808 STATE
Modern classic "Pacific" is an astounding piece of work-- It used to play through my mind when I was taking pictures of dawn around Sterns Wharf in Santa Barbara. In fact, every time I hear it now I get mental images of some particularly vibrant images I captured the morning after a huge El Nino storm. 808 State were some years ahead of their time, the song "Cubik" being a perfect example, running it's second wind in clubs today and blending in perfectly with contemporary music even though it was recorded nearly a decade ago-- You can't say that about any techno from that period, which seems to me an impressive feat.
ERASURE
My friend Dan says he can't stand listening to Erasure because he says you can "just tell [they're gay]." (Ironically enough, he loves the Pet Shop Boys, whom I can't stand for approximately the same reason.) Granted, I have to admit I can't stand their earlier work, circa pre-Wonderland, because it's just so damned flaming in a bad way; "No GDM" is, however, a guilty pleasure. Since the late 80's, I have continually enjoyed their work, especially their abundant remix singles, which are among the best of any artist on the market; rivaling even my two other remix favorites of Depeche Mode and Björk. There is no greater force in europop than this group; take a listen to their CD5 for "Always" and tell me different.
EURYTHMICS
It is a sad reality of today's children that some, if not most, do not know that "Sweet Dreams" is a Eurythmics song and not merely the work of some meglomaniacal Goth poser. Annie Lennox has one of the best voices in music today, and in my opinion, was the greater force of this duo and its 80's pop songs which sound as good today as they did over a decade ago. Too bad neither member of this duo recorded solo work as good as when they were together. If angst-ridden love in the guise of a diva voice is the kind of thing you adore, this is all you need.
EXOTICA
A gem of the film foresaken in the wake of horrid movies "Showgirls" and "Striptease" also featuring strippers, the enigmatic "Exotica" boasts not only one of the most complex screenplays ever written and a stunning cast, but a great soundtrack as well. Not that I've ever been to a strip club [yet], but I somehow doubt the music here is the kind they play there: A mixture of moody piano solos makes up half of the disc, exotic Middle Eastern melodies mixed with hip-grinding synthetic grooves comprising the other.
