Every 20 years or so various music styles from the decades passed are revived and adapted to a new age. In Scandinavia different key genres of the 1980s have been a major inspiration for some years now with some artists doing more reviving than adapting, not least the synth-based neonpop which is also reflected by this selection of 10 songs that sound like they are from the 80s but actually aren’t.

Alphabeat (DK) – Fascination
Sounds like: A ridiculously infectious theme song from an 80s soft drink commercial where everybody is jumping up and down, smiling, hugging, dancing and generally being very happy campers.

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But is in fact: One of the many great tracks on ‘This Is Alphabeat’, the 2008 debut album from Danish Alphabeat. Their happy-go-lucky, 80s inspired and very danceable pop have earned them great success in Denmark as well as England and they recently signed an international multi album record deal with Universal Music. If you don’t know them yet, you will pretty soon.

Vanity Beach (SF) – Garden Of Cruelty
Sounds like: Do you remember the movie ‘Cocktail’ from 1988? Do you remember when Brian Flanagan and his mentor Doug Coughlin gets discovered and starts working the bar at a very cool and very 80s-like club? This track sounds like something the DJ is saving for when he really wants the poem-reciting, cocktail-guzzling yuppies to go nuts.

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But is in fact: An absolutely brilliant track from cool Finnish outfit Vanity Beach’s equally brilliant EP ‘Garden of Cruelty’ from 2007 - an EP we have mentioned many, many times and will continue to mention many, many times until Vanity Beach’s new album ‘A Life Of Vice’ is out. Then we are probably going to mention that many, many times.

The Sounds (SE) – Living In America
Sounds like: Debbie Harry’s naughty little sister fronting a band full of peppy energy, catchy keyboard hooks and charming pronouncing of English words (e.g. “living in Ami-rika”)

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But is in fact: The title track from the 2003 debut album from cool Swedish New Wave band The Sounds fronted by charismatic (and incidentally really, really hot) Maja Ivarsson. Who is not – as far as we know – related to Debbie Harry.

Wig Wam (NO) – Gonna Get You Someday
Sounds like: All the decadence, hairspray, extravagance and power chords of 80s metal boiled down to a single track.

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But is in fact: All the decadence, hairspray, extravagance and power chords of 80s metal boiled down to a single track – that was released in 2006. Sure, it’s easy to dismiss the Norwegian glam metallers extraordinaire as a novelty act, but listen to ‘Gonna Get You Someday’ one more time and admit that deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want that record, you need that record…

Lady Smita (DK) – Dual Casette Decks
Sounds like: The Rock Steady Crew pumping it up in Bronx in 1983 with friends breakdancing in tight sweatsuits and others doing a top-to-bottom-whole-car in the NY subway.

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But is in fact: Danish DJ and MC Lady Smita hailing hip hop of the neon decade and one of the technological landmarks of the time: The dual casette deck.

FM Belfast (ISL) – Synthia
Sounds like: A track used during a televised half hour workout conducted by 1980s fitness guru Richard Simmons.

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But is in fact: A sweet synth track from Icelandic live darlings FM Belfast, saluting the “computerized all-in-one-box ultra-keyboard”, Synthia (1982).

Private (DK) – We Got Some Breaking Up To Do
Sounds like: A NutraSweet mash-up of Prince and Michael Jackson seasoned with the production and feel of 1980s one-hit wonder Rockwell and his one hit from 1984, ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’.

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But is in fact: A song of the debut from acclaimed Danish producer and former Superheroes head honcho Thomas Troelsen’s latest pop project, Private. Like much of the 1980s it’s Style over Substance, but it most likely will make you wanna dance.

Magenta Skycode (SF) – Pleasure of Love
Sounds like: The Cure, New Order and Joy Division at a party hosted by Phil Spector deciding to jam a bit. While still being semi-depressed.

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But is in fact: A great track from Finnish indie-rockers Magenta Skycode’s debut album ‘IIIII’ from 2007. Magenta Skycode will release their sophomore effort later in 2009. Maybe it will be called ‘IIIIII’… Or, if they are smart, something a bit more google-able.

Skansros (SE) – Drømmen Om Amerika
Sounds like: The Smiths and Morrissey feeling happy(?!) as a result of relocating to Sweden.

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But is in fact: A grand pop tune (in English, “The Dream of America”) from Swedish six-piece Skansros, who are just about ready to release their debut full length.

Junior Senior (DK) – Can I Get Get Get
Sounds like: The B-52s mixed with the naïve flow of early hip hop and a little nod to the Grandmaster Flash classic ‘The Message’ in the synth-line.

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But is in fact: The duo almost solely responsible for kicking off the 1980s retro wave in Denmark and a single from their second and last album, ‘Hey Hey My My Yo Yo’ (2005). Junior Senior split up late last year to pursue solo projects.