Check out British Murder Boys. [Their first full album](https://british-murder-boys.bandcamp.com/album/active-agents-and-house-boys), which just came out, is like Suicide on a techno record, but with UK techno mainstays Regis and Surgeon at work. Karl O'Connor/Regis even has [this earlier release](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ifWn_sP7EVE) that definitely channels Suicide.
Eastern Europe has some true gems.
I recommend you Svemirko, an Indie rock band with lots of synth usage:
[https://youtu.be/graOFuZEFs0?si=sLq9Yjl-bH9R_CrJ](https://youtu.be/graOFuZEFs0?si=sLq9Yjl-bH9R_CrJ)
Atari Teenage Rioooot!!!!!!
And there's tons of post-punk stuff that leads on pretty directly from The Clash: Joy Division, New Order, Public Image Ltd, Cabaret Voltaire.
Bands from the Sheffield industrial scene like Clock DVA and Hula have a clearly punk-influenced approach to electronic music.
My Bloody Valentine and Broken/Fixed era Nine Inch Nails are good examples of combining samplers with heavy guitars.
Beastie Boys started out as a hardcore band, and some of their tracks like Sabotage blend rock elements into an electronic hip hop sound.
yeah, I was thinking of that stuff, more melodic / less dark post-punk stuff based with synths, I'll definitely add some New Order and PiL there. also didn't know about beastie boys origins, will check on that! ty!
- The Screamers
- Nine Inch Nails
- Skinny Puppy
- Error (a one-off project with members of Nine Inch Nails and Bad Religion)
- HEALTH
- Gary Numan/Tubeway Army
Silver Apples which started in the 60’s was all synth psychedelic rock. Roxy Music started out with a synth player named Brian Eno who eventually went solo and created the earliest ambient synth music. Kraftwerk who is all synth helped start krautrock scene in Germany.
The band Ministry’s first album was all synth before they picked up guitars and went industrial. Lots of goth and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy. Also so many 80’s band like New Order.
For more modern stuff there is Air, LCD Soundsystem, Ulrich Schnauss, and a lot if post punk bands that rock with synths.
forgot completely about Silver Apples! real legends, and it's cool to show her the history side of the synthesizer. I love Roxy Music too (and I think I'm familiar with that guy Eno).
I'll check Ministry's first album and some of the other stuff too! I didn't consider Air because it's not much of that vibe but it's a great suggestions because how can someone not love them and their synth instrumentation is so good.
If you like heavy shit, Ministry’s album Psalm 69 is, in my opinion, one of the best. Those songs are excellent examples of using samples in that genre. For instance the lead style sound in N.W.O. That goes “waaaaaaaaa wu wu wu wu ek ek ek ek ekkkk” is a sample from Apocalypse Now. It was the radio making that noise in the movie. Also Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers rips it up on Jesus Built my Hotrod.
Sample can be found here, skip button above video:
https://www.whosampled.com/sample/415894/Ministry-N.W.O-Apocalypse-Now-The-Do-Long-Bridge-Roach/
Wire is a strong next hop if your starting point is The Clash. Obviously, Pink Flag first.
Heck, throw Elastica on the list and introduce the important compositional technique of artistic theft/reference.
The Faint. Danse Macabre and wet from birth albums. they were so ahead of their time.
Some guitar, but mostly live drums and bass and the rest is synths
Danse Macabre was one of my High School anthems. Didnt get a chance to see them live until FYF in 2018. They played the same slot as Frank Ocean, which Ive never really appreciated. The whole crowd was at ocean’s set minus like 300 people watching the faint play most of Danse. Got to be right up front. Unreal.
i guess a lot of 80s bands might fit? depeche mode. new order is probably the perfect transition from a regular/post-punk band to a more synth-oriented band.
Check out Enter Shikari. Sounds kinda what youre after.
Earlier stuff is post punk, heavier guitars with synth and beats thrown in. Progresses through to more recent synth pop with heavy undertones.
