In his book for the University of Michigan Press, Are We Not New Wave? Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s, author Theo Cateforis created a selection if essays on the various focii of new wave, and what connected the quite diverse genres which fell under its umbrella.
Cateforis makes several points as to what conncted the various, seemingly disparate genres that made up new wave. Synth pop, power pop, post-punk, and even rockabilly revivalists and punk itself all fell under the “new wave” banner at one time or another. So, what connects all of these things? In one case, it’s the beat. Cateforis returns again and again to the beat. be it the double backbeat or “Burundi beat,” rhythmic change was just as important to new wave’s image of “herky-jerky” music as the various visual elements.
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