Pleasure Victim cover

Pleasure Victim

Released

Even though Giorgio Moroder briefly made them the biggest band in the world with a massive hit single about asphyxiation for a military propaganda film, Los Angeles synth-poppers Berlin initially made a splash with their own take on the Moroder sound: the cheekily explicit (for the 80s) dirty dancing ditty “Sex (I’m a…).” They knew what sold. It was all a put-on, of course – singer Terry Nunn was literally an actress – but a fun one. Side B contains the two bona fide new wave classics. “Masquerade” thrills as a bombastic Duran Duran rave-up, while the Gary Numan minimalism of “The Metro” still chills. Not a lot of original ideas but Nunn’s charisma makes the listener a willing victim.

Jeff Treppel

Recommended by

Suggestions
Too-Rye-Ay cover

Too-Rye-Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners, Kevin Rowland
Revenge cover

Revenge

Eurythmics
Friend or Foe cover

Friend or Foe

Adam and the Ants
Technique cover

Technique

New Order
Doble Vida cover

Doble Vida

Soda Stereo