Top Ten: Robot Love

Ah, 14th February comes round again. At this time of year I find myself wandering round the town centre feeling more than usually like a badly-programmed android who does not understand these strange human emotions of yours. Good job some people like that kind of thing...

1. An Pierle - Are 'Friends' Electric?
Acoustic piano cover of a Gary Numan song. Stylish in a Blade Runner-esque cyberpunk cabaret kind of way.

2. Apoptygma Berzerk - Kathy's Song (Victoria Mix by VNV Nation)
"Kathy" is Stephen Groth's computer, and "Victoria" is one of the OSX text-to-speech voices. Because who could know you better than your computer, after all the clicks and keystrokes it's seen?

3. Jonathan Coulton - Better
A cautionary tale about the strain transhumanism can place on a relationship.

4. Goldfrapp - Strict Machine
According to Alison Goldfrapp, this is a song about wireheading.

5. Oh Land - Human
Thanks to monarda_if for introducing me to this one. Isn't it just crying out for a GLaDOS/Chell fanvid?

6. Voltaire - The Sexy Data Tango
Contains some of the geekiest innuendoes I have ever heard, and that really is saying something. In fact, this song is entirely made of geeky innuendo.

7. Add N To (X) - Metal Fingers In My Body
This is what happens when you combine vintage synthesizers and filthy minds. The video is thoroughly NSFW.

8. Freezepop - Robotron 2000
The lyrics are an absolutely straightforward little slice of retro SF. Apocalyptic war. Robot boyfriend. Could have come out of Astounding Science Fiction in the 50s.

9. Thermostatic - Metal Skin
Like a videogame soundtrack from the 80s remixed with proper synth and sweet, playful vocals. Chiptune FTW.

10. Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella
Another absolutely lyrically straightforward song - it's about falling in love with a sexbot. Used a fanvid here because the original video kinda squicked me - this one has the technofetishism without quite so much sexism.

( Videos under the cut... )