Talk Talk

From Synth-Pop to Post-Rock

by Claudio Fabretti

Talk Talk are the protagonists of this episode of Rock in Onda, the show hosted by Claudio Fabretti on Radio Città Aperta (Fm 88.9 in Rome or streaming here).

Starting out as an excellent chart-friendly synth-pop act steeped in the "new romantic" atmospheres of the 80s, Mark Hollis's Talk Talk unexpectedly veered towards what critics would later call "slow-core", sketching out ethereal, celestial soundscapes and beating the champions of post-rock to the punch.

Listen to or download the podcasts for free:

Talk Talk – part 1

Talk Talk – part 2

It didn't seem that way at the time, but Talk Talk's legacy has grown ever more evident over the years, their work gradually reassessed as prophetic. Before anyone was even talking about slow-core or post-rock, Talk Talk were already playing it. The champions of those genres, who left such a decisive mark on the following decade, came out of hard-core, or were looking to reclaim 70s avant-garde rock, rediscovered thanks to CD reissues of those forgotten forerunners. Talk Talk, on the other hand, came from the most maligned genre of the 80s, synth-pop, and beat everyone to it.

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Feel free to send us comments, suggestions and ideas for upcoming episodes, on Facebook or by email: rockinonda@ondarock.it We'll be happy to build future playlists with your input too.

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07/10/2025

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This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by Claudio Fabretti, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.
Read the original in Italian · About the English edition

Talk Talk on OndaRock

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Discography

	Show tracklist
	1. Talk Talk 2. Today 3. It’s My Life 4. Dum Dum Girl 5. Such A Shame 6. Tomorrow Started 7. Why Is It So Hard? 8. Living In Another World 9. Life’s What You Make It 10. I Don’t Believe In You 11. April 5th 12. Eden 13. Desire 14. Ascension Day 15. After The Flood 16. The Gift (Mark Hollis)