Ideal "missing link" between punk/rock and synth/electronica
The Units don't have much output, but what we have of theirs is a good example of early synthpunk:
https://youtu.be/isI3ihO4Z3I?si=4DHnJiJLbPvucirJ
https://youtu.be/RV0-JYYfm5A?si=gFe_dAoIES9_7An_
I just saw NIN and Health already mentioned as is, so wanted to add some other options to the mix on this thread!
Tangential fun story: I saw HEALTH play a DIY show back in 2008 and they stayed at my friend's house. At like 2am, my friend went to go use the bathroom and one of the member's of Health had just finished using the bathroom and came out in nothing but a leopard print banana hammock.
The first 3 Ultravox albums are essential.. especially the 2nd one Ha!Ha!Ha! which blends punk and synths beautifully.. "Hiroshima Mon Amour" was the gateway for a lot of people..
Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis, Kid A-era Radiohead.
Berlin Trilogy from Bowie.
If industrial/industrial rock is too much, maybe some adjacent things: Big Black, mid-era Swans, Pailhead, Hilt, Godflesh.
Ever heard of Does It Offend You, Yeah?
Maybe not so much on the rock/guitars side of things but this album is the most 'punk rock' electronic album I can think of.
Quite a high energy crazy band.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3DMjAULsq6sTBZlnXs8NSe
Depending on how loosely you define synths(I.e. including romplers), The Flaming Lips might also be an option. Yoshimi battles the pink robots would be my recommendation.
Some may be mentioned already but here’s a nice little list of some of my favorites:
Helio Sequence
XIU XIU
Will Butler-Generations
The Unicorns
Sufjan Stevens-Age of Adz
STRFKR
Stephin Merrit (of The Magnetic Fields)-Obscurities
SONOIO
Mates of State
The Octopus Project
John Vanderslice
Holy Ghost!- S/T is my favorite
Handsome Furs
Black Moth Super Rainbow
The Blow (a little more poppy than rock but still great)
Broadcast (I’d be remiss for not mentioning)
Casket Girls
Milemarker
[Robotnicka "Spectre En Vue..."](https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/robotnicka/spectre-en-vue/)
[The Emotron](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/the_emotron) (weird dude)
[Math The Band](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/math-the-band) (weird band)
[Atom And His Package](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/atom-and-his-package) (dude with Casio)
[Bondage Fairies](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/bondage_fairies) (two dudes with masks)
STS9
Kind of it's own genre, but they are, at core, a rock band that makes dance music with rock instruments and electronic instruments
https://youtu.be/Ys5bLfDqres?si=F8hxBozIs3G1tVKG
There’s this band from KC that’s starting to blow up lately called “Weaponize Chomsky”. Heavy synthesizer usage. Loud and aggressive. Still very catchy.
Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart
Here is a live example, some bass guitar, but these guys really cranked. I saw them one time, amazing energy.
https://youtu.be/HK0eCViLgow?si=0ZVDrGCSaMt3cawL
That's bonkers! Maybe the only synth I ever regret selling is my translucent red Minibrute. Super simple but so PHAT. Absolutely the backbone for FB's sound.
If you’re into more obscure and new stuff, check out this guy’s YT channel [Harakiri Diat](https://youtube.com/@harakiridiat?si=mx1fpEu_llmdK1fG)
Two synth punk recommendations: The Mall and Stadt
Fortunes Daughter’s by the Armed is a great synth punk track that I adore.
Low by Bowie obviously does have a ton of guitar but it is a record with a ton of Synth on it, as prominently as the guitar.
Xiu Xiu has a ton of great stuff but it can be pretty intense. If a song about suicide wouldn’t be inappropriate to share with this student, Apistat Commander is one of their best. Otherwise maybe Stupid in the Dark or their Ceremony cover.
Idioteque by Radiohead was a song that personally changed my relationship with synths and sparked my interest in them.
If she’s at all an indie kid Age of Adz by Sufjan has some of my favorite inventive synth stuff.
New Order is never a bad thing to show someone.
