The name Yaz probably doesn’t mean much more to you than a line in the uber-referenced “Losing My Edge”: “I hear you’re buying a synthesizer and an arpeggiator, and are throwing your computer out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Yaz record.” Well put, James. Back in 1982 when some of the freshest sounds on the planet came from NYC producers who were merging latin, soul, and disco rhythms with drum machines and synths, as well as Brits who were merging the black american sounds they loved with drum machines and synths, Yaz, a duo from the latter camp, cut a tune called “Situation” which was one of those tracks that got people up and on the dancefloor within the first few notes of the opening keybs. Rather than mix-in, some DJs would just fade out the prior record to hit that intro on “Situation” and everyone knew it was ON. “Situation” was also included on the amazing “Perfect Beats” boxed set from Timber records, which I HIGHly recommend to anybody that’s into electro. Yaz (comprised of keyboardist Vince Clark and singer Alison Moyet) had other big tunes, incl. “Someone Else’s Diary” and “Only You,” both of which are just beautiful, silly love songs.
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