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Progressive 80’s pop / sophisti-pop
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Crane View Drop Down
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    Posted: March 11 2021 at 02:36
Hello all, I almost feel I should list my prog bonafides as a caveat to what I’m going to ask, since I know it won’t be to your taste LOL

I’m looking for basically a prog version of sophisti-pop. Digital synthesisers are almost a must, particularly the DX-7. I’m a big fan of Genesis’ ‘Invisible Touch’ album, particularly its arrangements, production value, and melodic bent. Is there a group or album out there that sounds like that but with longer, more developed themes? If you don’t know what sophisti-pop is, the best example would be Scritti Politti.

Yes’ ‘90125’ is probably an obvious answer to this. Truth be told, I’ve never quite warmed to Yes’ composition style, for whatever reason. I recognise that they’re awesome but they just aren’t a favourite of mine to listen to. I wouldn’t mind hearing a defense of Yes here but I don’t want it to derail the thread!

Some of the little bit of I’ve heard of It Bites sort of fits the bill with their use of digital synths, but they’re strongly guitar-based neo-prog music so it’s not exactly what I’m looking for.

Missing Persons are very good but are more new wave than what I’m looking for.

I’ve found a few jazz fusion albums that almost fit the bill at times. Chick Corea’s (R.I.P.) Elektric Band, some of Herbie Hancock’s 80’s output, Bruford’s Earthworks, Kazumi Watanabe’s ‘Spice of Life’ albums.

One can easily imagine Level 42 would have been a group to have done this, but actually as they became more pop-oriented they shed a lot of their jazz fusion influences.


Edited by Crane - March 11 2021 at 03:19
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I'm still not entirely sure what you mean, but you may want to check out the album A Secret Wish by Propaganda.

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This was one of the best hit singles of the 80's IMO..


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Edited by Blacksword - March 11 2021 at 02:45
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I find the term sophisti-pop extremely funny, if not ridiculous. Makes me giggle every time i see it. LOL

So any pop artist with some skill, competence is basically sophisticated, right? LOL
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Have you listened to The Blue Nile? Of all the various bands I’ve seen described as sophisti-pop, they are easily the most interesting and enjoyable for me. And I definitely think you could describe them as proggy at times.
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Something like this, but given the prog treatment:



Typically in pop, you hear the same melody a few times in the verse, and another melody in the chorus. In prog music, the theme is often developed rhythmically and harmonically over time.
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Originally posted by nick_h_nz nick_h_nz wrote:

Have you listened to The Blue Nile? Of all the various bands I’ve seen described as sophisti-pop, they are easily the most interesting and enjoyable for me. And I definitely think you could describe them as proggy at times.

I love them!
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Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

This was one of the best hit singles of the 80's IMO..


Propaganda - Duel

Love this! Thanks!
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Originally posted by Crane Crane wrote:

Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

This was one of the best hit singles of the 80's IMO..


Propaganda - Duel


Love this! Thanks!


Glad you like it

IIRC it's produced by Trevor Horn who was in Yes and The Buggles. Have you heard the Buggles. They were late 70's early 80's electro pop. If you haven't already you may want to check them out.

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More recently, The Opium Cartel have done a good job of making modern sophisti-pop. I really enjoyed last year’s Valor. And the band is in PA, so sophisti-prog-pop, I guess?  😜
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Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

Glad you like it

IIRC it's produced by Trevor Horn who was in Yes and The Buggles. Have you heard the Buggles. They were late 70's early 80's electro pop. If you haven't already you may want to check them out.

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I do like The Buggles. I consider them of a piece with 80’s Yes due to their shared membership and musical material.

Horn produced another flash-in-the-pan sophisti-pop group called Dollar. He is interesting, I feel I should look more into him. 
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Originally posted by nick_h_nz nick_h_nz wrote:

More recently, The Opium Cartel have done a good job of making modern sophisti-pop. I really enjoyed last year’s Valor. And the band is in PA, so sophisti-prog-pop, I guess?  😜


Yea, loving what I’m hearing here! They list Prefab Sprout and Japan as influences, two of my absolute favourites.
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Perhaps, also, try Laughing Stock? The band name comes from Talk Talk, and they’re not at all what I would consider sophisti-pop, but I think they would likely appeal, nevertheless. I couldn’t even begin to guess all their influences, so varied is the palette they draw from, but I’d take a stab in the dark, and venture as well as Talk Talk, some Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Tears for Fears, XTC, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Camel, The Beatles and probably at least a couple of dozen others. 🤪
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Originally posted by Crane Crane wrote:

Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

Glad you like it

IIRC it's produced by Trevor Horn who was in Yes and The Buggles. Have you heard the Buggles. They were late 70's early 80's electro pop. If you haven't already you may want to check them out.

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I do like The Buggles. I consider them of a piece with 80’s Yes due to their shared membership and musical material.

Horn produced another flash-in-the-pan sophisti-pop group called Dollar. He is interesting, I feel I should look more into him. 


Yeah, Horn is a fantastic producer. Read up on Zang Tumb Tumb records. That was the label he founded and signed a very diverse range of acts, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood and 808 State. He also formed The Art of Noise with journalist Paul Morely and various musicians and sound engineers. I'm guessing you know he produced 90125 by Yes.
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^ I was going to mention Frankie Goes To Hollywood. You got there first! 😄

I’m not a great fan, overall, of the Pleasuredome album, but it’s worth it for the songs that are good. The title track alone is bloody amazeballs.
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I really like the genre, somo of my favorites are:

The Blue Nile
Prefab Sprout
China Crisis
Japan
Joe Jackson (first new wave, later sophisti-pop)
The Pale Fountains
The Painted World
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Originally posted by Progmind Progmind wrote:

I really like the genre, somo of my favorites are:

The Blue Nile
Prefab Sprout
China Crisis
Japan
Joe Jackson (first new wave, later sophisti-pop)
The Pale Fountains
The Painted World


You’ve named some of the best. I only don’t know The Painted World. I can recommend some newer artists, although I was hoping to make this thread about a prog/sophisti-pop hybrid, rather than sophisti-pop itself.
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Don't know anything about 'sophisti pop' but Ferry's solo lp's Boys and Girls and Bete Noire are about as slick as they come and still proggy at times. Also Simple Minds did several things in the 80's that are proggy and sophisticated  imo.
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I've just discovered XTC and I love all of their stuff that ive heard so far, might sorta scratch the itch you're looking for. 
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Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:

Don't know anything about 'sophisti pop' but Ferry's solo lp's Boys and Girls and Bete Noire are about as slick as they come and still proggy at times. Also Simple Minds did several things in the 80's that are proggy and sophisticated  imo.

I’ll have to revisit those Ferry albums. Thanks.

Can you recommend some Simple Minds?
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Originally posted by dougmcauliffe dougmcauliffe wrote:

I've just discovered XTC and I love all of their stuff that ive heard so far, might sorta scratch the itch you're looking for. 

I’m a fan, though I consider them more new wave. They did dip into the genre a bit here and there, and I think they did a fine job:




Edited by Crane - March 11 2021 at 14:39
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