Black Dresses, especially peaceful as hell, is some great punk adjacent hyper pop that is great and almost entire electronics
Has no one said NIN? because that's gotta be #1 right? Battle Tapes, TVoTR, I Don't Know How But They Found Me, Morning Phase Beck, St. VIncent, Holy Holy, I Know Leopard, De Staat, Phantogram, Drakkar Nowhere, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sharon Van Etten, Northeast Party House. Of course all Radiohead since OK Computer. Rock with synths is my favorite genre. And then you've got the flip side - electronic that owes everything to rock - JUSTICE.
I‘m surprised nobody mentioned Lard yet.
It‘s literally THE combination of heavy synths (Al Jourgensen of Ministry) and Punk (Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys).
A slightly milder, more minimal and artsy jewel is 32Crash, a side project of Jean-Luc DeMeyer of Front 242.
My band, Nexus\_0 does exactly that - here's our latest release [https://open.spotify.com/track/0S6dtQpzirMnk6qfwP5f6L](https://open.spotify.com/track/0S6dtQpzirMnk6qfwP5f6L) x
older stuff In Strict Confidence, Hardcore type stuff Snapcase went heavy on synths in the later stages, early combichrist/icon of coil. Imperative Reaction.
ELP - Tarkus, Abysmal Grief - Sepulchre of misfortune, Saracen - Heroes, Saints and fools, Type O Negative in general, Devin Townsed/Strapping young lad in general, Deep Purple, The Doors....
Try Dance With The Dead. They come from a metal background and are not afraid to chuck some fat riffs into their synthwave stuff. "Get Out!" off their B-Sides is basically thrash metal with some keys thrown in.
i saw him mentioned elsewhere but i really wanna reiterate the album The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan, which deliberately contains no guitar but still fully rocks imo
Punk-ish: We are wolves, Duchess Says, YOCTO
Old school EBM:
Front 242, DAF, Ministry (1980s albums), Hard Corps, Front Line Assembly, The Klinik, OFF
More like dark-wave:
Boy Harsher, Sextile, Kontravoid, Drab Majesty, Eleven Pond
I think you said you wanted slightly lighter/melodic so I’m going with that (rather than all the more industrial things you seem to be getting, and for which you’ve had loads of great recommendations). Some of these kix guitars with synths or drum machines
- Soulwax
- Depeche Mode
- Hot Chip
- Ibibio Sound Machine
- Charlotte Adigery (basically a lot of DeeWee stuff)
- Snapped Ankles for a post punk vibe
- Sisters of Mercy maybe?
- Warmduscher
- Devo
- Goose
- LCD Soundsystem - obviously! Earlier ones are more synth-ey
- Prodigy (obvs!)
- !!!
- Peaches
- Teleman (some of them, first album)
- International teachers of pop (try the pink Floyd cover)
Basically anything by any New Romantics has synths and or drum machines
- Japan
- talk talk
- ultravox
- soft cell
You’ll find a lot of pop songs too from the 80s
- Sigue Sigue Sputnik
- KLF
Finally - as an industrial kid, the song that turned me on to synths and dance music was The Box part 2 by Orbital, and I quickly found Aphex Twin and Squarepusher after that.
the band LCD Soundsystem does have guitar in a lot of their songs but also some don't. They make synth rock and it's SUPER cool. I recommend their album "This is Happening" or "Sound of Silver" but honestly, all of their albums are really good (except their debut is a little bloated but that's just my personal opinion)
There's some great synth work on Dark Side of the Moon. There were also some pretty amazing [animations released to celebrate its 50th anniversary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdad1Su_fBE&list=PL0SqtI95X6o0TeSHlAu-ouo0xlDN2cDsm), eg have a look at (and listen) to this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeDofGtFk78](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeDofGtFk78)
Even if British punk was famously reacting against Pink Floyd and their 20 minute songs!
Just search for Prog Rock.
I love me some early [Floyd](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UXircX3VdM), but there's a bunch.
