Last summer, New Yorkers got turned onto the music of Electro-Clash, a mix of synthpop from the 80s and techno from the 90s tossed underneath lyrics about the media, drinking, mortality and just having fun. The latest of this genre’s many compilations, Electro-Nouveau: Tech, SynthPop and Nu-Electro, is one of the best and thankfully, doesn’t require any knowledge of 80s synthpop history to enjoy.

Chicks on Speed bring in the energy with "Euro Trash Girl," a "so-cool-we’re-sneering-at-you" synthpop jaunt about a trip around the world looking for their "angel in black". Ladytron and Mount Sims talk about the image-conscious media with "Seventeen" and "Black Sunglasses," hitting the nail on the head with in-your-face lyrics: "They only want you when you’re seventeen /When your 21 you’re no fun." Freezepop gets the award for most hysterical, tongue-in-cheek-song "Bike Thief" and Bis gives their blessing with the icy-cool atmospheric trip "Robotic." Goldenboy and Miss Kittin end the first disc with their urge to murder someone in the dark on "Rippin Kittin."

The second disc is still danceable but more obscure. Freezepop and Bis contribute mediocre second tracks, and electro-clash guru Felix Da Housecat keeps his ear to the ground with "Madame Hollywood." Northern Lite, Xero G, Sean Kosa and Neonwork also lay their beats down but in comparison to the first disc, it ends up as good background music and that’s about it (whereas the first disc might compel you to dance your ass off with both genders wearing black eyeliner). The Electro-Noveau compilation spreads the East Coast love for all things synthesized to the rest of the planet without the elitist factor present in musical movements that lend themselves to "scenes."-Embrace it and thank the musical gods.

Jessie Nelson