Welcome to the strange and thrilling underbelly of synth pop.
On July 12, 2025, Night School Records released one of the year’s most fascinating archival compilations: All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978–1985. Compiled by British curator Philip King, this 24-track deep dive unearths the forgotten gems of a movement that never quite was — the overlooked DIY pioneers of bedroom synths, tape machines, and underground ambition.
It’s a record that asks a question we rarely stop to consider: What happens to the artists who build the future… but never live to see it?
A Scene Hiding in Plain Sight
The phrase “junkshop synth-pop” borrows from “junkshop glam,” a term used to describe obscure, one-off glam rock singles of the early ’70s. Here, it refers to a generation of homegrown, self-taught musicians in the wake of punk — armed with cheap analog synthesizers, no budgets, and a willingness to fail beautifully.
They worked in bedrooms and ramshackle studios. They self-released singles on tiny labels or got swallowed by major-label indifference. Their music didn’t chart, but it left fingerprints all over what came next: new wave, electro-pop, techno, and beyond.
The compilation is less about slick hits and more about the human, chaotic energy of a world inventing itself one strange record at a time.
Every track has been remastered by RPM’s Simon Murphy, many rescued from rare vinyl due to lost master tapes. The package also includes extensive liner notes by King and previously unseen photos — all of which help flesh out the world these artists inhabited.
Why It Matters
If you think early synth pop was all cold minimalism and robotic detachment, All The Young Droids will change your mind. This is a much messier, more human story — where desperation bred innovation, where bedroom misfits rubbed shoulders with major-label misfires, and where the line between junk and treasure was delightfully blurred.
It’s also a reminder that history isn’t written only by the winners. It’s shaped by everyone who dared to try.
Format & Availability
Available now on double vinyl (black, pink, and clear variants) and 2-CD set, the compilation can be ordered via Night School Records or Bandcamp.