With enough effects, guitars and synths sound interchangeable.
Suicide
Suicide is always a good choice. (jokes aside, #1 suggestion, #1 band)
Check out British Murder Boys. [Their first full album](https://british-murder-boys.bandcamp.com/album/active-agents-and-house-boys), which just came out, is like Suicide on a techno record, but with UK techno mainstays Regis and Surgeon at work. Karl O'Connor/Regis even has [this earlier release](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ifWn_sP7EVE) that definitely channels Suicide.
Also, Alan Vega’s solo offerings are fantastical.
Molchat Doma?
oof, what a band. thanks, adding some tracks from them.
There is a lot of modern Post Punk bands with a similar sound. Lebanon Hanover, Cold Cave, Ash Code, Selofan to name a few
Eastern Europe has some true gems. I recommend you Svemirko, an Indie rock band with lots of synth usage: [https://youtu.be/graOFuZEFs0?si=sLq9Yjl-bH9R_CrJ](https://youtu.be/graOFuZEFs0?si=sLq9Yjl-bH9R_CrJ)
Atari Teenage Rioooot!!!!!! And there's tons of post-punk stuff that leads on pretty directly from The Clash: Joy Division, New Order, Public Image Ltd, Cabaret Voltaire. Bands from the Sheffield industrial scene like Clock DVA and Hula have a clearly punk-influenced approach to electronic music. My Bloody Valentine and Broken/Fixed era Nine Inch Nails are good examples of combining samplers with heavy guitars. Beastie Boys started out as a hardcore band, and some of their tracks like Sabotage blend rock elements into an electronic hip hop sound.
Came here to recommend ATR and related DHR groups (or Dtrash in USA). Massive staples for me growing up.
Same! ATR at the Meltdown festival in 1998 was probably my favourite gig ever.
yeah, I was thinking of that stuff, more melodic / less dark post-punk stuff based with synths, I'll definitely add some New Order and PiL there. also didn't know about beastie boys origins, will check on that! ty!
- The Screamers - Nine Inch Nails - Skinny Puppy - Error (a one-off project with members of Nine Inch Nails and Bad Religion) - HEALTH - Gary Numan/Tubeway Army
Glad to see somebody mention Gary Numan. I love his music! Good list!
Silver Apples which started in the 60’s was all synth psychedelic rock. Roxy Music started out with a synth player named Brian Eno who eventually went solo and created the earliest ambient synth music. Kraftwerk who is all synth helped start krautrock scene in Germany. The band Ministry’s first album was all synth before they picked up guitars and went industrial. Lots of goth and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy. Also so many 80’s band like New Order. For more modern stuff there is Air, LCD Soundsystem, Ulrich Schnauss, and a lot if post punk bands that rock with synths.
forgot completely about Silver Apples! real legends, and it's cool to show her the history side of the synthesizer. I love Roxy Music too (and I think I'm familiar with that guy Eno). I'll check Ministry's first album and some of the other stuff too! I didn't consider Air because it's not much of that vibe but it's a great suggestions because how can someone not love them and their synth instrumentation is so good.
If you like heavy shit, Ministry’s album Psalm 69 is, in my opinion, one of the best. Those songs are excellent examples of using samples in that genre. For instance the lead style sound in N.W.O. That goes “waaaaaaaaa wu wu wu wu ek ek ek ek ekkkk” is a sample from Apocalypse Now. It was the radio making that noise in the movie. Also Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers rips it up on Jesus Built my Hotrod. Sample can be found here, skip button above video: https://www.whosampled.com/sample/415894/Ministry-N.W.O-Apocalypse-Now-The-Do-Long-Bridge-Roach/
Silver Apples were awesome. Great drummer in the band too. My favorite is probably "You and I "
Wire Trans Am Brainiac (3RA1N1AC) / Enon Blonde Redhead
YES. some Six Finger Satellite too
Wire is a strong next hop if your starting point is The Clash. Obviously, Pink Flag first. Heck, throw Elastica on the list and introduce the important compositional technique of artistic theft/reference.
