A Lost Post-Punk Gem: Poeme Electronique

A couple of years ago, I was playing a lot of late-1970s and early-1980s synth pop videos, which I've loved since I was probably still a preteen. I was also listening to a lot of minimal wave (also sometimes called minimal synth) on YouTube as well. We all know how YouTube's algorithms work, so it was no surprise that I'd get suggestions for videos from different artists in the same basic genre. If I'm going to be obsessed with minimal wave, why not get a bit more obsessed? A video by a band I'd never heard of before, Poeme Electronique, had apparently cut a video of their one released single, The Echoes Fade. It's a haunting track that I continue to enjoy. It was apparently released in 1982, and it does sound like a synth pop song of the period. The lyrics have some depth to them, and the production and musical craftsmanship is outstanding, especially given what was likely a very limited budget. The video is also definitely a period piece, and clearly shot on a very limited budget. The two vocalists make the most it on the video, and obviously I'm fine with it, as I keep it bookmarked. 

I guess that single, and an album's worth of material got released on CD and LP in 2010, but in such limited edition that all I can say is good luck finding a copy at a decent price. A blogger known as Post-Punk Monk wrote a review of the CD, The Echoes Fade, in the spring of last year, and provides a track-by-track description of the album as well as a bit of its backstory. It's worth a read if you are a synth pop fan. Make sure to check the SoundCloud. Dave Hewson, the synth player and producer, apparently went back to the master tapes and did some restoration. As I read up on Dave Hewson, he was already an accomplished composer when he was part of Poeme Electronique, and has gone on to bigger and better things since. Sharon Abbott (also a co-writer) and Julie Ruler added the vocals. It's a shame this band didn't make it. Then again, I've had plenty of friends in the music business over the decades who were highly talented who just never quite landed the right recording contract or managed more than perhaps a local hit. I have tons of demo tapes and later CDs to show for that. It is what it is. 

Here is Poeme Electronique's video for The Echoes Fade:



Cheers!

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