Erasure

Striking upon a perfect emotional pairing in Vince Clarke’s dazzling electronic melodies and Andy Bell’s joyously ascendant vocals, Erasure brings nuanced matters of the heart to the fore in its high-gloss synth-pop. Formed in London in 1985 when Clarke was seeking a new collaborator following his stints in Depeche Mode and Yazoo, the duo first established itself as a reliable singles act. It’s easy to hear why: 1986’s “Sometimes” is equally sexy and stylish, weaving fond echoes of ABBA and disco into a swanning bout of danceable pop. Despite arriving after the commercial peak of synth-pop, Erasure thrived across the late 1980s and the ’90s with its combination of heartfelt crescendos and clubby catnip. Even well into the new century, Clarke and Bell have continued to balance classic pop songwriting and forward-looking production while inspiring such heart-on-sleeve electronic acts as Robyn and Empire of the Sun.