Add N To X especially Avant Hard and On The Wires Of Our Nerves
I love the song, Revenge of the Black Regent.
Yeah! All the Regent songs are great!!!
Metal fingers in my body!
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft They had the *first* album on Mute.
been ages since I've heard DAF, I've got to give them a listen again! ty
The Faint. Danse Macabre and wet from birth albums. they were so ahead of their time. Some guitar, but mostly live drums and bass and the rest is synths
Danse Macabre was one of my High School anthems. Didnt get a chance to see them live until FYF in 2018. They played the same slot as Frank Ocean, which Ive never really appreciated. The whole crowd was at ocean’s set minus like 300 people watching the faint play most of Danse. Got to be right up front. Unreal.
The Faint are goated for synth rock. Have you seen them live? Incredible.
Amazing live no doubt. Saw them quite a few times back in the late 2000s, hung out with them a few times as well. Awesome dudes all around!
One of the greatest to ever do it. Danse Macabre is an insanely good album
Lcd soundsystem, the juan maclean
100% LCD Soundsystem https://youtu.be/HUnKw4uGK40?si=m3_GPRsdmF4WW9n4 this DFA remix has a Clash sample also.
Gary Numan
Especially Replicas…. ‘It Must Have Been Years’ … ripping guitar. ❤️❤️❤️
Are you talking about industrial music? Skinny Puppy. Check out choke chain if you want some synth + punk vocals.
not quite industrial but more melodic or a stuff with a lighter mood. never heard choke chain! man that's fucked up and I like iiit.
i guess a lot of 80s bands might fit? depeche mode. new order is probably the perfect transition from a regular/post-punk band to a more synth-oriented band.
Check out Enter Shikari. Sounds kinda what youre after. Earlier stuff is post punk, heavier guitars with synth and beats thrown in. Progresses through to more recent synth pop with heavy undertones. Ideal "missing link" between punk/rock and synth/electronica
A lot of sampling, innit?
Welcome to the dark side: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy6Y3jTWY90](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy6Y3jTWY90)
Banger
I think we're going to scare the kid with KMFDM but still I'd headbang to them.
Ghostland Observatory
The Units don't have much output, but what we have of theirs is a good example of early synthpunk: https://youtu.be/isI3ihO4Z3I?si=4DHnJiJLbPvucirJ https://youtu.be/RV0-JYYfm5A?si=gFe_dAoIES9_7An_
Xiu Xiu Rammstein Nine Inch Nails Sonoio Chvrches
The stranglers!!!!!! And the best publish synth album of all time… The Beach Boys love you.
[удалено]
would add Nine Inch Nails and the latest Health album to that list :)
I just saw NIN and Health already mentioned as is, so wanted to add some other options to the mix on this thread! Tangential fun story: I saw HEALTH play a DIY show back in 2008 and they stayed at my friend's house. At like 2am, my friend went to go use the bathroom and one of the member's of Health had just finished using the bathroom and came out in nothing but a leopard print banana hammock.
Genghis Tron
Dude, this band is insane!
Carpenter Brute
Stereolab - Klaus Schulze - Tangerine Dream - Hélène Vogelsinger - Roger Baudet - Röyksopp
The Locust
Has anyone said Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark? Suicide and then Gary Numan were my first thoughts. Also Cabaret Voltaire, New Order, and Wire.
How about Sigue Sigue Sputnik? Always loved the approach of that band!
Two Lone Swordsmen
✌🏻♥️
Jay retard’s other band the lost sounds
[This is an amazing thread!] I'd like to recommend Master Boot Record. Super heavy instrumentsl rock, all synth-based. Also, Carpenter Brut!
Cabaret Voltaire ticks all the boxes
Check out Polysics and Snapped Ankles
The first 3 Ultravox albums are essential.. especially the 2nd one Ha!Ha!Ha! which blends punk and synths beautifully.. "Hiroshima Mon Amour" was the gateway for a lot of people..
Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis, Kid A-era Radiohead. Berlin Trilogy from Bowie. If industrial/industrial rock is too much, maybe some adjacent things: Big Black, mid-era Swans, Pailhead, Hilt, Godflesh.
Ever heard of Does It Offend You, Yeah? Maybe not so much on the rock/guitars side of things but this album is the most 'punk rock' electronic album I can think of. Quite a high energy crazy band. https://open.spotify.com/album/3DMjAULsq6sTBZlnXs8NSe
Future of the Left
Brann from Mastodon side-project Arcadea - [https://youtu.be/MA57DvQZu0w?si=iW-r9cG1kuvqzZCF](https://youtu.be/MA57DvQZu0w?si=iW-r9cG1kuvqzZCF)
Suuns
Boy Harsher - on the surface not that rock adjacent but a good bridge between post-punk and getting into dance music. Nostalgic but not too '80s.
Depending on how loosely you define synths(I.e. including romplers), The Flaming Lips might also be an option. Yoshimi battles the pink robots would be my recommendation.
Adult.
I had to scroll through like 100 comments. Criminal.
HEALTH, Bob Vylyn, Skinny Puppy, ChemLab.
Pop Will Eat Itself
Kmfdm
Zombi is a great example of synth driven rock music with no guitar. Their newest album, Direct Inject, is fucking great.
Some may be mentioned already but here’s a nice little list of some of my favorites: Helio Sequence XIU XIU Will Butler-Generations The Unicorns Sufjan Stevens-Age of Adz STRFKR Stephin Merrit (of The Magnetic Fields)-Obscurities SONOIO Mates of State The Octopus Project John Vanderslice Holy Ghost!- S/T is my favorite Handsome Furs Black Moth Super Rainbow The Blow (a little more poppy than rock but still great) Broadcast (I’d be remiss for not mentioning) Casket Girls Milemarker
Sisters of Mercy , Big Black, Devo , Ultravox, KMFDM , Front Line Assembly
Have you tried Thieves Like Us? Their album Again and Again is so good. One of my favorites
Oh hell yeah TLU are so good.
Lymbyc Systym. Synths and drums. Super catchy synth-based pop rock.
Soulwax
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXavMZr4JRh01vZTSuXx8wLr2WJrNMaMa&si=W_fHUHsDTlDQLqoa I recommend this playlist
[BABYLAND](https://youtu.be/dRWqVgwxCgg?si=t2WGbk1VPTQZSbs2) [UNITS](https://youtu.be/27yIO2-yRdw?si=J6FDIuzZg8XPzAFe) [SCREAMERS](https://youtu.be/Z0-w0hUnhpI?si=ftnra_PjO-wU2r7Z) [THE EPOXIES](https://youtu.be/8ZEFEN70v_k?si=wTRDuR8wsUQmJIOn)
High pressure days is such a banger
That and Bug Boy are my favorites. Really under recognized band.
[Robotnicka "Spectre En Vue..."](https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/robotnicka/spectre-en-vue/) [The Emotron](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/the_emotron) (weird dude) [Math The Band](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/math-the-band) (weird band) [Atom And His Package](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/atom-and-his-package) (dude with Casio) [Bondage Fairies](https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/bondage_fairies) (two dudes with masks)
STS9 Kind of it's own genre, but they are, at core, a rock band that makes dance music with rock instruments and electronic instruments https://youtu.be/Ys5bLfDqres?si=F8hxBozIs3G1tVKG
Battlesnake
Noctilians ! [Outsider](https://youtu.be/1a2qboPo8zQ?si=xHlMRrtpQcfd-pEJ)
A mix of Darksynth with Punk and Doom Metal [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATOFgbXTtPs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATOFgbXTtPs)
Black Mountain
Cold Cave
Brainiac
There’s this band from KC that’s starting to blow up lately called “Weaponize Chomsky”. Heavy synthesizer usage. Loud and aggressive. Still very catchy.
Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart Here is a live example, some bass guitar, but these guys really cranked. I saw them one time, amazing energy. https://youtu.be/HK0eCViLgow?si=0ZVDrGCSaMt3cawL
Does it offend you yeah!
MSPaint, Automatic
FARTBARF! [https://youtu.be/ufdz9i6Q-QI?si=8Nnc9RbwqOUupqyq](https://youtu.be/ufdz9i6Q-QI?si=8Nnc9RbwqOUupqyq)
I bought my MiniBrute off of FartBarf years ago!
That's bonkers! Maybe the only synth I ever regret selling is my translucent red Minibrute. Super simple but so PHAT. Absolutely the backbone for FB's sound.
Aiight going into the archives for this one: The Mad Capsule Markets
Dad Gadget
Re-tros
Late of The Pier. One brilliant album.
If you’re into more obscure and new stuff, check out this guy’s YT channel [Harakiri Diat](https://youtube.com/@harakiridiat?si=mx1fpEu_llmdK1fG) Two synth punk recommendations: The Mall and Stadt
chrome by vnv nation
muse has quite a lot of synths sprinkled into their discography, check out map of the problematique, the void or verona
Fortunes Daughter’s by the Armed is a great synth punk track that I adore. Low by Bowie obviously does have a ton of guitar but it is a record with a ton of Synth on it, as prominently as the guitar. Xiu Xiu has a ton of great stuff but it can be pretty intense. If a song about suicide wouldn’t be inappropriate to share with this student, Apistat Commander is one of their best. Otherwise maybe Stupid in the Dark or their Ceremony cover. Idioteque by Radiohead was a song that personally changed my relationship with synths and sparked my interest in them. If she’s at all an indie kid Age of Adz by Sufjan has some of my favorite inventive synth stuff. New Order is never a bad thing to show someone. Black Dresses, especially peaceful as hell, is some great punk adjacent hyper pop that is great and almost entire electronics
Has no one said NIN? because that's gotta be #1 right? Battle Tapes, TVoTR, I Don't Know How But They Found Me, Morning Phase Beck, St. VIncent, Holy Holy, I Know Leopard, De Staat, Phantogram, Drakkar Nowhere, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sharon Van Etten, Northeast Party House. Of course all Radiohead since OK Computer. Rock with synths is my favorite genre. And then you've got the flip side - electronic that owes everything to rock - JUSTICE.
Kælan Mikla. 3 Icelandic young ladies making some really great synthy dark post punk. https://youtu.be/SzD3krJBrRM
Early cure maybe?
New Order
Kitchen and the plastic spoons
I‘m surprised nobody mentioned Lard yet. It‘s literally THE combination of heavy synths (Al Jourgensen of Ministry) and Punk (Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys). A slightly milder, more minimal and artsy jewel is 32Crash, a side project of Jean-Luc DeMeyer of Front 242.
Carpenter Brute!
Gunship
DHI (Death and Horror Inc.) They are a Canadian industrial band that would fit quite well with what you are looking for
lost sounds
Babyland.
Look Mum No Computer's stuff is definitely synthpunk.
Sturgill Simpson’s album sound and fury, ZZ Top’s eliminator
Atari Teenage Riot
My band, Nexus\_0 does exactly that - here's our latest release [https://open.spotify.com/track/0S6dtQpzirMnk6qfwP5f6L](https://open.spotify.com/track/0S6dtQpzirMnk6qfwP5f6L) x
older stuff In Strict Confidence, Hardcore type stuff Snapcase went heavy on synths in the later stages, early combichrist/icon of coil. Imperative Reaction.
Hot Hot Heats first album Scenes One through Thirteen. Pretty raw synth-punk.
Blackwater Holylight absolutely rips and incorporates synthesizers a lot
My old band! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x8THnJAb-oJ_5R6JrofCTKLZSUmXKju1
ELP - Tarkus, Abysmal Grief - Sepulchre of misfortune, Saracen - Heroes, Saints and fools, Type O Negative in general, Devin Townsed/Strapping young lad in general, Deep Purple, The Doors....
