So

Inspired by the possibilities of digital technology and the audacious rhythms of Brazil and Africa, Peter Gabriel invigorated pop music with 1986’s So. “Sledgehammer” is a James Brown groove reinforced with juicy synths and hard-hitting drum machines. While that song highlights Gabriel’s most soulful singing, his husky voice materialises like a beam of light through the roiling pulses of “Red Rain”. The duelling currents of tension and comfort merge on “In Your Eyes”, a love song so pure in its intentions that its intricate machinery becomes almost invisible.