(November 21, 2006) — Think Bowie and Euro-trash. Think Warhol and coke in limousines. Think synthesizers bright flashing lights and over-the-top sexuality. Combine it all with everything campy and a few drum machines, and you’ve got yourself the newest musical revolution: electroclash. Frustrated hipsters all around the country who are barely discovering that it’s actually fun to dance are finding solace in this new trend that is a combination of new wave, punk, electro and heavy sampling from ‘80s dance. Although electroclash is said to have first spawned in the late ‘90s in places like Berlin, Munich and Barcelona, one can see that its real musical roots take the most influence from bands like Depeche Mode, Daft Punk and Flock of Seagulls. Synthesizers, drum machines, repetitive beats and monotone robotic voices dominate the style, separating it from just plain electropop by its somewhat absurdist post-industrial detachment a modern approach to programming. And lyircs like “Sweet seduction in a magazine/Endless pleasure in a limousine” by Felix Da Housecat pretty much epitomize the various themes electroclash lyrics cover. Classically trained duo Fischerspoone, considered by many to be the godfathers of electroclash (though they ardently deny the claim), are known for theatrical performances where the music is almost like a soundtrack to thier stageshows. Other breakthrough artists include Gravy Train!!!!, Ladytron, Chicks on Speed, Peaches and Miss Kitten. All right, so the movement isn’t exactly brand new, but the last two or three years have certainly seen it grow in popularity. And yeah, it isn’t exactly specifically music either – theatrical performances, personalities, attitude and the major influence of fashion and art all play a huge part in shaping the movement. In a scene where there’s no such thing as too much makeup, criticism has been rampant, accusing electroclash artists of being way more concerned with style than with music, and for being downright imitations of ‘80s synth pop. Of course, in every genre, for every Talib Kweli there are about nine or ten 50 Cents, and no one could expect electroclash to be any different. But all taboos and prejudices aside, doesn’t the mere title electroclash just make you want to get up and dance??