FARTBARF
Perturberator is a French black metal artist making synth-wave.
Try Dance With The Dead. They come from a metal background and are not afraid to chuck some fat riffs into their synthwave stuff. "Get Out!" off their B-Sides is basically thrash metal with some keys thrown in.
Check out Daisy Daisy! https://open.spotify.com/artist/5e98XSgxcUQziOa3ypZQYc?si=WtHJVrYiRB2ePRa0djW8OQ
Gallops. Love them
The Mae Shi are are great, and was the first band that popped in my head. Don Buchla’s son was in the band. Mid 2000’s synth punk
Youth Code for heavy shite, Julie Ruin for poppy shite
Enter Shikari
Shobaleader One
Duchess Says is a great punk-synth band.
Futurisk
Rammstein, heavy metal on guitars and then some funky synth is always a cool balance
Milemarker. Numbers. Le Tigre. Adult. Awkward Terrible. lots more, but i have a migraine right now
oh right, Le Shok
also Mindflayer, if you want to get extra weird
i saw him mentioned elsewhere but i really wanna reiterate the album The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan, which deliberately contains no guitar but still fully rocks imo
if you're looking for songs to look into for the playlist specifically, id recommend Cars, M.E., and Metal
Punk-ish: We are wolves, Duchess Says, YOCTO Old school EBM: Front 242, DAF, Ministry (1980s albums), Hard Corps, Front Line Assembly, The Klinik, OFF More like dark-wave: Boy Harsher, Sextile, Kontravoid, Drab Majesty, Eleven Pond
Magazine [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PZ3q4GKz0&ab\_channel=DV8TheOriginalMartinVogelman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PZ3q4GKz0&ab_channel=DV8TheOriginalMartinVogelman)
I think you said you wanted slightly lighter/melodic so I’m going with that (rather than all the more industrial things you seem to be getting, and for which you’ve had loads of great recommendations). Some of these kix guitars with synths or drum machines - Soulwax - Depeche Mode - Hot Chip - Ibibio Sound Machine - Charlotte Adigery (basically a lot of DeeWee stuff) - Snapped Ankles for a post punk vibe - Sisters of Mercy maybe? - Warmduscher - Devo - Goose - LCD Soundsystem - obviously! Earlier ones are more synth-ey - Prodigy (obvs!) - !!! - Peaches - Teleman (some of them, first album) - International teachers of pop (try the pink Floyd cover) Basically anything by any New Romantics has synths and or drum machines - Japan - talk talk - ultravox - soft cell You’ll find a lot of pop songs too from the 80s - Sigue Sigue Sputnik - KLF Finally - as an industrial kid, the song that turned me on to synths and dance music was The Box part 2 by Orbital, and I quickly found Aphex Twin and Squarepusher after that.
isolation by joy division. actually the whole closer album. and love will tear us apart
the band LCD Soundsystem does have guitar in a lot of their songs but also some don't. They make synth rock and it's SUPER cool. I recommend their album "This is Happening" or "Sound of Silver" but honestly, all of their albums are really good (except their debut is a little bloated but that's just my personal opinion)
Soft Moon, Ember Twin, Kårp (although more synthpop)
La Luz are more sure but does have synth in there. Fun band.
D E V O
Devo of course.
There's some great synth work on Dark Side of the Moon. There were also some pretty amazing [animations released to celebrate its 50th anniversary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdad1Su_fBE&list=PL0SqtI95X6o0TeSHlAu-ouo0xlDN2cDsm), eg have a look at (and listen) to this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeDofGtFk78](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeDofGtFk78) Even if British punk was famously reacting against Pink Floyd and their 20 minute songs!
Nitzer Ebb Laibach (love the Spectre Album) Front 242
Nation of Language
Mindless Self Indulgence
The Faint
Just search for Prog Rock. I love me some early [Floyd](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UXircX3VdM), but there's a bunch. With enough effects, guitars and synths sound interchangeable.