the scenes shows a male walking near mirrors wearing a Gold jumpsuit, a piece of attire that doesn't look like it has come from the men's department and a male with makeup on. We can clearly not a distinction between the pioneer electropop as there are more than one instrument being played.

The popularity of Synthpop was in rapid decline during 1986-2000 with the arrival in the UK; Indie Rock Bands in particular The Smiths (shown above). By the end of the 80's many of the electropop bands had been dropped by their labels as it was losing its 'commercial viability as alternative radio stations were responding to the popularity of Grunge Rock.'

21st Century Revival; Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris was one of the many artists including LMFAO and Owlcity to emerge following the electropop inspiration where we can hear a clear relation as to where the sounds have derived from, even including the conventions. In this Calvin Harris music video I'm Not Alone we can see that the Sunglasses have made another comeback nearly 35 years from it origin making it a key convention to Electropop. This music video is an amplification style where we can get an understanding of what is occurring and direct links from the lyrics to what is on screen. With the proliferation of technology it is easier to incorporate the sounds of instruments and electropop is in the blood of most genres from Rap to R&B, sampling many notable sounds from YMO without even knowing it. 

This comes to be said that a key conventions to Electropop is most certainly in the sunglasses!