Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (1979)

For fans of Kraftwerk; except replace their serious, post-apocolyptic angular modalities with YMO's bubbly, cosmopolitan Tokyo cityscape video game world. 

It's neon and anime and fun.    
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor (1979; Alfa Records)

Stockholm Monsters - Alma Mater (1984)

The fickle and cynical British press unfairly slagged this band as New Order-wannabes (even though almost all their stuff was produced by New Order bassist Peter Hook); but that's a really shitty and reductive way to describe Stockholm Monsters. Along with some of the other Factory Records bands of that era, they helped bridge the gap between the early label's artier post-punk groups (A Certain Ratio and Joy Division) and the late-decade dance club vibe of the Happy Mondays and Electronic. A band that never got their due because their ever-changing façade meandered around so many genres: an eclectic blend of sunny synth pop experimentation mingled with jangly guitars and electro beats.

I read an interview a few years ago with John Darnielle (of The Mountain Goats, a man I highly respect and cherish as one of the greatest American songwriters of this generation) where he said this was his favorite album ever. It must be awesome if he likes it, right? Listen for yourself and decide.

This is the 2002 re-master from LTM Recordings, with a slew of bonus tracks...

Stockholm Monsters - Alma Mater (1984; Factory Records)