The Scene Is Now - Burn All Your Records (1985)

Now here's an interesting band. You might know this band because Yo La Tengo covered their song "Yellow Sarong," The Scene Is Now were a weird band from mid 80s NYC so they often get lumped in with no wave. But trust me they aren't anything like your Circle X or your Swans or Y Pants or any of that. In fact it's really hard to tell what genre they are. They're sometimes defined as "postmodern jug music" but I prefer just calling them jangle pop, really schizophrenic and disoriented jangle pop. The album consists of 20 relatively short tracks that are poppy but also dissonant. In some tracks its almost as if they try to sound bad, and it ends up giving it a really endearing and cute sound. This album might take a few listens to click but I ~highly~ recommend this album.

A man in the moon
Taps on the window
How will we know your silhouette
How will we reach you (Are we real?)

Χωρίς Περιδέραιο - Χορός για μουσική (1985)

Awesome minimal wave album from Greece. Filled with barrages of blissful synth rhythms for your listening pleasure. Really great listen if youre exploring synth music.

Ιιηκ

Juicy - It Takes Two (1985)

Regarded as a classic by 80s/90s club and urban radio DJs, Juicy is some sexy synth funk and sample magic. I only copped this a month ago after hearing the "Sugar Free" track on DJ Screw's legendary 3 N' Tha Morning mix. I was on a huge New Jack Swing and 80s funk kick then and I desperately needed to hear that track again if not the entire album... I was not let down at all. I had definitely heard the opener and title track on my city's 'Old School' radio station which is the only good station in my city. These grooves are effortlessly tight and with plenty of amazing synth, drum, and overdub work. I also obviously can't leave out how great of singers these two are; never over the top and always just float around their music hitting every dynamic perfectly. I understand if you think this album might be corny because of the cover--the 80s soul scene was all about that type of shit and I love it--but it's not by any means.

Sample

It Takes Two