Arachne Kallisti

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... )

You could make a case that it was in 1969 that synthpop as we know it was born. The first time that it occurred to someone that you could make purely electronic music that you could dance to. That case would be a track called "Popcorn", recorded by Gershon Kingsley on his album Music to Moog By.

"Popcorn" has gone on to become something of a synthpop standard. It's been covered by everyone from Aphex Twin to the Swedish Chef. There's at least 79 versions around, but these are my personal favourites:

1. Gershon Kingsley, 1969.
The original, and possessed of a certain retro charm. Quite different from later versions - the melody's slightly different, and it doesn't have the chorus in.

2. Hot Butter, 1972.
Arguably the definitive version, and the basis for all subsequent ones.

3. Marsheaux, 2004.
Probably my favourite. Chilly and ethereal.

4. Muse, 2010.
Prog-rock version with lots of guitar.

5. Fiddler's Green, 2003.
Folk-metal version. THIS IS AWESOME.

6. Aphex Twin, 1992.
Uncompromising experimental electronica version.

7. The Popcorn Orchestra, 1972.
Actually Jean-Michel Jarre, before he was famous.

8. The M & H Band, 1987.
Not actually Jean-Michel Jarre, although they're doing a pretty good impression of him.

9. Guru Josh, 1990.
Live acid house version. Quite fun, but goes on a bit.

10. Necronomikids, 2009.
Surf rock thrash version. Fast, fun, but over a bit too soon.

( Videos under the cut. )

I kind of collect weird cover versions. I love them for the same reasons I love bizarre crossovers and cracktastic AUs where everyone's a gerbil. I want to see exactly how far a skilled artist can push it with a song, how far they can go with making the same tune and lyrics convey something entirely differently. Ideally, I'd want the cover version to be as different from the original as possible, and still awesome.

Top Ten: cover versions
1. Florence and the Machine - "Addicted to Love"
Turns the original's smugness into a dreamy slow build to some blazingly confident vocals and flashy piano work. Stunning.
2. Patti Smith - "Gloria"
Another slow burn here. Patti Smith has this amazing, scratchy voice with this kind of snarl to it, and this is punk as all hell.
3. Marsheaux - "Pure"
The original is sweet in a slightly twee way. This is playful, otherwordly, and lucent.
4. The Clockwork Dolls - "The Final Countdown"
It's a ridiculous, bombastic song, and therefore an ideal candidate for a flamboyant steampunk reworking with lots of violins.
5. The Raincoats - "Lola"
Having "Lola" sung by a female voice, especially one with Gina Birch's frayed round the edges DIY punk vibe, adds a whole new interesting layer of genderqueerness to the whole thing. There's a story in my head here, kind of like Tipping the Velvet updated for the punk era.
6. The Genitorturers - "I Touch Myself"
I think it was one of Kit Whitfield's essays that pointed out the D/s subtext in Twilight. Gen's cover brings out the powerplay in a song about adolescent sexual obsession. The Labyrinth vid was picked to really drive the point home. So to speak.
7. Ecstatic Frog - "On Ilkley Moor Baht 'At"
It's a techno bellydance version of a darkly funny Yorkshire folk song. How is that not awesome?
8. Tori Amos - "Raining Blood"
Tori Amos is good at covers. Really good. Turning a thrash metal anthem into something cold and creepy good.
9. Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg - "Let's Do It"
Y'know, there really is a hidden vein of punk in Cole Porter. The songs may be slick and sophisticated on the outside, but the lyrics are all about sex and drugs and rock'n'roll. I got this one off the Tank Girl soundtrack - much like the movie, it's not deep, but it is fun.
10. Johnny Cash - "Hurt"
The last song Johnny Cash ever released. It's agonisingly perfect for him. Even Trent Reznor admits that this is Johnny's song now.

( Videos under the cut )