ELECTRONIC : Music With Computers Packs a Lot of Byte

“I find the most confusing thing about dance music at the moment is the sheer number of groups,” says Bernard Sumner, who is nonetheless adding one more group to the confusion. While remaining a member of the popular and influential techno-rock band New Order, Sumner has teamed with ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to form Electronic, whose debut album was released last month by Warner Bros.

“The last few years in England have been a great period in dance music,” the Englishman continued during a recent interview. “There’s been some fantastic records come out. But I find that there’s no identity to a lot of the groups, and people can’t relate to them. I think that’s something that’s got to be overcome.”

The Manchester-based duo’s attempt to put a face on the beat consists of high-tech, synthesizer-based instrumental tracks topped with Sumner’s plaintive vocals. The sound on the album “Electronic” isn’t far removed from that of the Pet Shop Boys (who collaborate as writers and performers on two songs) and New Order. Both partners dismiss the charge that high-tech dance music lacks the human dimension.

“I think it’s generally an older generation that makes that criticism,” said Sumner, who started Electronic as a solo diversion from New Order before enlisting Marr, who left the Smiths in 1987 and is also a member of Matt Johnson’s group The The.

“It’s a kind of fear of technology because they don’t understand it,” Sumner added. “Basically we use computers to help us write songs, not to write the songs. You can’t put rubbish into a computer and get something good out. Basically the computer is a modern tape recorder, really. . . . I don’t believe it’s cold at all.”

Added Marr: “People who don’t use computers often say you just plug it in and you press a button and out comes a hit record. I mean, what do people think that computers do? I don’t really agree with that. If you ask a 15-year-old whether he prefers Technotronic to the Traveling Wilburys, I think you’ll get your answer.”