Pet Shop Boys formed in 1981, a fertile period for pop innovation, and their sleek rhythms and bold colors reflect many of the era's futurist hallmarks. Their springy synths are rooted in Depeche Mode's skeletal programming, and their wistful vocals echo Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark. Yet even at their most minimalist, they follow the joyful disco pulse of Donna Summer and Village People.