Electronically with love

"I don't like country and western,
I don't like rock music
I don't like, I don't like rockabilly or rock 'n' roll particularly
Don't like much really, do I?
But what I do like I love passionately"

I can quote the words above, from Chris Lowe on Pet Shop Boys' Paninaro , verbatim. They're a kind of mantra for preferring synths over guitars, dance over rock and electronic over acoustic. Which is probably what attracted me to the Electronically Yours site in the first place. Although their first incarnation was as a Human League fansite, EY's development into a haven for great electro music served with a passion has been one of the biggest delights on the web. While other electro sites change with the wind in the vain hope of becoming a brand, Electronically Yours haven't wavered from their original intent or followed the crowd. Instead EY has expanded and branched out by releasing music by the very bands they champion. And the new compilation album, Electronically Yours Vol. 1 is the welcome result.

Bands like Parralox (left), Marsheaux, Client, Cassette Electrik and Mikro already have product out there but they have given time, energy and songs to this snapshot of electro music which in turn gives a platform for other artists like Electrobelle, Red Blooded Women, Katsen, and Oblique. Parralox offer their fan favourite X Minus One while Marsheaux have recorded the vare lovely Sadly as an exclusive. Mikro have a long and illustrious career in their home country, Greece, but they were new to me. They are also a total delight with their pulsating slice of electropop Restart. Clicky on the widget below!

Restart - Mikro

Go here to listen to ALL the tracks. Included on the bonus CD are the brilliant Northern Kind with an updated snappy remix of On & On and one of my top twenty tracks from last year, the sublime We Are Technology by Technologic.

To understand the passion behind this compilation album, go here. The 'insider's guide' reads like sleeve notes for a Pet Shop Boys CD: comprehensive, detailed and entertaining. For a site to support music and bands like this is vare special and should only be encouraged, so GO BUY IT here and here.