The namedropping of everything cool in the early 80s that had a dance beat (New York avant-funk on the Ze label, Liquid Liquid, Konk), The Pop Group, Talking Heads, Slits, 23 Skidoo, etc. is sufficient to garner attention and controversy, but doesn’t come close to describing the music. Spektrum are both less and more than their antecedents. It’s unfair to expect a dance band to be able to shatter barriers like the aforementioned groups did over 25 years ago. To their credit, Spektrum evokes the eclecticism and audacious creativity that seemed to dry up around 1985, as far as experimental dance is concerned (forget the faceless four-four tedium of House). The closest comparison that can be made is fractured electronica of The Soft Pink Truth, but with more elastic rhythms, as if toonced up by Bootsy’s Rubber Band. What makes Spektrum far superior is Lola Olafisoye, who’s vocals sashay effortlessly between hip post-punk disco diva Grace Jones to piercing Poly Styrene screams. Spare and airy, this sounds great cranked up, like Prince’s “Kiss.”
April 2, 2026
Fester’s Lucky 13: 1986
March 12, 2026
Ranking the Oscar Nominees
