Backwards Looking Forwards is a monthly radio program dedicated to exploring the interconnected histories of global dance music. Host Danny Goliger selects tunes that showcase the futuristic sounds of today, and provides context by examining their roots in musical traditions stretching back into the past. Listeners are invited on a journey of discovery that will include the freshest new releases, and builds links to the undiscovered gems of yesteryear. Expect to hear music that ranges from modern rave stylings like house, techno, electro, jungle, and juke, and traces the roots back to funk, soul, dub reggae, new wave, synth pop, EBM, and early electronica.

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On this month’s show I wanted to explore the intersection of New Wave, Synth Pop, & Italo Disco, with Techno and Electro. The musical influence of early synth bands is interwoven into the history of club music, with historical intersections in Detroit, Italy, England, and Germany.

The term ‘New Wave’ was coined in the late 1970’s to describe bands that were punk rock adjacent, but less aggressive sounding than the straight ahead punk & post punk bands of the day. It is a large umbrella term, and was mostly applied to pop and rock groups that incorporated synths into their arrangements. Variously, acts as wide ranging as Devo, Talking Heads, Wham, Blondie, Suicide, Elvis Costello, and Depeche Mode have all been referred to as ‘New Wave.’

Early Detroit Techno pioneers were very influenced by New Wave, Synth Pop, and Italo Disco imports from Europe. Particularly, the records of Kraftwerk, and Giorgio Moroder played a large part in the development of early Techno, as well as helping to define the sound of their DJ sets in the 80’s. The futurism of Kraftwerk, with the club sensibilities of Moroder merged into the futuristic themes of Detroit Techno, taking on an element of afro-futurism and social commentary.

This mix at various points traverses all of these genres and locales, including tracks from Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Derrick May, Drexciya, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, and others. These artists represent the fusion of rock with synthesizer music and disco, which resulted in much of our modern day house, techno, and electro. We conclude this month’s mix with modern techno that bears this same musical DNA. Rolling arpeggiated baselines as pioneered by Moroder, robotic drum machine sounds a-la Kraftwerk, and spacey futuristic compositions like the early Detroit pioneers.