Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft “Für immer” 1982. The album cover reminds me of that trend “tell me you’re 80’s euro-synthpop without saying you’re 80’s euro-synthpop” ie it’s dripping in electronic beep-boops, sparse drums (machine + real thing), though there is a mix of bright 80’s neon energy and dark industrial goth. We picked up Für immer last week in Berlin, I think at the weird 33rpm store. It was D.A.F.’s (translates as “German-American Friendship”) fifth LP; they formed in Düsseldorf in ’78, no doubt influenced by Kraftwerk. Their specific genre is described as Neue Deutsche Welle (German New Wave) which feels a bit more industrial than most British or American new wave and artists in the NDW genre were big influences on the EBM movement. D.A.F. are also lumped in with the electropunk and art punk descriptions but this LP is, to me, synthpop/industrial; overall it’s not hypnotic enough to be EBM. Anyway, it’s great! The opener “Im Dschungel der Liebe” (“Jungle of Love”) is straight-up new wave/synthpop with delightful plink plunks to accent the bleep bloops. “Ein bisschen Krieg” (“A Little War”), the second track, does a sharp turn into industrial territory (this one does veer to EBM). One of my top tracks, “Verlieb dich in mich” (“Fall in Love with Me”) is 1000% Devo inspired, as is “Kebabträume” (“Kebab Dreams” – which is hilarious based on our continuous dreams of the Doner kebab we consumed in Berlin). “Prinzessin” (“Princess”) takes another dark turn, though this a bit more Cure-esque in its swirly late -night atmosphere.

I couldn’t find any live performances or videos from Für immer so here’s a contemporary video of “Liebe auf den ersten Blick” off their 1981 LP Gold und Liebe featuring most excellent 80’s style dancing.