The rise of British synthesizer pop has brought with it the rise of the cool vocal. As different as they are musically, such bands as New Order, A Flock of Seagulls and the Human League all share a style in which the vocals approximate the smooth expressionlessness of the synthesizers. But Yak, a synth duo that has just split up, is different: Alison "Alf" Moyet's husky, expressive singing contras...

Upstairs at Eric's is one of those maddening albums with a lot of good ideas but only a few great cuts. Essentially a studio-based entity, combining the synthesizers and electronic wizardry of former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke with the voice and piano of Genevieve Alison Moyet, Yaz first popped up in America under the name Yazoo with an infectious piece of techno-funk called "Situation."...